[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Marshall 2-13-2006 by Ord. No. 364;[1] amended 7-10-2006 by Ord. No. 367. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: Ordinance No. 364 also repealed former Ch. 40, Alarm Systems, adopted 9-6-1989 by Ord. No. 219, as amended.
A. 
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this Chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
ALARM
A communication to the Police or Fire Departments which serve the Township of Marshall indicating that a crime or fire or other emergency situation warranting immediate action by such Police of Fire Department has occurred or is occurring.
ALARM DEVICE
A self-contained device present inside a building and which is designed to detect the presence of smoke, heat, carbon monoxide or motion and to then emit a sound audible within the building to warn persons therein of such presence.
ALARM SYSTEM
A system designed to automatically transmit an alarm, by wire, telephone, radio or other means, to the County of Allegheny's "911" Dispatch Center or to a person who is instructed to so notify the County of Allegheny's "911" Dispatch Center of the alarm or to activate a bell or other sounding device to be heard outside a building and which is intended to alert the police or others to the existence of a crime or fire or other emergency situation warranting police or fire action.
FALSE ALARM
An alarm to which the Fire Department and/or Police Department serving Marshall Township responds and which results from the activation of an alarm system or alarm device when a crime, fire or other emergency warranting immediate action by such Police Department or Fire Department has not in fact occurred.
PERSON
An individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other similar entity.
YEAR
Calendar year.
B. 
In this Chapter the singular shall include the plural; the plural shall include the singular; the masculine shall include the feminine and the neuter.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for a property owner, lessee of property or a person otherwise occupying premises within the Township of Marshall to put an alarm device into operation on his or her premises or to allow an alarm device to be put into operation on his or her premises without first obtained a permit from the Township of Marshall. There shall be no fee imposed by the Township of Marshall for issuance of such permit.
B. 
Application.
(1) 
In order to obtain a permit for an alarm system, a person must submit an application to the Township of Marshall stating:
(a) 
His or her name.
(b) 
His or her home and business addresses and the telephone number of each.
(c) 
The location at which the alarm device will be installed and operated.
(d) 
The names, addresses and telephone numbers of two other individuals who have keys to the premises at which the alarm system is located and who are authorized to enter the premises at any time, but who do not reside at the premises at which the alarm system is located.
(e) 
A general written description of the system other than schematics.
(f) 
The name of the alarm company.
(2) 
Alarm system requirements. All alarm systems shall:
(a) 
Comply with ICC International Building Code 2003 or current edition.
(b) 
Have equipment listed or approved by Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. and a monitoring/receiving Central Station Signaling System Certificate (Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. Standard, U.L. No. 827, 1996).
(c) 
Have yearly maintenance agreement and yearly instruction to homeowner; 24-hour repair service available.
(d) 
Have standby backup power supply capable of operating the system.
(e) 
Have any carbon monoxide detector set at a level to preclude false alarms.
(f) 
Have a five-minutes reset if an external audible alarm is present.
A. 
Any person causing or reporting accidental false alarms for any reason or the permit holder of an alarm system that transmits a false alarm for any reason shall pay to the Police Department and/or Fire Departments which serve Marshall Township a charge for each and every false alarm to which such Police and/or Fire Departments responds, in each calendar year, as follows:
(1) 
Police false alarm:
(a) 
First false alarm from an alarm system, each calendar year: $50 or proof of yearly maintenance contract in effect.
(b) 
Second false alarm, each calendar year: $50.
(c) 
Third false alarm, each calendar year: $75.
(d) 
Fourth false alarm, each calendar year: $100.
(e) 
Each false alarm in excess of four, each calendar year: the amount of the charge assessed for the immediately preceding false alarm during that calendar year, plus an additional $25.
(2) 
Fire false alarm:
(a) 
First false alarm from an alarm system, each year: $100 or proof of yearly maintenance contract in effect.
(b) 
First false alarm from an alarm device, each year: $100 or proof, acceptable to Marshall Township and submitted within 30 days from the date of the notification described in Subsection B of this section, of the repair or replacement of the alarm device from which the false alarm originated.
(c) 
All other false alarms each year: $300 per false alarm.
B. 
When a false alarm occurs, the Police Department which services Marshall Township shall, within 45 days from the date of the false alarm, notify the permit holder for the alarm system or owner of the alarm device from which the false alarm originated or other person causing said false alarm that a false alarm charge is due and the amount thereof. Such notice shall be in writing and mailed by regular mail, postage paid, to the last known address of the permit holder or other person causing said false alarm.
C. 
A false alarm charge shall be due and payable at the headquarters of the Police Department which serves Marshall Township (230 Pearce Mill Road) 30 days from the date of the mailing of the notice of assessment of the charge.
No person shall conduct or test any alarm device without first obtaining permission from the Police Department which services Marshall Township. Where the equipment is keyed through an intermediary, no such permission is necessary unless the alarm or signal is to be relayed to the central receiving station.
The issuance of a permit for an alarm system shall not constitute acceptance by Marshall Township of any liability to maintain any such equipment, to answer alarms nor otherwise render Marshall Township liable to any person for any loss or damage relating to the alarm system or procedure.
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this Chapter or who shall fail to pay a charge for a false alarm shall, upon conviction, before the District Magistrate thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine not more than $300 and/or to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days.