(A) Statement of policy. It is the policy and goal of the county to give activated emergency alarms, such as fire and medical alarms and automated calls for assistance by the sheriff’s office, a high priority in order to ensure that citizens and residents of the county receive maximum protection in circumstances requiring a response for assistance from fire and medical and in situations requiring the assistance of the county’s sheriff’s office. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the county to minimize false emergency alarms which deter public safety forces in the effective administration and execution of their duties in real emergencies; result in additional costs in the administration of county public safety programs; and impair public safety forces in responding promptly to real emergencies. It is further declared to be the policy of the county to recoup a portion of resources wasted by the county in responding to false emergency alarms by the imposition of user fees.
(‘77 Code, § 7.5-81)
(B) Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ACTIVATED ALARM. Any claim, including a residential or commercial burglar, holdup (robbery) or fire and medical alarms, the activation of which is transmitted by electronic or mechanical means to an alarm monitoring station, which in turn notifies the county’s department of public safety communications or the county’s sheriff’s office of the activation.
AUDIBLE ALARM. An alarm, typically a burglar alarm, which emits a sound only and is not monitored by a monitoring station in which the building is equipped with an outside audible signal.
DIALER ALARM. An alarm station that is routed directly to the department of public safety (911 center) without going through a monitoring service. These type(s) of alarms are prohibited.
DIRECT REPORTING ALARMS PROHIBITED. An alarm or alarming station that directly reports to the department of public safety communications is prohibited.
FALSE ALARM. Any alarm activation, whether audible or silent, caused by an alarm operator’s negligence or intentional misuse, system malfunction, improper installation or any other means which causes a summons for help from public safety personnel or equipment to be unfounded and not actually required.
SILENT ALARM. An alarm, typically a panic, holdup or burglar alarm, which has no ringers or audible indications that the alarm has been activated present at the site, and in which the signal is transmitted to the monitoring station.
(‘77 Code, § 7.5-82)
(C) Registration of certain alarms. Any alarming station will be registered upon installation or activation with the department of public safety. No fee shall be required for the registration of the alarms. Registration can be accomplished electronically via www.yorkcountygov.com website, downloading the form or calling the department of public safety communications.
(‘77 Code, § 7.5-83)
(D) False alarm limitations.
(1) Each individual, business or location at which an activated alarm is installed may have one false fire alarm, as defined in this section, per calendar quarter. A second or subsequent false fire alarm at any location in the unincorporated area of the county at which an activated alarm is installed during a calendar quarter shall result in the imposition of user fees as follows:
(a) A second incident involving a false fire alarm shall result in a user fee of $50;
(b) A third incident involving a false fire alarm during a calendar quarter shall result in a user fee of $75; and
(c) A fourth and any subsequent incident involving a false fire alarm during a calendar quarter shall result in a user fee of $100.
(2) Each individual business or location at which an activated alarm is installed may have one false police or sheriff’s alarm, as defined in this section, per calendar quarter. A second or subsequent false police or sheriff’s alarm at any location in the unincorporated area of the county at which an activated alarm is installed during a calendar quarter shall result in the imposition of user fees as follows:
(a) A second incident involving a false police or sheriff’s alarm shall result in the imposition of a user fee of $50;
(b) A third incident involving a false police or sheriff’s alarm shall result in the imposition of a user fee of $75; and
(c) A fourth and any subsequent incident involving a false police or sheriff’s alarm shall result in the imposition of a user fee of $100.
(‘77 Code, § 7.5-85)
(E) Decision of county’s fire marshal in cases involving fire alarms. If the county’s fire marshal, or other authorized/certified county employee, shall determine that a false fire alarm was not caused by the owner or occupant of an establishment or residence at which an activated alarm is installed nor caused by the negligence, misuse, malfunction or improper installation of the activated alarm located at the establishment or residence, the false fire alarm shall not be included in determining the allowable number of false fire alarms permitted under this code.
(‘77 Code, § 7.5-86)
(F) Decision of sheriff in cases involving false police or sheriff’s alarms. If the county sheriff shall determine that a false police or sheriff’s alarm was not caused by the owner or occupant of an establishment or residence at which an activated alarm is installed nor caused by the negligence, misuse, malfunction or improper installation of the activated alarm located at the establishment or residence, the false police or sheriff’s alarm shall not be included in determining the allowable number of false police or sheriff’s alarms permitted under this section.
(‘77 Code, § 7.5-87)
(G) Natural disturbances. Whenever it is determined by an investigating officer or official that a false fire alarm or false police or sheriff’s alarm was caused by natural disturbances, such as an electrical storm or other similar natural disturbance, then the false alarm shall not be included in determining the number of allowable false alarms per quarter permitted under this section.
(‘77 Code, § 7.5-88)
(H) New alarm systems.
(1) There is hereby established a 30-day grace period after the installation and registration of each newly installed activated alarm system in the county, during which grace period, false alarms shall not be considered, included, or taken into account in calculating the number of false alarms permitted per quarter under this code.
(2) The grace period established under this section shall not be applicable to any alarm system which has not been registered as required by this code.
(‘77 Code, § 7.5-89)
(I) Delinquent fees.
(1) In the event user fees imposed under the sections of this code are not paid for 30 days following written notice to the owner or occupant of the property at which the user fees are imposed at the address shown in the registration of the activated alarm system installed at the location, by certified mail or return receipt requested mail, or at other address as may be available, the user fees shall become a lien on the property on which the alarm system is located; shall be collectable in the same manner as county taxes; and shall have priority over other liens, except liens for state and county taxes. The remedy provided in this section is declared to be cumulative to, and not in lieu of, any other method for the recovery of the user fees.
(2) All fees collected under this section shall be deposited in the general revenue account of the county and applied to the account of the county agency or department responding to the false alarm for which fees were imposed under these sections of the code.
(‘77 Code, § 7.5-90) (Ord. 1395, passed 3-6-95; Am. Ord. 2917, passed 6-19-17) Penalty, see § 31.99