We all know that parking in a fire lane is illegal. Yet, many citizens do that every day. The space outside of a business or school is not a loading zone if it is designated as a fire lane. The fire lane is an area reserved for fire apparatus, ambulance or police vehicle responding to an emergency to be able to park at a useful distance from a structure. In additional, emergency vehicles will stage in a fire lane in order to provide rapid response to emergency calls.
Unobstructed fire lanes are essential for emergency access to all buildings and schools. The Town of Fairview has an ordinance preventing the obstruction of these lanes due to life safety concerns.
503.4 Obstruction of fire apparatus access roads. Fire apparatus access roads shall not be obstructed in any manner, including the parking of vehicles. The minimum widths and clearances established in Section 503.2.1 of the International Fire Code (2012) and any area marked as a fire lane as described in Section 503.3 shall be maintained at all times.
a. Court fines resulting from an unoccupied vehicle in the fire lane shall be the responsibility of the vehicle operator or the registered owner (citations may be mailed or delivered in person).
b. Unoccupied and/or occupied vehicles or other obstructions in the fire lane may be removed or towed at the expense of the registered owner.