(a) Each building covered by this chapter shall have an emergency helicopter landing facility located on the roof of the building in an area approved by the public safety department. The landing facility shall be installed under permit of the department of community development. The landing facility for public safety department emergency use only shall be installed as follows:

(1) A landing glide slope angle determined by a ratio of eight feet horizontal distance for every one foot of vertical clearance required. Two such approaches shall be available at least ninety degrees removed from each other;

(2) A clear, unobstructed landing and take-off area with a minimum dimension of one hundred feet by one hundred feet and a touch-down area having a minimum dimension of fifty feet by fifty feet;

(3) If the roof has no parapet wall, a substantial fence or safety net shall be provided around the perimeter of the roof in such a manner that it will not restrict or reduce the required landing and takeoff area;

(4) A wind-indicating device shall be provided;

(5) A wet standpipe and outlet shall be provided having one and one-half-inch national standard thread and shall be located in such a manner that it will not restrict or reduce the required landing and takeoff area. Sufficient pressure shall be available to afford a good fog pattern.

(b) The required helicopter landing facility may be waived by the city council in those instances where the developer submits plans of a building design which incorporates features providing a system of building evacuation equal to or greater than that provided by the helicopter landing facility.

The building design shall be approved by a consultant or consultants who have been selected by the city and paid by the development, prior to submission to the city council.

An emergency helistop, in compliance with helistop requirements of U.F.C., Article 24 shall be provided for every highrise building in which there are habitable floors above one hundred fifty (150) feet in height. All helistops shall be designed as required by the Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Helicopter Design Advisory Circular 150/5390-2, and Title 21, Division of Aeronautics. Helistops shall be designed to support a minimum ten thousand (10,000) pounds. Helistops for other than emergency use shall be provided with a fuel containment system capable of holding two hundred (200) gallons and shall be designed so that no fuel shall enter the building drain system.

(a) Exception #1: Helistop may be omitted when a permanent enclosed stairway is provided for public safety department use. This stairway shall access all floors of the building. The stairway shall be a minimum of thirty-six (36) inches wide. Stair landings shall be a minimum of forty-eight (48) inches at the head and bottom of stair flights. Access to this stairway shall be by public safety department personnel only. The public safety department stairway shall meet all of the requirements of U.B.C., Section 1807, except manual pull stations, public telephones and exit signs will not be required. The locking of stairway doors shall be on a separate switch located in the fire control room and not tied into the fire alarm system.

(b) Exception #2: Helistop may be omitted when the building is equipped with a freight elevator that serves all floors and is separated from all other elevators. This elevator shaft and its lobbies shall be protected by a minimum of two hour fire-resistive construction with all openings protected by a minimum of one and one-half hour fire-resistive construction and the elevator shall meet the requirements of an emergency elevator.

(a) When in the opinion of the public safety emergency communications division, the structure obstructs line of sight emergency radio communications to any portion of the city, an approved space with an adequate power source shall be provided for necessary retransmission equipment.

(b) Buildings and structures which cannot support the required level of radio coverage shall meet public safety department radio system coverage policy.

A permanent piped air system shall be installed to allow the public safety department to fill portable air bottles. An outlet shall be installed in each equipment storage room or as directed by the director of public safety. The inlet shall be placed in a location approved by the public safety department. Such system shall provide an adequate pressurized fresh air supply.