[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of
the City of Waterloo as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 10-19-1987 by Ord. No. 87-6 as
§§ 5.15 and 5.20 of the 1987 Code; amended in its entirety 9-20-2007 by Ord. No.
2007-18]
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the
City to encourage the installation of reliable alarm systems to provide
additional protection from events which might be a danger to persons
and property but to discourage the incidence of preventable or avoidable
false alarms and protect the City from unnecessary expense and damage
claims which may arise from the City responding to a false alarm.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meaning indicated:
Any business operated by a person for profit which alters,
installs, leases, maintains, monitors, replaces, sells, services or
responds to an alarm system or which causes any of these activities
to take place.
[Added 7-11-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-04]
One or more devices installed or placed to signal the presence
of a hazard requiring urgent attention to which the Fire Department
or Police Department is expected to respond.
Any person who owns or rents the premises on which an alarm
system is maintained within the City or the City Fire District.
The activation of an alarm system through negligence of the
owner or lessee of an alarm system or of his employees or agents,
the activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure or malfunction
because of improper maintenance by the alarm user, or the activation
of an alarm system because of improper installation and/or use of
equipment by the alarm business, but does not include alarms caused
by tornadoes, earthquakes or other violent conditions or acts of God.
An alarm system signaling the presence of fire or smoke.
A.
Fees. An alarm user shall pay to the Fire Department, within 10 days
after activation, the following service fees for false fire alarms
which occur within a calendar year (January 1 through December 31).
[Amended 7-11-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-05]
B.
Determination of false alarm. The Fire Chief shall determine whether or not the activation of an alarm was a false alarm as defined in § 120-2 above.
C.
Correction of alarm deficiencies. An alarm user shall
correct any deficiencies in equipment or operation of his alarm system
within 15 days following either his actual knowledge of such deficiency
or the mailing of a written notice from the Clerk-Treasurer, whichever
date is earlier. In the event that such deficiency cannot be corrected
within the fifteen-day period, the alarm system shall be deactivated
until such corrections are completed.
D.
Appeal. Any person aggrieved by any provision of this
section may, within five business days, submit a written appeal to
the Council. The Council shall hear the matter at a time scheduled
by the City Clerk and render its decision, in writing, within three
days.
