Borough of North Caldwell, NJ Trailers, Boats, Commercial Vehicles and Construction Dumpsters

A vehicle or structure designed for mounting upon a vehicle, primarily designed as a family camping or travel facility and commonly known as a "travel trailer," a "truck-mount camper" or a "collapsible camping trailer."

(1)

TRAVEL TRAILER— A fix-form trailer which is pulled by either car or truck, not supplying its own motor power.

(2)

TRUCK-MOUNT TRAILERA self-contained unit which is or may be mounted upon a pickup truck.

(3)

COLLAPSIBLE CAMPING TRAILERA trailer, collapsible in nature, designed to be trailed behind another vehicle.

Also includes any motor vehicle or motor-drawn vehicle, as those terms are defined in and by N.J.S.A. 39:1-1, which is so designed, constructed, reconstructed or added to by means of portable accessories or otherwise as will permit the occupancy thereof as a temporary or permanent dwelling or sleeping place for one or more persons.

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

Shall mean and includes

[1973 Code § 77-7]

Vehicles which display the name of the owner, lessee or lessor of the vehicle, and/or the name of the municipality in which the owner, lessee or lessor has its principal place of business as required by Title 39 of the New Jersey Statutes.

Any vehicle exceeding 20 feet in length or seven feet in height, or carrying ladders or other nonrecreational equipment that is not an integral part of the vehicle.

Any truck, semitrailer or other vehicle having a gross vehicle weight rating of 12,500 pounds or more.

TRAILER

Any vehicle or structure which is or may be mounted on wheels, with motor power or having no motor power of its own and capable for use as a conveyance upon streets or highways, which is so designed, constructed, reconstructed or added to by means of portable accessories or otherwise as will permit the occupancy thereof as a temporary or permanent dwelling or sleeping place for one or more persons. "Trailers" shall include construction trailers, construction debris dumpsters and containers, mobile homes and camp cars.

§ 95-2 Parking and storage restricted; use as dwelling prohibited.

[New]

No person shall park or store any trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle in the open on any street, highway or other public place within the Borough of North Caldwell or on any lot or tract of land therein, whether occupied or unoccupied, except that a trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle may be parked in a garage and except that trailers, camper trailers and boats or commercial vehicles may be parked or stored by the owner thereof as hereinafter set forth. No trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle while stored or parked as permitted in this section shall be occupied or used for dwelling purposes.

Under no circumstances shall any such trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle, other than any construction trailer actually used in conjunction with construction upon a construction site, be used for dwelling purposes, human habitation or occupancy of any kind or nature, nor shall the same be connected to any water main, sewer, gas, electric or other utility. Trailers used in connection with construction shall receive permission to park from the Building Inspector, who shall have reasonable discretion to regulate the place of parking, use, location and length of stay.

No trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle shall be parked in the front yard. Where possible, trailers, camper trailers and boats and commercial vehicles shall be parked and stored by the owner thereof in that half of the rear yard closest to such owner's dwelling, and then only in such fashion that no part of such trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle shall project beyond the outside walls of the dwelling nor above the highest point of the lowest roof thereof. The Building Inspector shall have authority to determine when it is not possible to park said trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle in the rear yard or whether because of topography or property layout it is more feasible and aesthetically wiser to park as otherwise provided herein. In such cases, the trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle may be parked or stored in the other half of the rear yard or the side yard, but no trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle shall be parked or stored within eight feet of any property line.

All trailers, camper trailers and boats and commercial vehicles not stored in an enclosed garage shall be reasonably screened. Screening may consist of trellis, latticework, decorative block, basket-weave fencing, open artistic block or other similar material at least four feet in height approved by the Building Inspector or may be of shrubbery at least four feet in height. All screening shall be maintained as originally approved. If the screening is not so maintained, any permit granted is subject to revocation by the Building Inspector. All screening shall also conform to any other borough ordinance, including any concerning fences. The requirements of this section shall not apply to a construction trailer or a construction dumpster or container.

Before a trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle is parked on a lot, a plot plan showing the location, screening, location of existing dwellings, lot lines, relationship to adjacent properties and any dwellings thereon shall be filed with the Building Inspector for approval. No plat plan shall be required for the storage of a trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle in an enclosed garage. The plot plan may be drawn by the applicant, provided that the same is reasonably accurate and legible so as to allow the Building Inspector to enforce this chapter. Where the plot plan is inadequate, the Building Inspector may require the applicant to redraw and resubmit the same. The plot plan shall be accompanied by a fee of $20. Said fee shall entitle the applicant, upon approval of said application, to park said trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle. Said permit shall be deemed to apply to the particular trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle for which it is issued, and any change of trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle shall require a new permit. The Building Inspector shall have authority, after five days' written notice of violation to the applicant, which notice shall be mailed to the applicant's last known address, to revoke said permit for failure to comply with any of the terms of this chapter.

No trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle shall be parked, placed, kept or maintained on any lot or tract other than the lot upon which the principal residence of the actual owner of the trailer is located. The requirements of this section shall not apply to a construction trailer or construction debris dumpster or container utilized in the process of initial construction of the residence; provided, however, that if the construction activity involves expansion or renovation of an existing residence, such requirements shall apply.

Any trailer, camper trailer or boat or commercial vehicle parked or stored in accordance with the terms of this chapter must:

(1)

Be currently licensed for use upon the highways of this state in accordance with the laws of this state.

(2)

Comply with any and all provisions of N.J.S.A. 39:1-1 et seq. relating to trailers.

(3)

Be kept and maintained in current repair and kept painted and free from rust.

All collapsible trailers and camper trailers shall be stored or parked in collapsed condition.

§ 95-3 Temporary parking.

Any provision of this chapter notwithstanding, a trailer or camper trailer may be parked, placed or located off the street for a period not to exceed 48 hours while engaged in the process of loading or unloading; and any boat, trailer or camper trailer may be parked in a driveway from sunset to sunrise the following morning where such boat, trailer or camper trailer is then being used for recreational purposes.

§ 95-4 Temporary parking by transients.

Transients through or visitors to the borough may park trailers or camper trailers in a driveway, side or rear yard of an occupied dwelling for a period of time not to exceed 10 days, where such transient or visitor makes immediate application to the Borough Chief of Police for a permit to so park on the premises of the occupied dwelling. Not more than one such permit shall be issued to any one trailer or camper trailer owner or operator in any twelve-month period. No permit shall be granted unless the parking is without charge therefor.

§ 95-5 Emergency parking or stopping.

[New]

Emergency or temporary parking or stopping of a trailer, camper trailer or trailered boat is permitted on any street or highway within the borough for not longer than one hour, subject, however, to any other and further prohibitions or limitations imposed by the traffic and parking regulations for that street or highway, unless otherwise authorized by the Borough of North Caldwell Police Department.

§ 95-6 Exceptions.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, a trailer may be temporarily parked or stored in the open in connection with:

A public health program sponsored by the Board of Health of the borough or other public health agency.

A program sponsored by any public board or agency of the borough or of its Board of Education.

A carnival or other affair or function authorized by the Borough Council.

§ 95-7 Violations and penalties.

[New]

Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a penalty as stated in Chapter 1, Article II General Penalty, Section 1-5 Maximum Penalty or to imprisonment in the County Jail for a term not to exceed 90 days, or to both such fine and imprisonment. Each day that such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.