[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Haddon 10-2-1956 by Ord. No. 394. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Automobile sales lots — See Ch. 81.
Fees — See Ch. 111.
Land use and development — See Ch. 142.
No person or corporation shall construct, operate or maintain a public garage or motor vehicle storage building or gasoline or oil filling station within the municipal limits of the Township of Haddon except after having a permit or license issued for such purpose under the provisions of this chapter.
[Amended 12-26-2006 by Ord. No. 1170]
Any person or corporation desiring to construct any such public garage or gasoline or oil filling station or to alter or change any then-existing building into such public garage or gasoline or oil filling station shall first make application in writing to the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Haddon for a permit for such construction.[1] Said application shall specify the materials used or to be used in the construction of the building and the location of the building; and if such building is to be used as a public garage, the application shall specify the floor space to be therein devoted to or used for the purpose of motor vehicle storage. Said application shall further show the location of any church, hospital, theater, library, public playground, athletic field, public or parochial school or firehouse or existing service station or public garage within 1,000 feet thereof and shall be accompanied by the fee amount set forth in Chapter 111, Fees, for administrative services of the Township in connection with said application.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 95, Construction Codes, Uniform.
No such public garage or gasoline or oil filling station shall be constructed, maintained or operated nor shall any other building be altered or changed for such purpose except after application's being duly made to the Board of Commissioners of said Township and a special permit or license issued by the said Board of Commissioners for that purpose to the applicant. The Board of Commissioners shall have the sole right and power to grant or reject any application for such permit.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
GASOLINE OR OIL FILLING STATION
Any building or place where gasoline or oil is offered to the general public for sale.
PUBLIC GARAGE
Any structure or place used to service, repair, fuel, lubricate, inspect, test or store motor vehicles for compensation.
[Amended 12-26-2006 by Ord. No. 1170]
Every person or corporation who may build or operate any public garage or motor vehicle storage building or gasoline or oil filling station in the Township of Haddon shall pay an annual license fee in the amount set forth in Chapter 111, Fees, which license fee shall be due and payable on the first day of January in each and every year.
No license except a renewal license shall be issued under this chapter unless proof of publication of notice of the intention to apply for such a license to the Board of Commissioners shall be submitted, which publication shall be advertised in a newspaper circulating in the Township of Haddon at least once a week for two consecutive weeks, giving the date when the application shall be presented to the Board of Commissioners.
Except during business hours or when at least one employee is on the premises, no station or garage shall park or store motor vehicles of customers unless the same are parked or stored within an enclosed building.
No public garage or gasoline filling station or the plot upon which it is situate shall be located within the same block in which on either side of said street any church, hospital, theater, library, public playground or athletic field, public or parochial school or firehouse may be located or situated, and in no event within 200 feet of the nearest part of the plot or lot of any such church, hospital, athletic field or public playground, theater, public or parochial school or firehouse, nor within 500 feet of the plot of any existing station on the same or opposite side of the street, nor at any intersection where there is an existing station.
A. 
All drainage, refuse, grease drippings, oily rags or other waste material or other greasy or oily waste material shall be kept enclosed in metal containers approved by fire underwriters for disposal.
B. 
There shall be no outside storage of supplies, materials or parts unless the same are contained within a permanent rack, case, cabinet or enclosure of metal or other fireproof material.
Each station or garage shall be equipped with fire extinguishers of a number, type and quality as shall be required by the Commissioner of Public Safety, together with such other equipment as he may deem necessary for fire or other emergency purposes.
No station or garage shall accumulate or store any used parts or tires, whether for sale, storage or waste or for any purpose, on any portion of the premises unless within the permanent enclosed building.
In order to minimize traffic hazards and permit safe ingress and egress to and from service stations or garages, the following minimum frontages are hereby required:
A. 
Where stations or garages are located on municipal streets or county highways, not less than 200 feet for stations with not more than three dispensing pumps, and for every three additional pumps or fraction thereof, there shall be an additional 50 feet of frontage.
B. 
Where stations or garages are located on state highways, not less than 250 feet for stations or garages with not more than three dispensing pumps, and for every three additional pumps or fraction thereof, there shall be an additional 50 feet of frontage.
C. 
Where stations or garages are located at intersections, the "frontage" shall be that portion facing on the more heavily traveled street or highway as determined by the Commissioner of Public Safety. Such stations or garages located at intersections shall have a minimum average depth of 150 feet.
D. 
In all other cases, the minimum average depth of the station or garage plot shall be at least 100 feet.
All pumps and other service outlets shall be at least 20 feet back from the property line and at least 100 feet distant from the nearest building or dwelling unless a greater distance is otherwise required herein.
Except for such minor areas as may be planted in shrubbery, the remainder of the lot or plot of said station shall be surfaced with concrete or bituminous concrete or asphalt and graded and drained to the street to dispose of surface water accumulated. Wherever the same shall abut the side or rear line in a residence district, a solid masonry wall or a sightly fence not less than three feet high shall be erected along said side or rear lot line up to but not beyond the setback line.
In the event that the application for a permit is approved, the applicant shall, before issuance of such permit, file with the Township Clerk a performance bond, with a surety company duly approved, in an amount of at least the estimated cost of construction or repair, conditioned upon construction in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted and this chapter.
The issuance of a permit hereunder shall be subject to compliance by the applicant with all other ordinances of the Township of Haddon, including the Zoning Ordinance of the Township of Haddon.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 142, Land Use and Development, Art. V, Zoning.
Any building or buildings to be erected for use as a gas station, garage or in connection therewith shall be of masonry construction exclusively.
[Amended 4-7-1987 by Ord. No. 819]
The applicant shall submit evidence of the reasonable need for a gasoline station at the proposed location. The Board of Commissioners shall receive evidence from all interested parties, including the public, on this point. The Board of Commissioners may conduct a separate investigation of this question. No license or permit shall be granted until the Board of Commissioners shall have determined from the aforesaid evidence and investigation that there is a reasonable need for such a station. In addition, the Board of Commissioners may cause an investigation of the applicant, the proposed location and structure to be made by the Police Department, the Fire Department and Construction Code Official, who shall report in writing their findings with regard thereto.
[Amended 4-7-1987 by Ord. No. 819]
Every owner, lessee or other person violating this chapter shall be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days, or both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. Each day that a violation is permitted to exist, continue or occur shall constitute a separate offense.