[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City
of Northfield 10-7-1980 by Ord. No. 19-80 (Ch. 70 of the 1974
Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 111.
Upon determination by the Fire Inspector of
the City of Northfield that such action is necessary for purposes
of public safety, the Fire Inspector of the City of Northfield, acting
as Chief Fire Official and Fire Prevention Subcode Official, may require
the owner or owners of any shopping center, commercial structure,
multiple-dwelling group, office building, school or such similar structure
or area to designate a fire zone within the driveways of the premises
leading to and from the parking areas, the loading areas, the public
street or rights-of-way leading to these buildings or structures or
the parking areas adjacent thereto, sufficient to ensure fire equipment
and other emergency vehicles an unobstructed means of ingress to and
egress from the properties and buildings located therein in the event
of fire or other emergency.
The number, locations, dimensions and markings
of such fire zone areas shall be determined by the Fire Inspector
based upon the size, type and location of the buildings within the
shopping center, commercial complex, multiple-dwelling group, office
building, school or place of public assembly, the types of uses contained
therein, the number of motor vehicles operated and parking upon the
property, the number of persons or businesses using and occupying
the premises, the existing means of ingress and egress, the total
area of the property and other such factors relevant to such determination.
The fire zones, also to be known as "fire lanes,"
shall be not less than 10 feet nor more than 50 feet in width and
shall be striped and lettered in yellow on a paved surface. In addition,
metal fire zone signs, the lettering of same to be legible, shall
be provided, erected and maintained by said owner or owners and placed
at the discretion of the Fire Inspector. All signs and markings shall
be of a design and quality approved by the Fire Inspector and lettered
in accordance with applicable state law and as authorized in the current
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways.
The Council of the City of Northfield may adopt from time to
time maps depicting fire zones, which maps are on file in the Clerk’s
office.
No vehicle shall at any time be permitted to
stop, stand, park or in any other manner obstruct any area that has
been designated as a fire zone or fire lane as herein provided. This
provision does not apply to any emergency vehicle responding to an
emergency and making use of the fire zone or fire lane for that purpose.
[Amended 8-25-1981 by Ord. No. 12-81]
A.
The provisions of this § 181-6 providing for a penalty to be fixed by the court shall be applicable only to the owners of property who fail to properly mark and post those zones duly specified as fire zones by the Fire Inspector of the City of Northfield and as designated by supplements to this chapter, inclusive of Ord. No. 5-1981, and all supplementing ordinances thereafter.
B.
Anyone who violates this chapter by parking within
any zone which has been designated as a fire zone, fire lane or loading-only
zone shall be assessed a fine of $15.
A.
In addition to the penalty provided herein, when any
motor vehicle shall be found to be improperly parked, stopped or standing
within any fire zone or fire lane in violation of this chapter, any
enforcing officer, in addition to any other remedies provided within
this chapter, may order the motor vehicle to be removed by a towing
service authorized and licensed by the City of Northfield. The owner
of the motor vehicle, in addition to any other responsibilities incurred
herein, shall be responsible for all towing and storage charges incurred.
B.
The towing of any motor vehicle ordered pursuant to
the provisions of this chapter shall be immediately reported to the
Chief of Police or his designee. A permanent log of all such reports
shall be maintained by the Police Department.
