[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of
Sewickley 5-17-1993 by Ord. No.
1125 (Ch. 13, Part 2, of the 1996 Code of Ordinances).
Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Construction codes — See Ch. 156.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall
have the following meanings:
A communication to the Borough Police Department indicating
that a crime, fire or other emergency situation warranting immediate
action by either the Fire Department or Police Department has occurred
or is occurring.
A mechanical device designed to automatically transmit an
alarm by wire, telephone, radio or other means:
Any person or entity engaging in any enterprise for profit.
An alarm to which either the Fire Department or Police Department
responds, resulting from the activation of an alarm device to the
Police Department, when a crime, fire or other emergency warranting
immediate action by either the Fire Department or the Police Department
has not, in fact, occurred.
The Cochran Hose Company.
A person to whom the Borough has issued a permit pursuant
to the terms of this chapter.
An individual, corporation, partnership, incorporated association
or other similar entity.
The Police Department of the Borough of Sewickley.
No property owner, tenant or other person occupying premises within the Borough may install, or cause the installation of, an alarm device after the effective date of this chapter without first obtaining a permit from the Borough to do so. No person may install, or cause the installation of, an alarm device serving premises outside the Borough which results in the activation of an alarm device directly to the Police Department after the effective date of this chapter without first obtaining a permit from the Borough to do so in the event that such alarm device triggers an alarm. A permit shall also be required for the revision or upgrading of an existing alarm device, but the fee referred to in § 130-4 hereof shall not be charged in such an instance. A permit shall also be required to maintain an alarm device in place before the effective date of this chapter, but the fee referred to in § 130-4 hereof shall not be charged for its issuance, and the permit need not be obtained until 90 days after the effective date of this chapter.
A.
The Borough shall be empowered to require any person applying for
a permit to follow such reasonable rules and regulations in the installation
and maintenance of the alarm device as the Borough shall promulgate
to carry out the purposes of this chapter; provided, however, that
such rules and regulations shall require that person to comply with
the following:
(1)
Exoneration. That person shall agree, as a condition to the obtaining
of the permit, to release, indemnify and hold the Borough, its employees,
officers and agents harmless for any damage to persons or property
incurred in responding to a false alarm.
(2)
List of names. That person shall agree, as a condition to obtaining
the permit, to give the Borough the names of at least two individuals
having access to the premises serviced by the alarm device and to
the alarm device itself in the event that such individuals do not
reside at the premises and are authorized to enter the premises at
any time, except where the Police Department itself has keys to the
premises and is adequately informed how to operate the alarm device.
B.
Premises with fire alarm systems that do not have personnel on premises
24 hours per day, seven days per week, shall install a Knox-Box®
access system, providing keys to the Knox-Box® to the Fire Department.
There will be no fee for obtaining a permit, unless such fee
is fixed by Borough Council, which may do so by way of resolution.
A permit holder or the owner of an alarm device that does not
have a permit shall pay fines in accordance with the following schedule
for a false alarm triggered by the alarm device:
A.
Free calls. The first three false alarms in a calendar year: no fine.
B.
Fourth through sixth. The fourth through sixth false alarms in a
calendar year: $200 per false alarm.
C.
Calls beyond the sixth. All false alarms beyond the sixth in a calendar
year: $300 per false alarm.
D.
Enforcement costs. Any cost incurred by the Borough for enforcement
of this chapter and collection of the fines shall be charged to the
permit holder.
The Borough Secretary or his delegate shall collect all fees
for a permit issued by the Borough. Each permit holder with an alarm
device triggering a false alarm shall be informed in writing by the
Borough Manager or his delegate of any false alarm, after notification
from the Police Chief or Fire Chief.
[Amended 2-19-1996 by Ord. No. 1159]
The fines or penalties for each and every such violation or
failure shall be limited as follows:
B.
Other provisions. The fine for each and every failure to obtain a permit under § 130-2 hereof, for each and every failure to comply with any provision set forth in § 130-3 hereof, and for each and every failure to pay the fee for obtaining a permit under § 130-4 hereof shall not, pursuant to § 3308 of the Borough Code,[1] Act of February 1, 1966, (1965 P.L. 1656, No. 581), exceed
$600 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs,
to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30 days.
[1]
Editor's Note: See now 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 3321(1). The
Borough Code, Act of Feb. 1, 1965, P.L. 1656, No. 581, was recodified
in 2012 and again in 2014 to 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq.
