[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Garfield 11-21-1961 by Ord. No. 1288 (Ch. 160 of the 1979 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Uniform construction codes — See Ch. 114.
Retail business hours — See Ch. 256.
Sanitation — See Ch. 260.
Zoning — See Ch. 341.
A. 
The following words when used in this chapter, shall have the following meaning:
CITY
The City of Garfield.
CLERK
The Clerk of the City of Garfield.
LAUNDERETTE
A recognized place of business conducted for the purpose of washing, cleaning, drying and laundering clothes or other washable materials, or cleaning and drying any such materials, that may be brought to said establishment or place of business, and wherein the work is done in machines, coin-operated or otherwise, located on the premises, by the customers themselves or by or under the supervision of the owners or operators of said establishment or place of business for said customers, including a "laundromat," "washomat," "dryomat" and similar names and types under which laundering of the self-service type is carried on, whether conducted as a mobile business or at a fixed location.
MACHINE DRY-CLEANING ESTABLISHMENT
An establishment or place of business conducted for the purpose of cleaning, drying and laundering clothes or other materials or fabrics that may be brought to said establishment or place of business and wherein the work is done in machines, coin-operated or otherwise, located on the premises, by the customers themselves or by or under the supervision of the owners or operators of said establishment or place of business for the customers, which work includes the use of chemicals, gases or other materials, mixtures or solutions to effect a cleaning of said fabrics or materials, and such term shall include a "cleanomat," "easy clean" and similar names and types under which dry cleaning of the self-service type is carried on, whether conducted as a mobile business or at a fixed location.
PERSON
Includes a corporation, association, organization, firm and partnership, as well as an individual.
SANITARY INSPECTOR
The duly qualified individual appointed by the Department of Health as Sanitary Inspector for the enforcement of this chapter, or such other qualified person or persons as the Clerk may appoint.
B. 
Whenever in this chapter any word importing the singular number or masculine gender is used in describing or referring to any person, party, matter or thing, the same shall include and apply to several persons or parties as well as to one person or party, the females as well as the males, and to several matters or things as well as to one matter or thing.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any launderette or machine dry-cleaning establishment in the City of Garfield without having first obtained a license therefor. Application therefor shall be filed with the Clerk. Said application shall state the name and address of each person who will conduct such business and the exact location of the premises and shall contain a detailed floor plan showing the size thereof, location of machines and equipment and the estimated daily amount of water which will be used in connection therewith. A separate application and license will be required for each such establishment. Each license shall expire on the 31st day of December following date of issuance. No license shall be issued unless the premises complies with the requirements, regulations and provisions of the Police Department, Fire Department, building, zoning, plumbing, health, sanitation and other ordinances of the City,[1] and the issuance of said licenses shall not constitute a waiver of any of these requirements.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 114, Construction Codes, Uniform; Ch. 260, Sanitation; and Ch. 341, Zoning.
B. 
The annual license fee for the full year or any portion thereof shall be at the rate of $25 for each washer, dryer or dry-cleaning machine installed; provided, however, that the maximum fee regardless of the number of machines shall be $500.
[Amended 12-6-1994 by Ord. No. 2168; 5-11-2010 by Ord. No. 2584]
No machinery used in the operation of such business shall be operated in such a manner as to cause unnecessary or unreasonable vibration or other noise, nuisance or any noxious or offensive odors to the annoyance of residents in the surrounding neighborhood or to the detriment of the well-being of neighboring business or other premises.
[Amended 5-29-2018 by Ord. No. 2786; 5-28-2019 by Ord. No. 2810]
Laundromats shall be permitted to operate seven days a week. No such business shall begin operations before 6:00 a.m. or continue after 10:00 p.m., except that machines started before 10:00 p.m. at night need not be stopped until the operation has been completed, but no machine shall be started for use at or after 10: 00 p.m.
No automatic self-service business of this type shall be permitted to be open for business unless the area of the premises where the washing, cleaning, drying and dyeing are done shall be unobscured and clearly visible from the street to all enforcement agencies and patrolling police vehicles. [1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Section 160-6, Washing diapers, which immediately followed this section, was deleted at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
The owner or operator of such premises shall be responsible for maintaining good order among the patrons of such establishment and shall be responsible for any disorder which may be attributable to the lack of a supervising attendant or employees on the premises during hours of operation.
A. 
Where, in the process of washing, drying, cleaning or dyeing, it is necessary to use any flammable, explosive, noxious or poisonous gas, chemical solution, mixture or material, it shall be necessary for the owner or operator of such business to have an attendant trained in the storage, handling and use of the particular flammable, explosive, noxious or poisonous substance during all hours when such materials are in use or available to the public. The owner or operator of such business shall certify to the City Clerk the training and experience of the proposed attendant or attendants as part of the license application. Upon issuance of a license the name of such attendant or attendants shall remain on file with the Clerk. No new attendants shall be permitted to operate such business without such a certificate being filed with the Clerk.
B. 
Safety requirements.
(1) 
Where such substances are used which may be dangerous to human life and health, the owner or operator shall be required:
(a) 
To post lighted signs to warn the patrons of the danger.
(b) 
To post first-aid instructions and provide first-aid equipment in the event of an accident.
(c) 
To take every precaution to ensure that safety locks on machine doors will not open while machine is in operation.
(d) 
To cause sufficient changes of air on the premises to be made through the use of exhaust or other circulation system wherever noxious or poisonous substances, gases or other materials are in use on the premises, to ensure public safety.
(e) 
Gutters.
[1] 
To construct gutters in front of and behind machines which lead to safety drain tanks of sufficient size and capacity to contain all cleaning solvent leakage in the event of connection breaks or machine breakdown.
[2] 
To construct gutters in front of and behind machines which lead to drains or safety drain tanks of sufficient size and capacity to control and contain the flow or overflow of water in the event of water leakage from connection breaks or machine breakdown.
(f) 
To cause flammable materials or solutions, solvents, chemicals or other materials of noxious or poisonous nature to be stored in a manner as will best protect the public and in accordance with all rules, regulations and provisions as set forth by or in the Fire Department, Police Department, Sanitary Inspector, zoning, building, plumbing, health, sanitation and other ordinances of the City.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 114, Construction Codes, Uniform; Ch. 260, Sanitation; and Ch. 341, Zoning.
(g) 
To cause all light switches, motor electrical connections and other electrical connections to be explosion shielded and grounded.
(h) 
To cause to be clearly posted and to enforce the following regulation: "No children under the age of 14 years shall operate any machine upon these premises."
(2) 
In no event shall such business be operated in any building or upon any premises in which any part or portion thereof is set aside as a dwelling or residence.
C. 
In all establishments regulated by this chapter, all equipment using exhaust or other circulation systems shall have vents or openings so located as to prevent the exhaust or deposit of heat, gas, fumes or any other material upon neighboring properties or to the annoyance or danger of the community. All such exhaust openings shall be vented and/or filtered where necessary to prevent the deposit of lint or other such materials upon neighboring properties or to the annoyance or danger of the community.
The entire premises devoted to the operation of such business and all machines used in connection therewith shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition. The floors shall be kept clean and dry. The premises shall be adequately ventilated and provided with sufficient natural or artificial light. The walls of such premises shall be covered with nonabsorbent paint, cement or other impervious material. All plumbing work shall at all times conform to the provisions of the Plumbing and Building Ordinances of the City[1] and shall at all times be kept in a sanitary condition and state of repair. Said business shall at all times comply with the ordinances of the City and the statutes and regulations of the State of New Jersey.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 114, Construction Codes, Uniform.
A. 
Where the Sanitary Inspector or any other duly authorized enforcement agency of the City finds that a laundry or launderette or machine dry-cleaning establishment is being operated or maintained in violation of the provisions of this chapter or any other ordinance of the City so as to constitute a nuisance, the Sanitary Inspector shall notify the owner or operator of said premises, or both, to abate the nuisance at the expense of the owner of the premises or the operator of the establishment. Such notice shall be in writing and shall specify a time within which such nuisance shall be abated. If such owner or operator shall not comply with such notice within the time so specified, the City shall proceed to abate the nuisance at the expense of such owner or operator, or both, as provided by this chapter.
B. 
Where the Sanitary Inspector finds that the continued operation of such business while a violation exists constitutes a distinct and immediate hazard to public health or safety, the Sanitary Inspector is authorized to prohibit the owner of the premises or the operator of the establishment, or both, from operating or permitting the operation of such business until such time as the violation is corrected and the nuisance abated.
C. 
Where a violation shall constitute a distinct and immediate hazard to public health or safety, of an emergency nature, the City shall immediately proceed to abate such nuisance without prior notice to the owner or operator, at the expense of the owner or operator, or both, as provided for by this chapter.
A. 
In the event that the City causes an abatement of a nuisance or violation to be effected under the provisions of § 191-9 above or has paid for its removal or repair, the actual cost thereof, plus accrued interest at the rate of 6% per annum from the date of the completion of the work, if not paid by the owner or operator prior thereto, shall be charged to the owner of the property on the next regular tax bill forwarded to the owner by the City and shall be due and payable by such owner at the time of the payment of such bill.
B. 
When, in the abatement of such nuisance, it becomes necessary for the City to cause any public service, municipal, county, state or other public agency to render services therefor, there shall be, in addition to any other charges and costs, a service charge of $25 for such services rendered by the City, which shall be charged to the owner of the property in the same manner as set forth in Subsection A above.
C. 
When the full amount due the City is not paid by such owner within 30 days after abatement of the nuisance as provided by this chapter, the Sanitary Inspector shall cause to be recorded in the office of the Tax Collector a sworn statement showing the costs and expenses incurred for the work, the date the work was done and the location of the property on which said work was done. The recordation of such sworn statement shall constitute a lien and a privilege on the property and shall remain in full force and effect for the amount due in principal and interest, plus costs in court, if any, for collection, until final payment has been made. Such costs and expenses shall be collected in the manner fixed by law for the collection of taxes and, further, shall be subject to a delinquency penalty of 2% in the event the same is not paid in full on or before the date the tax bill upon which such charges appear becomes delinquent. Sworn statements so recorded shall be prima facie evidence that all legal formalities have been complied with and that the work has been done properly and satisfactorily, and shall be full notice to every person concerned that the amount of the statement plus interest constitutes a lien on the property described.
[Amended 5-20-1980 by Ord. No. 1723; 4-25-2006 by Ord. No. 2457]
Any person violating or failing to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter, or violating or failing to comply with any rules or regulations set forth for the proper enforcement of this chapter, shall be punished by one or more of the following: a fine not exceeding $2,000; imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days; and/or a period of community service not exceeding 90 days. Each succeeding violation shall be construed to be a new violation.