§ 19-187. Excessive false alarms; fees; grace period.

(a)

Residential alarms and alarms on not-for-profit facilities. Any alarm user whose alarm system, maintained on a residence or on a facility owned and operated by an instrumentality of the United States, by a political subdivision of the state, by a church, or by an organization qualifying under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, 26 USC 501(c)(3), as it may be amended, has recorded more than three false alarms within a calendar year will be assessed the following false alarm fees:

(1)

Grace period: No fee.

(2)

One to three false alarms: No fee.

(3)

Four to six false alarms, each: $50.00.

(4)

Seven to nine false alarms, each: $75.00.

(5)

Ten to 12 false alarms, each: $100.00.

(6)

Thirteen false alarms and each subsequent alarm, each: $125.00.

(b)

Radio room alarms. Any alarm user whose radio room alarm has recorded more than six false alarms within a calendar year will be assessed the following false alarm fees:

(1)

Grace period: No fee.

(2)

One to six false alarms: No fee.

(3)

Seven to nine false alarms, each: $100.00.

(4)

Ten to 12 false alarms, each: $200.00.

(5)

Thirteen false alarms and each subsequent alarm, each: $250.00.

(c)

Commercial and industrial alarms. Except as provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, any alarm user whose alarm system has recorded more than three false alarms within a calendar year will be assessed the following false alarm fees:

(1)

Grace period: No fee.

(2)

One to three false alarms: No fee.

(3)

Four to six false alarms, each: $100.00.

(4)

Seven to nine false alarms, each: $150.00.

(5)

Ten to 12 false alarms, each: $200.00.

(6)

Thirteen false alarms and each subsequent alarm, each: $250.00.

(d)

Payment. The alarm user must pay the false alarm fee to the unified government director of revenue within 30 days after the date of the notice to pay.

(e)

Grace period. There is a 60-day grace period from the date of activation for alarm users of new alarm systems during which false alarms will not be counted for purposes of determining chargeable false alarms. No fees will be charged for false alarms occurring within the grace period.

(f)

Additional penalties. Nothing contained in this section prohibits prosecution in municipal court for violations of this article and assessment of all other penalties provided by law.

(g)

Outstanding fee; prosecution. If any false alarm fee remains unpaid 45 days after the date of the fee notice, an alarm user may be prosecuted in municipal court for violation of this article.

(Code 1988, § 19-466; Ord. No. 65971, § 6, 12-22-1994; 66176, § 3, 12-5-1996)