07-10-2014 Planning Comm. Agenda

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MAYOR Bill Blesener COUNCIL Rick Montour John Keis Michael McGraw Shelly Boss 515 Little Canada Road, Little Canada, MN 55117-1600 (651) 7664029 / FAX: (651) 766-4048 ADMINISTRATOR www.ci.little-canada.mn.us Joel R. Hanson June 27, 2014 To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Jim Lee, Fire Marshal Re: Pallet Services 3225 Country Drive, PUD Application I am recommending denial of this PUD request for additional storage. The Minnesota State Fire Code does allow for exterior lumber storage to a maximum height of 20 feet. However, the Minnesota State Fire Code also allows a jurisdiction to be more restrictive than the Fire Code but not less restrictive. In conjunction with the Minnesota State Fire Code, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) establishes standards for best practices for fire -fighting, fire prevention and a guideline for all fire departments. The National Fire Protection Association also provides standards for fire protection for lumber yard storage. The following are two of the Minnesota State Fire Codes sections pertaining to lumber yard storage and fire department access: Minnesota State Fire Code 503.2.1 states: Fire apparatus access roads shall have an unobstructed width of not Tess than 20 feet and an unobstructed vertical clearance of not less than 13 feet 6 inches. Minnesota State Fire Code 503.2.3 Surface states: Fire apparatus access roads shall be designed and maintained to support the imposed loads of fire apparatus and shall be surfaced so as to provide all-weather driving capabilities. The fire access roads on this property are a continuing problem. Several of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards pertain to lumber storage and a couple of them are listed below: NFPA 1 section 31.3.3.4.1.1 - The best practice for lumber yards states: Open yard stacking shall be located with not less than 15 feet clear space to buildings.