Hazardous material tank code amended

By ROB LARSON
Daily Press Staff Writer
The Artesia City Council approved an ordinance amending Chapter 8-1, pertaining to building regulations, of the Artesia Municipal Code at Tuesday’s meeting.
The changes proposed by Fire Marshal James Abner and Community Development Director Tina Torres altered five sections of the code. As Abner explained, the intent of the first four changes was to prohibit Class I and Class II liquids in above-ground tanks and of flammable cryogenic fluids in stationary containers in mobile homes and planned unit developments (PUD). … For the rest of the story, subscribe in print and on the web.
“The intent of that when we originally adopted it was to ensure that hazardous material storage tanks were not located in residential neighborhoods,” Abner said. “But we accidently left off areas zoned for mobile homes and PUDs. It’s just to ensure that people living in those areas have the same level of safety as everyone else.”
Abner said an exception was made for Artesia General Hospital to allow the hospital to house a large cryogenic tank for liquefied oxygen on their premises.