(A) The third false fire alarm, burglar alarm or combination thereof, at the same location within the calendar year, is hereby declared a public nuisance and a safety hazard.
(B) The Public Safety Director shall send written notice to any property owner who has had three false fire or burglar alarms or a combination thereof within a calendar year, putting the owner on notice that each additional false alarm will result in a $200 administrative fine during that calendar year.
(C) The owner of any property to which the Fire Department or Police Department has responded to an excess of three false fire alarms, burglar alarms or combination thereof in a calendar year, shall be charged a $200 administrative fine.
(D) The charge specified in division (C) may be abated by the Public Safety Director in his or her discretion upon good and sufficient evidence that the owner or the occupant has made a good faith effort to solve the problem which has caused the false alarms.
(E) The City Clerk shall, upon direction of the Public Safety Director, cause a bill to be sent to a violator of division (B). If a bill remains unpaid after 30 days, the City Clerk shall present to the Council at its next regular meeting notification of same and shall request the Council to determine by resolution the manner of collection to be used as is provided in divisions (F) or (G) of this section.
(F) The City Clerk shall, upon direction of the City Council, extend the charge as specified in division (C), as a special assessment against the lots or parcels of ground to which the Fire Department or Police Department was falsely summoned in violation of division (B) herein. Such special assessments shall at the time of certifying taxes to the County Auditor be certified for collection as other special assessments are certified and collected.
(G) The City Clerk shall, in the alternative, upon direction of the Council, bring suit in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover from the persons owning land to which the Fire Department or Police Department was falsely summoned in violation of division (B) herein, the charge for such violation as is set forth in division (C) herein, and the costs and disbursements thereof in a civil action therefor.
(Ord. 748, passed 2-12-90; Am. Ord. 996, passed 10-9-06) Penalty, see § 10.99