(Nov. 26, 2010) Unless the county commissioners vote to opt out of the state law mandating sprinklers in new single-family and two-family houses, the law will go into effect in the unincorporated areas of Worcester County, including Ocean Pines, on Jan. 1.The commissioners have just one meeting before Dec. 15, the supposed final day to make a decision before the state law mandating sprinklers goes into effect Jan. 1. On Monday, however, Bud Church, president of the Worcester County Commissioners, said the issue would not be on the Dec. 7 agenda.
He has asked for it to be on the Dec. 21 agenda. He was told that it would not present a problem with the state if the commissioners vote to opt out of the requirement during that meeting.
The commissioners may modify the requirement mandating sprinklers, but only because of a special condition. That condition could not be the cost of sprinkler systems, which was part of the sprinkler issue discussion in September.
That discussion lasted nearly threeand a-half hours as proponents and opponents stated their cases.
At the time, Church and Commissioners James Purnell and Bobby Cowger opposed mandating sprinklers, while Commissioners Linda Busick and Louise Gulyas favored them, though Gulyas said she would only require them for houses with public water service. Commissioner Virgil Shockley was undecided.
With Busick replaced by Madison “Jim” Bunting and Cowger replaced by Merrill Lockfaw in the elections, the sentiments regarding sprinklers could change.
Lockfaw said in an interview leading up to the elections that he was against it, I believe.
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing is, people who don't have a public water supply need this the most as they are the farthest from a fire dept! Your chances of survival (as well as your pets, belongings, etc.) are less the farther you get from a fire dept that can put it out. Sprinklers solve that.