Rio Dell Municipal Code Art. II Duties Of The Alarm User, Alarm Permit, Application And Issuance, Permit…

(1) An alarm user shall:

(a) Obtain an alarm permit from the City of Rio Dell;

(b) Maintain the alarm site and the alarm system in a manner that will minimize or eliminate false alarms;

(c) Ensure that a responsible party is available, at all times, to verify that an alarm signal is valid;

(d) Ensure that a responsible party responds to the alarm system's location within 30 minutes when requested by police in order to:

(i) Deactivate an alarm system;

(ii) Provide access to the alarm site; and/or

(iii) Provide alternative security for the alarm site;

(e) Not activate an alarm system for any reason other than an occurrence of an event that the alarm system was intended to report.

(2) An alarm user shall adjust the mechanism or cause the mechanism to be adjusted so that an alarm signal audible on the exterior of an alarm site will sound for no longer than 10 minutes after being activated. An alarm user shall have a licensed alarm installation company inspect the alarm system after two false alarms in a 12-month period. The Rio Dell Police Department may waive a required inspection if it determines that a false alarm(s) could not have been related to a defect or malfunction in the alarm system or malfunction in the alarm system. After three false alarms within a 12-month fiscal-year period, the alarm user must have a licensed alarm installation company modify the alarm system to be more false-alarm resistant or provide additional user training as appropriate. The alarm user shall also be subject to penalties for such false alarms.

(3) An alarm user/alarm system shall not use automatic voice dialers.

(4) An alarm user shall maintain at each alarm site a set of written operating instructions for each alarm system.

(5) The Police Chief may require an alarm user to remove or modify a hold-up alarm that is a single action, nonrecessed button, if two false hold-up alarms have occurred.

(Ord. 402, 2024)

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to use, install, or cause to be installed an alarm system on any premises within the City without first applying for and receiving an alarm permit. Alarm systems installed prior to the effective date of this chapter shall be required to be brought within the alarm standards set forth by this chapter within 90 days.

(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to use or operate an alarm system within the City under a revoked permit.

(3) Any person operating an alarm system within the City without an alarm permit as required by this chapter, or under a revoked permit, shall be subject to all applicable penalty fees. (See the City of Rio Dell Master Fee Schedule.)

(Ord. 402, 2024)

(1) Each application for an alarm system permit shall be made on a form prescribed by the City which may include any information which is necessary for effective administration of this chapter, including the following information:

(a) Name, address and telephone number of the applicant.

(b) Name, address, and telephone number of the business or premises where the alarm system will operate.

(c) The names and telephone numbers of two or more persons who have the ability to verify and respond to the alarm site within 30 minutes, if activation occurs, during any hour of the day or night, and that the persons have the ability to deactivate the alarm. In the event a person able to respond to the alarm site as mentioned above cannot be located, the responsible alarm company shall release the public safety response agency(s) from the scene.

(d) A description of the alarm system, its purposes, the alarm system model number, the manufacturer's name and the name of the company performing the installation and maintenance.

(e) Any dangerous or special conditions present at the alarm site.

(f) Schedule for regular maintenance of the alarm system.

(2) The Alarm Administrator shall approve and issue the permit upon finding:

(a) The application contains the required information;

(b) The alarm system meets the standards prescribed by this chapter;

(c) That the applicable fees have been paid (pursuant to the City of Rio Dell's Master Fee Schedule);

(d) That the alarm system is accessible to the police;

(e) The permit is issued subject to the proper maintenance and operation of the alarm system.

(3) Change of Information on Alarm Permit. The permittee shall give written notice to the Alarm Administrator within five working days of any change in the information provided on the alarm permit application.

(4) The permit is good for two years from the date of issuance. It is incumbent upon the permittee to ensure that the permit does not expire and that the renewal application questionnaire is completed and returned to the Rio Dell Police Department in a timely fashion.

(Ord. 402, 2024)

The permit shall not be transferable and shall terminate when there is a change of alarm user, change of location, or upon revocation or suspension.

(Ord. 402, 2024)

(1) An alarm permit may be revoked by recommendation of the Rio Dell Police Department for any of the following reasons:

(a) False representations were made upon the permit application; or

(b) The alarm system emits excessive false alarms, deeming the system an immediate safety hazard as prescribed by this chapter; or

(c) Failure to observe any of the regulations or provisions of this chapter.

(2) Notice and Effective Dates. A written notice of revocation, setting the reason for the action, shall be mailed by certified mail giving the permittee 10 working days from the mailing date to disconnect or remove the alarm from the premises. Any person failing to disconnect the alarm system when required by this chapter shall be subject to the penalties as set forth in the City of Rio Dell's Master Fee Schedule.

(Ord. 402, 2024)

(1) Revocation of an alarm system permit may be appealed to the Alarm Administrator. The permittee may submit a written statement, setting forth the reasons why the permit should not be revoked, to the Alarm Administrator not more than 10 working days from the mailing date of the notice of revocation.

(2) The alarm user may continue to operate the alarm system during the appeal process, unless the Alarm Administrator recommends the disconnection of the alarm system.

(3) The decisions of the Alarm Administrator with respect to this chapter will be final and conclusive.

(Ord. 402, 2024)

Following the revocation of the alarm permit, the permit may be reinstated upon recommendation of the Alarm Administrator when:

(1) The cause for the revocation has been corrected; and

(2) The permittee pays a permit reinstatement fee to the City. (See the City Rio Dell's Master Fee Schedule.)

(Ord. 402, 2024)