Request

Petitioner, Michael Messerle, Architect for 115 N. Arlington Heights Road, seeking a variance from Chapter 23, Article IV, IBC Section 3408.1 and Chapter 27, Article I, IFC Section 102.3 of the Arlington Heights Municipal Code to eliminate the fire sprinkler requirement to install a new fire sprinkler system in an existing 5300 square foot one-story building as a result of interior alterations to a change of occupancy use to a mercantile store.  

Recommendation

At the meeting on January 21, 2020, the Building Code Review Board made a motion recommending to the Village Board to grant the request for a variance from the Village Code by not putting in the sprinkler system and assuming the upcoming new codes pass, the fire alarm system will not be required.  If the Codes do not pass, the fire alarm system will be required to substantiate the variance.

Upon review by Legal it was determined the motion approved by the BCRB was conditional in nature and therefore not appropriate as a stand-alone motion. Staff recommends that the Village Board approve one of the following motions as an alternative:

1.    That the Village Board grant the request for relief from the requirement in Chapter 23 Article IV, IBC Section [F]903.2 and Chapter 27, Article I, IFC Section 903.2 of the Arlington Heights Code for the installation of a fire sprinkler system for the proposed expansion.

or

2.    That the Village Board grant the request for relief from the requirement in Chapter 23 Article IV, IBC Section [F]903.2 and Chapter 27, Article I, IFC Section 903.2 of the Arlington Heights Code for the installation of a fire sprinkler system for the proposed expansion. This approval is conditioned upon the installation of an appropriate fire alarm system.