[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Lopatcong 8-21-1985 by Ord. No. 1985-10. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire Department — See Ch. 27.
Alarm systems — See Ch. 69.
Uniform construction codes — See Ch. 93.
Heating equipment — See Ch. 133.
[Amended 4-7-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-4]
A. 
Pursuant to § 11 of the Uniform Fire Safety Act (P.L. 1983, c. 383,)[1] the New Jersey Uniform Code, N.J.A.C. 5:70-1 et seq., shall be locally enforced in the municipality of Lopatcong.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 52:27D-202.
B. 
Pursuant to § 11 of the Uniform Fire Safety Act (P.L. 1983, c. 383,) the New Jersey Uniform Code, N.J.A.C. 5:70-1 et seq., shall be locally enforced within the established limits of Lopatcong Township.
[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]
A. 
Such inspectors and other employees as may be necessary in the local enforcing agency shall be appointed by the Mayor and Township Council.
B. 
The Fire Official shall be certified by the state. All life hazard use inspectors shall be certified by the state.
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; 4-5-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-07]
(1) 
Requests for a CSDCMAC received more than 10 business days prior to the change of occupancy: $75.
(2) 
Requests for a CSDCMAC received four to 10 business days prior to the change of occupancy: $125.
(3) 
Requests for a CSDCMAC received fewer than four business days prior to the change of occupancy: $175.
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 of not less than once in every twenty-four months, and shall pay an annual registration fee as follows:
[Amended 12-29-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-27; 4-5-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-07]
Use
Annual
Fee
Assembly Use
A-a
Eating establishment less than 50 occupants
$50
A-b
Take-out food service, no seating
$50
A-c
Church or synagogue
$50
A-d
Recreation centers, multipurpose rooms, etc., less than 100
$75
A-e
Court rooms, libraries, fraternal organizations condominium centers, etc., less than 100
$75
A-f
Senior citizen centers, less than 200
$75
Business/Professional Use
B-a
Business use less than 5,000 square feet
$50
B-b
5,000 but less than 7,5000 square feet per floor
$75
B-c
7,500 but less than 10,000 square feet per floor
$100
B-d
10,000 square feet per floor or more
$125
Mercantile/Retail Use
M-a
Retail use less than 5,000 square feet
$75
M-b
5,000 square feet but less than 10,000 square feet
$100
M-c
10,000 square feet or more
$175
Factory/Manufacturing Use
F-a
Factory use less than 5,000 square feet
$100
F-b
5,000 square feet but less than 10,000 square feet
$125
F-c
10,000 square feet or more
$175
*F use exception, those registered as life-hazard use
Storage Use (moderate-hazard S-1, low-hazard S-2)
S-a
Storage use less than 5,000 square feet
$75
S-b
5,000 square feet but less than 10,000 square feet
$125
S-c
10,000 square feet or more
$175
*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
$50
R-b
3 to 6 units
$50
R-c
7 to 12 units
$75
R-d
13 to 20 units
$100
R-e
21 to 50 units
$125
R-f
Over 50 for each additional unit
$2.25
Utility Use
U-a
Utility use less than 2,500 square feet
$50
U-b
2,500 square feet or more
$75
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]
[2]
Editor's Note: Former § 119-12, GIS fees, added 2-1-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-2, which immediately followed, was repealed 12-27-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-37. See now § 93-8, GIS fees.
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.