Santa Paula Municipal Code Ch. 105 Alarm System Regulations

This chapter is adopted in accordance with the city's police powers, as set forth in the California Constitution, in order to inform the city's Fire and Police Departments regarding which commercial buildings use alarm systems and, if required, to recover costs associated with responding to false alarms.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

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.

ALARM means a sound, signal, or message generated by an alarm system.

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.

ADMINISTRATOR means the Police Chief, or designee.

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 to the Public Safety Department or other city facility.

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.

ONE PLUS CODE means an alarm system code that adds one to the last digit of the normal arm/disarm code.

OWNER means any person owning or leasing real property upon which an alarm system is operated or maintained.

PERSONAL ALARM DEVICE means a personal reporting device carried on a person to report a medical or other personal emergency.

PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT means the Santa Paula Police Department or Santa Paula Fire Department.

SILENT ALARM means an alarm system device or connected devices, 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. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

The administrator is authorized to implement this chapter.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

(A) Except as otherwise provided, it is unlawful for any person to operate or maintain an alarm system unless the alarm system is registered as required by this chapter.

(B) Registration is not required for the following:

(1) Alarm systems in residential dwelling units;

(2) Personal alarm devices;

(3) Alarm systems affixed to motor vehicles or boats; and

(4) 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.

(C) This chapter does not apply to alarms or alarm systems owned, operated, or maintained by the city.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

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, non-recessed 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. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

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

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

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. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

(A) It is unlawful for a 211 Alarm or a takeover alarm to be activated by means of a single-action, non-recessed button.

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

(C) It is unlawful for any alarm system to be directly connected to the Public Safety Department.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

(A) Owners must take all practicable and reasonable actions to prevent false alarms from being generated by their alarm system.

(B) Each alarm system is allowed three false alarms during any calendar year. The city may impose a fee on a owner for each subsequent false alarm generated by an alarm system that causes a response by the Public Safety Department.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

All fees applicable to this chapter including, without limitation, the application fee, are established by City Council resolution.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

Applications for a permit issued in accord with this chapter must be accompanied by an application fee based on the estimated administrative costs incurred by the city for processing applications and issuing permits.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

Administrator will maintain an alarm system registry that contains the following for each alarm system:

(A) The name, mailing address, and daytime and evening telephone numbers of two contact persons in the event of an alarm;

(B) The alarm system's address;

(C) Notification that nothing in this chapter imposes a duty upon the city to respond to an alarm; and

(D) Such additional information as the administrator may reasonably require to process the application.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

(A) Whenever any change occurs in the information contained in the permit, the owner must give the administrator written notice of the change within 30 days of the date that the change becomes effective.

(B) If an owner fails to give the administrator timely written notice of a change in the information contained in the application, the administrator may charge the owner an administrative fee.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

(A) Owners must respond, or have an authorized representative respond, to the alarm site within 30 minutes after being notified by the Public Safety Department that an alarm is malfunctioning.

(B) Owners must pay all fees required by this chapter including, without limitation, fees for failing to respond to an alarm site and for false alarms.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

It is presumed that an alarm results in an alarm dispatch request.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

Every alarm business that monitors alarm systems must:

(A) Make every effort to verify the legitimacy of every alarm, except a 211 Alarm or a takeover alarm, before making an alarm dispatch request;

(B) Report alarm dispatch requests by using telephone numbers designated by the administrator;

(C) Communicate verified cancellations of alarm dispatch requests in a form and to telephone numbers designated by the administrator;

(D) Maintain for at least one year, records relating to all dispatches, including the name, address and telephone number of owners; the time of request for dispatch; information concerning the alarm business' attempt to contact the alarm site by telephone or other electronic means before requesting the dispatch;

(E) Make such records available to the administrator on request; and

(F) Disconnect an alarm system located in a business, when directed to do so by the administrator.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

Alarm agents must, on request, display the registration issued by the California Department of Consumer Affairs to any public safety officer or the alarm administrator.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

Every audible alarm must have a timer that automatically deactivates the alarm within ten minutes after it begins sounding, and will not sound again until the system is reset.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

Alarm systems must be equipped with a relay or an uninterruptible power supply so that a power interruption or restored power following an interruption of normal utility electricity will not activate the alarm system. An emergency power supply must be capable of at least four hours of operation.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)

All fees and interest imposed pursuant to this chapter are civil debts owed to the city by the person fined. In the event that judicial action is necessary to compel payment of any debt owed to the city, the person or persons subject to the fine are also liable for the costs of suit and attorney's fees incurred by the city to collect the fine.

(Ord. 1136, passed 5-1-06)