[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Burlington
by Ord. No. 9-2000 (Ch. 10.32 of the 1996 Municipal Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter shall be to create fire lanes and
zones wherein fire equipment, personnel and other emergency vehicles
will have an unobstructed means of ingress and egress to the building
and/or other structures within the City in the event a fire or other
emergency response.
"Fire lanes" shall be defined as a designated area to permit
fire apparatus and other emergency vehicles and personnel to traverse
for purposes of emergency response. Fire lanes shall be marked and
constructed in accordance with Schedules 1, 2, and 4 of this chapter.[1] The City may require public or private fire lanes as deemed
necessary for the efficient and effective operation of fire apparatus
and other emergency vehicles. Notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, approval of the designation of such fire lanes shall be
by resolution of the Common Council of the City.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said schedules are on file in the office of
the Fire Official.
Fire zones shall be created by the Fire Official, with the approval of the Chief of the Fire Department, Public Safety Director and the Business Administrator, for buildings and structures within the City excluding one-family detached dwellings as defined in § 207-3 of the Code of the City of Burlington. "Fire zones" are designated areas at entrances, exits, loading doors, or other accessways to premises, and Fire Department connections which shall remain unobstructed at all times so as to provide access to buildings by fire apparatus, personnel and other emergency vehicles. These areas shall be as described in Schedules 1, 2 and 3 of this chapter.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said schedules are on file in the office of
the Fire Official.
A.
The location, dimensions, markings and number of signs that shall
be required in or upon a fire lane or zone shall be determined by
the Fire Official of the City upon advice from the Fire Chief of the
Fire Department who shall base their findings upon the size, type
and location of the building and/or other structures provided. However,
each such lane or zone shall, where possible, conform to the schedules
of this chapter and to the following:
(1)
Fire zones shall be no less then 10 feet nor more than 50 feet in
width and shall be striped and lettered in yellow on a paved surface.
Such striping and lettering shall be legible at all times. Said striping
and lettering shall comply with the standards set forth in Schedule
2 of this chapter and with all applicable standards which shall hereinafter
be promulgated by the State of New Jersey.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said schedule is on file in the office of the
Fire Official.
(2)
Fire lanes proposed within the City shall conform with the following:
(a)
Fire lanes shall have a minimum width of 18 feet.
(b)
Fire lanes shall be constructed of either asphalt paving, concrete,
concrete paving blocks, or eight-inch minimum of dense graded aggregate.
Where soil conditions warrant geotextile fabric shall be installed.
Fire lanes shall be designed to support a weight of approximately
25 tons. The design of the fire lanes shall be subject to the approval
of the City Engineer and Fire Official and Chief of the Fire Department.
All fire lanes shall be designed with a turning radii that will allow
the largest fire vehicle to remain within the designated fire lane
or travel lane while negotiating a turn. Fire lanes located in landscaped
areas shall be designed by locating "Fire Lane" signs on both sides
of said lane at an interval determined by the City Engineer. Where
required to access a roadway, fire lanes shall provide a depressed
curb.
B.
Fire lanes and fire zones shall have signs, the lettering on which
shall be legible at all times, which shall advise that the area is
a "Fire Zone" or "Fire Lane," and such signs shall comply with the
standards set forth in Schedule 3 and 4 of this chapter and with all
applicable standards which shall hereafter be promulgated by the State
of New Jersey.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Said schedules are on file in the office of
the Fire Official.
C.
It shall be the discretion of the Fire Official and the Construction
Official of the City, subject to approval by the Public Safety Director
and Business Administrator, to grant a waiver to any of the above
requirements, and the reasons for granting a waiver shall be documented
and based on reasonable and prudent deviations which arise as a result
of the particular premises and structures. However, a waiver shall
not be granted if any firematic operation would be adversely affected.
It shall be the responsibility of the owner or owners of the
land or premises wherein a fire lane and/or zone has been designated
to stripe, letter and maintain the appropriate signs as required and
to maintain said striping, lettering and signage in a clean and legible
manner at all times and replace when necessary to insure adequate
visibility.
A.
Upon the creation of a fire lane and/or zone, the Fire Official shall
provide the owner or owners of the land or premises wherein the fire
lane and/or zone is located with written notice sent by certified
mail, return receipt requested, requiring that the marking, striping,
lettering and/or signage be completed within 60 days from receipt
of the letter. Failure to comply with a sixty-day period will result
in the Fire Official or his designee instituting a proceeding in the
Municipal Court against the owner or owners of the land or premises
within which the fire lane and/or zone is to be located or cite the
owner or owners of the premises under the Uniform Fire Code.[1]
B.
The Fire Official, or his designee, shall be responsible for notifying
the owner or owners of the lane or premises wherein a fire lane and/or
zone is located that the owner or owners must take certain steps within
30 days of the date of the receipt of the notice to maintain the condition
of the marking and/or striping and/or lettering and/or "Fire Lane"
and/or "Fire Zone" signs. Said written notice shall be sent certified
mail, return receipt requested. Failure to comply within a thirty-day
period will result in the Fire Official, or his designee, instituting
a Municipal Court proceeding against the owner or owners of the land
or premises within which the fire lane and/or zone is located or cite
the owner or owners of the premises under the Uniform Fire Code.
No person, or owner of, shall at any time park a vehicle or
in any other manner obstruct any area that has been designated as
a fire lane and/or zone. This section shall be enforced by the Police
Department of the City and/or any such person designated by the Business
Administrator and/or Mayor or the person may be cited under the Uniform
Fire Code.
Any violation of this chapter shall be punishable by a fine
of not less than $50 nor more than $500 or by imprisonment of not
more than 90 days, or both.
