(A) Permit required. Every alarm user shall apply for and obtain an alarm system permit annually for the use of its alarm system. Every alarm business that has a service line connected to the 9-1-1 Communication Center shall apply for and obtain a permit annually and pay any annual permit fee set forth in the city’s fee and fine schedule. No person shall be allowed to have an alarm system in any building, place or premises within the city without having first obtained a permit.
(B) Application for permit. The applicant shall state on the application form, to be prepared by the Fire Department, his or her name, the address of the residence or business or businesses in or upon which the alarm system has been or will be installed, his or her telephone number, the type of alarm system, the alarm business or businesses selling, installing monitoring, inspecting, responding to or maintaining the alarm system and the name and telephone number of at least two other persons (in the case of a corporate or limited liability company alarm user applicant, at least three persons) who can be reached at any time, day or night, who are authorized to respond to an alarm and can open the premises in which the system is installed.
(C) Application disclaimer required. The application shall contain a provision that the city shall not be liable for any failure of service or any damages, including damages resulting from break-in to gain entrance, that might result from the installation or operation of the alarm system.
(D) Permit term. All permits issued shall expire on December 31 of each year. All permits shall be renewed annually and shall be effective for a 12-month period to begin on January 1 of each year.
(E) Confidentiality of alarm system application. The information contained in an alarm system application required by this section, and other information received by the Chief through correspondence or communications with an alarm user, shall be securely maintained and restricted to inspection only by the Chief or certain officers or city employees specifically assigned the responsibility for handling and processing alarm user permit applications in the course of official duties. The Chief or any employee of the city who is found to have knowingly or willfully revealed information contained in an alarm user application or in correspondence or communications with an alarm user to any person for any purpose not related to this section or official law enforcement matters without the express written consent of the alarm user shall be subject to dismissal from the service of the city in the manner provided by law.
(F) Exception to permit requirement. Alarms which are designed to detect the products of combustion and which sound an alarm which is not audible outside the protected area, such as a smoke detector, which is installed in single-family or multi-family residential structures and which is not connected to any outside communication line shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.
(G) Non-transferability of permit. Permits are not transferable and a change of ownership or occupancy of the premises shall be cause for a new permit application to be filed with the city.
(H) Permit denial. An application for an alarm user permit shall be denied if:
(1) The applicant has failed to pay false alarm fees or fines required by this chapter for a different alarm system under the applicant’s ownership or control; or
(2) The applicant has failed to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter or other ordinances of the city, including nonpayment of any fine for false alarms for the alarm system for which the permit is sought.
(Ord. 2017-005, passed 2-27-2017)