Here is a copy of a formal complaint that I just placed with the Rockaway Township Construction Department subsequent to a meeting on Friday that I had with three department members at town hall.
To: Andrew San Filippo and Mayor Louis Sceusi, From: Craig Maier Date: November 3rd, 2008
Andrew - - - thanks for meeting with me on Friday, October 31st, 2008 regarding my concerns pertaining to the cc signage permit that have been issued by Rockaway Township. I have the following complaints that I would like to formalize about this permit as outlined here:
1. The Green Pond Road sign is documented by the blueprints to have one 1 inch electrical branch circuit feeder. The "as built" configuration includes two 1 inch conduits. This is obviously at odds with the prints and so one of two things needs to be done:
A. The contractor must remove the existing second conduit B. The engineer who drew up the prints must submit an amendment to correct to prints so that the constructed system is accurately reflected and documented.
2. The Green Pond Road sign does not call out the number of light bulbs that will be used nor their Wattage, making it impossible to determine its electrical load on the designed feeder circuit and also making it impossible to determine the degree of light polution produced by the signage. I note the following township ordinance:
54-30.11 Signs
Please refer to paragraph c1 in which it states that "All applications seeking approval for signs shall submit at least the following information concerning the sign(s):
(a) - - - -
(f) - The method of sign illumination, (if any) including a detail showing the number, location and wattage of bulbs or other light sources, reflectors and shields, type of light source, etc."
Since this information was not submitted by the builder, I, as a taxpayer want to see this information before the project moves forward.
3. A second sign is planned near the Meriden Road entrance to the stated property. The documentation is missing the following items:
A. Electrical diagram (including conduits) showing the electrical system that will be used to drive the sign, including the size of the conduit(s).
B. The size of the current carrying conductors.
C. The size of the safety ground conductor(s).
D. The Wattage of the sign illumination light sources and their number (per 54-30.11, c-1-f).
As I am certain that you are as concerned as I am regarding the upholding of our local codes, I am confident that you will seek out the answers to my questions before allowing the party to continue his construction at the site in question. A cease and desist order is appropriate until the requirements are met.
Great job Rat. At least they know that someone is watching. It certainly seems that the Twp isnt paying any attention. It certainly seems to follow what you have been saying all along. If one of us tried to do it they would be all over us like white on rice, but not him. Thanks again. C.
Quick update - - - there has been no response by the township to the above complaint. I just put in a complaint to the townsip administrator concerning their lack of responsiveness to the issue.
So, now I have issued a complaint about the lack of response to the complaint. I wonder how far they will push it. I am quite certain that they do not really care what cc does. None of the 4 township employees involved in this discussion live in RT but for the Mayor. One of them (the township electrical inspector) acted in total distaste of my complaint in the meeting hinting that I am just complaining because of the nature of the institution in question. I hinted back that everyone at the table should be interested in upholding the codes and laws of the township, which did shut him up.
They have all probably been told by Mayor Excusie to downkey the entire issue since the Twp failed so miserably at protecting the town. I am sure they are hoping that we all forget and just fade away. I for one would love to fade away to SC if I could just unload the house here at something other than wholesale prices. We'll see. Maybe next year will be better, or the year after that, or the year after that... C.
I have some good news to report. Our government officials here in RT are doing the right thing with respect to the above complaint. And the fix is going to be painful for the developer I think that the moral of the story is this. CC - - - you and the state have been real loosey-goosey with the state laws pertaining to the envoriment (different sets of plans submitted to RT vs the DEP etc) but we will be watching every move that you make here in RT pertaining to compliance with codes and subcodes. We will tolerate no bull**** from you and the local and national codes will be strictly enforced locally.
Please read the response that I reveived from the township today presented below:
In reference to your E-Mail concerning the signage at Christ Church please be advised that the existing second conduit is being removed and our electrical inspector will be inspecting to verify its removal. We have the description of the sign and are awaiting the specs showing the actual wattage. The contractor has been advised to submit this info to our office. The second sign has not yet been erected. Should you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us.
When the extra conduit is removed (it will take excavating to do that), I will personally go check to be sure that the work has been done. I will check that the counduits running from the building to the pull box and from the pull box to the signage location has been removed all the way through.
Also, when the sign specs are in, I shall perform the calculations necessary to see if the electrical conductors are properly sized per the NEC (National Electrical Code) based on Wattage, Power Factor, Duty Cycle of operation, Temperature of Conductors, Voltage Drop and circuit Ampacity. I shall also double check the sizing of the safety ground return conductor based on the abovementioned calculations.
If the system does not comply with any of the NEC requirements, I shall issue another complaint to the building department citing chapter and verse from the NEC. I shall keep it up until they get it right.
As it stands right now, it is not possible to verify NEC compliance since there are no specifications submitted by liarland pertaining to the load parameters for the sign.
I think that we all must do whatever we can do to keep these intruders honest and strictly compliant with our laws.
Thanks for your efforts. I good to have someone on our side with the knowledge, ability and motivation to keep them honest and compliant with the rules.
