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Home My WebLink AboutITEM IV-A~ , 1TY F AGENDA BILL APPROVAL FORM Agenda Subject: Ordinance No. 6345 Date: 1110111 Department: Attachments: Budget Impact: Police Ordinance No. 6345 Administrative Recommendation: Council approve amendment to the current ordinance. Background Summary: When the alarm program ordinance first went into effect, it provided for an "educational period" wherein citizens were allowed one false alarm with no penalty. Since that time citizens have been charged a fee for every false alarm, whether it is the first or a subsequent one. This has resulted in citizens filing an appeal to have the fee waived. In most instances the appeal has been granted. It has been determined that in the interest of a continuing education effort, new subscribers who experience their first false alarm they should not be charged a fee but notified that the alarm was determined to be false and that any further false alarms will result in a fee per the ordinance. This Ordinance amends the City Code to allow for this education and a more positive interaction with the general public. Reviewed by Council & Committees: Reviewed by Departments & Divisions: ❑ Arts Commission COUNCIL COMMITTEES: ❑ Building ❑ M&0 ❑ Airport ®Finance ❑ Cemetery ❑ Mayor ❑ Hearing Examiner ®Municipal Serv. ❑Finance ❑ Parks ❑ Human Services ❑ Planning & CD ❑ Fire ❑ Planning ❑ Park Board ❑Public Works ❑ Legal ❑ Police ❑ Planning Comm. ❑ Other ❑Public Works ❑ Human Resources ❑ Information Services Action: Committee Approval: ❑Yes ❑No Council Approval: ❑Yes ❑No Call for Public Hearing I l Referred to Until I l Tabled Until I I Councilmember: Peloza Staff: Lee Meetin Date: 1/17/10 Item Number: ~r~ Agenda Subject: Date: Page 2 of 2 ORDINANCE N0.6 3 4 5 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, AMENDING SECTION 9.30.110 OF THE AUBURN CITY CODE RELATING TO FALSE ALARM SERVICE FEES WHEREAS, the Auburn City Code includes provisions which address alarm systems and assesses false alarm fees when the police are called out on what is later determined to be a false alarm; and WHEREAS, the false alarm fees are warranted because systems that produce false alarms result in police responses that are not necessary -non emergency responses -and thereby prevent the police from responding to other calls that might involve real emergencies; and WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes, however, that there are times when a new system is installed and a false alarm may be triggered through no fault of the property owner; and WHEREAS, it is the City Council's intention to allow one false alarm per alarm address without a fee, with the understanding and expectation that subsequent false alarms will result in false alarm fees being charged as set forth in the City Code. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN as follows: Section 1. Amendment to City Code. That section 9.30.110 of the Auburn City Code be and the same hereby is amended to read as follows: 9.30.110 False alarm fees -Service fees -Late fees. A. False Alarm Service Fees. Except as provided in Paragraph K herein below, An-alarm users shall pay the following fees to the alarm administrator for police response to any false alarms ~~t~°~r ^n°_„°~r n°rm~+ 1. Burglar false alarm service fee: $100.00 for each false alarm, except as provided in subsection K of this section; and Ordinance No. 6345 December 9, 2010 Page 1 of 3 2. Robbery, panic and hold-up false alarm fees: $200.00 for each false alarm, except as provided in subsection K of this section. B. If a false alarm fee is not paid within 30 days after the invoice is mailed, a late fee in the amount of $25.00 will be imposed. C. Fees for False Alarms by Non-permitted Alarm Systems. In addition to the fees set forth in subsections A and B of this section, a supplemental fee shall be imposed upon any person, firm, entity or company operating anon-permitted alarm system in the amount of $200.00 for each false alarm. D. Any monitoring company requesting an alarm dispatch request for a non-permitted alarm system shall pay an administration fee of $100.00 per incident. If the fee is not paid within 30 days after the invoice is mailed, a late fee in the amount of $25.00 is hereby imposed on the monitoring company. E. If cancellation of police response occurs prior to the police officer's arrival at the alarm site, the response is not considered a false alarm and no fee will be assessed. F. The alarm installation company shall be assessed a fee of $100.00 if the officer responding to the false alarm determines that an employee of the alarm installation company directly caused the false alarm. Such false alarms are not included in the total number of false alarms for the alarm user. G. A fee of $100.00 is hereby imposed against any monitoring company that fails to verify alarm system signals as required in ACC 9.30.080~J)~3). H. A fee in the amount of $200.00 is hereby imposed against an alarm installation company if the alarm administrator determines that an employee of the alarm installation company knowingly or recklessly made a false statement concerning the inspection of an alarm site or the performance of an alarm system. I. Notice of the right of appeal under this chapter will be included with notice of any fee. J. All registration fees, renewal registration fees, service fees or fines accessed under this section are due within 30 days of written notice unless otherwise noted. A late fee of $25.00 shall be assessed for each individual registration fee due and all other fees due that are not paid within 30 days. K. Notwithstanding the above false alarm fee provisions, the alarm administrator will waive the first false alarm fee following the installation of an alarm system at a particular address. Ord. 6252 § 1, 2009; Ord. 6216 § 1, 2009.) Section 2. Implementation. The Mayor is hereby authorized to implement such administrative procedures as may be necessary to carry out the directions of this legislation. Ordinance No. 6345 December 9, 2010 Page 2 of 3 Section 3. Severability. The provisions of this ordinance are declared to be separate and severable. The invalidity of any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or portion of this ordinance, or the invalidity of the application thereof to any person or circumstance shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this ordinance, or the validity of its application to other persons or circumstances. Section 4. Effective date. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force five days from and after its passage, approval and publication as provided by law. INTRODUCED: PASSED: APPROVED: CITY OF AUBURN PETER B. LEVIIIS, MAYOR ATTEST: Danielle E. Daskam, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Daniel B. Heid, City Attorney Published: Ordinance No. 6345 December 9, 2010 Page 3 of 3