Township of Saddle Brook, NJ Chapter 93 Fire Prevention

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Saddle Brook as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]

Article I (Reserved)

Article Il Administration

[Adopted 9-26-1985 by Ord. No. 915[1]]

[1] Editor's Note: This ordinance superseded former Ch. 93, Fire Prevention, adopted as follows: Art. I, 3-10-1959 by Ord. No. 471, amended in its entirety 11-9-1965 by Ord. No. 578; Art. II, 5-10-1973 by Ord. No. 689.

§ 93-1 Local enforcement.

Pursuant to Section 11 of the Uniform Fire Safety Act (P.L. 1983, c. 383),[1] the Uniform Fire Code shall be enforced locally in the municipality of Saddle Brook. The local enforcing agency shall be the Bureau of Fire Prevention in the Township of Saddle Brook Fire Department. An existing municipal fire-prevention office may be designated to enforce the code.

[1] Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 52:27D-202.

§ 93-2 Life hazard uses.

The local enforcing agency established by § 93-1 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 Community Affairs.

§ 93-3 Powers and duties of enforcement agency.

The local enforcement agency shall enforce the Uniform Fire Safety Act[1] and the codes and regulations adopted under it in all buildings, structures and premises within the established boundaries of Saddle Brook, other than owner-occupied one- and two-family dwellings, and shall faithfully comply with the requirements of the Uniform Fire Safety Act and the Uniform Fire Code.

[1] Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 52:27D-192 et seq.

§ 93-4 Organization of enforcement agency.

The local enforcing agency established by this chapter shall be part of the Township of Saddle Brook Fire Department and shall be under the direct supervision of and control of the Fire Official, who shall report to the Fire Chief. The full-time Fire Official will serve as the Chief of the Fire Prevention Bureau.

§ 93-5 Appointment and term of Fire Official.

The Fire Official shall be appointed by the Mayor in the Township of Saddle Brook from a recommendation provided in writing by the Chief of the Fire Department. The term of office for the Fire Official shall be three years.

§ 93-6 Inspectors and employees.

The local enforcing agency shall also consist of 12 Inspectors and other employees as may be necessary. All Inspectors, including the Fire Official, shall be certified by the State of New Jersey. Four Inspectors shall be appointed from each of the three fire companies within the township. Said appointments shall be made by the Mayor, upon the recommendations of the Fire Official and the Chief of the Fire Department. All Inspectors shall serve as members of the enforcing agency for terms of two years. If an individual fire company can not provide a list of four certified Inspector candidates, then appointments will be made from fire companies that can provide certified Inspectors.

§ 93-7 Removal from office.

Inspectors and other employees of the enforcing agency shall be subject to removal by the Mayor or Fire Official for inefficiency or misconduct. Each Inspector or employee to be so removed shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard by the appointing authority or a designated hearing officer.

§ 93-8 Appeals.

Pursuant to the Uniform Fire Safety Act,[1] any person aggrieved by any order of the local enforcement agency shall have the right to appeal to the Construction Board of Appeals of Bergen County.

[1] Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 52:27D-192 et seq.

§ 93-9 Inspections.

A. All inspections assigned to Inspectors by the Fire Official shall be conducted within five days of the assignment. If any Inspector willfully fails to conduct said inspection, then he or she may be removed from office, and a new certified Inspector will be appointed immediately to fill the vacancy.

B. All Inspectors will be provided with proper identification which he or she will be required to wear on all assigned inspections within the Township of Saddle Brook.

§ 93-10 Permit fees.

[Amended 10-9-1986 by Ord. No. 934]

The permit fees as established by the Uniform Fire Code shall be as follows:

A. Type 1 permit: $100 per year.

[Amended 3-19-1998 by Ord. No. 1154; 3-13-2003 by Ord. No. 1267; 4-14-2011 by Ord. No. 1506; 3-14-2019 by Ord. No. 1654-19]

(1) Bonfires.

(2) The use of any flame-producing device required to remove paint from any building or seal membrane roofs on any building or structure, or seal or tar any roof on any building or structure.

(3) Tents exceeding 1,200 square feet or 30 feet in any direction, whether single or made up of multiple smaller units, when used for purposes which would constitute a life hazard were they to be used or found in building.

(4) Individual portable kiosks or displays when erected in a covered mall for a period of less than 90 days and when not covered by a Type 2 permit.

(5) The use of any open-flame-producing device, in connection with any public gathering, for purposes of entertainment, amusement or recreation in places of public assembly.

(6) Welding or cutting operations, unless the operation is in an approved area and registered as a life safety hazard use.

(7) The use in any building or a multipurpose room with a maximum permitted occupancy of 100 or more for amusement, entertainment or mercantile purposes.

(8) The storage, handling or processing of liquefied petroleum gas, liquid natural gas and compressed flammable gas in containers of 50 gallons or up to 210 pounds capacity in any use group occupancy.

(9) The possession or use of explosives or blasting agents.

B. Type 2 permits: $175 per year.

[Amended 3-19-1998 by Ord. No. 1154; 3-13-2003 by Ord. No. 1267; 4-14-2011 by Ord. No. 1506; 3-14-2019 by Ord. No. 1654-19]

C. Type 3 permits: $200 per year.

[Amended 3-19-1998 by Ord. No. 1154; 3-13-2003 by Ord. No. 1267; 4-14-2011 by Ord. No. 1506; 3-14-2019 by Ord. No. 1654-19]

(1) The storage, handling or processing at normal temperature and pressure of more than 51 gallons or 214 pounds of flammable compressed gas, liquefied petroleum gas or liquefied natural gas.

(2) The storage and use of fuel oil or gasoline dispersed by means of a pump for private use, not a public gas station.

D. Type 4 permit: $300 per year.

[Amended 3-19-1998 by Ord. No. 1154; 3-13-2003 by Ord. No. 1267; 4-14-2011 by Ord. No. 1506; 3-14-2019 by Ord. No. 1654-19]

E. Type 5 permit: $54 each event.

[Amended ; 3-14-2019 by Ord. No. 1654-19]

(1) Any cooking operation that requires a suppression system; in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:70-4.7(g).

(2) Any cooking operation using LP gas or LN gas.

(3) Any cooking operation using a gas-fired generator.

F. Smoke and carbon monoxide detector certificate, per inspection: $50. All reinspections will be charged a reinspection fee equal to the first inspection fee for each additional time an inspection official is required to return to the premises.

[Added 3-13-2003 by Ord. No. 1267; amended 4-14-2011 by Ord. No. 1506; 5-12-2011 by Ord. No. 1512]

§ 93-11 Registration fees.

[Amended 10-9-1986 by Ord. No. 934; 3-19-1998 by Ord. No. 1154]

A. In addition to the inspections and fees required pursuant to the Act and the regulations of the Department of Community Affairs, the following additional annual inspections and fees shall be required. To provide a fire-inspection service for all places of business located within the Township of Saddle Brook not classified as life hazard uses, the following inspection fees are required (with all calculations of gross area shall be rounded to the nearest square foot):

[Amended 3-13-2003 by Ord. No. 1267; 4-14-2011 by Ord. No. 1506; 3-14-2019 by Ord. No. 1654-19]

(1) Any building and structure, Use Groups A, B, E, F, I, M and S.

(a) SB-1: Any building, structure and premises up to 1,499 square feet in gross area: $120 per year.

(b) SB-2: Any building, structure and premises from 1,500 square feet to 3,499 square feet in gross area: $160 per year.

(c) SB-3: Any building, structure and premises from 3,500 square feet to 6,999 square feet in gross area: $240 per year.

(d) SB-4: Any building, structure and premises from 7,000 square feet to 9,999 square feet in gross area: $300 per year.

(e) SB-5: Any building, structure and premises from 10,000 square feet to 11,999 square feet in gross area: $350 per year.

(f) SB-6: Any building, structure and premises from 12,000 square feet to 14,999 square feet in gross area: $400 per year.

(g) SB-7: Any building, structure and premises from 15,000 square feet to 17,999 square feet in gross area: $450 per year.

(h) SB-8: Any building, structure and premises over 18,000 square feet and above in gross area: $500 per year.

(2) Non-owner-occupied homes and garden apartments.

(a) SB-9: up to two units: $100 per year.

(b) SB-10: three to five units: $140 per year.

(c) SB-11: six to 10 units: $160 per year.

(d) SB-12: 11 to 20 units: $200 per year.

(e) SB-13: 21 to 39 units: $250 per year.

(f) SB-14: 40 or more units: $300 per year.

B. All municipal, Board of Education, township service organizations, religious buildings, structures and premises shall be exempt from inspection fees. This does not exempt the above names from filing any required inspection forms or exempt any of the above-named from safety inspections by this Bureau.

§ 93-12 Violations and penalties.

[Amended 10-9-1986 by Ord. No. 934]

Violation of this chapter shall be in accordance with the New Jersey State Fire Safety Code, New Jersey Administrative Code Title 5, N.J.A.C. 5:18, 5:18-2.12, Penalties, and 5:18-2.13, Injunctive relief.