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D R A F T <br />224 <br />Jeff Charles: What is the limit of length because of the pressure issue?225 <br />226 <br />Elizabeth Gregory: You can go as far as you want. We have learned who helps us the most with this issue is the 227 <br />insurance company. They tell them itis important to have a driveway large enough to get a fire truck down. Also, 228 <br />there are problems with ambulancesas a safety for both the patient and the workers. The biggest complaint we hear 229 <br />from fire departments is access.230 <br />231 <br />AbigailePittman: What are some typical widths of the fire trucks and ambulances?232 <br />233 <br />Elizabeth Gregory: The ambulances are 12 foot. Fire trucks are usually that size but a latter truck is wider. 234 <br />235 <br />Abigaile Pittman: What is the width of the ladder truck?236 <br />237 <br />Elizabeth Gregory: I am not sure.238 <br />239 <br />Abigaile Pittman: We have a related issue that you may be able to comment on. There are types of subdivisions that 240 <br />are exempt from the county’s subdivision regulations. The staff would like you to discuss doing away with the Class 241 <br />B roads and only allow Class A and to develop a requirement that newly created lots have access to a compiling 242 <br />road.243 <br />244 <br />Jeff Charles: This is all new construction.245 <br />246 <br />Abigaile Pittman: To allow reasonable and affordable options for small subdivisions, staff suggests consideration of a 247 <br />revision that may allow three lots to share a driveway as long as they are designed so the emergency service 248 <br />vehicles can turn around and it is not longer than a certain determinednumber of feet. There would have to be 249 <br />discussion as to what that numberis.250 <br />251 <br />Elizabeth Gregory: A lot of it has to do with if it is a 20-foot wide road,or if it has a hydrant and it should be 26 feet 252 <br />wide.What we ask for is a 96-foot radius because a fire truck does not run like a car. The money for fire trucks and 253 <br />ambulances comes from the tax payer.254 <br />255 <br />Jeff Charles: How do you approach the condition of the surface for turning around?256 <br />257 <br />Elizabeth Gregory: If you hit bumps in the road in an ambulanceand it costs $250,000. That makes a difference.258 <br />259 <br />Jeff Charles: Over the coming years, there will be more of the Tobacco Trail situations where you need emergency 260 <br />services, not a fire truck. Maybe we should add a fourth item of concern to staff’s list about emergency access to trail 261 <br />systems. I am recommending you think about that.262 <br />263 <br />Paul Guthrie: I was comparing the Fire Code in Appendix D with the local ordinance and why is there a disconnect 264 <br />when the Fire Code requires a much greater capability than this.265 <br />266 <br />Abigaile Pittman: We connect with the NCDOT standards for the Class A roadways. 267 <br />268 <br />Paul Guthrie: As Ms. Gregory mentioned regarding turn around, there is no way a fire truck could make use of that 269 <br />turn around.270 <br />271 <br />Abigaile Pittman: I think it would tough to change the Class A since NCDOT has this adopted 18-footstandard. 272 <br />273 <br />Ted Triebel: I think the action you are asking for tonight is for us to suggest to the Boardof County Commissioners 274 <br />that it is time for review these standards. 275 <br />276 <br />Abigaile Pittman: We are not asking you to decide what those standards are but to tell the BOCC what you think the 277 <br />issues are they need to have staff reviewthemand bring back more detail.278 <br />279 <br />7 <br />ReturntoAgenda