STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator CHRIS A. BROWN
District 2 (Atlantic)
Senator ROBERT W. SINGER
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Requires certain local authorities to inspect, maintain, and repair fire hydrants in planned real estate developments.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning fire hydrants located on private streets and supplementing P.L.1957, c.183 (C.40:14B-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. In the interest of public safety, every municipal authority created pursuant to P.L.1957, c.183 (C.40:14B-1 et seq.) shall assume the same responsibility for the inspection, maintenance, and repair of fire hydrants located on streets and roads in planned real estate developments within its service borders, regardless of whether those roads or streets are dedicated to the municipality in which the planned real estate development is located, as it exercises over fire hydrants located along public streets and roads. Such a municipal authority shall inspect, maintain, and repair, fire hydrants located on streets and roads in planned real estate developments within its service borders in the same manner and to the same extent as fire hydrants that are not located in planned real estate developments are inspected, maintained, and repaired by that authority.
As used in this act, "planned real estate development" means any real property situated within the State, whether contiguous or not, which consists of or will consist of, separately owned areas, irrespective of form, be it lots, parcels, units, or interest, and which are offered or disposed of pursuant to a common promotional plan, and providing for common or shared elements or interests in real property, but shall not include timeshares.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require, in the interest of public safety, that every municipal authority created pursuant to the "municipal and county utilities authorities law," P.L.1957, c.183 (C.40:14B-1 et seq.) must assume the same responsibility for the inspection, maintenance, and repair of fire hydrants located on streets and roads in planned real estate developments within its service borders, regardless of whether those roads or streets are dedicated to the municipality in which the planned real estate development is located, as it exercises over fire hydrants located along public streets and roads. Under the provisions of the bill, these authorities must inspect, maintain, and repair, fire hydrants located on streets and roads in planned real estate developments within their service borders in the same manner and to the same extent as fire hydrants that are not located in planned real estate developments are inspected, maintained, and repaired by that authority.
The bill defines "planned real estate development" as any real property situated within the State, whether contiguous or not, which consists of or will consist of, separately owned areas, irrespective of form, be it lots, parcels, units, or interest, and which are offered or disposed of pursuant to a common promotional plan, and providing for common or shared elements or interests in real property, but not timeshares.
The requirements of this bill are intended to ensure fundamental fairness between these authority customers, regardless of where they live, and to ensure that all fire hydrants are inspected, maintained, and repaired, in the same manner so that in case of a fire, water will be available to fight it from any available fire hydrant.