Bill Text: NJ S2254 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Authorizes snow removal from covered fire hydrants and locator pole installation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-05 - Substituted by A2996 (3R) [S2254 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S2254-Amended.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JIM WHELAN
District 2 (Atlantic)
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes snow removal from covered fire hydrants and locator pole installation.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee on December 8, 2014, with amendments.
An Act concerning snow accumulation over fire hydrants, and supplementing chapter 65 of Title 40 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
"Director" means the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs.
"Division" means the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs.
"Hydrant locator pole" means a pole installed on a fire hydrant to enable the hydrant to be located when covered in snow.
"Snow coverage" means the initial complete coverage of the fire hydrant as a result of natural precipitation or street clearing activities.
"Water purveyor" means a public or private entity, including both for-profit and not-for-profit companies, that provides water for human consumption.
b. On or before the first day of the twelfth month next following the operative date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the governing body of every municipality may:
(1) install, or cause to be installed, a hydrant locator pole on every working fire hydrant within municipal boundaries. The hydrant locator pole shall be maintained in compliance with rules and regulations adopted by the director;
(2) 1[adopt an ordinance or resolution, as applicable, notwithstanding any provision of chapter 19 of Title 48 of the Revised Statutes, requiring any water purveyor servicing the municipality to clear all fire hydrants within their service area of snow, within 24 hours of snow coverage, in compliance with rules and regulations adopted by the director;
(3)]1 adopt an ordinance or resolution, as applicable, requiring the owner of any real property abutting any fire hydrant to clear such fire hydrant of snow, within 24 hours of snow coverage, in compliance with rules and regulations adopted by the director; or
1[(4)] (3)1 adopt an ordinance or resolution, as applicable, directing the municipality itself, or any department thereof, to clear all fire hydrants of snow, within 24 hours of snow coverage, in compliance with rules and regulations adopted by the director.
c. If a party responsible for fire hydrant clearance under subsection b. of this section fails to perform the required clearance
within the specified time, the municipality, or any department thereof, may perform the clearance and bill the responsible party no more than $75 for the service.
2. On or before the first day of the sixth month next following enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the director, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), and in consultation with the Director of the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs, shall adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the implementation of this act, including guidance for the acceptable physical characteristics of hydrant locator poles, maintenance requirements for such poles, and snow removal standards.
3. This act shall take effect immediately, but section 1 shall remain inoperative until the first day of the sixth month next following enactment.
