Declaratory Statement filed January 19, 2007, from Sonia Machen of Miami Beach Fire Department, Petitioner.; Many buildings are designed with a terrace with walls on three sides. The terrace is a space recessed inside the footprint of the building ...  

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    DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
    Division of State Fire Marshal

    NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Department of Financial Services, Division of State Fire Marshal, has received a Petition for Declaratory Statement filed January 19, 2007, from Sonia Machen of Miami Beach Fire Department, Petitioner. This request for Declaratory Statement is for clarification of sprinkler protection for a terrace instead of a balcony open on three sides. Many buildings are designed with a terrace with walls on three sides. The terrace is a space recessed inside the footprint of the building with living space on the other side of the three walls.

    The terrace with living space on three sides forms a compartment that would provide enough heat collection for activation of a sprinkler head as opposed to an open balcony where a sprinkler head would not activate due to the open three sides. The terrace would likely contain combustible furniture, grill, etc. found in typical apartment units. The wall surrounding the terrace may be noncombustible but not fire rated as one wall is normally the glass sliding doors.

    QUESTION:

    1.              Does the design of a terrace as described above require sprinkler protection in order to provide full coverage as required in NFPA 13, Section 4.1.?

    2.              Does the answer change if there is a living space above the Terrace?

    A copy of the Petition may be obtained by writing to, calling, or sending a fax to: Lesley Mendelson, Assistant General Counsel, 200 East Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0340, (850)413-3604, or (850)413-4238; Fax (850)922-1235 or (850)488-0697 (please advise if you would like it mailed or faxed to you and please include your phone number on your request in case any question arises), or by e-mailing your request to Lesley.Mendelson@fldfs.com.

Document Information

Meeting:
clarification of sprinkler protection for a terrace instead of a balcony open on three sides
Contact:
Lesley Mendelson, Assistant General Counsel, 200 East Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0340, (850)413-3604, or (850)413-4238; Fax (850)922-1235 or (850)488-0697 (please advise if you would like it mailed or faxed to you and please include your phone number on your request in case any question arises), or by e-mailing your request to Lesley.Mendelson@fldfs.com.