11-08-1993 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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^yz.' • D -3 // 10-18-93 John O'Sullivan, Proprietor O'Sullivans Gas Mart 2420 Shadywood Road Wayzata, MN 55391 Dear Mr. O'Sullivan: During the July 26, 1993 Orono Police Department meeting, one of the subjects discussed was the alleged fire lane in front of O'Sullivans (Texaco Station) in Navarre. It is only marked by one movable sign indicating a fire lane. The question was "is it legal and why is it there?" I was given permission by Chief Sullivan to follow up on this matter. The following was related to Chief Sullivan via memo on August 9, 1993. I talked with Mound Fire Chief Don Bryce via phone. He thought a fiI"© lane in front of a gas station was ridiculous. Fire Chief Bryce went on to say that if there was a fire at a gas station, that only an idiot would pull a fire rig next to the building on top of all that gas. I met with Mound Fire Marshall Jerry Babb at O'Sullivans and he too agreed with Chief Bryce. Fire Marshall Babb said there is no clear cut definition of a fire lane in state codes. He showed me the 1991 Uniform Fire Code, 79.903 paragraph J, line 5, which says "the dispensing device shall be in clear view of the attendant at all times and obstacles shall not be placed between the dispensing cj©vices and the attendant". Fire Marshall Babb also said that with all the new safety devices that are now mandatory, that chance of any major fire at the pumps is unlikely, and that it is the owner of the property or by city ordinance that would dictate a "no parking" area. I met with Public Works Director, John Gerhardson, in person and talked with Building Inspector, Lyle Oman and neither could produce a city ordinance requiring a fire lane for O'Sullivans to me. Mr. Oman said that there could be something in the building plans, but said to me that Tom Jacobs, the former building inspector, may have placed a fire lane on the building plan, but he is unauthorized to do so.