Beginning in April of 2009, Duvall Fire (King County Fire District 45), in cooperation with and under the authority of the City of Duvall, will initiate a formal Fire Code Inspection Program. This program will include an inspection of each business (including churches, schools, multi-family buildings, and government facilities) which will occur on an annual basis in most cases.

Operational Permits

Certain types of operations may require one or more permits for which there will be a fee per Table J of the fee schedule adopted by the City. Examples of operations requiring permits might be occupancies with an assembly space (churches, restaurants, meeting rooms), businesses which use compressed gases (dentist office, welding shop), or businesses that store/use significant amounts of explosive or flammable material. The typical small shop in Duvall (book store, real estate office, video store) would not require a permit but would be inspected periodically. The inspections and permits are mandated by the International Fire Code, which has been adopted by the City, and are intended to maximize the level of public safety.

Typical items that inspectors will look for include functioning exit signs, clear exit path, clear access to electrical panels, appropriate use of extension cords and plug strips, portable fire extinguishers that are appropriate size and type and that have been serviced annually, and posted occupant loads. Automatic fire sprinkler systems, alarm systems, and range hood extinguishment systems require an annual service (the fire department does not provide this service but will check to see that it has been done).

We would like to work cooperatively with business owners to accomplish this required level of safety for our community. We will do our best to ease the transition into this new program and to provide as much information as you need to understand the expectations. For more information, call 425-788-1625.

I recognize that additional costs for your business, especially in the current economy, are not the best news. However, I hope that you will be able to see the value of having a building that is safer for those who work in it or visit it. I pledge that we will make every effort to provide a quality service while keeping costs at a minimum.

Special Event Permits

Each year, a number of special public events are held in Duvall. These include Duvall Days, Sandblast, and the like. The City requires that a permit application be submitted at least 60 days in advance for most public events (see ordinance 8.12.070, Duvall Municipal Code of Ordinancesfor exceptions) involving more than 30 people. Included in the application packet is a Fire District application form. Based on the type and size of the event, the District may require a seperate fire code permit with a fee of $100. Typical event characteristics that would trigger a fire code permit would include large numbers of attendees, the use of generators and other power sources, cooking and food vendors, multiple tents and canopies, etc. The permit fee is intended to cover a portion of the cost of reviewing the event plan, working with the applicant to minimize issues, and carrying out an on-site inspection.

The Special Events Requirementsbrochure provides more information.