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Arlington holds first reading on new residential sprinkler requirements, adds distance triggers
Summary
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen held first reading May 5 on ordinance 2025‑02 to update automatic sprinkler requirements for one‑ and two‑family homes, keeping a 5,000‑square‑foot threshold and adding two distance‑based triggers tied to firefighting access and hydrant proximity.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen on May 5 held a first reading of ordinance 2025‑02 to amend Title 7, section 7.205, adding triggers that would require automatic sprinklers in certain one‑ and two‑family dwellings.
The proposed ordinance retains the existing 5,000 square‑foot threshold for required sprinklers and would add two additional triggers: a home that exceeds 2,000 square feet and is more than 300 feet from a fire access road, and a home more than 700 feet from a hydrant capable of supplying required fire flow. Staff presented the measure as an update based on the town’s firefighting equipment and hose capacities.
Angela Reeder, a town staff member presenting the ordinance, said, “The proposal is to maintain the 5,000 minimum trigger for an automatic sprinkler system as we have had. But to add two additional triggers. One of them would be if a home exceeded 2,000 square feet, and was more than 300 feet distance away from a fire access road.” Chief (Fire Department) explained the operational basis for the thresholds: hose lengths and the ability of a single responding company to hand‑carry attack lines. The chief said the point of residential sprinklers is life safety: “The protection system for the residents is not to save the home. It’s to save the residents. Hands down. Period.”
Board members and staff discussed how the ordinance would apply to existing homes, how remodels trigger compliance and how gross living area is defined in the code. Staff said the town’s current ordinance requires renovations that exceed 50 percent (by the ordinance’s existing wording) to be brought up to code; staff agreed to confirm and email a clear definition of “renovation/remodel” and how it triggers sprinkler requirements. Reeder noted the code’s measurement is gross living area (not “heated” area) and that the draft clarifies that definition.
Several aldermen and members of the public asked about cost and equity. Staff gave a current industry estimate of roughly $1.50–$2 per square foot to install residential sprinklers (not including any upgraded supply lines or infrastructure work), and explained that running a larger supply line or installing a dry hydrant can be substantially more expensive. One board member said estimated supply work to reach very remote lots has in the past been “extraordinarily expensive.” Another member said the board needs more time to weigh development competitiveness and household cost impacts.
On procedural items, the board approved the first reading by voice vote and directed staff to provide the requested clarifications before the next hearing; no final adoption was made. Staff said they expect to return with additional information and that the item will not be rushed for June if substantive issues remain.
Clarifying details: the ordinance keeps the 5,000 sq ft baseline; adds two additional triggers — >2,000 sq ft plus >300 ft from a fire access road, and >700 ft from a hydrant; current remodel threshold referenced in code is 50% (to be confirmed); current residential sprinkler installation cost estimate provided by staff: roughly $1.50–$2.50 per sq ft (supply costs extra).
The board did not vote to adopt the ordinance; members asked staff to circulate written clarifications on measurement, the remodel/renovation trigger, and sample cost estimates before the next reading.
