[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting 5-13-1991 ATM, Art.
30 (Sec. 150.8 of the General Bylaws). Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this bylaw is to protect the
public safety and well-being by the reduction or elimination of the
incidence of false alarms from alarm systems, the receipt of which
would cause a physical response by the Webster Police Department or
by the Webster Fire Department, and to prevent the disabling of emergency
telephone lines by incoming calls from automatically dialed, recorded
sources.
Means an assembly of equipment or devices, or a single device,
arranged to signal the presence of a condition requiring urgent attention
and to which police officers or fire fighters are expected to respond.
Alarm systems which monitor temperature, smoke, humidity, the presence
of chemicals, or any other condition, whether or not related to the
detection of an unauthorized intrusion or a fire, are also included.
Means the activation of an alarm system through mechanical
failure, malfunction, improper installation, maintenance or repair,
or negligence of the user of an alarm system or his employees or agents,
which causes any signal or oral communication to be transmitted to
the police department or fire department requesting, requiring, or
resulting in a response on the part of the police department or fire
department, when, in fact, there has been no fire, threat of fire,
unauthorized intrusion, or other occurrence requiring a response.
For purposes of this definition, activation of an alarm system by
acts of vandals, power outages, or surges, weather or atmospheric
conditions or disturbances, or acts of God, shall not be deemed a
false alarm.
Means the occupant of the premises at which an alarm is located.
A.
Every user shall submit to the police department and
fire department the names and telephone numbers of at least three
persons who are authorized to respond to an emergency signal transmitted
by an alarm system and who can open the premises wherein the alarm
system is installed.
B.
All Alarm systems installed after the effective date
or this bylaw which use an audible horn or bell shall be equipped
with a device that will shut off such horn or bell within 15 minutes
after activation of the alarm system.
C.
Any alarm system installed prior to the effective date of this bylaw and which uses an audible horn or bell shall have retrofitted to the system within 180 days after the effective date of this bylaw such a silencing device as described in Subsection B above.
D.
The user of any alarm system that causes a false alarm
will be issued a warning for a first offense and subject to the following
fee schedule for all subsequent offenses: three hundred dollars ($300).
All bills must be paid within 30 days of the date of the bill. A five-dollar
($5) assessment fee will be applied to all overdue bills.
[Amended 10-19-1992 FATM, Art. 8; 10-16-2023 FATM by Art. 7]
Alarm systems which automatically dial the police
department or fire department and deliver a recorded message are prohibited.
Any person who violates this subsection will be subject to a fine
of one hundred dollars ($100) for each offense. This bylaw may be
enforced in accordance with the noncriminal disposition procedures
of Chapter 85, § 85-2, of the Town's General Bylaws.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 302-5, Connection fee, was
repealed 10-16-2023 FATM by Art. 7.
[Amended 10-19-1992 FATM, Art. 8]
All unpaid amounts as of December 31 of each
year shall be committed for lien to the ensuing tax bill, or as determined
by the MGL laws which may apply.
