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</head><body><p><strong>Building and fire codes don't regulate on the basis of property ownership. Rather, the regulations are based on use of a building, and the type of construction. In Washington, the state Building Code Council has adopted the 2012 editions of the International Fire Code, and the International Building Code. See, Title 51 WAC. Local jurisdictions have limited ability to amend construction codes, but larger jurisdictions such as Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, etc. will go to the effort to do so because they have the resources to put together the studies that are necessary and they have unique firefighting operations. I don't know where Bellevue fits within that scheme. </strong></p><p><strong>So you will want to start with the fire code and then see if Bellevue has amended. A residential use falls within a Group R occupancy. Also, keep in mind that a fire alarm is something different than a smoke alarm - it can be easy to confuse the two.</strong><br></p><blockquote type="cite"><!-- [if gte mso 9]> --><!-- <![endif] --><!-- [if gte mso 9]> --><!-- <![endif] --> On January 22, 2016 at 11:13 AM "Laird, Katherine" <KatherineLaird@CenturyPacificLP.com> wrote:<br><br><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Bellevue is notoriously difficult, particularly with the fire department requirements. If you need any approvals from the building department I believe you will have to upgrade. If this is just a condo conversion and all paper work, I think you are OK, until you seek the first permit to do any upgrades to the building. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Good luck,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">katherine</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; color: black;">Katherine Kramer Laird</span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> <br> </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; color: gray;">CenturyPacific, LP</span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> <br> </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; color: gray;">Suite 1680</span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> <br> </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; color: gray;">1201 Third Avenue</span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> <br> </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; color: gray;">Seattle, WA 98101</span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> <br> </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; color: gray;">Ph. 206-757-8892/Mobile. 206-915-0109</span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> <br> </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; color: gray;">Fax 206-757-7890</span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> <br> </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; color: gray;"><a href="mailto:katherinelaird@centurypacificlp.com"><span style="color: blue;">katherinelaird@centurypacificlp.com</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; color: black;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; color: black;"> </span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><div><div style="border: none; border-top: solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt; padding: 3.0pt 0in 0in 0in;"><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';">From:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';"> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com] <strong>On Behalf Of </strong>Ron Housh<br> <strong>Sent:</strong> Friday, January 22, 2016 10:35 AM<br> <strong>To:</strong> wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com<br> <strong>Subject:</strong> Re: [WSBARP] Bellevue Fire Alarm Requirements</span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">New client tells me:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Bellevue Code requires residential buildings [apartments, condos, etc.] to install fire alarms.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Client says pre-2004 buildings were/are exempt [I have not confirmed this]</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Question: Assume apartment building built in 1986 is exempt. But if apartment building is converted to a condo complex in 2004 [or later], did it lose its exemption?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Wondering if anyone is “up to speed” on Bellevue Fire Code [fire alarm] issues, before I dig into the Code and other law. Thanks!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Ron</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: red;">I AM TYPICALLY IN THE SEATTLE OFFICE ON TUESDAY AND THURSDAY AND IN THE MOUNT VERNON OFFICE ON MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY </span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: green;"> </span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Ronald G. Housh, P.S.</span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Attorney at Law</span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Seattle Office:</span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">1420 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3000</span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Seattle, WA 98101-2393</span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Phone: 206-381-1341</span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Fax: 206-464-0461</span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Email: <a href="mailto:ron@housh.org"><span style="color: #1f497d;">ron@housh.org</span></a></span></strong><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Mount Vernon Office:</span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">21411 Bluejay Place</span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Mount Vernon, WA 98274</span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Phone: 206-235-2459</span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Email: <a href="mailto:ron@housh.org"><span style="color: #1f497d;">ron@housh.org</span></a></span></strong><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></strong></p><div align="center"><table class="MsoNormalTable mce-item-table" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 6.25in;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 243.0pt; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" valign="top" width="324"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif'; color: #5c5b5b;"> </span></p></td><td style="width: 207.0pt; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="276"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></blockquote><p><br> </p><blockquote type="cite">_______________________________________________<br>WSBARP mailing list<br>WSBARP@lists.wsbarppt.com<br>http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbarp</blockquote><p><br> </p><p class="io-ox-signature">Scott G. Thomas<br>Law Office of Scott G. Thomas<br>1204 Cleveland Avenue<br>Mount Vernon, WA 98273<br>(360) 503-1042<br>www.scottgthomaslaw.com<br><br>Because this is a communication from a lawyer, it necessarily contains warnings such as this. I am a lawyer, but unless we have entered into an agreement for legal services, I am not your lawyer. And, if this message was intended for someone else but you have inadvertently received it, I ask that you delete the message and let me know you received it so that I can take steps to make sure you do not receive messages in the future. Thank you.</p></body></html>