19841127 1984-20ORDINANCE NO. 1984-20
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 5
OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA, RELATING
TO THE INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF SMOKE DETECTORS
IN CERTAIN BUILDINGS.
BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of ,~.h~ f~.tv cf Fairfax,
Virginia, that Sections 5-136 and 5-137 of the Fairf~x City Code
be and hereby are amended to read in their entirety as follows:
"Sec. 5-136. Installation Requirements.
(a) Smoke detectors shall be installed in the follo~¢ing
structures:
(1) Any structure or bui].ding containing one or more
dwelling units; provided, however, that any structure or building
containing fewer than four dwelling units which was aot ~n
compliance with this Article on July 1, 1984, shall be exempt
from the requirements of this Article until such time as that
building or any dwelling unit therein is sold or rented to
another person;
(2) Hotel or motels providing overnight sleeping
accommodations 'to one or more persons; and
(3) Rooming houses, group homes, dormitories and other
public lodgings regularly used, offered for, or intended to be
used to provide overnight sleeping accommodations.
(b) All smoke detectors installed must be capable of
sensing visible or invisible products of combustion and must have
an operating audible alarm.
(c) All smoke detectors shall be installed in accordance
with this chapter and shall be placed in locations specified in
the applicable sections of the Virginia Uniform Statewide
Building Code.
Sec. 5-137. Responsibility as to Dwel!~ng Units
Which Are Rented.
(a) The owner, or the agent of the owner, of any dwelling
unit whic'h is rented shall furnish the tenant at the beginnin~ of
, ~tte~
each tenancy, and at least annually thereafter with a w~
certificate that all smoke detectors required by Section 5-136
are present, have been inspected, and are in good working order.
1984-20
-2-
(b) The owner, or the agent of the owner, of a multifamily
residential building, shall provide smoke detectors, as required
by Section 5-136, in hallways, stairwells, and other public or
common areas and shall be respon~ibl~ fo~ the ~i~ t~s'~ing,
repair, and maintenance of such smoke d~tectors.
(c) Except as provided in paragraph (b) above, the tenant
of any rented dwelling unit shall be responsible for the
reasonable care of smoke detectors provided by the owneu, in
accordance with Virginia Code Section 55-248.16, for the interim
testing thereof, and for providing written notice to the owner
requesting inunediate repair of any malfunctioning smoke detector.
Such service, repair or replacement must occur within ~ive days
of receipt of written notice from the tenant that a smoke detec-
tor is in need of service, repair or replacement.
(d) The owner, or the agent of the owner, of a dwelling
unit which is rented shall provide written notification to the
tenant of the responsibilities and duties imposed by subsection
(c) of this section."
This Ordinance shall become effective i~ediately upon its
execution by the Mayor.
INTRODUCED: November 13, 1984
ADOPTED: November_27~ 1984
ATTEST: