[Ord. No. 2019-13]
Pursuant to the Uniform Fire Safety Act, the New Jersey Uniform
Fire Code shall be locally enforced in Princeton.
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
The local enforcing agency required by the Uniform Fire Safety
Act shall be the Princeton Bureau of Fire Safety, heretofore created
and hereby continued.
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
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 Director
of Emergency and Safety Services.
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
(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 the Mayor with the advice
and consent of council.
(c)
The Fire Official shall be subject to removal by the Administrator
in accordance with the Princeton Personnel Manual.
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
Such inspectors and other personnel as may be necessary in the
Bureau of Fire Safety shall be appointed by the Administrator. 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:
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Type I Fire Safety Permit
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$100
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Type II Fire Safety Permit
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As set forth in the Uniform Fire Code at N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.9(c)
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Type II Fire Safety Permit
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As set forth in the Uniform Fire Code at N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.9(c)
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Type IV Fire Safety Permit:\
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As set forth in the Uniform Fire Code at N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.9(c)
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[Ord. No. 2019-13]
(a)
Owners of businesses or other uses constituting industrial, commercial,
educational, professional services and other uses not classified as
life hazard uses by the Uniform Fire Code shall pay to Princeton for
each inspection pursuant to this chapter fees determined by the gross
floor area of the use as follows:
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0 - 999 square feet
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$50
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1,000 — 1,999 square feet:
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$125
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2,000 — 4,999 square feet:
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$150
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5,000 — 9,999 square feet:
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$350
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10,000 — 19,999 square feet
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$520
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20,000 — 49,999 square feet
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$572
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50,000 — 10,000 square feet
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$624*
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One and two story parking decks
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$50 per deck
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3 or more multiple story parking decks
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$110 per deck
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* An additional fee of $75 for each 50,000 square feet or part
thereof above 100,000 square feet will be added to cover the expense
of performing the fire safety inspection.
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(b)
Where a multiple family dwelling not classified as a life hazard
use by the Uniform Fire Code contains common areas which require inspection
in accordance with this section, the owners of multi-family dwellings
shall pay for said inspections a fee of $30 per dwelling unit for
each building requiring inspection, except that no building owner
shall be required to pay more than $500 per building.
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
(a)
The fees for a certificate of smoke detector and carbon monoxide
alarm compliance (CSACMAPFEC) shall be as follows:
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Initial inspection:
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$50
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First re-inspection:
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$0
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All subsequent re-inspections:
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$50 per re-inspection
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Certificate:
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As set forth in the Uniform Fire Code at N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.9(d),
based on the amount of time remaining before the change of occupant
is expected.
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(b)
All fees shall be paid prior to inspection.
(c)
Exceptions for affordable housing units sold through the Princeton
Affordable Housing Program:
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Initial inspection:
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$0
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First re-inspection:
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$0
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All subsequent re-inspections:
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$0
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Certificate:
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$45 or lowest fee set by N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.9(d), whichever is
lower, regardless of when the certificate is requested
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[Ord. No. 2019-13]
(a)
Owners of businesses and/or other uses constituting industrial, commercial,
professional services, educational, multi-family residential and other
uses not classified as life hazard uses by the Uniform Fire Code and
which are required to be inspected herein in accordance with this
article and the requirements of the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code shall
register annually with the Bureau of Fire Safety as provided herein.
(b)
The owners of uses required to be registered shall do so on forms
provided by the Bureau of Fire Safety, which forms shall include,
but not be limited to, the following information:
(1)
The name, address, telephone number of the owner of the property
upon or in which the use is located.
(2)
The name, home address, and home telephone number of the owner,
operator, or registered agent of the use, if different from the owner
of the property.
(3)
The name, physical location, mailing address, and telephone
number of the use or business.
(4)
The type of use along with a description of the business of
activity being conducted.
(5)
The amount of square footage being utilized or occupied by the
use or business.
(6)
Any further information deemed necessary to identify or classify
the use or business, as may be required by the Fire Official.
(c)
It shall be a violation of this article for the owner or operator
of a business to fail to return such forms within 30 days of being
ordered to do so by the Fire Official. If the ownership is transferred,
whether by sale, assignment, gift, intestate succession, devise, reorganization,
receivership, foreclosure or execution process, the new owner or operator
shall file a new registration within 30 days of such a transfer.
(d)
Waivers. The following shall be exempt from the local permit and
inspection fees required herein; however, they shall be required to
properly apply for such permits and registrations and comply with
all other code requirements:
(e)
Failure to Register. A penalty of $250 shall be assessed for any
business or use required to register that fails to register in accordance
with the requirements herein.
[Ord. No. 2019-13]
(a)
Pursuant to the Uniform Fire Code at N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.2(e), upon request
of the owner, contract purchaser, transferee or the authorized agent
of any of them, the Fire Official shall issue a certificate either
indicating that violations exist or that fees and/or penalties remain
outstanding according to its records, or which states that its records
indicate that no violations remain unabated and no penalties or fees
remain unpaid. Upon request, the agency shall provide copies of the
violations list and penalty orders.
(b)
All requests for a certificate of fire code status shall be in writing.
The fee for the issuance of such a certificate shall be $35.
(c)
Subsequent owners or those succeeding to control over the premises
shall be responsible for correcting unabated violations and for the
payment of outstanding fees and/or penalties whether or not they have
requested a certificate of fire code status. A person who purchases
a property without having obtained a certificate of fire code status
stating that there are no unabated violations of record and no unpaid
fees or penalties shall be deemed to have notice of all violations
of record and shall be liable for the payment of all unpaid fees or
penalties.
[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.
