Camarillo Municipal Code Art. I General Provisions

This chapter is adopted in accordance with the city's police powers, as set forth in the California Constitution, in order to regulate the installation and use of alarm systems and to recover costs associated with responding to false alarms associated with nonresidential alarms.

(Ord. No. 1084, § 3(Exh. A), 2-26-2014)

Unless the contrary is stated or clearly appears from the context, the following definitions govern the construction of the words and phrases used in this chapter:

"211 Alarm or takeover alarm" means a silent alarm dispatch request generated by the manual activation of an alarm system device intended to signal that a robbery is in progress or that an alarm site has been entered by intruders.

"Administrator" means the police chief or designee, subject to city manager approval.

"Alarm" means a sound, signal or message generated by an alarm system installed at a nonresidential location.

"Alarm agent" means a person employed by an alarm business, whose duties include altering, installing, maintaining, moving, repairing, replacing or servicing alarm systems.

"Alarm business" means a commercial enterprise that sells, leases, installs, moves, maintains, alters, services or monitors alarm systems; alarm business does not include a business that:

1. Sells but does not service alarm systems; or

2. Manufactures alarm systems and sells the same to retailers, and not to the public.

"Alarm dispatch" means a visit by a public safety officer to an alarm site in response to an alarm dispatch request.

"Alarm dispatch request" means a notification to the city that an alarm has been activated at an alarm site.

"Alarm site" means a building, structure or portions thereof, at which an alarm system operates, except that in multi-tenant structures, each alarm system is considered to serve a separate alarm site.

"Alarm system" means any mechanical or electrical device or connected devices, not including a smoke detector, designed or used for the detection of unauthorized entry into a building or structure, or the commission of an unlawful act within a building or structure, or the existence of a fire or medical emergency within a building or structure, that when activated emits a sound and/or transmits a signal or message.

"Audible alarm" means an alarm system device that, when activated, emits an audible sound at the alarm site.

"Automatic dialing device" means a device that automatically sends, by direct connection or otherwise, a prerecorded voice message or coded signal indicating the existence of an emergency.

"False alarm dispatch" means an alarm dispatch to which the responding public safety officer, having completed a timely investigation of the alarm site, finds no evidence of a situation requiring a response by a public safety officer.

"Monitoring" means the process by which an alarm business receives signals from alarm systems and relays an alarm dispatch request to the city.

"Nonresidential" means all uses except single-family homes and multifamily residences.

"One plus code" means an alarm system code that adds one to the last digit of the normal arm or disarm code.

"Public safety department" means the Ventura County sheriff's department or Ventura County fire department serving as the city's police department and fire department, respectively.

"Silent alarm" means an alarm system device or connected devices that, when activated, automatically transmits a non-audible message or signal to an alarm business, indicating the need for an emergency response to the alarm site.

"Unsecured," in reference to an alarm site, means that a building or structure is not equipped with a lock, bar or other device that prevents a door or window from being opened from the exterior of the alarm site without breaking the door or window.

(Ord. No. 1084, § 3(Exh. A), 2-26-2014)

The administrator is authorized to receive applications, issue and revoke permits, and otherwise administer and implement this chapter.

(Ord. No. 1084, § 3(Exh. A), 2-26-2014)

A. Except as otherwise provided, it is unlawful for any person to install, operate or maintain an alarm system unless authorized by a permit issued by the administrator pursuant to this chapter.

B. A permit is not required for the following:

1. Alarm systems affixed to motor vehicles or boats;

2. Alarm systems designed to alert only the inhabitants of the alarm site and that do not have audible alarms that can be heard at the exterior of the alarm site; or

3. Alarm systems for single-family homes and multifamily residences.

(Ord. No. 1084, § 3(Exh. A), 2-26-2014)

It is unlawful for an alarm business to:

A. Program an alarm system so that a one plus code activates the alarm;

B. Install a single-action, nonrecessed button as a device to activate a 211 alarm or a takeover alarm; or

C. Install an automatic dialing device in an alarm system.

(Ord. No. 1084, § 3(Exh. A), 2-26-2014)

It is unlawful for an alarm system to consist of or include an automatic dialing device.

(Ord. No. 1084, § 3(Exh. A), 2-26-2014)

It is unlawful for an alarm system to include an audible alarm that:

A. Emits sounds similar to that made by an emergency vehicle, siren or civil defense warning system; or

B. Activates for any purpose other than detection of an unauthorized entry into the alarm site or a hazard prompting a response by the public safety department.

(Ord. No. 1084, § 3(Exh. A), 2-26-2014)

A. It is unlawful for a 211 alarm or a takeover alarm to be activated by means of a single-action, nonrecessed button.

B. It is unlawful for any alarm to be activated by a one plus code.

(Ord. No. 1084, § 3(Exh. A), 2-26-2014)

A. Permittees must take all practicable, reasonable, actions to prevent false alarms from being generated by their alarm systems.

B. Each alarm system is allowed three false alarms in any twelve-month period. The city may impose a fine on a permittee for each subsequent false alarm generated by an alarm system that causes a response by the public safety department.

(Ord. No. 1084, § 3(Exh. A), 2-26-2014)

A. Where the provisions of this chapter require that an applicant/permittee be served with notice, such notice is deemed served when personally delivered to the applicant/permittee; when deposited in first class U.S. mail, addressed to the applicant/permittee's last known address; or when sent via facsimile to the applicant/permittee's last known facsimile number.

B. Unless otherwise provided, written notification to a permittee or applicant of a permit decision will state with particularity the basis for such decision.

(Ord. No. 1084, § 3(Exh. A), 2-26-2014)

All fees and fines applicable to this chapter must be established by city council resolution.

(Ord. No. 1084, § 3(Exh. A), 2-26-2014)