The New Jersey Uniform Fire Code (N.J.A.C. 5:70-1.1
et seq.) and Uniform Fire Safety Act (N.J.S.A 52:27D-192 et seq.)
shall be locally enforced in the Borough of North Arlington.
The local enforcing agency shall be the Bureau
of Fire Prevention in the North Arlington Fire Department.
The local enforcement agency (or agencies) shall
enforce the Uniform Fire Code and the acts and regulations adopted
under it in all buildings, structures and premises within the established
boundaries of the Borough of North Arlington, 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.
The local enforcing agency established by § 165-2 of this article shall carry out the periodic inspections of life hazard uses required by the Uniform Fire Code on behalf of the Commissioner of Community Affairs.
This local enforcing agency established by § 165-2 of this article shall be a part of the North Arlington Fire Department and shall be under the direct supervision and control of the Fire Official and for administration purposes will report to the Chief of the North Arlington Fire Department.
A.
Appointment of Fire Official. The Bureau of Fire Prevention
shall be under the supervision of the Fire Official, who shall be
appointed by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of North Arlington.
The appointing authority shall make the appointment from among a list
of three recommendations provided by the Bureau of Fire Prevention.
B.
Term of office. The Fire Official shall serve for
a term of four years.
C.
Inspectors and employees. Such inspectors and other
employees as may be necessary in the local enforcing agency shall
be appointed by the Mayor and Council upon the recommendation of the
Fire Official.
D.
Removal from office. Fire Official, Inspectors, and
other employees of the enforcing agency shall be subject to removal
by the Mayor and Council for inefficiency or misconduct. The Fire
Official, each inspector, or employee to be so removed shall be afforded
an opportunity to be heard by the appointing authority or a designed
hearing officer.
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:27D-206 and N.J.S.A.
52:27D-208 of the Uniform Fire Safety Act, any person aggrieved by
any order of the local enforcing agency shall have the right to appeal
to the Construction Board of Appeals of Bergen County.
A.
The Fire Official shall enforce the code and the regulations
and shall endeavor to:
(1)
Ensure that all life hazard uses are inspected in
accordance with the schedule established by the code.
(2)
Ensure that notices of violation are served whenever
inspections reveal violations.
(3)
Provide that permit applications are available and
assist the public on preparing them when necessary.
(4)
Review all permit applications for completeness as
to form.
(5)
Ensure that the inspection required for the issuance
of a permit is performed in a timely manner.
(6)
Ensure that no activity or use which requires a permit
is carried out without one.
(7)
Ensure that all life hazards uses are registered.
(8)
Assist the Bureau, when requested, with any registration
survey.
(9)
Coordinate with the Fire Subcode Official where work
to be done to comply with the Fire Code requires a construction permit.
(10)
Collect all fees and penalties due to local
enforcing agency and ensure that they are properly accounted for.
(11)
Ensure that all requests for variances are properly
prepared, documented and approved or denied in a timely manner.
(12)
Ensure that all appeals are promptly referred
to the Construction Code Board of Appeals.
(13)
Record all notices of violation and determine
the amount of all penalties for noncompliance.
(14)
Ensure that a report of every inspection is
completed and properly filed.
(15)
Take reasonable measures to determine when imminent
hazards exist and enforce the law as provided for by the code.
(16)
File such reports as the Bureau may from time
to time require.
(17)
Supervise, the work of any assigned inspectors
or enforcement personnel to ensure completeness and accuracy.
(18)
Ensure that any agency staff member requiring
certification have been certified.
(19)
Ensure that the procedure of the local enforcing
agency conform to the requirements of the code and the regulations.
(20)
Prepare and obtain reports required by the regulations.
(21)
Attend meetings and hearings as required by
the code and the regulations.
(22)
Coordinate the activities of the local enforcing
agency with other code enforcing agency with other code enforcement
agencies and state agencies having related interest or responsibility.
(23)
Carry out such other functions as are necessary
and appropriate to the position of Fire Official.
(24)
Respond to and cause to be investigated any
complaints brought under the State Fire Code.
(25)
Carry out such other inspections and functions
as prescribed by the Mayor and Council.
In addition to the inspections and fees required
pursuant to the Act and the regulations of the Uniform Fire Code,
State of New Jersey, Department of Community Affairs, the following
additional inspections and fees shall be required:
A.
All non-life-hazard use establishments shall have
fire inspections conducted annually.
The permit fees established by the Uniform Construction
Code are hereby incorporated into this article by reference.[1]
A.
Fire hydrant encumbrances. All fire hydrants shall
be kept clear on the curb side of the hydrants as per the New Jersey
Motor Vehicle Law (N.J.S.A. 39:1-1 et seq.). No encumbrances, such
as refuse, flowers, hedges or trees, shall be maintained within eight
feet of either side of the hydrant. Private property owners shall
not move snow or pile snow within five feet of a fire hydrant at the
curb or street edge abutting private property.
B.
Snow removal around hydrants. Occupants of abutting
property shall remove snow from said hydrant.
C.
Maintenance and shutdown of hydrants. All private
fire hydrants on business or industrial properties shall be maintained
by the owner or tenant, subject to inspection and approval of the
Bureau of Fire Prevention. No fire hydrant on private property shall
be shut down without notification to the Fire Official.
D.
Prohibit use. Kerosene heaters, stoves, water heaters,
oil burners in stoves, ranges, or furnaces and woodburning stoves
or fireplaces without flues or chimneys are prohibited in the Borough
of North Arlington, except electrical stoves, water heater or ranges
that are designed to be vented.
E.
Establishments selling Christmas trees and wreaths.
Christmas trees and wreaths must not be displayed any closer to gas
pumps or other combustible storage tanks than 20 feet. Trees must
not be leaned against any frame building, but must be restrained by
a string, rope or cable. All Christmas trees and wreaths must be removed
from the premises within 10 days after Christmas Day.
A.
Lights; signs. A red, protected (cage and globe) light,
as approved by the Fire Official, will operate 24 hours a day and
be placed on the exterior of the building above the sprinkler and/or
standpipe. Fire Department connection is required. This light shall
be affixed to the structure no less than five feet above the Fire
Department connection.
B.
Knox Box requirement. With the exception of residential
property, all new construction within the Borough of North Arlington
requiring an automatic fire and/or sprinkler system shall be equipped
with a Knox Box.
(1)
Any building change of use or major renovation where
an automatic fire and/or sprinkler system shall be equipped with a
Knox Box.
(2)
The Knox Box must contain the following and be clearly
marked:
(3)
Knox Box orders forms must be obtained from the Fire
Prevention Bureau.
(4)
All Knox Boxes shall be installed by completion of
construction.
A.
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of the Fire Prevention Code or fall to comply therewith, or who shall violate or fail to comply with any order or regulation made thereunder, shall severally and for each and every violation and noncompliance respectively be subject to a penalty at provided in Chapter 1, Article I, General Penalty, in the discretion of the Municipal Judge. The imposition of one penalty for any violation of this article shall not excuse the violation or permit it to continue, and all such persons shall be requested to correct or remedy such violations or defects within a reasonable time. When not otherwise specified, each day that prohibited conditions are maintained shall constitute a separate offense.
B.
The application of the above penalties shall not be
held to prevent the enforced removal of prohibited conditions.
Nothing herein contained shall be constructed in any way to affect the terms and provisions of Chapter 205, Land Development, or the Building Code of Borough of North Arlington.
