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Home My WebLink About05-20-1982 Addendum to Regular Meetingi i ADDENDUM ADDENDUM TO AGENDA FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE LA PORTE FIRE CODE REVIEW COMMITTEE, TO BE HELD MAY 20, 1982, IN THE I. J. KIBODEAUX MEMORIAL SERVICE CENTER, 2963 NORTH 23RD STREET, LA PORTE, TEXAS, BEGINNING AT 7:00 P.M. 1, CONSIDER VARIANCE FOR TRAMMEL-CROW DISTRIBUTION I~~I IMI WUVEIR ala architect houston ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 'I April 21, 1982 City of La Porte P.O. Box 1115 604 West J La Porte, Texas 77571 Attn: Mr. Jack Owen, Chairman Fire Code Review Committee Re: TCDC - La Porte, 8lQ & 8lR Dear Mr. Owen: The following letter was suggested by Mr. Paul Higginbotham for your review. Presently our office has submitted to the City for building permit on two buildings. We feel due to the type of buildings they are, in reference to several items such as, 1) they have continuous placed overhead sectional, full vertical lift, wood doors on the front at 18'-4" o.c., 2) they have continuous placed overhead sectional, full vertical lift, wood doors on the rear at 60'-0" o.c. (as required for rail service), 3) they have personnel exits, both front and rear faces spaced so they meet or exceed the Southern Building Code Requirements, 4) they have an extensive fire sprinkler protection system which meets or exceeds the State Board of Insurance Requirements, and 5) they have included in them "smoke relief" roof vents and draft curtains as outlined by the Southern Building Code. Our client has requested our office to obtain a variance on the code, as Mr. Higginbotham has explained to us, which deals with the placement of an access door at 100' o.c. around the perimeter of both buildings. R T UTE A FI Mr. Jack Owen April 21, 1982 Page 2 We hope the previous list of items will indicate we have tried to take every necessary fire protection/prevention method possible for this type project. Please contact our office if you have any questions, as your attention to this matter would be appreciated. Sincerely, cc: Mr. Emory Wellman Trammell Crow Distribution Corp. - Dallas Mr. Gary Williams Trammell Crow Distribution Corp. - Houston Mr. Tom Stringfellow E.E. Reed Construction Company Mr. Paul Higginbotham City of La Porte "".- ...............,. KNOX W. ASKINS, J. D., P. C. ATTORNEY AT LAW 702 W. '-AIRMONT PARKWAY P. O. BOX 12115 LA PORTE. TEXAS 77571-1218 TELEPHONE 713 471-18815 May 11, 1982 Mr. Jack Owen, City Manager and Chairman La P~rte Fire Code Review Committee Ci tyHall ~/porte, Texas 77571 / Dear Mr. Owen: You have asked my opinion on a request contained in a letter to the City of La Porte, dated April 21, 1982, from Thomas M. Weaver, Architect, A.I.A., concerning the Trammell Crow Distribution Center project. Specifically, you have asked my opinion on whether the Fire Code Review Committee may grant a variance, as requested. The authority for the Fire Code Review Committee to grant variances is contained in Article 36, Section 36.1, of the Fire Code of the City of La Porte, which among other things, provides that the Fire Code Review Board shall "recommend changes in the fire code; ... interpret the provisions of the fire code; ... and hear appeals from decisions of the fire chief or fire marshal..." I feel this language gives adequate authority to the Fire Code Review Committee to grant the variance requested. Such variances would not require the prior or subsequent approval of the City Knox W. Askins City Attorney City of La Porte KWA: sgl cc: Mr. Paul R. Hickenbottom L-- Fire r.1arshal City of La Porte City Hall La Porte, Texas 77571 CITY OF LA. PORlE INTER-OFFICE MEM)RANDUM 10 : JACK a.JEN, CHAIRMAN OF FIRE CODE REVIEW COMMITIEE FROM: PAUL R. HICKENBOTroM SUBJECT: VARIANCE FOR TRAMMEL-CROW DISTRIBUTION ON 5-5-82 I CAILED CHIEF PAUL CARR (CHIEF OF HOUSTON FIRE PREVENTION) AND SPOKE ~VIlli HIM CDNCERNING A VARIANCE REQUEST RECEIVED FROM TRAMMEL- CROW DISTRIBUITON. MR. CARR AND I SPOKE CONCERNING ARTICLE 35-DIVISION 2-SECTION 17-35.16 OF TIIE HOUSTON FIRE CDDE, WHICH IS TIIE SAME AS ARTICLE 33 - DIVISION 2 - SECTION 33.16 OF 1HE LA. POR'IE FIRE CODE; AND I QUOTE: "Section 33.16 Access for Fire fi t' oses. Access shall be provided at grotmd evel or firefighting purposes in accordance with the building code, except as herein provided. There shall be at least one door not less than three (3) feet in width and not less than six (6) feet eight (8) inches in height in each one htmdred (100) lineal feet or fraction thereof of exterior wall provided on at least two (2) sides of the building, except where such walls are not accessible because of proximity to adjacent structures. Metal roll-up doors are not acceptable for such purposes." CHIEF CARR STAlED 10 ME THAT TIUS SECTION OF 1HE HOUSTON CODE WAS NOT, AND HAS NOT BEEN ENFORCED FOR A CONSIDERABLE LENGTH OF TIME. TIIEREFORE , I AM IN FUll. AGREEMENT WIlli TRAMMEL-CROW DISTRIBUTION'S REQUEST FOR A VARIANCE . I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT lliIS REQUEST FOR VARIANCE BE GRAN'IED.