Township of Bloomfield, NJ Article II Uniform Construction Codes

[Adopted 1-17-1977; amended in its entirety 6-3-1985 (Ch. 87, Art. II, of the 1987 Code)]

§ 149-6 Establishment of enforcing agency; qualifications; office.

A. There is hereby established in the Township of Bloomfield a State Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency to be known as the "Community Development Department," 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 (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.). 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 (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.), 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.

§ 149-7 Construction Board of Appeals.

[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]

The Construction Board of Appeals for the Township shall be the Board of Appeals established by Essex County.

§ 149-8 Construction fees.

[Amended 9-8-1987; 2-21-1989; 2-18-1992; 6-6-1994; 5-5-1997; 12-20-1999; 9-17-2002 by Ord. No. 02-34; 2-6-2006 by Ord. No. 06-02; 6-1-2009 by Ord. No. 09-43; 5-6-2013 by Ord. No. 13-20; 5-5-2014 by Ord. No. 14-17; 12-14-2020 by Ord. No. 20-50]

A. The fee for plan review shall be 20% of the construction permit fee. Plan review fees are not refundable.

B. The basic construction fee shall be the sum of all subcode fees computed on the basis of the volume or cost of construction fees of all subcode fees. The minimum fee for any one subcode shall be $85. In addition, an administrative fee of 15% shall be added to elevator subcode fees. The fee for a change of contractor is $85 per subcode, and subsequent plan review will be charged at $85 per hour per subcode.

(1) Building volume and cost:

(a) Fees for new construction and additions shall be based upon the volume of the structure. Volume shall be computed in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.28. The new construction fee shall be in the amount of $0.038 per cubic foot of volume for buildings and structures of all use groups and types of construction as classified and defined in Chapters 3 and 6 of the Building Subcode. The fee shall be $0.021 per cubic foot of volume for Use Groups A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, A-5, F-1, F-2, S-1 and S-2, and the fee shall be $0.0011 per cubic foot for structures on farms, including commercial farm buildings under N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.2(d).

(b) Fees for renovations, alterations and repairs shall be $34 per thousand up to $50,000 of the estimated cost, $26 per thousand from $50,001 to $100,000, and $22 per thousand for $100,001 and above.

(c) The fees for demolition or removal of structure, including footings, shall be $150 for R-3 and R-5 use groups. All other structures shall be $300.

(d) Building Subcode fees related to the removal of hazardous building materials:

[1] Lead abatement: $196.

[2] Asbestos abatement permit: $118. Asbestos certificate: $24.

[3] Radon mitigation: $85.

(e) Building Subcode fees related to swimming pools:

[1] Aboveground: $125.

[2] In-ground: $200.

(f) In order to provide for the training and certification and technical support programs required by the State Uniform Construction Code Act, the enforcing agency shall collect a surcharge fee to be based upon the volume of the new construction or the value of construction for other types of construction within the municipality. Said fee shall be accounted for and forwarded to the Division of Codes and Standards. This fee shall be in the amount as set forth in N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.19(b).

[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]

(2) Plumbing fixtures and equipment:

(a) For the purpose of computing fees, the fee for each plumbing fixture or appliance connected to the plumbing system shall be $20 per item, except for the following:

[1] For R-3 and R-5 structures, the fee for water heaters, fuel oil piping, steam or hot-water boilers, sewer connection, or water service connection shall be $85 per unit.

[2] For all other use groups, the fee for grease traps, water heaters, steam or hot-water boilers, sewer pumps, interceptors, furnaces, HVAC units, testable backflow preventers, oil separators, and utility service connections shall be $91 per unit.

(b) Generator: $85.

(c) Annual testing of backflow preventer: $85.

(d) Aboveground oil storage tank: $85.

(e) There shall be no fee for direct replacement of fixture(s) where no change is made to the existing piping system, as per N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7, Ordinary Maintenance.

(3) Mechanical fixtures and equipment:

(a) A fee in the amount of $85 for each of the following items in R-3 or R-5 use groups: steam or hot-water boilers, furnaces, and HVAC units. There shall be no extra charge for gas or oil piping or water connections, including condensate drains.

(b) The above fixtures and equipment items shall be on the mechanical inspection technical section in R-3 and R-5 use groups only.

(4) Electrical fixtures and devices:

(a) The fees for receptacles, fixtures, wall switches, smoke and heat detectors, or similar devices shall be as follows:

[1] Up to 25 items: $85.

[2] Each additional 25 items or part thereof: $25.

(b) Fees for site lighting shall be as follows:

[1] One to five poles: $125.

[2] Each additional: $20.

(c) Appliance of motor, R-3 and R-5 dwellings only. Heating, cooking, and cooling equipment, pumps, dryers, water heater, and other appliances:

[1] Less than 10 kw outlets for units: $30.

[2] 10.1 to 35 kw: $85.

[3] 36 to 100 kw: $150.

[4] Over 100 kw: $500.

(d) Service entrance panels/subpanels/motor controls:

[1] Up to 200 amps: $85.

[2] 201 to 400 amps: $150.

[3] 401 to 1,000 amps: $250.

[4] 1,001 amps or greater: $500.

(e) Motors, motor controls, transformers, heating, air-conditioning units, generators, solar or other electrical devices:

[1] Under 1 kw: $85.

[2] 1 to 10 kw: $125.

[3] 10.01 to 35 kw: $175.

[4] 36 to 100 kw: $200.

[5] Baseboard heat: $85.

(f) Fees for signs/outline lights:

[1] Under 1 kw: $30.

[2] 1 to 10 kw: $50.

[3] 10.1 to 35 kw: $100.

[4] 36 to 100 kw: $150.

[5] Over 100 kw: $500.

(g) Fees for hp motors:

[1] Under 1 hp: $85.

[2] 1 to 10 hp: $125.

[3] 10.1 to 35 hp: $200.

[4] 36 to 100 hp: $300.

[5] Over 100 hp: $500.

(h) Photovoltaic systems:

[1] 1 to 50 kw: $85.

[2] 51 to 100 kw: $150.

[3] Over 100 kw: $570.

(i) Lawn sprinklers/rain sensor: $85.

(j) Sound system/intercoms with low-voltage wiring: $85.

(k) Pools/spas and hot tubs:

[1] Aboveground pools: $85.

[2] In-ground pools: $100.

[3] Hydromassage tubs/Jacuzzi/hot tubs: $100.

(l) Air conditioner fee and disconnects: $85.

(m) Communication points, one- and two-family dwellings: $85.

(n) Communication points, multifamily and commercial:

[1] 1 to 25 points: $125.

[2] Over 25 points: $20 per each block of 20.

(5) Fire protection. The fees for fire protection and other hazardous equipment shall be as follows:

(a) Sprinkler heads:

[1] Up to 20 heads: $91.

[2] 21 to 100 heads: $168.

[3] 101 to 200 heads: $321.

[4] 201 to 400 heads: $831.

[5] 401 to 1,000 heads: $1,150.

[6] Over 1,000 heads: $1,469.

(b) Smoke and heat detector systems:

[1] 1 to 12: $85.

[2] Each additional device: $5.

(c) Standpipe: $325.

(d) Fire pump/GPM type, dry pipe/alarm, pre-action valves: $250.

(e) Pre-engineered system: $250.

(f) Gas- or oil-fired appliance not connected to the plumbing system: $85.

(g) Pull station water/flow supervisory devices and emergency exit signal devices:

[1] 1 to 12 devices: $85.

[2] Each additional device: $5.

(h) Miscellaneous fire fees:

[1] Commercial kitchen exhaust system: $200.

[2] Commercial smoke-control system: $200.

[3] Fireplace venting/metal chimney: $85.

[4] HVAC unit: $85.

[5] Space heater: $50 each.

[6] Fire annunciator control panel: $100.

[7] Oil tanks (installed or removed): $100.

(6) Miscellaneous fees:

(a) The fee for a certificate of occupancy shall be $150 for R-3 and R-5 and $300 for all others.

(b) The fee for a change of use group shall be $100.

(c) The fee for an application for a variation in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.10 shall be $654 for Class I structures and $132 for Class II and Class III structures. The fee for resubmission of an application for a variation shall be $252 for Class I structures and $72 for Class II and Class III structures.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former Subsection B(6)(d), which regarded the fee for the Construction Board of Appeals, which immediately followed this subsection, of the 2008 Code was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

(7) Exempt from fees. The following shall be exempt from the payment of fees under this chapter:

(a) Any religious, charitable, benevolent, fraternal or nonprofit associations, corporations or organizations at the discretion of the Township Council.

(b) Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 52:27D-126e, fees will be waived for certain construction projects to benefit persons with disabilities.

§ 149-9 (Reserved) [1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former § 149-9, Fire limits, of the 2008 Code was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

§ 149-10 Certificates of occupancy.

[Added 12-1-1986]

A. It shall henceforth be required that a notice be posted in the vestibule and business office of all units to which this article applies, setting forth that, under this article, a new certificate of occupancy is required on all changes in occupancy.

B. Exempt from this article are motels, hotels and similar type buildings; residential structures containing four dwelling units or fewer are also exempt from the provisions of this article. However, this exemption shall not apply to residential structures containing four dwelling units or fewer in garden apartment complexes.

C. The fee for the issuance of a certificate of occupancy required under this section shall be as set forth in § 149-8B(6) hereof and shall be payable to the Township of Bloomfield.

[Amended 11-2-1987]