[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Town of West New York as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Uniform construction codes — See Ch. 161.
Registration of contractors — See Ch. 164.
Flammable liquids — See Ch. 198, Art. IV.
Heating — See Ch. 218.
[Adopted 1-7-1981 by Ord. No. 1439]
WHEREAS, it is in the public interest to encourage the conversion of existing fuel generating devices and furnaces which heat existing properties within the Town of West New York; and
WHEREAS, there is a necessity to regulate these conversions, which are principally from fuel oil consumption to gas or other means of generating or providing heat to multifamily residential and other types of structures within the Town of West New York; and
WHEREAS, the Town of West New York should regulate these conversions for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare of the community of the Town of West New York;
Now therefore, be it ordained by the Board of Commissioners of the Town of West New York, County of Hudson, State of New Jersey, as follows:
[Amended 2-3-1982 by Ord. No. 1527]
All types of energy conversions of fuel generating devices and furnaces, whether they are from fuel oil to gas or other means of providing heat or any other type of conversion from existing fuel generating devices or furnaces to another method of generating or providing fuel to a residential dwelling unit of any type, shall be subject to the requirement that no such conversion shall occur unless the owner of the building or the person, firm or entity making the conversion shall obtain a special permit from the Town of West New York Code Enforcement Bureau approving a conversion. This article shall apply to any public utility or public or private person, firm or entity which shall in any manner, directly or indirectly, furnish materials or services or otherwise participate in the conversion process, including but not limited to installation of fuel meters or regulators attached or connected to any fuel generating device or furnace.
This article shall not apply to owner-occupied one-, two- and three-family dwelling units. The term "owner-occupied" shall mean a one-, two- or three-family dwelling in which the owner of record named in the deed shall be a permanent occupant and resident of one dwelling unit within the structure.
Any such applicant shall first, and as a prerequisite to making such a conversion, submit an application to the Code Enforcement Bureau of the Town of West New York. Said application shall provide full details concerning the method of the conversion and, where applicable, mechanical, electrical and plumbing drawings outlining the nature and extent of the conversion. The Construction Code Official shall evaluate the application but shall withhold the issuance of a permit for the commencement of the conversion until such time as the applicant submits full and complete details satisfying each of the following criteria:
A. 
The applicant must submit receipted invoices indicating that all parts, devices and mechanical elements necessary to achieve the conversion have been purchased and paid for by the applicant. Submission of receipted invoices shall be made wherever possible.
B. 
The applicant must satisfy the Construction Code Official by submitting proper proofs certifying that all work necessary to achieve the conversion can be completed within 72 consecutive hours of the commencement of the conversion. In this instance, "commencement" is defined as the time at which actual physical on-site construction is commenced, and "completion" is defined as the time that the unit is completely converted and operational to provide heat to the dwelling unit.
C. 
The applicant and, where applicable, the public utility, public or private person, firm or entity performing the conversion shall provide full and complete details to the Construction Code Official demonstrating to his satisfaction that arrangements have been made either to provide an alternate heat-generating process to be in operation while the conversion is in process and until the converted fuel-generated device or furnace is in full operation or that arrangements suitable to the Construction Code Official have been made to provide alternate living quarters for all occupants and tenants in the structure while the conversion work is in process and to extend until the conversion is completed and the converted fuel-generated device or furnace is in full operation and generating heat to the structure. These arrangements must include proof by the applicant that arrangements have been made by him to provide space heaters or other approved alternate heating devices to provide temporary heat for all occupants or tenants of the dwelling unit who will not have heat during the period of the conversion.
[Amended 2-3-1982 by Ord. No. 1527]
D. 
It is a prerequisite to issuance of any permit under this Article that all work of any nature to be performed in connection with the conversion as herein provided shall be solely done by licensed contractors or subcontractors for the work to be performed. In addition, the applicant shall provide the Construction Code Official with the required certificates or other certifying documents from public service or any other utility who will participate in the conversion process.
No conversion of fuel-generated devices or furnaces from fuel oil to gas or other method of heat shall be permitted during the period of the critical heating season which is October 1 to April 1 of the succeeding year, and no application shall be accepted by the Construction Code Official after October 1, and no permit shall be issued by him during the aforesaid period of time. Notwithstanding this provision, the government body may, in its discretion, upon hearing and good cause being shown, waive this time restriction, in which event the applicant shall be required to fully comply with the terms of this article.
The Construction Code Official of the Code Enforcement Bureau shall be and is hereby authorized to enforce this article.
A. 
Any person who shall willfully provide false or incomplete information in connection with an application under this article or who shall engage in any type of conversion without obtaining a permit or who shall otherwise violate any provision of this article shall be liable to a penalty of imprisonment for a period of 90 days, plus a fine of $500 for each offense. Each day a particular violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. The continuance of a particular violation for any part of a twenty-four-hour day shall constitute a separate offense.
B. 
If the landlord or owner of the building who is subjected to this penalty shall repeat this conduct or fail to provide the required heat after conversion and after assessment of the above penalty and completion thereof, then said landlord or owner shall, in the discretion of the court, be subjected to further incarceration for a period not in excess of six months, plus the maximum monetary fine for each separate offense as permitted by law.
In the event the provisions of this article are contrary to any state or other municipal ordinance, rule or regulation, this article shall be interpreted in a manner which is consistent with the provisions of said other rule, law or regulation.
[Adopted 2-20-1980 by Ord. No. 1376]
WHEREAS, it is reasonable to require a fuel supplier to post a sticker notice of its name, address and telephone number on the boiler or heating device which it services for the owner of the building, and
WHEREAS, said notice requirement protects the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the Town of West New York, and
WHEREAS, this notice requirement adopts a common practice followed by most fuel suppliers and will not impose a burden to the fuel supply business,
Now, therefore, be it ordained by the Board of Commissioners of the Town of West New York, County of Hudson, State of New Jersey, as follows:
Every supplier of fuel of any type to any structure within the Town of West New York shall forthwith post a sticker notice stating its name, address and telephone number on any boiler or heating device which said supplier services or repairs or delivers fuel for more than twice during any calendar year.
On or after 30 days from the date of passage of this Article, the Board of Health be and it hereby is authorized to enforce the provisions of this article.
Any person, firm or entity who shall purposefully fail to provide the notice required by this article or, once provided, shall obliterate, deface or destroy same without replacement by a new notice or who shall otherwise violate any provision of this Article shall be liable to a penalty of imprisonment for a period of not more than 90 days plus a fine of $500 for each offense.
The Clerk of the municipality shall, within 10 days from the passage of this article, post a copy of this article in the Town Hall and send a copy to each fuel supplier listed in the 1979 or 1980 North Hudson Telephone Directory.
In the event the provisions of this article are contrary to any state or other municipal ordinance, rule or regulation, this Article shall be interpreted in a manner which is consistent with the provisions of said other rule, law or regulation.