[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Mantua 12-26-2006 by Ord. No. O-22-2006 (Ch. 78 of the 1978 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
The Uniform Fire Safety Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-192 et seq., was enacted for the purpose of establishing a system for the enforcement of minimum firesafety standards throughout the State of New Jersey.
B. 
The Uniform Fire Safety Act authorizes municipalities to provide for local enforcement and to establish local enforcement agencies for that purpose.
C. 
It is in the best interests of the Township of Mantua, Gloucester County, to have the Uniform Fire Safety Act enforced locally.
D. 
Mantua Township Fire District No. 1 has agreed to the plan, which is set forth herein, for the administration and enforcement of the Uniform Fire Safety Code.
Pursuant to Section 11 of the Uniform Fire Safety Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-202, the New Jersey Uniform Fire Safety Code shall be locally enforced within the established limits of Mantua Township Fire District No. 1.
A. 
The local enforcing agency established by § 182-3 shall be part of the Mantua Township Fire District No. 1. Such funds as may be necessary to support the operation of the agency shall be raised by the District in the manner provided by law.
B. 
The agency shall be under the supervision of the Board of Fire Commissioners.
A. 
Appointment of Fire Official. The Mantua Township Board of Fire Commissioners shall appoint a Fire Official who shall enforce the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code as the agent for the local enforcing agency. In making this appointment, the Board of Fire Commissioners shall make the appointment from among those persons whom it shall consider qualified, which persons under consideration shall have been certified pursuant to the provisions of N.J.A.C. 5:18A-4.
B. 
Term of office. The Fire Official shall serve a term of two years. Any vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term in accordance with the provisions of N.J.A.C. 5:18A-4.
C. 
Inspectors and employees. Such inspectors and other employees as may be necessary in the local enforcing agency shall be appointed by the Board of Fire Commissioners upon the recommendation of the Fire Official.
D. 
Removal from office. The Fire Official, inspectors and other employees of the enforcing agency shall be subject to removal by the Board of Fire Commissioners for inefficiency or misconduct. The Fire Official, inspector or employee to be so removed shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard before the Board of Fire Commissioners or a designated hearing officer.
The local enforcing agency shall enforce the Uniform Fire Safety Act and the codes and regulations adopted under it in all buildings, structures and premises within the established boundaries of the Mantua Township Fire District No. 1 other than owner-occupied one- and two-family dwellings and shall faithfully comply with the requirements of the Uniform Fire Safety Act and the Uniform Fire Safety Code.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall carry out the periodic inspection of life-hazard uses required by the Uniform Fire Safety Code on behalf of the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs.
Pursuant to Sections 15 and 17 of the Uniform Fire Safety Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-206 and 208, any person aggrieved by any order of the local enforcing agency shall have the right to appeal to the Construction Board of Appeals of Gloucester County.
A. 
The permit fees established by the Uniform Code shall be the permit fees established in the Township of Mantua.
B. 
Nonprofit organizations required to obtain a permit pursuant to the Uniform Fire Code to hold fund-raising or occasional public events shall not be required to pay a permit fee.
C. 
In addition to the above, the Fire Official and/or the District Chief shall be notified of any regular or special events or performance in any building located in Mantua Township, and a permit fee shall be required in accordance with the Uniform Fire Code as herein established.
A. 
The inspections and fees required pursuant to this chapter shall be those required pursuant to the Act and the regulations of the Department of Community Affairs, including any amendments or supplements thereto.
B. 
In addition to the inspections and fees established in Subsection A above, the Fire Official or the District Fire Chief may require inspections and continued monitoring to prevent overcrowding or to address other firesafety concerns for public safety during the occurrence of any regular or special events or performance in any building located in Mantua Township. A fee shall be charged to the sponsor, entity, owner or tenant of the building that is conducting the event or performance. The fee charged shall be the total hourly wage plus overtime, if applicable, paid by the Fire District to the respective Fire Inspector(s).
C. 
The inspections and fees required pursuant to this section for all buildings as defined in the Uniform Construction Code of New Jersey and not classified as life hazard buildings shall be as set forth in § 182-12 of this chapter.
[Amended 2-27-2007 by Ord. No. O-01-2007]
D. 
In the event a building, whether it be occupied by an assembly, business, factory, mercantile, residential, storage, utility or any combination thereof, is used by more than one legal entity, each legal entity shall be considered a separate user for purposes of payment of fees hereunder.
E. 
Any owner, agent or lessee who fails to pay the prescribed registration fee within 30 days of written notification shall be in violation of this section and shall be subject to a penalty equal to the amount of the unpaid fee.
F. 
Collection of said unpaid fee shall be enforced through a court of competent jurisdiction, including but not limited to the Mantua Township Municipal Court.
A. 
Permits. Permits, classified as follows, shall be required for the uses set forth:
(1) 
Type 1 permit.
(a) 
Bonfires.
(b) 
The use of a torch or flame-producing device to remove paint from, or seal membrane roofs on, any building or structure.
(c) 
Tents exceeding 1,200 square feet or 30 feet in any dimension, excluding canopies, whether single or made up of multiple smaller units, when used for the purposes which would constitute a life-hazard use were the use to be found in a building.
(d) 
Individual portable kiosks or displays when erected in a covered mall for a period of less than 90 days and when not covered by a Type 2 permit.
(e) 
The use of any open flame or flame-producing device in connection with any public gathering for purposes of entertainment, amusement or recreation in places of public assembly.
(f) 
Welding or cutting operations, except where the welding or cutting is performed in areas approved for welding and is registered as a Type B life-hazard use.
(g) 
The possession or use of explosive or blasting agents.
(h) 
Helistops.
(i) 
The occasional use in any building of a multipurpose room, with a maximum permitted occupancy of 100 or more, for amusement, entertainment or mercantile-type purposes.
(j) 
Use of a hydrant. The penalty for the unauthorized use of a fire hydrant shall be as provided in § 182-16 for each offense.
[Amended 11-10-2008 by Ord. No. O-17-2008]
(2) 
Type 2 permit.
(a) 
Bowling lane resurfacing and bowling pin refinishing involving the use and application of flammable liquids or materials.
(b) 
Fumigation or thermal insecticide fogging.
(c) 
Membrane-covered cable and air-supported structures covering an area in excess of 120 square feet, erected for a period of less than 90 days.
(d) 
Carnivals and circuses employing mobile structures used for human occupancy.
(e) 
The use of a covered mall in any of the following manners:
[1] 
Placing or constructing temporary kiosks, display booths, concession equipment or the like in more than 25% of the common area of the mall.
[2] 
Temporarily using the mall as a place of assembly.
[3] 
Using open flame or flame-producing devices.
[4] 
Displaying liquid- or gas-fuel-powered equipment.
[5] 
Using liquid petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas, or compressed flammable gas in containers exceeding five-pound capacity.
(3) 
Type 3 permit.
(a) 
Industrial processing ovens or furnaces operating at approximately atmospheric pressures and temperatures not exceeding 1,400° F., which are heated with liquid or gas fuel or which contain flammable vapors from the product being processed.
(b) 
Any wrecking yard or junkyard.
(c) 
The storage or discharging of fireworks.
(4) 
Type 4 permit.
(a) 
Storage or use at normal temperature and pressure of more than 2,000 cubic feet of flammable compressed gas or 6,000 cubic feet of nonflammable compressed gas.
(b) 
The production or sale of cryogenic liquids, the storage or use of more than 10 gallons of liquid oxygen, flammable cryogenic liquids or cryogenic oxidizers, or the storage of more than 500 gallons of nonflammable, nontoxic cryogenic liquids.
(c) 
The storage, handling and processing of flammable, combustible and unstable liquids in containers and portable tanks.
(d) 
Except for medicines, beverages, foodstuffs, cosmetics and other common consumer items when packaged according to commonly accepted practices, the storage or handling of:
[1] 
More than five gallons of corrosive liquids.
[2] 
More than 500 pounds of oxidizing materials.
[3] 
More than 10 pounds of organic peroxides.
[4] 
More than 500 pounds of nitromethane.
[5] 
More than 1,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate.
[6] 
More than one microcurie of radium or other radiation material not contained in a sealed source.
[7] 
More than one millicurie of radium or other radiation material in a sealed source.
[8] 
Any amount of radioactive material for which a specific license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is required.
[9] 
More than 10 pounds of flammable solids.
(5) 
Type 5 permit.
(a) 
Airports.
B. 
Permits, issuance. Permits shall only be issued for uses expressly designated as permitted uses under Chapter 230, Land Development, of the Code, and upon the payment of the fees therefor.
C. 
Required inspections. In addition to the inspections provided pursuant to the Uniform Fire Code and regulations issued by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, additional inspections shall be required as follows:
(1) 
Inspection classification.
(a) 
Class I:
[1] 
All schools.
[2] 
All churches.
[3] 
All public buildings.
(b) 
Class II:
[1] 
All business-use buildings less than 10,000 square feet.
[2] 
All eating establishments with a maximum occupancy load of less than 50 persons.
[3] 
All mercantile uses of less than 12,000 square feet.
[4] 
All factory uses of less than 2,500 square feet.
[5] 
All storage uses of less than 2,500 square feet.
(c) 
Class III:
[1] 
All mixed-use buildings under 10,000 square feet.
[2] 
All business uses of more than 10,000 square feet but less than 20,000 square feet.
[3] 
All factory uses of more than 2,500 square feet but less than 20,000 square feet.
[4] 
All storage uses of more than 2,500 square feet but less than 20,000 square feet.
[5] 
All multiple dwellings containing from three to 25 units.
(d) 
Class IV:
[1] 
All mixed-use buildings over 10,000 square feet.
[2] 
All business uses exceeding 20,000 square feet.
[3] 
All storage uses exceeding 20,000 square feet.
[4] 
All factory uses exceeding 20,000 square feet.
(e) 
Class V:
[1] 
All multiple dwellings containing 26 units or more.
(2) 
Time for inspections. All inspections shall be performed periodically to determine compliance with the provisions of the Uniform Fire Code and this chapter, but not less frequently than as set forth below:
(a) 
Class I through Class IV: once every 12 months.
(b) 
Class V: once every six months.
D. 
Fees. The permit and inspection fees established by the Uniform Fire Safety Code and this chapter shall be as set forth in § 182-12. All nonprofit organizations must take out a permit but will not be required to pay a fee.
[Amended 11-10-2008 by Ord. No. O-17-2008]
E. 
Multiple uses. In the event a building, whether it is occupied by a business, factory, mercantile, residential, storage or any combination thereof, is used by more than one legal entity, each legal entity shall be considered a separate user for purposes of payment of fees hereunder.
F. 
Failure to pay fees. Any owner, agent or lessee who fails to pay the prescribed registration fee within 30 days of written notification shall be in violation of this section and shall be subject to the penalties provided in § 182-16.
[Amended 11-10-2008 by Ord. No. O-17-2008]
[Added 2-27-2007 by Ord. No. O-01-2007; amended 12-19-2022 by Ord. No. O-11-2022]
Inspection fees, as permitted under § 182-10, shall be as follows:
A. 
Assembly.
Annual
Fee
Inspection
A-1
Eating establishments under 50 (no alcohol)
$60
Every 12 months
A-2
Takeout food (no seating)
$35
Every 12 months
A-3
House of worship
$50
Every 12 months
B. 
Business.
Annual
Fee
Inspection
B-1
Professional use one- and two-story less than 5,000 square feet per floor
$50
Every 12 months
B-2
One- and two-story equal to or more than 5,000 square feet but less than 10,000 square feet per floor
$75
Every 12 months
B-3
One- and two-story more than 10,000 square feet
$85
Every 12 months
B-4
Three- to five-story less than 5,000 square feet
$100
Every 12 months
B-5
Three- to five-story equal to or more than 5,000 square feet but less than 10,000 square feet per floor
$150
Every 12 months
B-6
Three- to five-story over 10,000 square feet per floor
$200
Every 12 months
C. 
Factory.
Annual
Fee
Inspection
F.1
Moderate hazard
$200
Every 6 months
F.2
Low hazard
$100
Every 6 months
D. 
Mercantile.
Annual
Fee
Inspection
M-1
Retail business under 5,000 square feet
$100
Every 12 months
M-2
Retail business over 5,000 square feet
$200
Every 12 months
E. 
Residential.
Annual
Fee
Inspection
R-1
1 to 6 units
$50
Every 12 months
R-2
7 to 12 units
$100
Every 12 months
R-3
13 to 20 units
$125
Every 12 months
R-4
21 to 50 units
$150
Every 12 months
R-5
For each additional unit
$25
Every 12 months
F. 
Storage.
Annual
Fee
Inspection
S-1
Moderate hazard under 5,000 square feet
$175
Every 12 months
S-1
Moderate hazard over 5,000 square feet
$250
Every 12 months
S-2
Low hazard under 1,000 square feet
$50
Every 12 months
S-2
Low hazard under 5,000 square feet
$100
Every 12 months
S-2
Low hazard over 5,000 square feet
$150
Every 12 months
S
Exception life hazard uses
G. 
Utility. Miscellaneous uses such as commercially occupied, or intended to be occupied, structures, commonly referred to as commercial strip complexes.
Annual
Fee
Inspection
U-1
Farms
$50
Every 12 months
U-2
Utility and miscellaneous uses
$75
Every 12 months
A. 
Findings.
(1) 
There are a number of areas in the Township of Mantua where proper and efficient response of fire trucks and other fire equipment would possibly be impeded because of failure to designate certain areas as fire areas and regulate traffic and parking therein.
(2) 
N.J.S.A. 40A:14-53 provides that the governing body of any municipality may, by ordinance, authorize the officials in charge of fire prevention and regulation to establish fire areas, to regulate traffic and parking therein and provide penalties for violations.
(3) 
The Board of Fire Commissioners of Mantua Township Fire District No. 1 and the Fire Official thereof are the proper officials in charge as aforesaid.
(4) 
The Board of Fire Commissioners and the Fire Official shall make a careful review of the Township of Mantua at least once annually to determine what areas should be so designated as fire areas.
(5) 
The Township Committee is in agreement with the Board of Fire Commissioners and Fire Official in regard to what areas should be so designated.
(6) 
N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.46 gives the governing body of every municipality legal authority to make, amend, repeal and enforce ordinances to regulate vehicular and pedestrian traffic and the parking of vehicles in parking yards and parking places which are open to the public or to which the public is invited, whether maintained or operated separately or in conjunction with any business or enterprise.
B. 
Designation of fire areas; parking prohibited. The areas described on the schedules[1] attached to and hereby made a part of this chapter shall be and are hereby designated as fire areas. No parking shall be permitted in such fire areas. All lane and area designations refer to sketches and/or site plans of the individual fire areas on file in the office of the Township Clerk.
(1) 
Parking.
(a) 
Upon finding that such action is necessary for the public safety, the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Fire District of the Township of Mantua within the district may require the owner or owners of any shopping center, commercial structure, place of public assembly, multiple dwelling group, industrial park, office building, hotel or motel or school to designate "Fire Lane" in the driveways of the premises leading to and from the parking areas, loading areas, public streets or rights-of-way leading to the above type buildings or structures. Such fire lanes shall be no less than 18 feet nor more than 50 feet in width and shall be striped and lettered in yellow on a paved surface, such striping and lettering to remain legible at all times. Metal "Fire Lane" signs, the letters of same to be legible at all times, shall be provided, erected and maintained by said owner or owners and placed at the discretion of the Board of Fire Commissioners. Said signs are to be of a design and quality and lettered in accordance with applicable state law and approved by the Board of Fire Commissioners or its designee.
(b) 
No person shall at any time park a vehicle or in any other manner obstruct any driveway or other area that has been designated as hereinabove provided as a fire lane.
(2) 
Special regulations for shopping centers.
(a) 
Fire lanes shall be established in all shopping centers to ensure fire equipment and other emergency vehicles unobstructed means of ingress and egress and to ensure the proper unobstructed ingress and egress of people to the properties and buildings located therein in the event of fire or other emergency and to ensure that, further, fire hazards are not in the vicinity of the properties and buildings.
(b) 
The number, location, dimensions and markings of such lanes shall be determined by the Board of Fire Commissioners, based upon the size, type and location of the buildings in such shopping centers; the types of uses contained therein; the number of motor vehicles operated and parked upon the property; the number of persons using and occupying the premises; the existing means of ingress and egress; the total area of the property; and other relevant obstruction.
(c) 
The Board of Fire Commissioners is authorized to regulate, restrict and prohibit the parking and operation of motor vehicles in and near such fire lanes and to impose other reasonable regulations necessary to ensure that such lanes are free from obstruction.
(3) 
The Board of Fire Commissioners of the Fire District, the Fire Official and/or his designees and the Police Department of the Township of Mantua shall have concurrent jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of this subsection.
(4) 
Any violation of the provisions of this subsection shall be punishable as provided in § 182-16, which shall be enforceable in the Municipal Court of Mantua Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey. All fines issued by Fire District personnel shall be made payable to the Mantua Township Fire District. All fines issued by the Police Department personnel shall be made payable to the Municipality of the Township of Mantua.
[Amended 11-10-2008 by Ord. No. O-17-2008]
(5) 
The Fire Official shall cause to be issued a ticket book similar to a traffic book for use in serving violations of this subsection.
(6) 
Notwithstanding the penalties hereinabove provided for violations of this subsection, the Fire District shall be entitled to pursue any other remedy available at law or equity to enforce the provisions hereof.
[1]
Editor's Note: The schedules are on file in the office of the Township Fire Official.
C. 
Plan of markings.
(1) 
Preparation. A plan indicating markings and signs to be made and erected, respectively, to designate the fire areas shall be prepared by the Township of Mantua Traffic Safety Officer after consultation with the Board of Fire Commissioners and Fire Official. The plans containing such markings and/or signs shall be placed on file in the office of the Township Clerk.
(2) 
Submission to property owner. After preparation of the plan by the Traffic Safety Officer, it shall be submitted to the owner(s) of the real property which is to be designated as a fire area, and the owner(s) of such real property shall have 90 days to make the markings and/or erect the signs as required therein. Failure to act within such 90 days shall be considered a violation of this section, and each day shall be considered a separate violation.
(3) 
Maintenance of markings and area. After the markings and/or signs are installed in accordance with the plan, the property owner shall be required to maintain the same in good condition so the public will always be kept aware that the fire areas are restricted.
A report of the Bureau of Fire Prevention shall be made quarterly and transmitted to the Township Committee and the Board of Fire Commissioners. It shall contain a summary of proceedings under the Uniform Fire Safety Code and this chapter, with such statistics as the Board of Fire Commissioners may wish included therein.
The Township of Mantua specifically reserves and retains the right to pursue all other legal and equitable remedies in order to fully enforce the provisions of this chapter as they pertain to the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the Township of Mantua.
A. 
Notice of violation. The Fire Official shall issue a notice of violation which shall contain a time period for the alleged violator to correct the violation, which time period shall not exceed 30 days, but the time specified shall be in the sole discretion of the Fire Official. The Fire Official shall also have jurisdiction to grant extensions of time to an alleged violator once a notice of violation has been issued, but the total period of extension shall not exceed 60 days.
B. 
Penalty. Except as provided in N.J.A.C. 5:70-1.12, any violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or of any of the codes adopted or enforced hereby shall be punished by one or more of the following: a maximum fine of $2,000, a term of imprisonment of not more than 90 days and/or a period community service not to exceed 90 days.
[Amended 11-10-2008 by Ord. No. O-17-2008]
[Added 12-19-2022 by Ord. No. O-11-2022]
A. 
The New Jersey Administrative Code, N.J.A.C. 5:70 et seq., requires certain properties to be equipped with automatic alarm systems and/or sprinkler systems.
B. 
All properties within the LEA having an automatic fire alarm system or a fire sprinkler system shall be equipped with a key box. This shall not apply to owner occupied one- and two-family dwellings.
C. 
The key box shall be of a UL type and the rapid entry key box shall be installed in a location approved by the Mantua Township Fire Marshal.
[Added 3-9-2026 by Ord. No. O-4-2026]
A. 
Purpose and intent. This subsection is enacted to establish a clear and efficient procedure for the enforcement of N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3, which requires a Certificate of Smoke Alarm, Carbon Monoxide Alarm, and Portable Fire Extinguisher Compliance (CSACMAC) prior to the sale, lease, or change of occupancy of any one-family, two-family, or attached single-family dwelling.
B. 
Applicability.
(1) 
This subsection shall apply to all one-family, two-family, and attached single-family dwellings, including townhouses and condominiums, which are sold, leased, or made subject to any change of occupancy for residential purposes.
(2) 
The requirements of this section shall not be construed to negate or replace any other inspection requirements set forth in the Mantua Township Code, including the requirement for a Housing Certificate.
C. 
Enforcement authority. The Mantua Township Fire District No. 1, acting as the Local Enforcing Agency (LEA) and its designated officers (Fire Official, Fire Inspectors), is hereby authorized and directed to enforce the provisions of N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3 and to issue the required CSACMAC upon compliance.
D. 
Application and compliance requirements. The Mantua Township Fire District No. 1, acting as the Local Enforcing Agency (LEA) and its designated officers (Fire Official, Fire Inspectors), is hereby authorized and directed to enforce the provisions of N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3 and to issue the required CSACMAC upon compliance.
(1) 
Minimum requirements of smoke alarms based on date of construction and location of installation.
(a) 
Pre-1975: DC Ten-Year sealed battery powered single station smoke alarm on each level, including basement (if applicable).
(b) 
1975 to 1977: AC-powered smoke alarm uppermost level, DC smoke alarm on all other levels.
(c) 
1977 to 1983: AC-powered smoke alarm on uppermost and basement level (electrically inter-connected) and DC smoke detector on all other levels.
(d) 
1983 to 1991: AC-powered smoke alarm on every level (electrically inter-connected).
(e) 
1991 to present: AC-powered smoke alarm with battery backup on each level and in each sleeping area (bedroom), electrically inter-connected.
(2) 
Smoke alarm locations:
(a) 
Alarms are to be located on every level of a residence, basement, first floor, second floor, third floor between sleeping areas. In homes with only one sleeping area on one floor, an alarm is to be put in the hallway outside the bedroom. In single-floor homes with two separate sleeping areas, two alarms are required outside each sleeping area in each hallway area. In multi-level homes, alarms should be located outside sleeping areas and at every level of the home. Basement alarms should be located at the bottom of basement stairwells.
(b) 
In addition to smoke alarm locations, please refer to the minimum requirements based on the year of construction chart in Subsection D(1) above.
(3) 
Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms: Approved, working carbon monoxide alarms shall be installed in the immediate vicinity of all sleeping areas. Alarms may be battery-powered, hard-wired, or plug-in with battery backup, and shall be located within 10 feet of the entrance to any sleeping area.
E. 
Fees. The following non-refundable fee schedule is hereby established for the inspection and processing of the CSACMAC application, payable to Mantua Township Fire District No. 1:
Time frame
Fee
Standard (application received 10 or more business days prior to closing/occupancy)
$45.00
Expedited (application received four to nine business days prior to closing/occupancy)
$90.00
Emergency (application received three or fewer business days prior to closing/occupancy)
$161.00
Re-Inspection (required for each subsequent inspection after the first failed inspection)
$40.00
F. 
Penalties. Any person, firm, or corporation who violates the provisions of this subsection, including failure to obtain a valid CSACMAC prior to the transfer of title, lease, or change of occupancy, shall be subject to a penalty as prescribed in Chapter 182, § 182-16 (Violations and Penalties) pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.12(b)5i, or as otherwise provided by law.