[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Burlington as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Police and Fire Departments — See Ch. 22.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 155.
[Adopted 2-1-1994 by Ord. No. 1462(35)]
The purpose of this article is to regulate alarm systems directly connected to the Fire Department or Police Department and to minimize false alarms from these systems.
No person shall give or send or cause to be given any alarm of fire, burglary, robbery, or other emergency which the person knows to be false.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALARM USER
The person in control of any building, structure or facility or portion thereof in which an alarm system is connected to either the Fire Department or Police Department central station alarm panels.
FALSE ALARM
An alarm notification summoning the Fire or Police Department to the location of an alarm activation when the responding officer finds no evidence of the crime of burglary, attempted burglary, robbery or attempted robbery or fire. "False alarm" does not include an alarm activation signal caused by extraordinary extremes of weather, such as high winds, thunder and lightning storms.
FIRE DEPARTMENT CENTRAL ALARM STATION
An alarm panel and appurtenant equipment maintained at the Fire Department for the receipt of emergency signals indicating fire or other emergency condition.
[Amended 11-18-2003 by Ord. No. 1740(20)]
POLICE DEPARTMENT CENTRAL ALARM STATION
An alarm panel and appurtenant equipment maintained at the police station for the receipt of emergency signals indicating burglary, robbery or other emergency condition.
[Amended 11-18-2003 by Ord. No. 1740(20)]
A. 
The Chief of Police shall determine the number and type of alarm users which may be connected to the Police Department central alarm station. No person shall cause to be connected to the Police Department central alarm station a private alarm system unless such proposed connection receives prior approval in writing by the Chief of Police.
B. 
The Fire Chief shall determine the number and type of alarm owners or alarm users which may be connected to the Fire Department central alarm station. No person shall cause to be connected to the Fire Department central alarm station a private alarm system unless such proposed connection receives prior approval in writing by the Fire Chief.
The Fire Chief and Chief of Police shall give priority for connection to the central alarm system to those persons required by state or federal law or regulation to maintain an alarm system on their premises.
All alarm users whose application for connection to the fire or police central alarm station is approved shall comply with the following conditions:
A. 
The alarm user shall:
(1) 
Pay to the contracted alarm company the fee for connection established by the contract between the City and the alarm company.
(2) 
Pay to the alarm company a monthly service charge.
(3) 
Use alarm equipment that meets minimum UL alarm device standards.
(4) 
Pay all costs of disconnection or termination of service, whether such disconnection or termination is initiated by the City or the alarm user.
(5) 
Perform testing of the alarm system in accordance with rules and procedures promulgated by the chief of the department maintaining the central alarm panel.
(6) 
Pay all expenses of termination and reconnection whenever the location of a central alarm system is changed or the system is updated.
(7) 
Sign an agreement holding the City, the Fire Department and the Police Department harmless for any damages or losses resulting from an alarm connection terminating at the Fire Department or the Police Department.
B. 
Each alarm user connected to a central alarm system in accordance with this section shall cause the system to be periodically inspected and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
C. 
No alarm user shall cause or permit the City's Fire or Police Department to be notified of a false alarm. If either the Fire or Police Department is notified of two false alarms within a calendar year from an alarm user, the alarm user shall be billed $30 for the third false alarm and $60 for each false alarm received thereafter. In the event that any such bill is not paid within 30 days of receipt, the user shall be subject to a penalty for the third false alarm, and an increased penalty for each false alarm received thereafter, as set forth in Chapter 1, § 1-4, of this Municipal Code.
[Amended 11-18-2003 by Ord. No. 1740(20); 8-19-2008 by Ord. No. 1868(10)]
D. 
A period of 30 days shall be allowed for debugging a newly installed alarm system during which false alarms shall not be counted.
A. 
Failure to comply with any provision of this article or in excess of 10 false alarms per calendar year shall be cause for an alarm system to be disconnected from the Police Department or Fire Department upon 30 days' prior written notice by the Fire Chief or Chief of Police. Such disconnection shall be made at the alarm holder's expense.
[Amended 11-18-2003 by Ord. No. 1740(20)]
B. 
An order of disconnection may be appealed by filing a written notice of appeal with the City Clerk within 10 days of the date of the order. Such appeal shall be heard by the Common Council within 30 days of the date of filing the appeal. The Common Council may affirm, reverse or modify the order of the Fire Chief or Chief of Police. An appeal which is timely filed suspends the disconnection until the Common Council renders its decision. The City Clerk shall give written notice of the time and place of the hearing to the appellant not later than 24 hours prior to the hearing.
[Amended 11-18-2003 by Ord. No. 1740(20)]
C. 
The Fire Chief or Chief of Police may, at his discretion, require the immediate disconnection of any alarm system connected to the fire or police central alarm station if technical failure or defects of the system result in a continual or sporadic alarm.
Except as otherwise provided in this article, any person who shall violate any provision of this article shall be subject to a penalty as provided in Chapter 1, § 1-4, of this Municipal Code.
[Adopted 2-1-1994 by Ord. No. 1463(36); amended in its entirety 11-18-2003 by Ord. No. 1740(20)]
The purpose of this article is to regulate alarm systems and to minimize false alarms from private alarms.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALARM SYSTEM
Any mechanical or electrical equipment arranged to signal the occurrence of a fire, burglary, or robbery alarm requiring immediate Fire or Police Department notification, including local alarms which are audible or visible upon the exterior of a structure.
ALARM USER
The person in control of any building, structure or facility or portion thereof in which an alarm system is in operation.
FALSE ALARM
An alarm notification summoning the Fire or Police Department to the location of an alarm activation when the responding officer finds no evidence of the crime of burglary, attempted burglary, robbery or attempted robbery or fire. "False alarm" does not include an alarm activation signal caused by extraordinary extremes of weather, such as high winds, thunder and lightning storms.
LOCAL ALARM SYSTEM
Any equipment arranged to signal the occurrence of a robbery or burglary by signaling such occurrence with alarms from the premises in the immediate area of the structure.
A. 
No person may use or operate, attempt to use or operate, cause to be used or operated, or arrange, adjust, program or otherwise provide or install any alarm system that will, upon activation, either mechanically, electronically or by any other automatic means, initiate a call and deliver a recorded message to any telephone number of the City of Burlington Fire or Police Department.
B. 
No alarm system may be operated or programmed to initiate, transmit, or deliver by automatic means, to any City agency, an alarm notification described as "panic," "disturbance," "police alert," "medical emergency," or other miscellaneous incidents distinguished from the specific burglary, robbery or fire alarms.
[Amended 8-19-2008 by Ord. No. 1868(10)]
No alarm user shall cause or permit the City's Police or Fire Department to be notified of a false alarm. If either the Fire or Police Department is notified of two false alarms within a calendar year by an alarm user, the alarm user shall be billed $30 for the third false alarm and $60 for each false alarm received thereafter. In the event that any such bill is not paid within 30 days of receipt, the user shall be subject to a penalty for the third false alarm, and an increased penalty for each false alarm received thereafter, as set forth in Chapter 1, § 1-4, of this Municipal Code.
Except as otherwise provided in this article, any person who shall violate any provision of this article shall be subject to a penalty as provided in Chapter 1, § 1-4, of this Municipal Code.