[Ord. No. 2019-13; amended 12-18-2023 by Ord. No.
2023-39]
Pursuant to the Uniform Fire Safety Act, the New Jersey Uniform
Fire Code shall be locally enforced in Princeton.
[Ord. No. 2019-13; amended 12-18-2023 by Ord. No.
2023-39]
The local enforcing agency required by the Uniform Fire Safety Act shall be the Princeton Bureau of Fire Safety within the Princeton Fire Department established under Chapter
T8 of the "Code of the Township of Princeton, New Jersey, 1968," heretofore created and hereby continued.
[Ord. No. 2019-13; amended 12-18-2023 by Ord. No.
2023-39]
The Fire Official shall be the chief Administrator of the Bureau
of Fire Safety. The Bureau of Fire Safety shall be under the direct
supervision of the Fire Official, who shall report to the Fire Chief.
[Ord. No. 2019-13; amended 12-18-2023 by Ord. No.
2023-39]
(a) The position of Fire Official heretofore created is hereby continued.
(b) The Bureau of Fire Safety shall be under the direct supervision of
the Fire Official, who shall be appointed by council.
(c) The Fire Official shall be subject to removal in accordance with the Princeton Personnel Manual and applicable provisions of Chapter
T8 of the "Code of the Township of Princeton, New Jersey, 1968."
[Ord. No. 2019-13; amended 12-18-2023 by Ord. No.
2023-39]
Except as otherwise set forth in Chapter 8 of the "Code of the Township of Princeton, New Jersey, 1968," when a fire inspector is a career member of the Princeton Fire Department, such inspectors and other personnel as may be necessary in the Bureau of Fire Safety shall be appointed by the Administrator. Except as otherwise set forth in Chapter
T8 of the "Code of the Township of Princeton, New Jersey, 1968," when a fire inspector is a career member of the Princeton Fire Department, inspectors and other employees of the Bureau of Fire Safety shall be subject to removal by the Administrator in accordance with the Princeton Personnel Manual.
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
The Bureau of Fire Safety shall enforce the Uniform Fire Code,
pursuant to the Uniform Fire Safety Act, and the codes and regulations
adopted under it, in all buildings, structures, and premises within
the established boundaries of Princeton, other than owner-occupied
one and two family dwellings; premises owned by or leased to and maintained
by the federal government or any agency or instrumentality thereof;
interstate agencies; and the State of New Jersey or any agency or
instrumentality thereof. In undertaking said enforcement, the Bureau
of Fire Safety shall faithfully comply with the requirements of the
Uniform Fire Code.
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
Pursuant to the Uniform Fire Safety Act, any person aggrieved
by any order of the Bureau of Fire Safety as it relates to the Uniform
Fire Code shall have the right to appeal to the Princeton construction
board of appeals.
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
The Bureau of Fire Safety shall carry out on behalf of the Commissioner
of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs the periodic inspection
of life hazard uses required by the Uniform Fire Code.
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
The Bureau of Fire Safety shall inspect all buildings, structures
or premises not listed as life hazard uses (referred hereafter as
non-life hazard uses), with the exception of owner-occupied detached
one and two family dwellings that are used exclusively for residential
purposes. Individual dwelling units in multi-family dwellings are
also excluded from this inspection program with the exception of the
common egress, storage, and mechanical areas of such structures. All
non-life hazard uses shall be inspected periodically as follows:
(a) At least every 24 months, except that
(b) Non-life hazard uses that are required by New Jersey law or rule
to have annual inspections shall be inspected at least every 12 months.
Nothing herein shall prohibit the Bureau of Fire Safety from
inspecting any non-life hazard more frequently at the request of the
occupant and subject to the inspection fees set forth herein.
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
The permit fees shall be as follows:
Type I Fire Safety Permit
|
$100
|
Type II Fire Safety Permit
|
As set forth in the Uniform Fire Code at N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.9(c)
|
Type II Fire Safety Permit
|
As set forth in the Uniform Fire Code at N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.9(c)
|
Type IV Fire Safety Permit:\
|
As set forth in the Uniform Fire Code at N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.9(c)
|
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:71-2.8, the following provisions are
hereby adopted as local amendments to the technical standards of the
Uniform Fire Code:
(a) Fire Hydrants.
(1)
Markings: All new and existing fire hydrants installed on private
property shall have red barrels with white reflective caps.
Exception: Existing limited-service fire hydrants shall have
yellow barrels with white reflective caps.
(b) Exterior Storage:
(1)
Dumpster Enclosures: No dumpster shall be placed closer than
10 feet to any building, fire escape, or exit door unless provided
with an approved, noncombustible enclosure constructed in accordance
with the Uniform Construction Code. Dumpsters placed closer than 15
feet to any building shall be provided with an approved enclosure
of limited- combustibility, constructed in accordance with the Uniform
Construction Code.
(2)
Trash Enclosures: With the exception of one-and two-family dwellings,
no loose trash, trash bags, or trash cans shall be located closer
than 10 feet to any fire escape or exit, nor closer than five feet
to any building unless provided with an approved enclosure of limited-combustibility
constructed in accordance with the Uniform Construction Code.
(3)
Exterior Storage: Exterior storage shall be neat, orderly, shall
not obstruct ingress or egress to the building, and shall not be within
10 feet of any building.
(c) Street Obstruction:
(1)
Street Obstruction: No person or persons shall erect, construct,
place or maintain any fences, gates, chains, bars, pipes, or any other
type of obstruction in or on any street or fire access lane within
the municipal boundaries of Princeton, without approval of the Fire
Official. The word "street", as used herein, shall mean any roadway
accessible to the public for vehicular traffic, including but not
limited to private streets or access lanes, as well as all public
streets within the municipal boundaries of Princeton.
(d) Storage of flammable or combustible liquids or hazardous materials:
(1)
Secondary Containment: All new and existing aboveground tanks
greater than 55 gallons capacity utilized for the storage of flammable
or combustible liquids or hazardous materials shall be provided with
secondary containment constructed of an impermeable material and sized
to hold 115% of the largest tank or container inside the containment
area.
Exception: Owner occupied one- and two-family residential fuel
oil tank installations of 660 gallons capacity or less.
(e) Multi-Family Dwellings:
(1)
Smoke Detectors: Smoke detectors required to be installed in
individual dwelling units or guest rooms by the Uniform Fire Code
shall be powered by an alternating current (AC) constantly active
electric current which cannot be deactivated by the operation of any
interconnected switching device. All detectors shall meet the requirements
of Underwriters Laboratories 217 and shall not be interconnected with
a system of smoke detectors serving any common areas and shall be
installed in accordance with the Uniform Construction Code.
(2)
Dwelling Unit Doors: Dwelling unit, guest room or rooming unit
corridor doors in buildings of use groups R-1, R-2, and I-1, as defined
in the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code, shall be at least 1 3/8
inch solid core wood or approved equal with approved door closers
and shall not have any glass panels, other than approved wired glass
in metal frames. Replacement doors shall be 1 3/4 inch solid
core wood or approved equal, unless existing frame will accommodate
only a 1 3/8 inch door. All replacement doors shall be installed
in accordance with the Uniform Construction Code.
(3)
Party walls (defined as walls separating dwelling units from
one another and/or from a common area) shall be kept free of unsealed
or improperly sealed penetrations and upon completion of any work
causing the unsealing or penetration of a party wall the responsible
party shall provide a certification to the Bureau of Fire Safety demonstrating
compliance with this section. The certification shall be provided
at the time of the Bureau of Fire Safety's scheduled inspection of
the premises, and shall state that a visual review was conducted in
the area in which the work was completed and that all penetrations
have been sealed with the proper fireproof material and in accordance
with applicable code requirements.
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
The provisions of this article shall be enforced pursuant to
the provisions of the Uniform Fire Safety Act and violations shall
be subject to the penalties contained therein. Appeals of any such
penalties shall be filed with the Princeton construction board of
appeals.