Borough of Ship Bottom, NJ Chapter 15.08 Building Numbering

§ 15.08.010 Numbering of buildings.

[Ord. 2003-8 § 1, 2003]

A. Purpose. The purpose of these regulations is to require the clear display of authorized and assigned house or building numbers on every building fronting on any street in the Borough of Ship Bottom in order to assist the general public and emergency services, public and private, in identifying any property in case of emergency or otherwise.

B. Applicability. All residential, commercial, industrial or other structures erected or to be erected within the Borough of Ship Bottom shall display identification numbers as provided herein and in accordance with specifications provided herein.

C. Determination and Assignment of House Numbers. House numbers shall be determined and assigned by the Borough of Ship Bottom. The owner of any structure requiring a house number, for which structure such a number has not been assigned as of the effective date of this section, will be notified by the Borough when such number is assigned to the structure.

D. Responsibility of Owners. The owner, occupant or lessee of each and every structure which now fronts or which may hereafter front upon any public or private street within the Borough of Ship Bottom who has been assigned a house number prior to the effective date of this section shall, at his or her own expense, within 30 days after the effective date of this section, cause the authorized and assigned number of such structure to be permanently and conspicuously placed in accordance with the specifications set forth herein. Any owner who has not been assigned a number prior to the effective date of this section shall, within 30 days after notice of assignment of such number, comply with the requirements of this subsection.

E. Number Specifications. House or building numbers shall be:

1. In Arabic numerals;

2. A minimum height of three inches for residential properties and a minimum height of six inches for commercial and industrial properties;

3. Mounted in a secure fashion to the front wall or porch of the building so as to be clearly visible from the street;

4. Sufficiently legible as to contrasting background, arrangement, spacing and uniformity so as to be clearly visible from the street;

5. At least 30 inches above ground level and so placed that trees, shrubs and other obstructions do not block the line of sight of the numbers from the street upon which the building fronts;

F. Placement on Posts, Rods or Mailboxes. If numbers affixed to the front of the building would not be visible from the street, regulations may be satisfied if the owner, occupant or lessee shall provide the Arabic numerals, as required by these regulations, upon a post, rod or other type of fixture of substantial nature or a mailbox at or near the frontage with the same number affixed thereof and so located upon the same so that the number may be conspicuous and visible from the street upon which the building fronts. When the provisions of this section have been complied with, the owner, occupant or lessee of the house or building shall not be otherwise obligated to affix Arabic numerals to the house or building and shall be permitted, at his or her option, to utilize cursive numbers or no numbers at all upon the house or building.

G. Garden Apartments and Townhouse Condominium Complexes. Garden apartment and townhouse condominium complexes shall provide such building and apartment numbers as are provided for in the regulations.

H. Withholding of Certificate of Occupancy. Any structure erected, repaired, altered or modified after the effective date of this section shall have the certificate of occupancy withheld until it is assigned a house number and said number is affixed to the structure in accordance with this section.

I. Violations and Penalties.

1. Any person violating or failing to comply with any of the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 by imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days or by community service as determined in the discretion of the municipal court judge. The continuation of such violation for each successive day shall constitute a separate offense, and the person or persons allowing or permitting the continuation of the violation may be punished as provided above for each separate offense.

2. The violation of any provision of this section shall be subject to abatement summarily by a restraining order or injunction issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.