From: lemke@MITL.COM (Kennedy Lemke)
Subject: Propane tanks at apartments
Originator: lemke@narnia.MITL.COM
Organization: Matsushita Information Technology Laboratory, Princeton, NJ
Distribution: nj
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1992 16:50:26 GMT

Hello--

If you live in an apartment, condo, or townhouse in NJ and you own
any propane tanks (e.g., gas grills, camping equipment, etc.) that
you keep in or near your residence, this note may apply to you...

I live in an apartment complex called "Steward's Watch" on
Clarksville Road in West Windsor.  On Monday of this week, I
found a note on my door (this was posted on all apartment doors)
stating the following:

	September 21, 1992

	Dear Residents:

	The Fire Marshall and the maintenance manager of Steward's
	Watch will be inspecting your smoke detector and checking for
	any propane gas tanks and/or barbecue grills in your
	apartment at some time during the next 90 days.

	For the saftey of all, we are asking again that all propane
	tanks and/or grills be totally removed from the property.  If
	any tanks or grills of any size are found anywhere in your
	apartment or storage room at time of inspection, please be
	aware that the fine is a minimum of $500.

	Thank you for your cooperation in this most important matter
	to us all.

I called Steward's Watch to ask them more about this, and they
explained to me that this is apparently a NJ law--that no propane
tanks are allowed on multi-home premises.  I have some questions
about this that I hope someone will know the answers to (any
lawyers read this group?):

(1) The understanding I have from the above note and from talking to
    a representative of the apartment complex is that the Fire Marshall
    will be let into each apartment and each storage area unannounced
    and without the permission of the resident.  In addition to checking
    the fire alarm, they will also be searching the apartment and the
    locked storage area off our balconies looking for propane tanks.

    Is this legal?  Do these people have the right to come into any
    apartment/condo/townhouse and into private storage areas unannounced
    and without permission to perform such a search?

(2) The representative I spoke with told me that she thinks this is
    now a NJ law.  Have you received a similar note concerning this?
    Does anyone have any more specific information on this law like
    when it was passed, etc.?

(3) Several services that were once supplied by the complex I live in
    have been taken away since I move in four years ago--this includes
    a jacuzzi that was taken out of service, a car wash similarly taken
    out of service, and now this new law about gas grills.  Yet my
    rent continues to increase.  I like the apartment for other reasons
    (nice location, view, quiet, etc.) and want to continue living
    there, but is there anything I can do (legally?) to ask them to
    reduce my rent, etc. given the decrease in services?  I'm now just
    waiting for the day they say we can't use our fireplaces anymore
    or that washer/dryer units are no longer allowed, etc...

(4) This ban includes camping equipment such as coleman propane stoves
    and backpacking stoves--for those of you who are also camping
    enthusiasts, how do you store such camping equipment when you're
    not camping (assuming that you don't have any close friends who
    own their own house and give you permission to store these items
    at their place)?

(5) I understand the concept of not wanting propane tanks in a multi-
    home building--I would not want to be even remotely responsible
    for a fire in such a building.  But why stop there?  Why not ban
    fireplaces, cigar/cigarette smoking, matches, cigarette lighters,
    etc.? Is there anyone else I can call to find out more information
    and/or complain?

(6) Anyone want to buy a propane gas grill cheap?

Any comments or discussion on this are welcome.  I'm angry about this.

				Kennedy Lemke
				Email: lemke@MITL.COM
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