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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 0531eB/ ORDINANCE NO. §31 r/ AN ORDINANCE DEFINING AND ESTABLISHING THE FIRE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, AND SPECIFYING THE BUILDINGS TO BE ERECT- ED WITHIN SAID FIRE LIMITS, PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUING OF PERMITS BE- FORE THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANY BUILDING WITHIN SAID FIRE LIMITS, PRO- VIDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE ESCAPES IN BUILDINGS WITHIN SAID FIRE LIMITS, AND PROVIDING A PENALTY FOR VIOLATION THEREOF. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RENTON DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1: All that portion of the City of Renton, Washington, embraced within the following boundaries, to-wit: Beginning at the center of Burnett St. at its intersection with the center line ofJ.Second Avenue and running east on the center line of Second Avenue to an intersection of the center line of Mill Street, thence ecuth on the center line of Mill Street to the middle of the block south of Fourth Street, thence west through the center of the block parallel with Fourth Avenue to the center line of Burnett Street, thence north on the center line of Burnett Street to the place of be- ginning, together with such other portion of the city as may be? here-u, after from time to time be added thereto by ordinance, shall consti- tute and be known as the fire limits of said city. \ Section 2: No building or part of any building shali hereafter be erected within the aforesaid fire limits except as hereinafter^ provided, unless all the outside walls and party walls thereof shall be built of brick, concrete, stone or other fireproof material; under a penalty to the owner or builder of such building of not less than Twenty-five ($25.00) Dollars nor more than Two Hundred ($200.00) Dol- lars for each offense and a further penalty of Twenty-five ($25.00) Dollars for every day, after the first conviction that such offense may be continued. %J fd -1- Section 3: All outside end and party walls of any brick, con- crete, stone or other fireproof building hereafter erected within said fire limits, shalllextend above the roof of the building at least 36 inches and "the sheeting of the roof shall not extend across the fire wall of any such building. All wooden joists or timber placed in the outside or party walls of any such building shall be separated from each cither at least four inches by brick, concrete or stone or other fireproof material, well laid in mortar; and all wooden lintels, doors or window frames, placed in the front, rear or side walls thereof, shall recede,from the outside of the wall at least four inches, or, when they do not so recede, shall be covered with fireproof material. Section 4: That for the purpose of construing this ordinance it is hereby declared that all buildings erected with wooden frames covered with sheet iron are not constructed of fireproof material. Section 5: All roofs and gutters hereafter placed upon any brick, concrete, stone or other fire-proof building now erected or which may hereafter be erected within the fire limits shall be covered on the outside surface with tin, zinc, iron, slate or other fireproof material, and all cornices attached to any such building shall be of zinc or galvanized iron, or if of wood shall be covered with fireproof material and shall be separated from the wooden cor- nices or other wooden part of any adjoining building by brick, con- crete, stone oralaher fireproof partition at least four inches thick, and none of the outer timbers or woodwork of any such building shall be connected with any of the interior timber or wood work thereof. -2"* - . QQ > %J e) jy^cV - : Section 6: No wooden building or part of any wooden building / 0 shall be erected, constructed, raised or enlarged within the tine limits of said city, nor shall any wooden building or part thereof be removed from any place to another within the fire limits nor be brought from without the fire limits into the same (provided, that one shed only, with one or more sides open, not exceeding twelve feet in height and not occupying more than 12x14 feet ground space may be erected on each twenty foot lot and) provided further that buildings built of wood and used for private dwellings exclusive, may be repaired and the roofs thereof covered with shingles or boards, (but they shall not be raised or enlarged.) Section 7: No wooden building within the fire limits which may become damaged to the extent of fifty pefNcent by fire, decay or otherwise, shall be repaired or rebuilt, nor shall any such buildings when the damage thereto is less than fifty per cent of the value thereof, be so repaired or rebuilt as to be raised high- er than the highest part left standing after such damage shall have occurred, or so as to be in a better state of repair or to occupy a greater space than before the injury thereto. The extent of the damage that may be done to any such building, by fire or other casualty, may be determined by three disinterested persons, residents of said city, one of whom shall be selected by the owner or agent of the building, the second by" the„h£ix^ marshal and the two so chosen shall select a third. The perspnsiso chosen shall be first duly sworn to fairly and impartially estimate such damage and their decision thereof, in writing, shall he filial. Section 8: Any wooden building or woodem part of any building, which may be erected, raised or enlarged, repaired or removed, or which may be in process of erection, raising, enlarging, repair or removal within said fire limits contrary, in either case to any of -3- l 94 the foregoing provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed and is hereby declared to be a nuisance; and the fire marshal, shall, upon information of any such violation, immediately notify the owner agent or builder of such building to abate, remedy or remove the same or such part thereof as may be deemed necessary. In case of failure on the part of( such owner, agent or builder to comply with such notice within a reasonable time thereafter, the mayor shall, by an order in writing, require the chief of police to tear down and remove such building, or such part of the same as may be neces- sary, and the chief of police shall execute said order and report the cost thereof to the city council for allowance; and such cost and expense may be collected of the. owner, agent or builder of such building, liable therefor, by suit, in the name of the city, before any court of competant jurisdiction. a be_ . Section 9: No lumber yard shall/ hereafter opened or estab- lished within the fire limits of said city hereby created. Section 10: No carpenter, builder or other person shall keep on hand within the fire limits, for manufacturing or building pur- poses, more than twenty thousand feet of lumber at one time. Section 11: Any person having or keeping luraher on hand, whether within or without the fire limits of the city, shall keep the same Stacked or piled up in compact piles, and shall not per- mit any shavings, straw or any combustible material around or near the same. Section 12: Every owner or occupant of any building or premises, within the fire limits, shall provide and keep at the rear of such building or premises, a suitable sheet iron box, or other metallic vessel, in which to deposit all ashes, and also one or more such boxes or barrels for the reception of offal, garbage and rubbish that may be accumulated about such premises, so that the same shall _4- not be thrown or deposited in or upon any improved street or alley adjacent thereto. Section 13: It is hereby made the duty of the fire marshal to inspect and examine from time to time, all buildings or enclo- sures in process of erection, construction, alteration, repair or removal within the fire limits aforesaid, and to enforce or to cause to be enforced the provisions of this article in relation thereto. Section 14: No person shall hereafter erect any new building, nor add to or alter any building already erected within the fire limits ofsaid city without first obtaining a permit therefor, in the manner hereinafter prescribed; provided, that no permit shall be required for making ordinary repairs, either external or inter- nal, which do not increase the size of such building or alter its condition as a fire risk. Section 15: Any person desiring to erect such new building or addition, or to alter or change such existing building, shall file with the cityclerk an application in writing, addressed to the mayor, stating the dimensions of such proposed building or addition.; or if alteration, the nature and extent - thereof, the lot, block and locality where such building is, or is to be loca- ted, the general plan of construction, the materials to be used therein, and the purpose for which such building is to be used. If the Mayor shall find, upon examination, that the pfoposed build- ing, addition or alteration conforms to the ordinance in force at the time, he shall indorse his approval upon such application, and the clerk shall thereupon issue a permit to said applicant under the corporate seal, upon his giving bond as hereinafter provided; pro- vided, that no permit shall at any time be issued for any building, the outside walls of which shall be of corrugated iron. -5- ti Section 16: Before any permit shall be issued as aforesaid, the applicant therefor shall execute andfflle with the city clerk , a bond to the City of Renton, in such reasonable sum as may be fixed by the mayor, with at least two good sureties to be approved by him, conditioned that said applicant will pay any and all damages that may be recovered against the city by any person or persons on account of any injury to person or property, occasioned by or in any manner resulting from the occupahcy:or disturbance of any street, alley or sidewalk in said city, for the purpose of, or in connection with the erection of such building, addition, or alter- ation, by the person engaged therein, qr by any person or persons in his employ, and also to save and keepthe said city free from all such damages and costs as may be incurred in defending against such claims. That in the event of any damages occuring and an action should be brought against.the city therefor, the city shall promptly notify the said contractor or person so giving bond to- gether with his or their bondsmen of the commencement of the suit and notify him or them to take charge of the defense thereof. Section 17: Any proprietor, contractor or other person who shall own, build or aid in the erection of any building, or part Of. building, or in the alteration of any building, within said fire lifnits, without having procured a permit therefore and given bond as provided in the foregoing section of this ordinance shall be feuilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction, shall be punished as hereinafter provided. Section 18: .All buildings within the fire limits of the City of Renton which exceed one story in height and hereafter to be con- structed, shall be covered with fireproof material and shail have a suitable scuttle or opening to be constructed in the roof thereof with convenient stairs leading thereto. -6-i) V Section 19: All chimneys or flues in and about any building or manufactory shall be built up from the ground with solid head joint and smoothly plastered on the inside and outside thereof with good mortar or cement and shall be so constructed as to settle with the" rest of the building and be liable to crack or separate with the settling of the building. Holes for the insertion of a stove pipe shall,..he: made of iron, stone, or earthenware thimble or casing in- setted in the chimney or flue; and when the chimney or flue shall be used, the holes unless -also in use shall be securely stopped with a tin, zinc or iron stopper having a flange of at least one inch on the outside of the flue. Sectiion 20: All stove pipes used in any building shall be put up securely, and shall lead to and be closely fitted in a brick or stone chimney or flue. If any stovepipe shalllead otherwise than in- to such chimneys or flue, it shall be separated at least three inches from any wood or other combustible material by a double circle of tin, zinc, or sheet iron, connected with like metal, with holes through the connecting metal between the pipe and wood. All stoves shall be placed upon a platform of suitable material extending out from the stove far enough to prevent the fire from falling upon the floor and if set with- in twelve inches of the woodwork or any wall, the wall shall be pro- tected by an asbestos of at least 1/8 inch thick. Section 20-1: All mechanics, carpenters or other persons, using or occupying shops or buildings within the city, where shavings or other like combustible materials are made or accumulated, shall clear out and remove such combustible materials from their shops or build- ings, and the premises adjacent thereto, as often as may be necessary to prevent the dang.erou&f accumulation thereof. The stove used in any shop or building shall be set in a box or frame, extending at least six inches above the floor,and at least ten inches around and autside 0 ,i -7" of the stove, and filled or lined with fireproof material, and the stove pipe shall strictly comply with the requirements hereinbefore set out and no candles or lamps shall be used in any such shop or building. Section 21: The fire marshal is hereby authorized and required from time to time to enter and inspect all buildings, within said city and famine whether theygare in safe condition; and whenever requested by the owner or occupant of any building or premises, he shall carefully inspect the same, or any contiguous building, or enclosure and shall notify the owner or occupant thereof, liable therefore, to cause any chimney, flue, furnace, stove, stovepipe, ash house or other place in which fire may be kept or used, which may be deemed unsafe or dangerous in causing or promoting fires, to be without"delay removed, abated or put in safe condition. Section 22: All buildings in the City of Renton, within or without the fire limits which shall become vacant and unoccupied and out of repair to such an extent that the same are not fit for use are hereby declared to be a menace to the public safety and a nuis- ance and thereupon notice to the owner or agent thereof requiring him to place the same in repair and for occupancy and the same shall not be complied with, after sixty days written notice is served-, may be abated as a nuisance. Section 23: All buildings now ereGted^r which may hereafter be erected within the City of Renton <bf three or more stories in height shall be furnished with metallic ladders or fire escapes or suitable device for protection against fires, extending from the first story to upper stories and roof-of such building and on the outer walls thereof in such number and location, and of such material and constr- -8- uction as may be required of the proper officer of state in charge of such materials. Section 24: Any person or persons, firm or corporation viola- ting any of the provisions of the foregoing ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not exceeding One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars or imprison- ed for a term not exceeding thirty (30) days or by both such fine and imprisonment and if, after one conviction thei offense shall be repeated or the act constituting the offense continued each and every day of the continuance of the same shall be subject to further like punishment. Section 25: If any section or part of a section of the fore- going ordinance shall be found illegal, void or unconstitutional, that shall not affect the remainder of the section, paragraph or sections or the remainder of the ordinance. Section 26: Any and all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. Section 27: This ordinance shall be in full force and effect five days from and after its passage, approval and legal publication. Approved and passed this 21st day of June, 1921, 'i'hos. Raymond. Mayor ATTEST: W. J. Williams, City Clerk Approved as to form: Lot Davis, City Attorney Date of first publication July 22,1931. -9-.JlF