02/08/2011 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

              HB 130-RESIDENTIAL SPRINKLER SYSTEMS                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:56:30 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MUNOZ announced  that the final order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO.  130, "An Act relating to  municipal building code                                                               
requirements for  fire sprinkler  systems in  certain residential                                                               
buildings; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:56:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ROB  EARL,   Staff,  Representative  Bob  Herron,   Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, speaking on behalf of  the sponsor, related that the                                                               
purpose of  HB 130 is to  require an expanded public  process for                                                               
ordinances that mandate fire sprinklers  in all new construction.                                                               
The parties interested in this  legislation fall into two groups.                                                               
The  Alaska   State  Homebuilders  Association  and   the  Alaska                                                               
Association of Realtors are concerned  that a blanket mandate for                                                               
sprinklers  would raise  the  cost of  homes  considerably.   The                                                               
other side  of the issue  is the Alaska Fire  Chiefs Association,                                                               
which  promotes expanded  installation  of fire  sprinklers.   He                                                               
reminded the  committee that  last year  the House  Community and                                                               
Regional   Affairs  Standing   Committee   was  instrumental   in                                                               
facilitating  a  compromise  between  the  aforementioned  groups                                                               
regarding  similar legislation  to  HB 130.    The compromise  is                                                               
embodied  in  HB  130.    Mr.  Earl said  that  he  knows  of  no                                                               
opposition  to  HB  130,  which  is neither  pro  nor  anti  fire                                                               
sprinkler  installation   and  doesn't  prohibit   Alaskans  from                                                               
choosing to install such systems.   He explained that HB 130 says                                                               
a municipality may not adopt  an ordinance to require a sprinkler                                                               
system in all new residential  buildings with one or two dwelling                                                               
units,  unless the  municipality  does the  following:   complies                                                               
with  the municipal  ordinance requirements  already in  statute;                                                               
publishes a  summary of the ordinance  and the time and  place of                                                               
each public  hearing at least 30  days prior to the  first public                                                               
hearing of  the ordinance;  and schedules  at least  three public                                                               
hearings to be  held between a 60-180 day period  on the proposed                                                               
ordinance.  Mr.  Earl related that the sponsor  believes that the                                                               
decision  about  sprinkler systems  being  required  in homes  is                                                               
appropriate  to  be  decided  at the  local  level,  although  it                                                               
deserves a more robust public hearing process.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:59:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JEFF TUCKER,  President, Alaska Fire Chiefs  Association, thanked                                                               
the sponsor and  his staff for the  work they did on HB  130.  He                                                               
then related  that the  Alaska Fire  Chiefs Association  does not                                                               
oppose HB 130 as currently written.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:00:24 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PAUL MICHELSOHN, Co-Chair,  Alaska State Homebuilders Association                                                               
Legislative  Committee,  Alaska State  Homebuilders  Association,                                                               
related support for HB 130,  which he characterized as a workable                                                               
agreement.   He opined that  HB 130 will provide  each individual                                                               
jurisdiction  notice  of proposed  changes  and  provide time  to                                                               
weigh-in on the  matter.  He encouraged the committee  to pass HB
.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:01:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ERROL CHAMPION, Alaska  Board of Realtors, began  by stating that                                                               
the  reasons the  Alaska Board  of Realtors  spoke in  support of                                                               
similar legislation last year are  still valid.  He expressed the                                                               
need  to  keep  the  costs   of  acquiring  homes  in  Alaska  as                                                               
inexpensive as possible, which HB 130  will go a long way toward.                                                               
Therefore, he urged the committee to adopt HB 130.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:02:37 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WALLY  SMITH,  Member,  Alaska  State  Homebuilders  Association;                                                               
Interior  Alaska  Building  Association, echoed  Mr.  Michelson's                                                               
statements and related support for HB 130.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:03:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DARRELL BOURNE, President,  Interior Alaska Builders Association;                                                               
Member of the Alaska State  Homebuilders Association, related his                                                               
support for HB 130.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:03:44 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ALAN  WILSON,  Co-Chair,  Alaska State  Homebuilders  Association                                                               
Legislative  Committee,  Alaska State  Homebuilders  Association,                                                               
testified  in  support  of  HB  130.   However,  he  related  his                                                               
personal concerns  regarding the  cost of housing  throughout the                                                               
state.  The  legislation allows each municipality to  have a hand                                                               
in its own future.   Since a mandatory residential fire sprinkler                                                               
ordinance  would be  a significant  change,  the mandatory  three                                                               
public hearings are critical, he opined.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:04:51 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
GLENDA  FEEKEN, Alaska  Association of  Realtors, related  strong                                                               
support  for  HB  130.     She  stated  that  realtors  encourage                                                               
affordable  housing.    A mandatory  residential  fire  sprinkler                                                               
ordinance  would  cause  a  dramatic  increase  in  construction,                                                               
maintenance, resale,  and insurance costs.   Therefore, those who                                                               
would be  impacted by  this should be  advised of  the incredible                                                               
burden it will place on them and have input before its adoption.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:05:59 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER  recalled that  last year  the legislation                                                               
that evolved to what HB 130  is received a letter of support from                                                               
the Municipality of Anchorage.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. EARL confirmed that was the case.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:06:21 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FOSTER inquired  as  to  estimates regarding  how                                                               
much a sprinkler  system will add to the cost  of an average size                                                               
home.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. EARL  related that  he has heard  an estimate  that sprinkler                                                               
systems add $3-$5 per square foot  to the cost of an average size                                                               
home.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FOSTER surmised then that  a sprinkler system in a                                                               
1,500  square foot  home  would result  in  an additional  $4,500                                                               
cost.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:07:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER  moved to report  HB 130 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There being no objection, it was so ordered.