City of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa - ORDINANCE NO. 759

WHEREAS the Sergeant Bluff Fire Department has recommended the adoption of the 2024 Edition of the International Fire Code, published by the International Code Council (ICC) governing the safeguarding of life and property from fire and explosion hazards arising from the storage, handling and use of hazardous substances, materials and devices, and from conditions hazardous to life or property in the occupancy of buildings and premises in the City of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa; and 

WHEREAS the City Council has found that it is in the public’s best interest to adopt current and uniform standards and regulations to prevent hazards from fire and provide for the issuance of permits and collection of fees for applicable services to be provided by the City’s fire department.

BE IT ENACTED by the City Council of the City of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa:

SECTION 1.SECTION RENUMBERED. Section 35.16 Fire Service Fees shall be moved to the end of Chapter 35 and renumbered as 35.21.

SECTION 2.SECTION MODIFIED. Section 35.16 shall be renamed “Adoption of Fire Code” and the following is adopted in lieu of the prior text moved to new Section 35.2:.

35.16 ADOPTION OF FIRE CODE.  

1.The 2024 Edition of the International Fire Code, published by the International Code Council (ICC), is hereby adopted by reference as the Fire Code of the City of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, except for such portions as are modified herein, regulating and governing the safeguarding of life and property from fire and explosion hazards arising from the storage, handling and use of hazardous substances, materials and devices, and from conditions hazardous to life or property in the occupancy of buildings and premises as herein provided; providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefor; and each and all of the regulations, provisions, penalties, conditions and terms of said Fire Code on file and available for public reference in the office of the City Clerk in City Hall and at the Fire Department station located at 204 Port Neal Road are hereby referred to, adopted, and made a part hereof, as if fully set out in this legislation, with the additions, insertions, deletions and changes prescribed in subsection 2 as follows. 

2.The following sections and portions of the 2024 Edition of the International Fire Code are hereby amended, deleted, modified, or added in said code as follows: 

A.Section 101.1 – “[NAME OF JURISDICTION]” shall be replaced with “the City of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.”

B.Section 103.1 – Delete the subsection and replace with: “The Sergeant Bluff Fire Department is hereby created, and the Fire Chief, or designee authorized by the Fire Chief, shall also be known as the Fire Code Official. A function of the agency shall be the implementation, administration and enforcement of the provisions of this code.”

C.Section 104 – Add a new Subsection 104.12 to Section 104 to read as follows: “The Fire Code Official is authorized to order an operation or use stopped or the evacuation of any premises, building, or vehicle or portion thereof which has or is a fire, life safety or health hazard.”

D.Section 105.5 – Add a sentence to the end of the section to read as follows: “The Fire Code Official at their discretion may send plans for operational permits requests to an outside agency for review. The Fire Code Official shall choose the review agency. The applicant shall pay all fees associated with the plan review directly to the outside agency. The permit shall not be issued until the review fees have been paid.” 

E.Section 105.6 – Add a sentence to the end of the section to read as follows: “The Fire Code Official at their discretion may send construction plans to an outside agency for review. The Fire Code Official shall choose the review agency. The applicant shall pay all fees associated with the plan review directly to the outside agency. The permit shall not be issued until the review fees have been paid.”

F.Section 112.1 – Delete the section and replace with: “The City Administrator shall hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Fire Code Official relative to the application and interpretation of this code. As needed, the City Administrator shall adopt rules of procedure for review of appeals and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant with a duplicate copy to the Fire Code Official.

G.Sections 112.2 and 112.4 – Replace references to board with ”City Administrator.”

H.Section 112.3 – Delete the section.

I.Section 113.4 – Delete the section and replace with: “Persons who shall violate a provision of this code or shall fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who shall erect, install, alter, repair or do work in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the Fire Code Official, or of a permit or certificate used under provisions of this code, shall be punishable by civil penalty for a municipal infraction, as prescribed in the City of Sergeant Bluff Code of Ordinances.”

J.Section 114.4 – Delete the section and replace with: “Any person who shall continue any work after having been served with a stop work order, except such work as that person is directed to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition and shall be punishable by civil penalty for a municipal infraction, as prescribed in the City of Sergeant Bluff Code of Ordinances.”

K.Section 307.1 – Delete the section and replace with: “A person shall not kindle or maintain or authorize to be kindled or maintained any open burning unless conducted and approved by the Fire Chief in accordance with IFC Code Section 307 and City of Sergeant Bluff Code of Ordinances Section 41.15 Recreational Fires, Section 105.05 Open Burning for Solid Waste Disposal, Section 135.08 Burning Prohibited, and any other current or future municipal  ordinances addressing Open Burning, Recreational Fires, and Portable Outdoor Fireplaces.”

L.Section 401 – Add a new subsection to Section 401 to read as follows: “401.9 Building Evacuation. Upon activation of the building fire alarm system or upon notification by other means of detecting and reporting unwanted fire, all building occupants shall promptly evacuate the building. Building employees and tenants shall implement the appropriate emergency plan and procedures. Except that immediate total evacuation of the building is not required when the emergency evacuation plan for the building, as approved by the Fire Code Official, does not require it..”

M.Section 505 – Add a new subsection to Section 505 to read as follows: “505.3 Addresses for Buildings under Construction. Upon permit issuance, all new commercial and residential buildings under construction shall have address signage plainly visible from the street. Additional address signage may be required at the discretion of the Fire Code Official.”

N. Section 506 – Delete the section. All requirements for key boxes shall be in accordance with the City of Sergeant Bluff Code of Ordinances Section 35.18 Knox Box Requirements.

O.Section 507.5 – Add a sentence to the end of the section to read as follows: “Fire hydrant systems shall also comply with the City of Sergeant Bluff Code of Ordinances Section 35.19 Fire Department Connection Hydrant Requirements and Section 90.19 Operation of Curb Valve and Hydrants. The brand of fire hydrant installed on the public water system shall be approved by the Sergeant Bluff Public Works Department prior to installation.”

P.Section 507 – Add a new subsection to Section 505.5 to read as follows: “507.5.7 Fire hydrant height: Fire hydrants shall be installed a minimum of sixteen (16) inches from the nominal ground level to the center of the lowest water outlet.”

Q.Section 901.1 – Add a sentence to the end of the section to read as follows: “The provisions of this chapter shall also include the City of Sergeant Bluff Municipal Code Section 35.20 Fire Alarm & Detection Systems Requirements.” 

R.Section 901.6.3 – Add a new subsection to Section 901.6.3 to read as follows: “901.6.3.2 Inspection Record Submission. Contractors who perform installation, inspection, testing and/or maintenance services on fire and life safety systems are required to electronically submit all installation and compliant & non-compliant inspection reports to the Fire Department via a method approved by the Fire Code Official within 30 calendar days of the installation/inspection date. Reports submitted after 30 calendar days may incur late fees.”

S.Section 1103.5.3 – “[DATE BY WHICH SPRINKLER MUST BE INSTALLED]” is amended to “two years from date of notification.”

T.Section 1103 – Add a new section to Section 1103 to read as follows: “1103.11 Existing Fire Alarm Systems Monitoring Requirements. Existing fire alarms systems that are currently not monitored by an approved UL listed Central Station shall become monitored within 1 year from receiving notice in accordance with Section 907.6.6.”

U.Section 1103 – Add a new section to Section 1103 to read as follows: “Existing sprinkler systems monitoring requirements. Existing sprinkler systems shall have all valves controlling the sprinkler system and water flow electrically supervised and monitored by an approved UL listed Central Station in accordance with Sections 903.4 and 903.4.1 within 1 year from receiving notice.”

3.Fire Department requirements as provided for by Chapter 35 Sections 35.17, 35.19 and 35.20 shall continue to apply and all provisions of the 2024 Edition of the International Fire Code in conflict with the provisions of Sergeant Bluff Code of Ordinances Sections 35.17, 35.19 and 35.20 shall not apply. 

SECTION 3. NEW SECTION. Chapter 156 of the Sergeant Bluff Code of Ordinances is amended by adding a new Section 156.10 ADOPTION OF FIRE CODE which shall read as follows:

156.10 ADOPTION OF FIRE CODE.  The 2024 Edition of the International Fire Code, published by the International Code Council (ICC) is adopted as modified in the Sergeant Bluff Code of Ordinances Section 35.16. A copy of the International Fire Code is available for public reference in City Hall and at the Fire Department station located at 204 Port Neal Road.

SECTION 4.  REPEALER.  All ordinances of parts of ordinances in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed.  In all other respects, the Code of Ordinances of the City of Sergeant Bluff shall remain in effect.  

SECTION 5. EFFECT ON PENDING ENFORCEMENT. Nothing in this ordinance or in the International Fire Code hereby adopted shall be construed to affect any suit or proceeding pending in any court, or any rights acquired, or liability incurred, or any cause or causes of action acquired or existing, under any act or ordinance hereby repealed as cited in Section 2 of this ordinance; nor shall any just or legal right or remedy of any character be lost, impaired or affected by this legislation.

SECTION 7.  SEVERABILITY CLAUSE.  If any section, provision or part of this ordinance shall be adjudged invalid or unconstitutional, such adjudication shall not affect the validity of the ordinance as a whole or any section, provision or part thereof not adjudged invalid or unconstitutional.  

SECTION 8.WHEN EFFECTIVE.  This Ordinance shall be in effect from and after its final passage and approval and publication as provided by law.

Passed by the City Council of the City of Sergeant Bluff on the 22nd day of April 2025, and approved this 22nd day of April, 2025.

MAYOR JON WINKEL

Attest:

CITY CLERK 

First Reading:3/25/2025Vote for passage: 4-0

Second Reading: 4/8/2025Vote for passage: 5-0

Third Reading: 4/22/2025Vote for passage: 5-0

Passed, Approved, and Adopted April 22, 2025.

I certify that the foregoing was published as Ordinance No. 759 on the 15th day of May, 2025.

CITY CLERK