Mountain View Municipal Code Art. I Title and Definitions

This chapter may be cited as the Burglary and Robbery Alarm Ordinance of the City of Mountain View.

Many businesses and residents throughout the city have purchased and installed private alarm systems to secure their premises. When a quality alarm system is properly installed, maintained and used, it helps protect the owners and occupants of the premises from injury or loss and contributes to overall crime prevention in the community. When alarm systems are of inferior quality, are not maintained or used properly, they are a threat to community safety and the safety of its police officers; tend to reduce the level of service police maintain and create a risk of accidents. Problem alarm systems also represent a significant cost factor in terms of personnel time, vehicle fuel wasted and general wear and tear on public equipment. The city council finds that there is a need to reduce the incidence of false alarm calls within the community and to balance the legitimate right of citizens to utilize alarm systems against the public's right to regulate the use of poorly designed, installed or maintained alarm systems.

(Ord. No. 48.76, 6/14/76; Ord. No. 8.01, 6/12/01.)

The words and terms used in this chapter shall have the following meanings:

a. "Act of God" shall mean an event which originates primarily from causes beyond the control of human beings. "Act of God" does not include false alarms or malfunctions of alarm systems or devices caused by failure to properly inspect, maintain, or repair the alarm system or device.

b. "Alarm business" shall mean the business of selling, leasing, installing and/or servicing in or on any building, place or premises in the city and shall include any individual, partnership, corporation or other entity operating a central alarm station protection system for the benefit of its subscribers.

c. "Alarm site" shall mean a single, fixed premises or location served by an alarm system or systems. Each tenancy, if served by a separate alarm system in a multi-tenant building or complex, shall be considered a separate alarm site.

d. "Alarm system" shall mean any device or assembly of equipment, designed or used to detect an unauthorized entry on or into any building, place or premises or to signal an unlawful act at a protected premises, or both, and when activated, emits a sound and/or transmits a signal or message to which the police department is expected to respond. Alarm systems include, but are not limited to, audible alarms and central alarm station protection systems.

e. "Alarm user" shall mean any person using the services of an alarm system.

f. "Audible alarm system" shall mean a device designed for a detection of unauthorized entry on premises and when activated generates an audible sound on the premises.

g. "Central alarm station protection system" shall mean a system or group of systems, operated for its subscribers by a person in the alarm business, in which the operations of electrical or other detection circuits and devices are transmitted to, recorded in, maintained, and supervised from a central alarm station.

h. "False alarm" shall mean a nonemergency or accidental activation of an alarm system due to mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation or maintenance or the negligence of the owner, lessee or his/her employees or agents which results in a response by the Mountain View police department. False alarm does not include alarm activations caused by an Act of God.

i. "Person" shall mean any individual, partnership, corporation or other entity.

j. "Subscriber" shall mean a person who has contracted with an alarm business for the monitoring services of a central alarm station protection system.

(Ord. No. 48.76, 6/14/76; Ord. No. 27.91, 12/10/91; Ord. No. 8.01, 6/12/01.)