[1983 Code § 161-1; Ord. No. 2017-11]
As used in this article:
APPLICANT
Any person who makes application under this chapter for a permit.
BOROUGH ADMINISTRATOR
The duly appointed Borough Administrator, Deputy Administrator or their designee.
EMERGENCY
Any unforeseen circumstance or occurrence, the existence of which constitutes a clear and immediate danger to the public health, safety or welfare.
ENGINEER
The Borough Engineer as appointed by the Borough of Pompton Lakes, or his designee.
PERMITTEE
Any person who has been issued a permit pursuant to the terms of this article.
STREET
Any public street, sidewalk, easement, right-of-way, highway, alley, road or way which has been dedicated to and accepted by the Borough or maintained by the Borough notwithstanding ownership and any state or County street over which the Borough may have acquired jurisdiction by agreement.
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
The duly appointed Superintendent of Public Works of the Borough of Pompton Lakes, or his designee.
WORK
Construction, reconstruction, repair, tunneling or replacement of utilities, opening or excavation of any kind, backfilling, removal, excavation or replacement of pavement, erection or maintenance of barricades, traffic control devices and associated traffic control measures.
[1983 Code § 161-2; New]
A. 
No person or organization shall make an excavation in, tunnel under, or disturb the surface of any street or perform any work as defined in this article in the Borough of Pompton Lakes without first obtaining a permit from the Borough as hereinafter provided.
B. 
A tunnel or excavation, or other work as herein defined, may be commenced without a permit where an emergency has arisen which makes it necessary to start work immediately, provided that the application for a permit is made simultaneously with the commencement of the work or on the first business day on which the Borough Office is open for business after the work commences. When issued, the permit shall be retroactive to the date on which work has begun.
[1983 Code § 161-3]
A. 
No permittee shall perform any work authorized by the permit in any amount or quantity greater than the specifications shown and requested on the plans provided with the application and as provided by the permit except as set forth hereafter.
B. 
The Borough Engineer or the Borough Administrator may permit additional work in an amount not to exceed 10% of the permitted amount or quantity. In such event, no additional deposit or bond shall be required.
[New; 1983 Code § 161-4]
Application for a permit shall be made on the form prescribed by the Borough and shall contain the following information:
A. 
Name and address of the applicant.
B. 
Name of the street where the opening is to be made and the street number, if any, of the abutting property.
C. 
The Borough Tax Map block and lot number of the property for the benefit of which the opening is to be made, if applicable.
D. 
Nature of the surface in which the opening is to be made.
E. 
Character, limits and purpose of the work proposed.
F. 
Time when the work is to be commenced and completed. All work must be commenced and completed between April 1 and November 15 except in case of emergency.
G. 
Plans.
1. 
Each application shall be accompanied by a set of plans to scale in quadruplicate showing the exact location and dimensions of all openings.
2. 
When the opening is for the purpose of installing subsurface utilities, including water, sewer, gas or other pipes, engineering drawings showing locations of pipes, valves and service line interconnections and appurtenances shall be furnished, including all necessary and required construction details as well as a statement of the specifications pertaining to all pipes, valves and fittings.
H. 
The name, address and telephone number of the workman or contractor who is to perform the work.
I. 
A statement that the applicant agrees to replace, at his own cost and expense, the street, curb, gutter, signs, pavement markings and traffic striping and sidewalk and any other facility damaged or removed during the course of the work to current Borough standards as determined by the Borough Engineer, within 48 hours of the completion of the work.
J. 
All fill shall be properly compacted to 95% of modified factor. The roadway shall be repaired with six inches DGA, four inches stabilized bars, and two inches surface course. All applicants shall be required to either provide half of the width of the roadway or provide the equivalent in money.
[1983 Code § 161-5]
Permits shall be issued under the authority of the Borough and in accordance with the provisions of this article and the regulations which the Borough Engineer and/or the Borough Administrator may establish. Permits shall be valid for a period of 60 days from the date of issuance and shall be void after such time period unless extended pursuant to the provisions of this article.
[1983 Code § 161-6; amended 3-9-2022 by Ord. No. 22-07]
Each permit shall state the identity, address and telephone number of the applicant, the name of the street, the location where the work, excavation or tunnel is to be made, the dimensions of the opening, and the period during which the permit shall be valid. The original of each permit shall remain on file with the Construction Code Official and shall be conspicuously displayed at the work site.
[New; 1983 Code § 161-7; Ord. No. 2017-11; amended 3-9-2022 by Ord. No. 22-07]
A. 
The applicant shall pay a fee of $250 to the Borough for each application.
B. 
The applicant shall pay a fee per application of $100 per square yard to cover the cost of maintenance by the Borough.
[1983 Code § 161-8; Ord. No. 2017-11]
A. 
No permit shall be issued until the applicant has furnished surety in cash and a restoration guaranty in the amount equivalent to the permit fee set forth in § 13-3.1B, $100 per square yard of road opening surface area.
[Amended 3-9-2022 by Ord. No. 22-07]
B. 
The restoration guaranty shall be in the form of a cashier's check or equivalent payable to the Borough of Pompton Lakes. The Mayor and Borough Council may waive the restoration guaranty in the case of public utilities upon the presentation of satisfactory proof that the public utility is capable of meeting any claims against it up to the amount of the guaranty which would otherwise be required.
C. 
Bond.
1. 
The bond shall be executed by the applicant as principal with a surety company licensed to do business in the State of New Jersey as surety, and shall be conditioned as follows:
(a) 
To indemnify and hold harmless the Borough, its officers, agents, servants and employees from all loss, damage, claim or expense, including expenses incurred in the defense of any litigation arising out of injury to any person or property resulting from any work done by the applicant under the permit.
(b) 
To indemnify the Borough for any expense incurred in enforcing any of the provisions of this subsection.
(c) 
To indemnify any person who shall sustain personal injuries or damage to his property as a result of any act or omission of the applicant, his agents, employees or subcontractors done in the course of any work under the permit.
(d) 
The bond shall also be conditioned upon the applicant's restoring the surface and foundation of the street for which the permit is granted in a manner acceptable to the Borough Engineer or his designee.
2. 
One bond may be accepted to cover a number of excavations by the same applicant. Bonds shall remain in force for a period to be determined by the Borough.
D. 
Notwithstanding any other language of this section, no bond or restoration guaranty is required for the construction, reconstruction or repair of sidewalks.
[1983 Code § 161-9; Ord. No. 2017-11]
A. 
No permit shall be issued until the applicant has furnished the Borough with satisfactory proof of insurance against injury to persons and damage to property caused by any act or omission of the applicant, his agents, employees or subcontractors done in the course of the work to be performed under the permit. The insurance shall cover all hazards likely to arise in connection with the work, including, but not limited to, collapse and explosion, and shall not be subject to cancellation except after 30 days' notice given by the insurer to the Municipal Clerk. The limits of the policy of insurance shall be $1,000,000 for injuries to any person and $5,000,000 for injuries to more than one person in the same accident, and an aggregate of $1,000,000 for property damage for a single incident. The policy shall name the Borough as an additional insured. Self insurers may be relieved of this requirement in accordance with the applicable provisions of state law and the submission of certificates thereof acceptable to the Borough.
B. 
The Mayor and Borough Council, with the recommendations of the Borough Engineer or Superintendent of Public Works and Borough Attorney, may waive the requirements of this subsection.
C. 
Notwithstanding any other language of this section, the insurance requirements shall not apply to the construction, reconstruction or repair of sidewalks.
[New; 1983 Code § 161-10]
All permits issued under this article shall be subject to the following rules and regulations:
A. 
All excavations shall be kept properly barricaded at all times, and during the hours of darkness shall be provided with proper warning lights in accordance with the current Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (M.U.T.C.D.) and the NJDOT Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction. This regulation shall not excuse the permittee from taking any other precaution reasonably necessary for the protection of persons or property. All trenches shall be properly shored in accordance with OSHA standards. The permittee shall comply with the current Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to provide adequate warning of an excavation or when required by the Engineer, Borough Administrator or Police to provide signs, barricades, pavement markings or warning lights.
B. 
All work shall be done in such a manner as to cause a minimum of interference with travel on the street affected. No street shall be closed to traffic unless the closing is approved by the Chief of Police. During the regular school year, all street closures and openings shall commence after 9:00 a.m., and all streets shall be open for public use not later than 3:00 p.m. The Police Department and all residents and businesses located within the construction area shall be notified by the permittee of all street closings at least 24 hours in advance, except where the work is of an emergency nature, when notice shall be given to the Police Department when work commences.
C. 
Upon application by the permittee, the Borough Engineer or Borough Administrator may extend the time limit during which the permit shall be valid.
D. 
At the conclusion of each workday, the street shall be swept with a mechanical sweeper. All refuse and material shall be removed from the work site within 48 hours.
E. 
Prior to the commencement of excavation, all existing pavements shall be sawcut in a straight line and all concrete curb and sidewalk shall be removed to the nearest point. All excavations shall be completely backfilled by the permittee and shall be compacted by tamping or other suitable means in a manner prescribed by the Borough Engineer. Where the Borough Engineer or Superintendent of Public Works determines that the excavated material is unsuitable for backfill, the permittee shall backfill the excavation with dense graded aggregate which shall be placed in layers not exceeding 12 inches in depth and thoroughly compacted by tamping with a mechanical vibrator or other suitable means prescribed by the Borough Engineer. The applicant must replace all shoulder stone to a depth of six inches and thoroughly compact it to 95% of modified factor with a mechanical compaction device. Upon completion of the work, the permittee shall remove any excess material and leave the premises in a clean condition. If the Borough Engineer or Superintendent of Public Works determines that any backfilled excavation has settled or caved in, he shall so notify the permittee, who shall promptly continue backfilling until the Borough Engineer or Superintendent of Public Works determines that settlement is complete.
F. 
If tunneling operations are required, the tunnel shall be backfilled with rammed concrete composed of one part cement to 10 parts sand.
G. 
If blasting is required to be done in the course of any excavation, it shall be done in strict compliance with all applicable state laws and regulations.
H. 
If the work is not completed within the time specified in the permit or any extension granted by the Borough Engineer or Borough Administrator or is not performed in accordance with the regulations set forth in this subsection and any other regulations that may be established by the Borough Engineer or Borough Administrator, the Borough Engineer or Borough Administrator may have the work completed and the surface of the street restored. The cost of completing the work and restoring the street shall be charged to the permittee and may be deducted from his deposit or recovered by an action in any court of competent jurisdiction.
I. 
Blasting and use of jackhammers in connection with any work for which a permit has been issued hereunder shall be prohibited between 4:30 p.m. and the following 8:00 a.m., prevailing time.
J. 
Construction equipment shall not be stored, left or positioned on any street after the completion of each day's work, without the authorization of the Chief of Police or his designee.
K. 
Prior to commencing work, the permittee shall execute any forms which may be required by the Borough of Pompton Lakes Police Department.
L. 
The width of any opening shall not be greater than three feet at the top, and the sides of the opening shall be perpendicular to the top and converge to the bottom so that the width at the bottom shall be less than the width of the surface of the opening. Either the Borough Engineer or Superintendent of Public Works may approve wider openings.
[New; 1983 Code § 161-11; Ord. No. 2017-11]
In all cases, the permittee shall restore the surface of the street in accordance with the following rules, regulations and requirements:
A. 
No permittee shall commence the restoration of any street, foundation or surface until the Borough Engineer or Superintendent of Public Works has determined that the backfill has been properly compacted and the area properly prepared for restoration.
B. 
The existing pavement, after backfill has been completed, shall be cut to a straight edge by suitable means at least six inches back from the excavation before the pavement is patched.
C. 
The street surface shall be restored to the section designated by the Borough Engineer or Superintendent of Public Works in the permit but in no case shall be less than the structural equivalent of the following: six inches of dense graded aggregate, four inches of asphalt concrete base and two inches of asphalt concrete surface. All water and gas and other utilities' mains shall require the roadway to be resurfaced to half of the width of the roadway.
D. 
Notwithstanding any other language of this section, sidewalk construction, reconstruction and repair shall be completed in accordance with Chapter 13 Articles VII and VIII.
[1983 Code § 161-12]
A. 
When the Borough shall improve or pave any street, the Municipal Clerk shall give notice to all owners of property abutting the street that the street is about to be paved or improved and to all public utilities and authorities operating in the Borough. All persons, utilities and authorities receiving notice shall request permits under this article within 20 days of mailing of such notice.
B. 
No permit shall be issued by the Borough to any person given such notice on any new or improved street less than five years old unless the applicant can demonstrate to the Borough Engineer that the work is required to protect the public health, safety or welfare or an emergency exists.
C. 
If a permit is issued under this subsection, and except in cases of emergency, the permittee shall pay a penalty charge equal to 2% of the cost of restoring the opening for each unelapsed month or part thereof for the five-year restriction period.
[1983 Code § 161-13]
The Borough Engineer or Borough Administrator is authorized to refuse the issuance of any permit if such refusal is in the interest of public safety, public convenience or public health.
[New; 1983 Code § 161-14]
A. 
Transferability. Every permit shall apply to the person to whom it is issued and shall not be transferable.
B. 
Commencement of work. Work under a permit shall commence within 15 days from the date of issuance of the permit. Prior to the start of work the Borough Engineer shall be notified by the applicant. If work is not commenced within that time, the permit shall automatically terminate and permit fees shall be forfeited, unless extended in writing by the Borough Engineer or Borough Administrator.
C. 
Possession of permit. A copy of the permit, together with a copy of the plan endorsed with the approval of the Borough Engineer or Borough Administrator, shall be kept in possession of the person actually performing the work and shall be exhibited on demand to the Borough Engineer, Superintendent of Public Works or Borough Administrator or to any police officer of the Borough.
D. 
Revocation of permit. The Borough may revoke a permit for any of the following reasons:
1. 
Violation of any provision of this article or any other applicable rules, regulations, laws or ordinances.
2. 
Violation of any condition of the permit issued.
3. 
Carrying on work under the permit in a manner which endangers life or property, or which creates any condition which is unhealthy, unsanitary or declared by any provision of the Pompton Lakes Borough Code to constitute a nuisance.
E. 
Any person aggrieved by the denial of or revocation of a permit may appeal to the Mayor and Borough Council, who shall hold a hearing thereon and shall affirm, reverse, or modify the decision of the Borough Engineer or Borough Administrator. The Mayor and Borough Council may provide in their decision that the revocation shall be vacated if the permittee corrects a violation within a specified period of time.
F. 
Modification of permit conditions. In a special case, the Mayor and Borough Council may by resolution impose special conditions to which the issuance of the permit may be subject.
G. 
After satisfactory compliance with all conditions of the permit as determined by the Borough Engineer, the restoration guaranty shall be returned to the applicant and his bond released.
[1983 Code § 161-15]
The Borough Engineer or the Borough Administrator may make any rules and regulations which he considers necessary for the administration and enforcement of this article, but regulations shall not be inconsistent with, alter or amend any provision of this article, or impose any requirement which is in addition to those expressly or by implication imposed by this article. No regulations shall be effective unless they are approved by resolution of the Mayor and Borough Council. Copies of all current regulations shall be available to each permittee for inspection at the time of the issuance of the permit at the Borough Offices.
[1983 Code § 161-16]
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof by a Court of competent jurisdiction, be subject to the following penalties. Each day such violation shall be continued shall be deemed and taken as a separate and distinct offense.
A. 
First offense. The Court may enter a sentence of a fine not to exceed $200 and/or a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days.
B. 
Second offense. The Court may enter a sentence of a fine not to exceed $500 and/or a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days.
C. 
Third or subsequent offenses. The Court may enter a sentence of a fine not to exceed $2,000 and/or a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days.