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Town of Norwell, MA
Plymouth County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
Zoning Map New Laws (1) Index Notes (2)
[Amended 5-5-1994 ATM (formerly designated Art. XV, § 14)]
ALARM SYSTEM
Means an assembly of equipment and devices, arranged to signal the presence of a hazard requiring urgent attention and to which the Police and/or Fire Department is expected to respond.
[Amended 5-6-2019 ATM, Art. 28]
ALARM USER or USER
Means any person on whose premises an alarm system is maintained within the Town except for alarm systems on motor vehicles. Excluded from this definition and from the coverage of this bylaw are central station personnel and persons who use alarm systems to alert or signal persons within the premises in which the alarm system is located of an attempted unauthorized intrusion or holdup attempt. If such a system, however, employs an audible signal emitting sounds to signal persons outside the premises, such system shall be within the definition of "alarm system," as that term is used in this bylaw, and shall be subject to this bylaw.
AUTOMATIC DIALING DEVICE
Refers to an alarm system which automatically sends over regular telephone lines, by direct connection or otherwise, a prerecorded voice message or coded signal indicating the existence of the emergency situation that the alarm system is designed to detect.
CENTRAL STATION
Means an office to which remote alarm and supervisory signaling devices are connected, where operators supervise circuits.
FALSE ALARM
Means:
A. 
The activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation, or negligence of the user of an alarm system or of his employees or agents.
B. 
Any signal or oral communication transmitted to the Police and/or Fire Department when in fact there has been no unauthorized intrusion or attempted unauthorized intrusion into a premises and no attempted robbery or burglary at a premises.
The Police Chief may promulgate such rules as necessary for the implementation of this bylaw.
A. 
No alarm systems shall emit a continuous, intermittent or uninterrupted noise for more than 30 minutes, and the owner or tenant in any building who installs, operates or maintains an alarm system that violates this provision shall be fined not more than $200 for each day such system is in operation. Any alarm system that is designed to emit a noise which cannot be shut off or is not shut off or curtailed after 30 minutes of continuous, intermittent or uninterrupted noise due to the absence or unavailability of the alarm user or those persons designated by him under § 45-5, which disturbs the peace, comfort or repose of a community, or a neighborhood of the area where the alarm system is located, shall constitute a public nuisance. Upon receiving complaints regarding such a continuous, intermittent or uninterrupted noise, the Police Chief shall endeavor to contact the alarm user under § 45-5 in an effort to abate the nuisance. The Police Chief shall cause to record the names and addresses of all complainants and the time each complaint was received.
B. 
When access to or within a structure or an area where an alarm is sounding is unduly difficult because of secured openings or where immediate access is necessary for life saving or firefighting purposes, the Fire Chief may require a key box to be installed in an accessible location. The key box shall be of a type approved by the Fire Chief and shall contain keys to gain necessary access as required by the Fire Chief.
The Police and/or Fire Department shall be notified if an alarm is to be tested or serviced which may cause said alarm to be called in to the Police or Fire Department.
[Amended 5-6-2019 ATM, Art. 28]
Every business establishment within the Town whether alarmed or not shall provide written notice to the Police Chief listing the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least two persons who may be reached at any time, day or night, and who are authorized to respond to any emergency which has caused the Police and/or Fire Department to be dispatched to said premises. Such notice shall be kept current at all times reflecting any changes in authorized personnel.
A. 
Any user of an alarm system which transmits false alarms shall be assessed a fine of $25 after the third false alarm. Thereafter, each fine shall increase at increments of $25 for each subsequent false alarm in each calendar year as follows: fourth, $25; fifth, $50; sixth, $75; etc. to a maximum of $300.
[Amended 4-23-1996 ATM]
B. 
All fines will be payable to the Town of Norwell, care of the Treasurer-Collector. Fines not paid within 30 days will be reviewed for possible court action, interest, and costs of collection.
C. 
Alarm systems that have continuous false alarms or a series of malfunctions shall be reviewed by the Police Chief, and the user shall be fined an additional $300 if a serious attempt has not been made to correct the alarm system so that it does not malfunction, or the Police Chief may order that the user of the alarm system discontinue use of the alarm system.
[Amended 5-6-2019 ATM, Art. 28]