CHESTERTOWN — Sprinklers are generally recognized as an effective way to reduce the danger of house fires. But are they killing the housing market?
At a Kent County Commissioners’ meeting last month, discussion turned to the importance of affordable housing in attracting new business and young families to the county.
Commission President William Pickrum said a key to creating affordable housing would be elimination of the requirement for residential sprinkler systems. He said they can add as much as $40,000 to the cost of a new house.
Commissioner Bill Short said the requirement had radically reduced housing starts in other Eastern Shore jurisdictions.
Both commissioners were echoing a common theme at the Maryland Association of Counties meeting earlier that month. Officials from several counties criticized a requirement of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development to install automatic fire sprinklers in new townhouses and one- and two-family dwellings, as provided by the 2015 International Residential Code. The requirement went into effect July 1.
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19 comments:
it affects all the rural counties to get affordable housing
It is a good idea for townhouses and multifamily homes but I see no need for single family homes to be mandated to have sprinklers.
That is exactly what they want. Look at all they have done; impact fees, septic regulations, water/ sewer fees, sprinklers, extra. They do not want new houses built, instead they want you to move into an apartment in the city. Proven fact is that more people in cities vote democrat. Wake up people, fight back.
This was just another payout scam that O'Malley dreamed up. Follow the campaign money from the lobbyists to the fire sprinkler companies and to O'Malley.
Fed up with the government control. If I want to build a house with a pitcher pump and an out house in the back yard I should be able to with out the government telling me what to do with my property. It is time to take the control away from big government and bring it back to us the people.
Secession is the only way out of this 'tax hell hole'.
Sooner or latter the people are going to have to decide to 'fish or cut bait'.
I am especially surprised that the Black community hasn't chimed-in on this draconian legislation. When O'Malley signed the residential sprinkler ordinance into law - You might as well have told the black community to go live in tents.
What-a-shame.
That cost is not even close to being accurate. Residential sprinklers cost about as much as a Corian counter upgrade; and it'll save 100 times that much on insurance savings.
As an owner of more than one waterfront property in MD, this is one of several reasons why I built a new home in another state. No BS about how close to the water, no need for a septic mound or nitrogen septic system, no flush tax and lower taxes with much better property appreciation. Love to visit, but my money is elsewhere. If there were not so many regulations, MD would be able to still have my income tax and property tax at a higher rate with a new waterfront home.
6:26 Wow, your rates are high! You'll save 10% per year, so, you must be paying about $10000 a year. You need a new agent!
Wait till those sprinkler pipes burst in the winter.This has happened to people I know and the damage was extensive and repairs took several months. Service Master loves sprinklers.
One good snow storm, power out for a few days = frozen sprinkler pipes.
Who supplies the water for these? If it's the homeowner or renter on the water bill, and they get behind, can the City cut them off for non payment? If there's a fire, is the City responsible? Does the City need to run a secondary water line just for sprinkler systems? Liability lawyers will love this as well!
I'm with the hand pump and out house commenter. Leave me the heck alone!
7:44 That's savings over the life of the home, not per year.
So if the sprinkler line breaks in the winter or any other time will your insurance pay for it? Yes you get a discount for having them but usually they don't pay for most water damage.
So if you live out in the country where there is no city water and a fire starts...and the electric is knocked out they wont work anyway. Will they?
You only have to look to good Ole James Mathias who backed this legislation. By the way, he is associated with Royal Plus.
9:14 Poster is correct. One corrupt Worcester County Politician, Jim Mathias, is partly responsible for this legislation.
I hope the residents wise-up to this shyster, and vote him out of office.
I am surprised that the NAACP didn't comment on the racist residential sprinkler ordinance. I agree with one of the above posters that made a reference about Serving Notice on the black community - 'might as well live in tents'.
If this isn't a racist piece of legislation - I do not what is.
Where is Mary Ashante when the black community really needs her. I'll just bet you she never even expressed an opinion on this important anti-black legislation when it was being promulgated by Jim Mathias and Martin O'Malley.
Shame on you Mary Ashante, local NAACP representative.
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