This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Caernarvon Township Ordinance Regulating Audible/Inaudible Fire and Police Alarm Systems."
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Caernarvon Township 3-10-1987 by Ord. No. 87. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Because of the increase in false, accidental, and improper discharges of audible/inaudible alarm systems, it has become necessary to provide a means for regulating and controlling this problem. It is the purpose of this chapter to control false, accidental, and improper discharges of such systems.
As used in this chapter, the below-listed terms shall have the following meanings:
Any device, bell, horn or siren that is attached to the interior or exterior of a structure, or is otherwise erected on a property, including buildings and homes, and emits a warning signal audible outside the structure to attract attention when activated by an intrusion or other emergency requiring fire and/or police response. An audible alarm system may have the feature of an inaudible alarm system in that its warning signal when activated is also monitored or received at some other place outside the structure.
Any alarm system that is attached to the interior or exterior of a structure, or is otherwise erected on a property, including buildings and homes, and emits a warning signal that is monitored or received at some other place outside the structure when activated by an intrusion or other emergency to solicit a fire and/or police response.
Any natural person, partnership, association, firm or corporation, including owners of property, landlords, tenants, lessors, lessees, or any other person having responsibility, control, or authority over an audible/inaudible alarm system.
Audible/inaudible alarm systems in existence on the effective date of this chapter or hereafter installed shall be subject to the following:
A.
Proper repair and condition. All persons shall keep their audible/inaudible alarm systems in good working order and repair.
B.
Automatic timing mechanism for audible alarms. Any person installing an audible alarm system after the effective date of this chapter shall have such system equipped with a timing mechanism that must automatically disengage the audible alarm after 15 minutes.
C.
Secondary power source. Any person installing an audible/inaudible alarm system after the effective date of this chapter shall have it equipped with a secondary power source that will keep the system operable if a power failure or other event interrupts the system's primary power source to prevent premature discharges.
D.
Testing prohibited without permission. Any test or demonstration of an audible/inaudible alarm system may only be conducted with advance permission of the Caernarvon Township Police Department.
Persons violating this chapter shall be subject to:
A.
A warning; or
B.
Required installation of a secondary power source that will keep the audible/inaudible alarm system operable if a power failure or other event interrupts the system's primary power source to prevent the causing of premature discharges; or
C.
Where a fire and/or police response is involved, a service charge may be imposed beginning with the third accidental or improper discharge of an audible/inaudible alarm system involving the same address within a calendar year. The amount of such service charge shall be $100 for the third said accidental or improper alarm discharge within a calendar year and $200 for each additional accidental or improper alarm discharge within the same calendar year; or
[Amended 3-8-2005 by Ord. No. 218]
D.
Any person or persons violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction before a Magisterial District Judge, be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding $500 for each offense, with costs, and each daily occurrence of the same offense shall be considered a new offense and finable as such. In default of payment of each fine and costs, said person or persons shall suffer imprisonment in the Berks County Prison for a period of not more than 30 days.
[Amended 3-8-2005 by Ord. No. 218]
The person or persons responsible for any violation of this chapter shall immediately upon receipt of notice from Caernarvon Township take the necessary measure to rectify such condition to conform to the requirements of this chapter. Notice may be by:
Any ordinance or part of any ordinance conflicting with the provisions of this chapter is hereby repealed insofar as the same effects the provisions of this chapter.
This chapter shall be effective on the date it is passed by the Board of Supervisors of Caernarvon Township.