City of Clifton, NJ Chapter 197 Construction Codes, Uniform

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Municipal Council of the City of Clifton 1-4-1977 as part of Ord. No. 4376-77 (Sections 9-74 through 9-76 of Article 8 of Chapter 9 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Clifton, New Jersey, 1960). Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Contractors — See Ch. 199.

Fallout shelters — See Ch. 219.

Fire prevention — See Ch. 233.

Housing standards — See Ch. 273.

§ 197-1 Enforcing agency established; subcode officials designated.

A. There is hereby established in the City of Clifton a State Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency to be known as the "Clifton Enforcing Agency," consisting of a construction official, building subcode official, plumbing subcode official, electrical subcode official, fire protection subcode official, and such other subcode officials for such additional subcodes as the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, State of New Jersey, shall hereafter adopt as part of the State Uniform Construction Code. The Construction Official shall be the chief administrator of the enforcing agency.

B. Each official position created in Subsection A hereof shall be filled by a person qualified for such position pursuant to P.L. 1975, c. 217, as amended, and N.J.A.C. 5:23, provided that, in lieu of any particular subcode official, an on-site inspection agency may be retained by contract pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:23. More than one such official position may be held by the same person, provided that such person is qualified pursuant to P.L. 1975, c. 217, and N.J.A.C. 5:23 to hold each such position.

C. The public shall have the right to do business with the enforcing agency at one office location, except for emergencies and unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances.

§ 197-2 Appeals.

[Amended 10-16-1984 by Ord. No. 4927-84; 8-2-1988 by Ord. No. 5284-88; 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 5551-91; 1-21-1997 by Ord. No. 5860-97; 12-3-2002 by Ord. No. 6319-02]

Appeals from decisions by the enforcing agency can be made to the Passaic County Construction Board of Appeals.

§ 197-3 Fees.

[Last amended 4-3-2012 by Ord. No. 7008-12]

A. Construction permit. The fees for a construction permit shall be the sum of all subcode fees as set forth in Subsection A(1) through (4) below and shall also include the required certificate fee set forth in Subsection C and the New Jersey training surcharge fee as set forth in Subsection F. A minimum construction permit fee for any one subcode shall be $60.

[Amended 6-4-2012 by Ord. No. 7024-12]

(1) The building subcode fees shall be as follows:

(a) For new construction and additions:

[1] For Use Groups B, H, I-1, I-3, M, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4 and U: $0.035 per cubic foot.

[2] For Use Groups A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, A-5, E, F-1, F-2, S-1 and S-2: $0.030 per cubic foot.

[3] For farm use buildings exclusively used for food and sheltering of livestock (maximum fee for structures not to exceed $500): $0.017 per cubic foot.

[4] For a shed, Residential R-3: $40.

[5] For incinerators and crematoriums: $200 each.

(b) For alteration work:

[1] For alteration work which includes roofing, siding and retaining walls over 18 inches high:

[a] Up to $100,000: $25 per $1,000.

[b] One hundred thousand one dollars to $200,000: $22 per $1,000.

[c] Two hundred thousand one dollars to $25,000,000: $20 per $1,000.

[d] Over $25,000,000: $10 per $1,000.

[e] CO fee: 10% of subcode total.

[f] Minimum fee/maximum fee: $60/$9,999,999.

[2] For kitchen replacement, R-3 Use Group: $60.

(c) The removal permit fee for moving a structure from one lot to another shall be $25 per $1,000 for all costs incurred in moving the structure from the old location to the new location, plus the permit fee for the new foundation. (The new foundation is new work, volumetric computation.)

(d) For a demolition permit:

[1] All one- or two-family residential structures less than 5,000 square feet and less than 30 feet high: $250.

[2] All accessory structures to Use Group R: $75.

[3] Structural towers of Use Group U: $200.

[4] All other structures of Use Group U: $50.

[5] All structures of other than Use Group R-3 or U: $500.

[6] Underground tank removal or abandonment: $15 per $1,000 of estimated cost, with a minimum of $100 per tank.

(e) For an elevator installation permit:

[1] Contact the Elevator Safety Unit at State of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Division of Codes and Standards, Bureau of Code Services.

[Amended 10-21-2014 by Ord. No. 7187-14]

(f) Use Group U. For all structures where volume cannot be computed, such as swimming pools, open structural towers, storage silos and all similar structures, the fee shall be a flat rate for each of the following units:

	Structure		Fee
	Storm enclosure		$60
	Open patio awning cover		$60
	Swimming pool (certificate of occupancy required)
		Above-ground	$75
		In-ground	$125
	Open structural tower		$300
	Storage silo
		Low (less than 25 feet in height)	$150
		High (over 25 feet in height)	$300

(g) For a fence permit:

[1] Fences for all one- or two-family homes on individual lots, Use Group R-3 only: $30.

[2] Fences for all other use groups: $75.

(h) For a sign permit:

[1] Per square foot of the surface area of the sign) (computed on one side only): $3, plus the cost of the superstructure, if indicated.

[2] Sign relocation to another approved location: as per above.

[3] Minimum fee: $60.

(i) For a permit or the storage of a boat and/or trailer: $25.

(2) The plumbing subcode fees shall be as follows:

(a) Total number of fixtures, each: $20 (includes but is not limited to all water closets, bidets, urinals, bathtubs, lavatories, sinks, laundry trays, washing machines, dishwashers, drinking fountains, garbage disposals, showers, floor drains and hose bibs).

(b) Total number of special devices, each: $50 (includes but is not limited to commercial dishwashers, indirect connections, sewer ejectors, grease traps, interceptors, backflow devices, reduced-pressure backflow devices, vent stacks and water-cooled air-conditioning units.

(c) Utility connections, each: $55 (includes but is not limited to water connection and sewer connection).

(d) Annual testing of backflow preventers:

[Added 10-2-2012 by Ord. No. 7054-12]

[1] For initial device: $100.

[2] For each additional device: $75.

(3) The fire subcode fees shall be as follows: (NOTE: These fees shall only be applied in the course of a building alteration, system replacement or parts thereof.)

(a) Sprinklers:

[1] Up to 49 sprinkler heads: $100.

[2] Fifty to 99 sprinkler heads: $150.

[3] One hundred to 149 sprinkler heads: $180.

[4] One hundred fifty to 199 sprinkler heads: $200.

[5] Two hundred to 500 sprinkler heads: $450.

[6] Over 500 sprinkler heads: $700.

(b) Standpipes, each: $200.

(c) Alarms (all types):

[1] All use groups:

[a] One alarm to 20 alarms: $60.

[b] Each additional one to 20 alarms: $175.

(d) Installation of storage tanks:

[1] Up to 1,000 gallons: $75.

[2] One thousand gallons to 5,000 gallons: $200.

[3] Five thousand gallons to 10,000 gallons: $350.

[4] Ten thousand gallons to 25,000 gallons: $450.

[5] Over 25,000 gallons: $650.

(e) Special suppression systems (dry chemical, Halon CO₂, foam or other special system), each: $300.

(f) Gas- or oil-heating units:

[1] For the installation or replacement of all one- or two-family residential structures (Use Group R-3), each: $60.

[2] For the installation or replacement of all such groups other than R-3, each: $75.

NOTE: This includes all gas burning equipment, such as furnaces, industrial dryers, ovens, unit space heaters and similar equipment.

(g) Supplemental heating appliances. For the installation of any supplemental heating appliance which utilizes solid fuel, such as wood or coal, the fee shall be $60. (NOTE: Any such appliance shall be vented into its own single-flue chimney.)

(h) Underground tank removal or abandonment: $25 per $1,000 of estimated cost, with a minimum fee of $60.

(4) The electrical subcode fees shall be paid in advance of the inspection and shall be determined as follows:

(a) Schedule of fees:

[1] For from one to 50 receptacles or fixtures, the fee shall be in the amount of $60; for each 25 receptacles or fixtures in addition to this, the fee shall be in the amount of $20. For the purpose of computing this fee, receptacles or fixtures shall include lighting outlets, wall switches, fluorescent fixtures, convenience receptacles or similar fixtures and motors or devices of one horsepower or one kilowatt or less.

[2] For each motor or electrical device greater than one horsepower and less than or equal to 10 horsepower and for transformers and generators greater than one kilowatt and less than or equal to 10 kilowatts, the fee shall be $20.

[3] For each motor or electrical device greater than 10 horsepower and less than or equal to 50 horsepower, for each service panel, service entrance or subpanel less than or equal to 200 amperes and for all transformers and generators greater than 10 kilowatts and less than or equal to 45 kilowatts, the fee shall be $60.

[4] For each motor or electrical device greater than 50 horsepower and less than or equal to 100 horsepower, for each service panel, service entrance or subpanel greater than 200 amperes and less than or equal to 1,000 amperes and for each transformer or generator greater than 45 kilowatts and less than or equal to 112.5 kilowatts, the fee shall be $120.

[5] For each motor or electrical device greater than 100 horsepower, for each service panel, service entrance or subpanel greater than 1,000 amperes and for each transformer or generator greater than 112.5 kilowatts, the fee shall be $600.

[6] There shall be a minimum fee of $60.

(b) When a private on-site agency performs electrical subcode services, the fees charged by the City of Clifton shall be those based on electrical fixtures and devices which are set forth in the New Jersey Administrative Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.20(c)2.iii.

B. The certificate fee schedule shall be as follows:

(1) For a certificate of occupancy (CO) indicating that construction authorized by a construction permit is completed in accordance with the approved plans and the Uniform Construction Code regulations: 10% of the total of all four subcodes. (Minimum fee: $25). Prepayment at the time of issuing the construction permit is required.

(a) Residential temporary certificate of occupancy (thirty-day maximum): $100.

(b) All other temporary certificates of occupancy (thirty-day maximum): $200.

(2) For a certificate of business compliance pursuant to a change of use: $175. The fee is not refundable.

(3) For a certificate of business compliance: $150. The fee is not refundable.

C. Reinstatement of a lapsed construction permit shall be as follows:

(1) Recalculation of the construction permit shall be required utilizing the most current Building Department fee schedule applied to all work which is to be performed.

(2) The reinstatement fee shall be 25% of the recalculated value of all work which is to be performed.

(3) There shall be a minimum reinstatement fee of $30.

D. Annual construction permit.

(1) There shall be a fee charged for an annual construction permit, which shall be a flat fee based upon the number of maintenance workers who are employed at the facility and who are primarily engaged in work that is governed by a subcode. Annual permits may be issued for building, fire protection, electrical and plumbing.

(2) Fees for an annual permit shall be as follows:

(a) One to 25 workers: $618 per worker. Each worker over 25: $215 per worker.

(b) A training registration fee of $130 per subcode shall be submitted by the applicant to the Department of Community Affairs.

E. The Construction Official shall, with the advice of subcode officials, prepare and submit to the Municipal Council, annually, a report recommending a fee schedule based on the operating expenses of the agency and any other expenses of the municipality fairly attributable to the enforcement of the State Uniform Construction Code Act.

F. In order to provide for the training support programs required by the Uniform Construction Code Act and the regulations, the enforcing agency shall collect, in addition to the fees specified above, a surcharge fee of $0.00371 per cubic foot of volume of new construction and additions and $1.90 per $1,000 of value of construction for all other construction.

[Amended 10-21-2014 by Ord. No. 7187-14]

G. An application for a variation shall be $75.

H. The fee for a permit for the storage of a boat and/or trailer shall be $25.

I. Exemptions from fees. The following shall be exempt from the payment of fees under this chapter:

(1) Any religious, charitable, benevolent, fraternal or nonprofit organizations shall be exempt from construction permit fees; however, said organizations shall not be exempt from the State of New Jersey training fee.

(2) An application for the construction or installation of a flagpole.

(3) An application for construction, reconstruction, alteration or improvement designed and undertaken solely to promote accessibility by disabled persons to any existing public or private structure or any of the facilities contained therein.

J. Any change of contractor for any and all subcodes shall be charged a fee of $50 per contractor.

[Added 4-16-2013 by Ord. No. 7086-13]