725.07 FALSE ALARMS.

   (a)    A charge of seventy-five dollars ($75.00) shall be assessed for each false alarm arising from commercial establishments and received through local alarms, the Chagrin Valley Dispatch, the central alarm station system, or for each false alarm received on any other alarm service which the City has given permission to be installed. Such charge shall be assessed against the holder of the permit for the alarm which was falsely activated.

   (b)   A charge of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) shall be assessed for each such false alarm arising from residential premises for the fourth and any subsequent false alarm received from such licensed residential system, or residential alarm company. Such charge shall be assessed against the holder of the permit for the alarm which was falsely activated.

   (c)    Notwithstanding the fee to be assessed as set forth above in (a), no charge shall be made for the first false alarm subsequent to the issuance of the permit issued within sixty (60) days of the false alarm, nor shall there be any charge for a false alarm to which there is no response by Police Department or Fire Department, nor when the cause has been proven due to the malfunction by testing or repairing of service lines maintained and operated by public utilities under the regulation of the Public Service Commission.

   (d)    If there is a response by the Police Department or the Fire Department to a false alarm resulting from improper equipment, installation and/or servicing by the alarm business and/or agent, the alarm business may be charged a civil penalty of one hundred dollars ($100.00) per false alarm by the Chief of Police.

   (e)    Any charge for a false alarm which remains unpaid for thirty (30) days after the date of invoice shall result in cancellation of the permit by the City.

   (f)   Six or more false alarms annually shall be grounds for cancellation of the permit by the City.

   (g)    For purposes of this section, "false alarm" shall mean an emergency call received pursuant to subsection (a) which, after investigation by the Police Department or Fire Department is determined that there is no need for criminal investigation, or emergency purposes, respectively, and that the alarm activated for some other reason.

   (h)    For purposes of this section, "annually" shall mean each calendar year.

(Ord. 2021-61. Passed 5-11-21.)