[Adopted 8-10-1982; amended 9-14-1982; 10-26-1982; 8-14-1984; 9-11-1984; 11-26-1996; 10-10-2000 (Sec. 15:4 of the 1975 General Ordinances)]
The purpose of this chapter shall be to create
fire lanes and zones wherein fire equipment, personnel, and other
emergency vehicles will have an unobstructed means of ingress and
egress to the buildings and/or other structures within the Township
in the event of a fire or other emergency response.
Fire lanes shall be created in accordance with
N.J.A.C. 5:18-3.3(L). Fire lanes shall be defined as "a designated
area to permit fire apparatus and other emergency vehicles and personnel
to traverse for purposes of emergency response." Fire lanes shall
be marked and constructed in accordance with this chapter and shall
be described in Schedules 1, 2 and 4 attached hereto and made a part
of this section.[1] Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, approval
of the designation of such fire lanes by the Township Council may
be by resolution.
[1]
Editor's Note: Schedules 1, 2 and 4 are on
file in the Township offices.
[Amended 10-27-2009 by Ord. No. 09-OR-025]
Fire zones shall be created by the Fire Official, with the approval of the Chief Executive Officer of the Fire District and the Public Safety Director, for buildings and structures within the Township excluding one-family detached dwellings as defined in Chapter 330, Zoning, Art. II, of the General Ordinances of the Township of Burlington. Fire zones are designated areas at entrances, exits, loading doors or other accessways to premises, and Fire District connections which shall remain unobstructed at all times so as to provide access to buildings by fire apparatus, personnel and other emergency vehicles. These areas shall be as described in Schedules 1, 2, and 3 attached hereto and made a part of this section.[1] Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, approval
of the designation of such fire zones by the Township Council may
be by resolution.
[1]
Editor's Note: Schedules 1, 2 and 3 are on
file in the Township offices.
[Amended 10-27-2009 by Ord. No. 09-OR-025]
The location, dimensions, markings and number
of signs that shall be required in or upon a fire lane or zone shall
be determined by the Fire Official of the Township upon advice from
the Chief Executive Officer of the Fire District, who shall base their
findings upon the size, type and location of the buildings and/or
other structures; provided, however, that each such lane or zone shall,
where possible, conform to the schedules in this chapter and to the
following:
A.
Fire zones shall be no less than 10 feet nor more
than 50 feet in width and shall be striped and lettered in yellow
on a paved surface. Said striping and lettering shall be legible at
all times. Said striping and lettering shall comply with the standards
set forth in Schedule 2[1] of this chapter and with all applicable standards which
shall hereinafter be promulgated by the State of New Jersey.
[1]
Editor's Note: Schedule 2 is on file in the
Township offices.
B.
Fire lanes proposed within the Township shall conform
with the following:
1.
Fire lanes shall have a minimum width of 25 feet.
2.
Fire lanes shall be set back a minimum of 25 feet
from any structure.
3.
Fire lanes shall be constructed of either asphalt
paving, concrete, concrete paving blocks, or eight-inch minimum of
dense graded aggregate. Where soil conditions warrant, geotextile
fabric shall be installed. Fire lanes shall be designed to support
a weight of approximately 25 tons. The design of the fire lanes shall
be subject to the approval of the Reviewing Board Engineer and Fire
Official and Chief Executive Officer of the Fire District.
[Amended 10-27-2009 by Ord. No. 09-OR-025]
4.
All fire lanes shall be designed with a turning radii
that will allow the largest fire vehicle to remain within the designated
fire lane or travel lane while negotiating a turn.
5.
Fire lanes located in landscaped areas shall be designated
by "fire lane" signs located on both sides of said lane at an interval
determined by the Board of Fire Engineers.
6.
Where required to access a roadway, fire lanes shall
provide a depressed curb.
C.
Fire lanes and fire zones shall have signs, the lettering
on which shall be legible at all times, which shall advise that the
area is a "Fire Zone" or "Fire Lane," and such signs shall comply
with the standards set forth in Schedules 3 and 4 of this section[2] and with all applicable standards which shall hereafter
be promulgated by the State of New Jersey.
[2]
Editor's Note: Schedules 3 and 4 are on file
in the Township offices.
D.
It shall be at the discretion of the Fire Official
and Chief Executive Officer of the Fire District to grant a waiver
to any of the above requirements, and the reasons for granting a waiver
shall be documented and based on reasonable and prudent deviations
which arise as a result of the particular premises and structures;
however, a waiver shall not be granted if any firematic operation
would be adversely affected.
[Amended 10-27-2009 by Ord. No. 09-OR-025]
It shall be the responsibility of the owner
or owners of the land or premises wherein a fire lane or zone has
been designated to stripe, letter or maintain the appropriate signs
as required and to maintain said striping, lettering and signage in
a legible manner at all times.
A.
Notice by the Fire Official. Upon the creation of
a fire lane and/or zone, the Fire Official shall provide the owner
or owners of the land or premises wherein the fire lane and/or zone
is located with written notice sent by certified mail, return receipt
requested, requiring that the marking, striping, lettering and/or
signage be completed within 60 days from receipt of the letter. Failure
to comply within a sixty-day period will result in the Fire Official
or his designee instituting a proceeding in the Municipal Court against
the owner or owners of the land or premises within which the fire
lane and/or zone is to be located or cite the owner or owners of the
premises under the Uniform Fire Code.
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The Fire Official or his designee shall be responsible
for notifying the owner or owners of the land or premises wherein
a fire lane and/or zone is located that the owner or owners must take
certain steps within 30 days of the date of the receipt of the notice
to maintain the condition of the marking and/or striping and/or lettering
and/or "Fire Lane" and/or "Fire Zone" signs. Said written notice shall
be sent by certified mail, return request requested. Failure to comply
within a thirty-day period will result in the Fire Official or his
designee instituting a Municipal Court proceeding against the owner
or owners of the land or premises within which the fire area is located
or citation of the owner or owners of the premises under the Uniform
Fire Code.
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No person shall, at any time, park a vehicle
or in any other manner obstruct any area that has been designated
as a fire lane and/or zone. This section shall be enforced by the
Police Department of the Township of Burlington or the person may
be cited under the Uniform Fire Code.
