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Zephyrhills considers less-stringent fire sprinkler ordinance

By LAURA KINSLER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 1, 2009

ZEPHYRHILLS - Business owners have been complaining for years that Zephyrhills' stringent fire code made it too expensive to move to the city.

Now the city council is poised to relax the ordinance or just toss it out.

"They may just nullify it," City Manager Steve Spina said.

The ordinance requires all new residential and commercial projects with more than 5,000 square feet to install fire sprinkler systems. Existing businesses are required to install the systems if they renovate, expand or convert their buildings for other uses.

Florida statutes require sprinklers for buildings of more than 12,000 square feet.

Council President Jodi Wilkeson said the ordinance, adopted in 2007, is not enforceable. State fire regulations are complex and open to interpretation, she said.

"You have to use a certain amount of common sense," Wilkeson said. "We can not afford to discourage new businesses and possible employers from locating in our city. On the other hand, we don't want people to be unsafe in our commercial structures."

Wilkeson had previously defended the sprinkler ordinance, but she said she changed her mind after the council held a workshop Monday with fire department officials and members of the business community.

Councilman Luis Lopez said council members "cringed" when Fire Chief Keith Williams said he pushed for the higher standard because he worried about the department's ability to fight a structure fire for a building larger than 5,000 square feet.

A local restaurant owner told council members his insurance premiums were so much lower after installing sprinklers the system would pay for itself in three years.

"That's fine if they choose to do that," Councilman Lance Smith said. "But I don't think we should make them install sprinklers."

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 259-8109.

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