[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Hillsborough 5-24-1988 by Ord. No. 88-7 (Ch. 70 of the 1977
Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire prevention — See Ch. 166.
The purpose of this chapter is to require the clear display of authorized
and assigned house or building numbers for every building fronting on any
street in the Township of Hillsborough. This is in order to assist the general
public and emergency services, public and private, in identifying any property
in case of emergency or otherwise in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40:67-1 et seq.
This chapter hereby creates a committee known as the "Hillsborough Township
Property Numbering Committee" to formulate a system to properly identify,
by clearly setting forth the designated marker, all properties in the Township
of Hillsborough.
A.
The Committee shall be made up of five individuals: two
members of the general public, a representative of the Police Department,
a representative from the fire companies in the municipality and a representative
of the rescue squad. They shall elect the Chairman from amongst themselves.
B.
Expenditures. Said Committee's expenditures in creating
a numbering system will not exceed $1,000, with all vouchers receiving prior
approval of the Township Committee.
There is hereby established a uniform system for numbering and renumbering,
where appropriate, properties along all streets, avenues, public
and private ways in the Township of Hillsborough.
A.
The Numbering Committee shall prepare a property number
map by superimposing upon the assessment map of the Township of Hillsborough
numbers for every property in the Township of Hillsborough pursuant to the
following standards:
(1)
Existing numbers. Notwithstanding any other provisions
of this chapter, the Numbering Committee shall attempt to the extent possible,
consistent with the maintenance of the orderly progression of property numbers,
to assign to lots on which there are existing structures the numbers which
are currently in use.
(2)
New numbers. All property numbers for new subdivisions
and lots created by redivisions shall be consistent and uniform with existing
numbers in the immediate area as determined by the Numbering Committee.
(3)
Even and odd numbers. Even numbers shall appear on one
side of each street, while odd numbers shall appear on the opposite side of
the street.
(4)
All parcels of property shall be numbered in a uniform
fashion, at fixed intervals as designated by the Numbering Committee, on such
property map in order to facilitate continued numbering without need for change
when properties are subdivided.
B.
The Committee shall prepare a street guide listing alphabetically
every street in the Township of Hillsborough with its location and the property
numbers currently assigned.
A.
After the property number map and street guide have been prepared by the Numbering Committee pursuant to § 128-3 above and approved by the Township Committee, they shall be maintained in the office of the Township Engineer.
B.
Upon any subdivision or resubdivision of land in the
Township of Hillsborough resulting in the lot or lots other than those delineated
on said map, the Township Engineer shall assign a property number to each
lot resulting from said subdivision or resubdivision which shall be in proper
numerical sequence in relation to the number assigned to other lots fronting
on the same street, and he shall record the same on the property number map
and street guide.
C.
Copies of the initial map and guide and any changes thereto
shall be filed, within 30 days of any change, with the Chief Construction
Official, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Fire Official, Tax Assessor and Tax Collector
of the Township of Hillsborough, as well as with each post office serving
any portion of the Township.
A.
Whenever any improvements shall be erected or located
in the Township of Hillsborough after the passage of this chapter and, in
order to preserve the continuity and uniformity of numbers of the property,
it shall be the duty of the owner to ascertain the correct number or numbers
as designated by the property number map from the Township Engineer for said
property and to immediately fasten on the improvement and/or, by some other
appropriate method, the property marker clearly setting forth the correct
number or numbers so assigned upon said property in the manner provided by
this chapter.
B.
No permit shall be issued for any house, building or
structure until the owner has ascertained the official number of the proposed
or existing improvement from the Township Engineer.
C.
Final approval of any structure erected, repaired, altered
or modified after the effective date of this chapter shall be withheld by
the Chief Construction Official until permanent and proper numbers have been
affixed to said structure. All subdivisions shall have numbers assigned prior
to final approval. All such house numbers shall be shown on the site plan
submitted for final approval.
D.
Any structure erected, altered, repaired or modified
after the effective date of this chapter shall have the certificate of occupancy
withheld by the Construction Official until permanent and proper numbers have
been affixed.
E.
Any person having a number different from that officially
assigned shall be deemed to be in violation of this chapter.
After approval of the property number map, the Chief Fire Official shall
notify, by regular mail or personal delivery, all owners of improvements which
do not display a number or which display an incorrect number that they must
bring their building into conformity with this chapter within three months
of the date of the notice.
All residential, commercial, industrial or other structures erected
or to be erected within the Township of Hillsborough shall display identification
numbers as provided herein and in accordance with specifications provided
herein.
A.
The owner, occupant or lessee of each and every structure which now fronts or which may hereafter front upon any public or private street shall, in accordance with § 128-14, cause the authorized and assigned number of such structure to be permanently and conspicuously placed in accordance with the specifications set forth herein. Any building presently numbered shall display the existing number.
B.
Specifications. House or building numbers shall be:
(1)
In Arabic numerals.
(2)
A minimum height of five inches.
(3)
Mounted in secure fashion to the front wall or porch
of the building or other fixed appurtenance on the front of the building so
as to be clearly visible from the street.
(4)
Sufficiently legible as to contrasting background, arrangement,
spacing and uniformity so as to be clearly visible from the street.
(5)
At least 30 inches above ground level and so placed that
trees, shrubs and other obstructions do not block the line of sight of the
numbers from the street upon which the building fronts.
(6)
If possible, the numbers shall be placed alongside any
existing outside lighting so as to be illuminated.
C.
Placement of numbers on post, rod or mailbox.
(1)
If the numbers affixed to the front of the building would
not be visible from the street as required or as an alternative thereto, requirements
of this chapter are satisfied if the owner, occupant or lessee shall provide
the Arabic numbers, as required hereinabove, upon a post rod or other type
of fixture of substantial nature adjacent to a driveway leading to said building
so that the number may be conspicuous and visible from either direction when
traveling on the road. The location shall not be greater than 10 feet from
the edge of the roadway. A mailbox, post or rod on the opposite side of the
street that the building fronts on will not satisfy the requirements of this
chapter.
(2)
In the case of apartment, condominium and/or townhouse
complexes, the number posted shall be the official mailing address number.
Numbers shall be placed on each building. The numbers shall be eight inches
in height and shall be adequately illuminated after dusk and be clearly visible
from the roadways within any apartment, condominium and/or townhouse complex.
Each entranceway door shall display numbers three inches in height of the
apartments within the entranceway. Each apartment door shall display numbers
three inches in height. A storm or screen door shall not obscure required
numbers.
(3)
The rear door to any occupancy other than a residential
occupancy must also be marked as specified hereinabove. The business name,
in three-inch letters, must also be marked on the door.
D.
All numbers posted pursuant to this chapter shall be
of reflective material or of sufficient visual contrast to the background
material to be easily discernible with the aid of an emergency vehicle spotlight.
E.
All buildings with Fire Department hose connections will
have a sign with twelve-inch reflective letters “FDC” directly
above the unobstructed connection.
A.
Where any improvement has more than one entrance serving
separate occupants, a separate number shall be assigned to each entrance serving
a separate occupant and shall be posted as otherwise provided in this chapter.
B.
Where only one number can be assigned to any one improvement,
the suffix (a), (b), (c), etc., may be required to designate each separate
entrance serving the separate occupant.
C.
Where any building or complex of buildings is so structured
that all separate entrances serving separate occupants and the numbers assigned
to them are not clearly visible from the center line of the street, then the
number for each separate entrance shall be placed near the walk or driveway
from the street to such separate entrance and upon a gate, post, fence or
other appropriate place so as to be visible from the center line of the street.
The height limitations on such a display shall be the same as those provided
hereinabove.
D.
For all multifamily improvements having apartment doors
opening on interior halls, each door shall have a number no less than two
inches high affixed thereon, and all entranceways shall have on the exterior
thereof a display indicating the sequence of apartments served by such entranceway.
The posting of the numbers as required hereinabove shall be the responsibility
of the owner or, in the case of a residence or business not occupied by the
owner, the responsibility shall be that of the person in possession of the
premises. In the case of an apartment complex, the responsibility shall be
that of the owner. In the case of an existing condominium or townhouse complex,
the responsibility shall be that of the condominium association.
Upon the failure of an owner, occupant or lessee to affix upon any building
to which this chapter applies the assigned and authorized number within 90
days after acceptance of the building number map by the Township Committee,
it shall be lawful for the Chief Fire Official of the Township of Hillsborough
to cause to be affixed to such building or appurtenance provided for herein
the assigned and authorized number by an authorized agent of the Township.
Such agent shall execute a return to the Tax Collector of the cost to so affix
said number, and the collector of taxes of the Township of Hillsborough, upon
certification, shall charge the same to the owner of the building and collect
the cost in the same manner as all taxes are collected, and such costs shall
be a lien upon said land.
Each person responsible as outlined in § 128-10 shall also be responsible for the maintenance and legibility of the required numbers.
A.
The owner, occupant or agent of an owner or occupant
may, within 20 days of the assignment of a number as hereinabove provided
in this chapter or within 20 days after being notified by the Township of
a violation and/or that it plans to affix the number because of the owner,
occupant or agent's inability to do so in accordance with the chapter requirements,
object to the number assigned to his property or to the violation or to the
affixing of the number by the Township by filing a written notice of objection
with the Chief Fire Official. Such notice shall specify the reasons for the
objections.
B.
The Chief Fire Official shall convene, within 20 days of the receipt of the written notice of objection pursuant to Subsection A above, a meeting of the Property Numbering Committee created herein and notify the person who has filed the notice of objection at least five days in advance of the time and place of the meeting of the Committee.
C.
The objector shall be permitted to be present at the
Committee to present his position, but such attendance is not mandatory. The
Property Numbering Committee shall permit an appellant to use an existing
number and size or location as long as the appellant shall continue to own
or occupy the premises in question, and provided that the existing number
shall not duplicate the number assigned to the building number map to another
premises and actually used at that location.
D.
A record of the Committee's deliberations shall be maintained
by the Chief Fire Official, and the decision on the objection shall be set
forth in written form approved by a majority of those voting, which decision
shall set forth findings of fact made by the officials and the reasons for
the decision. Three members shall constitute a quorum for said Committee.
A copy of said decision shall be mailed by certified mail, return receipt
requested, to the person filing the notice of objection within 10 days of
the decision.
E.
The filing of an appeal under this section shall temporarily
suspend enforcement or prosecution until said appeal is determined and correspondingly
shall extend the time periods for compliance.
F.
A copy of the final decision issued herein shall be filed
with the Township Engineer and Township Clerk.
A.
As to all buildings which already have designated numbers,
compliance is expected by and enforcement shall commence on the 31st day following
adoption of this chapter.
B.
With respect to those buildings which presently have
no designated numbers or whose number is in the process of being changed because
of duplication, compliance is expected by and enforcement shall commence on
the 31st day after Township Committee acceptance of the property numbering
map or specific section thereof.
The Hillsborough Township Property Numbering Committee will submit for
acceptance to the Township Committee within 180 days after adoption of this
chapter the plan for numbering properties as set forth herein.
Whenever a violation of a provision of this chapter is observed, a written notice of violation describing the violation and specifying time limits for the required abatement shall be issued to the occupants of the building. If the notice of violation is not complied with within the time specified and no appeal filed under § 128-13, the violation shall be deemed a Class C violation as it is defined in the Hillsborough Township Code § 1-15. The violation of any section or subsection of this chapter shall constitute a separate and distinct offense independent of the violation of any other section or subsection or of any order issued pursuant to this chapter. Each week after receiving the notice of violation shall constitute a separate offense. The person authorized to act as enforcement officer is the Chief Fire Official.
