[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
of the Village of Ridgefield Park 7-11-2006 by Ord. No. 06-11 (Ch.
104 of the 1985 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire Department — See Ch. 55.
Zoning — See Ch. 96.
Development regulations — See Ch. 96A.
Alarm systems — See Ch. 108.
Numbering of buildings — See Ch. 139.
Unfit and unsafe buildings — See Ch. 142.
Certificates of compliance — See Ch. 153.
Construction codes — See Ch. 160.
Hazardous materials — See Ch. 220.
Housing standards — See Ch. 225.
[1]
Editor’s Note: The title of this chapter, which was
formerly Fire Protection, was amended 4-11-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-03.
Pursuant to Section 11 of the Uniform Fire Safety
Act (P.L. 1983, c. 383), the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code, N.J.A.C.
5:70-1 et seq., shall be locally enforced in the Village of Ridgefield
Park.
The local enforcing agency shall be the Bureau
of Fire Prevention of the Village of Ridgefield Park ("the Bureau"
or "Bureau of Fire Prevention").
A.
The local enforcing agency shall enforce the Uniform
Fire Code in all buildings, structures and premises within the established
boundaries of the Village of Ridgefield Park, other than one- and
two-family owner-occupied dwellings used exclusively for dwelling
purposes and buildings, structures and premises owned or operated
by the federal government, interstate agencies or the State of New
Jersey. This section shall include apartment units above commercial
establishments.
B.
The local enforcing agency shall faithfully comply
with all of the pertinent requirements of the Uniform Fire Safety
Act and the Uniform Fire Code.
[Amended 4-11-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-03; 7-13-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-10]
A.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention, established by § 188-2 of this chapter, shall be under the direct supervision and control of the Fire Official/Fire Marshal, who shall report to the Commissioner of Public Safety of the Village of Ridgefield Park.
B.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall have at least one paid Fire Inspector.
A.
Appointments and qualifications of the Fire Official/Fire Marshal
and Deputy Fire Official/Fire Marshal. The Fire Official/Fire Marshal
and Deputy Fire Official/Fire Marshal shall be certified by the State
of New Jersey Division of Fire Safety and appointed by the Commissioner
of Public Safety of the Village of Ridgefield Park.
[Amended 4-11-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-03]
B.
Appointment and qualifications of Fire Inspectors
and employees.
(1)
Fire Inspectors shall be certified by the State of
New Jersey and appointed by the governing body of the Village of Ridgefield
Park, with the advice of the Fire Official/Fire Marshal taken into
consideration. Civilian employees shall be appointed by the governing
body of the Village of Ridgefield Park, as recommended by the Fire
Official/Fire Marshal.
(2)
One Fire Inspector shall carry the rank of Captain
of the Bureau of Fire Prevention and shall be second-in-command of
the Bureau. The Captain shall be appointed by the Fire Commissioner,
with the advice of the Fire Official/Fire Marshal taken into consideration.
C.
Appointment of legal counsel. The Village Attorney
shall assist the Fire Official in enforcing the Uniform Fire Code.
D.
E.
Removal from office. The Fire Official/Fire Marshal,
Inspectors and other employees of the Bureau of Fire Prevention shall
be subject to removal by the governing body of the Village of Ridgefield
Park for just cause. Before removal from office, all persons shall
be afforded an opportunity to be heard by the governing body or by
a hearing officer designated by same.
[Amended 7-13-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-10]
The Bureau of Fire Prevention, established by § 188-2 of this chapter, shall carry out the periodic inspections of life-hazard uses, as required by the Uniform Fire Safety Code on behalf of the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.
[Amended 7-13-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-10]
In addition to the registration required by the Uniform Fire
Code, the following non-life-hazard uses shall register with the Bureau
of Fire Prevention of the Village of Ridgefield Park. Such non-life-hazard
uses shall pay an annual registration and inspection fee as per Table
A, and shall be annually inspected by a member of said Bureau of Fire
Prevention:
TABLE A
|
A.
Assembly.
(1)
A-1 Eating-only establishment, under fifty-occupant load: $80.
(2)
A-2 Takeout food service, no seating: $80.
(3)
A-3 Church or synagogue: (exempt/no charge).
(4)
A-4 Recreation centers, multipurpose rooms, under 100-occupant load:
$80.
(5)
A-5 Court rooms, libraries, fraternal organizations, condominium
centers, under 100-occupant load: $120.
(6)
A-6 Senior citizen centers, fewer than 200-occupant load: $80.
B.
Business/professional.
(1)
B-1 One and two stories, less than 5,000 square feet per floor: $80.
(2)
B-2 One and two stories, 5,001 to 10,000 square feet per floor: $120.
(3)
B-3 One and two stories, 10,001 to 12,000 square feet per floor:
$170.
(4)
B-4 Three to five stories, less than 5,000 square feet per floor:
$220.
(5)
B-5 Three to five stories, 5,001 to 10,000 square feet per floor:
$330.
(6)
B-6 Three to five stories, over 10,000 square feet per floor: $470.
C.
Retail.
(1)
M-1 One story, less than 2,000 square feet: $80.
(2)
M-2 One and two stories, 2,001 to 5,000 square feet per floor: $160.
(3)
M-3 One and two stories, 5,001 to 8,000 square feet per floor: $250.
(4)
M-4 One and two stories, more than 8,001 square feet per floor: $420.
(5)
M-5 Three to five stories, less than 5,000 square feet per floor:
$440.
(6)
M-6 Three to five stories, over 5,000 square feet per floor: $600.
NOTE: Under the M Use Group, a hardware store 3,000 square feet
per floor or more is a life-hazard use. Retail stores over 12,000
square feet are also life-hazard uses.
D.
Manufacturing (factory) non-life-hazard only.
E.
Storage (S-1 moderate hazard, S-2 low hazard, non-life-hazard use
only).
[Amended 7-13-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-10]
Permit fees are established by type group, as defined in the
State Uniform Fire Code, as per Table B:
Table B
| |
---|---|
Type Group
|
Fee
|
Type 1
|
$70
|
Type 2
|
$214
|
Type 3
|
$427
|
Type 4
|
$641
|
A.
Buildings owned by the Village of Ridgefield Park
are exempt from the fees imposed by this chapter. Buildings of life-hazard
use designations owned by the Village of Ridgefield Park shall be
regulated in accordance with applicable state regulations.
B.
Buildings owned by the Village of Ridgefield Park
are subject to all the required inspections and regulations pursuant
to the Uniform Fire Safety Act.
C.
All nonprofit corporations, including churches, fraternal
organizations and other corporations which are classified as "nonprofit
corporations" under Title 15A of the New Jersey Nonprofit Act shall
not be required to pay to the Village of Ridgefield Park any registration
or permit fee set forth in this chapter. This section does not exempt
any nonprofit organization from registration, inspection and/or compliance
with the Uniform Fire Code. Life-hazard nonprofit organizations are
regulated by the State Division of Fire Safety and shall pay the registration
fee required by the State Fire Safety Act.
[Amended 6-12-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-06]
If the required non-life-hazard registration
fee is not paid to the Bureau of Fire Prevention of the Village of
Ridgefield Park by March 31 of the current year, a late fee of $100
will be charged, and an additional late fee of $100 will be charged
for each following month, or part thereof, that said registration
fee is delinquent.
The owners of businesses which require non-life-hazard
registration fees to be paid under this chapter shall be the responsible
party for the payment of said fees.
The Fire Official/Fire Marshal may affix penalties,
as permitted by the State Uniform Fire Safety Act. (N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.12).
Pursuant to the Uniform Fire Code, any person
aggrieved by any order of the Bureau of Fire Prevention shall have
the right to appeal to the Village Construction Board of Appeals.
A.
A locking cap program for all Fire Department connections
for sprinkler systems is hereby implemented within the Village of
Ridgefield Park, requiring that all buildings and structures located
within the Village that are equipped with automatic fire sprinkler
protection or exterior Fire Department connections shall be outfitted
with locking Fire Department connection caps.
B.
The Fire Official/Fire Marshal, in cooperation with
the Fire Chief of the Village of Ridgefield Park, shall designate
a locking cap program to be implemented uniformly throughout the Village,
requiring one key to access all Fire Department connections within
the Village.
C.
The Fire Official/Fire Marshal shall affix penalties
for failure to install locking caps, as per the Uniform Fire Code
(N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.12).
A.
A lock box program is hereby established in the Village
of Ridgefield Park, requiring all buildings and structures that are
unoccupied during certain periods of time and deemed to be inaccessible
by the Fire Official/Fire Marshal, in cooperation with the Fire Chief,
to purchase and install a lock box outside of the building or structure.
Said box shall hold all keys for entry to said building, sprinkler
and alarm rooms, boiler rooms and any other area deemed necessary
by the Fire Official/Fire Marshal.
B.
The Fire Official/Fire Marshal, in cooperation with
the Fire Chief, shall designate a lock box program to be implemented
uniformly throughout the Village of Ridgefield Park, requiring one
key to access all the lock boxes within the Village.
C.
The Fire Official/Fire Marshal shall affix penalties
for failure to install lock boxes as per the Uniform Fire Code (N.J.A.C.
5:70-2.12).
All monies generated by the use of the Uniform
Fire Code and the Uniform Fire Safety Act shall be used to support
the Office of the Fire Official/Fire Marshal and fire prevention education
programs.