Fire Code Advisory Board

SEA-MC tit. 3, subtit. II, ch. 3.16, subch. V

in effect

Seattle Mun. Code ch. 3.16, subch. V, § 3.16.300 Board established

3.16.300 - Board established There hereby is established a Fire Code Advisory Board (the "Board") which will consist of 15 voting members, as follows: One architect One chemical engineer One mechanical engineer One Building Owners and Managers Association representative One King County Labor Council representative One fire insurance industry representative One major institutions representative. Major institutions include hospitals, universities, colleges, and schools. One marine industry representative One Port of Seattle representative One manufacturing/warehouse representative One services industry representative. Service industry includes retail and wholesale, entertainment, restaurants and nightclubs, and hotels. One research/labs representative One fire protection industry representative Two members of the public The Board members will be appointed by the Mayor, who will select 15 individuals collectively possessing the characteristics listed above. The Mayor's appointments will be subject to confirmation by the City Council. In addition, one representative each from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities, and City Council staff may be chosen by their respective Department Heads and may serve on the Board in a non-voting ex-officio capacity. The Executive Boards of the Fire Fighters Union (Local 27) and the Fire Chiefs Union (Local 2898) may choose a representative to serve on the Fire Code Advisory Board in a non-voting ex-officio capacity. No City employees will serve on the Board in a voting capacity. (Ord. 124919, § 3, 2015; Ord. 124707, § 1, 2015.)

Seattle Mun. Code ch. 3.16, subch. V, § 3.16.310 Terms of service

3.16.310 - Terms of service The terms of service for Board members shall be as originally established by Ordinance 117717, as amended by Ordinance 119799, except as provided by this Section 3.16.310. The terms of service for voting members on the Board shall be for three years from the day the member is qualified. A voting member whose term of service has expired shall continue to serve until a successor is qualified, unless that member notifies the Chair in writing of the member's desire to resign and discontinue serving on the Board, in which case the position will be considered vacant. A successor to one of the 15 voting positions is "qualified" after being appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. The four non-voting ex-officio members representing the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities, and City Council staff shall serve at the direction of their Department Heads and for such time until a replacement is qualified by the respective Department Head. The two non-voting ex-officio members representing the Fire Fighters Union and the Fire Chiefs Union shall serve at the direction of their respective unions' Executive Boards and for such time until a replacement is qualified by their respective unions' Executive Boards. A successor to one of the non-voting ex-officio positions is "qualified" after being chosen by the respective Department Head, or by the Executive Board of the respective union in the case of non-voting ex-officio positions representing the Fire Fighters Union or the Fire Chiefs Union. A member may be removed by the Mayor, subject to a confirming affirmative vote of a majority of the total membership of the City Council. No member shall receive any compensation for service on the Board. (Ord. 124919, § 4, 2015; Ord. 124707, § 1, 2015.)

Seattle Mun. Code ch. 3.16, subch. V, § 3.16.320 Powers and duties of the Board

3.16.320 - Powers and duties of the Board The Board shall act in an advisory capacity. The Board shall have the power to: (1) examine proposed amendments relating to the Fire Code and to make recommendations to the Fire Marshal, the Fire Chief, and the City Council for changes in the Fire Code; and (2) hear appeals relating to the interpretation and application of the Fire Code, except for enforcement actions, and to make recommendations to the Fire Chief relating to such appeals. (Ord. 125948, § 11, 2019; Ord. 124707, § 1, 2015.)

Seattle Mun. Code ch. 3.16, subch. V, § 3.16.330 Governance

3.16.330 - Governance The Board shall elect a Chair and shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations for conducting its appeals and developing its recommendations. The Board shall receive staff support from the Fire Marshal's Office. (Ord. 124707, § 1, 2015.)

Seattle Mun. Code ch. 3.16, subch. V, § 3.16.340 Meetings

3.16.340 - Meetings The Board shall meet regularly and at a time and place to be established by its rules. The Chair may call special meetings when she or he deems it necessary. The Chair may cancel a meeting by providing written notice to the members, and publicizing notice in whatever manner is established in the rules. (Ord. 124707, § 1, 2015.)

Seattle Mun. Code ch. 3.16, subch. V, § 3.16.350 Appeals

3.16.350 - Appeals The Board's appellate powers shall be exercised by and through a subcommittee referred to herein as the Appeals Board. The appeals process will include the following: a. The Appeal's Board recommendations to the Fire Chief shall be in writing. b. The Chair shall select five Board members to serve on the Appeals Board, three of which shall be chosen from the following categories: one business representative (the Building Owners and Managers Association representative, the fire insurance industry representative, the major institutions representative, the marine industry representative, the Port of Seattle representative, the manufacturing/warehouse representative, the services industry representative, the research/labs representative, or the fire protection industry representative), one professional/technical representative (the architect, the chemical engineer, or the mechanical engineer), and one public citizen. At his or her discretion, for particular appeals, the Chair may appoint or substitute additional Board members to hear a given appeal if she or he believes particular expertise is needed to hear the appeal. c. The Board's rules relating to the conduct of appeals will be made available to the public. d. Information on appeals and the Appeals Board's recommendations shall be maintained and made available to the public. e. If the Fire Chief declines the Appeals Board's recommendation, then she or he must state in writing his or her reasons for doing so. This statement shall be copied to the Mayor's Office and to the City Council member who chairs the Public Safety Committee. f. The Fire Chief and the Fire Marshal shall make themselves available to meet with the appellant, after the conclusion of the appeals process, in every case. (Ord. 124707, § 1, 2015.)

Seattle Mun. Code ch. 3.16, subch. V, § 3.16.360 Citizen input

3.16.360 - Citizen input The Board shall develop a process for obtaining citizen input relating to the Fire Code and for providing that input to the Fire Marshal's office. (Ord. 124707, § 1, 2015.)

Source: City of Seattle, Seattle Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT3AD_SUBTITLE_IIDEOF_CH3.16FIDE_SUBCHAPTER_VFICOADBOFetched: 11/1/2026