[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors
of the Township of Chestnuthill 10-7-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-05. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known as the "Chestnuthill
Township Fire Lane Ordinance."
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
A lane to provide access to fire-fighting personnel, equipment
and apparatus to buildings, structures, fire hydrants or connections
to automatic sprinkler or stand pipe systems, in connection with fire-fighting
activities. Driveways, parking lot travel lanes, delivery lanes, and
private roadways shall be permitted to be used as fire lanes if they
meet the requirements of this section.
A.
Subject to the provisions of § 46-6 of this chapter, fire lanes shall be provided for all new buildings of 2,000 square feet in area or greater, with the exception of detached one- and two-family residential dwellings.
B.
Fire lanes may be designated:
(1)
By the Board by resolution, pursuant to recommendation
of the West End Fire Company (or any successor fire company in Chestnuthill
Township) Fire Chief (the "Fire Chief"), on public property which
will include any highway, roadway, alleyway, driveway, parking area,
pathway, cul-de-sac or any other area deemed necessary for fire protection.
(2)
By written agreement between the Board and any school
board, hospital, church, property owners' association, commercial
or industrial facility, shopping center or apartment complex owner,
or entertainment facility owner, which controls a parking area located
within Chestnuthill Township, empowering the Board to designate and
enforce fire lanes on such parking area, including enforcement of
the maintenance of the designated fire lanes. The agreement shall
become effective and enforceable three days after it is duly executed
and delivered.
(3)
By the decision of the Board or the Chestnuthill Township
Zoning Hearing Board pursuant to any planned residential development
approval, conditional use approval, special exception approval or
the granting of a variance.
The specifications for fire lanes shall be as
follows:
A.
Fire lanes shall be constructed of a hard, all-weather
surface designed to support any fire apparatus within the legal load
limits of the jurisdiction.
B.
The grade from a fire lane to the exterior wall of
the grade level floor of a building shall not exceed 10%.
C.
Fire lanes connecting to roadways shall be provided
with curb cuts extending at least two feet (0.6 meters) beyond each
edge of the fire lane.
D.
Fire lanes intended for one-way travel of fire apparatus
shall provide a minimum of 14 feet in width of traveled way. Fire
lanes providing two-way travel of fire apparatus shall be a minimum
of 24 feet in width of traveled way.
E.
Fire lanes intended only for the unimpeded access
of firefighters and equipment or for the emergency egress of building
occupants shall be a minimum of 8 feet in width providing all of the
following conditions are met:
(1)
One side of the fire lane directly abuts a structure
or a sidewalk that directly abuts a structure; and
(2)
The other side of the fire lane directly abuts a parking
lot travel lane; and
(3)
There is no physical separation such as a curb, median
or other encumbrance between the fire lane and the parking lot travel
lane.
F.
The Board shall be permitted to allow a reduction
in fire lane width where without such reduction a property owner would
be prevented from the use or enjoyment of said property; providing
the fire lane will allow for emergency access and operations and the
safe egress of the public.
G.
Fire lane widths shall not include shoulders, sidewalks,
or drainage.
H.
Extra width shall be provided where the Fire Chief
determines such width is necessary to position apparatus for operations
during an incident.
I.
Turns in fire lanes shall be constructed to provide
sufficient width to accommodate the largest piece of fire apparatus
available to be operated on the fire lane, but in no case shall the
radius to the outside curbline be less than 50 feet.
J.
K.
At least 13 feet, six inches (4.2 meters), nominal
vertical clearance shall be provided and maintained over the full
width of a fire lane.
L.
Any bridge in a fire lane shall be designed to support
any fire apparatus within the legal load limits of Chestnuthill Township
and constructed and maintained in accordance with nationally recognized
standards.
M.
Vehicle load limits shall be posted at both entrances
to bridges where required by the Board.
N.
Any bridge constructed as part of a fire lane shall
provide width of no less than that required for the fire lane.
O.
Dead-end fire lanes that exceed 300 feet in length
shall be provided with an adequate turnaround at the closed end of
the fire lane, as approved by the Fire Chief.
P.
The clear opening through gates in fire lanes shall
be at least two feet wider than the traveled way.
Q.
All gates at the entrance to fire lanes shall be located
a minimum of 30 feet from the roadway and shall open away from the
roadway, unless other provisions are made for safe personnel operation.
R.
The Board shall have the authority to require a means
of unlocking any security feature that is installed.
S.
If needed, fire department personnel shall have ready
access to any manual releases that could be required if there is an
interruption of utility power.
T.
Means shall be provided to override normal operation
and allow any gate to remain open until manually closed.
U.
Wintertime maintenance of access through any gates
and along any fire lane shall be provided as necessary to maintain
emergency accessibility.
V.
Changes to access points, gates, or fire lane layout
shall be approved by the Board prior to any changes being made.
A.
Fire lanes shall be marked with signs that measure
no less than 12 inches by 18 inches that read "No Parking—Fire
Lane" or similar language. The lettering of such signs shall be red
on a white background. Such signs shall be placed at intervals of
no more than 50 feet apart or, where this is not possible, at locations
designated or approved by the Fire Chief. Posting of fire lanes in
accordance with any applicable requirements of the Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation shall be an acceptable alternative. Additionally,
curbing adjacent to the fire lane, if provided, shall be painted with
yellow traffic paint and pavement comprising the fire lane shall be
striped with yellow traffic paint to delineate the fire lane. Pavement
shall also be marked to read "No Parking—Fire Lane." Such markings
shall be placed at intervals of no more than 50 feet apart or, where
this is not possible, at locations designated or approved by the Fire
Chief.
B.
All fire lanes shall also be posted as a "tow zone."
C.
All designated fire lane signs and markings shall
be maintained in a clean and legible condition at all times and replaced
when necessary to ensure adequate visibility.
D.
All required posting and marking, and maintenance
of the same, shall be the responsibility of the owner of the property
where located.
E.
In cases where a fire lane is also routinely utilized as a vehicular travel lane and lane designations clearly identify such a travel lane with no provisions for parking anywhere within the travel way of the lane, the posting and marking requirements of this section may be waived by the Board. However, fire lanes meeting the requirements of § 46-4E shall not be exempt from the posting and marking requirements of this section.
Preexisting and nonconforming fire lanes created
and approved prior to the adoption of this chapter shall not be required
to come into compliance with the provisions of this chapter with the
following exceptions:
A.
A change of use, occupancy or ownership occurs that
requires the approval of the Board;
B.
As a result of a fire lane on the property being in
nonconformance with the provisions of this chapter, the fire lane
does not allow for emergency access and operations and presents a
clear and present danger to the public.
When any combination of private fire protection
facilities, including but not limited to fire-resistive roofs, fire
separation walls, space separation and automatic fire-extinguishing
systems, are provided and approved by the Fire Chief as an acceptable
alternative, then fire lanes shall not be required.
It shall be unlawful for any person to:
A.
Stop or park a vehicle in a fire lane, whether the
vehicle is occupied or not at the time.
B.
Store, sell or display supplies, equipment, shopping
carts, inventory, merchandise or any other items in a fire lane.
C.
Obstruct a fire lane.
D.
Engage in any other acts which would substantially
interfere with the access of fire officials, personnel and/or fire-fighting
equipment to, over, in and/or upon a fire lane.
A.
This chapter shall be enforced by action brought before
a District Justice in the same manner provided for the enforcement
of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Any person, partnership, corporation or other entity who or which
violates or permits a violation of the provisions of this chapter
shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding, pay a fine of not
less than $100 nor more than $1,000 per violation, plus all court
costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by Chestnuthill Township
in the enforcement proceedings, and/or be imprisoned to the extent
allowed by law for the punishment of summary offenses. Each day or
portion thereof that a violation exists or continues shall constitute
a separate violation. Each section of this chapter that is violated
shall also constitute a separate violation. Further, the appropriate
officers or agents of Chestnuthill Township are hereby authorized
to seek equitable relief, including injunction, to enforce compliance
with this chapter. All fines, penalties, costs and reasonable attorneys'
fees collected for the violation of this chapter shall be paid to
Chestnuthill Township for its general use.
B.
In addition to but not in limitation of the foregoing,
any motor vehicle or other obstruction within a fire lane which is
designated as a "tow zone" shall be subject to removal by a towing
service at the direction of the Fire Chief, Chestnuthill Township
Codes Official, Chestnuthill Township Fire Marshall or other appropriate
officials of Chestnuthill Township, and the owner shall be responsible
for all towing and storage costs.
The Fire Chief, the Chestnuthill Township Fire
Marshal, Chestnuthill Township Zoning Officer, or their designees,
are hereby authorized to issue citations for the violation of this
chapter. Among other methods, issuance of the citation may be effectuated
by placing the same on the vehicle or other obstruction in the fire
lane.
