Friedman Edge Reading Room · 2021 SC IBC

APPENDIX D FIRE DISTRICTS

State amendments integrated32 filed sections2021 editionEffective January 1, 2023

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APPENDIX D
FIRE DISTRICTS

The provisions contained in this appendix are not mandatory unless specifically referenced in the adopting ordinance.

SECTION D101
GENERAL

D101.1 Scope.

The fire district shall include such territory or portion as outlined in an ordinance or law entitled “An Ordinance (Resolution) Creating and Establishing a Fire District.” Wherever, in such ordinance creating and establishing a fire district, reference is made to the fire district, it shall be construed to mean the fire district designated and referred to in this appendix.

D101.1.1 Mapping.

The fire district complying with the provisions of Section D101.1 shall be shown on a map that shall be available to the public.

D101.2 Establishment of area.

For the purpose of this code, the fire district shall include that territory or area as described in Sections D101.2.1 through D101.2.3.

D101.2.1 Adjoining blocks.

Two or more adjoining blocks, exclusive of intervening streets, where not less than 50 percent of the ground area is built upon and more than 50 percent of the built-on area is devoted to hotels and motels of Group R-1; Group B occupancies; theaters, nightclubs, restaurants of Group A-1 and A-2 occupancies; garages, express and freight depots, warehouses and storage buildings used for the storage of finished products (not located with and forming a part of a manufactured or industrial plant); or Group S occupancy. Where the average height of a building is two and one-half stories or more, a block should be considered if the ground area built upon is not less than 40 percent.

D101.2.2 Buffer zone.

Where four contiguous blocks or more comprise a fire district, there shall be a buffer zone of 200 feet (60 960 mm) around the perimeter of such district. Streets, rights-of-way and other open spaces not subject to building construction can be included in the 200- foot (60 960 mm) buffer zone.

D101.2.3 Developed blocks.

Where blocks adjacent to the fire district have developed to the extent that not less than 25 percent of the ground area is built upon and 40 percent or more of the built-on area is devoted to the occupancies specified in Section D101.2.1, they can be considered for inclusion in the fire district, and can form all or a portion of the 200-foot (60 960 mm) buffer zone required in Section D101.2.2.

SECTION D102
BUILDING RESTRICTIONS

D102.1 Types of construction permitted.

Within the fire district every building hereafter erected shall be Type I, II, III or IV, except as permitted in Section D104.

D102.2 Other specific requirements.

D102.2.1 Exterior walls.

Exterior walls of buildings located in the fire district shall comply with the requirements in Table 601 except as required in Section D102.2.6.

D102.2.2 Group H prohibited.

Group H occupancies shall be prohibited from location within the fire district.

D102.2.3 Construction type.

Every building shall be constructed as required based on the type of construction indicated in Chapter 6.

D102.2.4 Roof covering.

Roof covering in the fire district shall conform to the requirements of Class A or B roof coverings as defined in Section 1505.

D102.2.5 Structural fire rating.

Walls, floors, roofs and their supporting structural members shall be not less than 1-hour fire-resistance-rated construction.

Exceptions:

1.Buildings of Type IV-HT construction.
2.Buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.
3.Automobile parking structures.
4.Buildings surrounded on all sides by a permanently open space of not less than 30 feet (9144 mm).
5.Partitions complying with Section 603.1, Item 11.

D102.2.6 Exterior walls.

Exterior load-bearing walls of Type II buildings shall have a fire-resistance rating of 2 hours or more where such walls are located within 30 feet (9144 mm) of a common property line or an assumed property line. Exterior nonload-bearing walls of Type II buildings located within 30 feet (9144 mm) of a common property line or an assumed property line shall have fire-resistance ratings as required by Table 601, but not less than 1 hour. Exterior walls located more than 30 feet (9144 mm) from a common property line or an assumed property line shall comply with Table 601.

Exception: In the case of one-story buildings that are 2,000 square feet (186 m²) or less in area, exterior walls located more than 15 feet (4572 mm) from a common property line or an assumed property line need only comply with Table 601.

D102.2.7 Architectural trim.

Architectural trim on buildings located in the fire district shall be constructed of approved noncombustible materials or fire-retardant-treated wood.

D102.2.8 Permanent canopies.

Permanent canopies are permitted to extend over adjacent open spaces provided that all of the following are met:

1.The canopy and its supports shall be of noncombustible material, fire-retardant-treated wood, Type IV construction or of 1-hour fire-resistance-rated construction.
Exception: Any textile covering for the canopy shall be flame resistant as determined by tests conducted in accordance with NFPA 701 after both accelerated water leaching and accelerated weathering.
2.Any canopy covering, other than textiles, shall have a flame spread index not greater than 25 when tested in accordance with ASTM E84 or UL 723 in the form intended for use.
3.The canopy shall have one long side open.
4.The maximum horizontal width of the canopy shall be not greater than 15 feet (4572 mm).
5.The fire resistance of exterior walls shall not be reduced.

D102.2.9 Roof structures.

Structures, except aerial supports 12 feet (3658 mm) high or less, flagpoles, water tanks and cooling towers, placed above the roof of any building within the fire district shall be of noncombustible material and shall be supported by construction of noncombustible material.

D102.2.10 Plastic signs.

The use of plastics complying with Section 2611 for signs is permitted provided that the structure of the sign in which the plastic is mounted or installed is noncombustible.

D102.2.11 Plastic veneer.

Exterior plastic veneer is not permitted in the fire district.

SECTION D103
CHANGES TO BUILDINGS

D103.1 Existing buildings within the fire district.

An existing building shall not be increased in height or area unless it is of a type of construction permitted for new buildings within the fire district or is altered to comply with the requirements for such type of construction. Nor shall any existing building be extended on any side, nor square footage or floors added within the existing building unless such modifications are of a type of construction permitted for new buildings within the fire district.

D103.2 Other alterations.

Nothing in Section D103.1 shall prohibit other alterations within the fire district provided that such alterations do not create a change of occupancy that is otherwise prohibited or increase the fire hazard.

D103.3 Moving buildings.

Buildings shall not hereafter be moved into the fire district or to another lot in the fire district unless the building is of a type of construction permitted in the fire district.

SECTION D104
BUILDINGS LOCATED PARTIALLY IN THE FIRE DISTRICT

D104.1 General.

Any building located partially in the fire district shall be of a type of construction required for the fire district, unless the major portion of such building lies outside of the fire district and all portions of it extend not more than 10 feet (3048 mm) inside the boundaries of the fire district.

SECTION D105
EXCEPTIONS TO RESTRICTIONS IN FIRE DISTRICT

D105.1 General.

The preceding provisions of this appendix shall not apply in the following instances:

1.Temporary buildings used in connection with duly authorized construction.
2.A private garage used exclusively as such, not more than one story in height, nor more than 650 square feet (60 m²) in area, located on the same lot with a dwelling.
3.Fences not over 8 feet (2438 mm) high.
4.Coal tipples, material bins and trestles of Type IV construction.
5.Water tanks and cooling towers conforming to Sections 1510.3 and 1510.4.
6.Greenhouses less than 15 feet (4572 mm) high.
7.Porches on dwellings not over one story in height, and not over 10 feet (3048 mm) wide from the face of the building, provided that such porch does not come within 5 feet (1524 mm) of any property line.
8.Sheds open on a long side not over 15 feet (4572 mm) high and 500 square feet (46 m²) in area.
9.One- and two-family dwellings where of a type of construction not permitted in the fire district can be extended 25 percent of the floor area existing at the time of inclusion in the fire district by any type of construction permitted by this code.
10.Wood decks less than 600 square feet (56 m²) where constructed of 2-inch (51 mm) nominal wood, pressure treated for exterior use.
11.Wood veneers on exterior walls conforming to Section 1404.5.
12.Exterior plastic veneer complying with Section 2605.2 where installed on exterior walls required to have a fire-resistance rating not less than 1 hour, provided that the exterior plastic veneer does not exhibit sustained flaming as defined in NFPA 268.

SECTION D106
REFERENCED STANDARDS

D106.1 General.

See Table D106.1 for standards that are referenced in various sections of this appendix. Standards are listed by the standard identification with the effective date, standard title, and the section or sections of this appendix that reference the standard.

TABLE D106.1

REFERENCED STANDARDS

STANDARD ACRONYM	STANDARD NAME	SECTIONS HEREIN REFERENCED
ASTM E84—2018B	Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials	D102.2.8
NFPA 268—17	Test Method for Determining Ignitability of Exterior Wall Assemblies Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source	D105.1
NFPA 701—19	Methods of Fire Tests for Flame-Propagation of Textiles and Films	D102.2.8
UL 723—2018	Standard for Test for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials	D102.2.8

Source and transcript record

Record South Carolina · 2021 IBC · APPENDIX D FIRE DISTRICTS

Effective January 1, 2023 · source captured Aug 30, 2026

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