Pursuant to Section 11 of the Uniform Fire Safety Act (P.L.
1983 c. 383), the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code (N.J.A.C. 5:70-1 et
seq.) shall be locally enforced in the Borough of Metuchen.
The local enforcing agency shall be the Bureau of Fire Prevention
which is hereby created in the Municipal Fire Department of the Borough
of Metuchen. The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall hereinafter be known
as the local enforcing agency.
The local enforcing agency established by §
93-2 of this chapter shall be a part of the Municipal Fire Department of the Borough of Metuchen and shall be under the direct supervision and control of a Fire Official who shall report to the Borough Administrator.
Pursuant to Sections 15 and 17 of the Uniform Fire Safety Act,
any person aggrieved by any order of the local enforcement agency
(or agencies) shall have the right to appeal to the Board of Appeals
of the County of Middlesex.
The local enforcing agency established by §
93-2 of this chapter shall carry out the periodic inspections of life-hazard uses required by the Uniform Fire Code on behalf of the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.
The following non-life-hazard uses shall register with the Bureau
of Fire Prevention and pay an annual registration fee, according to
the following schedule:
A. Fees.
(1) Mercantile/retail/banking: $50 for the first 2,000 square feet; $5
for each additional 1,000 or fraction thereof.
(2) Factories, assembly plants, wood and metal shops: $75 for the first
1,000 square feet; $10 for each additional 1,000 or fraction thereof.
(3) Warehouse, storage (no assembly) manufacturing or retailing: $50
for the first 3,000 square feet $5 for each additional 1,000 or fraction
thereof.
(4) Business/office: $50 for the first 2,000 square feet $5 for each
additional 1,000 or fraction thereof.
(5) Multiple dwellings (three or more dwelling units): $50 for the first
four dwelling units; $10 for each additional four units or fraction
thereof.
(6) Other use: $50 minimum inspection fee.
B. Residential (one- or two-family houses): Annual registration fee
is $40 per rental unit.
C. Uses not classified above that are subject to the Uniform Fire Code
will be classified as business uses.
D. Uses required to register with the state as life-hazard uses shall
not be required to register under this section.
E. In the discretion of the Fire Official, vacant buildings will be
charged and inspected according to the previous use of the building.
The Fire Official shall periodically inspect all uses registered
hereunder once every two years. If more than one inspection is required
in any year, due to a change in occupancy, the owner shall pay for
each additional inspection an amount equal to the annual registration
fee.
The owner of any premises that is registered hereunder shall
notify the Fire Official in writing of each change of occupancy. At
the time thereof or prior to the change of occupancy, the owner of
any premises that is registered hereunder shall re-register with the
Bureau of Fire Prevention and pay the annual registration fee.
[Amended 5-7-2018 by Ord.
No. 2018-08]
In addition to the inspections and fees required pursuant to
the Uniform Safety Act and the regulations of the Department of Community
Affairs, the following additional inspections and fees shall be required.
A. The application fees for the permits listed in N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.7(b)
shall be as provided by state regulation and are currently as follows:
Type
|
Fee
|
---|
1
|
$54
|
2
|
$214
|
3
|
$427
|
4
|
$641
|
B. The cost for the issuance of a certificate of fire code status shall
be $35.
C. The in-lieu-of-inspection application fee for a certificate of smoke
detector (no substitution allowed for smoke detectors) and carbon
monoxide alarm compliance (one on every level) (CSDCMAC), as required
by N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3, and portable fire extinguisher requirements
in accordance with the New Jersey Law § 1 of P.L. 1991,
c. 92 (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-198.1) (located within 10 feet of kitchen area),
shall be based upon the amount of time remaining before the change
of occupant is expected, as follows:
(1) Requests for CSDCMAC received more than 10 business days prior to
the change of occupant: $45.
(2) Requests for CSDCMAC received four to 10 business days prior to the
change of occupant: $90.
(3) Requests for CSDCMAC received fewer than four business days prior
to the change of occupant: $161.
(4) Reinspection fee: $25 each time.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to permit any construction or use which is prohibited by Chapter
110, Land Development, of this Code or other ordinances of the Borough.
Nothing herein contained shall be considered to repeal any previously
established fire area or fire lane which shall continue to remain
in full force and effect.
The invalidity of any section or provision of this chapter or
of the Fire Prevention Code adopted by this chapter shall not invalidate
other sections or provisions thereof. Any provisions of this chapter
or the Fire Prevention Code adopted by this chapter which conflict
with any state law or regulation shall have no effect, and such state
law or regulation shall prevail in respect to the interpretation and
enforcement of this chapter and the Code adopted herein.