[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Borough of
Longport 4-20-1994 by Ord. No. 94-06.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
It shall be unlawful to demolish any building or structure or any part
thereof unless and until an application as provided for herein shall first
have been filed and approved by the Construction Code Official and a written
permit issued. The Construction Code Official shall approve or reject applications
or amendments thereto within a reasonable period of time, and if approved,
shall promptly issue a permit therefor, upon payment of the fees as required
by law.
Every permit issued by the Construction Code Official under the provisions
of this chapter under which no substantial work is commenced within one month
from the date of issuance shall expire by its own limitation. In the event
of lapse of the permit, a new application and fee must be submitted as provided
for herein.
Before any building or structure or part of the same is demolished,
a statement, in writing, on appropriate forms to be furnished by the Building
Department, shall be filed by the owner, giving all pertinent information,
including the following:
A.Â
The full name and residence of each of the owners of
buildings or structures to be demolished;
B.Â
The name and address of the person or persons to perform
the demolition;
C.Â
A full description of the building or structure to be
demolished showing the extent of the demolition;
D.Â
Start and completion dates for the demolition; and
E.Â
Such other information as the Building Department may
reasonably require.
Proof of ownership in form of a copy of the deed must be submitted.
If the applicant is not the owner of the property, a notarized affidavit from
owner/owners giving authority to submit the demolition application must be
submitted. The contractor performing the work must provide to the Building
Department a certificate of insurance showing the following minimum types
of coverages and limits of liability: Commercial general liability or equivalent,
including products, completed operations, contractual and broad form property
damage. Limits of liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual
aggregate; commercial automobile limits of liability of $1,000,000 combined
single limit or equivalent including non-owned automobiles naming the Borough
of Longport an additional insured and shall also provide for notice of cancellation
so that insurance coverage is known to be in place during demolition.
Notification by means of a letter stating all the relevant information
must be sent certified mail, return receipt requested, to adjoining neighbors
no more than 30 nor less than seven days prior to demolition. Proof of mailing
must be submitted by delivery of the return receipt cards or the original
stamped post office receipts, along with a true copy of the notification letter.
The buildings and structures to be demolished must be wetted to hold
down dust and to prevent fire.
All footings, bricks, masonry and debris must be removed within a reasonable
period of time after commencement of the work.
Any asbestos or asbestos mixed materials in or on the property must
be safely removed by a New Jersey licensed and bonded asbestos removal company.
Upon request of the Building Department, the applicant must submit a report
from a New Jersey licensed and bonded asbestos testing laboratory stating
whether or not asbestos is located at the site and, if located, that the asbestos
material was completely removed after completion of the work.
All applications for demolition shall be kept on file in the office
of the Construction Code Official. Applications shall be promptly docketed
as received. For the purpose of identification and reference, all such papers
shall be marked with the block and lot number of the property to which they
apply and with the street and house number when possible.
Where the demolition is down to grade level, in addition to the regulation
regarding removal of footings, etc., all material to a depth of six inches
below grade shall be removed, and the site shall be restored to grade level
using gravel and topsoil in a proper and workmanlike manner. Any exiting topsoil
shall be stored on site and backfilled after completion of the work. All holes
or depressions shall be graded so the site does not retain water.
No less than three days nor more than 30 days prior to actual demolition,
elimination and extermination of any vermin or rodents within the building
or structure shall be conducted by a New Jersey licensed exterminating company
using accepted practices such as spreading poison under and in the building
and fumigation. An extermination certificate shall be submitted to the Building
Department prior to commencement of demolition.
Prior to demolition, all sanitary sewers shall be capped at the curbline
with a plug, and all utilities services, including any meters, for water,
gas, electric, telephone and cable services shall be removed from the premises.
Releases from all such utility companies shall be submitted to the Building
Department prior to demolition.
No demolition shall be permitted during the dates commencing June 15
and ending September 15, except in cases of emergency, and then only by special
permit issued at the discretion of the Construction Code Official.
In the event that the demolition of building or structure is not completed
in accordance with the terms of the permit, the Construction Code Official
may serve a written notice upon the applicant, and also the owner of the property
if not also the applicant, requiring completion of the demolition within the
additional time permitted in said notice and to the extent set forth in the
application. Service of said notice shall be made personally or by certified
mail, return receipt requested, to the address shown on the application, and
also served upon the owner, if not the applicant, at the address shown on
the last tax duplicate. The date of service shall be the date of mailing.
In the event that the demolition is not completed in accordance with said
notice, the Borough of Longport, through any qualified contractor, upon no
less than seven days' notice, may complete demolition, and the cost thereof
shall be billed to the applicant and separately to the owner, if not also
the applicant. If said bill is not paid within 30 days, the balance due shall
become a lien on the property and carry interest and penalties and be collected
in the same manner as real estate taxes.
Any person who violates or fails or refuses to comply with this chapter
or any part or section thereof shall, upon conviction in the Municipal Court
of the Borough of Longport, be punished for each offense by a fine not to
exceed $1,000 or by imprisonment for any term not exceeding 90 days, or both.
Every such violation or refusal shall be deemed a separate violation, and
each day that the same shall continue shall be deemed a separate violation.
