[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of South Plainfield 10-13-1964 as Art. 15 of Ch. 4 of the 1964 Code (Ch. 122 of the 1982 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire prevention — See Ch. 230.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
LAUNDERETTE
Shall be deemed to have the same definition and be synonymous with "laundromat."
LAUNDROMAT
That premises used in whole or in part for the operation of self-service washing and/or drying machines, whether the same be coin-operated or by payment of a fee for the use thereof.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to operate, maintain or use in any public or quasi-public place or in any building, store or other place where the public is invited, any laundromat or launderette where a washing machine or clothes drier is used without first having obtained a license covering said machine or machines from the Borough Clerk as hereinafter provided. This provision shall not apply to washing machines and clothes driers in residential buildings used solely by and for the convenience and service of the residents.
All applications for licenses shall be filed with the Borough Clerk. Such application shall show the name of the applicant, post office address and location of the premises to be licensed and the number of machines to be licensed upon the said premises. Said application shall be accompanied by a letter or other writing from the South Plainfield Sewerage Authority stating that sanitary sewers are available to said premises and that the proposed use in said location has been approved by said Sewerage Authority. Said license when issued shall be posted in a conspicuous place upon the premises where the machine or machines shall be located. Applications for such license and the annual renewal shall be made on forms provided by the Borough Clerk and filed by the applicant with the Borough Clerk.
No license shall be issued or renewed until the premises have been inspected and the application has been approved by the Health Officer, the Building Inspector and the Chiefs of the Fire and Police Departments or their respective authorized agents. All inspections and reports shall be made within 30 days from the filing of the application. A signed, written report of said inspections shall be filed with the department making said inspection and with the Borough Clerk, and there shall also be filed with the Borough Clerk either an approval for the issuance of said license or, if the same is not approved, the reasons therefor. Upon disapproval of any application, the disapproving agency or official shall, within five days after the license has been disapproved, notify the applicant in writing of said disapproval and the reasons therefor. The Borough Clerk shall have five days after the license has been approved by all of the persons or departments required to approve the same within which to issue said license.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
A. 
The following requirements shall be met:
(1) 
All driers shall be so constructed that they may be opened from the inside as well as the outside.
(2) 
All driers heated by gas must be equipped with an automatic pilot device, complete shutoff type, that will cut off the supply of gas in the event of pilot or gas failure.
(3) 
No water or other liquid shall be allowed to remain on the floors at any time.
(4) 
Twenty-gallon metal trash cans, with lids, shall be provided for disposal of trash within the building.
(5) 
The water temperature of all water supplied to the washing machines shall be kept at a minimum of 140° F.
(6) 
The premises shall be adequately lighted and at all times open to public view from a public thoroughfare; and no blind, screen, partition, curtain or other article shall be left or placed so as to prevent an unobstructed view of the interior of the premises.
(7) 
Combustible material shall be kept at a safe distance from all heat-producing appliances.
(8) 
The name, address and telephone number of the operator of the premises shall be prominently posted on the premises and there shall be an available telephone either on the premises or immediately outside.
(9) 
There shall be not less than one five-pound carbon dioxide extinguisher and one two-and-one-half-gallon water extinguisher provided for each 25 machines or portion thereof, accessible to the public and located in same areas as machines.
(10) 
All gas-fired water heaters shall be equipped with an automatic gas shutoff device and a pressure-temperature relief valve.
(11) 
All driers shall be properly vented to the outside of the premises.
B. 
In addition to the foregoing requirements, in making their determinations upon all applications and renewals, the officers and agencies shall consider the following:
(1) 
Health Officer. The general sanitary conditions existing in the establishment and the applicability of all health codes which may now or hereafter affect such premises. It shall give particular attention to the facilities for preventing the spread of disease, including, but not by way of limitation, the cleansing of machines between use and the maintenance of sufficiently hot water for such purpose.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
(2) 
Building Inspector. The meeting of all requirements of the Building Code and Zoning Ordinance of the Borough[2] and all other ordinances, laws or regulations under his jurisdiction.
[2]
Editor's Note: Building construction is now regulated by a building subcode adopted by the Commissioner of Community Affairs under the provisions of the State Uniform Construction Code Act. The Zoning Ordinance is on file in the office of the Borough Clerk.
(3) 
Police Department. Compliance with the provisions of this chapter; whether, in case of renewals, the establishment has been operated in accordance with law and under adequate supervision.
(4) 
Fire Department. Compliance with the applicable fire codes,[3] particularly with regard to wiring and the installation and maintenance of proper devices and equipment for heating the hot water and for maintaining the drying equipment.
[3]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 230, Fire Prevention.
Licenses shall be issued for a period of not more than one year and shall expire on the first day of July of each year. The license shall be issued for each premises occupied or used as a laundromat or launderette and the fee shall be paid when the license is issued and for each renewal thereof. The fee for each license and for each renewal shall be $35 plus $1 for each machine or drier in excess of 25.
No machinery used in any laundromat or launderette shall be operated in such a manner as to create any noises or vibrations to the detriment of the occupants of the premises or the surrounding neighborhood.
Every laundromat or launderette shall have an attendant on duty during all hours the premises are open to the public. Such attendant shall be thoroughly familiar with the operation of all equipment on the premises.
No laundromat or launderette shall be open between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., prevailing time.
A. 
That portion of any building or structure devoted to use as a laundromat or launderette shall be primarily devoted to such use, and no use inconsistent therewith shall be permitted in the same building or structure unless completely separated therefrom by an unpierced wall. Nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit a self-service or coin-operated dry-cleaning establishment in conjunction with a laundromat or launderette; provided, however, that the machines shall be so arranged as to prevent any confusion to the public and as not to create any fire or other hazard.
B. 
No jukebox shall be permitted on the premises; provided, however, that this shall not prevent the supplying of background music by the establishment, provided the same does not constitute a nuisance and cannot be heard outside the building. No bagatelle, pinball machine or other such amusement device shall be permitted on the premises. Nothing herein shall prevent the location of a vending machine for candy, cigarettes, gum, soft drinks, coffee or the like inside the premises, provided the same is for the use of customers of the premises and not for the use of the general public.
No license issued under this chapter shall be assigned or transferred except by resolution of the Mayor and Council, unless the same be done at the time of renewal thereof, in which case it shall be treated as an original application by the new applicant.
A. 
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof by a court of competent jurisdiction, pay a fine of not more than $200 or be imprisoned for not more than 90 days, as such court, in its discretion, may determine. Each day that a violation is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense.
B. 
In addition to the penalties provided in Subsection A of this section, any licensee violating any of the provisions of this chapter or willfully making a false statement in his application or committing any crime or nuisance on the licensed premises, or for any other just cause, may have his license revoked or suspended, after notice and hearing, by the Mayor and Council. Such notice and hearing shall be as provided by resolution of the Mayor and Council, which resolution shall provide for at least five days' notice of the hearing, in writing, mailed to the licensee at any address set forth in the application or served personally on the licensee or upon the attendant in charge of the licensed premises, as the case may be.