[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township
of Gloucester 9-24-1979 by Ord.
No. O-79-36. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 10-13-1982 by Ord. No. O-82-26A]
The Township Council hereby creates and establishes a Fire Prevention
Committee, which Committee shall be concerned with the promotion of
fire prevention, training, reporting and otherwise assisting the Township
Fire Marshal and other appropriate Township officials in an effort
to educate the Township residents about fire prevention.
The Fire Prevention Committee shall be composed of the Fire
Marshals from each of the fire districts within the Township of Gloucester
and a detective of the Gloucester Township Police Department. Each
member shall serve for a term of one year, except that the first term
of all appointees shall expire on December 31, 1979. In the event
that a Fire Marshal shall no longer serve as Fire Marshal for a fire
district, his term on this Committee shall expire, and his successor
will fill his unexpired term. Members will receive no compensation
for their services but may receive reimbursement for proper and authorized
out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with existing Township regulations
and within the limits of funds appropriated to it for such purposes
by the Township Council.
This Committee is formed for the following purposes:
A. To unite for the mutual benefit of the Township fire districts.
B. To obtain and circulate information on arson and fire prevention.
C. To promote uniform, high professional standards of conduct and training
among district Fire Marshals.
D. To maintain records of all fires that occur in the Township of Gloucester
and file monthly reports with the Township Fire Marshal.
[Amended 10-13-1982 by Ord. No. O-82-26A]
E. To receive citizens' complaints and refer them to the appropriate
district Fire Marshals.
F. To hold fire prevention and arson training programs.
G. To maintain proper records and reception of correspondence.
H. To act as a coordinating agency in the community with respect to
matters pertaining to fire and fire prevention and other local boards
and commissions and the regional, state and federal agencies responsible
for fire education and prevention.
I. To study and make recommendations concerning fire and fire prevention.
J. To conduct inspections for proper installation and operation of smoke
detectors as hereinafter provided.
[Added 11-23-1981 by Ord.
No. O-81-45; amended 6-28-1982 by Ord. No. O-82-15]
The Committee shall act and discharge its duties within the
limits of funds appropriated to it for such purpose by the Gloucester
Township Council.
The members of the Committee shall designate one of its members
to serve as Chairman and presiding officer of the Committee. The Chairman
shall be known as the "Chairman of the Fire Prevention Committee."
The Committee is authorized to adopt bylaws governing its procedural
operation.
The Fire Prevention Committee shall keep records of all of its
meetings and activities and shall make an annual report to the governing
body of the municipality on or before the first day of February of
each year.
[Added 11-23-1981 by Ord.
No. O-81-45]
[Amended 6-28-1982 by Ord. No. O-82-15]
A. Multiple dwellings. All apartments, apartment houses, rooming houses,
hotels, motels and the like, other than single-family dwellings, shall
be required to install and maintain, in good working order, smoke
detectors in accordance with the requirements of existing New Jersey
laws.
B. New single-family dwellings. All new single-family dwellings, for
which no certificate of occupancy has been issued prior to the adoption
of this section, shall be required to comply with existing New Jersey
laws prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
C. Existing single-family dwellings. Any residential single-family dwelling existing at the adoption of this section shall comply with this section prior to any sale of the dwelling to any other person after the effective date of this amendment to Chapter
10A.
E. The term "existing single-family dwelling" under §
10A-7C above shall include, without limitations, all types and kinds of existing single-family dwellings or structures, manufactured or premanufactured, as well as single-family mobile homes which are attached to the realty by a slab or foundation.
[Added 8-22-1988 by Ord.
No. O-88-40]
[Amended 6-28-1982 by Ord. No. O-82-15]
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, no smoke detectors
shall be required for any premises which has a fire detection system
and/or sprinkling system in operating condition approved by any state
or local authority and for which a permit has been issued.
[Amended 6-28-1982 by Ord. No. O-82-15; 2-11-1985 by Ord. No. O-85-05]
A. It shall be the duty of the owner of any premises for which a smoke
detector is required to comply with the provisions of this section.
B. Inspection fee.
[Amended 4-25-1988 by Ord. No. O-88-17; 1-25-1993 by Ord. No. O-93-01; 8-23-1993 by Ord. No. O-93-36; 4-12-1999 by Ord. No. O-99-07; 4-11-2011 by Ord. No.
O-11-09]
(1) Thirty days prior to settlement, conveyance of title, change of ownership
or change of occupancy for residential purposes (lease), application
shall be made to the Administrative Fire District (or designee) for
a residential smoke detector certification to the Township Fire District
in charge of administering the inspection. Each completed application
shall be accompanied by a fee of $35, payable to the Fire District,
said fee shall be deposited with the Fire District Treasurer; provided,
however, in the event the request for smoke detector inspection is
received in less than 10 days prior to the settlement, conveyance
of title, change of ownership or change of occupancy for residential
purposes (lease), the initial inspection fee shall be as follows:
(a)
From four to nine days prior to the settlement, the initial
fee shall be $70.
(b)
Less than four days prior to the settlement, the initial fee
shall be $125.
(2) The $35 fee will cover the initial inspection and two reinspections
if needed. If the property does not pass the initial inspection and
two reinspections, the owner or agent will have to reapply and pay
another fee of $35. In any case where the owner or agent misses a
scheduled appointment, that visit by the inspector will count as one
of the above mentioned inspections.
C. Completed applications shall be forwarded to the proper Township
Fire District by the administering Fire District for field verification.
Upon verification, a residential smoke detector certification will
be issued to the applicant. This certificate shall not be transferable
and shall expire 60 days after the date of issuance; thereafter, a
new application must be made.
[Amended 4-25-1988 by Ord. No. O-88-17; 1-25-1993 by Ord. No. O-93-01; 8-23-1993 by Ord. No. O-93-36]
D. The residential smoke detector certification shall consist of three
copies. Upon completion, the original copy goes to the applicant,
one copy to the district Fire Marshal and one copy to the Township
Fire Marshal.
E. The Treasurer of the administering Fire District shall retain $10
of the total amount of the fee for its share of administrative costs
and remit the balance of fees collected to the appropriate Fire District
on a quarterly basis.
[Amended 4-25-1988 by Ord. No. O-88-17; 8-23-1993 by Ord. No. O-93-36; 4-12-1999 by Ord. No. O-99-07]
[Amended 6-28-1982 by Ord. No. O-82-15]
All smoke detectors required to be installed shall meet the
requirements as set forth in existing New Jersey law and in the National
Fire Prevention Association Code or any testing agency approved by
the Uniform Construction Code or Fire Prevention Code, as amended.
[Amended 6-28-1982 by Ord. No. O-82-15; 10-13-1982 by Ord. No. O-82-26A; 2-11-1985 by Ord. No. O-85-05]
The number, placement and installation of smoke detectors in
any single-family dwelling and multiple dwelling shall be in accordance
with the applicable requirements of the BOCA Basic Building Code 1984,
and as thereafter amended, as to new construction. Existing single-family
dwellings will have approved smoke detectors installed prior to any
resale of the dwelling. The number and placement of the same shall
be in accordance with the requirements for new construction under
the BOCA Basic Building Code 1984, and thereafter amended. Although
AC primary source is preferred, where such is not practical, a monitored
battery primary power source is permitted.
[Added 10-13-1982 by Ord.
No. O-82-26A]
The provisions of this article relating to existing single-family
dwellings shall be enforced by the Fire Prevention Committee. All
other provisions of this article shall be enforced by the State of
New Jersey, Department of Community Affairs, Division of Housing,
Bureau of Housing Inspection, and its duly authorized agents and representatives.
[Added 10-13-1982 by Ord.
No. O-82-26A]
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this article
and who does not correct the violation within 10 days after notice
of same, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine of
not more than $500 or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or
by both. Every day that the violation continues after the initial
10 days' notice shall be considered a separate violation.
[Amended 6-28-1982 by Ord. No. O-82-15]
If any article, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase
of this article is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid,
such decision or invalidity shall not affect the remaining portions
of this article.
[Amended 6-28-1982 by Ord. No. O-82-15]
All ordinances and provisions thereof inconsistent with the
provisions of this article shall be and are hereby repealed to the
extent of such inconsistency.
[Amended 6-28-1982 by Ord. No. O-82-15]
This article shall take effect immediately after final passage
and publication in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey.