[Adopted 7-10-1984 by Ord. No. 84-48]
[Amended 12-4-1990 by Ord. No. 90-65]
All buildings, structures and units thereof that are leased or rented, regardless of the term, in the Township of Stafford shall be inspected by the Code Official on every initial occupancy or change of occupancy after the effective date of this article, but there shall not be more than one such inspection of each leased or rented building, structure or units thereof in any calendar year. All buildings, structures and units thereof, which are leased or rented and not currently occupied at the time this article takes effect, shall be considered an initial occupancy and subject to the provisions hereof.
[Amended 8-4-1998 by Ord. No. 98-54; 6-18-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-17[1]]
A. 
All buildings, structures and units thereof which are inspected pursuant to this article shall comply in all respects to the requirements of Township ordinances, the provisions of N.J.S.A. 55:13A-1 et seq. and 55:13B-1 et seq. and the applicable provisions of the International Property Maintenance Code, 2021.
B. 
Any and all new work required to be undertaken on an existing structure must comply with the provisions of the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.).
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also retitled the chapter from "Certificates of Occupancy" to "Resale Certificates; Rental Certificates."
[Added 8-4-1998 by Ord. No. 98-54; amended 6-18-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-17]
The latest edition of the International Property Maintenance Code and all of the terms contained therein, and as such portions as are hereinafter deleted, modified, changed or amended, are hereby adopted and incorporated as fully as if they were set forth at length herein for the purpose of Chapter 81. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:49-5.1 et seq., the aforesaid code is adopted by reference thereto, and a copy of the printed code is annexed to this chapter and shall be a part of it as fully as though it had been set forth at length herein.
[Added 8-4-1998 by Ord. No. 98-54]
Three copies of the printed code have been placed on file in the office of the Department of Building Inspections and the office of the Township Clerk for use and examination of the public.
[Added 8-4-1998 by Ord. No. 98-54; amended 6-18-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-17]
The following provisions of the International Property Maintenance Code shall be revised and/or modified as follows:
A. 
Chapter 1, entitled, "Scope and Administration," is hereby deleted in its entirety.
B. 
Section 301.3 Vacant structures and land is hereby deleted in its entirety.
C. 
Sections 302.1 Sanitation, 302.2 Grading and drainage, 302.3 Sidewalks and driveways, and 302.8 Motor vehicles are hereby deleted in their entireties.
D. 
Section 304.4 Structural members 303.4 is hereby deleted in its entirety.
E. 
In Section 304.7 Roofs and drainage, 3.7, the last sentence that reads, "Roof water shall not be discharged in a manner that creates a public nuisance" shall be deleted.
F. 
In Section 304.14 Insect screens 303.15, the phrase "during the period from [date] to [date]" shall be deleted.
G. 
Section 304.17 Guards for Basement windows, 303.18 shall be deleted in its entirety.
H. 
Section 305.2 Structural members, 304.2 shall be deleted in its entirety.
I. 
In Section 307.1 (formally 702.9) Handrails and Guardrails Side, the phrase "and having more than four risers" shall be revised to read "and having more than three risers."
J. 
Section 308 Rubbish and Garbage, 305 entitled is hereby deleted in its entirety.
K. 
In Section 502.4, Employee's facilities, the phrase "and one drinking facility" shall be deleted.
L. 
Section 505.2 Contamination, shall be deleted in its entirety.
M. 
In Section 505.4 Water heating facilities, the following sentence shall be added: "All relief valve discharge pipes are to be metallic with no threaded ends and are to terminate six inches above the finish floor." Not to print-changed temperature not less than 120 F to 110 F.
N. 
Section 507 Storm drainage, is hereby deleted in its entirety.
O. 
In Section 602.3 Heat supply, the phrase "during the period from [date] to [date]" is hereby deleted, and the exception listed therein is deleted in its entirety.
P. 
In Section 602.4, Occupiable work spaces, the phrase "during the period from [date] to [date]" is hereby deleted.
Q. 
Section 605.2 Receptacles is hereby deleted in its entirety.
R. 
Section 606 Elevators, Escalators, and Dumbwaiters, is hereby deleted in its entirety.
S. 
In Section 704.6.3 Power source 705.5.2, the following sentence shall be added: "AC primary power source smoke detectors are to be replaced with the same power source with or without battery backup."
The owner, rental agent or manager of all buildings and structures and units thereof subject to inspection pursuant to this article shall be responsible for notifying, in writing, the Code Official that such premises are leased or rented or being offered to be leased or rented so that an inspection or reinspection may be made.
[Amended 9-2-1997 by Ord. No. 97-79]
A. 
Prior to the inspection and issuance of a rental certificate of occupancy, the owner of the property must comply with the provisions of § 164-2.
B. 
Upon completion of an inspection of the premises and the same being determined by the Code Official to comply with this article, a rental certificate of occupancy shall be issued. A copy of the certificate shall be posted by the owner, rental agent or manager of the inspected property in each separate leased or rented unit. No tenant shall occupy any building, structure or any units thereof until a rental certificate of occupancy has been issued.
[1]
Editor's Note: For additional provisions on issuance of certificates, see Ch. 134, Licensing, Art. II.
In the event that the Code Official determines, after an inspection, that the premises in question are in violation of this article, the Code Official shall notify, in writing, the owner, rental agent or manager of the violations noted. Upon correction of the violations, the owner, rental agent or manager shall notify, in writing, the Code Official that the corrections have been made so that a reinspection of the property may occur. If, upon reinspection of the property, the Code Official determines that previous violations were not corrected or new violations exist, then the Code Official shall, again in writing, notify the owner, rental agent or manager of the inspected property of the violations, and this process shall continue until all violations have been corrected.
Service shall be deemed to be properly served upon such owner if a copy thereof is delivered to the owner, rental agent or manager personally, or by leaving the notice at the usual place of abode in the presence of someone in the family of suitable age and discretion who shall be informed of the contents thereof, or by certified or registered mail addressed to the owner at the last known address with return receipt requested, or, if the certified or registered letter is returned with receipt showing that it has not been delivered, by posting a copy thereof in a conspicuous place in or about the structure affected by such notice and at least one publication of such notice in a local newspaper of general circulation.
If, subsequent to the issuance of a rental certificate of occupancy, the Code Official learns or becomes aware of violations of this article, an inspection shall be made of the subject premises. If violations are found to exist, then notification in writing shall be given to the owner, rental agent or manager, and said person shall have 10 days from service of the notice to correct all deficiencies noted therein. In the event that the same have not been corrected within 10 days, then the rental certificate of occupancy may be revoked by the Construction Official by mailing a notice of revocation by certified mail to the owner, rental agent or manager and to the tenant or tenants, and the premises will be vacated.
A. 
Any person violating or failing to comply with any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, by imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days or by community service of not more than 90 days, or any combination of fine, imprisonment and community service as determined by the Municipal Court Judge. The continuation of such violation for each successive day shall constitute a separate offense, and the person or persons allowing or permitting the continuation of the violation may be punished as provided above for each separate offense.
[Amended 2-21-1989 by Ord. No. 89-22]
B. 
Notwithstanding any of the aforementioned and not in limitation thereof, in case any violation order is not promptly complied with, the Code Official may request the jurisdiction's legal representative to institute an appropriate action or proceeding at law or equity to exact the penalty provided as indicated above or may ask the legal representative to proceed at law or in equity against the persons responsible for the violation for the following purposes:
(1) 
To restrain, correct or remove the violation or refrain from any further execution of work.
(2) 
To restrain or correct the erection, installation, or alteration of each structure.
(3) 
To require the removal of work in violation.
(4) 
To prevent the occupation or use of the structure or part thereof erected, constructed, installed or altered in violation of or not in compliance with the provisions of this article or in violation of a plan or specification under which an approval, permit or certificate was issued.
[Amended 10-3-1995 by Ord. No. 95-94; 12-4-1990 by Ord. No. 90-65; 2-15-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-08; 6-18-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-17]
A. 
Amounts.
(1) 
The owner of the inspected property shall be charged a fee for each inspection as follows:
(a) 
Rental certificate:
[1] 
Single family, per dwelling unit: $40.
[2] 
One to 50 units, per dwelling unit: $25.
[3] 
Over 50 units, per dwelling unit: $20.
[4] 
Commercial unit, per unit: $65.
(2) 
The term "dwelling unit" shall be defined as a single unit providing complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, cooking and sanitation.
(3) 
"Commercial unit" shall mean any rental property utilized for nonresidential purposes.
(4) 
A fee of $25 shall be charged for each residential property which is required to be reinspected during any calendar year.
(5) 
A fee of $50 shall be charged for each nonresidential property which is required to be reinspected during any calendar year.
(6) 
A fee of $15 shall be charged for each subsequent reinspection required due to a previously failed inspection.
B. 
The aforesaid fees shall be paid to the Code Official prior to any inspection being made hereunder.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CODE OFFICIAL
The Township Construction Code Official, his designee or an agency authorized to perform inspections on behalf of the Township.