NewCityLogo-August2008

Council
Communication

Office of the City Manager

 
 

Date

January 25, 2010

 

Agenda Item No.        43

Roll Call No.               10-

Communication No.   10-024

Submitted by: John F. TeKippe, Chief of the Fire Department

 

 

 

AGENDA HEADING:

 

Approving amendments to the City of Des Moines Municipal Code, Chapter 46 Fire Prevention and Protection, Article VII, Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Special Effects Material.

 

 

SYNOPSIS:

 

Recommend Council approval by Ordinance of amendments to Sections 46-214 and 46-216 of the Municipal Code of the City of Des Moines.  The amendment to Section 46-214, “Permits Required”, adds a permit requirement for displays involving fire, open flames or flammable materials other than fireworks or pyrotechnic special effects material.  The amendment to Section 46-216, “Insurance for Display”, adds a new lower insurance requirement for outdoor, open area displays involving fire, open flames or other flammable material other than fireworks or pyrotechnic special effects material that are determined by the Fire Chief to be a lower hazard.

 

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

Amount:   Minimal Revenue (1 or 2 permits annually at $75 each)

 

Funding Source:   N/A

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

 

Current Municipal Code Sections 46-214 and 46-216 require the permitting, monitoring, and insuring of fireworks and pyrotechnic displays, but do not provide the same requirements for other fire or open flame displays. Certain other new forms of fire or open flame and displays that have occurred within the past year and are anticipated for the future, present a hazard that should be monitored by the Fire Department.  They should require permitting, monitoring, and insuring at a level that corresponds to their level of hazard as determined by the Fire Chief.

 

Current Code Section 46-216 requires a minimum of $5,000,000 liability insurance, for fireworks or pyrotechnics displays, without exception.  Creation of a minimum $2,000,000 liability insurance requirement for outdoor, open area fire or open flame displays is less cost prohibitive for applicants and better meets the risk of those displays deemed lower hazard displays by the Fire Chief. The amendments also allow the Fire Chief or Risk Manager to require a higher amount of insurance for all displays at their discretion when necessary, and require applicants to indemnify the City in accordance with the terms of their approved display permits.

 

Past requests for outdoor open flame performances are low and are anticipated to be low in number, approximately 1-2 annually, but do represent a fire hazard that are not regulated under the current Municipal Code.  Approval of these amendments will improve the City’s ability to monitor fire hazard risks, provide protections for the City and its citizens, and will do so via a process that is standard and non-cost prohibitive.

 

 

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S):

 

Date:   August 20, 2007

 

Roll Call Number:  07-1633

 

Action:                Adoption of the International Fire Code and amendments and additions to the International Fire Code.  Moved by Vlassis that this ordinance do now pass, #14,689.  Motion Carried 7-0.

 

 

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S): NONE

 

 

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS: NONE

 

 

 

 

 

For more information on this and other agenda items, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office on the second floor of City Hall, 400 Robert D. Ray Drive.  Council agendas are available to the public at the City Clerk’s Office on Thursday afternoon preceding Monday’s Council meeting. Citizens can also request to receive meeting notices and agendas by email by calling the Clerk’s Office or sending their request via email to cityclerk@dmgov.org.