[Amended 12-12-1990 by Ord. No. 1613]
A.
The Fire Official of the Township is authorized to
establish fire lanes on property devoted to public use, including
but not limited to schools, shopping centers, churches, restaurants,
apartments and apartment complexes, hotels, motels, and similar uses
involving the parking of a sufficient number of motor vehicles to
warrant regulation of said vehicles for the protection of persons
and property in case of fire or other emergency.
B.
Fire lanes shall be approved by the Chief of Police
and adopted by formal resolution of the Franklin Township Board of
Fire Prevention. Said resolutions shall not be declared null and void
unless specifically rescinded by the Board of Fire Prevention.
C.
Fire lanes shall be established to ensure that fire
and other emergency vehicles will have unobstructed access to such
properties and the structures, persons, vehicles, fire hydrants and
other fire equipment thereon in case of fire or other emergency.
D.
The location, length, and width of said lanes shall
be determined by the Fire Official and shall be based on the use of
the property, the size, type and location of structures thereon, number
of vehicles operated and parked, number of persons using and occupying
the premises, existing means of ingress and egress, area of property,
parking lots, and all other relevant factors.
A.
Fire lanes shall be identified by a four-inch wide
yellow line painted on the pavement within said lanes, parallel to
curbs or the pavement edges, and between three and four feet from
the curbs or pavement edges.
B.
Where the Fire Official determines that additional
pavement marking is needed to clearly identify any fire lane, he may
require the words "FIRE LANE" to be painted on the pavement between
the painted yellow line and the curb or pavement edge. These words
shall be yellow block letters not less than 12 inches high with four-inch
wide strokes.
C.
Fire lane pavement markings shall be painted as frequently
as needed to maintain clear identification.
Traffic signs for fire lanes shall be installed
in accordance with the following standards of this chapter:
A.
Signs shall be a rectangular shape with red letters
and border on a white background, and shall be a minimum of 12 inches
by 18 inches with the longer dimension vertical.
B.
Signs shall be made of metal or comparable durable
material, and all corners shall be rounded.
C.
Signs shall be illuminated or reflectorized so as
to be clearly visible during hours of darkness.
D.
The message on signs shall read: "NO PARKING FIRE
LANE."
E.
There shall be a sufficient number of signs for each
fire lane to face all directions of traffic flow into and within said
areas, and so as not to exceed a maximum distance of 100 feet between
signs facing the same direction of traffic flow.
F.
Signs shall be mounted at right angles to the direction
of and facing the traffic they are intended to serve, and shall be
installed so that the bottom of each sign is five feet above the pavement.
The bottom of the sign may be seven feet above the pavement where
subject to pedestrian traffic at that location.
G.
Signs shall be kept in good condition and clearly
legible at all times. Damaged, destroyed or missing signs shall be
promptly replaced.
A.
All new fire lanes not previously adopted by the Township
of Franklin shall comply fully with the provisions of this article.
The Fire Official is further authorized, with
approval of the Board of Fire Prevention, to regulate, restrict, and
prohibit the parking, stopping, or standing of motor vehicles in said
fire lanes, and to impose other regulations deemed necessary to ensure
that said areas are free from obstruction.
It shall be unlawful to park any motor vehicle
in, or to obstruct in any manner, fire lanes as herein so defined,
or to obstruct with any motor vehicle any public or private fire hydrant,
building Fire Prevention Department connection, or similar fire protection
device or equipment.
A.
The Township police, duly elected Township Fire Company
Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs, and official Township Fire Prevention
Department inspectors shall have concurrent jurisdiction together
with the Fire Official of Franklin Township, to enforce the provisions
of this section by the issuance of Township Municipal Court summons
to vehicles found parked in violation of this article.
B.
The Municipal Court shall assess a penalty of not
less than $50 for a first violation and for any subsequent violations
not more than $200 and/or 10 days' community service.
[Amended 9-14-1999 by Ord. No. 3070]
C.
Any vehicle found parked in any fire lane in violation
of this article by the Fire Official or any police officer may be
deemed a hazard to the citizens of Franklin Township and may be towed
to garage facilities approved by the Police Department, at the vehicle
owner's expense.
