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City of Hackensack, NJ
Bergen County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Adopted 12-20-1976 by Ord. No. 35-76]
This Article shall take effect on January 1, 1977, or upon the effective date of the State Uniform Construction Code.
This Article regulates and controls the location, equipment, contractors, registration and special features related to buildings or structures and lands located within the City of Hackensack.
The following setback requirements shall apply:
A. 
No fixed or permanent awning, canopy, marquee, awning box or roof shall project more than 14 inches beyond any property line abutting a public street.
B. 
No fixed or permanent awning, canopy, marquee, awning box or roof shall have a clearance of less than eight feet when projecting forward of the setback line measured from the top of the sidewalk to the lowest level of the projection.
The following locations for signs and fences are established:
A. 
Signs.
(1) 
No ground sign shall be set nearer to the street lot line than the established building line, except that on corner property, no ground sign can be placed within 15 feet behind both street lines.
(2) 
No roof sign of any type shall be permitted on any building or structure.
(a) 
All existing roof signs shall be removed in their entirety, including all supports, within 10 years of the date of the original ordinance which was adopted April 20, 1970.[1] This shall include all brackets and supports.
[1]
Editor's Note: The ordinance referred to is Ord. No. 968 which adopted by reference the BOCA Basic Building Code and several amendments to said code. See Ch. 70 Editor's Note.
(b) 
No projecting sign shall project over any street or public place or forward of any established setback line, except that a flat sign may project a maximum of one foot.
(c) 
Any existing projecting sign which overhangs a public street, public place or forward of any established setback line shall be removed within 10 years of the date of the original ordinance which was adopted April 20, 1970.[2] This shall include all brackets and supports.
[2]
Editor's Note: The ordinance referred to is Ord. No. 968 which adopted by reference the BOCA Basic Building Code and several amendments to said code.
(d) 
Freestanding pole signs or pylons shall conform to the requirements as set forth for projecting signs.
(3) 
Removal of temporary signs, construction signs and special displays.
(a) 
Signs of this type shall be removed within 15 days after the conclusion of the event that said sign advertises. Signs not removed by those who erected same shall then become the responsibility of the owner of the building or premises to remove the signs upon 10 days' notice from the Construction Official.
(b) 
Where the owner of a sign vacates the premises upon which the sign is erected, said sign must be removed at the time of vacating the establishment. If the owner of said sign does not remove the sign, the owner of the building or property shall then be responsible for the removal of said sign upon 10 days' notice by the Construction Official.
(4) 
Height of projecting signs.
(a) 
No such sign shall exceed the height of the parapet or the building upon which said sign is to be erected, except that on on-story structures the height of said sign shall not exceed 15 feet.
(b) 
Maximum projection on private property. No such sign shall project from the building or pole more than six feet.
(c) 
Other requirements.
[1] 
All such signs shall be illuminated.
[2] 
All such signs shall be rigid and shall not swing.
[3] 
No projecting sign shall be erected so as to become a combination of both a projecting sign and a roof sign.
(5) 
Beacon. No beacon or rotating or animated sign shall be permitted in any location in the City of Hackensack.
(6) 
A-frame-type signs. One portable A-frame-type sign approximately three feet by three feet shall be permitted for each 100 feet of frontage. Those properties having more than 100 feet of frontage shall be permitted a maximum of two such signs. All signs or parts thereof and structures supporting the same or parts thereof shall be within the owner's property line and at no time project into or over the public right-of-way.
B. 
Fences.
[Amended 9-5-1978 by Ord. No. 39-78; 12-20-2004 by Ord. No. 22-2004]
(1) 
No fence or other man-made enclosure shall exceed four feet in height at any point, as measured from existing ground levels. In the case of commercial property that abuts a residential property, no fence or other man-made enclosure shall exceed seven feet in height except along the property line common to the residence, where the six-foot limit shall apply.
(2) 
No fence coming within 15 feet of a corner at two intersecting streets shall exceed four feet in height, nor shall such fence be solid-surfaced.
(3) 
No fence or enclosure shall exceed the height of four feet on any portion of the front setback, as measured by a line extending from the front face of the prime structure to each side property line. Any property in question that borders on two streets, commonly known as a "corner property," shall also have the restriction of four feet as to the front yard setback, and, in addition, such restriction shall be applied to the street side setback up to a line extending from the rear face of the prime structure to the street side property line.
(4) 
No fence or other enclosure shall be erected closer than 10 feet to the curbline of the property.
(5) 
All fences shall be installed or erected as close to the ground as possible. The total height of the fence may exceed six feet where otherwise permissible to conform to existing ground heights; provided, however, that 80% of the fence does not exceed the maximum height of six feet. Decorative-type structural posts may extend no more than six feet above the top of the fence.
(6) 
Fences must be constructed with the face or finished side away from the property and the structural side toward the interior of the property.
(7) 
Fences or other man-made enclosures shall be installed no closer than three inches to the property line. Living fences or screens shall be planted no closer than 12 inches to the property line. These provisions can be amended by the application submitted and agreement by both adjoining property owners to construct the fence, man-made or living, closer to or upon the common property line.
(8) 
Fences shall be erected in a manner so as to permit the flow of natural drainage and shall not cause surface water to be dammed so as to create ponding.
(9) 
Fences or other enclosures shall be maintained in such a manner as to assure the structural integrity of the fence, to prevent all or portions of the fence from encroaching over the property line of adjoining owners, and shall be further maintained so as to prohibit an unsightly appearance to adjoining property owners. "Unsightly appearance" shall include the following:
(a) 
Living fences that are not neatly trimmed so as to prevent leaves, branches or trunks from extending beyond the height limitations imposed under this chapter.
(b) 
Living fences that are not neatly trimmed so as to prevent leaves, branches or trunks from growing beyond the property line over to the adjoining properties.
(c) 
Painted fences or other enclosures whereon paint has chipped or peeled from more than 25% of the surface area of the fence.
(d) 
Fence posts which have become loosened or which were installed in such a manner as to be leaning more than 15° from the fence line.
(e) 
In the case of picket fences, where more than 10% of the picket fences have fallen, been removed or rotted in any given ten-linear-foot section of such fence.
(f) 
In the case of slatted or other solid-wall fences, where more than 10% of the surface of the fence has been removed, fallen or rotted in any given ten-linear-foot section of such fence.
(10) 
The following fences and fence materials are specifically prohibited; barbed wire, chicken wire, pointed iron slats or pickets, canvas, cloth, fiberglass, poultry netting, electrically charged fences, temporary fences such as snow fences, except where necessary for active construction, and collapsible fences, except during active construction.
(11) 
No fence shall be erected in such a manner so as to interfere with the public right-of-way or interfere with the visibility of vehicular and pedestrian traffic proceeding along any public right-of-way.
(12) 
Masonry walls or enclosures shall not exceed four feet in height along any property line.
(13) 
In the case of commercial property that abuts residential property, if cyclone fence construction is used along the common property line, the fence shall also include privacy inserts therein.
(14) 
In business and manufacturing zoning districts cyclone-type fences surrounding nonresidential property may be erected to a height of seven feet on all property lines.
(15) 
In all commercial districts, fences other than solid-surface fences may be erected up to 14 feet in height when surrounding or upon lands of governmental facilities and buildings, public parks and playgrounds and public or parochial schools, including their accessory uses.
No open fire escapes or fire stairs shall be erected on a wall of any structure when said wall fronts on a public street.
A. 
Security gates.
(1) 
Folding gates and screens or movable tracked doors and similar nighttime guards on store fronts or other nonresidential buildings, for purposes of night security, are prohibited.
(2) 
Existing folding gates and screens or movable track doors and similar nighttime guards as referred to in Subsection A(1) above must be removed within one year from the date of the original ordinance which was adopted April 20, 1970.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The ordinance referred to is Ord. No. 968 which adopted by reference the BOCA Basic Building Code and several amendments to said code.
B. 
Lights.
(1) 
A red protected light operating 24 hours a day and placed above either or both the sprinkler or standpipe siamese connection is required.
(2) 
The above-type light shall be a minimum of five feet above grade; and when located over a siamese connection which is more than 15 feet behind the property line, both the required light and the siamese must be of the pedestal type.
(3) 
All buildings, structures and towers or similar-type construction are to be equipped with an aircraft warning beacon at their highest point when the overall height of said building, structure or tower exceeds 100 feet.
(4) 
Aircraft warning beacons can be required by the Construction Official for a building, structure or tower under 100 feet, at his discretion, based upon terrain conditions or location of building, structure or tower.
A. 
Who must register.
(1) 
Every person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of constructing, erecting, altering, repairing, restoring, reroofing, re-siding, moving or demolishing the whole or any part of structures or the appurtenances thereto, or erecting or altering signs, within the City of Hackensack, shall be required, before undertaking the construction, erection, alteration, addition, repair, restoration, reroofing, re-siding, moving or demolition of any structure or sign for which a permit is required by this Article, to register the name of such person or firm or corporation with the Division of Building Inspection, Department of Community Affairs.
(2) 
The owner or occupant of a structure applying for a permit required by this Article shall not be required to register, provided that he intends to do and supervise his own work.
B. 
Application for registration. Application for the registration of contractors shall be submitted to the Construction Official upon appropriate forms supplied by him and shall include, in addition to any information he may deem necessary, a statement giving the name of the corporate or firm name of the contractor and, in case of a firm or corporation or partnership, the name and address of the principal officer or member of said firm, corporation or partnership. The application shall also contain the number of years the person, firm or corporation has been in business or in existence at the current location or any prior locations, including the address of such prior locations, if any. The applicant shall state in which class he desires to be registered, choosing one or more of the classes designated in Subsection C of this section.
C. 
Classes of registration. For the purpose of this section, there shall be the following classes of registration:
(1) 
General contractor: a contractor who is proficient in the construction of a structure from start to finish and in the alteration, addition to or repair of any structure. The contractor shall be equipped to handle such work either by and through his own organization or by appropriate subcontractors and, in the latter event, must be completely responsible for his subcontractors' work.
(2) 
Contractor: a contractor who is proficient in the construction of a structure from start to finish and in the alteration, addition to or repair of any structure. The contractor shall be equipped to handle such work by and through his own work or his own organization or employees.
(3) 
Roofing and siding contractor: a contractor who is proficient in the applying of roofing and siding materials to existing or new structures.
(4) 
Demolition contractor: a contractor who is proficient in the demolishing of any structure, in whole or in part.
(5) 
Moving contractor: a contractor who is proficient in the moving of any structure.
(6) 
Sign or billboard contractor: a contractor who is proficient in the erection, alteration or maintenance of signs or billboards.
(7) 
Miscellaneous contractor: a contractor who is proficient in work of a special character as determined by the Construction Official.
D. 
Revocation of registration.
(1) 
If any person, firm or corporation registered under the provisions of this section shall fail, in the execution of any work for which a permit is required by this code, to comply with the provisions of this code relevant to the construction, erection, alteration, repair, restoration, re-siding, reroofing, moving or demolition of any structure or sign or part thereof, the Construction Official shall cause a notice of violation to be served upon such person or the principal member or officer of any such firm or corporation in accordance with this code.
(2) 
Upon conviction for such violation and in addition to the penalties prescribed herein, the registration of such person, firm or corporation shall be revoked by the Construction Official, who shall strike the name of such person, firm or corporation from the registration list and shall not reenter or reinstate such registration during such time as the said violation exists or remains. Upon revocation, the Construction Official shall forthwith cause notice of revocation to be published in a newspaper circulating in the city.
E. 
Reregistration after revocation. Any person, firm or corporation whose registration has been revoked under the provisions of this section may register and have his or its name reentered on the registration list upon filing with the Department of Community Affairs a certificate signed by the Construction Official to the effect that all violations with reference to which conviction was secured have been corrected or are nonexistent and upon the payment of the fee prescribed by this code.
A. 
Application for appeal. The owner of a building or any structure or any other person may appeal from a decision of the Construction Official refusing to grant a modification to the provisions of this code covering the manner of construction or materials to be used in the erection, alteration or repair of a building or structure to the Board of Appeals. Application for appeal may be made when it is claimed that the true intent of this code or the rules legally adopted thereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this code do not fully apply or an equally good or better form of construction can be used.
B. 
Hearing. At hearings, the appellant, his representative, the official of the municipality and any other person whose interests may be affected by the matter on appeal shall be given an opportunity to be heard.
C. 
Membership of Board. The Board of Appeals shall consist of five members of the City Council of the City of Hackensack.
D. 
Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board shall be the Mayor of the City of Hackensack.
This Article and all of its provisions shall be enforced by the Department of Community Affairs, Division of Building Inspection.
Any person who shall violate a provision of the Basic Code or shall fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof, or who shall erect, construct, alter or repair a building or structure in violation of an approved plan or directive of the Construction Official or a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of the Basic Code, shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $500 or imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days, or both, at the discretion of the court. Each day that a violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.