Bill > A250

Introduced Session

This bill would establish a number of fire safety standards for light frame construction of new multiple dwellings, hotels, and rooming and boarding houses with more than two dwelling or sleeping units. The massive fire that quickly spread through and destroyed much of a large light frame construction apartment building in Edgewater in 2015, and which displaced about 1,000 people, demonstrated that the State's construction code needs to be strengthened to improve fire safety. This bill would establish several construction code requirements and a fire watch requirement to help limit the spread of fires in larger light frame construction residential buildings, to protect both residents and first responders. Under the bill, covered residential buildings may only be newly constructed utilizing light frame construction if: (1) an automatic sprinkler system is installed throughout the building in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13; (2) the number of stories permitted is measured from grade plane and includes any pedestals or podiums; (3) the fire partitions and horizontal separations are constructed of noncombustible materials and have a fire-resistance rating of at least two hours; (4) the fire partitions extend from the foundation to the roof; (5) the fire walls are resistant to moisture and capable of passing the hose stream test in accordance with the construction code; (6) if any light framing is unprotected, the building is limited to three stories and does not exceed 60 feet above grade plane or, if all light framing is protected, the building is limited to four stories and does not exceed 70 feet above grade plane; and (7) a horizontal assembly is not used to permit the stacking of separate buildings for purposes of exceeding the height, area, and other limitations of the bill and the code, if the structure has five or more dwelling or sleeping units. In addition, for a covered residential light frame construction project, this bill would require the owner or developer to hire a fire watch warden to provide 24 hour a day monitoring of construction. A fire watch warden must be present from the time the construction project begins until the final sprinkler inspection is completed and a certificate of occupancy has issued. In the event of a fire or other emergency, the fire watch warden must alert local first responders. The fire watch warden must also report fire safety issues to the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs, which may request that the local construction code official revoke construction permits for projects posing fire safety risks. The Division of Fire Safety may assess owners and developers of covered construction projects reasonable fees to cover the costs incurred by the division for carrying out its responsibilities under the bill. The bill also requires that an identifying emblem be affixed to each exterior entrance of a structure with light frame or truss construction to warn firefighters and the general public of the existence of light frame and truss-type construction in the structure. Under current law, an identifying emblem must be affixed to the front of a structure utilizing truss construction only. Lastly, the bill requires that placards identifying the primary structural system of a structure be placed adjacent to the fire alarm control panel and on an exterior wall within 10 feet of the main entrance to the structure.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Wayne DeAngelo (D)*,  Raj Mukherji (D)*,  Annette Quijano (D)*,  John Armato (D),  Annette Chaparro (D),  Vincent Mazzeo (D),  Angela Mcknight (D),  Carol Murphy (D), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Housing Committee (on 01/14/2020)

Official Document