(a) Creation. There is hereby created the position of city fire protection engineer. The city fire protection engineer shall be qualified by training and experience in fire prevention, fire safety and regulatory matters as required to carry out the provisions of the city fire prevention code.
(b) Duties. The city fire protection engineer shall be responsible for the enforcement and administration of the provisions of the city fire prevention code. The code official, as defined in Chapter 5, Article III of this Code, may designate assistants to assist the city fire protection engineer in his duties. They shall be qualified by training and experience.
(c) Powers. The city fire protection engineer shall administer the provisions of the city fire prevention code and perform such other duties as may be set forth in other sections of the city code, and as may be conferred and imposed from time to time by law, regulation or directive of the code official, as defined in Article III of this Code. The city fire protection engineer shall also have the following duties:
(1) Review and approve plans for buildings, structures and the storage of hazardous or combustible chemicals, petroleum products or other such materials for conformance with the city fire prevention code;
(2) Issue permits authorized or required under the city fire prevention code;
(3) Inspect all buildings and structures, except lawful single-family private residential dwelling units, and all storage sites and facilities containing substantial quantities of hazardous or combustible materials for the purpose of ascertaining and causing to be corrected any condition reasonably believed to cause fire or explosion, contribute to the spread of fire, interfere with fire fighting operations, endanger life or property, or violate the provisions of the city fire prevention code or any other law, ordinance or regulation involving fire safety or fire prevention;
(4) Issue warnings, orders, decisions and directives relating to the enforcement of the provisions of the city fire prevention code and the unlawful continuance of any unsafe condition or activity in violation of the city fire prevention code; and
(5) Waive or vary provisions and requirements of the city fire prevention code or other code provisions relating to fire safety or fire prevention applicable within the city. A waiver or variation may only be granted where an alternative is provided which achieves a comparable level of fire safety and/or prevention or where a requirement cannot be achieved physically or otherwise, on a specific property, building or structure. (Code 1953, § 5.3; Ord. No. G-99-62, § 1, 10-21-99; Ord. No. G-05-18, § 14, 12-19-05)