The purpose of this document is to provide information about general Fire Code requirements for new Agricultural Buildings constructed in Agricultural zones of Stanislaus County. It is intended to be general information only and may not address every situation that could arise. Contact the Office of the Fire Marshal at 552-3700 or your local fire district if you have questions or need additional information.
Only non-residential buildings used to directly support agricultural operations conducted on the same piece of property qualify as “Agricultural Buildings”. Buildings used to support businesses, including business that are agriculturally based, are classified as Commercial Buildings. For example a building to store and repair farm equipment used for a custom harvesting business is considered a commercial building while a building used to store and repair farm equipment used only on that specific farm is classified as an Agricultural Building. The Chief Building Official will be the final authority in determining which buildings are classified as Agricultural Buildings and which are Commercial Buildings.
Fire Fees
Two types of fees are collected during development. The first are Fire Protection Facility Fees that are collected to finance fire protection facilities and to assure that new development pays its fair share of facility costs. These fees differ based on the fire district that the project is located in (not all fire districts have Fire Protection Facility Fees) and the size and type of building being constructed. These fees are collected at the time that the Building Permit is issued. Stanislaus County passes the collected fees on to the fire districts.
The second fee is for providing services directly related to the project. Many projects require plan checks and inspections by the Office of the Fire Marshal. Fees for these services are based on the costs for providing the service. Fire Marshal plan check fees are $110.00 per hour. The fee for inspecting new projects is based on the size and use of the building; inspection fees for “Agricultural Buildings” between 1,000 and 10,000 square feet range from $106.00 to $158.00. These fees are also collected at the time that the building permit is issued.
Access Requirements
Access must be provided so that fire apparatus can get within 150’ of any part of a structure. Access roadways must be 20’ wide with a vertical clearance of 13’6” and capable of supporting vehicles weighing 75,000 pounds. More detailed requirements can be found in the Fire Access document. Exceptions may be granted to projects that include fewer than three occupancies but should be approved by the Office of the Fire Marshal or local fire department in advance.
On-Site Water Requirements (assumes the area is not served with a municipal water system)
An approved on-site water supply for fire suppression is required for many new projects located in rural areas where municipal water systems do not exist. This water supply must be accessible from an approved access roadway that is at least 20’ wide with a vertical clearance of 13’6”. On-site water supplies may include tanks, cisterns, swimming pools, and ponds, but must be accessible and available year around. A dry fire hydrant or other approved access must be located not less than 50’ or more than 150’ from the building being protected. Structures requiring less than 4,000 gallons, pole barns, and one and two family residences equipped with approved automatic sprinkler systems are exempt from providing on-site storage. Required on-site water supplies for other structures equipped with automatic fire sprinkler systems may be reduced by up to 75%. Because of the expense that may be associated with providing an approved water supply it is strongly recommended that the proposed water supply be approved by the Fire Marshal and local fire department prior to submitting plans.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard #1142 is used to calculate the amount of on-site water supply that is required for structures where no municipal water supply is available. The following formula will be used:
Volume of structure (in cubic feet)
Gallons of on-site water = ——————————————— X Construction Classification
Occupancy Hazard Classification
Volume of Structure = Total volume of structure in cubic feet
Occupancy Hazard Classification
- 3 for severe hazard uses such as hay storage, wood storage and manufacturing
- 4 for high hazard uses such as feed stores, repair garages, warehouses and stores
- 5 for moderate hazard uses such as farm storage, restaurants, and unoccupied buildings
- 6 for low hazard uses such as churches, offices, service stations, stables
- 7 for light hazard uses such as homes, schools, offices
Construction Classification
- Type II (metal or non-combustible) = .75
- Type V (wood and wood frame) = 1.5
The required water supply may be increased by up to 50% for structures located within 50’ of property lines or other buildings.
Automatic Fire Sprinklers
Automatic fire sprinklers are not generally required but may be used to reduce water supply or fire access requirements. |
