Township of Muhlenberg, PA Article I Fire Lanes

[Adopted 4-5-1976 by Ord. No. 127; amended in its entirety 9-19-2005 by Ord. No. 409 (Ch. 67 of the 1982 Code)]

§ 175-1 Authority to mark fire lanes.

The Fire Marshal or other duly authorized agent of the Township of Muhlenberg shall have the authority to mark such fire lanes as may be reasonable and necessary on private property devoted to public use. Such fires lanes shall be those areas immediately adjacent to a building or buildings for a distance of not less than 40 feet from said building or buildings or 20 feet from the curbline on property such as retail, commercial, and other types of locations as may be deemed necessary by the Fire Marshal or other duly authorized agent of the Township to ensure proper ingress and egress of emergency vehicles for the protection of persons and property herein described. Parking in such fire lanes shall be prohibited, and such fire lanes shall be posted "no parking, fire lane."

§ 175-2 Posting of no-parking areas.

Whenever the Fire Marshal or other duly authorized agent of the Township of Muhlenberg shall determine that parking of motor vehicles upon any public or private street, lane, alley or private parking lot is liable to interfere with the operations of the emergency services or hamper egress of occupants from buildings in case of fire or other emergency, parking in such areas shall be prohibited and said areas shall be posted "no parking, fire lane."

§ 175-3 Observance of signs.

No person shall park a motor vehicle or trailer in disregard of any sign erected pursuant to the provisions of this article.

§ 175-4 Definitions.

For the purpose of this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

BUILDING

The exterior surface of the vertical wall of the structure, excluding any marquee, portico, mansard roof or similar appendages.

§ 175-5 Violations and penalties.

[Amended 5-19-2008 by Ord. No. 454]

Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall be guilty of a summary offense and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine of $25 and costs of prosecution, provided that, upon conviction before a Magisterial District Judge after hearing, the fine shall be increased to $35, together with costs of prosecution.

§ 175-6 Enforcement.

Any member of the Muhlenberg Township Police Department is hereby authorized and empowered to enforce the provisions of this article of the Code of the Township of Muhlenberg, Berks County, Pennsylvania, as amended.