Village of Ocean Beach, NY Article IV Key Boxes

[Adopted 4-28-2006 by L.L. No. 6-2006]

§ 87-30 Findings and purpose.

A. The Village Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Ocean Beach has been advised by the Village Fire Department's Chief of the need to consider a key box local law.

B. A key box local law provides for the placement, in secured, locked containers, of keys to important areas within a structure and information that may be vital and necessary to the health, safety and welfare of the occupants and the responding fire fighters. Access to those key areas and advance knowledge of their location and the location of hazardous or potentially hazardous materials enhances the responding fire company's abilities to preserve and protect lives and property.

C. The purpose of this article is to speed the access to buildings for responding fire companies and limit the amount of potential physical damage to structures brought about by the need to access a building or structure promptly to save lives, prevent injuries and protect property.

§ 87-31 Key box required; exemptions.

A. All buildings located within the Village of Ocean Beach shall be equipped with a key box.

B. One- and two-family dwellings and buildings having a twenty-four-hour, seven-day-per-week security guard with access to all areas shall be specifically exempted from the requirements for a key box.

§ 87-32 Type and location.

A. The key box shall be of UL-type approved by the Village of Ocean Beach Building Department, Village of Ocean Beach Fire Marshal and the chief fire official.

B. The key box shall be located in a location approved by the Village of Ocean Beach Building Department, Village of Ocean Beach Fire Marshal and the chief fire official. The key box shall be located within five feet of a building's main entrance, within unobstructed view of the main entrance and shall be mounted six feet above grade.

§ 87-33 Contents.

The key box shall contain the following:

A. Keys to locked points of egress, interior and exterior.

B. Keys to locked mechanical and sprinkler riser rooms.

C. Keys to locked electrical rooms.

D. Keys to elevator controls and fire alarm control panels.

E. Keys to other areas as directed by the Village of Ocean Beach Building Department.

F. Access codes to digital keypads.

G. Hazardous materials information, including material safety data sheets for materials located within the building.

H. Other pertinent data as directed by the Village of Ocean Beach Building Department, Village of Ocean Beach Fire Marshal or the chief fire official.

§ 87-34 Time for compliance.

A. All existing buildings covered by this article shall comply within six months of the effective date of this article.

B. All new construction covered by this article, including buildings currently under construction as of the effective date, for which no certificate of occupancy has been issued, shall comply immediately.

§ 87-35 Penalties for offenses.

Failure to comply with any portion of this article shall be deemed a misdemeanor, and the violator shall be liable for a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000, and each day such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.