[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the Borough of Lawnside 6-5-1968 by Ord. No. 125-1968. Amended 11-3-1976 by Ord. No. 9-1976. Amended in its entirety 10-2-2002 by Ord. No. 10-FY2003. Amended in its entirety 5-4-2011 by Ord. No. 15-FY2011. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The Uniform Fire Safety Act (P.O. 1983, c. 383) was enacted for the purpose of establishing a system for the enforcement of minimum fire standards throughout the State of New Jersey.
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs has promulgated minimum fire safety standards which have been made a part of the Uniform Fire Code (N.J.A.C. 5:18-1 et seq.).
The Uniform Fire Safety Act authorizes municipalities to provide for local enforcement of these standards and to establish local enforcement agencies for the purposes. It is in the best interest of the Borough of Lawnside to have the Uniform Fire Code enforced locally.
Pursuant to Section 11 of the Uniform Fire Safety Act (P.L. 1983, c. 383), the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code (N.J.A.C. 5:18-1 et seq.) shall be locally enforced in the municipalities participating in the Regional Fire Prevention Alliance (Boroughs of Barrington, Hi-Nella, Lawnside, Magnolia, Mount Ephraim and Oaklyn).
The Local enforcement agency shall enforce the Uniform Fire Safety Act and the codes and regulations adopted under it in all buildings, structures and premises within the established boundaries of the participating municipalities who are members of the Regional Fire Prevention Alliance.
[Amended 9-5-2018 by Ord. No. 08-2018; 12-4-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019]
A. 
Fees.
Permit Type
Fee
Type I
$64
Type I (open flame public gatherings)
$64
Type I (unoccupied or vacant buildings, structures 2,500 square feet or more but less than 12,000 square feet engrossed floor area)
$64
Type II (propane exchange)
$258
Type II (propane and forklift exchange)
$516
Type II (fumigation/fogging)
$258
Type II (unoccupied or vacant buildings, structures 12,000 square feet or more but less than 100,000 square feet engrossed floor area)
$258
Type III
$499
Type III (unoccupied or vacant buildings, structures 100,000 square feet engrossed floor area)
$499
Type IV
$767
Type V
$1,773
B. 
Application. Application shall be made to the Fire Official for the uses and/or activities set forth in § 70-5A. No application for a permit shall be acted upon unless such application is submitted 10 working days prior to an inspection.
C. 
Code status reports. The fee for a fire code status report shall be $90.
D. 
Fire reports (when not, an OPRA requested report). The cost for a detailed fire investigation summary report will be as follows:
(1) 
Fire cause and origin reports: $130 (fire report only).
(2) 
Fire scene photos: $60 (fire photos only).
(3) 
Total for both report and photos: $190.
[Amended 6-10-2013 by Ord. No. 09-FY2013; 9-5-2018 by Ord. No. 08-2018; 12-4-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019; 4-2-2025 by Ord. No. 01-2025]
A. 
The local enforcing agency established by § 70-2 shall carry out non-life-hazard inspection uses and/or activities. Failure to register with this office within 30 days of receipt of bill will result in your annual fee being doubled. If doubled annual registration fee is not paid within 60 days, then that will result in court and legal action. The annual registration fees for non-life hazard uses and/or activities will be as follows:
(1) 
Residential buildings with dwelling units not listed as life-hazard by the New Jersey Bureau of Fire Safety, except one- or two-family owner-occupied units:
Unit Size
Fee
1 to 3 units
$103
Rental properties-home
$103
4 to 10 units
$188
11 to 20 units
$251
21 to 40 units
$304
41 to 60 units
$362
61 to 80 units
$420
81 to 100 units
$478
101 to 120 units
$536
121 to 140 units
$594
141 to 160 units
$652
161 to 180 units
$710
181 to 200 units
$768
201 to 220 units
$826
221 to 240 units
$884
241 to 260 units
$942
261 to 280 units
$1,001
281 to 300 units
$1,059
301 to 320 units
$1,117
321 to 340 units
$1,175
341 to 360 units
$1,236
361 to 380 units
$1,291
381 to 400 units
$1,349
401 to 420 units
$1,407
(2) 
Commercial or industrial use group includes all buildings not listed as life-hazard by the New Jersey Bureau of Fire Safety. Each floor or story shall be calculated as separate areas for total building calculation.
Building Size
Fee
Building with or without attached dwelling units not in excess of 1,000 square feet
$90
Building with or without attached dwelling units in excess of 1,001 square feet not exceeding 3,000 square feet
$149
Buildings in excess of 3,001 square feet not exceeding 9,000 square feet
$188
Buildings in excess of 9,001 square feet not exceeding 15,000 square feet
$304
Buildings in excess of 15,001 square feet not exceeding 50,000 square feet
$412
Buildings in excess of 50,001 square feet not exceeding 100,000 square feet
$490
Buildings in excess of 100,001 square feet not exceeding 200,000 square feet
$844
Buildings in excess of 200,001 square feet not exceeding 300,000 square feet
$1,199
For each additional 100,000 square feet or part thereof
$380
B. 
Smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector and portable fire extinguisher inspections.
(1) 
Smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector and portable fire extinguisher inspections, to be conducted on all one- and two-family residential dwellings for resale being sold in the Borough, shall be charged as follows:
(a) 
Request received 14+ business days prior: $66.
(b) 
Request received eight to 13 business days prior: $74.
(c) 
Request received four to seven business days prior: $106.
(d) 
Request received three business days or less prior: $171.
(2) 
The above fee entitles the applicant to one inspection. A reinspection due to a failure would require a payment of $50 for the reinspection.
(3) 
A certificate is valid for a period of 90 days from the date of issuance.
(4) 
All residential sleeping areas within the Borough shall have at least one fully operable smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector and located within each sleeping area. All such residential sleeping areas enclosed by a door or otherwise shall, in addition, have at least one fully operable smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector located outside each sleeping area within 10 feet of such sleeping area. Installation of the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors shall be in accordance with the manufacturer recommendations and the National Fire Safety Code, Borough ordinances or any other applicable statute or ordinance.
[Amended 6-10-2013 by Ord. No. 09-FY2013]
All buildings, structures and premises owned by the boroughs participating in the L.E.A., fire stations and EMS stations, if classified as non-life hazard, although not exempt from registration or inspection, will be exempt from paying a registration fee as pursuant to this chapter.
The Regional Fire Prevention Alliance hereby adopts the model code of the Building Officials and Code Administrators, Inc., known as the "BOCA Basic/National Fire Prevention Code/1984." This Code is hereby adopted by reference, subject to the modifications set forth in N.J.A.C. 5:18-3.2.
All fines and penalties collected by the enforcing agency established by Section 70-2 of this chapter shall be appropriated by the local body to the local enforcing agency for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter.
[Amended 9-5-2018 by Ord. No. 08-2018; 12-4-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019]
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable as provided in the New Jersey Uniform Fire Safety Act.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 52:27D-192 et seq.