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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20052070 Ver 1_More Info Received_20060303 (2) Soil& Environmental Consultants, PA 11010 Raven Ridge Road • Raleigh, North Carolina 27614 • Phone: (919) 846-5900 Fax: (919) 846-9467 www.SandEC.com March 3, 2006 S&EC Project #8713.W1 DWQ Project #05-2070 Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Water Quality Attn: Cyndi Karoly 2321 Crabtree Boulevard ?? Suite 250 ?U Raleigh, NC 27604 U 1J MAR 3 Re: Reply to the Division of Water Quality's Request for More Information 2006 DEN& Weavers Pond k WATER Zebulon, Wake. County, NC STftQEJ?,5 W11 Dear Ms. Karoly: The purpose of this letter into respond to your February 16, 2006 letter requesting further information. The original questions/requests are copied below as they appear on the 2/16/06 letter and are then followed by our response to each. Additional Information Requested: 1. The DWQ still maintains that the road crossing labeled as "Road D-Crossing #3" on the plans does not appear to be necessaryfor development of the.site as currently proposed. Please eliminate the road crossing and submit revised plans for.this area. Additionally, in your correspondence to the DWQ dated February 14, 2006, you indicated, "this crossing is needed for internal connectivity, to insure safety due, to the number of lots served and to accommodate future development to the northern portion of the property. " Based on the submitted plans, the DWQ believed this impact and the impact labeled "Future Impact" to be unnecessary. The DWQ also has concerns with cumulative impacts associated with the. "Future Development ", and avoidance and minimization issues with the citing of lots adjacent to the pond located within the "Future Development" area. Asper our meeting discussion on March 1, 2006, I am providing a copy of the memorandum from Zebulon's Planning Department regarding,their Special Use Permit requirements and Fire Code Guidelines. These two documents were provided to justify Road D-Crossing #3. These two documents were also presented to justify the "Future Impacts" and "Future Development". In addition to the justification provided for Road D-Crossing #3, MacGregor Development Company also proposes to restore/enhance this riparian buffer along the stream channel associated with this crossing. The Guidelines for Riparian Buffer Restoration Division of Water Quality-January 2001 document will be followed for this riparian buffer restoration. Basically, planting two native species.trees at a density sufficient to provide 320 trees per acre at maturity and at an approximate 10x10 feet spacing. In regards to the avoidance and minimization issues with citing lots adjacent to the pond, it is a requirement of Zebulon's Special Use Permit that lots are not to be platted within the Neuse 50' Riparian Buffer. Charlotte Office: Greensboro Office: 236 LePhillig Court, Suite C 3817-E Lawn1ale Drive Concord, NC 28025 Greensboro, NC 27455 Phone: (704) 720-9405 Phone: (336) 540-8234 Fax: (704) 720-9406 Fax: (336) 540-8235 We anticipate that this answers all of the DWQ's questions in order to complete the final review process for a 401 Water Quality Certification. If you have any further questions or any additional explanation is needed, please don't hesitate to call. Sincerely, Aaron Cooper Environmental Specialist CC: .Michael Whitehead-MacGregor Development Company, 201 Shannon Oaks Circle, Suite 201, Cary, NC 27511 Joe Faulkner-CE Group, Inc., 11000 Regency Parkway, Suite 410, Cary, NC 27511 Attachments: 1) Zebulon Planning Department Memorandum (February 27, 2006) 2) Fire Department Access Guidelines 2 FIRE DEPARTMENT ACCESS Based on the 2000 edition of the International Fire Code The Fire Department is required to respond to a multitude of emergencies in various types of buildings and occupancies. These include single-family dwellings, apartment buildings, shopping malls, business complexes, industrial complexes, hospitals, and nursing homes. To provide effective fire fighting operations, we must be able to reach all structures by way of approved access roadways, streets, or driveways. To assist developers and designers in meeting our requirements, we have defined some terms and listed minimum design standards considered necessary for effective fire fighting operations. u Fire Department Access An approved route that is always available for use by fire trucks and is designed to meet fire equipment load requirements. Except for Loop Lanes, Shared Driveways, and Private Driveways, all access routes must be at least 20' wide. When a dead-end access route exceeds 150' in length, an approved turn around area must be provided. u Public Street Access A Fire Department Access route on a public right of way. Public street access routes must comply with the City or County road design standards and also must comply with the International Fire Code. a Private Street Access A Fire Department Access route on private land. Private street access routes must comply with the International Fire Code. u Grades Street grades shall comply with City or County design standards for both Public and Private Street Access routes. Maximum grade shall not exceed 8% (12% allowed in hilly terrain). u Grades on Turn Around Areas Maximum grades on turn around areas shall not exceed 4%. Residential Cul-De-Sac Residential Looped Lane o Height All Fire Department access routes shall have at least 13 feet, 6 inches of vertical clearance for the entire required width. u Looped Lane A Fire Department Access route in a public right of way, consisting of a looped road that must be at least 16' wide. Looped lanes may be approved for residential subdivisions and must be designed to approved standards (see design pages). u Private Driveway A private driveway designed for the use of occupants of no more than two single-family dwelling units or one two-family dwelling unit. If the dwelling units are located more than 100' from an approved Fire Department Access route, the private driveway must meet our minimum design standards: At least 12' wide; grades not to exceed 12%; adequate turn arounds provided if over 150' long; width to be increased if sharp curves are included; constructed with an all-weather surface and able to support the weight of a fire truck. u Shared Driveway A Fire Department Access route on private property, serving three or more single-family units. A shared driveway must be at least 16' wide and be designed to approved standards (see design pages). u Residential Cul-De-Sac, Commercial/Industrial Cul-De-Sac An approved turnaround area for public right of ways or private property, designed to Fire Department standards (see design pages). u Tee Turnaround, Alternative Turnarounds An approved turnaround area for private property designed to Fire Department standards (see design pages). ............................................................................ ACCESS GUIDELINES The following guidelines represent this department's efforts to maintain consistency concerning Fire Department emergency access. It is our responsibility to ensure adequate access for Fire Department emergency responders. We therefore reserve the right to require modifications to established requirements if, in our opinion, the access cannot be provided or may be compromised. Type of Surface All access roadways shall be finished by application of an all-weather driving surface of hot mix asphaltic concrete or concrete pavement over a flexible base capable of supporting a design wheel load of 18,000 pounds (GVW 80,000 pounds minimum; H-20 loading). The roadway design must be prepared and certified by an engineer registered by the State of Colorado. Any required Fire Department access within 100 feet of any building must meet the same wheel-loading criteria. All required access roadways must be properly maintained and kept clear for emergency use at all times. Any alternatives to these specifications must be reviewed and approved by the Grand Junction Fire Department prior to construction. Two Points of Access Providing two points of fire apparatus access has the following benefits: ? If one access route is blocked, emergency responders have a second route to the property. ? If an emergency requires evacuation of an area, the public will have an alternative exit route should one route be blocked by the emergency incident. When two points of access are required, they shall be placed a distance apart equal to not less than one half of the length of the maximum overall diagonal dimension of the property or area to be served, measured in a straight line between accesses. The Grand Junction Fire Department does not allow the second access point limited to use by emergency responders only. The second access must always be available for public use in case the other access is blocked. Commercial and Industrial Developments: ? Buildings or facilities exceeding 30 feet or 3 stories in height shall have at least 2 means of fire apparatus access. ? Buildings or facilities having a gross building area of more than 62,000 square feet shall have at least 2 means of fire apparatus access. If the buildings or facilities are provided with an approved automatic fire sprinkler system, the gross building area can be increased to 124,000 square feet with one access road. Multi-family Residential Developments: ? Multi-family residential projects having more than 100 dwelling units shall be provided with at least 2 means of fire apparatus access. ? Multi-family residential projects of up to 200 dwelling units, which are provided with an approved fire sprinkler system, may have one means of fire apparatus access. One or Two Family Residential Developments: ? Developments where the number of dwelling units exceeds 30, shall be provided with separate and approved fire apparatus access roads. ? Developments where the number of dwelling units is 60 or less may be served by a single fire apparatus access road, provided all dwelling units are provided with approved residential fire sprinkler systems. Aerial Apparatus Roadway Width ? Fire apparatus access roadways shall have a minimum unobstructed width of 26 feet in the immediate vicinity of any building of portion of building more than 30 feet in height. At least one of the required access routes meeting this condition shall be located within a minimum of 15 feet and a maximum of 30 feet from the building, and shall be positioned parallel to one entire side of the building. Maintenance of Access Roads Maintenance of the required access shall be considered during the planning stages and installation of Fire Department access roadways, fire hydrants, or connections. This includes the potential growth of trees and/or other vegetation over the years. Divided Entryway A divided entryway can present a challenge to emergency vehicles. The required width of the driveable surface in a divided entryway is based on the width of the entryway and that of the street fronting it. v If the street fronting the divided entryway is 28 feet wide, each lane of the entryway must be at least 15 feet wide. o If the street fronting the divided entryway is 34 feet wide, the entryway lanes may be less than 15 feet wide, but cannot be less than 12 feet wide. o For fronting streets wider than 34 feet, entryway lanes must be at least 12 feet wide. No Parking Signage For access routes less than 28 feet wide and for fire apparatus turnaround areas, vehicle parking is not allowed. No Parking signs, are required. An approved design for the signage is shown in the Transportation Engineering Design Standards, available from the City of Grand Junction Department of Public Works. o For access routes 16 to 22 feet wide, No Parking signs are required along both sides of the route. 0 For access routes 22 to 28 feet wide, No Parking signs are required along one side of the route. o For Hammerhead Tees and Alternative Turnarounds, No Parking signs are required along both sides of the area. o For Cul-de-sacs, No Parking signs should be placed along the outside of the turnaround area. ............................................................................ DESIGN STANDARDS The following pages give examples of Grand Junction Fire Department approved roadway, turnaround, and turning radius specifications. The last of these pages may be photocopied onto a transparency as a template for Fire Department turn radius requirements. This is the template used by the Fire Prevention Bureau when reviewing plans to determine proper access and is based on the actual size of our fire fighting apparatus. Hammerhead Tee Turnaround 60* 60' Fire Truck j 20 0 00 `• I • I• ti Turning Radius Required for Fire Apparatus in a 0 Tee Turnaround F I 210' I Minimum 1 must be pr all turn arc designs. Flr* TrWCk 7 z 4' Alternative Turnaround 1 L 1 1 1 a i w L'- 0 Any proposed alternative or variation from a standard Hammerhead Tee must meet our minimum turn radius requirement and provide at least a 60' length for the turning areas. Alternative Tee Turnaround Other Fire Department Turnarounds and Clearances Turnouts for Fire Hydrants: For emergency access routes less than 22 feet wide, where fire hydrants are required along the route, a turnout area for fire trucks is required. The width of the access road must be at least 20' in the area of the turnout. This turnout area is required so that when a fire truck utilizes the fire hydrant in an emergency, the access route will still be available for use by other emergency vehicles. Intermediate Turnaround Areas: In cases where a single point of access exceeds 600 feet in length, intermediate turnaround areas are required. The width of the access road must be at least 28 feet in the area of the turnaround. These areas allow emergency vehicles to turn around without having to drive to the end of a long dead-end road. The intermediate turnarounds must be provided at a maximum interval of every 500 feet. Turnouts for Intermediate Fire Hydrants Turnarounds Looped Lane Standards 1. Not more than seven single family residences obtain access from the fire loop lane; 2. The sixteen foot wide fire loop lane shall consist of an all-weather clear surface; 3. No curve on any portion of the flow line of the fire loop lane shall have an inside radius of less than thirty-three feet (33) and an outside radius of less than forty-eight feet (48'). "Flow line" means the area between the curbs or equivalent if curbs are not present. 4. No portion of the fire loop lane shall extend more than two hundred and fifty feet (250') from the abutting street right-of-way. 5. A minimum of four parking spaces shall be constructed at the end of the fire loop lane, as indicated on the diagram. 6. The fire loop lane and parking stalls, as indicated on the diagram, are dedicated to and maintained by the City; 7. Two-way traffic is allowed; 8. No parking signs and markings, as required by the City, are installed and maintained so that no parking is allowed between the curbs on any traveled portion of the fire loop lane; 9. Corner lots that front the fire loop lane and the abutting street shall be required to only obtain access from the fire loop lane. 10. No garage or carport built on a lot obtaining access from the fire loop lane shall be constructed any portion of which is closer than forty feet (40') from any portion of the fire loop lane; 11. Each residence obtaining access from the fire loop lane shall provide and maintain four parking spaces between the garage or carport and the fire loop lane; and 12. The fire loop lane shall only connect to a street where on-street parking exists now and is expected to remain, according to the City Engineer, based on such factors as the City capital program and any adopted street plans. Mac 250' Sidewalks OUW Possible Layouts CI ** 1? On-sned Faking a Shared Driveway Standards 1. A shared driveway shall be owned and maintained by the owners of the parcels or lots which abut the shared driveway; 2. Not more than four single family lots shall abut or touch any portion of the shared driveway and no more than four single family units may access a shared driveway; 3. A shared driveway shall be least sixteen feet (16') wide and not longer than one hundred and fifty feet (150'); 4. No parking is allowed on the shared driveway; 5. Each lot abutting a shared driveway must provide 4 on-site parking spaces. 6. Each lot abutting a shared driveway must access off the shared driveway unless varied at time of subdivision approval; and 7. A shared driveway may be used only where it intersects a street where on-street parking exists and is expected to remain, according to the City Engineer, based on such factors as the City capital program and any adopted street plans. Example Layout c I / i I -- N L- MAR / -- 3 1006 o 01 o ? I Qp?,, WA ?. , ACCESSI -ACCESS 2 f--- ? ?y•` •?J _ r • \ CPE.Group? = Revisions: WEAVERS POND SUBDIVISION N inc. OVERALL THOROUGH FARE MAP LAND PLANNING CIVIL ENGINEERING G00' 0 G00' 1200' CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT IIWOR G7-87S ,Gry,N.C.27511 I..I ZEBULON NO Voce(9 (9 19) 91 3 67-0790 F.(919)367-8751 SCALE; I'I=G00' (I IoPZ.) ZEBULON PLANNING DEPARTMENT MEMORADUM To: Bruce Herbert- Macgregor Development Company From: Lyddia E. Pritchard, Planning Director Subject: Weavers Pond Roadway Improvements Date: February 27, 2006 - As part of the Special Use Permit approval process for Weavers Pond you provided a Site Plan and Traffic Impact Analysis. The site plan was approved by the Board of Commissioners. The roadway design improvements as provided by your firm and the traffic engineer are integral to maintaining safe and timely access to northern Zebulon residents. The minor thorough-fares shown on the attached exhibit provide for the access and interconnectivity required in our Conservation Subdivision zoning. These same roadway improvements were central to the Zebulon Board of Commissioners as evidenced by the inclusion of these improvements as a condition of your Special Use Permit. Dual access points are a requirement of the 2000 edition of the International Fire Code. The access points labeled on the attached exhibit (access 1 & access 2) are necessary to provide for emergency ingress and egress to the 115 homes in the western portion of the subdivision. Of course permitting with DWQ is necessary to implement the roadway improvements your site plan approval requires. Please contact me with any suggestions as to how a second entrance may impact your Special Use Permit. Lyddia E. Pritchard, CZO 919-269-7455 ext 244. ZEBULON PLANNING DEPARTMENT MEMORADUM To: Bruce Herbert- Macgregor Development Company From: Lyddia E. Pritchard, Planning Director Subject: Weavers Pond Roadway Improvements Date: February 27, 2006 As part of the Special Use Permit approval process for Weavers Pond you provided a Site Plan and Traffic Impact Analysis. The site plan was approved by the Board of Commissioners. The roadway design improvements as provided by your firm and the traffic engineer are integral to maintaining safe and timely access to northern Zebulon residents. The minor thorough-fares shown on the attached exhibit provide for the access and interconnectivity required in our Conservation Subdivision zoning. These same roadway improvements were central to the Zebulon Board of Commissioners approval as evidenced by the inclusion of these improvements as a condition of your Special Use Permit. As you recall, the distance between these minor thorough fares as well as the direct approach of this roadway toward the north was a significant discussion point made by the Board. Even at the cost of an encroachment to the buffers of the farm drainage way, the town encourages that every effort be made to obtain approval for this roadway crossing in the location shown on the attached exhibit. Dual access points are a requirement of the 2000 edition of the International Fire Code. The access points, labeled on the attached exhibit (access 1 & access 2), are necessary to provide for emergency ingress and egress to the 115 homes in the western portion of the subdivision. Should you need any additional information, or explanation of the towns position in regard to this matter, please do not hesitate to call. Lyddia E. Pritchard, CZO 919-269-7455 ext 244. LEGEND I M - 0 m =) MINOR THOROUGH FARE z / I / I ACCESS I ACCESS 2 ?/ I 1 i.''? \ ?r y ® Revl5on: WEAVERS POND SUBDIVISION G Group, ® OVERALL THOROUGH FARE MAP LAND PLANNING CIVIL ENGINEE'.F-ING G00' O 600' 1200' CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT ZEBULON, NC °°•• '° '° ^"' '°"' SCALE: I "=600' (11or¢.) 0F wATF9 Michael F. Easley, Governor Q ? William G. Ross Jr., Secretary r North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources -? Alan W. Klimek, P.E. Director Division of Water Quality February 16, 2006 DWQ Project # 05-2070 Wake County CERTIFIED MAIL: RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED Mr. Michael Whitehead MacGregor Development Company 201 Sannon Oaks Circle, Suite 201 Cary, NC 27511 Subject Property: Weavers Pond Subdivision Beaverdam Creek [030402,27-27, C, NSW] REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION Dear Mr. Whitehead: On November 16, 2005, the Division of Water Quality (DWQ) received your application dated November 16, 2005, to impact 0.494 acres of wetland, 237 linear feet of stream and 21,632 square feet of Zone 1 protected Neuse River basin riparian buffer and 14, 435 square feet of Zone 2 protected Neuse River basin riparian buffer to construct the proposed residential subdivision. On February 14, 2006, the DWQ received additional information from you. However, the DWQ has determined that your application remains incomplete and/or provided inaccurate information as discussed below. The DWQ will require additional information in order to process your application to impact protected wetlands and/or streams on the subject property. Therefore, unless we receive the additional information requested below, we will have to move toward denial of your application as required by 15A NCAC 2H .0506 and will place this project on hold as incomplete until we receive this additional information. Please provide the following information so that we may continue to review your project. Additional Information Requested: The DWQ still maintains that the road crossing labeled as "Road D - Crossing #3" on the plans does not appear to be necessary for development of the site as currently proposed. Please eliminate the road crossing and submit revised plans for this area. Additionally, in your correspondence to the DWQ dated February 14, 2006, you indicated, "this crossing is needed for internal connectivity, to insure safety due to the number of lots served and to accommodate future development to the northern portion of the property." Based on the submitted plans, the DWQ believes this impact and the impact labeled "Future Impact" to be unnecessary. The DWQ also has concerns with cumulative impacts associated with the "Future Development", and avoidance and minimization issues with the citing of lots adjacent to the pond located within the "Future Development" area. 401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit 1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650 2321 Crabtree Boulevard, Suite 250, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 Phone: 919-733-1786 / FAX 919-733-6893 / Internet: http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/ncwetlands One No ?rthtCarolina Naturally An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer- 50% Recycled/10% Post Consumer Paper MacGregor Development Company Page 2 of 2, , February 16, 2006 Please contact the DWQ within three weeks of the date of this letter to verify that you have received this letter and that you remain interested in continuing to pursue permitting of your project and will be providing the DWQ the requested information at a later date. Please contact me in writing and Eric Kulz of the DWQ Raleigh Regional Office. If we do not hear from you within three weeks, we will assume that you no longer want to pursue this project and we will consider the project as withdrawn. This letter only addresses the application review and does not authorize any impacts to wetlands, waters or protected buffers. Please be aware that any impacts requested within your application are not authorized (at this time) by the DWQ. Please call Ms. Cyndi Karoly or Mr. Ian McMillan at 919-733-1786 if you have any questions regarding or would like to set up a meeting to discuss this matter. Sincerely, Cyndi Karoly, Supervisor 401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit CBKlijm cc: Eric Kulz, DWQ Raleigh Regional Office USACE Raleigh Regulatory Field Office File Copy Central Files Aaron Cooper, Soil and Environmental Consultants, P.A., 11010 Raven Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27614 Filename: 052070 WeaversPondSD(Wake)On_Hold2 ZEBULON PLANNING DEPARTMENT MEMORADUM To: Bruce Herbert- Macgregor Development Company From: Lyddia E. Pritchard, Planning Director Subject: Weavers Pond Roadway Improvements Date: February 27, 2006 As part of the Special Use Permit approval process for Weavers Pond you provided a Site Plan and Traffic Impact Analysis. The site plan was approved by the Board of Commissioners. The roadway design improvements as provided by your firm and the traffic engineer are integral to maintaining safe and timely access to northern Zebulon residents. The minor thorough-fares shown on the attached exhibit provide for the access and interconnectivity required in our Conservation Subdivision zoning. These same roadway improvements were central to the Zebulon Board of Commissioners approval as evidenced by the inclusion of these improvements as a condition of your Special Use Permit. As you recall, the distance between these minor thorough fares as well as the direct approach of this roadway toward the north was a significant discussion point made by the Board. Even at the cost of an encroachment to the buffers of the farm drainage way, the town encourages that every effort be made to obtain approval for this roadway crossing in the location shown on the attached exhibit. Dual access points are a requirement of the 2000 edition of the International Fire Code. The access points, labeled on the attached exhibit (access 1 & access 2), are necessary to provide for emergency ingress and egress to the 115 homes in the western portion of the subdivision. Should you need any additional information, or explanation of the towns position in regard to this matter, please do not hesitate to call. Lyddia E. Pritchard, CZO 919-269-7455 ext 244. t, s I i oati//? , ac f I I ? I 1 L_J---- I c G6 Group, LAND PLANNING CIVIL ENGINEERING 600' 0 *600, 1200' CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT ' 936'0'90 SCALE: "=600' (1onz.) LEGEND 4w - - - _ m MINOR TtOROUGM FARE 0 2 1 ? Revs o s: WEAVERS POND SUBDIVISION OVERALL THOROUGH FARE MAP ZEBULON, NC ? ¦?rr;rrl:?. man, r "c- -I ? a ZEBULON PLANNING DEPARTMENT MEMORADUM To: Bruce Herbert- Macgregor Development Company From: Lyddia E. Pritchard, Planning Director Subject: Weavers Pond Roadway Improvements Date: February 27, 2006 L.ir As part of the Special Use Permit approval process for Weavers Pond you provided a Site Plan and Traffic Impact Analysis. The site plan was approved by the Board of Commissioners. The roadway design improvements as provided by your firm and the traffic engineer are integral to maintaining safe and timely access to northern Zebulon residents. The minor thorough-fares shown on the attached exhibit provide for the access and interconnectivity required in our Conservation Subdivision zoning. These same roadway improvements were central to the Zebulon Board of Commissioners approval as evidenced by the inclusion of these improvements as a condition of your Special Use Permit. As you recall, the distance between these minor thorough fares as well as the direct approach of this roadway toward the north was a significant discussion point made by the Board. Even at the cost of an encroachment to the buffers of the farm drainage way, the town encourages that every effort be made to obtain approval for this roadway crossing in the location shown on the attached exhibit. Dual access points are a requirement of the 2000 edition of the International Fire Code. The access points, labeled on the attached exhibit (access 1 & access 2), are necessary to provide for emergency ingress and egress to the 115 homes in the western portion of the subdivision. Should you need any additional information, or explanation of the towns position in regard to this matter, please do not hesitate to call. Lyddia E. Pritchard, CZO 919-269-7455 ext 244. z / I j, a o°o e I I I f, xY i / I I? rJ CE Group, LAND PLANNING CIVIL ENGINEERING 600' 0 *600, 1200' CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT «..9 9 >r x 9 3,. 5 CALE: 1 "=600' (Hor,z.) ? I ? I Rews?ons: r m = - = m MINOR THOROUGH FARE 0 wall WEAVERS POND SUBDIVISION OVERALL THOROUGH FARE MAP ZEBULON, NC ./I j LEGEND FIRE DEPARTMENT ACCESS Based on the 2000 edition of the International Fire Code The Fire Department is required to respond to a multitude of emergencies in various types of buildings and occupancies. These include single-family dwellings, apartment buildings, shopping malls, business complexes, industrial complexes, hospitals, and nursing homes. To provide effective fire fighting operations, we must be able to reach all structures by way of approved access roadways, streets, or driveways. To assist developers and designers in meeting our requirements, we have defined some terms and listed minimum design standards considered necessary for effective fire fighting operations. ? Fire Department Access An approved route that is always available for use by fire trucks and is designed to meet fire equipment load requirements. Except for Loop Lanes, Shared Driveways, and Private Driveways, all access routes must be at least 20' wide. When a dead-end access route exceeds 150' in length, an approved turn around area must be provided. ? Public Street Access A Fire Department Access route on a public right of way comply with the City or County road design standards International Fire Code. ? Private Street Access Public street access routes must and also must comply with the A Fire Department Access route on private land. Private street access routes must comply with the International Fire Code. ? Grades Street grades shall comply with City or County design standards for both Public and Private Street Access routes. Maximum grade shall not exceed 8% (12% allowed in hilly terrain). ? Grades on Turn Around Areas Maximum grades on turn around areas shall not exceed 4%. Residential Cul-De-Sac Residential Looped Lane ? Height All Fire Department access routes shall have at least 13 feet, 6 inches of vertical clearance for the entire required width. ? Looped Lane A Fire Department Access route in a public right of way, consisting of a looped road that must be at least 16' wide. Looped lanes may be approved for residential subdivisions and must be designed to approved standards (see design pages). ? Private Driveway A private driveway designed for the use of occupants of no more than two single-family dwelling units or one two-family dwelling unit. If the dwelling units are located more than 100' from an approved Fire Department Access route, the private driveway must meet our minimum design standards: At least 12' wide; grades not to exceed 12%; adequate turn arounds provided if over 150' long; width to be increased if sharp curves are included; constructed with an all-weather surface and able to support the weight of a fire truck. ? Shared Driveway A Fire Department Access route on private property, serving three or more single-family units. A shared driveway must be at least 16' wide and be designed to approved standards (see design pages). ? Residential Cul-De-Sac, Commercial/Industrial Cul-De-Sac An approved turnaround area for public right of ways or private property, designed to Fire Department standards (see design pages). ? Tee Turnaround, Alternative Turnarounds An approved turnaround area for private property designed to Fire Department standards (see design pages). ACCESS GUIDELINES The following guidelines represent this department's efforts to maintain consistency concerning Fire Department emergency access. It is our responsibility to ensure adequate access for Fire Department emergency responders. We therefore reserve the right to require modifications to established requirements if, in our opinion, the access cannot be provided or may be compromised. Type of Surface All access roadways shall be finished by application of an all-weather driving surface of hot mix asphaltic concrete or concrete pavement over a flexible base capable of supporting a design wheel load of 18,000 pounds (GVW 80,000 pounds minimum; H-20 loading). The roadway design must be prepared and certified by an engineer registered by the State of Colorado. Any required Fire Department access within 100 feet of any building must meet the same wheel-loading criteria. All required access roadways must be properly maintained and kept clear for emergency use at all times. Any alternatives to these specifications must be reviewed and approved by the Grand Junction Fire Department prior to construction. Two Points of Access Providing two points of fire apparatus access has the following benefits: ? If one access route is blocked, emergency responders have a second route to the property. ? If an emergency requires evacuation of an area, the public will have an alternative exit route should one route be blocked by the emergency incident. When two points of access are required, they shall be placed a distance apart equal to not less than one half of the length of the maximum overall diagonal dimension of the property or area to be served, measured in a straight line between accesses. The Grand Junction Fire Department does not allow the second access point limited to use by emergency responders only. The second access must always be available for public use in case the other access is blocked. Commercial and Industrial Developments: ? Buildings or facilities exceeding 30 feet or 3 stories in height shall have at least 2 means of fire apparatus access. ? Buildings or facilities having a gross building area of more than 62,000 square feet shall have at least 2 means of fire apparatus access. If the buildings or facilities are provided with an approved automatic fire sprinkler system, the gross building area can be increased to 124,000 square feet with one access road. Multi-family Residential Developments: ? Multi-family residential projects having more than 100 dwelling units shall be provided with at least 2 means of fire apparatus access. ? Multi-family residential projects of up to 200 dwelling units, which are provided with an approved fire sprinkler system, may have one means of fire apparatus access. One or Two Family Residential Developments: ? Developments where the number of dwelling units exceeds 30, shall be provided with separate and approved fire apparatus access roads. ? Developments where the number of dwelling units is 60 or less may be served by a single fire apparatus access road, provided all dwelling units are provided with approved residential fire sprinkler systems. Aerial Apparatus Roadway Width ? Fire apparatus access roadways shall have a minimum unobstructed width of 26 feet in the immediate vicinity of any building of portion of building more than 30 feet in height. At least one of the required access routes meeting this condition shall be located within a minimum of 15 feet and a maximum of 30 feet from the building, and shall be positioned parallel to one entire side of the building. Maintenance of Access Roads Maintenance of the required access shall be considered during the planning stages and installation of Fire Department access roadways, fire hydrants, or connections. This includes the potential growth of trees and/or other vegetation over the years. Divided Entryway A divided entryway can present a challenge to emergency vehicles. The required width of the driveable surface in a divided entryway is based on the width of the entryway and that of the street fronting it. ? If the street fronting the divided entryway is 28 feet wide, each lane of the entryway must be at least 15 feet wide. ? If the street fronting the divided entryway is 34 feet wide, the entryway lanes may be less than 15 feet wide, but cannot be less than 12 feet wide. ? For fronting streets wider than 34 feet, entryway lanes must be at least 12 feet wide. No Parking Signage For access routes less than 28 feet wide and for fire apparatus turnaround areas, vehicle parking is not allowed. No Parking signs, are required. An approved design for the signage is shown in the Transportation Engineering Design Standards, available from the City of Grand Junction Department of Public Works. ? For access routes 16 to 22 feet wide, No Parking signs are required along both sides of the route. ? For access routes 22 to 28 feet wide, No Parking signs are required along one side of the route. ? For Hammerhead Tees and Alternative Turnarounds, No Parking signs are required along both sides of the area. ? For Cul-de-sacs, No Parking signs should be placed along the outside of the turnaround area. ............................................................................ DESIGN STANDARDS The following pages give examples of Grand Junction Fire Department approved roadway, turnaround, and turning radius specifications. The last of these pages may be photocopied onto a transparency as a template for Fire Department turn radius requirements. This is the template used by the Fire Prevention Bureau when reviewing plans to determine proper access and is based on the actual size of our fire fighting apparatus. Hammerhead Tee Turnaround i o 20 Fire Truck I 0 00 *? I • I• 4 f R% Turning Radius Required for Fire Apparatus in a Tee Turnaround 1 ? S ti 1 1 -r? 1 1 ?• I --I C 0 oX 0 I I I Minimum 1 must be pr all turn arc designs. FIro 7rUCk Alternative Turnaround M }? M 0. h ? 1 n Z 4 h =1 L ?7d I ? 1 F s- Q? Any proposed alternative or variation from a standard Hammerhead Tee must meet our minimum turn radius requirement and provide at least a 60' length for the turning areas. Alternative Tee Turnaround Other Fire Department Turnarounds and Clearances Turnouts for Fire Hydrants: For emergency access routes less than 22 feet wide, where fire hydrants are required along the route, a turnout area for fire trucks is required. The width of the access road must be at least 20' in the area of the turnout. This turnout area is required so that when a fire truck utilizes the fire hydrant in an emergency, the access route will still be available for use by other emergency vehicles. Intermediate Turnaround Areas: In cases where a single point of access exceeds 600 feet in length, intermediate turnaround areas are required. The width of the access road must be at least 28 feet in the area of the turnaround. These areas allow emergency vehicles to turn around without having to drive to the end of a long dead-end road. The intermediate turnarounds must be provided at a maximum interval of every 500 feet. Turnouts for Intermediate Fire Hydrants Turnarounds Looped Lane Standards 1. Not more than seven single family residences obtain access from the fire loop lane; 2. The sixteen foot wide fire loop lane shall consist of an all-weather clear surface; 3. No curve on any portion of the flow line of the fire loop lane shall have an inside radius of less than thirty-three feet (33') and an outside radius of less than forty-eight feet (48'). "Flow line" means the area between the curbs or equivalent if curbs are not present. 4. No portion of the fire loop lane shall extend more than two hundred and fifty feet (250) from the abutting street right-of-way. 5. A minimum of four parking spaces shall be constructed at the end of the fire loop lane, as indicated on the diagram. 6. The fire loop lane and parking stalls, as indicated on the diagram, are dedicated to and maintained by the City; 7. Two-way traffic is allowed; 8. No parking signs and markings, as required by the City, are installed and maintained so that no parking is allowed between the curbs on any traveled portion of the fire loop lane; 9. Comer lots that front the fire loop lane and the abutting street shall be required to only obtain access from the fire loop lane. 10. No garage or carport built on a lot obtaining access from the fire loop lane shall be constructed any portion of which is closer than forty feet (40') from any portion of the fire loop lane; 11. Each residence obtaining access from the fire loop lane shall provide and maintain four parking spaces between the garage or carport and the fire loop lane; and 12. The fire loop lane shall only connect to a street where on-street parking exists now and is expected to remain, according to the City Engineer, based on such factors as the City capital program and any adopted street plans. Other Possible Layouts Max. 250' Sidewalks On-street Parking 1'1? J1 Shared Driveway Standards 1. A shared driveway shall be owned and maintained by the owners of the parcels or lots which abut the shared driveway; 2. Not more than four single family lots shall abut or touch any portion of the shared driveway and no more than four single family units may access a shared driveway; 3. A shared driveway shall be least sixteen feet (16') wide and not longer than one hundred and fifty feet (150'); 4. No parking is allowed on the shared driveway; 5. Each lot abutting a shared driveway must provide 4 on-site parking spaces. 6. Each lot abutting a shared driveway must access off the shared driveway unless varied at time of subdivision approval; and 7. A shared driveway may be used only where it intersects a street where on-street parking exists and is expected to remain, according to the City Engineer, based on such factors as the City capital program and any adopted street plans. Example Layout MacGregor Development Company Page 2 of 2- February 16, 2006 Please contact the DWQ within three weeks of the date of this letter to verify that you have received this letter and that you remain interested in continuing to pursue permitting of your project and will be providing the DWQ the requested information at a later date. Please contact me in writing and Eric Kulz of the DWQ Raleigh Regional Office. If we do not hear from you within three weeks, we will assume that you no longer want to pursue this project and we will consider the project as withdrawn. This letter only addresses the application review and does not authorize any impacts to wetlands, waters or protected buffers. Please be aware that any impacts requested within your application are not authorized (at this time) by the DWQ. Please call Ms. Cyndi Karoly or Mr. Ian McMillan at 919-733-1786 if you have any questions regarding or would like to set up a meeting to discuss this matter. Sincerely, Cyndi Karoly, Supervisor 401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit CBK/ijm cc: Eric Kulz, DWQ Raleigh Regional Office USACE Raleigh Regulatory Field Office File Copy Central Files Aaron Cooper, Soil and Environmental Consultants, P.A., 11010 Raven Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27614 Filename: 052070 WeaversPondSD(Wake)On_Aold2