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County Enacts New Fire Sprinkler Law

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County Enacts New Fire Sprinkler Law

LEONARDTOWN - 11/6/2007

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 The Board of County Commissioners for St. Mary’s County approved an amendment to the Code of St. Mary’s County to add provisions relating to residential sprinkler systems at its Oct. 29 meeting.

 The amendment will mandate the installation of fire sprinkler systems for all new one and two family residences on public water with the MetCom centralized system or on a shared system under MetCom maintenance, and for new residences in a major subdivision. The effective date will be Feb. 1, 2008.

 Residents building a new home or retrofitting an existing home with a sprinkler system will be eligible for a tax credit. The Commissioners will review a separate ordinance to develop the credit program.

 A Training Seminar is forthcoming for builders and homeowners explaining the new ordinance.

 A copy of the new amendment will be added to the online version of the Code of St. Mary’s County; copies of the new amendment are available upon request at the County’s Land Use and Growth Management Department in Leonardtown; call 301-475-4200, x1582  for more information.

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Comment On This Story!

38graham97 Not Logged In 11/6/2007 at 7:04 AM
Cheaper Insurance, too
Usually if you have sprinklers in your house you can get a break on your homeowners insurance.



Any idea what prompted this?

Reply to This Comment
BlueCat Not Logged In 11/6/2007 at 4:29 PM
Reply to 38graham97: Insurance Discount not enough!
Homeowners insurance discounts (5-10% per year) are not enough to offset the costs of residential sprinklers. For me that would amount to $30-$60 discount per year. Most folks will pay off their mortgage before the insurance company discount pays for the cost of the $10,000+ sprinkler system.
BlueCat Not Logged In 11/6/2007 at 8:27 AM
Tax Credit!
As much as the sprinkler ordinance is big brother, residential sprinklers do save property loss. In the extreme, if sprinklers puts the fire out, you can avoid the greater loss of life.


Good for our Board of County Commissioners for listening to the suggestion from one of their Planning Commissioners and adding a tax credit to this mandate. With Sprinklers adding a minimum of $10,000 to the cost of a new single family home, our new construction homeowners need something to ease their pain!

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xcoustic Not Logged In 11/6/2007 at 9:25 AM
no more choices
It is sad when Government takes over and forces you to be to be safer. Why stop there? Shouldn't they mandate concrete structures? Filled with concrete furniture? That would be infinetly safer. You could even wash them out preventing illness etc. I really like the installed by METCOM, maintained by METCOM portion. How much kickback did they recieve from METCOM for this ridiculous legislation.
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X-Fusion Not Logged In 11/6/2007 at 5:52 PM
Reply to xcoustic: Huh?
I take it you or anyone you know has never been in a fire. You do know that us firefighters go into houses and have to search for people that might be trapped in fires. OR, are you one of those people that think for yourself? If you build a new house or move into a house that has a sprinkler system and god forbid it goes up, you'll be damn glad one of the sprinklers put it out and contained it.
38graham97 Not Logged In 11/6/2007 at 9:57 PM
Reply to xcoustic: Please clarify, X-Fusion
I was a volunteer fireman in NY for 10 years. I've been in my share of houses on fire. I think sprinklers are a great idea in a residence. Not sure what I think about mandating them, but I certainly don't have a problem with them. I'm going to guess that you're responding to xcoustic.
X-Fusion Not Logged In 11/7/2007 at 4:47 PM
Reply to xcoustic: Yeah ..
I was talking to him. TheBayNet does that, and I'm not sure why lol. Don't reply to the topics first anymore. :P
Mymarti Not Logged In 11/7/2007 at 2:31 PM
Sprinklers
At least it seems the commissioners exempted the Amish and Mennonites. There is not really a system available that does not use electricity. They were very upset about this, but were unable to speak about it. Since they are not on Metcom, they should be exempt at least the way I am reading it.

They understand the fear of fires, but cannot have electricity except in EXTREME circumstances.

And yes, I have been through fires, my next door neighbor's house burned down, as well as there was a fire at my in-laws, and several of my friends are PG and New Mexico fire fighters, and I have done ridealongs with them, and seen the devastation after the fact. It is horrible.

Yes, make residences have sprinklers, but exempt for religious reasons, like you do for vaccinations, etc!

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