Developer wants fire system waived

Diana Sahagun

Wednesday, July 5, 2000 | 10:31 a.m.

The North Vegas City Council tonight will decide whether to waive fire sprinkler requirements for up to 900 Avante homes to be built in the northwest and accept the home builder's proposal to purchase a fire rescue vehicle instead.

In 1998 fire officials made what developers called a crippling requirement on all new homes: Install fire sprinklers in each new residence or come up with some other option to deal with the lack of emergency services in the city.

Developers and builders regularly complained during council meetings, saying that the requirement would increase the cost of new $100,000 homes by $1,500 to $2,000. But the council emphasized that safety was the most important factor.

Avante Homes is proposing an alternative to adding sprinklers in 507 single family homes it is planning to build on 103 acres in the northwest part of the city at Centennial Parkway and Allen Lane. At a cost of $1,500 for each home to be outfitted with fire sprinklers, it would cost $760,500.

In lieu of sprinklers, the company is offering to purchase a fire rescue vehicle for $175,000 to help the city address the fire hazards.

The council will vote on the proposal tonight. It is expected to be approved.

Avante's offer is included with a wide variety of items on the consent agenda, which are usually approved in one motion.

If the item is approved, Avante will have the requirements waived for up to 900 single family homes. Outfitting 900 homes with fire sprinklers could cost $1.35 million.

According to staff reports, Avante may develop another 180 acres in the city for the construction and sale of single family homes in the northwest at a location yet to be determined.

The northwest part of North Las Vegas lacks adequate fire services. Currently one fire station -- Station 54 -- covers all of the population north of Alexander Avenue. More than half of the city's 117,000 population is believed to be living in that area, north of Cheyenne Avenue.

The city has fire stations on the drawing board for the northwest, but the services appear to be at least two years away.

A spokesman for Avante Homes was not available for comment this morning. North Las Vegas fire officials also were unavailable for comment.

In July 1999 Avante Homes had site plans approved for construction of the development, but the approval came with the condition of the fire sprinklers or another option.

At the time, the fire department said the Avante development is more than eight minutes away from the nearest fire station, potentially too far for the fire department to respond in time to save a burning home.

In October John Laing Homes was required to install sprinklers in its yet-to-be built Arbor Gate I homes in the northwest.