Amended Ordinance 924

The following is the approved language of Ordinance 924, which passed through city council, 6-0, Monday night.

The ordinance as posted is not official and is provided by Havre de Grace Patch as an unofficial reference for city residents.

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ALARM SYSTEMS - REQUIRED TYPES

10-1. Purpose.

It is the purpose of this chapter to promote and protect the health, safety and general welfare of the City by setting forth the alarm and detection systems required to be in service in certain buildings in the City.

10-2. Definitions.

For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have hte meaning given herein. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words in the plural include the singular, and words in the singular include the plural. The word "shall" is mandatory and not merely directory.

ALARM SYSTEM:

A.  An alarm and detection system properly installed: 1) according to the Maryland State Fire Law currently found in the public safety article of the Annotated Code of Maryland - Title 9 Subtitle 1 Smoke Detection Systems and Title 12 Subtitle 11 Carbon Monoxide Alarms; 2) the manufacturer's written instructions, and 3) pursuant to the most recent version of the applicable NFPA Standards including but not limited to 72, 101, and 720 and UL Standards including but not limited to 72, 101, and 720 and UL standards 217 and 2034, that detects smoke or carbon monoxide ("Maryland State Fire Law").

ALARM USER - The person who occupies a building, structure, or facility in which an alarm system is required and operational.

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING - The Department of Planning of the City of Havre de Grace, Maryland.

10-3. Installation of Smoke Detectors - Dwellings.

A.  In addition to the requirements of the Maryland State Fire Law, each floor of a single family dwelling, including the basement, shall be equipped with an approved smoke detector.

B. In addition to the above requirements, landlords of single family dwellings shall have each sleeping area equipped with an approved smoke detector.

C. In addition to the above requirements, landlords of multifamily dwellings shall have each sleeping area equipped with an approved smoke detector, and each corridor used as a means of egress for exit shall be equipped with an approved smoke detector.

10-4. Installation of Carbon Monoxide Detectors - Dwellings.

A. In addition to the requirements of the Maryland State Fire Law, each floor of a single family dwelling, where there are sleeping quarter, shall be equipped with an approved carbon monoxide detector.

B. In addition to the above requirements, landlords of multifamily dwellings shall equip their buildings with one approved carbon monoxide detector per rental unit per level, including the basement, in a central location.

C.  Notwithstanding the above requirements, all single family dwellings that do not have an attached garage, and 1) which are equipped with electric only powered appliances for heat, hot water, ventilation and clothes drying, and 2) which are not equipped with any fossil fuel/wood burning devices, is exempt from the requirements regarding carbon monoxide detectors.

10-5. Maintenance of Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors - Landlords.

A. In addition to the requirements of the Maryland State Fire law, landlords shall at the beginning of each tenancy equip their unit with the required detectors that are operable and in good repair. New batteries shall be installed by the landlord at the beginning of each tenancy. Thereafter, the tenant shall be responsible to maintain the detectors, i.e. change the batteries. Detectors in common areas that are not separately leased to a tenant remain the responsibility of the landlord. After receipt of written notice from the tenant by certified mail return receipt requested, the landlord shall replace or repair an inoperable detector with a comparable approved detector. A tenant may replace an inoperable detector with a comparable operative one, but may not otherwise remove or render inoperable a detector.

10-6. Installation of Detectors - Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Motels.

The owners and operators of bed and breakfasts, hotels and motels shall equip their buildings with smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in the same manner that a landlord of a multifamily dwelling is required.

10-7. Use of Battery Operated Detectors.

In addition to the requirements of the Maryland State Fire Law, detectors installed retroactively as required by this Code may be battery operated.

10-8. Effective Date.

Landlords and owners and operators of bed and breakfasts, hotels and motels shall have an additional ninety (90) days after the effective date of this ordinance to install the required detectors.

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