Plan Change 56: Fire Fighting Water Supplies Code of Practice n_292117
Contents 1. INTRODUCTION... 1 2. WHAT IS THE CODE?... 1 3. WHEN IS THE CODE APPLIED?... 1 4. ARE YOU AT RISK?... 1 5. HOW ARE HOUSE FIRES MANAGED?... 2 6. SO WHAT CHANGES ARE PROPOSED?... 2 7. WHAT IS THE CHANGE PROCESS?... 4 8. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THESE CHANGES?... 4-8 -
1. Introduction If you plan to build a new building, you may be affected by this proposed Plan Change. Gisborne District Council is investigating the extent to which the New Zealand Fire Service Fire Fighting Water Supplies Code of Practice SNZ PAS 4509:2008 (the Code) should be enforced through the Combined Regional Land and District Plan (The District Plan). This will affect you if you plan to build a new building (e.g. a house, commercial or industrial building) in the Gisborne District, especially if you are not connected to the Council water supply. Following initial research and discussions, Council is proposing to have the Code apply to the subdivisions in Gisborne city only. Outside of the city, Council is proposing not to enforce the Code. Instead Council propose to promote awareness of the Code to people building new houses, to allow a degree of personal choice over whether they need to provide mitigation measures against the risk of fire. 2. What is the Code? The Code provides guidelines on how much water should be provided for fighting building fires. The Code also provides direction on other matters such as fire service vehicle access to water sources. Although the Code has been developed for urban areas, it is also intended to provide guidance on minimum fire fighting water for buildings in rural areas. Essentially two options are promoted; sprinklers, or rely on a fire fighting agency such as the New Zealand Fire Service (NZFS), applying water. For the sprinkler option the Code specifies smaller amounts of water to be stored onsite and/or available from nearby hydrants. For the fire fighting option the Code specifies greater amounts of water to be stored onsite (e.g. in water tanks) or available from nearby hydrants. 3. When is the Code applied? The Gisborne District Plan has long required new development in reticulated areas to provide sufficient water for fire fighting. While the District Plan did not directly reference the Code, the Code (or earlier releases of it) had provided Council guidance on what is required. In 2008 Council extended enforcement of the Code to some non-reticulated zones. Then, in 2010, Council s review of infrastructure requirements included a general requirement for all development to comply with the Code. 4. Are you at risk? On average there are 66 structural fires each year in the Gisborne district. The majority of these are structural fires in residential property. The average annual estimated fire damage from these structural fires is $1.507 million. On average, approximately 27 people die as a result of structural fires in New Zealand, which is equivalent to an average risk of 0.0373% over a 50-year period. Historically New Zealanders are about 3 times more likely to die from a structural fire than from an earthquake. To put this into perspective, you are about 12 times more likely to die from a motor vehicle accident and about 170 times more likely to die from cancer each year than a structural fire. 1
5. How are house fires managed? There are a number of general approaches to address structural fires including detection and fire fighting methods, building design and education. Smoke alarms provide early warning and can alert occupants to fires within dwellings prior to flaming stage. Sprinklers can keep fires to a minimum size (if not extinguish them) and can contain them to the room of fire origin. Sprinklers also reduce the amount of smoke produced, enabling occupants more time to evacuate and also extinguish the fire if the sprinkler has not fully done so. Sprinklers therefore provide human protection while also (in most cases) providing property protection. Council s water supply provides a key water source for fire fighting. Generally within reticulated areas sufficient water is available and accessible for fire fighting purposes. Stored water, e.g. water tanks, are used by fire fighters as a source of water for extinguishing the fire, especially where reticulated water is unavailable. However, fires quickly worsen and the time it takes for fire-fighters to be alerted and travel to a fire is critical. Appropriate building design reduces the risk to life and property during a structural fire, e.g. minimising the length of escape routes, advising on fire cell sizes and fire resistant construction materials. Current building regulation focuses on protecting people rather than property. Education can also help to reduce the risks from structural fires. The NZFS currently do home fire safety checks to educate people on safe fire practices and home escape plans and run high profile media campaigns. 6. So what changes are proposed? Currently all new houses are required to meet the requirements of the Code which means they are required to be connected to Council water supply, have sprinklers, have an on-site water supply dedicated to fire fighting or a combination of the above which meets the requirements of the Code. There are a number of reasons why Council have been investigating this requirement: Enforcement in Rural Areas Council has concerns about enforcing the Code as a rule in its District Plan when the Code itself states it is only intended to provide guidance in rural areas. Awareness of the Code Some recent developers were not aware of the Code and meeting its requirements resulted in unbudgeted costs. Is the District Plan an appropriate place to enforce the Code? On the one hand, the Code provides standards for designing water supply infrastructure and infrastructure standards are common in the District Plan. On the other hand, it could be argued that sprinkler design for buildings should be left to the building Code. Monitoring and compliance issues Any rule or conditions imposed on development requiring compliance with the Code would need to be supported by monitoring to ensure implementation. This has costs for the Council and, therefore, for the community. 2
Affordability of meeting the Code Affordability of meeting the Code for new houses in non-reticulated areas has been a concern for recent developers. As explained above, the Code requires either in-home sprinklers or storage of water dedicated for fire fighting water supply (e.g. water tanks). Council estimates the additional costs of installing sprinklers in a small new house in a more remote area, such as Te Puia, in conjunction with normal plumbing would be around $7,000. This takes into account savings from combining the sprinkler pump with other household uses. If instead the developer chose not to install sprinklers and just provide additional dedicated water storage to meet the Code, the estimated cost is $12,000. This includes the additional 22,500L tanks, hardstand areas, fittings and installation. It is possible that costs would be less for less isolated developments i.e. Wainui. Effectiveness of tanks in rural areas Council also has concerns about whether installing additional water tanks to meet the Code in rural areas is effective. In particular it questions whether many areas are too far from fire fighting stations. Fires are generally too far advanced to save houses by the time fire fighting begins. Council also questions whether owners will continue to have water tanks for fire fighting over the long term and not use the water for household purposes. Water tanks also raise practical issues in terms of access, space and visual impact. A number of options have been investigated as part of the review of the application of the Code to new houses. Councils preferred option is to limit the application of the Code to reticulated subdivisions with a significant advocacy role as well as education provided by both Council and the NZFS. Council continues to support enforcement of the Code for subdivisions in Gisborne city where Council water is available. This water network is designed for fire fighting purposes and enforcement of the Code helps ensure that any upgrades or extensions for new subdivisions will continue to be designed for fire fighting. Outside of Gisborne city, Council is concerned with the cost of complying with the requirements of the Code. Council are also concerned with the number of developers choosing water tanks to meet the Code when the effectiveness of them is questioned. Home sprinklers, in most cases, are the cheaper option. Specifying sprinklers over water tanks in rural areas has been considered by Council but Council have not found data to compare losses in residential homes with and without sprinklers. In summary, limiting the application of the Code to subdivisions connected to Council water supply with a significant advocacy and education role is considered the most practical and reasonable option. Issues such as awareness of the Code will be removed as developers are required to gain resource consent for any subdivision anyway and it can be noted early on in the process that there is a requirement for the provision of fire fighting water supply. Affordability also becomes less of an issue as many of the developments will be able to connect to the Council reticulated water system, and where the pressure does not meet the Code, communal approaches can be explored to reduce costs. 3
7. What is the change process? The Resource Management Act (1991) outlines the plan change process that Council is required to follow. Essentially the process involves: Development of a proposal by Council (this document) Notification of the proposal for submissions (submissions close 17 April 2013) We are here Submitters send submissions to Council Council summarises the submissions A limited opportunity is provided for further submissions in support or opposition to the initial submissions. A hearing is held if any submitter wishes to be heard Council notifies its decision. Opportunity for submitters to appeal to the environment court. 8. What do you think about these changes? You can have your say on the proposed changes by: 1. Having a look at the full report on Proposed Plan Change 56. 2. Making a submission that includes whether you support or oppose the changes. 3. Making sure your submission arrives at Council by 5pm, Monday 6 May 2013. For more information contact Sarah Harris on (06) 8672049, or by email at: sarah.harris@gdc.govt.nz. Copies of the full report on Proposed Plan Change 56 and a submission form can be viewed on Council s website www.gdc.govt.nz/plan-changes-and-variations or view a copy at Customer Services in Fitzherbert Street or the HB Williams Memorial Library. Gisborne District Council PO Box 747 Gisborne 4040 4