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Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Restaurants Get 3 More Months
By Dan McKay
Journal Staff Writer
Albuquerque city councilors don't sound enthusiastic about the plan to force several dozen restaurants to buy pricey new anti-fire sprinkler systems.
The council agreed late Monday to give the restaurants at least three more months to submit plans for installing the systems, which opponents say could cost up to $100,000 each and put them out of business.
Several councilors broached the idea of using the next 90 days to work out a compromise to improve public safety at a more reasonable cost.
"There have to be other options besides the sprinkler systems," Councilor Ken Sanchez said.
He suggested that fire extinguishers could be added inside the restaurants. Councilor Debbie O'Malley said each restaurant might be able to work out an individual plan to improve fire safety.
Councilor Dan Lewis voiced the strongest skepticism.
"We're talking about an ordinance that could put some restaurants out of business," Lewis said.
Fire Chief James Breen said the sprinkler requirements were developed in the prior city administration and officials then granted repeated extensions for when restaurants had to comply. The ordinance, he noted, came about after 100 people died in a Rhode Island nightclub fire.
A sprinkler system "offers a greater margin of safety for firefighters," Breen said.
But he added that the Fire Department "understands the city has to strike a balance between the need for public safety and being business friendly."
Attorney Ross Perkal said the New Mexico Restaurant Association is working with the city on a plan that could provide some exemptions from the rules.
"The 90 days is important to everyone," he said.
In 2005, the city approved a new fire code that requires restaurants, nightclubs and certain other establishments to install automatic sprinklers if the building exceeds 5,000 square feet or has an occupancy load of 300 people or more. About five restaurants have completed the work, with another 40 still needing to do so, according to the restaurant association.
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