[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Middlesex
10-8-1996 by Ord. No. 1381. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Fire lanes shall be designated as follows for the efficient and effective
use of fire apparatus, access for fire fighting and/or the egress of occupants:
A.
Where needed. The Fire Official of the Borough of Middlesex, with the approval of the Chief of the Fire Department and the Chief of Police, may establish fire areas on property devoted to public and private use, in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:18-3.3(1), including, but not by way of limitation, shopping centers, strip malls, schools, houses of worship, swimming pools, offices, warehouses, factories, etc., and similar uses involving parking of a sufficient number of motor vehicles or other impediments to efficient operation of fire equipment to make necessary such regulation for protection of persons and property in case of fire or other emergency. The number, location , width, length and markings of such areas shall be at the discretion of the Fire Official. When the markings detailed in § 216-2 cannot be strictly complied with, consideration is to be given to the size, type and location of the buildings, the number of persons using and occupying the premises, existing means of egress and ingress, the total area of the property, including the size of parking lot or lots, and all other relevant factors.
B.
Concurrent jurisdiction. The Borough police shall have
the concurrent jurisdiction, together with the Bureau of Fire Prevention,
to enforce the provisions of this section when the designated fire lanes are
approved by the Borough Council in the form of an ordinance.
The owner shall, within 30 days of being given notice to do so by the
Fire Official, mark the lane(s) as follows:
A.
Signs 12 inches by 18 inches constructed of metal and
with raised red letters a minimum of two inches in size on a white background
shall be posted at a level of at least seven feet above grade, indicating
NO PARKING ANY TIME or NO STOPPING OR STANDING, at the Fire Official's discretion
after giving due consideration to the needs of the fire service and the public.
Immediately under these signs shall be another sign (12 inches by six inches)
saying FIRE LANE. Spacing of these signs shall be even with a minimum of one
sign for every 50 feet of fire lane or part thereof, or as ordered by the
Fire Official. All signs and markings must be unobstructed and visible for
a distance of at least 50 feet when viewed from a position approximately five
feet above the ground while in the fire lane.
B.
The area of a fire lane on improved areas shall be delineated
along its entire length with yellow lines 18 inches in width. Between the
yellow lines shall be marked NO PARKING ANY TIME in yellow letters 18 inches
in height. The number of times this wording is to be repeated shall be at
the discretion of the Fire Official with the recommended spacing to be at
fifty-foot intervals and spaced so as to be between and alternate with the
metal signs required above. If the designated fire lane abuts a curb, the
curbing shall be yellow in color where it abuts the fire lane.
For the purposes of fire lane enforcement, the following terms are defined:
The same as "fire lane," which shall mean an area necessary to provide
safety for the public or to provide proper access for Fire Department operations
in the event of an emergency.
A vehicle may not be parked within the designated area unless loading
or unloading passengers, with a time limit of three minutes or materials.
No vehicle may be stopped or standing within the designated zone
whether or not attended or unattended, with or without the motor running or
brakes set.
Fire lanes for vehicle access shall be a minimum of 18 feet in width
or as approved by the Fire Official. Fire lanes for egress of occupants shall
be a minimum of at least the width of the exitway served.
Once a fire lane has been designated by the Fire Official, approved
as provided above and properly marked by the owner of the premises the Fire
Official shall notify the Police Department and Municipal Court Clerk in writing
of the existence and location of the designated fire lane(s).
Gates, chains or other methods utilized to prevent unauthorized access
to fire lanes shall be approved by the Fire Official prior to installation.
Fire lanes shall be installed and maintained by the owner of the premises
or a designee in conformance with the provisions of this chapter. Fire lanes
in existence prior to the enactment of this chapter shall be required to conform
to the provisions herein at the discretion of the Fire Official.
A.
Designated fire lanes shall be maintained free of obstructions,
including snow and vehicles, at all times.
B.
The Fire Official, his designee or a police officer of the Borough of Middlesex shall have the authority to remove or have removed such obstructions or vehicles as may violate § 216-8A above at the expense of the owner of the premises, in the case of obstructions, or at the expense of the owner of the vehicle. The presumption of ownership may be overcome by proof furnished to the satisfaction of the Municipal Court that some other person was the actual offender.
C.
It shall be a separate violation of this chapter for
any driver or operator of any motor vehicle to fail to present a driver's
license and/or vehicle registration upon demand of any person authorized to
enforce this chapter when done as part of the enforcement procedure.
The Fire Official may prepare a form of municipal summons or a notice
of violations, and said summons or notice of violations shall be issued to
all offenders by personally serving the same upon any offender, or, if the
offender is not attendant to the vehicle, the Fire Official shall leave the
notice under the windshield wiper or otherwise attached to the vehicle in
a manner reasonably calculated to ensure that the offender receives notice
upon his or her return to the vehicle.
The following fire lanes on private property devoted to public use are
hereby established:[1]
A.
Location One: Block 224, Lot 29-A, as noted on attached
site/survey plan.
B.
Location Two: Block 186, Lots 1 and 2, as noted on attached
site/survey plan.
C.
Location Three: Block 202, Lot 1, and Block 204, Lot
1, as noted on attached site/survey plan.
D.
Location Four: Block 6, Lot 2-B, as noted on attached
site/survey plan.
E.
Location Five: Block 5, Lot 12, as noted on attached
site/survey plan.
F.
Location Six: Block 245, Lots 1 and 2, as noted on attached
site/survey plan.
G.
Location Seven: Block 6, Lots 2 and 2-A, as noted on
attached site/survey plan.
H.
Location Eight: Block 349, Lot 10, as noted on attached
site/survey plan.
[1]
Editor's Note: The site/survey plans mentioned herein are available
at the Borough offices.
The penalty for violating the fire lane shall be consistent with that
as required by the Municipal Court System. Enforcement of this chapter shall
be the responsibility of the Middlesex Police Department and the Bureau of
Fire Prevention of the Borough of Middlesex.
