Note: Renumbered during 2008 republication from Ch. 7 to Ch. 6.
Alarm system
means any device, designed to detect an unauthorized entry on or into any building, place or premises or to signal an attempted robbery or burglary at a protected premises, or both, and when activated, emits a sound and or transmits a signal or message to a central alarm station or directly to the Santa Clara County Communications Center.
(1) 
Devices which are designed solely to alert someone physically located within the protected building, place or premises and do not register alarms audible or visible on the outside.
(2) 
Auxiliary devices installed by the telephone company to protect telephone company systems which might be damaged or disrupted by use of an alarm system.
(3) 
Fire alarm systems and alarm systems which monitor temperature, humidity or any other condition not directly related to the detection of an unauthorized intrusion into premises or an attempted robbery or burglary at a premises.
City
means the Town of Los Altos Hills.
False alarm
means an alarm signal activated intentionally or through inadvertence to which personnel of the law enforcement agency of the City respond. Alarm owners who make contact with the law enforcement agency of the City before responding units arrive at the location of the alarm shall not be charged with a false alarm. Mechanical malfunctions will be considered false alarms.
Law enforcement agency
means the Sheriff of the County of Santa Clara with whom the City currently contracts for public safety services or the Chief of Police of the City or one of his or her deputies.
(§ 1, Ord. 255, as amended by § 1, Ord. 279, eff. May 6, 1983)
Each alarm system shall be granted a false alarm period of 12 months which will begin on July 1st and end on the following June 30th. A service charge shall be imposed by the Town upon the third false alarm during each alarm period. A service charge for each additional false alarm beyond the third false alarm also will be charged. The amounts of the service charges shall be set by resolution.
(§ 1, Ord. 225, as amended by § 1, Ord. 279, eff. May 6, 1983; § 6, Ord. 328, eff. October 6, 1989; § 1, Ord. 447, eff. July 1, 2006)
The determination of any false alarm may be appealed by the alarm owner in writing to the City Council of the City which shall, within 14 days after receiving such request, set a hearing and give notice thereof by first class United States mail of such hearing date. The owner may appear at such hearing and testify if he or she desires. The decision of the City Council as to the appeal shall be final. The alarm owner shall be notified by first class United States mail of its decision. Each notice required to be given in this section shall be mailed to the address of the owner contained in his or her written appeal.
(§ 1, Ord. 255, as amended by § 1, Ord. 279, eff. May 6, 1983)
One of the law enforcement officers responding to each emergency alarm as defined herein shall attempt to ascertain by investigation whether said alarm was activated with reasonable cause therefor or was a "false alarm" within the meaning of Section 4-6.01. In the event that his or her investigation indicates to the investigating officer that the alarm was a false alarm, said officer shall forward a report of this investigation to the City Manager of the City, or such other person as may be designated by the City Manager, stating his or her conclusions and the factual basis for such conclusions.
(§ 1, Ord. 255, as amended by § 1, Ord. 279, eff. May 6, 1983)
Upon receipt of the report described in Section 4.6-04, the City Manager or other authorized person may cause a written notice to be served by mail or personally upon the responsible occupant of the premises on which the alarm was located. Said notice shall indicate that a false alarm was made from said premises and that steps should be taken by the owner to prevent future false alarms. Said notice also shall state that in the event of a third false alarm occurring on the premises in the same false alarm period as the first, a service charge shall be assessed against owner for every such subsequent false alarm occurring within the same false alarm period.
In the event that the owner of the alarm system is not also the responsible occupant of the premises wherein such alarm system is installed, then the responsible occupant shall, upon receipt of notice immediately:
(a) 
Inform the owner of the alarm system and cause the notice to be delivered to the owner, and
(b) 
Notify the officer of the identity of the owner of the a1arm and that the notice has been delivered to the owner.
In the event of failure of the responsible occupant, when not the owner, to comply with the above notification procedure, then the responsible occupant shall bear the responsibility of the owner of the alarm as provided in this chapter.
(§ 1, Ord. 279, eff. May 6, 1983)
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter is guilty of an infraction. Failure to pay a service charge imposed pursuant to Section 4-6.02 shall constitute a violation of this chapter. Any person convicted of an infraction under the provisions of this chapter shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $50.
(§ 1, Ord. 279, eff. May 6, 1983)