[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the
Town of Cortlandville 12-7-2022 by L.L. No. 7-2022. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
This chapter shall be known as "A Local Law to Adopt the Private
Fire Hydrant Law in the Town of Cortlandville, New York."
This chapter is intended to be consistent with and is enacted
by the Town Board of the Town of Cortlandville pursuant to its authority
to adopt laws under the New York State Constitution, the New York
State Municipal Home Rule Law, and the New York State Town Law. It
is intended and is hereby declared to address matters of local concern
only and is intended to act in furtherance of the Town's authority
with respect to existing zoning and land use laws and its police powers,
related to the planning and physical use of real property within the
Town.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish a program for identifying
and registering private fire hydrants; to determine the responsibilities
of owners of private fire hydrants; and to ensure the proper functioning
of fire safety equipment in the Town of Cortlandville to protect public
safety.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
A duly authorized representative of the Cortlandville Water
Department.
The aboveground appliance [as defined by the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA)] used to provide a water supply to fire
apparatus in the event of a fire or other emergency.
A fire hydrant located on private property, whose water is
provided by the Town of Cortlandville or by other means, but the underground
piping in which the water moves and the hydrants are owned and maintained
by the property owner.
The person or entity (or their designee), according to Town
of Cortlandville records, who is responsible for tax payments (or
other payments to the Town) for the property on which the hydrant
is installed.
The process of regular maintenance of a fire hydrant to determine
its capability to provide the desired water supply for which it was
designed; and to exercise all valves, caps, etc.; and to lubricate
and paint as needed.
All private fire hydrants shall be marked by an approved identification
means and shall be painted according to the Town of Cortlandville
Fire Department's standard.
A.
The Town of Cortlandville Water Department shall oversee the installation
of all new installations of private fire hydrants, which must conform
to applicable standards.
B.
Failure to meet these standards shall be cause to deny either a temporary
or final permit by the Town of Cortlandville, or the revocation of
any existing permits.
C.
Upon installation and prior to the flowing of any water via a newly
installed private hydrant, the Town of Cortlandville Water Department
shall be contacted and shall inspect the private hydrant. No water
shall be allowed to flow through any private hydrant without documentation
by the Town of Cortlandville Water Department of the inspections and
a determination by the Town of Cortlandville Water Department that
the private hydrant complies with all applicable standards, rules
and regulations.
A.
All private hydrants must meet the private hydrant standards, and
maintenance shall include, at minimum:
(1)
Verifying ability to find hydrant; debris shall be cleared.
(2)
Verifying ability to open hydrant.
(3)
Verifying ability to utilize hydrant for fire protection or maintenance
purposes.
(4)
Verifying hydrant drains properly.
(5)
Reasonably assessing status of paint and repaint, if necessary.
(6)
Lubricating all caps with food grade grease.
(7)
Confirming auxiliary valve is open.
(8)
Confirming a measured clearance of no less than 14 inches between
the bottom of all connections and the ground or installed base.
(9)
Tagging inoperable hydrants with a clearly visible mark.
(10)
Flow tests.
B.
The Town of Cortlandville Water Department shall be contacted prior
to the flowing of any water via private fire hydrants.
C.
The Town of Cortlandville Fire Department shall be notified if such
a water flow could also result in receipt of a false alarm from an
installed fire suppression system.
The owner of a private fire hydrant located on non-Town owned
property shall maintain and have such hydrant annually inspected and
flow tested by the Town of Cortlandville. The cost of inspections
shall be at the expense of the property owner as determined by the
Town of Cortlandville.
A.
The Cortlandville Water Department shall be contacted regarding any
private hydrant that:
(1)
That is taken out of service immediately upon discovery of the issue
placing the hydrant out of service;
(2)
Upon completion of any work performed on a private hydrant. Prior
to placing a private hydrant back in service, no water shall be allowed
to flow through any private hydrant without documentation by the Town
of Cortlandville Water Department of the inspection and a determination
by the Superintendent that the private hydrant complies with all applicable
standards, rules and regulations.
B.
No person
will shut off, disconnect, remove or disable a private hydrant without
the Town of Cortlandville's approval.
C.
The Town of Cortlandville Water Department shall have access onto
properties containing private hydrants, as necessary, for the purposes
of inspecting for leaks.
A.
Underground repairs. Upon notice of required repairs issued by the
Town of Cortlandville, the property owner must complete such repairs
and certify that the hydrant meets the inspection standards herein
within 30 days of such notice.
B.
Aboveground repairs. All aboveground repairs will be performed by
the Town of Cortlandville, and the cost of these repairs shall be
at the expense of the property owner.
A.
Anyone violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon
conviction thereof, be punishable by a fine of not more than $250
or by imprisonment for a term of not more than 15 days, or by both
such fine and imprisonment.
B.
Prior to commencing enforcement action for a violation of this chapter,
the enforcing person shall give the property owner a thirty-day written
notice to comply with this chapter. Each day a hydrant is not in compliance
with this chapter, and each hydrant found to be in violation of this
bylaw, shall constitute a separate offense.
