Kankakee council approves fire-department amendments to Chapter 14, adding battery-storage standard and aligning fees
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Summary
The Kankakee City Council approved amendments to Chapter 14 of the municipal code to add NFPA 855 for stationary battery storage, standardize elevator-control keys for new installations, align inspection and permit fees with existing codes, and allow cost-recovery fees for certain training. The motion passed subject to legal review.
The Kankakee City Council voted to approve amendments to Chapter 14 of the municipal code that the fire department proposed, the council chair said. The changes, approved subject to final legal review, include adding NFPA 855 (the standard for stationary battery-storage systems), standardizing elevator-control keys for new installations, aligning fees for prevention and inspections with existing code language, and allowing the department to recover costs for certain training or special instruction provided to businesses.
Captain Moy, who presented the proposed changes, told the council the NFPA 855 standard is aimed at stationary battery-storage systems that are part of a building, such as those paired with rooftop solar, and is intended to help firefighters and first responders identify and manage on-site battery systems. "These battery systems are normally part of that system, to store battery power into their home," Moy said, adding the standard helps crews know where batteries are located when responding to incidents.
Moy also proposed requiring one standardized elevator-control key for new elevator installations so responders have a single key to search for when entering buildings with elevators. He said the requirement would not apply to existing elevators because retrofitting older equipment could be expensive: "Not specifically, no. Are we talking hundreds? Probably thousands," Moy said when asked about potential retrofit costs.
Other changes mimic existing municipal-code language for inspection violations and permits so business owners see consistent fees and consequences across city departments. A new section would permit the fire department to charge organizations the actual cost of delivery when providing special training — for example, fire-extinguisher or CPR instruction requested by private employers.
Council members asked whether NFPA 855 covers all battery-powered devices; Moy said the standard applies to stationary systems tied to a building and that separate provisions in the general fire code address storage of lithium batteries in homes. Moy also noted the department has a sticker program for residents who store battery-powered vehicles in garages to help identify potential hazards for first responders.
The council voted to approve the amendments, with the motion carried unanimously by members present. The approval is conditional on legal review and implementation steps by city staff.
The meeting record shows no specific dollar amounts for permit or inspection fees were finalized in the discussion; officials said fees would be set to recover costs and align with existing code language. The ordinance amendments will next be processed through the city’s legal review before any changes take effect.
