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Borough of Wenonah, NJ
Gloucester County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Adopted 4-28-1988[2]]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also § 70-28 of Ch. 70, Water.
[2]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded former Art. 11, Street Openings, adopted 12-12-1947.
For purposes of this ordinance, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meanings herein given:
APPLICANT
Any person making written application to the Borough and/or Borough Engineer for an excavation permit.
EMERGENCY OPENING
An urgent opening and repair operation required to protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public from the immediate hazards posed by a broken and/or leaking facility, an eroded and undermined structure or other similar instance involving a sudden and unforeseen hazard.
MAINTENANCE SURETY
A corporate bond, guaranty bond, or certified check or other similar surety acceptable to the Borough Solicitor as a guaranty of good faith performance of all maintenance and repair required at the site.
PERFORMANCE SURETY
A corporate bond, performance bond, certified check or other similar security, acceptable to the Borough Solicitor, furnished by the applicant as a guaranty of good faith in performing and completing the work, as described in the application and permit documents, in full compliance with the construction standards contained herein and to assure that any subsequent necessary repairs are accomplished to the satisfaction of the Borough Engineer.
PERMITTEE
Any person who has been granted, and has in full force and effect, a permit issued hereunder.
PERSON
Any person, firm, partnership, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
STREET OR ROAD
The entire width between property lines of any way open to the use of the public by right.
The provisions of this ordinance shall apply to all streets or roads now in use or hereafter dedicated for public use within the limits of the Borough of Wenonah.
On or after the effective date of this ordinance, it shall be unlawful, unless a specific street opening permit has been secured, to:
A. 
Excavate, open or make any excavation in or under the surface of any street for any purpose.
B. 
Place, deposit or leave upon any street any earth or other excavated material obstructing or tending to interfere with the free use of the street.
A. 
In order to apply for a permit to excavate as herein provided, a person shall:
(1) 
Submit to the Borough Clerk a written application for the issuance of an excavation permit.
(2) 
Upon the application, state name, address and telephone number, along with any other information as required by the Borough Clerk and/or Borough Engineer.
(3) 
Attach a plan to the application clearly indicating the scope, extent and details of the proposed work.
B. 
A fee representing application and inspection expenses to be incurred by the borough relative to any individual permit shall be presented to the Borough Clerk with the application. The fee shall be in an amount varying with the size of the road opening as follows:
[Amended 4-24-1997 by Ord. No. 97-4]
(1) 
First five square yards: $150.
(2) 
Each additional five square yards: $7.50.
Before issuance of any permit, the following sureties are to be provided to the Borough Clerk:
A. 
A performance surety in a sum based upon an engineer's estimate, prepared by the applicant, and approved as to quantities and costs by the Borough Engineer. Sureties may be in the form of cash or performance bonds, including corporate (blanket) bonds, in an amount approved by the Borough Engineer to adequately guarantee the restoration of any unrestored opening. Such surety to be in a form approved by the Borough Solicitor.
B. 
Maintenance surety. In addition to the posting of a performance surety, and as a condition to the release of same, the permittee shall post a maintenance surety. The amount of such surety shall be 10% of the aforesaid engineer's estimate of project cost. The permittee shall be responsible for all maintenance and repairs required at the site for a period of one year following satisfactory completion and approval of the work by the Borough Engineer.
Within 10 working days of the receipt of a properly completed application and receipt of all fees and deposits herein described, the borough may, at its discretion, issue a permit to excavate or open any street surface located within its jurisdiction. The permit shall state the name, address and telephone number; the location of the work site; and the time period for which the permit shall be effective. The time period may be extended by the Borough Engineer for reasonable cause. The Borough Engineer has the authority to revoke any permit at any time for reasonable cause.
The Borough of Wenonah reserves the right to deny issuance of a street opening permit to any applicant who has received proper, legal, prior notice that street improvement is to take place and giving notice that street openings will not be permitted for a period of up to five years following such improvement.
A. 
Insurance. The permittee shall purchase and maintain, during the life of the permit, such public liability and property damage insurance as shall protect the Borough of Wenonah from claims for damages for personal injury, including accidental death, as well as from claims for property damage which may arise from operations under the permit, whether such operations are conducted by the permittee, any subcontractor of the permittee or anyone employed directly or indirectly by either of them. The amounts of such insurance shall not be less than the following:
(1) 
Workmen's compensation: as required by all applicable federal, state or other laws, including employers' liability, with a limit of at least $100,000.
(2) 
Comprehensive general liability:
Type
Amount
Personal injury
Each person
$1,000,000
Each occurrence
$1,000,000
Property damage
Each person
$250,000
Each occurrence
$250,000
(3) 
Comprehensive automobile liability:
Type
Amount
Personal injury
Each person
$1,000,000
Each occurrence
$1,000,000
Property damage
Each occurrence
$100,000
(4) 
Blanket catastrophe liability insurance: $5,000,000.
B. 
Indemnification. The applicant, upon securing said permit, agrees to hold the borough harmless from any and all claims of any nature arising out of any work covered by said permit. The borough, in issuing said permit, shall not assume liability in connection therewith. In the event of any suit or claim against the borough by reason of the negligence or default of the permittee of any nature, upon notification by the borough to the permittee of such suit or claim, any final judgment against the borough requiring it to pay for such damage shall be conclusive upon the permittee, and the permittee shall be liable for all borough costs in connection with such suit or claim. The permittee shall also be responsible for any and all legal fees and costs of suit incurred as a result of any suit or claim and shall reimburse the borough for all such costs within 30 days of receipt of a billing for same from the borough.
A. 
The provisions of this ordinance shall not apply to any persons engaged in any construction activity authorized by, and under the administration of, the borough.
B. 
Upon review of a permit application by the Borough Engineer, the borough may waive the permit process outlined in this ordinance when the Borough Engineer deems it to be in the best interest of the Borough to permit such waiver.
C. 
In the event that any sewer, main, conduit or other utility installation in or under any street, alley, sidewalk or public way shall burst, break or otherwise be in such condition as to endanger persons or property, the owner of such sewer, main, conduit or other installation shall immediately take all necessary steps to make the location safe and secure. However, such owner shall apply for a permit within 10 days after such steps have been taken, and the necessary permanent repairs to such location shall be made under the supervision of the Borough Engineer, and subject to his/her approval, in accordance with the terms of this ordinance.
A. 
Permits shall become null and void unless work is commenced within 30 days of the issuance of the permit. An extension of time may be granted by the Borough Engineer for reasonable cause.
B. 
All excavations must be backfilled and temporarily restored at the end of each workday and barricaded and/or covered utilizing methods approved by the Borough Engineer, with final restoration to be completed within 90 days of opening, unless otherwise directed by the Borough Engineer.
A. 
The permittee is responsible for contacting all public utility companies to determine if any of their facilities are located in the vicinity of the proposed excavation site and to comply with any statutes or regulations pertaining thereto. The permittee has the additional responsibility to notify affected utility companies and the Borough Engineer at least three working days before starting construction.
B. 
All permittees shall call the New Jersey Utility Opening Service at 800/272-1000 to obtain necessary clearances before beginning excavation, as well as other utilities not participating in the Utility Opening Service. No work shall be commenced without the knowledge and approval of the Borough Engineer and until all existing utilities have been accurately located and clearly marked.
C. 
All construction activities are to be conducted in full compliance with applicable safety standards, including those of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of the United States Department of Labor and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Industry Construction Safety Code.
D. 
If it is necessary to leave an excavation open overnight or for an extended period, the permittee shall place and maintain sufficient lighted barricades at the site. He shall notify the Police Department of the condition of the site and supply the name and telephone number of a representative who may be reached at all times. Flame torches or flashing lights must be provided in adequate quantity as required by the Borough Engineer, who may require more warning lights at his sole discretion. All traffic warning devices shall conform to the New Jersey Department of Transportation Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices requirements.
E. 
The permittee shall provide, install and maintain suitable steel or timber barriers if necessary by the condition of the site or if required by the Borough Engineer.
F. 
Pipes and equipment encountered during excavation shall be protected and maintained in service. Any utility damaged or destroyed shall be immediately repaired or replaced by the permittee at his or her expense and to the satisfaction of the utility company and/or the Borough Engineer.
A. 
The permittee shall provide whatever measures are necessary to assure that, during the performance of the permitted work, traffic will be maintained as normally as possible. The Borough Engineer, at his discretion, may permit the closing of streets to all traffic for more than eight hours.
B. 
The permittee shall keep all street excavations and related work guarded at all times and disturb no greater area than is absolutely necessary. The permittee shall route and control traffic, including its own vehicles, as directed by appropriate borough authorities. Before any street may be closed to traffic, the permittee shall receive the approval of the Borough Engineer, who will communicate pertinent information to other appropriate borough officials.
C. 
Upon completion of the construction, the permittee shall notify the Borough Engineer before traffic is returned to its normal flow so that any necessary adjustments may be made.
D. 
Where flagmen are deemed to be necessary by the Borough Engineer, they shall be furnished by the permittee at its own expense. Traffic shall be maintained without the aid of detours, if possible, and if not, the Borough Engineer shall designate and/or approve detour routes.
E. 
The permitted work shall be conducted so as not to interfere with access to fire or emergency stations and fire hydrants. Materials or other objects shall not be placed within 15 feet of fire hydrants.
A. 
Pavement cutting shall be by pneumatic hammer, mechanical paving cutters, saws or other methods approved by the Borough Engineer.
B. 
Trench excavations shall be by open cut from the surface, properly braced if necessary. Changes to this procedure must be approved in writing by the Borough Engineer.
C. 
The length of trench and area of surface to be disturbed or unrestored at any one time shall be controlled by the Borough Engineer, with regard given both to expeditious construction completion and to the convenience and comfort of the persons residing in the neighborhood or frequenting the streets involved in the construction.
D. 
The method of filling and compacting excavations shall be established to the satisfaction of the Borough Engineer, depending on the size of the opening and the quality and suitability of the excavated material encountered at the site for filling/backfilling purposes. Methods are not necessarily limited to the methods described below:
(1) 
The trench or other excavation shall be carefully filled with suitable material. No rock or frozen earth shall be put in the excavation. Clean, select fill shall reach at least two feet above the top of the utility. Fill material shall be compacted as follows:
(a) 
By approved vibratory soil compactors if the fill material is predominantly sand, or sand and gravel, but contains more than 12% by weight of material that will pass the 200-mesh sieve. Approved flat-faced mechanical tampers may be substituted for the vibratory soil compactors where special conditions make the use of vibratory compactors impractical, at the discretion and/or determination of the Borough Engineer.
(b) 
By approved vibratory soil compactors or puddling if the material is predominantly sand, or sand and gravel, and contains not more than 12% by weight of material that will pass the 200-mesh sieve. Approved flat-faced mechanical tampers may be substituted for the vibratory soil compactors where special conditions make the use of vibratory compactors impractical, as determined by the Borough Engineer.
(c) 
By approved flat-faced mechanical tampers if the fill material is not predominantly sand, or sand and gravel.
(d) 
Fill around inlets, manholes and other structures shall be compacted by using flat-faced mechanical tampers.
(2) 
Where mechanical tampers or vibratory soil compactors are used in accordance with the foregoing provisions, fill shall be placed in layers not more than six inches thick and compacted to not less than 98% of maximum density with a moisture content of 10%. Where excavations are puddled in accordance with the foregoing provisions, the fill shall be placed in successive lifts not more than four feet thick, and each lift shall be thoroughly puddled before the next lift is placed. The application of water shall be continuous until puddling of each lift is evidenced by a constant head without further addition of water. If more than a twelve-inch depth remains unfilled after the final puddling, the remaining fill shall be tamped or vibrated as specified in Subsection D(1)(a) and (b).
(3) 
Rock or concrete pieces weighing more than five pounds shall not be put in the excavation. All spaces between suitable pieces of rock/concrete shall be thoroughly filled with earth by filling in alternate layers of rock/concrete and earth.
(4) 
All materials excavated, if suitable, shall be used for filling excavations. All excavated material not used for fill shall remain the property of the borough and shall be removed and stockpiled by the permittee at the direction of the Borough Engineer.
(5) 
The Borough Engineer reserves the right to require, at any time, the performance of tests by a qualified testing laboratory to determine whether or not the fill meets the requirements of the specifications. The permittee shall be responsible for all costs of making the necessary tests.
E. 
All areas shall be kept neat and clean during construction, and all debris shall be removed from the site at the permittee's expense. All materials removed from the site shall be disposed of properly and legally. No debris shall be left behind.
F. 
Care of existing structures. Care shall be taken not to touch, move or damage any sewers, drains, culverts, poles, water or gas pipes, etc., or structures near them that may be encountered during construction. They shall be securely hung, braced or supported in place by the permittee at his/her own expense. All utility poles adjacent to the excavation shall be braced and protected during construction. Whenever it is necessary to interfere with any such structures, the permittee shall maintain services at his/her own expense and repair any damage that may occur. The permittee shall leave them in as good condition as when found.
G. 
Should dewatering be necessitated, either by the nature of the work site or by order of the Borough Engineer, permittee shall provide any and all equipment necessary for the purpose. Water removed from the excavation shall be conveyed in an environmentally acceptable and approved manner to a suitable point of discharge. If deemed necessary by the Borough Engineer, such water is to be treated in a way that will assure removal of silt and other foreign material prior to being discharged into a gutter, storm sewer or receiving body of water.
H. 
Road surface restoration.
(1) 
Permanent restoration of the wearing course shall be of hot-mix materials, and the street surface shall be restored to a condition acceptable to the Borough Engineer. All seams and joints between new and old paving and curb surfaces shall be sealed with a mop coat of cutback asphalt.
(2) 
During the months when hot-mix bituminous concrete is unavailable, the trench or excavation shall be restored temporarily using at least two inches of cold-mix bituminous concrete. The permittee shall, to the satisfaction of the Borough Engineer, maintain the surface of the excavation until permanent restoration materials are available.
(3) 
Permanent restoration of the wearing course shall be a minimum of two-inch-thick Mix I-5 (FABC). In no case shall the restored thickness be less than the original pavement thickness. Where the original pavement consists of a base (I-2, stabilized) and a surface course, the restored area shall be equal to the original in construction and thickness.
(4) 
Any deterioration or settlement in the permanent restoration which occurs within a one-year period after completion and acceptance by the Borough Engineer shall be repaired with FABC Mix I-5, hot-mix bituminous concrete.
(5) 
All road surface restoration shall conform to the New Jersey Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, 1983.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this ordinance, except as provided in § 56-22 herein, shall, upon conviction in the Municipal Court of the Borough of Wenonah, be punished for such offense by a fine not to exceed $500 or by imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days in the county jail, or both. The Municipal Judge before whom any person is convicted of violation of this ordinance shall have the power to impose any fine or term of imprisonment, or both, not exceeding the maximums fixed in this ordinance.
Should any section, clause, sentence, phrase or provision of this ordinance be declared unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the remaining portions of this ordinance.
All prior ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent with this ordinance be and the same are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistencies.
This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon passage and due publication according to law.