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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 1799 N.C.S. 05/21/19901 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 iggC40VEDATIE F RDINAN JUN 2 0 1990 ORDINANCE NO. 1799 N.C.S. Introduced by Councilperson Seconded by Councilperson Lynn Woolsey Larry Tencer AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PETALUMA, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING THE UNIFORM FIRE CODE AND UNIFORM FIRE CODE STANDARDS PRESCRIBING REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS TO LIFE AND PROPERTY FROM FIRE OR EXPLOSION, PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS FOR HAZARDOUS USES OR OPERATIONS, AND ESTABLISHING A BUREAU OF FIRE PREVENTION AND PROVIDING OFFICERS THEREFOR AND DEFINING THEIR POWERS AND DUTIES BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PETALUMA AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 17.20.010 is amended to read as follows: 17.20.010 Fire code adopted. There is adopted by the city, for the purpose of prescribing regulations governing conditions hazardous to life and property from fire or explosion, that certain Code and Standards known as the Uniform Fire Code, 1988 Edition including appendix Chapters II -A, II-B, II-C, II-D, III-C, III-D and VI -A and the Uniform Fire Code Standards published by the Western Fire Chiefs Association and the International Conference of Building Officials, and the whole thereof, save and except such portions as are deleted, modified or amended by this chapter, not less than one copy of this code has been and is now filed in the office of the clerk of the city, and the same are adopted and incorporated as fully as if set out at length in this chapter, and from June 20, 1990 the provisions thereof shall be controlling within the limits of the city. SECTION 2. Section 17.20.040 is amended to read as follows: 17.20.040 Establishment of limits of districts in which storage of flammable or combustible liquids in outside aboveground tanks is to be prohibited. A. The limits referred to in Section 79.501 of the Uniform Fire Code in which storage of flammable or combustible liquids is prohibited, are established as being Fire Zones 1 and 2. B. The limits referred to in Section 79.1001 of the Uniform Fire Code, in which temporary storage of flammable or combustible liquids at construction site are prohibited, are established as being Fire Zone 1. SECTION 3. Section 17.20.050 is amended to read as follows: Ord. 1799 N.C.S. 1 2 17.20.050 Establishment of limits in which storage of 3 liquified petroleum gases is to be restricted. 4 5 The limits referred to in Section 82.104B of the Uniform Fire Code, 6 in which storage of liquefied gas is restricted, are established as being 7 Fire Zone 1. 8 9 SECTION 4. Section 17.20.070 is amended to read as follows: 10 1 1 17.20.070 Amendments made in the Uniform Fire Code. 12 13 The Uniform Fire Code is amended and changed in the following 14 respects: 15 16 A. Section 4.103 Application for Permit is amended to read as 17 follows: 18 "All applications for a permit required by this Code shall be made 19 to the Bureau of Fire Prevention in such form and detail as it shall 20 prescribe. Applications for permits shall be accompanied by such plans 21 as required by the bureau and permit and/or inspection fees as 22 established by resolution of the City Council." 23 24 B. Section 4.108. Permit Required is amended by adding Section 25 4.108 (f.6) to read as follows: 26 27 "(f.6) Fire extinguishing and alarm systems. To install, alter, 28 or remove any fire extinguishing or fire alarm- systems. 29 30 C. SECTION 10.301(b). Special Hazards is amended by adding the 3 1 following to read as follows: 32 33 "Buildings four or more stories in height shall have a storeroom on 34 every third floor for the storage of emergency equipment to be accessible 35 for exclusive use by the fire department. Building owner shall provide 36 and maintain at owner's expense, within the storeroom, the type and 37 amount of emergency equipment as required and specified by the chief. 38 Room shall not be used for other purposes and shall be located as 39 required by the chief, giving consideration to location of enclosed 40 stairwells." 41 42 D. Section 10.301(c) Water Supply is amended to read as follows: 43 44 "An approved water supply capable of supplying required fire flow 45 for fire protection shall be provided to all premises upon which buildings 46 or portions of buildings are hereafter constructed. When any portion of 47 the building protected is in excess of 150 feet from a water supply on a 48 public street, there shall be provided, when required by the chief, on -site 49 fire hydrants and mains capable of supplying the required fire flow. 2 nb�. IL I it 9 N C I Water supply system shall be consistent with that approved by the 2 City Engineer and capable of supplying the required fire flow. In setting 3 the requirements for fire flow, the chief may be guided by the standard 4 published by the Insurance Services Office, "Guide for Determination of 5 Required Fire Flow." 6 The location, number and type of fire hydrants connected to a 7 water supply capable of delivering the required fire flow shall be 8 provided on the public street and/or on the site of the premises to be 9 protected as required and approved by the chief. All hydrants shall be 10 accessible to the fire department apparatus by roadways meeting the 1 1 requirements of Section 10.207." 12 13 E. Section 10.306(b) All Occupancies is amended to read as follows: 14 15 "1. Automatic sprinkler systems shall be installed and maintained 1 6 throughout all new buildings 3,500 or more square feet in area or three 17 stories or more in height and in all buildings that will house an 1 8 occupancy, which in the opinion of the Fire Chief, may create a 1 9 substantial threat to life or property. The Fire Chief shall be guided by the 20 statistical report of the California Fire Incident Reporting System. 21 Sprinkler systems shall be installed in accordance with the applicable 22 National Fire Protection Association Pamphlet No. 13. Sprinkler 23 systems installed in non-residential buildings shall be 24 monitored by an automatic transmission of an alarm to an approved 25 central alarm receiving station. It shall not be the intent of this 26 requirement to reduce the more restrictive requirements of Chapter 38 of 27 the Uniform Building Code. For purposes of this section, new building 28 shall mean any building for which site plan and architectural review 29 application was made pursuant to the Zoning Ordinance on or after June 30 20, 1990." 31 32 12. Additions or alterations made to a building so that the combined 33 building exceeds 3,500 square feet in area or three stories or more in 34 height shall be required to install and maintain an automatic sprinkler 35 system as described in Subsection 1 throughout the addition or 36 alteration, except that a one-time addition or alteration of an aggregate 37 area not to exceed 250 square feet to an unsprinkled building shall be 38 exempt from this subsection, if made more than one year after the 39 "Certificate of Occupancy is issued." 40 41 "3. In all attached structures, approved four-hour masonry, area 42 separation walls with parapets 30 inches above the roof line and without 43 openings or penetrations may be substituted for the required sprinkler 44 system. The Fire Chief may prescribe additional regulations relative to 45 sprinkler systems or separation walls. Any opening in or penetration of 46 separation walls shall be conclusively presumed to be a fire hazard and 47 subject to abatement under Article 2 of the Uniform Fire Code." 48 3 QRD.1799NCS 1 114. In residential occupancies less than 3500 square feet or 3 stories 2 in height, automatic fire sprinklers shall be located at areas where a 3 normal source of ignition is located. These areas are specifically at 4 clothes dryers, kitchen stoves, furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces and in 5 attic areas containing vents and chimneys for these appliances and 6 equipment. 7 8 Water supply for these sprinklers may be from the building's 9 domestic water system with a minimum 3/4 inch supply to each sprinkler." 10 1 1 "5. Residential Type Sprinkler Heads. Fire sprinklers installed in 12 residential occupancies, shall be approved and listed quick response 1 3 residential type in living and sleeping areas. 14 1 5 "6. Design Criteria. Fire sprinkler systems installed in buildings of 16 undetermined use shall be designed and installed to have a design 1 7 density of .33 gallons per minute per square feet over a minimum design 18 area of 3000 square feet. Where a subsequent occupancy change 1 9 requires a system with greater capacity, it shall be the building owner's 20 responsibility to upgrade the system to the required density, and to meet 2 1 any additional requirements of the Uniform Fire Code enforced at the 22 time of the change. 23 24 F. SECTION 10.306 (c and d) are deleted. 25 26 G. SECTION 10.307 is amended to read as follows: 27 28 "Automatic sprinkler systems in non-residential buildings 29 shall be monitored by an approved fire alarm system with water flow 30 alarm and control valve supervision signals sounded on site and 3 1 transmitted to an approved Central Alarm Receiving Station." 32 33 H. SECTION 10.403 (a) is added to the Uniform Fire Code to read as 34 follows: 35 36 "All roof covering materials shall have a minimum fire rating of 37 Class "B", treated in accordance with the U.B.C. Standard 32-7." 38 39 I. SECTION 10.403 (b) is added to the Uniform Fire Code to read as 40 follows: 41 "All roof covering materials applied as exterior wall covering shall 42 have a minimum fire rating of Class "B", treated in accordance with 43 U.B.C. Standard 32-7" 44 45 46 47 48 49 0 ORD.17 9 9 N CS I J. SECTION 14.104 (c) Alarm Systems is amended and changed to 2 read as follows: 3 4 "1. Alarm Systems. 5 Every apartment house and hotel and/or dwelling group with three 6 or more units constructed or remodeled after the effective date of this 7 code shall have an approved manual and automatic fire alarm system 8 installed throughout, designed to warn the occupants of the building in 9 the event of a fire. Such fire alarm system shall be so designed that all 10 occupants of the building will be warned simultaneously. 11 1 2 "2. Products of Combustion Detectors. 1 3 "a. No person or persons shall buy or otherwise receive legal or 14 equitable title in real property or permit a change of tenancy in owned 15 real property improved with one or more dwellings or apartments 1 6 capable of human habitation unless there is installed therein one or more 17 products of combustion detectors (commonly called a 'smoke detector'), 1 8 listed by Underwriter's Laboratories or a similar testing organization and 1 9 listed by the State Fire Marshal, except that no such device shall be 20 sensitive to heat only. Such devices shall be installed in the same 21 locations required by the Building Code for new structures, and may be 22 powered by battery, house current or any means authorized for such 23 devices. 24 "b. Every person who buys or who permits a change or tenancy in 25 owned residential real property as described herein shall certify, by 26 declaration made under penalty of perjury, that this section has been 27 complied with and the detector or detectors required by this section has 28 or have been installed in and are operational in said dwelling, to the 29 standards set out herein. The original certificate shall be forwarded to 30 the Petaluma Fire Prevention Bureau." 31 32 33 K. SECTION 78.102 (b) is amended to read as follows: 34 35 "Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful for any 36 person to possess, store, offer for sale, expose for sale, sell at retail, or 37 use or explode any fireworks; provided that the Fire Chief shall have 38 power to adopt reasonable rules and regulations for the granting of 39 permits for supervised public displays of fireworks by a public agency, 40 fair association, amusement park or other organization or for the use of 41 fireworks by artisans in pursuit of their trade. Every such use or display 42 shall be handled by a competent operator approved by the Fire Chief, 43 and shall be of such character and so located, discharged or fired as in 44 the opinion of the Fire Chief, after proper investigation, so as not to be 45 hazardous to property or endanger any person." 46 47 48 49 5 oaka1799NCS I "Safe and Sane Fireworks. During the period beginning 2 12:00 noon June 28th and ending 12:00 noon July 6th fireworks 3 classified by the California State Fire Marshal as 'Safe and Sane' 4 fireworks may be sold, possessed and discharged. Sale, possession 5 and discharge, during this period shall be in compliance with all other 6 applicable state and local regulations." 7 8 L. SECTION 79.902 (e). Dispensing is amended to read as follows: 9 10 "(e) Dispensing. Class I liquids shall not be dispensed or 1 1 transferred within a service station building, except as provided in 12 Section 79.903 (d). Class II and Class III -A liquids may be dispensed in 1 3 lubrication or service rooms of a service station building, provided the 14 heating equipment complies with Section 79.906 and electrical 15 equipment complies with Section 79.905. Delivery of any Class I, II or III- 1 6 A liquid shall not be made into portable containers unless such container 1 7 is of approved material and construction, having a tight closure with 1 8 screwed or spring cover, so designed that the contents can be dispensed 1 9 without spilling. Class I or Class II liquids shall not be dispensed into the 20 fuel tank of a motor vehicle from unapproved aboveground tanks." 21 22 M. SECTION 80.103. (c) Hazardous Materials Management Plan 23 is amended to read as follows: 24 25 "(c) Hazardous Materials Management Plan. When 26 required by the Chief, each application for a permit pursuant to this 27 Article shall include a Hazardous Materials Management Plan (HMMP) in 28 accordance with California Health and Safety Code, Chapter 6.95 29 (Section 25500 ET SEQ.)." 30 31 N. SECTION 80.103. (d) Hazardous Materials Inventory 32 Statement is amended to read as follows: 33 34 "(d) Hazardous Materials Inventory Statement. When 35 required by the Chief each application for a permit pursuant to this Article 36 shall include a Hazardous Materials Inventory Statement (HMIS) in 37 accordance with California Health and Safety Code Chapter 6.95 38 (Section 25500 ET SEQ.). Temporary storage (less than 30 days) 39 of hazardous materials shall require the immediate 40 notification and filing of a material safety data sheet (MSDS) 41 with the fire department. 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 6 .1799NCS 1 O. SECTION 80.104 (b). is amended to read as follows: 2 3 "(b) Release of Hazardous Materials, and/or Deleterious 4 Materials. 5 Hazardous materials and/or deleterious materials shall not 6 be abandoned, buried or released into any sewer, storm drain, ditch 7 drainage canal, lake, river, tidal waterway or in or upon any building 8 premises, ground, sidewalk, street, highway, alley or into the 9 atmosphere. 10 1 1 EXCEPTIONS 12 1 3 1. Materials intended for use in weed abatement, erosion control, soil 14 amendment or similar applications when applied in accordance 1 5 with the manufacturer's instructions or nationally recognized 1 6 practices. 17 1 8 2. Materials released in accordance with federal, state or local 1 9 governing regulations or permits of the jurisdictional Air Quality 20 Management Board, with a National Pollutant Discharge 21 Elimination System Permit, with waste discharge requirements 22 established by the jurisdictional Water Quality Control Board, or 23 with local sewer pretreatment requirements for Publicly Owned 24 Treatment Works. 25 26 P. SECTION 80.104. (c) (5) is amended to read as follows: 27 28 "(c) (5) Any person, firm or corporation responsible for any 29 unauthorized discharge shall immediately institute and complete all 30 actions necessary to remedy the effects of such unauthorized discharge, 3 1 whether sudden or gradual, at no cost to the jurisdiction. When deemed 32 necessary by the Chief, identification and clean-up and/or removal may 33 be initiated by the Fire Department or by an authorized individual or firm. 34 All costs associated with such clean-up and/or removal shall be borne by 35 the owner, operator or other person responsible for the unauthorized 36 discharge. 37 38 SECTION 5. APPEALS 39 40 17.20.080 Appeals 41 Whenever the chief disapproves an application or refuses to grant 42 a permit applied for, or when it is claimed that the provisions of the code 43 do not apply or that the true intent and meaning of the code have been 44 misconstrued or wrongly interpreted, the applicant may appeal from the 45 decision of the chief to the board of appeals, which is designated to be 46 the board of building review as heretofore established and appointed 47 according to Chapter 17.08 of this code, within thirty days from the date of 48 the decision appealed. The fire chief shall act as secretary of the board 49 when it is hearing appeals concerned with the Uniform Fire Code. 7 ORD. 17 9 9 N C S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 SECTION 6. New materials, processes or occupancies which may require permits. 17.20.090 New materials, processes or occupancies which may require permits. The city manager, the chief and the chief of the bureau of fire prevention shall act as a committee to determine and specify, after giving affected persons an opportunity to be heard, any new materials, processes or occupancies, which shall require permits, in addition to those now enumerated in the code. The chief of the bureau of fire prevention shall post such list in a conspicuous place in his office, and distribute copies thereof to interested persons. SECTION 7. Pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 17958.7 the attached findings are hereby made and the amendment made to the Uniform Fire Code (1988 Edition) is necessary due to local climatic, geological or topographical conditions. SECTION 8. The city clerk is hereby directed to file this ordinance, specifically the modification of the Uniform Fire Code, 1988 Edition, and the attached findings of fact, with the California Department of Housing and Community Development. First read at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Petaluma, held on the 7th day of May 1990, and finally read and adopted at a regular meeting of said city council held on the 21 st day of May 1990, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Tencer, Cavanagh, Balshaw, Davis, Vice Mayor Sobel, Mayor Hilligoss NOES: Woolsey ABSENT: 0 ABSTAIN: Attest: Mayor of the City of Petaluma ty Clerk of the City —of Petaluma Ord. 1/77 11.U.3. 8 I FINDINGS OF FACT AND NEED FOR 2 CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS TO THE 3 UNIFORM FIRE CODE, 1988 EDITION 4 DUE TO LOCAL CONDITIONS 5 6 CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS: Pursuant to Section 17958 of the State 7 of California Health and Safety Code, the governing body of the City of 8 Petaluma in its ordinance adopting and amending the 1988 Edition of the 9 Uniform Fire Code changes or modifies certain provisions of the State Building 10 Standards Code as it pertains to the regulation of buildings used for human 1 1 habitation. A copy of the text of such changes or modifications is attached. 12 13 Findings: Pursuant to Sections 17958.5 and 17958.7 (a) of the State of 14 California Health and Safety Code, the governing body of the City of Petaluma 1 5 has determined and finds that the attached changes or modifications are 16 needed and are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geogological 17 and topographic conditions. 18 1 9 Local Conditions: Local conditions have an adverse effect on the prevention 20 of (1) major loss fires, (2) major earthquake damage, and (3) the potential for life 21 and property loss, making necessary changes or modifications in the Uniform 22 Fire Code and the State Building Standards Code in order to provide a 23 reasonable degree of property security, and fire and life safety in the City of 24 Petaluma. 25 26 Below are listed adverse local climatic (see No.1), geological and topographic 27 (see No. 2) conditions. 28 29 1. Climatic 30 3 1 a. Precipitation. Precipitation ranges from 20 inches to 32 approximately 25 inches per year. Approximately ninety percent 33 (90%) falls during the months of November through.April, and 10% 34 from May through October. This area experienced a major 35 drought a few years ago (1977-78); it is possible that more 36 droughts will occur in the future. 37 38 b. Relative Humidity. Humidity generally ranges from 50% during 39 daytime to 86% at night. It drops to 20% during the summer 40 months and occasionally drops lower. 41 42 C. Temperatures. Temperatures have been recorded as high as 104 43 degrees Fahrenheit. Average summer highs are in the 78-85 44 degree range. 45 46 47 48 49 oau.17 9 9 N CS 1 d. Winds. Prevailing winds are from the northwest. However, winds 2 are experienced from virtually every direction at one time or 3 another. Velocities are generally in the 5 - 15 mph range, gusting 4 to 7.4 mph - 30 mph, particularly during the summer months. 5 Extreme winds, up to 50 mph, have been known to occur. 6 7 e. SummThese locals climatic conditions affect the 8 acceleration, intensity, and size of fire in the community. Times of 9 little or no rainfall, of low humidity and high temperatures create 10 extremely hazardous conditions, particularly as they relate to 1 1 wood shake and shingle roof fires and conflagrations. The winds 12 experienced in this area can have a tremendous impact upon 1 3 structure fires in buildings in close proximity to one another, 14 commonly found in Petaluma. Winds can carry sparks and 1 5 burning brands to other structures, thus spreading the fire and 1 6 causing conflagrations. In building fires, winds can literally force 1 7 fires back into the building and can create a blowtorch effect, in 1 8 addition to preventing "natural" ventilation and cross -ventilation 1 9 efforts. 20 21 2. Geological and Topographic 22 23 a. The fire environment of a community is primarily a combination of 24 two factors: the area's physical geographic characteristics and 25 the historic pattern of urban -suburban development. These two 26 factors, alone and combined, create a mixture of environments 27 which ultimately determines the area's fire protection needs. 28 29 The basic geographical boundaries of the city include hills to the 30 south and west, and valley floor in the central area and to the north 3 1 and east. The Petaluma River bisects the city through the central 32 area. Because of the size of the City of Petaluma (12 square 33 miles), the characteristics of the fire environment changes from 34 one location to the next. Therefore the city has not one, but a 35 number of fire environments, each of which has its individual fire 36 protection needs. 37 38 The service area of the City of Petaluma has a varied topography 39 and vegetative cover. A conglomeration of bay, plains, hills and 40 ridges make up the terrain. Development has occurred on the flat 41 lands in the central and eastern of the city. However, over the last 42 ten years, development has spread into the hills and the smaller 43 valleys and canyons. 44 45 46 47 48 49 2 ORD. 17 9 9 N C S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 b. Seismic Location. The relatively young geological processes that have created the San Francisco Bay Area are still active today. Two active earthquake faults (San Andreas and the Healdsburg- Rodgers Creek) affect the Petaluma area. Approximately 50% of the City's land surface is in the high -to -moderate seismic hazard zones. C. Size and Population. The City of Petaluma covers 12 square miles including an urban population estimated at 43,000. Within the city are three (3) fire stations and a total of 50 fire personnel. The fire department handles diverse responsibilities including wild land and urban fires, freeway, air, rail and medical emergencies. d. Topography. The city's service area is a conglomeration of bay plains, hills, valleys and ridges. The flatter lands are found in the central and eastern portions of the city. Most of the existing urban and suburbanized areas are on relatively flat lands (0 - 5% ) slope. Future residential development is also proposed for the hill areas south and west of the city. The majority of the hillsides in these areas have slopes ranging from 15 - 30% and 30+%. Correspondingly, there is much diversity in slope percentages. Slope is an important factor in fire spread. As a basic rule of thumb, the rate of spread will double as the slope percentage doubles, all other factors remaining the same. e. Vegetation. Petaluma's semi -arid Mediterranean -type climate produced vegetation similar to that of most of Sonoma County. Approximately half of all the structures in the city have combustible wood shingle or shake roofs. This very flammable material is susceptible to ignition by embers from a wild land fire, furthering the spread of fire to adjacent buildings. Summary. The above local geological and topographic conditions increase the magnitude, exposure, accessibility problems and fire hazards presented to the City of Petaluma. Fire following an earthquake has the potential of causing greater loss of life and damage than the earthquake itself. Approximately 50% of all dwellings in the city have wood shingle roofs. 3 ORD. 17 9 9 N C S I The majority of the City's industrial complexes are located in the 2 highest seismic risk zones. The highest seismic risk zone also 3 contains the largest concentration of hazardous materials. 4 Hazardous materials, particularly toxic gases, could pose the 5 greatest threat to the largest number, should a significant seismic 6 event occur. The City's resources would have to be prioritized to 7 mitigate the greatest threat, and may likely be unavailable for fires 8 in smaller single -dwellings and structures. 9 1 0 Other variables may tend to intensify the situation: 11 12 1) The extent of damage to the water system; 13 14 2) The extent of isolation due to bridge and/or freeway 15 overpass collapse; 16 17 3) The extent of roadway damage and/or amount of debris 18 blocking the roadways; 19 20 4) Climatic conditions (hot, dry weather with high winds); 21 22 5) Time of day will influence the amount of traffic on roadways 23 and could intensify the risk of life during normal business 24 hours; 25 26 6) The availability of timely mutual aid or assistance; from 27 neighboring departments which could also have 28 emergencies at the same time. 29 30 7) The large portion of dwellings with wood shingle roof 3 1 coverings could result in conflagrations. 32 33 Conclusion: Local climatic, geological and topographic conditions impact fire 34 protection efforts, and the frequency, spread, acceleration, intensity and size of 35 fire involving buildings in this community. Further, they impact potential 36 damage to all structures from earthquake and subsequent fire. Therefore it is 37 found to be reasonably necessary that the Uniform Fire Code be changed or 38 modified to mitigate the effects of the above conditions. 0 ORD. I799NCS