Richland, WA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)

RMC § 20.02.298 amends the maximum-capacity provisions of Chapter 61 of the International Fire Code for liquefied petroleum gas storage citywide. Rather than setting its own gallon figures, Richland ties the cap to whatever quantity threshold Chapter 61 of the IFC establishes for LP-gas storage, then narrows where that higher-volume storage is allowed: the code lists 'all use districts except I-1 (limited manufacturing), I-M (medium industrial) or M-2 (heavy manufacturing)' as subject to the restriction, meaning larger bulk LP-gas storage above the IFC's baseline limits is confined to those three industrial zones.

Any property owner, contractor, propane supplier, or homeowner storing LP-gas tanks, whether for a residential barbecue exchange cage, a mobile home park's central tank, or a commercial appliance installation, must keep quantities within the applicable IFC limit unless the site sits in I-1, I-M, or M-2 zoning. The fire code official, who under RMC § 20.02.020 is the chief of the Richland fire and emergency services department, the fire marshal, or a designee, administers and enforces the limit. This section sits within the same Chapter 20.02 fire prevention code that also governs fireworks, flammable liquids, and bio-fuel storage permits for residential occupancies.

Because the restriction is a zoning-tied capacity limit rather than a flat prohibition, an applicant proposing bulk propane storage above the IFC baseline in a residential or commercial district needs a zone change rather than a fire permit alone.