Bettendorf mulls delay in residential sprinkler mandate

The Bettendorf City Council might delay implementation of a requirement that new one- and two-family homes be equipped with sprinkler systems.

Bettendorf Community Development director Bill Connors told the council Tuesday that a possible change in state code prompted him to ask the council to delay the implementation of the mandate from Jan. 1, 2013, to Aug. 1, 2013.

Connors said the city was following the states lead when it adopted the 2009 International Residential Code, which includes the sprinkler system mandate beginning Jan. 1

Connors said during a recent meeting between city staff, local legislators and area homebuilders, some of the legislators indicated that the state may revisit the sprinkler mandate during the 2013 legislative session, and could consider removing it from state code.

City Administrator Decker Ploehn said it made sense to wait to see what the state does about the issue before implementing the mandate.

Robert Meyer of the Quad-City Builders & Remodelers Association told council members the city should not require that new homes be equipped with residential sprinkler systems because studies have shown that consumers dont want them.

We feel that consumers should have a choice when it comes to personal property rights, Meyer said.

Alderman Debe LaMar, 3rd Ward, said she would like the city staff to research the issue. Alderman Greg Adamson, 4th Ward, said he would like to see that research before the legislature addresses the issue so city officials can brief legislators about the citys position.

The council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance delaying the implementation of the mandate.

In other business, the council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that would increase the permit fee for access to city right-of-way. The proceeds of the fee would go into a fund to pay for the restoration of city right-of-way damaged during construction.

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Bettendorf mulls delay in residential sprinkler mandate