Condominium residents won a victory when trustees voted to amend an ordinance requiring the installation of fire sprinklers.
The Village Board voted Monday to exclude existing apartment, condominium and religious buildings from a rule requiring sprinklers in every unit and in common areas.
Only new construction must comply with the regulation, which requires additional sprinkler systems in living spaces such as bedrooms, sitting rooms and hallways. Previously, builders were only required to install sprinklers in areas that contained heat and gas sources, such as a kitchen or a room with a fireplace. Commercial buildings larger than 1,000 square feet have until 2010 to comply with the measure.
The sprinkler systems were estimated to cost $6,000 to $10,000 per unit and would have affected 12 condominium and apartment developments.
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Trustees also exempted condominium and apartment owners from installing sprinklers in poolhouses, recreation rooms and maintenance buildings. However, in the event of a renovation or an addition that is equal to or more than 35 percent of a building’s market value, the owners would be required to install the sprinklers. The ordinance takes effect next week.