Pursuant to Section 11 of the Uniform Fire Safety
Act, the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code shall be enforced in the Borough
of Highland Park pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:27D-192 et seq. and N.J.A.C.
5:70-1 et seq.
[Amended 5-1-2007 by Ord. No. 07-1722]
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meaning indicated:
Shall be the Bureau of Fire Prevention in the Code Enforcement
Department, which has been established in the Borough of Highland
Park and shall be comprised of the Fire Official, Fire Inspectors
and clerical help as necessary to carry out the responsibilities of
the agency.
The local enforcement agency shall enforce the
Uniform Fire Safety Act, codes and regulations adopted for all buildings,
structures and premises within the established boundaries of the Borough
of Highland Park and shall faithfully comply with the requirements
of the Uniform Fire Safety Act and the Uniform Fire Code.
The local enforcing agency shall carry out the
periodic inspections of life hazard uses required by the Uniform Fire
Code on behalf of the Commissioner of Community Affairs.
[Amended 5-1-2007 by Ord. No. 07-1722]
The local enforcing agency shall be under the
direct supervision and control of the Fire Official of the Borough
of Highland Park who reports to the Business Administrator. Fire Inspectors
shall report to the Fire Official.
[Amended 5-1-2007 by Ord. No. 07-1722]
In addition to those duties established under
the Uniform Fire Safety Act and the Uniform Fire Code, the Fire Official
shall:
[Amended 5-1-2007 by Ord. No. 07-1722]
In addition to the inspection and fees required
pursuant to the Act and the regulations of the Department of Community
Affairs, the following additional inspections and fees shall be required
locally:
A.
Inspections. The local enforcing agency shall inspect
all buildings, structures or premises other than one- and two-family
dwellings annually for the purpose of ascertaining and causing to
be corrected any conditions liable to cause fire, contribute to the
spread of fire, interfere with firefighter operations, endanger life
or any conditions constituting violations of the provisions or intent
of this Chapter or other fire or life safety requirements. Upon completion
of these inspections, a firesafety
certificate will be issued to the owner(s) and/or tenant(s) to show
compliance.
B.
Registration fees. The owner(s) of all businesses, occupancies, buildings, structures or premises required to be inspected under Subsection A shall apply annually with the local enforcing agency for an emergency registration upon forms provided by the agency. This requirement does not apply to life hazard uses registered pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:70. It shall be a violation of this article for an owner to fail to return such forms within 30 days. Every landlord or owner hereby required to file a registration statement as described in the above subsection shall file an amended registration within seven days after any change in the foregoing information required to be included thereon. The payment shall be the responsibility of the occupant of the premises and is due and payable prior to the inspection. Registrations shall be accompanied by fees in accordance with the following:
[Amended 5-1-2007 by Ord. No. 1733]
(1)
Class I, non-life hazard firesafety inspections for
buildings 1,000 square feet or less shall be $50.
(2)
Class II, non-life hazard firesafety inspections for
buildings more than 1,000 square feet but less than 3,000 square feet
shall be $75.
(3)
Class III, non-life hazard firesafety inspections
for buildings more than 3,000 square feet but less than 6,000 square
feet shall be $100.
(4)
Class IV, non-life hazard firesafety inspections for
buildings more than 6,000 square feet but less than 12,000 square
feet shall be one $150.
(5)
Class V, non-life hazard firesafety inspections for
buildings more than 12,000 square feet shall be $175.
(6)
Class VI, eating and drinking establishments with
less than 50 occupants in which no alcoholic beverages are consumed
shall be $100.
C.
Common areas. In multiple-family dwellings and businesses
with common areas accessible to the tenants and/or public shall be
inspected as often as necessary to enforce the Uniform Fire Code by
a certified Fire Inspector for a fee of $75 per building.
D.
Waivers. The following users shall be exempt from
the local permit and registration fees; however, they shall be required
to properly apply for such permits and registrations and comply with
all other code requirements:
(1)
The Highland Park Fire Department.
(2)
The Highland Park First Aid Squad.
(3)
Places of worship. This shall apply to uses where
the actual religious service takes place, uses for religious education
purposes or uses of an occasional nature.
(4)
Contractors and construction firms, when the activity
is part of work performed under a valid permit issued by the Building
Department.
(5)
Borough of Highland Park.
(6)
Highland Park Board of Education.
E.
Compensation. Activities requiring approval from the
Fire Official which require inspections by, or in the presence of,
one or more Fire Inspectors during times other than normally scheduled
work hours shall require reimbursement to the Borough of Highland
Park for such time at the rate of $100 per hour. Payment for such
activities shall be made prior to the issuance of any necessary permits
or approval by the Fire Official. Whenever the Fire Official authorizes
the assignment of a Fire Inspector to a quasi-public duty, the party
requesting the service shall pay the Borough for the service at the
rate of $100 per hour.
A.
Trade shows, craft shows, exhibits, expositions, auctions,
art sales, concerts, wrestling matches, festivals, dinners, dances,
balls, and similar events including non-school type uses in school
buildings, cultural centers and convention centers shall be $75 per
event.
B.
Asphalt (tar) kettles per job site: $42.
A.
The Fire Official shall investigate, or cause to be
investigated, the activation of any fire alarms, fire detector or
fire protection system occurring within the jurisdiction to determine
the cause for such activation and to determine if the device and/or
equipment have been properly restored to full service.
B.
Failure to report. It shall be a violation of this
article for any person or persons, having knowledge of same, to fail
to report to the Fire Department and/or the Fire Official the activation
of any fire protection system of device or to fail to report the occurrence
of any fire; any attempted arson or to fail to report the spill or
leakage of any flammable or combustible liquid or gas or of any hazardous
material immediately upon gaining such knowledge.
[Amended 5-1-2007 by Ord. No. 07-1722]
Pursuant to Sections 15 and 17 of the Uniform
Safety Act, any person aggrieved by any order of the local enforcement
agency shall have the right to appeal to the Construction Board of
Appeals of the County of Middlesex.
A.
Designation of fire lanes and fire zones.
(1)
Certain areas shall be designated as fire lanes to
provide clear access to buildings for the firefighting equipment in
the event of an emergency call. Fire hydrants and water connection
devices located on local, county, state and private roads shall be
designated as fire zones.
(2)
Fire lanes/fire zones may be located on public or
private property.
(3)
Fire lanes/fire zones shall be established by the
Borough Fire Official, and drawings of properties delineating fire
lanes/fire zones shall be kept on file in the office of Fire Prevention.
B.
Notice to affected property owners.
(1)
Notice that a property requires the posting of signs
or painting of fire lanes/fire zones shall be sent to the property
owner by the Fire Prevention Department whether by personal delivery
or certified mail.
(2)
Within 30 days of receipt of notice, said property
owner shall install required signs and paint required stripes.
C.
Intervention by the borough for failure to comply.
In the event that a property owner fails to comply with the requirements
of this Section, the Fire Prevention Department may arrange to have
signs installed and pavement painted at the expense of the property
owner, said amount to be assessed against the property affected and
collected through the Borough of Highland Park Tax Collector's Office.
D.
Parking, stopping or standing of vehicles prohibited.
No person shall park ("parking" means the standing or waiting on a
street, road or highway of a vehicle not actually engaged in receiving
or discharging passengers or merchandise, unless in obedience to traffic
regulations or traffic signs or signals), stop or leave standing ("stopping
or standing" when prohibited, means any cessation of movement of a
vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict
with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police
officer or traffic control sign or signal) any vehicle, whether attended
or unattended, in any designated fire lane or fire zone or obstruct
any designated fire lane or fire zone. No person shall park, stop
or leave standing any vehicle within 15 feet of any fire hydrant or
other Fire Department water connection device.
E.
Restrictions for loading zones. In loading zones designated
herein, attended vehicles may stop solely for the purpose of loading
or unloading and only for the period of time necessary to accomplish
such loading or unloading.
F.
Installation of signs, painting of lines.
(1)
Markings. The owner shall, within 30 days of being
given notice to do so by the Fire Official, mark the lanes as follows:
(a)
Signs, with minimum dimensions of 12 inches
by 18 inches constructed of metal 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 AT ANYTIME."
Immediately under these signs shall be another sign, with minimum
dimensions of 12 inches by six inches saying "FIRE LANE" or "FIRE
LANE NO ONSTREET PARKING." Spacing of 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 100 feet when viewed from a
position approximately five feet above the ground while in the fire
lane.
(3)
Fire zones associated with fire hydrants and water
connection devices shall be identified with yellow paint extending
15 feet in both directions on the curb and/or pavement where possible.
G.
Enforcement agencies for the parking in fire lanes/fire
zones. The Bureau of Fire Prevention and the Highland Park Police
Department shall have concurrent jurisdiction in policing and issuing
parking summons.
[Amended 5-1-2007 by Ord. No. 07-1722]
H.
Penalties.
(1)
Property owners failing to install signs or paint
pavement within 30 days of receipt of notice shall be subject to a
fine not to exceed $500 in accordance with the requirements of the
Uniform Fire Code.
(2)
Violators who park illegally in a fire lane or fire
zone shall be subject to a fine of $75. Said fine shall be imposed
on complaint and conviction in the Municipal Court of the Borough
of Highland Park.
(3)
All fines and penalties shall be paid to the Borough
of Highland Park Treasury.
[Amended 5-1-2007 by Ord. No. 07-1722]
All combustible refuse, rubbish and debris shall
be cleaned up and deposited in a noncombustible refuse container.
All refuse container(s) shall be located a minimum of 10 feet from
any building, structure and lot line or combustible material storage
location.
A.
All buildings or structures protected by fire alarms
shall be provided with a key box approved by the Fire Official. The
Knox-Box® shall contain keys to provide access to all areas of
the building or structure and shall be installed in a location approved
by the Fire Official; such Knox-Box shall only be utilized in response
to a report of a fire or fire protection system activation or other
emergency call.
(1)
The Knox-Box shall be located in a lighted location
not higher than 5 1/2 feet above grade.
B.
All buildings or structures that have an elevator
equipped with an elevator recall must provide the elevator recall
key in a lock box installed in a location readily accessible to the
fire department.
