ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14

Board of County Commissioners · 2026-07-21 · ordinance

[case 261040] This is a legislative item for an ordinance amending Chapter 14 of the Code of Miami-Dade County, Florida, relating to fire prevention. The ordinance was introduced on 6/2/2026, deferred on 7/21/2026, and is scheduled for a second reading on 9/1/2026. It was forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners with a favorable recommendation from the Safety and Health Committee on 6/8/2026. The ordinance updates definitions, changes requirements for owner's statements on fire investigations, amends appeals procedures, updates operating permit requirements, provides for recording consent agreements and notices of violation, requires notification upon correction of violations, authorizes the Chief Fire Official to order utility disconnection under specific circumstances, makes technical amendments to the Florida Fire Prevention Code, updates the false fire alarm ordinance, provides for the sale of exempt fireworks, provides for designation and posting of structures sharing a street address, updates emergency action plan requirements, provides for testing and maintenance of exit and emergency lighting, provides for reporting of maintenance activities for fire protection systems, provides for protection and installation of emergency power systems and water supplies for firefighting outside the Urban Development Boundary, amends Section 8CC-10, and imposes and modifies civil penalties. The sponsor is Roberto J. Gonzalez. The requester is the Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue Department. Public comment was received from Mr. Ron Book, representing Neptune Fireworks, American Promotional, and TNT Fireworks, in support of the legislation. Commissioner Bastien recommended defining 'imminent danger', requiring written documentation of disconnect determinations, and establishing an emergency appeal process. Chairman Gonzalez directed the administration to develop a formal definition or clarification of 'imminent danger'. This document is a proposed ordinance amending Chapter 14 (Fire Prevention) and Chapter 8CC (Schedule of Civil Penalties) of the Code of Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is a countywide regulatory update, not a specific development project. The ordinance updates local amendments to the Florida Fire Prevention Code, including new requirements for fireworks exempt sales recordkeeping, fire department access roads, in-building two-way radio communication, premises identification, emergency action plans, exit and emergency lighting, third-party reporting for fire protection system inspections, emergency power systems, water supply outside the Urban Development Boundary, and emergency vehicle zones. It also increases civil penalties for various fire code violations. The staff recommendation is to approve the ordinance. The document does not state a specific address, parcel, acreage, or case number for a project.