Chattanooga City Hall
Chris AndersonThree years ago, Chattanooga fire officials said the city’s fire codes were outdated and officials had to address bar and club safety by requiring owners to install costly sprinkler systems.
That message has changed.
New fire officials now say that isn’t the case and the City Council was told Tuesday the fire marshal and fire chief support a resolution that would free most business owners from installing sprinklers.
Under the current law, owners of sports bars, restaurants with live entertainment, dance halls, discotheques, nightclubs and “assembly occupancies with festival seating” have until Dec. 31 to comply with a 2011 ordinance.
The council debated the issue for months in 2011 and passed the ordinance with a 5-4 vote. Councilman Chris Anderson received a unanimous vote Tuesday night for the first reading of his ordinance to lift the sprinkler system regulations for most business owners.