[ From: "City approves fire sprinkler mandate," By Eric Lindberg, Daily Sound, August 5, 2009 ]


Fire sprinklers will become an integral part of construction in Santa Barbara after city leaders unanimously agreed to require new homes and commercial buildings to install sprinkler systems, a mandate that also applies to major remodels or additions.

After the concept took several laps through the approval process — particularly to answer concerns from the community about the increased cost of a sprinkler installation — the city council deemed the proposal had been thoroughly vetted and made sense from a safety standpoint.

“Although we lose more homes to wildfires, we lose more people to home fires,” Councilmember Das Williams said.

The new code requirement, which will be officially adopted next week as a procedural matter, mandates sprinklers in all new buildings regardless of square footage, although small utility buildings are exempt.

Residential remodels or additions involving 75 percent of the total square footage would also trigger the sprinkler requirement, as would commercial renovations or additions larger than 50 percent of the floor area.

The issue of cost cropped up during the hearing when several community members questioned the need to impose more expensive requirements on construction projects in Santa Barbara, an area already struggling in the arena of affordable housing.

“There is no question that this ordinance would add to the cost of construction in Santa Barbara, perhaps by as much as $7,500 per unit,” said Lanny Ebenstein, president of the Santa Barbara County Taxpayers Association.

City officials, however, noted that insurance carriers typically offer discounts on fire policies in the range of 2 to 20 percent if sprinkler systems are installed.

“It’s obvious this is an increase in construction costs, but there’s also a gain in reduced insurance costs,” Williams said, adding that the concept had been thoroughly reviewed during stakeholder meetings. “This was not considered onerous by our local Realtors,” he said.

Fire Marshal Joe Poire touted the lifesaving benefits of fire sprinklers, telling city leaders that homeowners are 82 percent less likely to be killed in a house fire if they have functioning sprinklers and smoke detectors...

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Full text at the DAILY SOUND:

Daily Sound — City approves fire sprinkler mandate