[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Bethlehem 10-1-1992
as Ord. No. 263-92. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Land use and development — See Ch. 102.
The purpose of this chapter is to require clear display of authorized
and assigned numbers for every habitable and principal building within the
Township of Bethlehem to which access is gained over any public street or
private road, in order to assist the general public and emergency services,
public and private, in identifying the property in case of an emergency, as
well as, for the welfare of the general public in conducting their normal
affairs, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:67-1 et seq.
Certain words, used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings:
Any principal building which is designed for human occupancy, including
but not limited to a house or other residential building, a store, warehouse,
industrial building, school or public building, but not including a barn designed
for shelter of animals, crops or farm equipment.
Any street, road, lane or driftway, which serves as motor vehicular
access to habitable buildings on more than one Tax Map lot. The term shall
not include a driveway or farm lane, giving access to a principal building
or buildings which are all on one Tax Map lot.
A street or road, within the Township of Bethlehem, maintained by
this township or by the County of Hunterdon.
A.
The Township Clerk in coordination with the local United
States Post Master(s) are hereby authorized to establish numbers for each
structure and lot and to file in the township office maps of the lots of land
established within the township and designating therein the numbering of such
lots for proper identification.
B.
The Township Clerk and Post Master(s) are authorized
to assign numbers to buildings erected upon vacant lots for proper identification.
As standards for such designation and assignment, the Clerk and Post Master(s)
shall give due regard to the need for a logical and uniform sequence of assignment
along the streets and roads of the township to obtain better identification
and convenience for location.
The owner of any property, whether it be residential, commercial, industrial
or otherwise, and upon which there is located a principal structure in which
persons are or may be present at any time, shall install on said structure
and also at the frontage of the property on the public or private road, number(s)
corresponding to the number(s) assigned by the Township Clerk and Post Master(s).
A.
The following regulation shall apply to all numbers to
be installed in order to provide the greatest degree of identification of
the property so as to assist any persons thereon:
(1)
The identification number(s) shall be not less than four
inches in height and made of durable and clearly visible material.
(2)
All numbers shall be mounted so that they face the access
road on which the building fronts, and shall be maintained by the owner of
the property so as to be unobstructed by trees, shrubs and other vegetation
or otherwise, and be at least 30 inches above the ground level.
(3)
All numbers shall be sufficiently legible as to contrasting
background, arrangement, spacing and uniformity so as to be clearly visible.
B.
If said habitable building is set back 100 feet or more from the public or private street or road giving access to it or if shrubbery or other vegetation is visible from such street or road, then the owner shall provide a post, rod or other type of fixture of a substantial nature (which may be a mailbox for the property if located along its frontage on the same side of said public street or road), with the number affixed thereon and so located on the premises that the number shall be conspicuous and visible from said public or private street or road. Said number, if placed on such post or mailbox, shall also meet the requirements of Subsection A(1) through (3) above.
C.
The owner of every habitable building for which a property
number is required, as stated above, shall, at his own expense within three
months after the effective date of this chapter, cause the authorized and
assigned number of such habitable building to be permanently and conspicuously
placed in accordance with the specifications set forth herein.
A.
This chapter shall be enforced by the Zoning Officer
or such other persons of departments as may be designated by the Township
Committee.
B.
Every violation of the provisions of this chapter shall
subject the violator to a maximum fine of not more than $100 plus costs. Each
and every day that such a violation continues shall be considered a separate
and specific violation of this chapter.
