YORBA LINDA : Fire Sprinkler Law Gets Initial City OK

City leaders have tentatively approved an ordinance requiring installation of fire sprinklers in all new construction, including homes.

The requirement passed 3 to 1, with Councilman Roland E. Bigonger dissenting. Mayor Gene Wisher was absent.

Bigonger said he opposed the amendment because it will raise the cost of a house in the city by about $5,000.

“Idealism is a great thing to have, but realism is another thing we have to look at,” he said.

But other council members said the safety benefits far outweigh the costs.

“This is an issue that transcends the cost of a particular house and affects the welfare of the community as a whole,” said Councilman Irwin M. Fried.

Ron Saienni, a representative of the Building Industry Assn. of Southern California, who opposed the amendment, said smoke detectors, which are already required in Yorba Linda, provide sufficient fire protection.

But smoke detectors are not as effective as sprinklers in cases involving handicapped people who may not be able to escape from their homes quickly, city officials said.

Although the council approved the first reading of the ordinance, it must pass a second vote to be adopted by the city.

Seven other Orange County cities--Anaheim, San Clemente, Stanton, Seal Beach, Placentia, Cypress and Dana Point--require sprinklers in homes. Five have instituted the requirement within the last three months.