[Adopted 10-23-1973 as Ord. No. 148]
This ordinance may be cited and shall be known
as the "Palmer Township Basic Fire Prevention Ordinance, Article II."
This ordinance is and shall be supplemental
to any other ordinances of Palmer Township, and in case of any conflict
between this ordinance and any other law, code or ordinance applying
to the said township, the most restrictive provision shall prevail.
As used in this ordinance, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Conforming to the national fire codes and township ordinances
and approved by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., or Factory Mutual
Laboratories or their successors or approved by some similar agency
designated by the Township Supervisors.
An approved system which can automatically detect fire at
all times and which can also be activated manually, including alarm
horns or bells inside and the same outside with a visual signal.
An approved system with alarm bells and approved devices
which can automatically detect, control and extinguish fire at all
times. The system shall include an adequate supply of water on at
least a six-inch main with manual alarm stations, and may use agents
other than water when necessary in special situations.
Any structure designed for the protection or housing of persons
or chattels.
Coverage at all locations in a building necessary for approval
of coverage at such locations.
Separate living quarters of any apartment-type building or
a rental room of any motel or hotel.
As a minimum, complete coverage with an automatic
fire alarm shall be provided in the following buildings:
A.
All apartments, rooming houses, hotels, motels and
multiple-family dwellings containing three or more dwelling units.
B.
All churches or nonprofit places of worship, commercial,
industrial or public buildings of 5,000 or more total square feet
of floor area or which can reasonably accommodate 100 or more persons.
As a minimum, complete coverage with an automatic sprinkler system shall be provided in the following buildings, which need not then comply with § 81-15 hereof:
A.
All apartment houses, rooming houses, hotels, motels
and multiple-family dwellings containing 10 or more dwelling units.
B.
All schools, nursing homes, old-age facilities, sanatoriums,
hospitals and movie theaters.
C.
All commercial, industrial or public buildings more
than 35 feet high, or which can reasonably accommodate 250 or more
persons or which contain 10,000 or more total square feet of floor
area, except churches and nonprofit places of worship.
D.
Automobile showrooms or garages of more than 2,500
square feet total floor area, and any building regardless of size
or height in which unusually severe fire hazards are presented.
When automatic sprinkler systems are required
under this or any other township ordinance, a standard fire hydrant
with unusual township connections shall be provided within 100 feet
of all fire department standoff sprinkler feed connections on at least
a six-inch main.
Approved central station protection by direct
line connection shall be mandatory for schools, nursing homes, sanatoriums,
hospitals and buildings more than 65 feet tall.
Smoking in or on a bed is prohibited in any
apartment house, rooming house, hotel, motel or multiple-family dwelling
containing two or more dwelling units. Running of engines of motor
vehicles other than emergency vehicles is prohibited during refueling
of the same with flammable liquids, and smoking is prohibited within
35 feet of such refueling operations.
Separate dwelling units of all apartment houses,
rooming houses, hotels, motels and multiple-family dwellings shall
be constructed physically separate from each other, and in no case
shall any common attic, crawl space, cock loft, suspended ceiling
or chamber connect them.
[Amended 10-25-1988 by Ord. No. 227]
A.
Any structure constructed or operated in violation
of this ordinance is hereby declared to be a nuisance, and such construction
or operation may be enjoined by equitable proceedings. Each day a
violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. In addition
to the foregoing, any person, partnership, corporation or trust which
in any way violates or fails to comply with this ordinance shall be
liable, for each offense, upon conviction before any Magistrate or
Justice of the Peace in a summary proceeding, to a fine or penalty
for the use of the township of not more than $1,000 or to imprisonment
in the county jail for a period not exceeding 30 days, as provided
by law.
B.
Each day of violation of the particular code or ordinance
applicable shall be considered a separate offense, for which the fines
and penalties stated herein may be imposed on a daily basis.
[Added 2-24-1976 by Ord. No. 161]
Sections 81-15 and 81-16 of this ordinance shall apply to all new structures and uses and to any existing structure which is found by the fire official to be dangerous or hazardous or which is more than fifty-percent damaged in either value based upon present replacement cost or number of dwelling units or floor area.
[Added 2-24-1976 by Ord. No. 161]
The fire official may require and conduct periodic
fire drills in any school, nursing home or structure containing 10
or more dwelling units or 10,000 or more square feet of floor area,
or which is more than 35 feet in height. No person shall block or
park in front of any fire hydrant or fire standoff connection pertaining
to such a facility or any commercial or industrial building.
[Added 6-6-1977 by Ord. No. 166; amended 8-21-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-365]
Unless expressly waived or reduced in size by the Township Fire Commissioner or Enforcement Officer, the periphery of all public buildings 10,000 or more square feet in size shall be surrounded by a fire lane or fire zone extending from the outer edge of the open or covered sidewalk immediately adjoining said buildings to a point 12 feet away and out from said edge or, in places where no sidewalk is present, from the wall of said building to a point 12 feet away and out from said wall. Such fire lanes and fire zones shall be deemed established and enforced under § 81-4 of this Code with such appropriate markings and signs as the Township Fire Commissioner or Enforcement Officer may require. Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the Township Fire Commissioner or Enforcement Officer from requiring that fire lanes be established pursuant to § 81-4 of this Code at other particular locations designated by him to provide and guarantee access by fire and emergency equipment. In cases where an unattended motor vehicle is parked in or is blocking access to such a fire lane or fire zone, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the owner of such vehicle parked it there.
[Added 6-6-1977 by Ord. No. 166; amended 8-21-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-365]
The Township Fire Commissioner or Enforcement
Officer may require that owners or operators of vehicle filling and
service stations post signs on all pumps dispensing gasoline warning
persons against running vehicle engines or smoking in said area during
refueling.
