Big Bear Lake Municipal Code Ch. 8.90 Alarm Systems

A. The city council finds and declares that there has been a significant rise in the need for, and use of, emergency alarm systems. As a consequence of this, there has also been a significant increase in the number of false alarms reported, resulting in loss of manpower, time and equipment. Such false alarms, whether produced by human error or faulty equipment, create many long- range detrimental effects such as decreasing the efficiency of police and fire responses and seriously impairing the ability of law enforcement officials to monitor and prevent actual criminal acts.

B. It is the intent of the council in passing and enacting this chapter to minimize the number of false alarms and the negative effects associated therewith, while at the same time permitting law enforcement officials to use their resources most effectively and efficiently to provide victims or crimes perpetrated against their property, dwellings and other structures.

(Ord. 87-153 § 1, 1987)

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:

A. "Alarm agent" means any person who is employed by an alarm business, either directly or indirectly, whose duties include any of the following: selling, maintaining, leasing, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving or installing on or in any building, structure or facility, any alarm system.

B. "Alarm business" means the business by any individual, partnership, corporation or other entity of selling, leasing, maintaining, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving, or installing any alarm system or causing to be sold, leased, maintained, serviced, repaired, altered, replaced, moved or installed, any alarm system in or on any building, structure or facility.

C. "Alarm system" means any mechanical or electrical device which is designed or used for the detection of an unauthorized entry into a building, structure or facility or for alerting others of the commission of an unlawful act within a building, structure or facility, or both, which emits a sound or transmits a signal or message when actuated, that is intended to alert, either directly or indirectly, personnel of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department to any emergency situation.

D. "Audible alarm system" means any audible alarm system that can be heard from the exterior of any structure.

E. "Direct dial telephone device" means any device, including tape dialers, which will automatically dial a telephone number when activated.

F. "False alarm" means any activation of an alarm system by failure, malfunction, accidental tripping, misoperation, misuse or negligent maintenance by the owner or lessee of the alarm system, or his employee or agent of any other activation of an alarm system that results in a response by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, where an emergency situation does not exist.

G. "Fiscal year" means July 1st through June 30th of each year.

(Ord. 87-153 § 2, 1987)

A. Application. Each alarm system shall require a city alarm permit. Every applicant for an alarm permit shall file with the city clerk, on forms provided by the city, a legibly written application, stating:

1. The name, address and telephone number of the applicant;

2. The address of the property on which the alarm system will be installed;

3. The number of alarm systems to be installed;

4. A description of the type(s) of alarm system(s) to be installed;

5. The name of the person or company who will install the alarm system at the location and who shall be responsible for its maintenance;

6. The name, address and phone number of one person or company who will be available to be contacted in the event of an alarm activation. In the event the name, mailing address or phone number of the person to be contacted changes, the applicant shall supply corrected information to the city clerk within five days of the change.

B. Fees. The city council shall, by resolution, not less than annually, establish fees for installation permits of such alarm systems. Such fees shall be established in accordance with the provisions of "costs reasonably borne" as a result of such installation. At the time of filing an application, the applicant shall pay the fee set by resolution of the council. An annual permit renewal fee shall be paid within thirty days of the expiration date if the applicant had less than seven false alarms within the previous fiscal year. The annual permit renewal fee shall be one hundred dollars, if the applicant had seven or more false alarms within the previous fiscal year.

C. Duration and Transfer.

1. An alarm permit may be issued at any time, but shall expire June 30th following the date of issuance.

2. Alarm permits shall not be transferable from one person to another or from one location to another.

D. An alarm permit applied for by an alarm agent shall attach a copy of the installation and service contract, if any.

(Ord. 87-153 § 3, 1987)

No direct dial telephone device shall be programmed to dial any telephone number in any sheriffs department office.

(Ord. 87- 153 § 4, 1987)

A. Every person owning or maintaining an audible alarm shall post a notice containing the name and telephone number of the persons to be notified to render repairs or services during any hour of the day or night the audible alarm is activated. Such notice shall be posted near the alarm in such a position as to be legible from the ground level, adjacent to the building.

B. All audible alarm systems shall be installed with an automatic fifteen-minute shutoff.

C. The ringing of any alarm for a period in excess of fifteen minutes is declared to be a public nuisance and subject to summary abatement.

(Ord. 87-153 § 5, 1987)

A. A service charge shall be billed to, and paid by, any person owning or maintaining an alarm system which creates a false alarm, according to the following schedule shown below. The schedule relates to false alarms on a fiscal year basis.

B. Any person owning or maintaining an alarm system which has created a false alarm within a fiscal year shall be given written notification of the service charges listed in subsection A of this section.

C. The city may adjust the service charges set out in subsection A of this section to reflect inflation indexing.

D. This chapter shall apply to alarm system which have been in operation more than thirty calendar days.

(Ord. 87-153 § 6, 1987)

An alarm agent engaged in an alarm business within the city shall carry on his person at all times while so engaged, a valid alarm permit, as issued by the state, and shall display said permit to any city resident, municipal official or police officer upon request.

(Ord. 87-153 § 7, 1987)

A. The conviction or punishment of any person for violation of the provisions of this chapter, or for failing to secure a permit, as required by this chapter, shall not relieve the person from paying the permit fee or service charges due and unpaid at the time of conviction, nor shall payment of any permit fee or service charge prevent criminal prosecution for violation of any of the provisions of this chapter. All remedies shall be cumulative and the use of one or more remedies by the city shall not bar the use of any other remedy for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter.

B. The amount of any permit fee or service charge shall be deemed a debt to the city. An action may be commenced in the name of the city, in any court of competent jurisdiction, for the amount of any delinquent permit fee or service charge. All permit fees and service charges shall be deemed delinquent thirty days after they are due and payable.

(Ord. 87-153 § 9, 1987)

Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter is deemed guilty of an infraction and, upon conviction thereof, is punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars.

(Ord. 87-153 § 8, 1987)