510.4.2.4 Signal Booster Requirements

This chapter regulates Fire Department access, fire hydrants, and fire-flow. Fire hydrant and fire-flow requirements are based upon land use. Also included are minimum requirements for supplemental fire protection based on Fire Department response time capabilities, personnel, apparatus availability and fire-flow.

If any portion of the first story exterior walls of any building structure is more than 150 feet (45 720 mm) from the edge of the roadway of an approved street, an approved fire lane shall be provided so that such portion is within 150 feet (45 720 mm) of the edge of the fire lane.

When required access is provided by an improved street, fire lane or combination of both which results in a dead-end in excess of 700 feet (213 m) in length from the nearest cross street, at least one additional ingress-egress roadway shall be provided in such a manner that an alternative means of ingress-egress is accomplished.

Where fire lanes are required under Section 503.1.4 to provide access for Fire Department emergency vehicles, and such fire lanes are other than access roads, they shall be granted to the City without cost as easements from a public street or alley to the required terminal point. Provided, however, that the easement requirement may be waived, unless otherwise required by the general plan of the City of Los Angeles, where the Department determines that the acquisition of an easement is not necessary for the protection of the public safety and welfare. Fire lanes shall be designated and maintained as follows:

1. Fire lanes shall have a minimum clear roadway width of 20 feet (6096 mm) when no parking is allowed on either side.
2. Those portions of a fire lane which must accommodate the operation of Fire Department aerial ladder apparatus shall have a minimum clear roadway width of 28 feet (8534 mm) when no parking is allowed on either side.
3. Those portions of a fire lane 30 feet (9144 mm) on either side of a private fire hydrant shall have a minimum clear roadway width of 28 feet (8534 mm). No parking shall be permitted within those portions of the roadway which are within 30 feet (9144 mm) of and on the same side of the roadway as a private fire hydrant.
4. Where parking is allowed on only one side of a required fire lane, parking shall be on the same side of the roadway as the hydrants.
5. Where parallel parking is allowed on either side of a fire lane, the roadway width shall be increased 8 feet (238 mm) for each parking lane.
6. Where access requires accommodation of Fire Department apparatus, overhead clearance shall not be less than 14 feet (4267 mm).
7. Deadend fire lanes shall terminate in cul-de-sacs or other approved turning areas consistent with the Department of Public Works Standard Street Dimension Plan D-22549.
8. Fire lanes shall be paved to the city engineer's standards for public alleys.

Any person owning or having control of any facility, structure, group of structures or premises shall maintain all fire lanes in an unobstructed manner.

No person shall install or maintain a radio or television aerial, or the guy wires thereto, on any fire road or firebreak. Antenna wire shall be not less than 16 feet (4877 mm) above a fire road or firebreak.

No person, except when authorized by the Chief, or an officer or employee of the City acting within the scope of his or her public duties, shall unlock, or tamper with, or cause to be unlocked or tampered with in any manner, any lock, gate, door, seal, barrier, or enclosure which is installed by or under control of the Fire Department of the City of Los Angeles.

Additional requirements of address size shall be as follows:

1. The height in inches of any number or letter therein shall be the sum of one-tenth (¹/₁₀) of the distance in feet of the number from the boundary of the property (upon which the building, structure, or parking lot is situated) abutting the street, plus two (2), providing that every number shall not be less than 4 inches (100 mm) in height.
2. The overall width of any figure in or comprising the number or letter shall be one-half (¹/₂) of its height. The width of any portion of a figure in or comprising the number or letter shall be one-tenth (¹/₁₀) of its height.

Design (including shape and style) as well as location of the street address numbers shall be such that they are legible and easily readable. Irrespective of whether the street address number was established before or after June 1, 1973, the Chief shall have the authority to prescribe a street address number larger in size than the dimensions stated in Section 505.1.1 when it is determined that due to lighting conditions, building location, shadows, background, or other reasons, street address numbers of minimum dimensions will not be easily readable from the street or approach to the entrance. A street address number of unusual design or placement may not be employed without prior written approval of the Chief.

Fire-flows shall comply with Table 507.3.1 for any structures, group of structures or facilities by the type of land development, or as otherwise determined by the Chief.

1. Where street alignments mandate the installation of dead-end mains, the fire-flow in gallons per minute may be adjusted downward, depending on the type of land development.
2. A minimum residual water pressure of 20 pounds per square inch (137.9 kPa) is to remain in the system with the required gallons per minute flowing.

Fire hydrant spacing and type of hydrant, by type of land development. See Table 507.3.2.

1. Every first story dwelling unit, first story guest room, and all first story portions of any commercial or industrial building must be within 300 feet (91 440 mm) of an approved fire hydrant.
2. All fire hydrants shall have 2 ¹/₂ inch by 4-inch (64 mm by100 mm) outlets or 4-inch by 4-inch (100 mm by 100 mm) outlets and conform to the minimum standards of the American Water Works Association for wet barrel hydrants. A minimum of one fire hydrant is to be provided at each intersection. "Built-up" type single 2 ¹/₂-inch (64 mm) outlet hydrants [6-inch (1524 mm) pipe surmounted by an angle valve] shall be used in areas having a static water pressure of 210 psi or more.
3. Streets with raised median center dividers, excessive traffic loads, or more than 80 feet (24 m) in dedicated width require the installation of hydrants on both sides of the street. Additional intermediate hydrants are required in areas where restricted access, depth of lots, or blocks exceeding the maximum hydrant spacing intervals exist.

1. This figure will be systematically reduced where greater fire-flow is required due to restricted access, depth of lots, length of blocks or additional hazards.

Land use and required fire flow. See Table 507.3.3.

1. Land use designations are contained in the community plan elements of the General Plan for the City of Los Angeles.
2. The maximum response distances for both LAFD fire suppression companies (engine and truck) must be satisfied.

No person shall erect, construct, maintain, or build, or cause to be erected, constructed, or built, any structure, screen, or fence in such a location as to prohibit or restrict the ready operation and use of any fire hydrant, fire department connection to sprinkler system, exterior or combination standpipe system, or other installed fire protection equipment, nor plant or allow the growth of any vegetation which will hide or obscure said installed fire protection equipment.

No person shall park or place any vehicle or other mobile equipment in such a manner or position which would hinder or restrict the immediate and complete use, by the Department, of any fire hydrant, Fire Department connection to a sprinkler system, exterior or combination standpipe system, or any other fire protection equipment which is installed for Fire Department use.

Violation of Sections 507.5.4.1 through 507.5.4.2 shall be subject to penalties and minimum fines as prescribed in Section 109.4.2 and Table 109.4.

The Department shall have the authority to identify any fire hydrant by installing a blue reflector on the street or access road adjacent to the hydrant.

The entrance to the fire command center shall be identified by a sign reading, "Fire Control Room," or "Fire Command Center" in letters not less than 1 and 1¹/₂ inches in height.

The fire command center shall not be used for any other purpose.

Access to sprinkler valves, standpipes and other fire protection equipment provided in storage areas shall be served by either a main aisle, side aisle, or an aisle with a minimum width of 3 feet (914 mm). (See Section 903.3.10, "Access aisles and operation clearances.")