[HISTORY: Derived from Ch. 28 of the 1978 Code of the Village of New Paltz. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall provide the basic method for administration and enforcement of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, hereinafter described in this chapter as the "State Fire Prevention Code," in the Village of New Paltz, and shall establish powers, duties, and responsibilities in connection therewith.
This chapter shall be known and cited as the "Fire Code Enforcement Law."
A Fire Code Enforcement Officer is hereby designated as an official of the Village of New Paltz to administer and enforce the State Fire Prevention Code within the Village of New Paltz.
A. 
Adoption by Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees of the Village of New Paltz may adopt rules and regulations for the administration and enforcement of the State Fire Prevention Code. Such rules and regulations shall not conflict with the State Fire Prevention Code, this chapter, nor any other provision of law.
B. 
Notice of adoption. The Board of Trustees shall publish a notice of adoption summarizing all rules and regulations upon adoption of least 10 days prior to the effective date thereof in the official newspaper of the Village of New Paltz.
A. 
Issuance. Upon payment of the fee as prescribed in the schedule of fees adopted by the Board of Trustees; and the performance of a fire safety and property maintenance inspection by Fire Code Enforcement Officer, permits shall be issued by and bear the name and signature of the Fire Code Enforcement Officer, or in his absence, the Village Clerk of the Village of New Paltz, and shall specify:
[Amended 8-25-2010 by L.L. No. 8-2010]
(1) 
The activity or operation for which permit is issued.
(2) 
The address or location where activity or operation is to be conducted.
(3) 
The name and address of permittee.
(4) 
The permit number and date of issuance.
(5) 
The period of permit validity.
B. 
Nontransferable. Permits shall not be transferable and any change in the activity, operation, location, ownership, or use shall require a new permit.
C. 
Indefinite term; limitations. Permits shall continue until revoked, or for a period of time designated at the time of issuance. An extension of the permit time period may be granted provided a satisfactory reason can be shown for failure to start or complete the work or activity authorized within the required time period.
D. 
Activities for which permits are required. Permits shall be obtained for the following:
(1) 
Acetylene generators: To operate an acetylene generator having a calcium carbide capacity exceeding five pounds.
(2) 
Automobile tire-rebuilding plants: To operate an automobile tire-rebuilding plant.
(3) 
Automobile wrecking yards: To operate an automobile wrecking yard.
(4) 
Bowling establishments: For bowling pin refinishing and bowling lane resurfacing operations involving the use and application of flammable or combustible liquids or materials.
(5) 
Cellulose nitrate motion-picture film: To store, keep, or have on hand more than 25 pounds of cellulose nitrate motion-picture film.
(6) 
Cellulose nitrate plastics (pyroxylin):
(a) 
To store, keep, or have on hand more than 25 pounds of cellulose nitrate plastics (pyroxylin).
(b) 
To manufacture articles of cellulose nitrate plastics (pyroxylin) which shall include the use of cellulose nitrate plastics (pyroxylin) in the manufacture or assembling of other articles.
(7) 
Combustible fibers: To store, handle, or use combustible fibers in quantities in excess of 100 cubic feet, except agricultural products on a farm.
(8) 
Combustible materials: To store combustible materials, including but not limited to empty combustible packing cases, boxes, barrels, or similar containers, rubber tires, baled cotton, cotton, rubber, cork, or other similar materials in excess of 2,500 cubic feet gross volume, on any premises.
(9) 
Compressed gases:
(a) 
To store, handle, or use at normal temperatures and pressures more than:
[1] 
Two thousand cubic feet of flammable compressed gas; or
[2] 
Six thousand cubic feet of nonflammable compressed gas.
(b) 
To store, handle, or use any quantity of liquefied natural or hydrogen gas.
(10) 
Cryogenics: To store, handle, or use cryogenic fluids, except cryogenics used as motor fuel and stored in motor vehicle tanks, as follows:
(a) 
Production, sale, or storage of cryogenic fluids.
(b) 
Storage or use of flammable cryogenic fluids, cryogenic oxidizers, or liquefied oxygen in excess of 10 gallons.
(11) 
Dry-cleaning plants: To use in excess of four gallons of solvents or cleaning agents classified as flammable or combustible.
(12) 
Dust-producing plants: To operate any grain elevator, flour, starch, or feed mill, woodworking plant, or plant pulverizing aluminum, coal, cocoa, plastics, magnesium, spices, sugar, sulfur, or other materials producing explosive-potential dust.
(13) 
Explosives, ammunition, and blasting agents:
(a) 
To manufacture, possess, store, sell, or otherwise dispose of explosives and blasting agents.
(b) 
To use explosives or blasting agents.
(c) 
To operate a terminal for handling explosives or blasting agents.
(14) 
Flammable and combustible liquids:
(a) 
To store, handle, or use flammable liquids in excess of 6 1/2 gallons inside dwellings; or in excess of 10 gallons inside any other building or other occupancy; or in excess of 60 gallons outside of any building. This provision shall not apply to:
[1] 
Liquids in the fuel tank of a motor vehicle, aircraft, portable or stationary engine, boat, or portable heating plant; or
[2] 
Paints, oils, varnishes, or similar flammable mixtures, when such liquids are stored for maintenance, painting, or similar purposes.
(b) 
To store, handle, or use combustible liquids in excess of 25 gallons inside a building; or in excess of 60 gallons outside of a building. This provision shall not apply to fuel oil used in connection with oil-burning equipment.
(c) 
A permit shall be obtained for the initial installation of an oil burner and a fuel oil tank used in connection therewith. A permit shall be required for the replacement of a fuel oil tank connected to an oil burner.
(d) 
For processing, blending, or refining of flammable or combustible liquids.
(15) 
Flammable finishing: For spraying, coating, or dipping operations utilizing flammable or combustible liquids.
(16) 
Fruit-ripening process: To conduct a fruit-ripening process using ethylene gas.
(17) 
Fumigation and thermal insecticidal fogging: To conduct fumigation or thermal insecticidal-fogging operations.
(18) 
Hazardous chemicals:
(a) 
To store, handle, or use more than 55 gallons of corrosive liquids; or more than 50 pounds of oxidizing materials; or more than 10 pounds of organic peroxides; or more than 50 pounds of nitromethane; or 1,000 pounds or more of animonium nitrate, ammonium nitrate fertilizers, and fertilizer mixtures containing 60% or more ammonium or any amount of toxic material or poisonous gas.
(b) 
To store, handle, or use any quantity of air-reactive, water-reactive, or unstable materials.
(19) 
Junkyards: To operate a junkyard.
(20) 
Liquefied petroleum gas: For each installation of liquefied petroleum gas employing a container or an aggregate of interconnected containers of over 2,000 gallons of water capacity, and for each permanent installation, irrespective of size of containers, made at buildings in which 20 or more persons congregate for civic, political, educational, religious, social, or recreational purposes. Installers shall maintain a record of all installations and replacement of portable cylinders and have it available for inspection.
(21) 
Lumberyards: To operate a lumberyard.
(22) 
Magnesium: For melting, casting, heat treating, machining, or grinding of more then 10 pounds of magnesium per working day.
(23) 
Matches:
(a) 
To manufacture matches.
(b) 
To store matches in excess of 25 cases of matches. (Note: One case equals one matchman's gross of 14,400 matches.)
(24) 
Organic coatings: To perform organic coating operations utilizing more than one gallon of organic coating on any working day.
(25) 
Ovens and furnaces: To operate industrial processing ovens and furnaces operating at approximately atmospheric pressures and temperatures not exceeding 1,400° Fahrenheit which are heated with oil or gas fuel or which during operation contain flammable vapors from the material in the oven or the catalytic combustion system.
(26) 
Places of assembly: To maintain, operate, or use a place of assembly with an occupant load of 100 persons or more.
[Amended 8-25-2010 by L.L. No. 8-2010]
(27) 
Service stations and repair garages: To operate a service station or repair garage.
(28) 
Welding and cutting: To operate a welding and cutting business. A record of all locations where welding or cutting operations are performed shall be maintained and kept available for inspection by the permit holder.
(29) 
Use of pyrotechnic devices in assembly occupancies
[Added 8-25-2010 by L.L. No. 8-2010]
(30) 
Buildings whose use or occupancy classification may pose a substantial potential hazard to public safety, as determined by the Building Inspector.
[Added 8-25-2010 by L.L. No. 8-2010]
E. 
Consolidated permits. When more than one permit is required for the same property or premises, a single permit may be issued listing all materials or operations covered. Revocation of a portion or portions of such consolidated permit, for specific hazardous material or operations, shall not invalidate the remainder.
F. 
Location of permits. Permits shall be kept on property or premises covered by the permit or carried by the permit holder.
G. 
Revocation of permits. Permits may be suspended or revoked when it is determined there is a violation of a condition under which the permit was issued or there has been misrepresentation or falsification of material facts in connection with the permit application or a condition of the permit.
A. 
Periodic. The Fire Code Enforcement Officer shall conduct periodic inspections for compliance with the provisions of the State Fire Prevention Code. Such inspections may be made at any reasonable time.
B. 
Refusal to admit; procedure. If entrance to make an inspection is refused or cannot be obtained, the Fire Code Enforcement Officer may apply for a warrant to make an inspection to any court of competent jurisdiction.
A. 
Compliance with applicable laws. A person owning, operating, occupying, or maintaining property or premises within the scope of the State Fire Prevention Code or this chapter shall comply with all the provisions of the State Fire Prevention Code, this chapter, and all orders, rules, notices, regulations, or determinations issued in connection therewith.
B. 
Issuance of violation order. Whenever the Fire Code Enforcement Officer finds that there has been a violation of the State Fire Prevention Code, this chapter, or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter, a violation order shall be issued to the person or persons responsible.
C. 
Violation orders; contents. Violation orders shall be in writing; shall identify the property or premises; shall specify the violation and remedial action to be taken; shall provide a reasonable time limit for compliance; and shall state the time within which an appeal may be taken.
D. 
Service of violation orders. Violation orders may be served: by personal service, by mailing by registered or certified mail, or by posting a copy thereof in a conspicuous place on the premises and by mailing a copy thereof to the premises on the same day as posted, enclosed in a postpaid wrapper addressed to the person responsible.
E. 
Application to court. In case the owner, lessor, occupant, or the agent of any of them shall fail, neglect, or refuse to remove, eliminate, or abate the violation within the time specified in the violation order, the Fire Code Enforcement Officer shall issue an appearance ticket with respect to the violation.
A. 
Failure to comply. Failure to comply with any of the State Fire Prevention Code, this chapter, rules or regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter, or a violation order shall be deemed a violation and the violator shall be liable for a fine set annually by resolution of the Board of Trustees, or imprisonment not to exceed 15 days, or both.
[Amended 10-22-2014 by L.L. No. 13-2014]
B. 
Injunctive relief. An action or proceeding in the name of the Village of New Paltz may be commenced in any court of competent jurisdiction to compel compliance with or restrain by injunction the violation of any provision adopted pursuant to this chapter, or a violation order, or to vacate the occupancy or building in the case of imminent danger to life or property. Such remedy shall be in addition to penalties otherwise prescribed by law.
The Fire Code Enforcement Officer shall keep official records of all permits, inspection reports, recommendations, complaints, and violation orders.
A. 
Public nuisance. A building or structure or part thereof which is an imminent danger to life and safety of the public as a result of a fire or explosion is hereby declared to be a public nuisance.
B. 
Emergencies.
[Amended 11-14-2001 by L.L. No. 13-2001]
(1) 
Whenever the Fire Code Enforcement Officer finds a building or structure, or part thereof, to be an imminent danger to life and safety of the public as a result of a fire or explosion, the Fire Code Enforcement Officer may cause it to be demolished and removed or may cause work to be done in and about the building or structure as may be necessary to remove the danger.
(2) 
If the building or structure has heretofore been designated as a landmark pursuant to the provisions of § 9-20 of the Municipal Code or is located within an historic district, the Fire Code Enforcement Officer shall consult with the Historic Preservation Commission before ordering the demolition or renovation of the building or structure.
C. 
Vacating premises.
(1) 
The Fire Code Enforcement Officer may require the occupants of any such building or structure, or part thereof, to vacate the premises forthwith. No person shall use or occupy such building or structure, or part thereof, until it is made safe.
(2) 
Except for the owner, no person shall enter the premises which have been ordered vacated unless authorized to perform inspections or to repair or demolish and remove such building or structure or part thereof.
D. 
Assessment of costs and expenses. All costs and expenses incurred by the Village of New Paltz in connection with any work done to remove the danger, or in connection with the demolition and removal of any such building or structure, shall be assessed against the land on which such building or structure is located and a bill for such shall be presented to the owner of the property, or if the owner cannot be ascertained, then such bill shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises. Such assessment shall be and constitute a lien upon such land. If the owner shall fail to pay for such expenses within 10 days after the bill is presented or posted, a legal action may be brought to collect such assessment or to foreclose such lien. As an alternative to the maintenance of such action, the Fire Code Enforcement Officer may file with the assessor a certificate of the actual expenses incurred as aforesaid, together with a statement identifying the property in connection with which the expenses were incurred and the owner thereof. The assessor shall, in the preparation of the next assessment roll, assess such amount upon such property. Such amount shall be included in the levy against such property, shall constitute a lien upon such property, and shall be collected and enforced in the same manner, by the same proceedings, at the same time, and under the same penalties as is provided by law for the collection and enforcement of real property taxes in the Village of New Paltz.
Where practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships may result from an enforcement of any provision or requirement of the State Fire Prevention Code, a petition for an appeal or a variance may be presented to the Board of Review for the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code established in the Department of State of the State of New York pursuant to Title 19 of the New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations.