[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Lopatcong 8-21-1985 by Ord. No. 1985-10. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
[Amended 4-7-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-4]
[Amended 12-18-1985 by Ord. No. 1985-22]
The local enforcing agency shall be the Municipal
Fire Prevention Office, which is hereby created. The Lopatcong Township
Fire Department may interview, investigate and thereafter recommend
various individuals to serve as inspectors and other employees in
the Municipal Fire Prevention Office to the Lopatcong Township municipal
governing body who may make such an appointment from the individuals
recommended by the Lopatcong Township Fire Department. The recommendation
shall continue until the Lopatcong Township municipal governing body
has made its selection.
The local enforcement agency shall enforce the
Uniform Fire Safety Act[1] and the codes and regulations adopted under it in all
buildings, structures and premises within the established boundaries
of Lopatcong Township, other than owner-occupied one- and two-family
dwellings, and shall faithfully comply with the requirements of the
Uniform Fire Safety Act and the Uniform Fire Code.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 52:27D-192.
[Amended 4-7-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-4]
The local enforcing agency established by § 119-2 of this chapter shall carry out the periodic inspections of life-hazard uses required by the Uniform Fire Code on behalf of the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.
[Amended 12-18-1985 by Ord. No. 1985-22; 9-16-1992 by Ord. No. 1992-18]
The local enforcing agency established by § 119-2 shall be under the immediate supervision of the Lopatcong Fire Official who shall supervise said office and the employees thereof. The Lopatcong Fire Official will thereafter report to the Councilman in charge of public safety on his activities of supervision on a monthly basis.
[Amended 5-16-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-22]
The Fire Official shall serve for a term of
four (4) years. Any vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term.
[Amended 5-16-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-22]
Pursuant to §§ 15 and 17 of the
Uniform Fire Safety Act,[1] any person aggrieved by any order of the local enforcement
agency or agencies shall have the right to appeal to the Construction
Board of Appeals of Warren County.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 52:27D-206 and
52:27D-208, respectively.
[Amended 5-16-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-22; 9-16-1992 by Ord. No. 1992-18; 4-7-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-4]
A.
The application fee for a fire safety permit shall
be in accordance with the fees established in the Uniform Fire Code,
N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.9(c).
B.
The application fee for a certificate of smoke detector and carbon
monoxide alarm compliance (CSDCMAC), as required by N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3,
shall be in accordance with the following fees schedule:
[Amended 12-30-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-14]
(1)
Requests for a CSDCMAC received more than 10 business days prior
to the change of occupancy: $50.
(2)
Requests for a CSDCMAC received four to 10 business days prior to
the change of occupancy: $100.
(3)
Requests for a CSDCMAC received fewer than four business days prior
to the change of occupancy: $150.
C.
The application fee for a certificate of fire code
status is $5.
[Added 5-16-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-22; amended 4-7-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-4]
A.
In addition to the registration required by the Uniform
Fire Code, the following non-life hazard uses shall register with
the Fire Prevention Bureau. These uses shall have cyclical inspection,
at a frequency not less than every twenty-four months, and shall pay
an annual registration fee as follows:
[Amended 12-29-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-27]
|
Use
|
Annual
Fee
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Assembly Use
| ||
|
A-a
|
Eating establishment less than 50 occupants
|
$25
|
|
A-b
|
Take-out food service, no seating
|
$25
|
|
A-c
|
House of worship
|
$25
|
|
A-d
|
Recreation centers, multipurpose rooms. etc.,
less than 100
|
$50
|
|
A-e
|
Court rooms, libraries, fraternal organizations
condominium centers, etc., less than 100
|
$50
|
|
A-f
|
Senior citizen centers less than 200
|
$50
|
|
Business/Professional Use
| ||
|
B-a
|
Business use less than 5,000 square feet
|
$25
|
|
B-b
|
5,000 but less than 7,5000 square feet per floor
|
$50
|
|
B-c
|
7,500 but less than 10,000 square feet per floor
|
$75
|
|
B-d
|
10,000 square feet per floor or more
|
$100
|
|
Mercantile/Retail Use
| ||
|
M-a
|
Retail use less than 5,000 square feet
|
$50
|
|
M-b
|
5,000 square feet but less than 10,000 square
feet
|
$100
|
|
M-c
|
10,000 square feet or more
|
$150
|
|
Factory/Manufacturing Use
| ||
|
F-a
|
Factory use less than 5,000 square feet
|
$75
|
|
F-b
|
5,000 square feet but less than 10,000 square
feet
|
$100
|
|
F-c
|
10,000 square feet or more
|
$150
|
|
Storage Use (moderate-hazard S-1, low-hazard
use)
| ||
|
S-a
|
Storage use less than 5,000
|
$50
|
|
S-b
|
5,000 square feet but less than 10,000 square
feet
|
$100
|
|
S-c
|
10,000 square feet or more
|
$150
|
|
*S use exception, those registered as life-hazard
use
| ||
|
Residential Use (fee is for each building)
| ||
|
R-a
|
Non-owner-occupied one- and two-family
|
$25
|
|
R-b
|
3 to 6 units
|
$25
|
|
R-c
|
7 to 12 units
|
$50
|
|
R-d
|
13 to 20 units
|
$75
|
|
R-e
|
21 to 50 units
|
$100
|
|
R-f
|
Over 50 for each additional unit
|
$2
|
|
Utility Use
| ||
|
U-a
|
Utility use less than 2,500 square feet
|
$25
|
|
U-b
|
2,500 square feet or more
|
$50
|
B.
R-a uses shall only be inspected upon sale or change
of tenant.
C.
All residential uses except R-a shall be inspected
in the common areas only.
D.
Uses required to register with the Division of Fire
Safety as life-hazard uses shall not be required to register under
this section.
E.
Use groups are defined in the Uniform Construction
Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23-1.1 et seq.). Uses not classified above will be
classified as business uses.
F.
In the discretion of the Fire Official, vacant buildings
will be charged and inspected according to the previous use of the
building.
[Added 4-7-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-4[1]]
Local technical amendments, as provided by N.J.A.C.
5:71-2.8, shall be coordinated with the Uniform Fire Code (N.J.A.C.
5:70 et. seq.), and added to Subchapter 3, the State Fire Prevention
Code (N.J.A.C. 5:70-3), as follows:
A.
Chapter 4 (Open Flames or Burning).
(1)
Add to Section F-401 .1 after the following words
"burning on all premises": "The provisions of Section F-403 shall
be enforced on all premises, including one- and two-family owner-occupied
properties."
(2)
A new Section F-40.2.4 is added as follows:
|
"F-402.4 Portable charcoal or solid
fuel fired cooking equipment: portable charcoal or solid fuel fired
cooking equipment such as charcoal barbecue grills, hibachis and smokers
shall be stored and used only in accordance with the manufacturers
instructions. They shall not be used:
| |
|
1.
|
On any porch, balcony or any other portion of
a building;
|
|
2.
|
Within any room or space;
|
|
3.
|
Within five feet of a combustible exterior wall;
|
|
4.
|
Under any building overhang."
|
(3)
A new Section F-402.5 is added as follows:
|
"F-4025 Portable solid fuel equipment:
portable solid fuel fired equipment such as chimineas, patio fireplaces
and metal portable temporary fireplaces shall be used only in accordance
with manufacturers instructions. They shall not be used:
| |
|
1.
|
On any porch, balcony or any other portion of
a building;
|
|
2.
|
Within any room or space;
|
|
3.
|
Within five feet of a combustible exterior wall;
|
|
4.
|
Under any building overhang."
|
B.
Chapter 5 (Fire Protection Systems).
(1)
A new Section F-522.0 is added as follows:
|
"Section F-522.0 Key boxes.
| |
|
F-522.1. Key box requirements. All
properties within the Township of Lopatcong having an automatic fire
alarm system or fire sprinkler system shall be equipped with a key
box. Single- and two-family residential properties shall be exempt
from this requirement.
| |
|
F-522.2. Key box type. The key
box shall have an Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) listing and
be approved by the Fire Official. The key box shall be installed in
a location approved by the Fire Official.
| |
|
F-522.3. Key box contents. The key boxes shall
contain the following:
| |
|
(1)
|
Keys to locked points of egress, whether on
the interior or exterior of the building.
|
|
(2)
|
Keys to locked mechanical equipment rooms.
|
|
(3)
|
Keys to locked electrical rooms.
|
|
(4)
|
Keys to locked elevator controls.
|
|
(5)
|
Keys to other areas as directed by the Fire
Official.
|
|
F-522.4. Compliance. All existing
buildings shall comply upon notification by notice of violations within
the time period specified. All newly constructed buildings, not yet
occupied, shall comply prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy
as required by the Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23-1.1 et
seq.)."[2]
| |
C.
Construction
activities.
[Added 6-3-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-06]
(1)
Access. Temporary all-weather service access roads constructed of
gravel or equivalent, and having a capacity of supporting a thirty-ton
emergency vehicle shall be provided at all times for fire department
vehicular access and other emergency vehicles to all structures under
construction or demolition and storage of combustible construction
materials until permanent roads or access ways are made available.
Access to each such location shall be within 100 unobstructed feet
from the access way to the construction or storage of combustible
materials. Said access way shall be required to be maintained to support
the aforementioned load during the entire time of construction.
(2)
Water supply. The fire protection water supply system, including
hydrants shown on any approved site plans, shall be installed and
in service prior to placing combustible building materials on the
project's site or utilizing them in the construction of buildings
or structures, including the demolition of the same. In any event,
whether construction is pursuant a site plan or not, no new construction
shall be allowed, unless there be a fire hydrant service readily available
within 500 feet of the construction and accessible to firefighting
equipment. This provision shall not apply to construction within the
existing confines of any existing structure, but shall apply to all
new construction or additions to existing construction, unless specifically
waived by the Township Fire Official (with copy to the Fire Chief)
with appropriate measures in place thereof because of the unavailability
of such fire hydrant service.
(3)
Construction permits. No construction permits shall be issued for
any new construction as defined herein without approval from the Fire
Official (with copy to the Fire Chief) with reference to the provisions
of this subsection.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded
former § 119-11, Key boxes, added 9-4-1996 by Ord. No. 1996-15.
