Fire Lane Violations Fine etc.
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MEMORANDUM
March 29, 2004
TO:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Fire Lane Violations
Fire Chief Dan Brown is recommending that the City Council amend the City Ordinance
to better define fire lane locations and to increase the violation fine to $50.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
f1.1JJ ~ fJtL
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
E. Daniel Brown, Fire Chief
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
March 23, 2004
TO:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM:
E. Daniel Brown, Fire Chief ¿Î)~
SUBJECT: Fire Lane Violations
I am recommending that the City Ordinance be revised to better define fire lane
locations and to increase the violation fine to $50.00.
These fire lanes are typically located in and around large commercial properties such as
Wal-Mart, Target, HyVee, etc. The fire lanes provide access for fire and law
enforcement vehicles and personnel when responding to these types of occupancies.
Maintaining fire lanes provides space for the egress of people from a structure during a
fire or other emergency by prohibiting vehicles from parking close to the front of the
buildings. This is also a concern when dealing with Homeland Security issues.
Attached is the recommended ordinance change. These sections were reviewed and
prepared by Barry Lindahl.
The new ordinance uses signage with specific language to give the public a clear
picture of where the fire lanes are and the fines for violations. I recommend that these
signs be printed and purchased by the Fire Department from Prison Industries and
resold to business owners. The cost for the signs is based on a quantity of 50 signs
and the cost for a 12x18 Fire Lane sign would be $8.25 and for the small "Begins' and
"Ends' or "$50.00 violations' signs would cost $4.25. The smaller signs could be added
to existing signs so some merchants would not be required to put all new signs in.
The Fire Marshal surveyed nine cities in Iowa and found the $50.00 fine was the highest
and this will make us consistent with the other cities.
Scott Neyens and I are ready to meet with you to discuss this further.
Preparer: Barrv A. Lindahl. EsQ. Address: 300 Main Street Suite 330 DubuQue. IA 52001
Teleph()ne: 1563) 583-4113
ORDINANCE NO. 24-04
AMENDING CITY OF DUBUQUE CODE OF ORDINANCES SECTION 32-269 FIRE
LANES, AUTHORIZING THE FIRE CHIEF TO DESIGNATE FIRE LANES,
PROHIBITING OBSTRUCTION OF FIRE LANES, PROVIDING FOR SIGNS AND
MARKINGS OF FIRE LANES, AND ESTABLISHING A PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS
THEREOF; AMENDING CITY OF DUBUQUE CODE OF ORDINANCES SECTION 32-
279 PARKING VIOLATIONS BY ADDING THERETO PARAGRAPH (9) FIRE LANE
VIOLATION
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. Sec. 32-269. Fire Lanes is amended to read as follows:
(a) Designation. The Fire Chief or the Fire Chief's designee may
designate fire lanes on pñvate and public property as deemed necessary
for the protection of life and property.
(b) Obstruction.. No person, other a person operating an authoñzed
emergency vehicle, shall stop, stand, or park a vehicle, or place or keep
any other obstruction or thing in a designated fire lane that would prevent
such fire lane from being immediately accessible to the Fire Department
nor in any other manner deter or hinder the Fire Department from gaining
immediate access to the fire lane. A wñtten request for the temporary
obstruction of a fire lane shall be submitted to the Fire Chief or the Fire
Chiefs designee for approval.
(c) Signs and Markings. Wherever a fire lane has been designated, the
Fire Chief or the Fire Chief's designee shall cause appropñate signs and
markings to be placed identifying such fire lane. Signs shall be 18 inches
tall x 12 inches wide, with red letters on a white reflective background and
read "Fire Lane-No Parking Except for Emergency Vehicles, Fine $50".
Signs shall be permanently mounted with the front of the sign set at 90
degrees to the street facing the direction of travel or posted on building as
approved by the Fire Chief or the Fire Chief's designee. Signs shall be
placed not less than two (2) nor more than four (4) feet from the edge of the
street. The top of the sign shall be approximately 6 feet from the ground.
Intermediate fire lane signs shall be set ever¡ 50 feet in a continuous fire
. .
lane. A "BEGINS" sign shall mark the beginning of a fire lane and shall be
mounted below the first fire lane sign. An "ENDS" sign shall mark the
ending of a fire lane and shall be mounted below the last fire lane sign. In
addition such signs, fire lanes shall be painted traffic red.
(d) Penalty; Towing. In addition to the fine for a violation of this section
as provided in Sec. 32-279, whenever a vehicle is found stopped or parked
in violation of this section, a police officer may cause such vehicle to be
removed from the fire lane to a place of safekeeping, and the fee together
with any other necessary expense incurred in such removal shall be
assessed against the vehicle and shall be paid before it is released.
Section 2. Sec. 32-279. Parking Violations - Fines is amended by adding
thereto the following:
(9) Fire Lane Violation as provided in Sec. 32-269: fifty dollars ($50.00).
Section 3. This ordinance shall take effect upon publication.
Passed, approved and adopted this 5th day of Apri 1 , 2004.
Terrance M. Duggan, Mayor.
Attest
Jeanne F. Schneider, City Clerk
F :\USERSlIsfeçkJe\LjndahßOrdinanœslFireLanesOrdinance.dO1.doc