Naples residents and leaders sound the alarm over cost of condo sprinkler system retrofit..

Naples homeowners aren’t happy about the potentially staggering costs associated with complying with the Florida Fire Prevention Code.

The Naples City Council this week discussed the cost associated with complying with the recently revised code. The discussion came about a month before City Council is scheduled to sit down with representatives from the state fire marshal’s office to discuss a state-mandated sprinkler system retrofit. The retrofit must be done by Dec. 30, 2014. But Monday’s discussion had less to do with the retrofit and more to do with code violations that have been popping up in low-, mid- and high-rise condominium complexes in the past few months.

Fire Chief Stephen McInerny has said that the city began inspecting multifamily residences back in June. Those inspections, he said at the time, turned up code violations that had been in place for a while. Those condominiums now need to get in compliance, McInerny said, something that could come at a high cost.

In a memo to City Council members, McInerny outlined the potential costs to condominiums for different code violations. McInery said the pricing — which came directly from fire alarm companies — varied, and he didn’t have an estimate for how much residents will have to pay to get their units in compliance.

That concerned Councilman Gary Price. “We have the obligation to try and work through how many buildings and what the costs are,” he said. “When I asked for the associated costs and estimates, I got a one-page memo and no one can tell me how many units are affected. Our citizens deserve better. I deserve better. We deserve better.” Residents agreed. Condominium owners said the estimates McInerny presented to council weren’t exactly on target.

Ewing Sutherland, president of Gulfside Condominium Association and a member of the Community Advocacy Network, said the retrofits and push to comply were proving costly for condominiums. “This enormous cost associated (with it) are unaffordable by many owners,” Sutherland said. “It could also put associations into receivership.”

McInerny said the high cost could be because some associations are making the choice to retrofit the sprinkler system in addition to making changes to get them in compliance with code. And while McInerny said he understood the frustration condo owners were experiencing, he also said he couldn’t turn a blind eye to code violations.

“What do you want me to do, just ignore it?” McInerny asked. You have violations that exist now and (we’re working to see) how they can be corrected.” McInerny said his department is willing to work with associations in order to comply with current code.

Taken from Connect with Naples.