[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Altamont as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 7-21-2020 by L.L. No. 2-2020]
A. 
The Village of Altamont Board of Trustees ("Village Board") hereby finds that a local law is needed to require key lock boxes for all commercial buildings located in the Village, commonly known as the "Knox-Box®" system, as the Village Board has determined lock boxes are advantageous in circumstances in which a nonforced entry to the premises would be desirable to react to an emergency.
B. 
It is the Village's intent to enact a Knox-Box® local law to provide for the placement in secured, locked containers of keys to important areas within a structure and information that may be vital and necessary to the health, safety and welfare of the occupants and the emergency first responders. Access to those key areas and advance knowledge of their location and the location of hazardous or potentially hazardous materials enhances responders' abilities to preserve and protect lives and property.
C. 
The purpose of this article is to expedite the access to buildings for emergency first responders and limit the amount of potential physical damage to structures brought about by the need to access a commercial building or structure promptly to save lives, prevent injuries and protect property.
KNOX-BOX®
A rapid-access system that allows first responders to quickly enter a building in the event of an emergency. Knox-Boxes® are secure key safes that can only be accessed by first responders. The term "Knox-Box®" shall mean a device as prescribed by the Village of Altamont in coordination with the Altamont Fire Department and/or Building and Zoning Officer in which shall be placed a master key to the premises, access to which box shall be limited and regulated so that a minimum number of persons shall have access to the key that will open said lock box and a record is maintained at all times as to the person or persons who may obtain access to the box. The lock box shall also contain an updated emergency notification list of at least two individuals with telephone numbers and addresses. This list will be kept updated by said owner of the commercial property.
ALARM SYSTEM
Any system by which notification of a possible emergency is made, directly or indirectly, to the Guilderland Communications Center or other emergency response entity or emergency communications center or which activates an audible signal that can be heard off of the property on which the alarm system is located or a visual signal which can be seen off of the property on which the alarm system is located.
AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEM
An integrated system of underground and overhead piping designed in accordance with fire protection engineering standards. The system includes a suitable water supply. The portion of the system above the ground is a network of specially sized or hydraulically designed piping installed in a structure or are generally overhead, and to which automatic sprinklers are connected in a systematic pattern. The system is usually activated by heat from a fire and discharges water over the fire area.
All commercial buildings located within the Village of Altamont having an alarm system or an automatic sprinkler system shall be equipped with a Knox-Box®. A business that operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week and has a representative or employee on-site at all times may seek an exemption from this requirement which shall be granted at the discretion of the Building and Zoning Officer.
The Knox-Box® shall be located in a location approved by the Building and Zoning Officer, within unobstructed view of the main entry and shall be mounted six feet above grade.
The Knox-Box® shall contain the following:
A. 
Sufficient keys must be provided to allow access to all areas of the building necessary to mitigate any foreseen emergency condition emergency services may be called upon to protect. This includes, but is not limited to, keys to unlock all fire systems control devices; locked mechanical and sprinkler riser rooms; elevator controls and fire alarm control panels; electrical rooms; storage rooms; locked points of egress, interior and exterior; and other areas as specified and required by the Fire Department. All keys must be labeled properly to ensure the quickest entry. It is the responsibility of the property owner to notify the Building and Zoning Officer if there are any changes that would require the contents of the Knox-Box® to be updated.
A. 
All existing buildings covered by this article shall comply within 18 months of the effective date of this article.
B. 
All new construction covered by this article, including buildings currently under construction as of the effective date, for which no certificate of occupancy has been issued, shall comply immediately.
Failure to comply with any portion of this article shall be deemed a misdemeanor, and the violator shall be liable for a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000, and each day such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.
It shall be the duty of the Altamont Building and Zoning Officer to administer, supervise and maintain the Village-wide Knox-Box® system. These responsibilities shall include maintaining all of the required and associated paperwork, working with the Fire Department and property owner to determine the appropriate location of the box system, and all other aspects of this program.
The invalidity of any word, section, clause, paragraph, sentence, part, or provision of this article shall not affect the validity of any other part of this article which can be given effect without such invalid part or parts.
This article shall take effect upon filing with the Secretary of State.