Hemet Municipal Code Art. III Alarm Systems

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Section 1 of Ord. No. 1814, adopted June 23, 2009, repealed Art. III in its entirety and section 2 of said ordinance added similar provisions to read as herein set out. Former Art. III was comprised of §§ 18-81—18-98, and derived from §§ 6101—6118 of the 1984 Code and Ord. No. 1325.

Cross reference— Law enforcement, ch. 38.

The purpose of this article is to set forth regulations governing alarm systems, alarm businesses, and alarm agents operating within the city, to require permits and fees for alarm systems, and to provide penalties for violations of provisions of this article.

(Ord. No. 1814, § 2(Exh. A), 6-23-09)

(a) The United States government, the state, counties and municipal corporations and departments thereof, and other government entities, are exempt from any fee required by this article.

(b) The provisions of this article are not applicable to audible alarms affixed to automobiles.

(Ord. No. 1814, § 2(Exh. A), 6-23-09)

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Alarm agent means a person employed by an alarm business whose duties include selling, altering, installing, maintaining, moving, repairing, replacing, servicing, responding, or monitoring an alarm system, or a person who manages or supervises a person employed by an alarm business to perform any of these duties.

Alarm business means any person who, for any consideration whatsoever, engages in business of installing, maintaining, altering, selling, monitoring, or servicing alarm systems or who responds to alarm systems except for an alarm agent.

Alarm system means any mechanical or electrical device which is designed or used for the detection of fires or any unauthorized entry into a building, residence, structure or facility or for alerting others of the commission of an unlawful act or fire within a building, structure or facility, or both, and which emits a sound or transmits a signal when actuated. This definition does not include auxiliary devices installed by the telephone company to protect telephone company systems which might be damaged or disrupted by the use of an alarm system.

False alarm means an alarm signal activated through subscriber negligence or for reasons not of an emergency nature or when activated due to malfunction of any segment of the alarm system.

Person means individual, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation or company. "Person" does not include the City of Hemet.

Subscriber means any person who purchases, leases, contracts for or otherwise obtains an alarm system or contracts for the servicing or maintenance of an alarm system from an alarm business.

(Ord. No. 1814, § 2(Exh. A), 6-23-09)

(a) No person shall own, manage, conduct or carry on an alarm business within the city without first having obtained a city business license and satisfied all alarm business licensing requirements of the State of California.

(b) Any person acting as an alarm agent shall carry his or her alarm agent registration card issued by the State of California while engaged in alarm agent activities within the city and shall display such registration card to a subscriber or representative of the city upon request.

(c) An alarm business or alarm agent shall, prior to the installation of an alarm system, provide the subscriber with a copy of this article, a city-provided alarm system permit application form and a copy of the current penalty schedule for false alarms.

(d) An alarm business or alarm agent shall not install an alarm system which, when activated, causes an alarm or signal to be sent directly to the city.

(Ord. No. 1814, § 2(Exh. A), 6-23-09)

A subscriber shall obtain an alarm system permit as required by this article within 30 days of obtaining an alarm system.

(Ord. No. 1814, § 2(Exh. A), 6-23-09)

(a) An application for an alarm system permit shall be in such form as may be adopted by the city manager or his or her designee.

(b) Alarm system permits are good for one year from the date of issuance, and must be renewed on an annual basis.

(c) The city council shall set the fee for an alarm system permit by resolution.

(d) The city manager or his or her designee may approve an application for an alarm system permit upon submission of a complete application for an alarm system permit and payment of the required permit fee.

(e) An application for a new or renewal alarm system permit may be denied if the application is incomplete, the required fee is not paid, the applicant or his employee or agent has knowingly made a false, misleading or fraudulent statement of a material fact in the application for a permit, the applicant has unpaid false alarm penalties, or the applicant has had an alarm system permit suspended or revoked by the city within the past year.

(Ord. No. 1814, § 2(Exh. A), 6-23-09)

The following shall constitute grounds for suspension or revocation of an alarm system permit issued under this article:

(a) The subscriber or his employee or agent has knowingly made a false, misleading or fraudulent statement of a material fact in the application for a permit, or

(b) The subscriber's alarm system has actuated five false alarms within the previous 12 months; or

(c) The subscriber fails to pay any penalties issued pursuant to section 18-91 or 18-92.

(Ord. No. 1814, § 2(Exh. A), 6-23-09)

The following alarm systems shall not be permitted:

(a) Telephone alarm systems which will activate an automatic telephone dialing device programmed to dial a public primary telephone trunk line of the city and reproduce any prerecorded message to report any burglary, fire or other emergency.

(b) Alarm systems which create a sound similar to that of an emergency vehicle siren or civil defense warning system.

(c) All fire alarm systems and components not approved by the state fire marshal's office.

(Ord. No. 1814, § 2(Exh. A), 6-23-09)

The city may prescribe minimum standards and regulations for the installation and maintenance of all alarm systems installed within the city. These standards and regulations shall become effective upon adoption thereof by resolution of the city council. An alarm system shall meet or exceed such standards and regulations before an alarm permit may be issued pursuant to this article. The regulations and standards may provide for inspection and approval of all alarm systems installed within the city.

(Ord. No. 1814, § 2(Exh. A), 6-23-09)

(a) Subscribers shall keep alarm systems in good repair.

(b) Subscribers shall notify the fire department prior to any service, test, repair, maintenance, adjustment, alteration or installation of fire alarms which might actuate a false alarm.

(c) Subscribers shall notify the police department prior to any service, test, repair, maintenance, adjustment, alteration or installation of burglary and robbery alarms which might actuate a false alarm.

(d) For the purpose of this article, any alarm actuated where such prior notice has been given shall not constitute a false alarm, except when testing a system in violation of subsection (e) of this section.

(e) Testing of alarm systems shall be limited to one test signal sent to the alarm monitoring panel per month. Such test shall not exceed one minute in duration.

(f) All audible alarm systems installed within the city shall be equipped with a device which will automatically deactivate the alarm system and reset it within 15 minutes after such alarm has been activated.

(Ord. No. 1814, § 2(Exh. A), 6-23-09)

The subscriber whose alarm system sends a false alarm shall pay a penalty for each false alarm according to a schedule set by council resolution.

(Ord. No. 1814, § 2(Exh. A), 6-23-09)

Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the issuance of a citation and imposition of civil penalties as provided for in sections 1-8 and 30-80 et seq. of this Code. Revocation of a permit or disconnection of any alarm shall not be a defense against prosecution.

(Ord. No. 1814, § 2(Exh. A), 6-23-09)