[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Washington 5-10-1989 by Ord. No. 89-10. (This ordinance
also superseded former Ch. 72, Fire Prevention, adopted 6-11-1986
by Ord. No. 86-4.) Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Unfit buildings — See Ch. 53.
A.
Except as may otherwise be provided herein, all terms
utilized in the Uniform Fire Safety Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-192 et seq.,
or in any code of regulation adopted thereunder, or in the New Jersey
Uniform Fire Code, N.J.A.C. 5:70 et seq., adopted herein, shall have
the meaning given such term in said act, code or regulation, unless
the context herein clearly requires a contrary meaning.
[Amended 3-19-2002 by Ord. No. 02-5]
B.
Except as herein set forth, all other terms shall
have their common, ordinary or accepted meaning, unless the context
clearly requires a contrary meaning.
C.
ACT
BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS
CHIEF
CODE
DEPARTMENT
TOWNSHIP
Except as may otherwise be set forth herein, the following
terms shall have the following meanings:
The Uniform Fire Safety Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-192 et seq.
The Board of Fire Commissioners of Fire District No. 1 in
the Township of Washington, Warren County.
[Added 6-15-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-08[1]]
The Fire Chief of the Washington Township Fire Department, as provided in § 13-1 of the Township Code of the Township of Washington.
The New Jersey Uniform Fire Code.
The Washington Township Fire Department, created pursuant to Chapter 13 of the Township Code of the Township of Washington.
The Township of Washington, in the County of Warren and State
of New Jersey.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also deleted
the former definition of "Committee," which appeared in this section.
The New Jersey Uniform Fire Code is hereby adopted
as the applicable standard for fire protection and safety within the
Township of Washington.
[Added 6-16-1992 by Ord. No. 92-4]
It is the purpose of this chapter of the Township
Code to:
A.
Ensure that all areas of the township are protected
by a uniform firesafety code, which will protect the lives and properties
of the citizens and residents of the township;
B.
Ensure that there shall be uniform, thorough and adequately
funded firesafety inspections which protect the public; and
C.
Gain compliance, and if applicable and when necessary,
penalties for violations of the code will be imposed commensurate
with the offense in question.
A.
The herein adopted code shall be enforced locally
within the Township of Washington, as permitted by N.J.S.A. 52:27D-202,
as hereinafter set forth.
B.
To enforce the Code, there is hereby created under
the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Washington Township Fire District
No. 1 a Bureau of Fire Prevention.
[Amended 6-15-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-08]
[Amended 6-15-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-08]
A.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall consist of a Fire
Official, to be appointed by the Board of Fire Commissioners upon
the recommendation of the Chief of the Department, as well as a Fire
Inspector or other inspectors or employees as may, from time to time,
be deemed necessary by the Board of Fire Commissioners. Such Inspector,
inspectors or employees shall be appointed by the Board of Fire Commissioners
upon the recommendation of the Chief of the Department and the Fire
Official. The Fire Official, the Fire Inspector, and all other inspectors
hereunder shall possess such qualifications as provided in the Code
for such positions.
B.
The Fire Official shall be appointed for a term of
one year and shall be eligible for indefinite reappointment. The Fire
Inspector and other inspectors or employees of the Bureau of Fire
Prevention shall serve for indefinite terms. Any vacancy occurring
in the Office of Fire Official or Fire Inspector shall be filled for
the unexpired term only.
C.
The Fire Official, the Fire Inspector, and all inspectors
and other employees of the Bureau of Fire Prevention may be removed
from office by the Township Committee for cause and after a hearing
before the Township Committee.
D.
The Fire Official and the Fire Inspector (collectively,
the Bureau of Fire Prevention) shall become part of Fire District
No. 1, effective immediately.
[Amended 6-16-1992 by Ord. No. 92-4; 3-19-2002 by Ord. No. 02-5; 6-15-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-08]
A.
Enforcement.
(1)
The Fire Official under the supervision of the Board
of Fire Commissioners of the Washington Township Fire District No.
1 shall enforce the Code as it may exist and from time to time be
amended and supplemented. The Code shall apply to all buildings/structures
located within the Township, except the following:
B.
The Fire District No. 1 shall carry out the periodic
inspections of life hazard uses as required by the Code.
C.
The Fire Official shall report all activities of the
Bureau of Fire Prevention to the Board of Fire Commissioners and the
Fire Department at their regular monthly meetings.
As provided by the Act, any person aggrieved
by any order of the Bureau of Fire Prevention shall have the right
to appeal such order to the Construction Board of Appeals of Warren
County.
[Amended 6-16-1992 by Ord. No. 92-4; 3-19-2002 by Ord. No. 02-5]
All buildings, structures and premises within
the township, except owner-occupied one- and two-family dwellings
and any building/structure which has, as its sole purpose, the storing
or boarding of local agricultural products, and is not considered
a life-hazard use, shall annually be registered with the Bureau of
Fire Prevention on forms to be provided by said Bureau of Fire Prevention.
Any new building, structure or premises required to be registered
herein shall, prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy
therefor, be registered with the Bureau of Fire Prevention.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall have power
to make such inspections and reinspections as may be required by the
Act or code or as may, in the opinion of the Bureau of Fire Prevention,
be necessary or otherwise desirable to enable it to fulfill its duties
under this chapter or the Act or code.
[Amended 6-16-1992 by Ord. No. 92-4; 3-19-2002 by Ord. No. 02-5; 9-16-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-10; 2-21-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-03]
A.
Fees shall be charged by the Bureau of Fire Prevention
as follows:
(1)
For municipal buildings: no charge.
(2)
For religious assemblies (but not religious schools):
no charge.
(3)
For life hazard uses: as provided by the New Jersey
Administrative Fire Code.
(4)
Smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm inspections:
$50.
[Amended 7-17-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-07]
(5)
[1] For all other registrations, inspections and uses based
on usable enclosed or covered space:
[Amended 11-15-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-14]
(a)
Under 1,000 square feet: $42.
(b)
One thousand and one to 2,500 square feet: $50.
(c)
Two thousand five hundred and one to 5,000 square
feet: $101.
(d)
Five thousand and one to 10,000 square feet:
$152.
(e)
Ten
thousand and one or more square feet: $192.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection A(5), regarding carbon monoxide
alarms, was repealed 7-17-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-07. This ordinance also
renumbered former Subsection A(6) as Subsection A(5).
B.
All fees set forth above will be paid annually to
the Bureau and will serve as the registration/inspection and reinspection
cost for the year in question. Properties requiring additional inspections,
beyond the required reinspection, will be charged $42 for each inspection
performed by the Fire Official/Inspector.
[Added 6-16-1992 by Ord. No. 92-4; amended 9-16-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-10]
A.
A building/structure located in the Township of Washington used or intended for use for residential purposes, upon a change of occupancy/ownership of any building set forth in this section of the Code, shall have a smoke-sensitive alarm device on each level of the structure and outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms and located on or near the ceiling in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard No. 74-1984 for the installation, maintenance and use of household fire warning equipment. The installation of battery operated, smoke-sensitive alarm devices shall be tested and listed by a product certification agency recognized by the Bureau of Fire Prevention. This section shall not be enforced, except pursuant to § 72-10B of the Code.
B.
Carbon monoxide alarms shall be installed and maintained
in full operating condition in the immediate vicinity of each sleeping
area in any guest room or dwelling unit located in a building of Use
Group I-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4 or R-5 if the building contains a fuel-burning
appliance or has an attached garage.
[Amended 7-17-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-07]
C.
In case of change of ownership and/or occupancy of
any building subject to the requirements of § 72-10(A) and/or
§ 72-10(B) of the Code, no owner shall sell, lease or otherwise
permit occupancy for residential purposes of the building without
first obtaining from the Bureau of Fire Prevention a certificate evidencing
compliance with the section of the Code.
[Added 6-16-1992 by Ord. No. 92-4; amended 3-19-2002 by Ord. No. 02-5]
All buildings and structures located within
the Township of Washington which are determined by the Bureau of Fire
Prevention and/or the State of New Jersey to be of truss construction
shall comply with all provisions of state laws, rules and/or regulations
regarding truss construction, including but not limited to N.J.A.C.
5:70-2.20.
[Added 9-16-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-10]
Any and all businesses operating within the
Township of Washington that store and/or use environmentally hazardous
substances shall comply with State and Federal Worker and Community
Right to Know reporting requirements. Subject to the determination
of the Bureau of Fire Prevention and/or the Department, any such business
shall mount to the exterior of its building(s) a placard identifying
the environmentally hazardous substances stored and/or used in its
building(s). The Bureau of Fire Prevention and/or the Department shall
comply with the most recent regulations in determining the need for
a placard and the design, size and shape of the placard.
