City of Spokane

Spokane Municipal Code

***Note: Many local criminal codes can now be located under Chapter 10.60 SMC while others are now cited under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which was incorporated into the municipal code in 2022. (See SMC 10.58.010). Code Enforcement, including Noise Control and Animal Regulations are located in Chapters 10.62 through 10.74.

Home
Title 17F
Chapter 17F.080
Section 17F.080.010
 

Title 17F Construction Standards

Chapter 17F.080 Fire Code

Section 17F.080.010 Adoption of International Fire Code
  1. The Washington State current amended edition of the International Fire Code (IFC) and related standards, published by the International Code Council, as modified by this title, is the fire code of the City of Spokane except as otherwise provided.
  1. The following amendments are made to the International Fire Code:
  1. Section 101.1 is modified to read as follows:
      1. Title.

These regulations shall be known as the fire code of the City of Spokane, hereinafter referred to as “this code.”

  1. Section 112.4 is modified to read as follows:
      1. Violation Penalties.

Persons who shall violate a provision of this code or shall fail to comply with any of the requirements, thereof, or who shall erect, install, alter, repair, or do work in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the fire code official or of a permit or certificate used under provisions of this code shall be subject to a Class I Civil Infraction or the provisions of chapter 1.05 SMC. Each day that a violation continues after due notice has been served shall be deemed a separate offense.

  1. Section 113.4 is modified to read as follows:
      1. Failure to Comply.

Any person who shall continue any work after having been served with a stop work order, except such work as that person is directed to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition, shall be subject to a Class one civil infraction or penalties identified in chapter 1.05 SMC.

  1. IFC Sections 503.1, 503.1.2, 503.1.3, 503.2, 503.3, and 503.4 are adopted as published. Section 503.1.1 is adopted and revised as follows:

503.1.1 Buildings and facilities. Approved fire apparatus access roads shall be provided for every facility, building or portion of a building hereafter constructed or moved into or within the jurisdiction prior to the delivery of combustible construction materials to the site. The fire apparatus access road shall comply with the requirements of this section and shall extend to within 200 feet (60 960 mm) of all portions of the facility and all portions of the exterior walls of the first story of the building as measured by an approved route around the exterior of the building or facility.

Exceptions:

  1. For buildings equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1, 903.3.1.2 or 903.3.1.3 the distance shall extend to 240 feet.
  1. Fire apparatus access roads cannot be installed because of location on property, topography, waterways, nonnegotiable grades or other similar conditions, and an approved alternative means of fire protection is provided.
  1. There are not more than two Group R-3, IRC, or Group U occupancies.
  1. Where approved by the fire code official, fire apparatus access roads shall be permitted to be exempted or modified for:
      1. Solar photovoltaic power generation facilities.
      1. Additions of 200 square feet or less to existing non-conforming residential code buildings.
  1. Chapter 56 is amended with chapter 10.33A SMC.
  1. Section 903.2.11.5 is revised to read:

A wet chemical suppression system shall be installed in a commercial kitchen exhaust hood and duct system to meet the compliance of Section 904.

  1. Section 904.2.2 is revised to read:

Each required commercial kitchen exhaust hood and duct system required by Section 609 to have a Type 1 hood shall be protected with a wet chemical suppression system installed in accordance with this code.

  1. Section 904.13.

Replace the first paragraph and the five types to read:

    1. 904.13 – Commercial Cooking Systems.

The automatic fire extinguishing system for commercial cooking systems shall be a wet-chemical type system. The wet-chemical system shall be tested in accordance with UL 300 and listed and labeled for the intended application. The system shall be installed in accordance with this code, its listing, and the manufacturer’s installation instructions. Wet-chemical extinguishing systems shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 17A.

  1. Section 904.13 – Exception; Section 904.12 Items 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5;

Section 904.13.3; Section 904.13.4 are not adopted.

  1. Section 905.1 – Add the following to end of the paragraph:

Class II and Class III standpipes are not allowed for new standpipes in the City of Spokane. All requirements for Class II and Class III shall be Class I and references to one- and one-half inch outlets shall be changed to two and one-half inches. There are no requirements for two and one-half inch hose to be provided (i.e., stages).

  1. Section 906.1.

Add Exception to read as follows:

    1. Portable fire extinguishers are not required for commercial residential buildings that do not have an interior or exterior common space.
  1. Section 909.2.

Revise the second sentence to read as follows:

The construction documents shall be prepared and stamped by a licensed engineer registered with the Spokane Fire Department and shall include sufficient information and detail to describe adequately the elements of the design necessary for the proper implementation of the smoke control systems.

  1. Section 1011.14.

Remove “and for access to unoccupied roofs” from last sentence.

  1. Section 1011.12

Remove “alternating tread device,” from exception.

  1. Section 1023.9.

Revise the second sentence to read as follows:

“. . . the story of, the number of floors above grade (if it is different from the story number), and the direction . . .”

  1. Section 5704.2.9.6.1 Modify to read:

“outside of buildings shall be in accordance with table 5705.3.4(2)

  1. Section 5706.2.4.4 Modify to read:

Remove the last part of the last sentence after above-ground tanks and add: outside of buildings shall be in accordance with table 5705.3.4(2)

  1. Section 5806.2 Modify:

Remove the last part of the last sentence after outside of buildings and add: shall be in accordance with the requirements of the Authority Having Jurisdiction.

  1. Section 6104.2.

Remove the last part of the last sentence: “(Jurisdiction to specify)”.

  1. Section 3307.1 Revise to read:

3307.1 Required access. Approved vehicle access for firefighting shall be provided to all construction or demolition sites prior to the delivery of combustible construction materials to the site or the commencement of demolition activities. Vehicle access shall be provided to within 100 feet (30 480 mm) of temporary or permanent fire department connections. Vehicle access shall be provided by permanent roads, capable of supporting vehicle loading under all weather conditions unless otherwise approved by the Fire Code Official. 

 

Date Passed: Monday, June 16, 2025

Effective Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2025

ORD C36695 Section 3