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News
County mulls vote on fire code resolution : News : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisCounty mulls vote on fire code resolution
| Concern over cost for sprinklers key factor in deliberations
| by Matt Schury
| 12/20/2012
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The Kendall County Board is considering a resolution supporting a change to Illinois law that would allow counties in Illinois to adopt and enforce their own fire prevention codes, similar to most municipalities.
The board learned about the resolution from Angela Zubko, the county's senior planner, at last week's committee of the whole meeting.
If the resolution passes, it could then go to State. Rep. Tom Cross, R-Oswego, who could draft legislation, Zubko said. The proposal came from the county's ad hoc zoning committee. The issue was sent to the Planning Building and Zoning Committee for more review and discussion.
Currently, Illinois counties don't have the power to adopt their own fire codes and people and businesses in unincorporated areas have to abide by the protection codes set fire protection districts.
Brian Holdiman, the county's building code enforcer, said fire protection districts have varying standards and requirements.
He added that the 2012 International Code Council codebooks require the sprinklers. Municipalities can apply this to their own codes, pick and choose, or use an earlier version of the code.
"Many municipalities are adopting the 2012 model codes but they are taking out the section on sprinklers," Holdiman said.
The resolution states that, "Kendall County would like to adopt a consistent fire prevention code throughout the county that will balance the cost of compliance with fire protection benefits."
"The crux of this is basically sprinkler systems for buildings," board member Jeff Wehrli said.
He added that most fire districts are adopting fire codes with these sprinkler requirements. If the county passed their own fire codes it could take out the portion requiring sprinklers.
"Except for sheds and your garage, they are going to want everything sprinkled very quickly," Wehrli said.
Wehrli pointed out that installing sprinklers can be pricey. He added that the Oswego Fire Protection District goes into Will County where his industrial park is located. He said if he wants to put up a building that is just under 10,000 square feet, it used to be sprinkler exempt.
"If you have to sprinkle it and you are in unincorporated (area) and you are on a well, the last time I priced it, it was about $70,000 on a $150,000 lot-that's a deal breaker," Wehrli said.
Board member John Purcell said that he has two businesses-one in Oswego and another in unincorporated Kendall County where Bristol Kendall Fire District has begun enacting sprinkler requirements. He acknowledged the cost as well to install sprinklers.
Board member Amy Cesich said she wanted more information before making a decision.
"I just want to know what the reservations are-the pros and cons to doing it before we say, 'Yeah let's push it through,'" Cesich said.
Wehrli said he is an advocate of this resolution but said he wanted to invite members of the county's fire districts to the PBZ meeting to hear their side of this issue.
Board member Dan Koukol said he was worried about how having fire codes requiring sprinklers might affect development and business.
"Somebody will go to the next county or the next jurisdiction very easily," he said.
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