Arlington staff propose multiple Title 15 fire-code changes including requiring sprinklers in new single-family homes

Arlington City staff presented a package of proposed amendments to Title 15 of the municipal code at the council workshop, including a change to name the building official as the fire-code official, new authority to force cleanup of fire‑damaged buildings, reciprocal acceptance of prior inspections for food trucks, and a proposal to require NFPA 13D residential sprinkler systems in newly constructed single‑ and two‑family homes.

City staff said the change of the fire‑code official title is to match the International Fire Code practice: “the International Fire Code actually requires the building official to be the fire code official because they're the authority having jurisdiction,” Mark said during the presentation. He told council the draft ordinance updates long-standing language that had dated from when the city maintained its own fire department…