Scotch Plains City Zoning Code
§ 23-7A.6
Reasonable Standards for All New EVSE and Make-Ready Parking Spaces.
[Added 3-21-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-4]
a.
Location and layout of EVSE and Make-Ready parking spaces is expected to vary based on the design and use of the primary parking area. It is expected flexibility will be required to provide the most convenient and functional service to users. Standards and criteria should be considered guidelines and flexibility should be allowed when alternatives can better achieve objectives for provision of this service.
b.
Installation:
1.
Installation of EVSE and Make-Ready parking spaces shall meet the electrical subcode of the Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.16.
2.
Each EVSE or Make-Ready parking space that is not accessible for people with disabilities shall be not less than nine feet wide or 18 feet in length. Exceptions may be made for existing parking spaces or parking spaces that were part of an application that received prior site plan approval.
3.
To the extent practical, the location of accessible parking spaces for people with disabilities with EVSE and Make Ready equipment shall comply with the general accessibility requirements of the Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23, and other applicable accessibility standards.
4.
Each EVSE or Make-Ready parking space that is accessible for people with disabilities shall comply with the sizing of accessible parking space requirements in the Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23, and other applicable accessibility standards.
c.
EVSE Parking:
1.
Publicly-accessible EVSE shall be reserved for parking and charging electric vehicles only. Electric vehicles shall be connected to the EVSE. The use of time limits is optional and shall be determined by the owner of the EVSE and/or property the EVSE is located on.
2.
Electric vehicles may be parked in any parking space designated for parking, subject to the restrictions that would apply to any other vehicle that would park in that space.
3.
Public Parking. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:48-2, publicly-accessible EVSE parking spaces shall be monitored by the Township's Police Department traffic enforcement and enforced in the same manner as any other parking. It shall be a violation of this section to park a non-electric vehicle in such a space, or to park an electric vehicle in such a space when it is not connected to the EVSE. Any non-electric vehicle parked or standing in a EVSE parking space or any electric vehicle parked and not connected to the EVSE shall be is subject to fine and/or impoundment of the offending vehicle as described in the general penalty provisions of Scotch Plains Township Code or Chapter 7 Section 7-3. Signage indicating the penalties for violations shall comply with paragraph e. below. Any vehicle parked in such a space shall make the appropriate payment for the space and observe the time limit for the underlying parking area, if applicable.
4.
Private Parking. The use of EVSE shall be monitored by the property owner or designee.
d.
Safety.
1.
Each publicly-accessible EVSE shall be located at a parking space that is designated for electric vehicles only and identified by green painted pavement and/or curb markings, a green painted charging pictograph symbol, and appropriate signage pursuant to paragraph e. below.
2.
Where EVSE is installed, adequate site lighting and landscaping shall be provided in accordance with the Township of Scotch Plains' ordinances and regulations.
3.
Publicly-accessible EVSEs shall be maintained in all respects, including the functioning of the equipment. A twenty-four-hour on-call contact shall be provided on the equipment for reporting problems with the equipment or access to it. To allow for maintenance and notification, the Township of Scotch Plains shall require the owners/designee of publicly-accessible EVSE to provide information on the EVSE's geographic location, date of installation, equipment type and model, and owner contact information.
4.
The following requirements are subject to Township construction permit approval:
(a)
Adequate EVSE protection such as concrete-filled steel bollards shall be used for publicly-accessible EVSE. Non-mountable curbing may be used in lieu of bollards if the EVSE is setback a minimum of 24 inches from the face of the curb. Any stand-alone EVSE bollards should be four feet high with concrete footings placed to protect the EVSE from accidental impact and to prevent damage from equipment used for snow removal.
(b)
EVSE outlets and connector devices shall be no less than 36 inches and no higher than 48 inches from the ground or pavement surface where mounted, and shall contain a cord management system as described in e. below. Equipment mounted on pedestals, lighting posts, bollards, or other devices shall be designated and located as to not impede pedestrian travel, create trip hazards on sidewalks, or impede snow removal.
(c)
Each EVSE shall incorporate a cord management system or method to minimize the potential for cable entanglement, user injury, or connector damage. Cords shall be retractable or have a place to hang the connector and cord a safe and sufficient distance above the ground or pavement surface. Any cords connecting the charger to a vehicle shall be configured so that they do not cross a driveway, sidewalk, or passenger unloading area.
(d)
Where EVSE is provided within a pedestrian circulation area, such as a sidewalk or other accessible route to a building entrance, the EVSE shall be located so as not to interfere with accessibility requirements of the Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23, and other applicable accessibility standards.
e.
Signs.
1.
Publicly-accessible EVSE shall have posted regulatory signs, as identified in this section, allowing only charging electric vehicles to park in such spaces. For purposes of this section, "charging" means that an electric vehicle is parked at an EVSE and is connected to the EVSE. If time limits or vehicle removal provisions are to be enforced, regulatory signs including parking restrictions shall be installed immediately adjacent to, and visible from the EVSE. For private EVSE, installation of signs and sign text is at the discretion of the owner.
2.
All regulatory signs shall comply with visibility, legibility, size, shape, color, and reflectivity requirements contained within the Federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices as published by the Federal Highway Administration.
3.
Wayfinding or directional signs, if necessary, shall be permitted at appropriate decision points to effectively guide motorists to the EVSE parking space(s). Wayfinding or directional signage shall be placed in a manner that shall not interfere with any parking space, drive lane, or exit and shall comply with b. above.
4.
In addition to the signage described above, the following information shall be available on the EVSE or posted at or adjacent to all publicly-accessible EVSE parking spaces:
f.
Payment Per Deficient EVSE or Make Ready Space.
1.
To comply with the statewide Electric Vehicle Supply/Service Equipment (EVSE) and Make-Ready Parking Spaces law per P.L. 2021, c 171 and this section, subject to the determination by the Township approving authority that there is sufficient available capacity by means of the ability of a parking space in an adjoining or other municipal parking lots, the applicant if approved, shall be responsible to pay a onetime payment as determined by a cost estimate provided by the Township Engineer per deficient EVSE or Make-Ready Parking Spaces. The intent of this payment is to provide for EVSE and Make-Ready Parking Spaces to be supplied in any municipal parking lot only after it has been determined by the Township Council or Land Use Board, whichever may be applicable, that the applicant has insufficient area to install the required number of EVSE or Make-Ready Parking Spaces on the subject property. If the applicant provides the required number of EVSE or Make-Ready parking spaces per state regulation on the subject property, then no payment is required under this section. This rate shall be calculated, and a separate bill shall be provided by the Tax Collector of the Township of Scotch Plains. This calculation and payment to the Township of Scotch Plains does not entitle the payee to reserved spaces in any municipal lot.
g.
Usage Fees.
1.
For publicly-accessible municipal EVSE: In addition to any parking fees, if applicable, the fee to use parking spaces within the municipality identified as public EVSE spaces shall be as follows for each hour that the electric vehicle is connected to the EVSE.
Time | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
1st Hour | $3 |
2nd Hour | $6 |
3rd Hour | $9 |
4th Hour | $12 |
2.
This fee may be amended by ordinance adopted by the governing body.
3.
Private EVSE: Nothing in this section shall be deemed to preclude a private owner/designee of an EVSE from collecting a fee for the use of the EVSE, in accordance with applicable State and Federal regulations. Fees shall be available on the EVSE or posted at or adjacent to the EVSE parking space.