Who Approves Condo Association Fire Lanes?

D.S. from Litchfield County writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

Can an association put in a fire lane without a fire marshal approval?

Mister Condo replies:

D.S., if the association owns the roads and parking lots within its boundaries, they are more or less free to designate fire lanes, parking areas, and other restriction on the land as they see fit. It is private property. There may be local building and fire codes to consider when designating such fire lanes and it is probably a good idea to have a fire marshal inspect the fire lanes to make sure they meet the minimum requirement for the local fire department. Typically, fire lanes are established when a property is first constructed. However, provided no local ordinances were violated, I cannot think of any reason the association could not make a determination as to where to put in a fire lane and then enforce the association’s rules for not parking in those designated lanes. Please note that I am not a fire marshal nor do I have knowledge of the local ordinances for your town. If you have concerns that aren’t addressed here, I strongly encourage you to contact your local fire department and pose your question. All the best!