Putting up a shop in CA - fire department being a pain

I can agree the rules are there for a reason.... But Either install a 20,000 gallon tank or make a donation sounds an awful lot like a gangster style "protection" racket.... JMHO
Imagine the ground requirements for installing a 20,000 gallon water container? The weight of the container plus 8.33 pounds per gallon of water plus the cost of filling it with city water..