[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Long Branch 6-26-1979 by Ord. No. 950 (Sec. 14-7 of the 1971 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BOARDINGHOUSE
Any dwelling in which more than one person is housed or lodged for hire with meals. The structure which shall contain such boardinghouse shall be suitable for the operation and shall be in good repair. The structure shall have firesafety features, comply with state and local health laws and conform with the city ordinances and the housing code.
No structure approved as a boardinghouse shall be utilized for any other purpose. Occupancy shall be restricted to the first floor and the second floor; there shall be no occupancy of the basement (i.e., the story with the floor level below the average grade at the building perimeter) nor shall there be any occupancy above the third floor, unless the building is of Type 1 or 2 construction (BOCA). If the structure is of fire-resistive construction, rooms above the second floor will be reviewed on an individual basis to determine suitability for occupancy. Elevator service shall be provided for residents above the second floor.
Residents' bedrooms shall be provided with natural light and ventilation. Each room shall be equipped with an operable window which can be opened by the resident without the use of tools, and said window shall offer a clear opening of not less than 20 inches in width and 24 inches in height and having an area of not less than 5.7 square feet. The bottom of the window shall be not more than 44 inches off the floor.
All rooms occupied by residents shall have direct access to corridors and toilet facilities. Access to exits leading to the outside shall be direct and shall not pass through any room or area which is occupied or has a door. No exitway shall lead through a kitchen. Sleeping rooms shall have a minimum square footage of not less than 100 square feet for each person. Beds shall be set not less than 36 inches apart, with each bed being supplied with a light fixture and nightstand.
Central heat from a single heating plant shall be provided in all habitable areas of the boardinghouse. The heating unit shall be separated by one-hour-fire-rated walls and ceiling finish. All new installation for burning solid fuels shall be located outside the building. An identifiable emergency switch for the heating equipment shall be located on the first floor in an accessible area. The heating equipment must be capable of maintaining a temperature of 75° during the coldest weather. Use of open fireplaces is prohibited.
Lighting shall be by electricity only. All rooms and hallways shall have both natural and artificial means of lighting. All halls, corridors and bathrooms shall be equipped with night-lights. Each room shall have not less than two duplex wall outlets and at least one outlet for each bed. Emergency lighting shall be provided in corridors, hallways and stairways. This can be either an automatic generator or battery-type emergency lights.
All rooms used by residents, including bathrooms, toilets, kitchens and storage areas, shall be adequately ventilated by either natural or mechanical means.
All boardinghouses shall have an automatic fire and smoke detection system of a type approved by the local Fire Department and installed in accord with NFPA standard 72E. The system shall be connected with the Fire Department alarm board located in police headquarters and shall sound simultaneously in the facility and in police headquarters. All systems shall have a service contract with a competent fire alarm service company, inspected and tested semiannually, and a copy of the contract along with the test results report shall be forwarded to the Long Branch Fire Prevention Bureau for its file. For the purpose of providing horizontal fire zoning, all floors above the first floor of any nonfireproof building shall be separated into areas of not more than 3,000 square feet. Two satisfactory and easily available means of egress, remote from each other and preferably at opposite ends of the building, shall be provided for each floor occupied or utilized by residents, owners or personnel. Such exits shall lead directly to the outside.
Stairways and hallways leading to the exterior shall be made free and clear of obstructions at all times. All exit doors to such stairways shall be clearly marked. Two primary exits on the first floor shall open outward. No stairway referred to as a "winder" will be accepted as satisfactory. In the event that a fire escape is necessary to provide an acceptable second means of egress, it shall be constructed in conformity with the Department of Community Affairs Bureau of Housing Inspection, Report 7, Code 605.8A and BOCA Article 6. All interior stairways, except those to the basement, shall be properly enclosed to prevent upward spread of fire and smoke. Enclosure shall have one-hour fire-resistance rating. Stairs to the basement shall have a self-closing fire-rated door at the first floor level. Doors at the head of basement stairs and on stairway enclosures shall be hollow metal doors or solid wood doors of a flush-type, with metal frame, not less than 1 3/4 inches thick. All doors shall be at least 36 inches wide. Such doors shall have a transparent wire glass window set in metal frame which shall not exceed 100 square inches. All doors shall be self-closing and tight-fitting and shall open in the direction of egress and shall be equipped with positive latches. Panic hardware shall be installed on all primary means of egress. Double doors shall be prohibited. Landings adjacent to all doors in stairway enclosures shall be at least the width of the door. All laundry chutes and dumbwaiters or other vertical openings shall be enclosed in one-hour-fire-rated materials. All doors to the shaft shall be fire-rated.
Basement ceilings shall be protected by metal lath and plaster of five-eighths-inch sheetrock which is Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. (UL) fire-rated.
There shall be no temporary wiring in the structure. All accessories shall carry the UL approval. On request of the City Code Enforcement or Fire Prevention Bureaus, the owner of such boardinghouse shall furnish a written statement by a licensed electrician certifying that the wiring and electrical service has been inspected and found to conform with the National Electric Code and that there is no overloading of branch circuits.
Kitchen interior finish shall be sheetrock or other noncombustible material; use of wood panel or other wood surfaces other than the trim is prohibited. Doors leading from kitchens to other areas shall be fire-rated and shall swing only in one direction and have a positive latch and self-closing device. All cooking equipment shall be equipped with an approved metal hood with filters, ducts and exhaust fan. The cooking equipment hood and duct shall be protected by an automatic fire-extinguisher system with an automatic fuel shutoff.
Fire escapes shall be directly accessible from the interior and so arranged as to make clear and direct path of travel with no travel through any occupied rooms or bathrooms. All exit doors shall be marked with lighted exit signs. All doors shall swing outward. Fire escapes shall have a platform of not less than 48 inches outside each door. No fire escape shall be accepted if it does not meet the present specified regulations.
Smoking shall be prohibited in any room or compartment where flammable liquids, gases or oxygen are located. Such areas shall be posted with suitable NO SMOKING signs. Ash trays of noncombustible design shall be provided in designated smoking areas. Trash cans of metal construction having a self-closing lid shall be provided in smoking areas.
There shall be adequate fire extinguishers in the building; all shall bear the UL approval. Each extinguisher shall be conspicuously hung and inspected yearly by an approved inspection service. Each kitchen area shall have not less than one five-pound dry chemical extinguisher. Each basement area shall have at least one five-pound dry chemical extinguisher. General areas throughout the house shall be fitted with two-and-one-half-gallon pressurized water fire extinguishers. Each house shall develop specific fire rules and regulations which shall be posted in a prominent place in the house. Such rules shall list the phone number of the Police Department, listing the emergencies handled by this number, fire, police and first aid squad. The regulations shall include an evacuation plan and details on what to do in the event of fire.
Good housekeeping shall be practiced throughout the premises at all times. Storage shall not be permitted within 18 feet of any heater located within the building. All combustible liquids, including paints and varnish, shall be stored outside the building.
Establishments currently licensed shall be allowed a period of one year to obtain full compliance with this chapter; failure to do so shall be cause for revocation of their license. If from the date of notice of revocation of licenses the premises is not used or not legally conducted as a boardinghouse for a period of six months, the use as a boardinghouse shall be considered abandoned.
If any person, firm or corporation claims a special hardship by reason of any ruling which has been or may be imposed by enforcement officials, an appeal may be made to the City Council, and its determination shall be final.
The provisions of this chapter set forth minimum requirements for the promotion of health, safety and public welfare, and whenever the requirements of this chapter are at variance with the requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules, regulations or ordinances, the most restrictive or that imposing the higher standards shall govern.
A. 
A violation of this chapter shall be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article I.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B. 
In addition, failure to comply with an order of abatement validly issued by the Code Enforcement Bureau or the Fire Prevention Bureau by the date set for abatement shall constitute a separate offense for each week beyond said date.