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Business/Economic

New Restaurant Regulations for Winter

By October 23, 2020No Comments

Many restaurants may be considering using tents to keep outdoor areas warm, while continuing to make extra space available for physical distancing. They should be aware that tents should either be separated by 20’ from their building, or review whether they meet fire code if closer than 20’.

More detail from the Deputy State Fire Marshal:

There are exceptions to the 20-foot tent separation distance from buildings outlined as in the Oregon Fire Code (OFC) Chapter 31.  … generally temporary tent structures are not to be located within 20 feet of buildings, lot lines, other tents or membrane structures, parked vehicles or internal combustion engines (See OFC 3103.8.2). The 20-foot separation distance is consistent with general requirements for conventional structures, especially those that could represent an above-average fire hazard. Requiring 20 feet of clear ground around the tent structure helps reduce the likelihood that burning tent material and flying embers would endanger other structures or encroach into public traffic ways. But as this is the general requirement, there are two exceptions. The first exception does not apply to buildings, but rather only between membrane structures and tents. It is the second exception that may be applied when placing tents adjacent to buildings or structures. Tents need not be separated from buildings where all of the following conditions are met: