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Council packet includes recommended changes to establish Stephens City Office of the Fire Marshal
Summary
The council packet contained proposed town code amendments to create an Office of the Fire Marshal, define duties and references to the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code, and revise permit/inspection fee language; packet flagged missing or unclear code citations for follow‑up.
Packet materials included recommended amendments to Chapter 6 of the Stephens City Town Code to establish an Office of the Fire Marshal and to clarify fire‑prevention authority and fees.
The proposed changes would define the terms "Fire Marshal" and "Assistant Fire Marshal," state that the Office of the Fire Marshal serves as the town’s fire code official, and assign duties including origin‑and‑cause investigations, enforcement of the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code (VSFPC), life‑safety inspections and public fire education. The materials say the Fire Marshal and Assistant Fire Marshals would be appointed by Town Council and have powers provided under the Code of Virginia, including references to Chapter 3 of Title 27.
Recommended edits to Article III and Article IV also propose that the town maintain a schedule of permits, inspections and fees on file with the Town Clerk, Fire Marshal and Town Treasurer and remove or revise a town code section (6‑64) that the packet said duplicates provisions of the VSFPC. The draft language noted a missing cross reference (a referenced Sec. 6‑16 was not located in the town code) and cited appeals procedures referencing §36‑108 et seq. of the Code of Virginia for State Building Code Technical Review Board appeals.
The proposed code language was part of the meeting packet for council review; the minutes record the materials but do not show final council action on the code at this meeting.
