[Added 11-18-1996 by Ord. No. 12-1996; amended 5-19-1997 by Ord. No. 5-1997]
The purpose of this article is to establish
emergency access routes other than the dedicated street or streets
in certain major subdivisions, to provide for health, safety and welfare
in the event of an emergency where streets or other dedicated access
routes may be blocked by accident, construction or other emergency.
The emergency access provided for herein shall not be used as an alternate
to providing two entrances.
A.
Ten units or fewer: All units shall have access by
dedicated street to an improved existing public street.
B.
More than 10 residential units: An emergency access
shall be provided where there are more than 10 residential units which
are intended to be developed in a major subdivision, which emergency
access shall provide an alternate route to an improved public street.
The design criteria for the emergency access
route shall be as follows:
A.
The width shall be not less than 15 feet.
B.
Access to an emergency route shall be clearly defined,
and readily accessible from a dedicated improved roadway in the Township
of Harrison.
C.
The entranceway onto an emergency route shall have
a depressed curb to permit emergency vehicles to enter upon the lands
of the emergency route.
D.
The lands sought to be used for emergency access shall
be capable of supporting a maximum weight of 80,000 pounds (40 tons),
through the access route. In order to insure that the access route
shall be able to sustain such weights, the following information shall
be provided by the developer of lands:
E.
Any exit within the subdivision from the emergency
access route shall have a depressed curb.
F.
Specific easements prohibiting construction of any
kind, trees, shrubs, or other improvements shall be provided. Nothing
shall be permitted on the access or easement area for the emergency
route, which would in any way would prevent or impede access for an
emergency vehicle.
G.
The easement area, known as the emergency access route,
shall be recorded in the County Clerk's office in the County of Gloucester,
and said easement shall provide the means by which the area shall
be maintained, mowed, cleaned, and kept free of debris and growth,
so that the area shall be at all times available for an emergency
vehicle.
H.
The emergency route shall be designed with the intent
to handle a fire truck, fire tanker truck or other emergency equipment.
Curves may be required due to topical conditions, or other requirements
which cannot be avoided; the width may be enlarged so as to accommodate
a fire tanker truck.
I.
Any exit from the emergency access easement shall
be in a safe area sufficient to receive the emergency vehicles intended
to pass over said emergency access.
J.
Parking shall be prohibited within 20 feet of the
entry or exit of an emergency access route, and shall be marked.
K.
The emergency access route shall not be permitted
to be used by nonauthorized vehicles. Passage by any nonauthorized
vehicle shall be treated as a trespass upon lands under N.J.S.A. 39:4-94.2.
L.
Any applicant seeking to develop more than 10 residential
units in a major subdivision, which may require an emergency access,
shall provide for the standards of maintenance in the application,
and in the easements which shall be submitted to the Harrison Township
Planning Board for review.
M.
Any applicant seeking to develop more than 10 residential
units in a major subdivision shall provide the standards for the surface
area in accordance with the test bores, and all relevant data necessary
to prepare a grass-topped surface capable of supporting 80,000 pounds.
N.
Where any emergency access shall pass over sidewalks
or depressed curbs, such sidewalks and curbs shall be reinforced to
support the weight of the vehicles, and of sufficient thickness to
support said weight, and shall be part of the standards required to
be submitted by the applicant.
O.
No septic systems, or other subsurface drainage or
uses shall be permitted in the easement area, or placed in such a
way as to interfere with the emergency easement area.
P.
No water runoffs or drainage on the surface shall
be permitted in any way that would interfere with emergency access
right-of-way.
Q.
The emergency access easement area shall be dedicated
for the limited public use as provided herein for emergency vehicles
only. Jurisdiction is hereby granted to the Township of Harrison to
enforce all the requirements under the police powers granted to the
municipality, and any unauthorized use under the statute referred
to herein.
R.
The emergency access route provided for herein shall
not be treated or used as an alternate ingress or exit, but shall
be used only for emergency vehicles.
A.
The emergency access route shall be identified by
a chain device or a knock-down fence, or other device.
B.
The radius of curvature and the entry radii into the
easement area must be greater than the turning radius of any emergency
vehicle which may be required to utilize the route.
C.
The emergency access easement shall be deed restricted
to prevent the construction of fences, buildings and trees which would
otherwise impede access through the emergency access easement area.
D.
Any major subdivision application for more than 10
units shall clearly indicate the location of any emergency access
easement, with all engineering data on the application, and prior
to final approval, shall submit all easement and/or deed restrictions
for such emergency access easement.
E.
The emergency access route shall be installed prior
to the issuance of the first certificate of occupancy in a major subdivision
of more than 10 units.
Deed restrictions shall be prepared and filed
with the Harrison Township Planning Board for approval by its Solicitor
to provide clear notice to purchasers and users of property which
may be effected by the emergency access route. The deed restriction
shall be recorded in the Clerk's office of Gloucester County, and
copies of such approved documents shall be submitted to the Harrison
Township Planning Board prior to the issuance of the first certificate
of occupancy. The deed restriction shall include, but not be necessarily
limited to the following:
A.
Notice to any owner of the existence of an emergency
access route.
B.
Prohibition as to the construction of any obstruction
within the access route.
C.
The prohibition as to any growth which would inhibit
or prohibit passage of emergency vehicles through said route.
D.
A specific requirement that the emergency route will
at all times be kept open and available for emergency use. "Emergency
use" shall be defined as police, ambulance, fire, emergency management
equipment and such other emergency vehicles that may be required.
It shall be the responsibility of the developer
to provide copies of the emergency access plan properly identified
pursuant to this article to the following:
