12.10.063 Emergency vehicle (EV) access standards.
The following provisions are required for property access roads and shall be approved by the City Engineer and Fire Marshal:
A. Length. Approved emergency vehicle (EV) access road shall extend to within 150 feet of all portions of the facility and all portions of the exterior walls of the first story of the building as measured by an approved route around the exterior of the facility.
B. Width. EV access servicing not more than two dwelling units shall not be less than 15 feet wide. EV access for all other projects shall not be less than 24 feet with no parking, 28 feet with parking on one side and 32 feet with parking on both sides.
C. Vertical Clearance. EV access shall have an unobstructed vertical clearance of not less than 13 feet, six inches. The City, after conferring with the Fire Marshal, may allow a reduction in the vertical clearance, provided such reduction does not impair access by emergency vehicles, and approved signs are installed and maintained indicating the established vertical clearance.
D. Surface Requirements. EV access shall be designed and maintained to support the imposed loads of fire apparatus and shall be paved with asphalt or concrete so as to provide all-weather driving capabilities. Exception: access designated “Emergency Vehicles Only” may be designed by a professional engineer and can be alternative surfacing, as approved by the City Engineer or designee.
E. Turning Radii. A minimum outside turning radius of 45 feet shall be provided for all EV access.
F. Number of Accesses. More than one EV access may be required for commercial developments when it is determined by the Pierce County Fire District No. 2 that access by a single street may be impaired by vehicle congestion, condition of terrain, climatic conditions, or other factors that could limit access unless mitigation acceptable to the City and the Fire District is provided.
G. Grade. The maximum grade (vertical profile grade) of an EV access shall be 15 percent. All sections of EV accesses with grades over 12 percent shall be paved with 0.17 feet compacted asphalt concrete or its cement concrete equivalent.
H. Dead End Road Access. Dead end emergency access roads or drive aisles in excess of 150 feet in length shall be provided with an approved area for turning around fire apparatus. The turnaround shall be as follows:
1. New additions, alterations or tenant improvements, on a dead end street or interior drive access aisle, that increase the number of uses to the site shall construct an EV turnaround.
2. A hammerhead turnaround or a cul-de-sac shall be provided within all new commercial/industrial projects whose EV access meets the “Dead End Access Road” criteria.
3. Hammerhead turnarounds and cul-de-sac design shall comply with the latest edition of the Engineering Standards Manual.
I. Modifications to the Standards. The Fire Marshal may modify the emergency vehicle access requirements of this section in accordance with the latest edition of the International Fire Code (IFC) or as amended by City ordinance. [Ord. 648 § 3, 2016; Ord. 501 § 3, 2009.]