HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Ordinance 2000-19CITY OF PLYMOUTH
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE NO. 2000-19
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER XI OF THE
PLYMOUTH CITY CODE CONCERNING ALARM SYSTEMS
THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Section 1155 of the Plymouth City Code concerning alarm systems is eliminated
in its entirety and the following Section 1155 is adopted in its place.
Section 1155 - Alarm Systems
1155.01. Statement of Policy. Subdivision 1. The City Council of the City of Plymouth
deems it necessary to provide for the special and express regulations of Alarm Systems which are
designed to signal the presence of a hazard requiring urgent attention and to which public safety
personnel are expected to respond, in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare.
Subd. 2. The purpose of this ordinance is to encourage Alarm Users to maintain the
operational reliability and proper use of Alarm Systems and to reduce or eliminate False Alarms.
Subd. 3. This ordinance governs systems intended to summon police and/or fire
response, requires registration, establishes fees, provides for penalties for violations, and
establishes a system of administration.
1155.03. Registration and Exemptions. Subdivision 1. Registration. Every Alarm User
shall be required to register each Alarm System on the Alarm User's premises on a form provided
by the City. The form shall contain all information the City deems necessary to administer this
system. In commercial or multi -housing situations, it shall also include keyholder information.
Subd. 2. Exemptions. The provisions of this Section are not applicable to audible alarms
affixed to automobiles.
1155.05. New Alarm Systems/Users. When a new registration for a new system or new
user is received by Public Safety, they will be granted a thirty (30) day new user period in which
alarms will not be chargeable. In the event a system problem is found which will take more time
to correct; this period may be extended with written notification of the problem and anticipated
correction time by the monitoring company.
1155.07. Registrations Non -Transferable; Duration. Alarm User registrations are not
transferable from one person to another or from one location to another.
1155.09. Prohibitions. Subdivision 1. Alarm Systems Utilizing Taped or Prerecorded
Messages. No person may install, monitor, or use and possess an operative alarm which utilizes
taped or prerecorded messages which deliver a telephone alarm message to the police or fire
department.
1155.11. System Operation and Maintenance.
Subd. 1. An Alarm User shall:
(1) maintain the premises and the Alarm System in a manner that will
minimize or eliminate False Alarm Dispatches, and
(2) make every reasonable effort to respond or cause a representative to
respond to the Alarm System's location within one hour when notified by
the city to deactivate a malfunctioning Alarm System, to provide access to
the premises, or to provide security for the premises, and
(3) not manually activate an alarm for any reason other than an occurrence of
an event that the Alarm System was intended to report.
Subd. 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 ten (10) minutes after being activated (or fifteen (15) minutes for systems operating under
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. standards 365 or 609).
Subd. 3. Any business providing alarm monitoring services shall be responsible for:
(1) reporting alarm signals.
(2) attempting to verify every alarm signal, except a duress, hold-up, or fire
alarm activation before requesting a police/fire response to an alarm
signal.
(3) communicating verified cancellations of Alarm Dispatch Requests to the
city in a prompt fashion.
(4) ensuring that all Alarm Users are given adequate training on the proper use
of equipment.
1155.13. Fees. Subdivision 1. The following is the fee schedule for false alarms:
Each Calendar Year
Residential
Commercial/multi-
housing
# of false alarm
Police Fire
Police Fire
1 alarm
0 $100
0 $100
2n" alarm
0 $200
$50 $200
3raalarm
$50
$200
$75
$300
4 alarm
$50
$200
$100
$400
5 alarm
$50
$200
$125
$500
6 alarm
$50
$200
$150
$500
7 alarm
$50
$200
$175
$500
Subsequent alarms
$50
$200
$200
$500
Subd. 2. Determination of False Alarm. There shall be a designated individual that
reviews all alarms to determine if chargeable. Acts of nature such as high winds, lightening, or
power outages that cause alarms to malfunction shall not be considered chargeable. Fees on
false alarms determined to be chargeable will be rescinded if the alarm holder provides
certification that the system has been serviced/repaired or they have received education or
training on the system to help eliminate future alarms. Verification of alarm system maintenance
or service must be made in written format on official letterhead of the alarm company and
provided within five days of alarm activation or notice thereof.
Subd. 3. Outstanding Balances. If an alarm user has an outstanding balance due the City
at the end of the year, they have until January 15th to pay such balance. If not paid by the 15th,
they will not reset to zero and will not be eligible for free alarms for that calendar year. The only
exception to this would be if the outstanding alarm balance is being formally appealed as
follows.
1155.17. Right to Notice and Appeal. Subdivision 1. Notice. Written notice shall be sent
to all Alarm Users notifying them of all false alarm responses to the premises and their status as a
chargeable fee. The Alarm User has the right to request an informal hearing before the Public
Safety Director to appeal the decision; and, the right to appeal the Public Safety Director's
decision to the City Council.
Subd. 2. Appeal. Anyone aggrieved by a decision of the Public Safety Director to fee an
Alarm User may appeal that decision to the City Council by filing a written request for an appeal
with the City Clerk. The written request must be filed within ten days after the decision from
which the appeal is taken.
1155.19. Penalties. Subdivision 1. Any Alarm User who fails to register an alarm system
after being given notice and ample opportunity is guilty of a petty misdemeanor.
Subd. 2. Any person who fails to pay any fees levied after given opportunity to appeal, is
guilty of a petty misdemeanor.
1155.21. Maintenance of Fire Alarm Systems. All new and existing Fire Alarm Systems,
except for those in single family dwellings as defined in Section 4, Subdivision B of the Zoning
ordinance, that are monitored by a central station, remote station, auxiliary station or proprietary
station as defined in the National Fire Protection Association Standards 71 and 72 shall be
maintained in accordance with the Plymouth Fire Department policy as promulgated by the
Public Safety Director on maintenance of fire alarm systems. The maintenance shall include a
semi-annual cleaning, inspection and testing of all Fire Alarm Systems initiating and signaling
devices that are interconnected to the Fire Alarm System. Automatic fire sprinkler systems water
flow initiating devices shall be tested and inspected bimonthly in accordance with the Plymouth
Fire Department policy.
1155.23. Unpaid Fees. Any fee required under this Section which is not paid within the
time required herein shall be certified as "past due" by the City Clerk who in turn shall include it
as an assessment for a current service under Section 810, if allowed.
SECTION 2. This ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its adoption.
ADOPTED by the City Council this 23`d day of May, 2000.
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A!yn rney, Mayor
ATTEST:
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andra R. Paulson, City Clerk