[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Logan 3-1-2005 by Ord. No. 5-2005. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire prevention — See § 4-42.
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 152.
[Amended 11-16-2009 by Ord. No. 17-2009]
Fire lanes (aka fire apparatus access roads) shall be designated as follows for the efficient and effective use of fire apparatus, for firefighting, police vehicles and ambulances. Fire lanes shall have a minimum width of 20 feet except for approved security gates with an unobstructed vertical clearance of not less than 13 feet six inches.
A. 
Where needed. The Fire Official of the local enforcing agency may establish fire areas on property devoted to public and private use, in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:70-3, 503.1.1, including, but not by way of limitation, shopping centers, strip malls, houses of worship, swimming pools, offices, warehouses, factories, restaurants, nightclubs, etc., and similar uses within the Township of Logan as deemed necessary to protect the public health and safety.
(1) 
The number, location, width, length, and markings shall be at the discretion of the Fire Official when the markings detailed cannot be strictly complied with.
(2) 
Consideration is to be given to the size, type, and location of the building or buildings, the number of persons using and occupying the premises, existing means of egress and ingress, the total area of the property, including the size of the parking lot or lots, and all other relevant factors.
B. 
Concurrent jurisdiction. The Township of Logan Police Department shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the Bureau of Fire Prevention to enforce the provisions of this section for the designated fire lanes approved by the Fire Official.
C. 
Existing fire lanes. Any and all fire lanes created prior to this chapter are hereby continued in effect, and when repairs or modifications are made to such fire lanes, they shall be brought into the conformity with this chapter, as much as shall be practical in the Fire Official's judgment. The standard for exercise of said judgment shall conform to those contained in Subsection A above.
The owner shall, within 30 days of being given a notice to do so by the Fire Official, mark the lane(s) as follows:
A. 
Signs, with minimum dimensions of 12 inches by 18 inches, constructed of metal and with raised red letters a minimum of two inches in size on a white background, shall be posted at a level of at least seven feet above grade, indicating NO PARKING ANYTIME, PARKING IN DESIGNATED STALLS ONLY, or NO STOPPING OR STANDING, at the Fire Official's discretion after giving due consideration to the needs of the fire service and the public. Immediately under these signs shall be another sign, with a minimum dimension of 12 inches by six inches saying FIRE LANE VEHICLE TOWED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE or FIRE LANE NO ON-STREET PARKING VEHICLE TOWED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. Spacing of signs shall be even with a minimum of one sign for every 50 feet of fire lane or part thereof, or as ordered by the Fire Official. All signs and marking must be unobstructed and visible for a distance of at least 100 feet when viewed from a position approximately five feet above ground while in the fire lane.
B. 
The area of a fire lane on improved areas shall be delineated along its entire length with yellow lines 18 inches in width. Between the yellow lines shall be marked NO PARKING FIRE LANE in yellow letters 18 inches in height. The number of times this wording is to be repeated shall be at the discretion of the appropriate Fire Official, with the recommended spacing to be at one-hundred-foot intervals and spaced so as to be between and alternate with the metal signs required above. If the designated fire lane abuts a curb, the curbing shall be yellow in color where it abuts the fire lane.
C. 
Definitions. For the purposes of fire lane enforcement, the following terms are defined as follows:
FIRE APPARATUS ACCESS ROAD
A road that provides fire apparatus access from a fire station to a facility, building or portion thereof. This is a general term inclusive of all other terms such as fire lane, public street, private street, parking lot lane and access roadway.
[Added 11-16-2009 by Ord. No. 17-2009]
FIRE AREA
The same as "fire lane."
FIRE LANE
A road or other passageway developed to allow the passage of fire apparatus. A fire lane is not necessarily intended for vehicular traffic other than fire apparatus.
[Amended 11-16-2009 by Ord. No. 17-2009]
NO ON-STREET PARKING
A vehicle may not be parked along the street unless loading or unloading passengers or materials, with a limit of three minutes.
NO PARKING ANYTIME
A vehicle may not be parked within the designated area unless loading or unloading passengers or materials, with a time limit of three minutes.
NO STOPPING OR STANDING
No vehicle may be stopped within the designated zone, whether or not attended or unattended, with or without the motor running or brakes set.
PARKING IN DESIGNATED STALLS ONLY
A vehicle may only be parked within an area so designated for parking.
[Amended 11-16-2009 by Ord. No. 17-2009]
Fire lanes for vehicle access shall be a minimum of 20 feet in width except for approved security gates with an unobstructed vertical clearance of not less than 13 feet six inches.
Once a fire lane has been designated by the Fire Official, approved as provided above and properly marked by the owner of the premises, the appropriate Fire Official shall notify the Police Department, Construction Code Agency and Municipal Court Clerk, in writing, of the existence and location of the designated fire lane(s).
Unpaved fire lanes installed on public or private property shall comply with the "Fire Lane Typical Details" installation methods and be approved by the Fire Official. Signs and markings shall be provided as required by the Fire Official and this chapter.
Gates, chains or other approved methods utilized to prevent unauthorized access to installation, provided such restrictions will not impede access by fire-fighting apparatus or other emergency vehicles. The Fire Official shall determine whether any changes or deviations from the appropriate methods may be utilized.
Fire lanes shall be installed and maintained by the owner of the premises or a designee in conformity with the provisions of this chapter. Fire lanes in existence prior to the enactment of this chapter shall be required to conform to the provisions herein at the discretion of the Fire Official. Fire lanes must be accessible for fire apparatus at all times.
A. 
Designated fire lanes shall be maintained free of snow and obstructions, including vehicles, at all times.
B. 
The appropriate Fire Official, his designee, or a police officer of the Township of Logan shall have the authority to remove or have removed such obstructions or vehicles as may violate any section of this chapter, at the expense of the owner of the vehicle. The presumption of ownership may be overcome by proof furnished to the satisfaction of the Municipal Court or Superior Court, Law Division, that some other person was the actual offender.
C. 
It shall be a separate violation of this chapter for any driver or operator of any motor vehicle to fail to present a driver's license and/or vehicle registration upon demand of any person authorized to enforce this chapter when requested as part of the enforcement procedure.
[Amended 12-5-2006 by Ord. No. 19-2006]
The Fire Officials may complete a municipal summons or a notice of violations, and said summons or notice of violations shall be issued for all offenders by personally serving same upon any offender, or if the offender is not attendant to the vehicle shall mail the notice of violations by certified mail, return receipt requested to the person's last known address.
This chapter shall supersede any and all provisions of any other ordinance promulgated for the enforcement of parking in fire lanes. Enforcement shall only be done by personnel from either the Bureau of Fire Prevention or the appropriate local enforcement agencies. Personnel enforcing these provisions shall be either uniformed or carry appropriate identification.
A. 
It shall be the right of any person receiving such a summons to plead guilty or not guilty to the charge of violating this chapter. Those persons pleading not guilty to the charge of violating this chapter shall be given the opportunity to present their defense before the Municipal Court of Logan Township or the Gloucester County Construction Board of Appeals.
B. 
All persons pleading guilty in Municipal Court or convicted of violating this chapter shall be fined a maximum of $25 per violation for passenger vehicles and $100 per violation for commercial vehicles and equipment, plus court costs. All fines and court costs shall be payable to the Clerk of the Municipal Court. All fines assessed as a result of summonses issued shall be paid thereafter to the Bureau of Fire Prevention by the Court Clerk. All court costs shall be paid thereafter to the Court Clerk.