A-802.2.3 Board of Safety and Fire Prevention

The Fire Commissioner is authorized to grant an extension of time or a variance from the requirements of the Fire Code upon the written recommendation of a majority of the Board of Safety and Fire Prevention.

Recommendation for an extension of time or a variance from the Fire Code by the Board of Safety and Fire Prevention shall be made upon written petition by, or on behalf of, the owner where there is a finding that:

1. The variance will fulfill the intent of the code; and
2. Literal enforcement will result in unique and unnecessary hardship or extraordinary conditions make literal compliance impractical; and
3. The variance will not be an unreasonable deviation from the requirements of the code; and
4. In the case of buildings designated as historic pursuant to Chapter 14-1000 of The Philadelphia Code or listed in the National Register of Historic Places, where strict compliance with a provision of this Title would interfere with the historic character of the property, the variance does not constitute a material life safety hazard; and
5. In the case of a request for an extension of time, efforts are being made to come into compliance as quickly as possible.