[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Garfield as
indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 9-11-2007 by Ord. No. 2508]
A.
No person shall erect, construct or alter, or cause to
be erected, constructed or altered, any building or structure that is either:
a) over 35 feet in height; b) exceeds 299,000 square feet in area; or c) contains
below grade space or parking, without providing adequate radio coverage for
the City of Garfield Police Department, City of Garfield Fire Department,
emergency medical services, Office of Emergency Management and other City
departments that may be called upon to respond to emergencies. The frequency
range utilized by the City, which must be supported by adequate radio coverage,
is 469 MHz through 481 MHz and 499 MHz through 506 MHz.
B.
For purposes of this section, adequate radio coverage
shall include the following:
(1)
A minimum signal strength of one microvolt available
in 65% of the area of each floor of the building when transmitted from the
City of Garfield communications systems.
(2)
A minimum signal strength of one microvolt received at
the City of Garfield communications systems when transmitted from 85% of the
area of each floor.
(3)
A ninety-percent reliability factor.
D.
All buildings and structures to which this section is
applicable shall be equipped with any of the following to achieve the required
adequate radio coverage: radiating cable system(s) or internal multiple antenna
system(s) with four-hundred-megahertz and five-hundred-megahertz amplification
system(s) as needed. If any part of the installed system(s) contains an electrically
powered component, the system(s) shall be capable of operating on an independent
battery and/or generator system for a period of at least two hours without
external power input.
E.
The Chief of Police and/or his/her designate shall require
testing of the radio amplification equipment to demonstrate compliance with
the provisions of this section. The testing is to be performed at the expense
of the applicant for the building permit or the owner of the building or structure
in which the radio amplification equipment has been installed. The test to
be performed by the installer shall be performed in the presence of the Chief
of Police or his/her designee and the Fire Official or his/her designee.
F.
In addition to the initial test, the Chief of Police
or his/her designee shall require annual tests to be conducted or a determination
that the radio amplification system equipment is still functioning at the
levels required in this section.
G.
Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the Construction
Code Official shall require proof that substantiates compliance by the applicant
and/or owner of the building or the structure with the provisions of this
section. The plans and specifications, and whatever other data would be relevant
to a determination as to compliance, shall be filed by the applicant for the
building permit, and same shall be reviewed by the Construction Code Official.
Such plan may be reviewed by other departments of the Township when deemed
necessary in the discretion of the Construction Code Official.
H.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to any
single-family home.
I.
Failure to comply with the provisions of this section
will result in a penalty of $5,000. Each month of noncompliance will result
in an additional penalty of $5,000 for each month of noncompliance. An appeal
of the imposition of the penalty may be made to the Construction Board of
Appeals within 15 days of the date of the original notice of noncompliance.
