(a) "False alarm" is an emergency alarm activated by inadvertence, negligence or unintentional acts to which the City Police or Fire Department responds, including malfunction of the alarm system. The definition excludes alarms caused by malfunctions of the indicator at the Police Station; malfunction, testing or repairing of telephone equipment or lines; acts of God, such as earthquake, flood, windstorm, thunder or lightning; an attempted illegal entry of which there is visible evidence; the user acting under a sincere belief that a need exists to call the Police or Fire Department.
NOTE: Multiple alarms received by the police or fire alarm console before the system can be deactivated within a reasonable period of time shall be considered a single alarm.
(b) A charge of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) shall be assessed for each false alarm after the first three in a twelve month period, received through equipment described above, or for each false alarm received on any other alarm service in the City. Said fee shall be assessed against the holder of the permit for the alarm with which the false alarm is associated.
(c) Notwithstanding the fee to be assessed, as set forth above, no charge shall be made for the first three false alarms in a twelve month period, nor shall there be any charge for a false alarm which has been excluded under Section 763.05(a).
(d) A grace period of thirty days from the date of installation shall be granted to new permit holders. During this period, no false alarms shall be counted towards the three allowable false alarms before the charges are assessed.
(e) Any charge for a false alarm, as provided for in (b) above, which remains unpaid thirty days after date of invoice, shall result in the cancellation of the permit.
(Ord. 1986-19. Passed 3-4-86.)