[Code 1969, § 5½-21; Ord. No. 146, 2-19-1980; Ord. No. 223, 10-5-1993]
A fire lane is a designated, unobstructed passageway sufficient in size to permit free passage of fire apparatus and other emergency equipment from a public highway to all necessary areas or portions of any private or public property as set forth in this article.
[Code 1969, § 5½-22; Ord. No. 146, 2-19-1980; Ord. No. 223, 10-5-1993]
Whenever the fire marshal having jurisdiction within any district in the town shall determine that the reasonable safety of persons occupying or using any public or private premises within such district having a capacity of at least 15 persons requires the establishment of a fire lane for orderly access of fire and other emergency equipment to the premises, he shall establish such fire lane by written order designating and describing such lane. The fire marshal shall cause a copy of such order to be delivered by certified mail to the owner, or owners, or tenants thereof, of any private land on which such fire lane is established, and shall cause a public announcement to be made of the establishment of such lane.
[Code 1969, § 5½-23; Ord. No. 146, 2-19-1980; Ord. No. 223, 10-5-1993]
Whenever the fire marshal of any such district establishes a fire lane, he shall file one copy of his order with the clerk of the town council and one copy with the traffic authority of the town. Any person aggrieved by such order may file with the clerk of the town council within 15 days of the date of the mailing of such order, written notice of appeal, setting forth therein reasons of aggrievement. After hearing, the town council shall affirm, modify or rescind such order within 60 days of the date of order.
[Code 1969, § 5½-24; Ord. No. 146, 2-19-1980; Ord. No. 223, 10-5-1993]
Upon establishment of a fire lane, the traffic authority of the town shall within 90 days cause to be erected or installed, adequate signs, markings or other devices to delineate such fire lane. Such signs, markings or other devices must conform to specifications provided by the traffic authority. It is required that white markings be used to delineate permissible parking areas and only yellow markings be used where restricted parking, pursuant to a fire lane, exists. This will include, but not be limited to, parking spaces, curb sides, sidewalk lines, and sides of buildings. When it is determined that curbs and/or sides of sidewalks are to be painted yellow, the entire exposed area of such curb or sidewalk side will be painted. Signs, markings and other devices erected or installed on privately owned premises shall be at the cost of the owner and may be billed for and collected in the same manner as municipal taxes, provided such traffic authority causes a notice of lien to be filed on the land records within 60 days after such erection or installation.
Upon installation of a fire lane by the owner or agents thereof, or in a situation of noncompliance in which the traffic authority of the town causes such compliance, such owner, owners, or agents thereof shall then have the cost and responsibility to maintain in good condition the adequate signs, markings and other devices already erected or installed to delineate such fire lane, and promptly replace and/or install or repair such signs, markings or other devices necessitated by theft, vandalism, accident, weathering or other unforeseen circumstance or need.
Whenever the town traffic authority identifies a need for replacement, repair, maintenance or installation of signs, markings or other devices to delineate a fire lane which is already established, it shall notify the owner, owners or agents of such private property by written order by certified mail describing such repair, replacement and/or improvement to be made. In the event of an owner's failure to respond to such order, the traffic authority of the town shall, after 30 days from the mailing of such order, cause such repair, replacement and/or improvement to be made at the cost of the owner. Such cost may be billed for and collected in the same manner as described above.
[Code 1969, § 5½-25; Ord. No. 146, 2-19-1980; Ord. No. 223, 10-5-1993]
No person shall park or permit any motor vehicle to stand in a fire lane or to obstruct a fire hydrant except when actually picking up and discharging passengers.
[Code 1969, § 5½-26; Ord. No. 146, 2-19-1980; Ord. No. 223, 10-5-1993; Ord. No. 287, 4-3-2018; Ord. No. 300, 4-1-2025]
Whenever any police officer finds any vehicle in violation of § 7-30, he shall attach to such vehicle a notice to the owner or operator that such vehicle has been parked in violation of the law. Said notice shall indicate the nature of the violation and the amount of the fine and shall instruct such owner/operator how and by when payment of the fine may be made and the consequences for failing to pay the fine in full within the time provided by this section. The amount of the fine shall be $100 if payment in full is received at police headquarters within 14 days of the date on which such notice was attached to the owner/operator's vehicle. The fine shall be $200 if payment in full is received at police headquarters after the 14th but no later than the 30th day after the notice was placed on the vehicle. Payment may be made either in person at the police headquarters or by mail addressed to police headquarters and postmarked before the end of the fourteen- or the end of the thirty-day period, as the case may be. The Police Chief may designate other acceptable means of payment from time to time, provided he gives prior written notice thereof to the Town Council. If such owner/operator does not pay the full amount of the fine before the end of the 30th day after the notice was placed on the vehicle, the police department shall cause such owner or operator to be prosecuted for such violation in the court having jurisdiction of such violations.
[Code 1969, § 5½-27; Ord. No. 146, 2-19-1980; Ord. No. 223, 10-5-1993]
Any vehicle found parked in violation of this article may, if public convenience and necessity so require, be removed or conveyed by or under the direction of a member of the police department by towing the same or by other means to a public garage in the town and such removal shall be at the cost and risk of the owner. Before the owner or person in charge of such vehicle shall be permitted to remove the same from the custody of the police department, he shall furnish evidence of his identity and ownership or right to possession and shall pay to the police department the towing and storage charges reasonably incurred in such removal.
[Code 1969, § 5½-28; Ord. No. 146, 2-19-1980; Ord. No. 223, 10-5-1993]
All money collected by the police department under this article shall be paid to the director of finance under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, subject to the approval of the town manager and shall be deposited by him in the town's general fund.
[Code 1969, § 5½-29; Ord. No. 146, 2-19-1980; Ord. No. 223, 10-5-1993]
In the event of prosecution, a violation of this article shall constitute an offense for which any person found in violation shall be fined not more than $100.00.