Vancouver City Council |
CITY OF VANCOUVER
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTDate:
October 17, 2003
Author:
John Robertson
Phone No.:
7522
RTS No.:
03711
CC File No.:
113
Meeting Date:
November 4, 2003
TO:
Vancouver City Council
FROM:
Chief Building Official
SUBJECT:
Building By-law - Simplification of Regulations Pertaining to Awnings
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve deletion of Sentence 1A.9.7.5.(2) from the Building By-law.
B. THAT Council direct the Director of Legal Services to bring forward necessary change to the Building By-law.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services Group RECOMMENDS the approval of A and B.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council endorses initiatives to cut red tape by eliminating obsolete or unnecessary regulations.
SUMMARY
This report recommends deletion from the Building By-law of the requirement that fabric type awnings be located not less than 600 mm to the adjoining property lines or to the projection of such property lines into the street.
PURPOSE
To delete the requirement that awnings containing combustible fabric coverings be located not less than 600 mm from adjacent property lines.
DISCUSSION
Sentence 1A.9.7.5.(2) of the Building By-law requires that:-
"Except where constructed entirely of non-combustible materials or where protected in an acceptable manner, awnings and marquees shall be located not less than 600 mm to the adjacent property lines or to the projection of such property lines into the street."
Interpreted literally, this requirement would necessitate a 1200 mm (4 feet) gap between successive fabric covered awnings along the length of a street containing shops or commercial businesses on separate lots. This requirement was first introduced into Building By-law No. 5190 on September 1st 1978 as part of an expanded Part 11 - Building Regulations Related to Streets. It has remained unchanged to this day. It is considered to be obsolete as neither the National Building Code of Canada, the BC Building Code nor the Uniform Building Code of the US have regulations similar to Sentence 1A.9.7.5.(2) of the Building By-law.
This section of the By-law has largely been observed in the breach. Numerous areas exist in the City where the required clearances have not been obtained. Discussion with the Fire Department has indicated that this practice has not been problematic and that they are unaware of fire spreading across property lines via awnings covered with combustible fabrics.
It should be noted that the structural framing of awnings and marquees are required to be non-combustible and that all fabric coverings are required to be flame retardant treated. This treatment will generally result in self extinguishment of any burning of the fabric once the source of ignition is removed. Thus it is not expected that treated combustible fabrics would support spread of fire along their surface, except in areas directly exposed to flame impingement from below. Further, marquees are required to be designed in accordance with the spatial separation requirements of Subsection 3.2.3 of the Building By-law which deals with transmission of fire across property lines.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
None.
CONCLUSION
The removal of the requirement to locate awnings not less than 600 mm from a property line will simplify our regulatory process and provide additional flexibility to building owners without jeopardizing public safety.
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