Prior ordinance history includes portions of 1982 Code §§ 49-1, 49-2 and Ordinance No. 482.
[Ord. No. 702]
As used in this chapter:
ACT
Shall mean the Uniform Fire Safety Act. (P.L. 1983, c. 383, codified as N.J.S.A. 52:27D-192 et seq.)
BUILDING
As used herein shall mean any building or structure located in the Borough, whether privately or publicly owned, including, without limitation, any building owned by the Borough of Frenchtown, the Board of Education, or any other public, quasi-public, or private entity or person provided however this chapter shall not apply to owner-occupied one- and two-family dwellings used exclusively for dwelling purposes.
CODE
Shall mean the Uniform Fire Code adopted as N.J.A.C. 5:70-1.1 et seq.
FIRE INSPECTOR
Shall mean a person working under the direction of the Fire Official who is certified by the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs and appointed or designated to enforce the Code by the Borough Council.
FIRE OFFICIAL
Shall mean a person certified by the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs and appointed or designated to direct the enforcement of the Code by the appointing authority of a local enforcing agency.
LIFE HAZARD USE
Shall mean any life hazard use designated by the Code as defined in N.J.A.C. 5:70-1.5 and as designated in N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.4.
LOCAL ENFORCING AGENCY
Shall mean the Bureau of Fire Prevention created by subsection 14-1.3 of this chapter.
OWNER
Shall mean a person who owns, purports to own, manages, rents, leases, or exercises control over a building, structure, premises or use or any portion thereof.
[Ord. No. 702]
Pursuant to Section 11 of the Uniform Fire Safety Act (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-202), the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code (N.J.A.C. 5:70-1.1 et seq.) shall be locally enforced in the Borough.
[Ord. No. 702]
The Bureau of Fire Prevention, hereafter referred to as "Bureau," established by subsection 14-1.3.1 of this chapter shall enforce the Code.
[Ord. No. 702]
There is hereby created the Bureau of Fire Prevention which shall serve as the local enforcing agency.
[Ord. No. 702]
The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall consist of the Fire Official and any fire inspectors and staff as might be needed.
[Ord. No. 702]
The local enforcing agency shall carry out the periodic inspections of life hazard uses required by the Code on behalf of the Commissioner of Community Affairs.
[Ord. No. 702]
In addition to the registrations required by the Uniform Fire Code, the following non-life hazard uses shall register with the Bureau. These uses shall be inspected bi-annually (once every two years) and pay a fee for non-life hazard uses as described below.
a. 
Assembly.
A-1
Eating only establishment under 50 (occupancy load)
$25
A-2
Take-out food service (No Seating)
$25
A-3
Church or synagogue
$25
A-4
Recreation centers, multi-purpose rooms, etc., fewer than 100 (occupancy load)
$50
A-5
Condominium centers fewer than 100 (occupancy load)
$50
A-6
Senior citizen centers fewer than 200 (occupancy load)
$50
Borough of Frenchtown owned buildings are exempt from the fee but not the inspection.
b. 
Business/Professional, Retail (Mercantile).
B-1
Business/Professional/Retail (Mercantile) use 1 and 2 story less than 5,000 square feet per floor
$25
B-2
1 and 2 story from 5,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet per floor
$50
B-3
1 and 2 story from 10,000 square feet or more
$75
B-4
3 to 5 story less than 5,000 square feet per floor
$100
B-5
3 to 5 story more than 5,000 square feet per floor
$125
The fees to be charged are per occupant based upon the occupant's proportionate share of the total space.
M including hardware stores over 3,000 square feet, and retail over 12,000 square feet are life hazard uses.
c. 
Manufacturing (Factory), Storage S-1 (moderate hazard S-1, low hazard S-2).
F-1
1 and 2 story less than 5,000 square feet per floor
$75
F-2
1 and 2 story more than 5,000 square feet less than 12,000 square feet per floor
$100
F-3
3 to 5 story less than 5,000 square feet per floor
$150
F-4
3 to 5 story 5,000 square feet or more
$175
The fees to be charged are per occupant based upon the occupant's proportionate share of the total space.
d. 
Residential (LEA listed with Multi-Family BHI).
R-1
3 to 6 units
$25
R-2
7 to 12 units
$50
R-3
13 to 20 units
$75
R-4
21 to 50 units
$100
R-5
For each additional unit
$2
[Ord. No. 702]
a. 
Appointment. At its annual reorganization meeting the Borough Common Council shall appoint a certified Fire Official to serve as the chief administrator of the Bureau.
b. 
Certification. No person shall be appointed as Fire Official unless that person is certified pursuant to the provisions of N.J.A.C. 5:71-4.1 et seq.
c. 
Salary. The salary of the Fire Official shall be set by the Borough Common Council by ordinance.
d. 
Term. The Fire Official shall serve a term of one year or until the appointment of his/her successor.
e. 
Duties. The Fire Official shall serve as the chief administrator of the Bureau and shall establish the day-to-day operating routines of the Bureau and shall coordinate the activities of any inspectors or other staff. The Fire Official shall perform those duties set forth in N.J.A.C. 5:71-3.3(a) and (b) incorporated herein by reference.
f. 
Whenever a fire death occurs within the jurisdiction of a local enforcing agency, the Fire Official shall notify the Division of Fire Safety via telephone within 48 hours of the death. A Fire Incident and Casualty report shall be forwarded to the Division of Fire Safety within 30 days (N.J.A.C. 5:71-3.3(b).
[Ord. No. 702]
a. 
Uniform Fire Code Fees. The permit fees as established by the Uniform Fire Code shall be as follows:
Type 1
$42
Type 2
$166
Type 3
$331
Type 4
$497
b. 
Fees for Inspection and Certificate of Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Compliance. The application fee for a certificate of smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm compliance (CSDCMAC), as required by N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3, shall be based upon the amount of time remaining before the change of occupancy is expected, as follows:
1. 
Requests for a CSDCMAC received more than 10 business days prior to the change of occupant: $50.
2. 
Requests for a CSDCMAC received four to 10 business days prior to the change of occupant: $70; and
3. 
Requests for a CSDCMAC received fewer than four business days prior to the change of occupant: $125.
c. 
Additional Fee for Weekend and Holiday Inspections. In addition to the fees set forth above, there shall be an additional fee of $40 per hour or any part thereof for any inspection conducted outside of normal business hours or on any Saturday, Sunday or Borough holiday.
[Ord. No. 702]
This chapter shall not apply to owner-occupied one- and two-family dwellings used exclusively for dwelling purposes.
[Ord. No. 702]
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:27D-206 and 208 and N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.19, any person aggrieved by any order of the local enforcing agency may appeal to the Construction Board of Appeals of Hunterdon County by following the procedure in N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.19.
[Ord. No. 702]
When a building within the Borough is protected by an automatic fire suppression system it shall be equipped with a key box. The key box shall be at the location approved by the Fire Official. The key box shall be a UL type and size approved by the Fire Official.
[Ord. No. 702]
When a building is protected by an automatic alarm system and/or access to or within a building, or an area within that building is unduly difficult because of secured openings, and where immediate access is necessary for lifesaving or firefighting purposes, the Fire Official shall require a key box to be installed at a location approved by the Fire Official. The key box shall be a UL type and size approved by the Fire Official.
[Ord. No. 702]
The Fire Official may require a key box tamper switch connected to the building's fire/security alarm.
[Ord. No. 702]
When a property is protected by a locked fence or gate and where immediate access to the property is necessary for lifesaving or firefighting purposes, the Fire Official may require a security padlock to be installed at a location approved by the Fire Official. The padlock shall be UL type and size approved by the Fire Official.
[Ord. No. 702]
When a building is protected by an automatic sprinkler system or standpipe system and the Fire Department connection is exposed to undue vandalism the Fire Official may require that a Fire Department security cap(s) be installed. The Fire Department connection security cap(s) shall be a type approved by the Fire Official.
[Ord. No. 702]
The rapid access key boxes shall contain the following:
a. 
Keys to unlock points of egress, whether interior or exterior of such buildings;
b. 
Keys to the locked mechanical rooms;
c. 
Keys to the locked elevator rooms;
d. 
Keys to the elevator controls;
e. 
Keys to any fence or secured areas;
f. 
Keys to any other area that may be required by the Fire Official;
g. 
A card containing the emergency contact people and phone numbers for such building.
In addition, a floor plan of the rooms within the building may be required by the Fire Official.
[Ord. No. 702]
a. 
All existing buildings shall comply with Section 14-2 of this Chapter 14 within six months from the effective date of this chapter.
b. 
All newly constructed buildings, not yet occupied or buildings currently under construction and all buildings or businesses applying for a certificate of occupancy, shall comply immediately with Section 14-2 of this Chapter 14.
c. 
The time for compliance with all of the sections of this Chapter 14, except Section 14-2, shall be immediate.
[Ord. No. 702]
Any individual who violates the terms of this Chapter 14 may be subject to fines and penalties in accordance with the penalties set out in the Uniform Fire Code and the regulations promulgated by the Department of Community Affairs.