[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Logan 3-1-2005 by Ord. No. 5-2005. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
[Amended 11-16-2009 by Ord. No. 17-2009]
Fire lanes (aka fire apparatus access roads)
shall be designated as follows for the efficient and effective use
of fire apparatus, for firefighting, police vehicles and ambulances.
Fire lanes shall have a minimum width of 20 feet except for approved
security gates with an unobstructed vertical clearance of not less
than 13 feet six inches.
A.
Where needed. The Fire Official of the local enforcing
agency may establish fire areas on property devoted to public and
private use, in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:70-3, 503.1.1, including,
but not by way of limitation, shopping centers, strip malls, houses
of worship, swimming pools, offices, warehouses, factories, restaurants,
nightclubs, etc., and similar uses within the Township of Logan as
deemed necessary to protect the public health and safety.
(1)
The number, location, width, length, and markings
shall be at the discretion of the Fire Official when the markings
detailed cannot be strictly complied with.
(2)
Consideration is to be given to the size, type, and
location of the building or buildings, the number of persons using
and occupying the premises, existing means of egress and ingress,
the total area of the property, including the size of the parking
lot or lots, and all other relevant factors.
B.
Concurrent jurisdiction. The Township of Logan Police
Department shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the Bureau of Fire
Prevention to enforce the provisions of this section for the designated
fire lanes approved by the Fire Official.
C.
Existing fire lanes. Any and all fire lanes created prior to this chapter are hereby continued in effect, and when repairs or modifications are made to such fire lanes, they shall be brought into the conformity with this chapter, as much as shall be practical in the Fire Official's judgment. The standard for exercise of said judgment shall conform to those contained in Subsection A above.
The owner shall, within 30 days of being given
a notice to do so by the Fire Official, mark the lane(s) as follows:
A.
Signs, with minimum dimensions of 12 inches by 18
inches, constructed of metal and with raised red letters a minimum
of two inches in size on a white background, shall be posted at a
level of at least seven feet above grade, indicating NO PARKING ANYTIME,
PARKING IN DESIGNATED STALLS ONLY, or NO STOPPING OR STANDING, at
the Fire Official's discretion after giving due consideration to the
needs of the fire service and the public. Immediately under these
signs shall be another sign, with a minimum dimension of 12 inches
by six inches saying FIRE LANE VEHICLE TOWED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE or
FIRE LANE NO ON-STREET PARKING VEHICLE TOWED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. Spacing
of signs shall be even with a minimum of one sign for every 50 feet
of fire lane or part thereof, or as ordered by the Fire Official.
All signs and marking must be unobstructed and visible for a distance
of at least 100 feet when viewed from a position approximately five
feet above ground while in the fire lane.
B.
The area of a fire lane on improved areas shall be
delineated along its entire length with yellow lines 18 inches in
width. Between the yellow lines shall be marked NO PARKING FIRE LANE
in yellow letters 18 inches in height. The number of times this wording
is to be repeated shall be at the discretion of the appropriate Fire
Official, with the recommended spacing to be at one-hundred-foot intervals
and spaced so as to be between and alternate with the metal signs
required above. If the designated fire lane abuts a curb, the curbing
shall be yellow in color where it abuts the fire lane.
C.
FIRE APPARATUS ACCESS ROAD
FIRE AREA
FIRE LANE
NO ON-STREET PARKING
NO PARKING ANYTIME
NO STOPPING OR STANDING
PARKING IN DESIGNATED STALLS ONLY
Definitions. For the purposes of fire lane enforcement,
the following terms are defined as follows:
A road that provides fire apparatus access from a fire station
to a facility, building or portion thereof. This is a general term
inclusive of all other terms such as fire lane, public street, private
street, parking lot lane and access roadway.
[Added 11-16-2009 by Ord.
No. 17-2009]
The same as "fire lane."
A road or other passageway developed to allow the passage
of fire apparatus. A fire lane is not necessarily intended for vehicular
traffic other than fire apparatus.
[Amended 11-16-2009 by Ord. No. 17-2009]
A vehicle may not be parked along the street unless loading
or unloading passengers or materials, with a limit of three minutes.
A vehicle may not be parked within the designated area unless
loading or unloading passengers or materials, with a time limit of
three minutes.
No vehicle may be stopped within the designated zone, whether
or not attended or unattended, with or without the motor running or
brakes set.
A vehicle may only be parked within an area so designated
for parking.
[Amended 11-16-2009 by Ord. No. 17-2009]
Fire lanes for vehicle access shall be a minimum
of 20 feet in width except for approved security gates with an unobstructed
vertical clearance of not less than 13 feet six inches.
Once a fire lane has been designated by the
Fire Official, approved as provided above and properly marked by the
owner of the premises, the appropriate Fire Official shall notify
the Police Department, Construction Code Agency and Municipal Court
Clerk, in writing, of the existence and location of the designated
fire lane(s).
Unpaved fire lanes installed on public or private
property shall comply with the "Fire Lane Typical Details" installation
methods and be approved by the Fire Official. Signs and markings shall
be provided as required by the Fire Official and this chapter.
Gates, chains or other approved methods utilized
to prevent unauthorized access to installation, provided such restrictions
will not impede access by fire-fighting apparatus or other emergency
vehicles. The Fire Official shall determine whether any changes or
deviations from the appropriate methods may be utilized.
Fire lanes shall be installed and maintained
by the owner of the premises or a designee in conformity with the
provisions of this chapter. Fire lanes in existence prior to the enactment
of this chapter shall be required to conform to the provisions herein
at the discretion of the Fire Official. Fire lanes must be accessible
for fire apparatus at all times.
A.
Designated fire lanes shall be maintained free of
snow and obstructions, including vehicles, at all times.
B.
The appropriate Fire Official, his designee, or a
police officer of the Township of Logan shall have the authority to
remove or have removed such obstructions or vehicles as may violate
any section of this chapter, at the expense of the owner of the vehicle.
The presumption of ownership may be overcome by proof furnished to
the satisfaction of the Municipal Court or Superior Court, Law Division,
that some other person was the actual offender.
C.
It shall be a separate violation of this chapter for
any driver or operator of any motor vehicle to fail to present a driver's
license and/or vehicle registration upon demand of any person authorized
to enforce this chapter when requested as part of the enforcement
procedure.
[Amended 12-5-2006 by Ord. No. 19-2006]
The Fire Officials may complete a municipal
summons or a notice of violations, and said summons or notice of violations
shall be issued for all offenders by personally serving same upon
any offender, or if the offender is not attendant to the vehicle shall
mail the notice of violations by certified mail, return receipt requested
to the person's last known address.
This chapter shall supersede any and all provisions
of any other ordinance promulgated for the enforcement of parking
in fire lanes. Enforcement shall only be done by personnel from either
the Bureau of Fire Prevention or the appropriate local enforcement
agencies. Personnel enforcing these provisions shall be either uniformed
or carry appropriate identification.
A.
It shall be the right of any person receiving such
a summons to plead guilty or not guilty to the charge of violating
this chapter. Those persons pleading not guilty to the charge of violating
this chapter shall be given the opportunity to present their defense
before the Municipal Court of Logan Township or the Gloucester County
Construction Board of Appeals.
B.
All persons pleading guilty in Municipal Court or
convicted of violating this chapter shall be fined a maximum of $25
per violation for passenger vehicles and $100 per violation for commercial
vehicles and equipment, plus court costs. All fines and court costs
shall be payable to the Clerk of the Municipal Court. All fines assessed
as a result of summonses issued shall be paid thereafter to the Bureau
of Fire Prevention by the Court Clerk. All court costs shall be paid
thereafter to the Court Clerk.
