Cotati Municipal Code Art. II Alarm Systems

It is an infraction for any person to install, possess, operate, use service or maintain any alarm system without a valid permit issued in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, or for an alarm business or alarm agent to make operable, service, maintain or repair an alarm system for a user, unless such user has such a permit. Permits may not be transferred to anyone, including but not limited to a purchaser of an alarm system.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

Applications for all permits shall be filed with the police department and shall be accompanied by the requisite fee. The police department shall prescribe the form of the application, and request such information as is necessary to evaluate permit applications. The application for any permit shall include but not be limited to the name, address and telephone number of a person who will render service or repairs during any hour of the day or night. The application may be made by a user or by an alarm business, or agent for the user. If approved, the permit shall be issued in the name of the user only.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

A. Processing. An application for a permit shall be processed in a timely manner.

B. Grounds for Denial. The permit may be denied by the police chief on the following grounds:

1. The alarm system is deficient in that it does not comply with standard rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter, and/or results in excessive false alarms, as defined by said rules and regulations; or

2. The applicant, his or her employee or agent has knowingly made any false, misleading or fraudulent statement of a material fact in the application for a permit, or in any report or record required to be filed with any city department; or

3. The applicant has had a similar-type permit previously revoked for good cause within the past year, unless the applicant can show a material change in circumstances since the date of revocation; or

4. The violation of any of the provisions of this chapter.

C. Notice of Denial. The police chief shall inform the applicant in writing of the denial, stating the reasons for such denial.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

Users within the city on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall apply for a permit as required by this chapter within three (3) months of such effective date.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

Permits issued pursuant to this article shall be renewed annually after such issuance. Applications for renewals of permits shall be processed in the same manner as applications for the initial permit. Any change in ownership in a business shall require a new permit.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

Permits shall be posted on the premises in a conspicuous location.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

Whenever any change occurs relating to the written information required by this chapter, the applicant or permittee shall give written notice thereof to the department within ten days after such change. The applicant or permittee is solely responsible for the correctness of the information submitted to the police department.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

All alarm systems other than fire-alarm systems sold, leased, contracted for or otherwise maintained and operated by any person within the city shall be installed in accordance with all applicable standards and requirements of the building codes and other applicable established standards, as required by the city.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

A. Any and all audible alarm systems, except those alarm systems designed for use only for the detection of fire, shall be installed or activated to automatically cease transmitting the audible signal within twenty minutes.

B. Upon request of the police department, a user or his or her designated representative shall respond within one hour to the premises whereon the alarm system is located.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

A. The permittee shall be responsible for any service, test, repair, maintenance, adjustment or installation which might actuate a false alarm on a particular alarm system. In the event an alarm agent will be performing repair, maintenance, testing, adjustment or installation which might actuate a false alarm, notification shall be made to the police department prior to such activity. In the event the police department is requested to respond to such false alarm, it shall be counted as a false alarm, as defined in Section 9.60.010.

B. Newly installed alarms shall be granted a fifteen-day grace period in which to rectify system problems. False alarms during this period will not be recorded as a false alarm, as defined in subsection E of Section 9.60.010.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

After any false alarm caused by a mechanical malfunction of the alarm system, the user shall cause the alarm system to be repaired so as to eliminate such malfunction before reactivating the alarm.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

No person shall operate or permit an alarm system to be operated which, due to the nature of its construction, installation and/or location, constitutes an unreasonable hazard to life and limb of responding police department, or other public safety officers, as determined by the police chief.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

It is unlawful for any person to use or cause to be used any electrical or mechanical device or attachment to a telephone that automatically reports a taped or otherwise recorded message to report a police emergency to the police department. Should the city receive such a message, they will respond, and request through formal letter that the installation be disconnected. Should the city continue to receive alarms from the same location after written notification to disconnect has been made, the person using or causing the telephone device to be used shall be guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars. Each subsequent call shall be deemed a separate violation.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)

It is unlawful to install on the exterior or interior of a building an intrusion-detection device or alarm-system which, upon activation, emits a sound exceeding eighty decibels (when measured from outside the premises), which is similar to sirens in use on emergency vehicles or for civil defense purposes.

(Ord. 707 § 1(part), 2000)