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<br />ORIGINAL <br /> <br />CITY OF LA PORTE <br />FIRE CODE REVIEW BOARD <br /> <br />MINUTES OF MEETING <br />OCTOBER 13, 2004 <br /> <br />Members Present: <br /> <br />Richard Browder, Bryan Moore, Tom Handy, Tom Hayes, and Floyd Craft <br /> <br />Members Absent: <br /> <br />Jim Suber, Louis Heintschel, Emery Farkas, and Sam Brechtel <br /> <br />Staff Present: <br /> <br />Interim Planning Director, Wayne Sabo; Fire Marshal, Laurie Christensen; <br />Chief Inspector, Mark Huber; and Secretary, Peggy Lee <br /> <br />1. CALL TO ORDER <br /> <br />Meeting called to order at 6:37 P.M. by Chairperson Richard Browder. <br /> <br />2. CONSIDER APPEAL #04-01 REQUESTED FOR PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION OF <br />PROPERTY AT 9601 FAIRMONT ADJACENT TO THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, <br />APPEAL IS IN REFERENCE TO DECISION MADE BY FIRE MARSHAL TO REQUIRE SPRINKLER <br />SYSTEM BE INSTALLED PER ORDINANCE 603.15.9. THIS APPEAL IS BEING SOUGHT UNDER <br />THE TERMS OF SECTION 105.3 OF THE SBCC11994ed. <br /> <br />STAFF PRESENTATIONS <br /> <br />Fire Marshal Laurie Christensen reviewed Appeal Request #A04-01 as outlined in the Fire <br />Marshal's Report dated October 4, 2004. The applicant has requested an Appeal to the Fire <br />Marshal's decision to require installation of a sprinkler system for new construction at the First <br />United Methodist Church, 9601 Fairmont Parkway. <br /> <br />PROPONENTS <br /> <br />Melissa Centanni and Tom Baker, Architects with the SLI Group, addressed the Board. They are <br />working with the First United Methodist Church on the planned construction. Ms. Centanni and <br />Mr. Baker listed their reasons for why they feel the Appeal should be granted to allow <br />construction without a sprinkler system. The facts represented were outlined in a slide show <br />(printed document attached). <br /> <br />Mike Clausen, La Porte citizen and member of First United Methodist Church, addressed the <br />Board. Mr. Clausen feels that the City has not always interpreted codes consistently in the past. <br />He believes if this is a life safety issue, then a monitored fire alarm system would be more <br />effective than a sprinkler system. Mr. Clausen mentioned the library has the same occupancy <br />rating and does not have a sprinkler system. <br /> <br />Danny Wayman, Pastor of First United Methodist Church, feels his group is interpreting the codes <br />correctly and the plan is safe as designed by the SLI Group. <br /> <br />OPPONENTS <br /> <br />There were no opponents <br /> <br />The following was noted by Ms. Christensen: <br />