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New Canaan Advertiser
Jan 2, 2008

Council gives fire zones “teeth”

Pre-existing fire zones around Town could require a fresh coat of paint — and new zones could be established — as early as January 4. The makeovers come with the Town Council’s December 19 approval of a new fire ordinance.

The ordinance grants the Town Fire Marshal and Fire Chief the authority to determine that “reasonable safety” requires establishment of a fire zone, “a designated, unobstructed, passageway sufficient in size to permit free passage of fire and other emergency equipment from a public street to all necessary areas or portions of a public or private property open to the public.”

Sufficient width for a fire truck is 14 to 24 feet.

A sentence added just prior to the Council meeting stipulates that the Fire Marshal “consult” with the Chief Building Official and the Town Planner to ensure that the fire zone does not conflict with the Connecticut State Building Code or Planning and Zoning regulations.

Once consultation has occurred, the fire zone’s establishment must be communicated to the property owner via written order, of which copies must be sent to various Town bodies and offices, including the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Any aggrieved party must appeal to the Fire Commission within 15 days, and the property owner or their agent must present fire zone plans to the Fire Marshal within 30 days. Any violation of the ordinance will result in a $250 fine.

Though unanimously approved, the ordinance did not come without debate.

Before the vote, Chief Building Official Brian Platz expressed concern over the system of checks and balances built into the ordinance and suggested adding another party to the appeals process for greater perspective.

Fire Commission chairman Jack Horner responded that “over-defining” the appeals process could impede public safety and Fire Commissioner Sven Englund said that the ordinance was aimed at high-occupancy buildings and merely allowed the Town to enforce the “common sense” not so commonly exhibited by people parking in fire zones.

Though distinctions between educational, institutional, assembly, business, and mercantile use groups exist in Connecticut State Code, none were specified in the ordinance to assist in determining a “high-occupancy” building.

First Selectman Jeb Walker endorsed the ordinance as it was, saying, “If it doesn’t work, and we need another layer ...”

When asked by the Town Council to clarify the Fire Department’s intentions, Fire Marshal Fred Baker said that he was unaware of any “hit-list” of future fire zones around Town and that the ordinance aimed largely to give clout to pre-existing and commonly abused fire zones.

Parking violations in fire zones are already ticketed, however, by the Town parking authorities.

“As long as I’ve been here, it’s been in the ticket book,” Parking Bureau Supervisor Karen Miller told the Advertiser. “Number 92... it’s a $25 fine.”

She cited particularly abused fire zones as in front of the library, around the high school, and across from the fire station in front of Town Hall, which can prevent fire trucks from being able to exit the station.

The police department also tickets cars parked in fire zones.

“If we see it, we ticket it,” confirmed Officer William Marabella.

Town attorney Chris Jarboe said he could not comment on this aspect of the ordinance before speaking with the Parking Bureau and did not return calls before print deadline.



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