[Division 14 was replaced in entirety by Ord. No. 2018-11 § 3]
[Prior history includes Ord. Nos. 89-30 and 2015-20]
[Ord. No. 2018-11 § 3]
(a)
Jurisdiction. The Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment, pursuant to the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1, et seq., shall have jurisdiction to determine the fire protection safety of each application for development as defined in Section T10B-2 as an integral part of its review of an application for a variance, site plan or subdivision approval.
(b)
Completeness of application. No development application will
be considered complete unless the applicant submits a fire protection
plan (hereafter "plan") as required by this division.
(c)
Referral to engineer. Upon receipt of an application for development,
the Planning Board or Zoning Board shall refer the plan to the municipal
engineer to render a written fire protection opinion as to whether
the Planning Board or Zoning Board should approve the plan. The engineer's
opinion shall set forth numbered findings regarding the following:
(1)
The fire protection sector applicable to the development application,
determined after consideration of the types of structures proposed
for the development, and structures on nearby or adjacent properties,
their uses and landscaping characteristics, where appropriate, and
the adequacy and accessibility of fire hydrants within the relevant
fire protection sector;
(2)
Fire flows from existing or proposed fire hydrants within the
proposed development, taking into account the distance and spacing
between fire hydrants, the capacity of the relevant water purveyor
to provide adequate fire flows at all times, including periods of
maximum water demand and usage, in light of the adequacy of transmission,
pumping, distribution and storage systems;
(3)
The sufficiency of on-site fire suppression systems, if proposed
by the applicant;
(4)
The capacities of firefighting to be made available by municipal
or other firefighting sources, if any;
(5)
The opportunities for retrofitting or fire-proofing of nearby
structures, after determination of exposure distances to such structures,
their age and fire-proofing condition;
(6)
Any other method or combination of methods of achieving the
same level of fire protection as would be provided through strict
compliance with the relevant fire flow standards as set forth in Table
1;
(7)
In rendering an opinion, the engineer shall base his or her
findings on the actual development proposal, and not such development
as may be permitted as of right within the relevant zoning district,
as set forth in Table 1 Fire Flow GPM Requirements Princeton.
(d)
The engineer shall consult with and obtain the views of the
zoning official, fire marshal and the fire chief, or their designated
representatives, which views shall be referenced in the opinion and
be attached thereto. If the engineer determines that the plan is incomplete
or that additional information is needed, the engineer shall notify
the applicant and the Planning Board or Zoning Board, as appropriate,
as soon as possible, not exceeding 45 calendar days after actual receipt
of the application. A determination that the applicant's fire protection
plan remains incomplete shall require a finding that the development
plan is also incomplete.
(e)
After the engineer determines that the applicant's plan, including
any supplemental information supplied by the applicant and any other
source, is complete, the engineer shall render a written opinion on
whether the plan will provide adequate fire protection and safety
to the occupants of the proposed development and to adjacent properties
located within the relevant fire protection sector of the proposed
new development and shall state the basis for same.
(f)
Upon receipt of the engineer's fire protection opinion, the
Planning Board or Zoning Board, as appropriate, shall incorporate
the opinion and its findings into its review of the development application.
If the Planning Board or Zoning Board determines that the engineer
has overlooked relevant factors or information, the Planning Board
or Zoning Board shall remand the matter to the engineer with directions
to reconsider the plan in light of the additional factors or new information,
and to report back within a specific period of time. The Planning
Board or Zoning Board may make said referral back to the engineer
a condition of approval of said development.
[Ord. No. 2018-11 § 3]
(a)
Princeton hereby adopts the minimum fire flow standards set forth for each zoning district in Table 1, subject to such limitations and clarifications as appear in this section, as standards of adequate fire protection. (See Section T10B-109.4 for Table 1)
(b)
The engineer shall periodically review NFPA standards and other
authoritative sources and determine whether Table 1 or any other article,
section, procedure or standard in this division should be modified
accordingly. Promptly thereafter, the engineer shall inform the mayor
and the Planning Board of any amendments which the engineer, following
consultation with the zoning officer, fire marshal and fire chief,
or their designated representatives, determines are necessary or appropriate
in Table 1 or any other section of this division.
(c)
If the zoning officer determines that any zoning district has
been changed or that some material change in permissible construction,
construction materials, development bulk, use or densities may materially
affect the required fire flows for fire hydrants within said district,
the zoning officer shall inform the engineer upon the making of such
a finding, who shall then proceed to determine the appropriate NFPA
standard for certification to the Governing Body for the amendment
of Table 1.
[Ord. No. 2018-11 § 3]
(a)
Each application for site plan and subdivision approval and
each application for a variance shall submit a fire protection plan
("plan") which shall set forth information regarding the relevant
fire protection sector, exposure distances, distance and spacing of
fire hydrants, accessibility of fire hydrants, the adequacy of fire
flows to nearby fire hydrants, the size and type of building construction,
the intended occupancy and use of buildings, fire protection practices,
and related factors, pertinent or helpful to the engineer's review.
(b)
In the case of an application for: (1) any project which is
exempt from site plan review; (2) minor subdivision approval; (3)
any other development application involving the construction or reconstruction
of less than 500 square feet of building; or (4) a variance or site
plan approval subject to administrative approval, the engineer may
waive the requirements of this division after consultation with the
fire marshal, the fire chief or their designated representatives,
provided that such waiver can be granted without impairing the intent
of this division and said waiver is set forth in a concise written
statement which sets forth the basis for the waiver.
(c)
The plan shall demonstrate how the applicant proposes to meet
or exceed the levels of fire protection provided through strict compliance
with the fire flow standards applicable to fire hydrants located or
to be located in the zoning district and/or residential density of
the subject property as set forth in Table 1.
(d)
The plan may propose to assure adequate fire protection within
the relevant fire protection sector in a reasonable manner, including:
(1)
Compliance with fire flows set forth in Table 1, which may be
demonstrated through actual flow tests or reliable computer models
or other calculations or predictive techniques;
(2)
The installation of on-site fire suppression or containment
systems, including but not limited to: (i) automatic fire suppression
sprinklers supplied with an adequate source of water and other methods
of fire suppression; (ii) booster pumps for augmenting fire flows;
(iii) stand-by sources of water or other methods of fire suppression.
Said plan shall also include an alternate fire protection plan in
compliance with Section 109.3(a) which shall demonstrate the adequacy
of said plan once adequate fire flows are available so as to supplement
the proposed on-site fire suppression system.
(3)
Some combination of (a) through (c), as set forth above.
(e)
The applicant shall provide the engineer with such documentation,
calculations, responses to questions and other information as the
engineer may require to determine whether the applicant's plan will
provide adequate fire protection, as provided in this division.
(f)
The engineer, after consultation with the Planning Board, Zoning
Board, legal counsel, the fire marshal and fire chief, shall prepare
forms and guidance bulletins for the use of applicants in the preparation
of their fire protection plans, and shall make these forms and guidance
bulletins available upon request at no charge or for such charge as
the Governing Body may set by ordinance.
[Ord. No. 2018-11 § 3]
|
TABLE 1
| |
|---|---|
|
FIRE FLOW GPM REQUIREMENTS
| |
|
In Gallons Per Minute ("GPM")
| |
|
RATING SYSTEM
| |
|
Residential Density
|
GPM
|
|
Less than 0.5 dwelling units an acre (du/acre)
|
500
|
|
Between 0.5 du/acre and 0.99 du/acre
|
750
|
|
Between 1 du/acre and 2 du/acre
|
1,000
|
|
Between 2 du/acre and 4 du/acre
|
1,500
|
|
Between 4 du/acre and 7 du/acre
|
2,500
|
|
Between 7 du/acre and 15 du/acre
|
3,000
|
|
Over 15 du/acre
|
4,000
|
|
Commercial Zone
| |
|
POR
|
2,500
|
|
B-1, B-1, B-2
|
2,500
|
|
OR-1 & OR-2
|
3,000
|
|
S-1 & S-2
|
3,000
|
|
R-O & G-1
|
3,000
|
|
SC
|
3,500
|
|
RO, SB, RB & NB
|
3000
|
|
CB
|
4,000
|
|
MRRO
|
4,000
|
|
E-1, E-2, E-3 & E-4
|
3,000
|
