[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Highland 5-10-2011 as indicated
in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 5-10-2011 by L.L. No. 7-2011]
The purpose of this article is as follows:
A.
To promote the safety and welfare of the citizens of the Town of
Highland, minimizing to the fullest extent practicable, the number
of false alarms reported to the Fire Department.
B.
To increase the efficiency of the Fire Department in executing their
duties, by reducing, to the fullest extend practicable, the number
of false alarms.
The Town Board hereby declares that the legislative intent of
this article is to apply its provisions to an alarm owner, as defined
under this article, maintaining or installing an alarm system.
For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall
apply:
Any person who or entity which owns, leases, rents, uses
or makes available for use by his agents, employees, representatives
or family, any alarm system.
Any type of alarm system actuating equipment that provides
a warning of fire, smoke, high temperature, carbon monoxide or propane.
Any alarm system designed to notify persons in the immediate
vicinity of the protected premises by emission of an audible sound
or visible signal of a fire or emergency condition on the premises.
Any alarm system which is connected to a telephone line and,
upon activation of said alarm system, automatically dials a predetermined
telephone number and transmits a message or signal indicating the
need for an emergency response.
Any alarm actuated by inadvertence, negligence or intentional
act of someone, and shall include as well alarms caused by malfunction
of the alarm device or other relevant equipment.
It shall be unlawful for any person or alarm owner to cause,
allow or suffer a false alarm except that an alarm owner is permitted
to test, on a semiannual basis, an alarm system provided the appropriate
agency is notified in advance and permission is granted.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, association or corporation
to connect or install or to continue to be connected or installed
any direct dial alarm unless such person, firm, association or corporation
has registered said alarm with the Town of Highland Code Enforcement
Officer.
B.
It shall be the responsibility of every alarm owner who owns a direct
dial alarm system to prepare and deliver to the Code Enforcement Officer
of the Town of Highland a registration letter including the following
information:
(1)
Name of alarm owner;
(2)
Address of alarm owner;
(3)
Exact location of system with explicit directions from a public road
or highway;
(4)
Telephone number to contact alarm owner at home or work;
(5)
Alternate phone number of responsible person to alarm owner;
(6)
Name, address and telephone number of installer or maintainer; and
(7)
Type and make of alarm installed.
C.
The aforementioned registration letter shall be filed with the Code Enforcement Officer of the Town of Highland within 30 days from the adoption of this article. Fees for such registration shall be charged by and payable to the Town of Highland as set forth in § 22-10.
D.
New alarms. It shall be the responsibility of every alarm owner and every person, partnership, corporation or other business entity which engages in the business of installing alarm systems to prepare and deliver to the Code Enforcement Officer of the Town of Highland the letter of registration as listed in § 22-5B. This registration shall be filed with the Code Enforcement Officer of the Town of Highland within 10 days after the installation of the alarm by either the alarm owner or the person, or business entity installing the alarm. Failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall render both the alarm owner and installer liable for any and all penalties provided for under § 22-8 of this article.
Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful for any alarm owner, person, partnership, corporation or other business entity to operate, maintain or install a device or devices as defined by the terms of this article without a written permit issued by the Town of Highland Code Enforcement Officer. Said permit shall be issued by the Code Enforcement Officer upon receipt of the information required under § 22-5 of this article and the payment of the initial registration fee and other fees provided for under § 22-10 of this article.
A.
Rules and regulations. The Town Board of the Town of Highland may promulgate reasonable rules and regulations that may reasonably be necessary for the purpose of assuring the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of direct dial service alarms, the alarm installation, operation and maintenance in accordance with this article and of administering and enforcing the provisions of this article, as well as increasing the fees provided for under § 22-10.
The enforcement provisions of this article shall be enforced
by the Code Enforcement Officer, and, are in addition to any other
appropriate criminal sanction or civil cause of action which may be
filed or brought against the alarm owner or person.
This article shall become effective 60 days after it has been
enacted by the Town Board of the Town of Highland.
The fee schedule shall be set by Resolution of the Town Board
of the Town of Highland.
In the case of a false alarm, the Fire Department shall provide
the Code Enforcement Officer with a fire report attesting to the false
alarm. For such false alarms the Town Board of the Town of Highland
prescribes the following penalties:
