Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Verrelli, Mejia and Houghtaling
SYNOPSIS
“New Townhouse Fire Safety Act”; requires automatic fire sprinkler systems in new townhomes.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the “New Townhouse Fire Safety Act,” and supplementing P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.)
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “New Townhouse Fire Safety Act.”
2. As used in this act:
"Automatic fire sprinkler system" means an integrated system, including a suitable water supply, for the purpose of fire protection, consisting of piping designed in accordance with fire protection engineering standards, a portion of which is above the ground in a network of specially sized or hydraulically designed piping to which automatic fire sprinklers are connected in a systematic pattern.
"New townhouse" means a dwelling not previously occupied, for which a construction permit has been issued on or after the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), which is intended for residential use by not more than two households, and constructed in a group of two or more attached units.
3. a. On or before the first day of the seventh month next following enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Commissioner of Community Affairs shall modify the building subcode of the State Uniform Construction Code to require the installation of fire suppression systems in all new townhouses. The modification shall require all fire suppression systems to be in compliance with subchapter 10 of chapter 10 of Title 7 of the New Jersey Administrative Code regarding Physical Connections and Cross Connection Control by Containment, or any successor regulations, and shall require the installation of separate shut-off valves from the domestic water supply and the fire sprinkler water supply.
b. A construction permit application for a new townhouse subject to the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), shall not be declared complete without provisions for the installation of an automatic fire sprinkler system in accordance with the requirements of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
4. This act shall take
effect on the first day of the seventh month next following enactment, provided
that the Commissioner of Community Affairs shall take the anticipatory action
necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill, entitled the “New Townhouse Fire Safety Act,” would require the installation of an automatic fire sprinkler system in new townhouses during construction.
The bill requires that a construction permit application for a new townhouse would not be declared complete without provisions for the installation of an automatic fire sprinkler system in accordance with the requirements of the bill. The bill defines “new townhouse” as a dwelling not previously occupied, for which a construction permit has been issued after the effective date of the bill, and which is intended for residential use by not more than two households, and constructed in a group of two or more attached units.
The bill also directs the Commissioner of Community Affairs to modify the building subcode of the State Uniform Construction Code to require the installation of fire suppression systems in all new townhouses. This modification would require the installation of separate shut-off valves from the domestic water supply and the fire sprinkler water supply.
The requirements of this bill would apply to newly constructed townhouses as of the first day of the seventh month after enactment. Accordingly, development plans and building permits approved prior to the bill’s effective date would not be subject to the provisions of the bill.