BLD20070439 Tamayo.pdf_(,rC. JBC)10
121 5TH AVENUE NORTH - EDMONDS, WA 98020 • (425) 771-0215 • FAX (425) 775-7721
FIRE DEPARTMENT Established 1904 www.edmondsfire.org
August 13, 2007
Mr. Tim Hecox
14717 Madison Way
Lynnwood, WA 98087
Re: BLD20070439 Tamayo SFR 8710 Main St
Dear Mr. Hecox:
I received your letter dated 8/6/07 regarding fire hydrant installation requirement.
GARY HAAKENSON
MAYOR
Allow me to clarify the city's plan review system. Engineering and Fire Department
review account to their areas of responsibility for Independent requirements. That is why
both departments have reviewed your plans. Engineering review regards the utility
infrastructure and impacts to the utilities brought by your development (e.g. water,
sewer, ...). As you have been told by Engineering, none applies in your case because
you are replacing an existing house with equivalent services that will likely require no
upgrade.
Fire department review regards fire protection for your dwelling. In the instant case, you
are replacing a 3,000 s.f. with a 6,000 s.f. structure, approximately. Your proposal
doubles the "fire area" (essentially the square footage) of your house, including the
wood -framed construction and combustible loading inside the structure. More
combustibles equate to larger fires that burn hotter and require greater resources for
extinguishment. Consequently, your development must meet the minimum
requirements for hydrants imposed by the Edmonds Community Development Code.
The first misconception in your letter is a 300' spacing requirement from hydrant to
dwelling. ECDC 19,25.0550 sets forth a minimum distance required between hydrants.
Your proposed development may be less than 300' to a single hydrant, however the
hydrant spacing at your frontage along Main Street access is approximately 1100'. The
intent of hydrant spacing is to assure that regardless from which direction a fire
apparatus approaches your house, your house will be no more than 300' from a hydrant.
In fact, the first arriving fire engine (or aid car) in case of fire at your house will most
likely be approaching from the west from our downtown fire station. The closest hydrant
to the west of your house is more than 800:' away. Firefighters will have to lay 800' of
large diameter hose from the hydrant to your house. More hose to lay, and more water
to fill them, all take additional time. In fire suppression, seconds are precious, especially
for bigger home like the one you are planning.
Incorporated August 11, 1890
Sister City - Hekinan, Japan
One additional misconception is regarding ECDC 19.25.070H. Even though you may be
personally, as a homeowner, undertaking the replacement your house, you are still
considered a developer for the purposes of the code. Because you are both the
homeowner and the developer, you can be required to install fire hydrants as a condition
of replacing your 3,000 s.f. house with one that is 6,000 s.f., which as noted above, will
require greater resources in the case of a fire.
A fire hydrant is a condition of your building permit approval (ECDC 19.25.050). Please
resubmit your site plan to include the installation of a fire hydrant in accordance with
ECDC 19.25.055C. Pursuant to ECDC 19.25.055B, the hydrant must be installed at the
corner of 881" Ave W. and Main Street. Please note that there is an existing water main
along Main Street. Information on the required COE standard hydrant detail (E7.1) can
be found on city website at the following address:
http://www.ci.edmonds.wa.us/engr dept.stm
Please call me at (425) 771-0213 if you have further questions regarding this letter or
the requirements herein.
Sinc
I
Jahn J. Westfall
City of Edmonds Fire �arshal
Cc: Bio F. Park - Office of the City Attorney.