3124 ORDINANCE NO. 3124
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SANFORD, FLORIDA, AMENDING
THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF SANFORD TO CREATE
CHAPTER 20, SECTION 20-5; ESTABLISHING A POLICE FALSE
ALARM FEE; PROVIDING FOR DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING DUTY OF
OWNER OR LESSEE OF PREMISES; ESTABLISHING A SCHEDULE OF
FEES FOR FALSE ALARMS; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION,
CONFLICTS, SEVERABILITY, AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
NOW, THEEFOE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF SANFORD, FLORIDA:
SECTION 1: The Code of Ordinances of the City of Sanford shall be
amended to create Chapter 20, Section 20-5, which shall read as follows:
Section 20-5. Police False Alarm Fees.
Section 20-5.1.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meaning
ascribed thereto:
Alarm. A signal (audio Or visual, recorded or live) transmitted to the
Sanford Police Department indicating a predetermined condition. said alarm
is received either:
1. Via telephone line to a designated position on an alarm panel;
2. Via a private alarm service company relayed to the Sanford Police
Department telephone.
3. Via an automated telephone alarm system, playing a recorded message
when received on the Sanford Police Department telephone;
4. Via an audible/visual signal relayed to the City of Sanford Police
Department by a third party.
False alarm. The activation of an alarm, by any means, which does not
represent the designated condition.
Burglar alarm. An alarm system designed to indicate a condition of forced
entry, or attempted forced entry.
Robbery alarm. An alarm system designed to indicate the presence of robbers.
Telephone alarm system. Any alarm system which automatically transmits by
telephone line a recorded electronic or mechanical signal to a telephone
instrument at the Sanford Police Department. Such system to be totally
automated and require no relaying or action by a human being.
Section 20-5.2: Duty of Owner or Lessee of Premises.
(a) Prior to the installation or substantial modification or use of an
"alarm" system which is defined in Section 20-5.1, above, the owner or lessee
of the premises shall furnish the Sanford Police Department with such
information as the Department deems necessary to provide adequate response to
the alarm. Newly installed or substantially modified systems shall be
allowed to operate for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of
installation or modification without penalty for false alarms, provided the
Police Department is notified of the installation or modification in advance
of same.
(b) Owners or lessees of existing "alarm" systems shall have sixty (60) days
from the date of this chapter to comply with the above notice requirements.
(c) Owners or lessees of any alarm system shall provide response to the
alarm location, when requested, in order to reset or disable the alarm system
within one (1) hour of notification. Failure to provide such response shall
result in a charge of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each such occurrence.
(d) All alarm systems having an audible or visual signal at the premises
shall be so equipped so as to automatically shut off the audible or visual
signal after fifteen (15) minutes, except those systems required by law to
have a longer operating period in which case said system shall be so
equipped, so as to automatically shut off the audible or visual signal at the
conclusion of said longer required operating time.
(e) All alarm systems shall be properly maintained, system malfunctions due
to faulty maintenance shall not be grounds for an excused false alarm. The
Police Department shall determine those hours and dates during which
inclement weather may impact the proper operation of an alarm system, and
false alarms occasioned thereby shall not result in issuance of a warning
notice or imposition of a service fee.
Sec. 20-5.3: Response to Alarms, Corrective Action, Reports
Required and Fees charged.
(a) Prior to the installation or use of an alarm system, the owner or lessee
of the premises shall register said alarm system with the sanford Police
Department and furnish the Sanford Police Department with such information as
the department deems necessary to provide adequate response to the alarm.
(b) Owners or lessees of existing alarm systems shall have sixty (60) days
from the effective date of this ordinance to comply with the above
registration and notice requirements.
(c) Owners and/or lessees of any alarm system shall provide response to the
alarm location, when requested, in order to reset or disable the alarm within
one (1) hour of activation.
(d) Failure to provide such information and registration as requested above
shall result in nonresponse to that alarm system.
(e) For each response by the Police Department to an alarm, the Department
will cause a report to be filed, classifying the alarm as one of the
following:
1. False alarm or system test with no notification;
2- Valid alarm for cause designated.
(f) Upon the reception of a false alarm or system test with no notification,
the Police Department shall issue a warning notice to the owner or lessee or
manager of the premises involved, which warning notice shall require that the
alarm system be inspected and/or serviced within five (5) working days.
(g) There shall be a service fee charged for false alarms according to the
following schedule:
First, second and third response
(within last six (6) months) ................................ No Fee
Fourth response (within six (6) months)
will, ~,~ ~=Fu=L £11a ....................................... $ 35.00
Fifth response (within six (6) months) ..................... $ 50.00
Subsequent response (within six (6) months) ................ $150.00
(h) Upon failure of an owner or lessee or manager of a premises to pay the
fee specified within ten (10) days, response to that alarm system may be
discontinued until such time as all fees have been paid.
Sec. 20-5.4: Telephone Alarm Devises.
Failure of the owner to correct mallunctions or pay such fees as applicable
by this chapter may result in the Police Department not being required to
respond to the alarm location. Telephone alarm devices will be so
constructed or installed such as to not seize or otherwise hold or preempt
the telephone lines of the Sanford Police Department.
Page 2
Ordinance NO. 3124
SECTION 2: Codification.
It is the intention of the City Commission of the City of Sanford, Florida,
and it is hereby ordained that the provisions of this Ordinance shall become
and be made a part of the code of Ordinances Of the city of Sanford, Florida;
that the Sections of this Ordinance may be renumbered or relettered to
accomplish such intention; that the word, "Ordinance," may be changed to
"Section," "Article," or other appropriate word.
SECTION 3: Conflicts.
All Ordinances or parts of Ordinances in conflict with any of the provisions
of this Ordinance are hereby repealed.
SECTION 4: Severability.
If any Section or portion of a Section of this Ordinance proves to be
invalid, unlawful, or unconstitutional, it shall not be held to invalidate or
impair the validity, force, or effect of any other Section or part of this
Ordinance.
SECTION 5: Effective Date.
This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon its passage and
adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this~day of~ A.D. 1992.
ATTEST:
City of Sanford, Florida
CERTIFICATE
I, Janet R. Donahoe, City Clerk of the City of Sanford, Florida, do hereby
certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing Ordinance No. 3124 PASSED
AND ~OPTED by the City Commission of the City of Sanford, Florida, on the 14th
day of September, 1992, was posted at the front door of the City Hall in the City
of Sanford, Florida, on the 15th day of September, 1992.
In witness whereof, I hav~ hereunto set my hand and the official seal of
the City of Sanford, Florida, this l~th day of September, 1992.
~ty Cler~ of the
City of Sanford, Florida.
Page 3
Ordinance No. 3124