An Act Regarding the Requirements for Sprinkler Systems in Townhouses

Sec. 1. 25 MRSA §2463, 4th ¶,  as amended by PL 1997, c. 728, §26, is further amended to read:

The Commissioner of Public Safety or the commissioner's designee shall inspect all systems installed pursuant to this section and shall approve all systems that comply with this section, except that when the hotel is located in a municipality that has a municipal fire department or incorporated volunteer fire department, that department is responsible for the inspection and approval of the system, unless the Commissioner of Public Safety agrees to undertake that responsibility. The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall for the purposes of inspecting sprinkler system plans for townhouses constructed after January 1, 2016 approve all such plans that comply with this section.

Sec. 2. 25 MRSA §2463,  as amended by PL 1997, c. 728, §26, is further amended by adding after the 6th paragraph a new paragraph to read:

The term "townhouse" means a single-family dwelling unit constructed in a group of 3 or more attached units in which each unit extends from foundation to roof, with either a yard or public way on at least 2 sides of the unit.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to inspect and approve all sprinkler system plans for townhouses constructed after January 1, 2016. The bill establishes a definition for the term "townhouse" that mirrors the definition used in the International Residential Code.