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The following information about the establishment of Fire Lanes in the Town of Groton is from the Code of Ordinances, Town of Groton, CT. The entire municipal code may be accessed by clicking on the following link: GROTON MUNICIPAL CODES
ARTICLE II. FIRE LANES*
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*Cross references:
Motor vehicles and traffic, ch. 11; parking, stopping and standing, §
11-56 et seq.
State law references:
Establishment of fire zones, C.G.S. § 29-293.
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Sec. 7-26. Definitions.
A fire lane is a designated, unobstructed
passageway sufficient in size to permit free passage of fire apparatus
and other emergency equipment from a public highway to all necessary
areas or portions of any private or public property as set forth in this
article.
(Code 1969, § 5 1/2-21; Ord. No. 146, § 1,
2-19-80; Ord. No. 223, § 1, 10-5-93)
Cross references:
Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2.
Sec. 7-27. Established by fire marshal.
Whenever the fire marshal having jurisdiction
within any district in the town shall determine that the reasonable
safety of persons occupying or using any public or private premises
within such district having a capacity of at least 15 persons requires
the establishment of a fire lane for orderly access of fire and other
emergency equipment to the premises, he shall establish such fire lane
by written order designating and describing such lane. The fire marshal
shall cause a copy of such order to be delivered by certified mail to
the owner, or owners, or tenants thereof, of any private land on which
such fire lane is established, and shall cause a public announcement to
be made of the establishment of such lane.
(Code 1969, § 5 1/2-22; Ord. No. 146, § 2,
2-19-80; Ord. No. 223, § 2, 10-5-93)
Sec. 7-28. Aggrievement procedure.
Whenever the fire marshal of any such district
establishes a fire lane, he shall file one copy of his order with the
clerk of the town council and one copy with the traffic authority of the
town. Any person aggrieved by such order may file with the clerk of the
town council within 15 days of the date of the mailing of such order,
written notice of appeal, setting forth therein reasons of aggrievement.
After hearing, the town council shall affirm, modify or rescind such
order within 60 days of the date of order.
(Code 1969, § 5 1/2-23; Ord. No. 146, § 3,
2-19-80; Ord. No. 223, § 3, 10-5-93)
Sec. 7-29. Erection of signs, markings, etc.
Upon establishment of a fire lane, the traffic
authority of the town shall within 90 days cause to be erected or
installed, adequate signs, markings or other devices to delineate such
fire lane. Such signs, markings or other devices must conform to
specifications provided by the traffic authority. It is required that
white markings be used to delineate permissible parking areas and only
yellow markings be used where restricted parking, pursuant to a fire
lane, exists. This will include, but not be limited to, parking spaces,
curb sides, sidewalk lines, and sides of buildings. When it is
determined that curbs and/or sides of sidewalks are to be painted
yellow, the entire exposed area of such curb or sidewalk side will be
painted. Signs, markings and other devices erected or installed on
privately owned premises shall be at the cost of the owner and may be
billed for and collected in the same manner as municipal taxes, provided
such traffic authority causes a notice of lien to be filed on the land
records within 60 days after such erection or installation.
Upon installation of a fire lane by the owner or
agents thereof, or in a situation of noncompliance in which the traffic
authority of the town causes such compliance, such owner, owners, or
agents thereof shall then have the cost and responsibility to maintain
in good condition the adequate signs, markings and other devices already
erected or installed to delineate such fire lane, and promptly replace
and/or install or repair such signs, markings or other devices
necessitated by theft, vandalism, accident, weathering or other
unforeseen circumstance or need.
Whenever the town traffic authority identifies a
need for replacement, repair, maintenance or installation of signs,
markings or other devices to delineate a fire lane which is already
established, it shall notify the owner, owners or agents of such private
property by written order by certified mail describing such repair,
replacement and/or improvement to be made. In the event of an owner's
failure to respond to such order, the traffic authority of the town
shall, after 30 days from the mailing of such order, cause such repair,
replacement and/or improvement to be made at the cost of the owner. Such
cost may be billed for and collected in the same manner as described
above.
(Code 1969, § 5 1/2-24; Ord. No. 146, § 4,
2-19-80; Ord. No. 223, § 4, 10-5-93)
Sec. 7-30. Parking within prohibited; exception.
No person shall park or permit any motor vehicle
to stand in a fire lane or to obstruct a fire hydrant except when
actually picking up and discharging passengers.
(Code 1969, § 5 1/2-25; Ord. No. 146, § 5,
2-19-80; Ord. No. 223, § 5, 10-5-93)
Sec. 7-31. Notice of violation; fines.
Whenever any police officer finds any vehicle in
violation of section 7-30, he shall attach to such vehicle a notice to
the owner or operator that such vehicle has been parked in violation of
the law, which notice shall indicate the nature of the violation and
shall instruct such owner or operator to report in person to the town
police department at police headquarters. If such owner or operator
appears at police headquarters within seven days of the time when such
notice was attached, he may pay to the police department the sum of
$25.00 which shall be in full satisfaction of such violation. If such
owner does not appear within seven days, but does appear within 14 days
of the time such notice was attached, he may pay to the police
department the sum of $50.00 which shall be in full satisfaction of such
violation. If such owner or operator does not appear at police
headquarters in response to such notice within 14 days and does not pay
the sum of $25.00 or $50.00, as the case may be, then the police
department shall cause such owner or operator to be prosecuted for such
violation in the court having jurisdiction of such violations.
(Code 1969, § 5 1/2-26; Ord. No. 146, § 6,
2-19-80; Ord. No. 223, § 6, 10-5-93)
Sec. 7-32. Removal of vehicle by police department.
Any vehicle found parked in violation of this
article may, if public convenience and necessity so require, be removed
or conveyed by or under the direction of a member of the police
department by towing the same or by other means to a public garage in
the town and such removal shall be at the cost and risk of the owner.
Before the owner or person in charge of such vehicle shall be permitted
to remove the same from the custody of the police department, he shall
furnish evidence of his identity and ownership or right to possession
and shall pay to the police department the towing and storage charges
reasonably incurred in such removal.
(Code 1969, § 5 1/2-27; Ord. No. 146, § 7,
2-19-80; Ord. No. 223, § 7, 10-5-93)
Sec. 7-33. Distribution of money collected.
All money collected by the police department under
this article shall be paid to the director of finance under such rules
and regulations as he may prescribe, subject to the approval of the town
manager and shall be deposited by him in the town's general fund.
(Code 1969, § 5 1/2-28; Ord. No. 146, § 8,
2-19-80; Ord. No. 223, § 8, 10-5-93)
Sec. 7-34. Prosecution of violation; fine.
In the event of prosecution, a violation of this
article shall constitute an offense for which any person found in
violation shall be fined not more than $100.00.
(Code 1969, § 5 1/2-29; Ord. No. 146, § 9,
2-19-80; Ord. No. 223, § 9, 10-5-93)