[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Alexandria 9-13-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-06-19. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
The provisions of the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code, N.J.A.C.
5:70-1 et seq., shall be locally enforced within the Township of Alexandria.
The local enforcing agency shall be the Bureau of Fire Prevention,
which is hereby created and established by this chapter. The terms
"local enforcing agency" and "Bureau of Fire Prevention" may be used
interchangeably in this chapter.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall enforce the Uniform Fire
Safety Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-192 et seq., the Uniform Fire Code, N.J.A.C.
5:70-1 et seq., and all codes and regulations adopted thereunder in
all buildings, structures and premises within the established boundaries
of the Township of Alexandria other than owner-occupied one- and two-family
dwellings used exclusively for residential purposes and shall faithfully
comply with the requirements of the Uniform Fire Safety Act and the
Uniform Fire Code. The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall be responsible
for periodic inspection of life-hazard uses as required by the Uniform
Fire Code and periodic inspection of non-life-hazard uses as required
by this chapter. The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall annually prepare
a report and transmit the same to the Township Committee summarizing
the activities of all proceedings under the Uniform Fire Code, which
report shall contain, without limitation, statistics concerning the
number and location of inspections and violations, relevant municipal
court action and recommendations for means of fire prevention.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall be under the supervision
and control of a Fire Official, who shall report to the Alexandria
Township Committee. The Fire Official shall coordinate all daily activities
and workload with the Construction Official of the Township of Alexandria.
The Fire Official shall act as a liaison between the Alexandria Township
Committee and all fire companies and rescue squads operating within
the Township of Alexandria. Inspectors and other employees as may
be necessary for the Bureau of Fire Prevention shall be appointed
by the Alexandria Township Committee upon the recommendation of the
Fire Official.
The Fire Official shall be appointed by the Alexandria Township
Committee and shall serve for a one-year term. Any vacancies shall
be filled for the unexpired term. The Fire Official shall be subject
to removal by the Township for good cause shown. The Fire Official
to be so removed shall be afforded notice and an opportunity to be
heard by a designated hearing officer or the appointing authority.
Pursuant to Sections 15 and 16 of the Uniform Fire Safety Act
(see N.J.S.A. 52:27D-206 and 52:27D-207), any person aggrieved by
an order of the Bureau of Fire Prevention shall have the right to
appeal to the Hunterdon County Construction Board of Appeals. Except
for imminent hazard cases, the appeal shall be taken no later than
the 15th day after service of the order.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall carry out the periodic inspection
of life-hazard uses required by the Uniform Fire Code and as defined
at N.J.S.A. 52:27D-196 and as regulated pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:70-1
et seq. The permit fees, annual registration fees for life-hazard
uses, and application fees collected by the Bureau of Fire Prevention
shall be as set forth in the Uniform Fire Code, N.J.A.C. 5:70-1 et
seq., as may be amended from time to time.
A.
Business/commercial/public uses requiring registration under the
Uniform Fire Code as a life-hazard use shall not be subject to this
section.
B.
All other business/commercial/public uses within the Township shall
be classified as a non-life-hazard use subject to the provisions of
the Uniform Fire Code, shall be inspected on an annual basis, and
shall be charged an annual inspection fee. The non-life-hazard use
fee schedule is as follows:
(1)
Class B-1, business/commercial/public use, one- and two-story, less
than 1,500 square feet: $60.
(2)
Class B-2, business/commercial/public use, one- and two-story, 1,500
to 3,000 square feet: $105.
(3)
Class B-3, business/commercial/public use, any three-story or one-
and two-story greater than 3,000 square feet: $175.
(4)
Class B-4, home occupation (Land Use Board approved): $30.
[Amended 6-14-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-01]
(5)
At the discretion of the Fire Official, vacant buildings shall be
inspected and charged according to the previous use of the building.
(6)
Volunteer fire department or rescue squad stations and any buildings
used exclusively for religious purposes shall be exempt from any fees
under this section but shall remain subject to Uniform Fire Code inspections,
including any fines associated with noncompliance.
A.
The application fees for permits listed in N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.7(a) shall
be in the amount set forth in N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.9(c).
B.
Smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm compliance inspection fees
shall be in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.9(d).
C.
The cost for the issuance of a certificate of fire code status shall
be $35.
The imposition of penalties, dedicated penalties and compensatory
penalties for violations of this chapter and the Uniform Fire Code
shall be respectively governed by N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.12, 5:70-2.12A and
5:70-2.13, as may be amended for time to time, or any successor regulation,
and in accordance therewith, dedicated trust accounts shall be established
for maintenance of any monies collected.
