In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
“Dormitory” means a building or space in a building that:
is under joint occupancy and single management; and
provides group sleeping accommodations:
with or without meals, but without individual cooking facilities;
for more than 16 individuals who are not members of the same family group; and
in one room or in a series of closely associated rooms.
“Dormitory” includes a school dormitory, fraternity house, and military barracks.
“Dwelling unit” means a single unit that:
provides complete, independent living facilities for one or more individuals; and
contains permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation.
“Hotel” means a building or group of buildings that:
is under the same management;
contains more than 16 sleeping accommodations for hire; and
is used primarily by transients who are lodged with or without meals.
“Hotel” includes an inn, motel, club, and apartment hotel.
“Lodging or rooming house” means a building:
in which separate sleeping rooms are rented; and
that provides sleeping accommodations:
for 16 or fewer individuals;
on either a transient or permanent basis; and
with or without meals, but without individual cooking facilities.
“Lodging or rooming house” includes an inn, club, and bed and breakfast establishment.
“Multifamily residential dwelling” means a building or part of a building that:
contains more than two dwelling units; and
is not classified as a one or two family dwelling.
“Multifamily residential dwelling” does not include a town house.
“Public water system” means a system that:
provides the public with piped water for human consumption; and
has at least 15 service connections or regularly serves at least 25 individuals.
“Public water system” includes:
a collection, treatment, storage, or distribution facility that is under the control of the operator of the system and is used primarily in connection with the system; and
a collection or pretreatment storage facility that is not under the control of the operator of the system and is used primarily in connection with the system.
“Sprinkler system” means a device that:
opens automatically by operation of a heat responsive releasing mechanism;
discharges water in a specific pattern over a designated area to extinguish or control fire; and
uses the same service water supply pipe to the dwelling unit that the public water system uses.
“Town house” means a single family dwelling unit that is constructed in a horizontal series of attached units with property lines separating the units.
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this subtitle does not preclude a local jurisdiction from adopting more stringent standards to govern the installation of sprinkler systems in new construction.
Industrialized buildings under the authority of the Department of Housing and Community Development in accordance with Title 12, Subtitle 3 of this article shall comply with the standard for the installation of sprinkler systems in residential occupancies as adopted in the regulations of the State Fire Prevention Commission.
The State Fire Marshal or a local or State authority with jurisdiction over the enforcement of fire and building codes may enforce this subtitle.
Each sprinkler system required under this section shall:
be installed in accordance with accepted engineering practices that meet the standard for the installation of sprinkler systems in residential occupancies under the regulations of the State Fire Prevention Commission or the local authority with jurisdiction over the enforcement of fire and building codes;
meet the requirements of the current National Fire Protection Association standards; and
be approved by the State Fire Marshal or the local authority with jurisdiction over the enforcement of fire codes.
In a jurisdiction in which building permits are issued, a sprinkler system shall be installed in:
each newly constructed dormitory, hotel, lodging or rooming house, or multifamily residential dwelling for which the initial building permit is issued on or after July 1, 1990; and
each newly constructed town house for which the initial building permit is issued on or after July 1, 1992.
In a jurisdiction in which building permits are not issued, a sprinkler system shall be installed in:
each dormitory, hotel, lodging or rooming house, or multifamily residential dwelling on which construction begins on or after July 1, 1990; and
each town house on which construction begins on or after July 1, 1992.
If a dwelling unit is not serviced by a public water system, subsections (a) and (b) of this section do not apply.
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, if there is clear evidence that an exception will not adversely affect the fire safety of a building or its occupants, the State Fire Marshal or a local authority with jurisdiction over the enforcement of fire and building codes may grant an exception to:
a requirement of a State or local fire and building code if a sprinkler system is installed in a building as required by this subtitle; or
the sprinkler system requirement of this subtitle if, on or before June 30, 1990:
the local authority gave approval to a construction plan for a dormitory, hotel, lodging or rooming house, multifamily residential unit, or town house; and
the approved plan did not include the installation of a sprinkler system as required by this subtitle.
The State Fire Marshal or a local authority may not grant an exception under this section to a smoke detector requirement.
A person may not knowingly violate this subtitle.
A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 days or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.