Council lifts sprinkler requirement for one Bellasol lot, conditions approval on concrete construction

The Bradenton City Council on May 13 approved a major amendment to the Bellasol plan-development (PDP) to remove a stipulation that required interior sprinkler systems for a single remaining lot, but only after adding stipulations to limit combustible construction materials.

Staff and the fire marshal told the council that changes in statewide fire and building codes plus improvements to gate access reduced the need for a mandatory sprinkler system on that lot. The homeowner, Scott DeCano (speaker 6), and the BellaSol HOA president, Bill McGowan (speaker 7), told council members that the cost of installing a sprinkler system in single-family homes can be prohibitive and that many existing homeowners share concerns about maintenance costs and system reliability.

Fire department staff recommended retaining other PDP stipulations such as concrete/block construction and access standards. Councilwoman Barnaby moved to approve the amendment removing the sprinkler stipulation for this lot but added a condition that the house be built of concrete materials with a steel roof (and other less-combustible components) to preserve fire separation. The motion was seconded and passed 5–0.

Council and the fire chief emphasized that removing the stipulation was limited to this advertised lot only; other stipulations in the PDP remain in force and any broader change would require a separate application. The city will prepare the corresponding amendment documentation for the record.

Next steps: staff will place the amended PDP language and the draft order on a subsequent agenda and ensure the single-lot building permit reflects the concrete-and-steel-materials condition.