(A) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any newly installed fire alarm system for a period of 45 days from the date of installation, but shall apply from and after the expiration of the initial 45-day period following installation.
(B) Should any fee assessed pursuant to this chapter remain unpaid in excess of 90 days from the date fee is billed, shall give the town the right to levy a lien upon the land or the premises where the response arose and the levy shall be collected in the same manner as unpaid taxes pursuant to authority of G.S. § 153A-140.
(C) Fees should be paid according to established policy (see Appendix B below).
(D) False fire alarm:
(1) No fee shall be assessed for the first two false fire alarms at the same premises responded to by a public service agency each calendar year. Thereafter, the owner shall pay the following fees for false fire alarms responded to by the public service agency at the same premises during each calendar year, except when the alarm business is responsible for the false fire alarm;
(2) The alarm business shall be assessed a fee of (see Appendix A below) if an enforcement official determines that a false fire alarm was directly caused by an onsite employee or representative of the alarm business. In this event, no false fire alarm shall be counted against the owner;
(3) False fire alarms activated by any components connected to the fire alarm system shall be included in computing the total number of false fire alarms for purposes of this division;
(4) The activation of a fire alarm system will not be considered a false fire alarm if the alarm is activated due to malicious causes beyond the control of the owner; and
(5) The following fees shall be assessed for false fire alarms:
Number of False Fire Alarms | Service Fee Per False Fire Alarm |
First to second | $0 |
Third | $50 |
Fourth | $100 |
Fifth and above | Doubles each time |
(E) Nuisance fire alarms:
(1) The following fees shall be assessed when a report of service/repair has been returned to the enforcement official, but the nuisance fire alarms continue:
Number of False Fire Alarms | Service Fee |
First to second | $0 |
Third | $50 |
Fourth | $100 |
Fifth and above | Doubles each time |
(2) In the event the premises are equipped with an alarm system with over 100 alarm initiating devices, the enforcement official may waive one nuisance fire alarm per calendar year.
(Ord. passed - -2007)