Spanish Fork adopts ordinance requiring firefighter air‑replenishment systems in very large buildings

Spanish Fork’s City Council adopted an ordinance amending Appendix L of the municipal building code to require firefighter air replenishment (fill) systems in very large commercial structures and to clarify how those systems should be designed and located.

Jason, who presented the ordinance language to the council, said the change raises the threshold from 250,000 square feet to 500,000 square feet and clarifies scope and placement so the requirement applies to large continuous fire areas. “From now on, that is the size of building and larger that would be required to have one of these firefighter air systems in them,” Jason said.

The amendment excludes residential occupancies governed by the residential code and specifies travel‑distance and maximum‑travel rules for firefighters to reach the nearest fill panel (the city drew a 200‑foot travel‑distance standard). The code also gives fire officials the ability to work with designers and developers on the most effective placement of fill stations, reducing the risk that unrealistic placement requirements inflate costs unnecessarily.

Council members and staff discussed the cost implications for developers and noted the ordinance gives options—such as firewalls and compartmentation—to avoid triggering the requirement, or to allow design alternatives that could be less expensive. Staff and the council framed the amendment as a firefighter‑safety measure intended to reduce the risk of disorientation and running out of air inside large structures during an incident.

The council adopted the ordinance on a roll call vote; staff said they had circulated draft language to architects and designers for comment prior to adoption and will provide technical guidance to project applicants.