After four years of battling certain building owners to get them to install sprinkler and fire alarm systems, the city is giving up for now.
A proposed ordinance would allow the buildings to remain out of compliance with 1990 code upgrades until the property’s ownership or use changes, or when major alterations are done.
“This grandfather clause is the only way to get this thing settled,” said Ald. Charles Gillenwater, chairman of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee. “Ultimately, we will accomplish the same goal, which is to get the buildings protected.”
Batavia Fire Chief William Darin said 87 percent of the commercial buildings-including multi-family dwellings-that his department identified as underprotected four years ago have since come under compliance with the newer fire safety codes.
The process of enforcing the codes was slow because many property owners pleaded economic hardship, Darin said. There are six buildings remaining, all of which are tenant-occupied, he said.
“We still encourage (property owners) to do this because it would help the building’s value and it would certainly help the people living there in the event of a fire,” Darin said.
Three fires, one which caused a fatality, in older buildings downtown in 1989 prompted city officials to upgrade their codes and seek improvements.
Gillenwater said the ordinance will be presented to the full council next month.