Update:   After much commentary and debate between the fire/rescue and building communities, a decision on requiring fire suppression systems in all new construction has been made. The St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday, Dec. 21 to keep the building code as it currently exists, requiring only new homes on METCOM’s centralized water system to be constructed with sprinklers in place. This has been law since 2007.

Homes with private wells will not be required to implement such systems. 

Firemen shared compelling data and hard-hitting personal stories during a public forum earlier in the month, hoping to pursuade the board to require these systems in all new homes. Developers and contractors also came out and voiced their concerns about the high costs associated with installation in an already hard-hit industry.

Land Use and Growth Management Director Derick Berlage summed it up, saying, “It’s the public safety positive against the cost [which he estimated at $1.61 per square foot or just more than $3,800 for the average 2,400 square foot home in St. Mary’s].” A cost, he said, that’s, “significant in the current economy and real estate market.”

Berlage also talked to the board about extending the tax credits for sprinkler system installation when not required by law. The incentive for new home construction is $1500 and $2000 for existing homes, which is given as a refund the following year. As of yet, no one in the county has taken advantage of these tax credits.

Commissioner Todd Morgan said, “The sprinkler issue is tumultuous, to say the least.” He suggested in the future that more insurance and real estate experts are included in the debate, “so it’s not just builders versus fire community.”

Commissioner Cindy Jones said she appreciated hearing all of the public feedback and suggested advances in fire suppression technology could give better options to the citizenry in the future. 

For now, sprinkler system requirements remain unchanged. Any specific questions can be asked of St. Mary’s County LUGM conveniently by clicking here.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————–

The St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners held a public meeting Tuesday, Nov. 9 to consider amendments to the county’s building code. The most talked about component of change to the update was the requirement for all new single family homes to include a fire sprinkler system.

The current code requires sprinklers in all townhomes, multi-family dwellings and single family homes on the centralized water system. The change would mean any new home construction, even those on private well systems, as is common in St. Mary’s County, would be required to include a fire sprinkler safety system.
Deputy Code Official Adam Knight said that Land Use and Growth Management support the adoption of the code, calling the sprinkler issue, “the most significant change.”
Commissioner Tommy Mattingly commented that of all the boards and groups that the draft ordinance was reviewed with, he felt the fire safety community should have been included much earlier than t

<!–

–>