§ 4-31. Fee charged for multiple false alarms.

(a) False police alarms. Should a police officer respond to a false police alarm, the enforcement officer shall examine records and determine the number of false alarms at the premises within the preceding thirty (30) calendar days, and preceding twelve (12) months. If the enforcement officer determines that more than three (3) false alarms have occurred in the preceding thirty (30) calendar days or more than twelve (12) false alarms in the preceding twelve (12) months, the owner shall pay to the city a fee of fifty dollars (50.00) for the fourth or thirteenth and each succeeding alarm to which police personnel respond.

(b) False fire alarms.

(1) Should a member of the fire department respond to a false fire alarm, the enforcement officer shall examine records and determine the number of false fire alarms at the premises within the calendar year. If the enforcement officer determines that more than three (3) false alarms have occurred in the current calendar year, the owner shall pay to the city a fee in accordance with the schedule on paragraph (2).

(2) Fee for multiple false fire alarms. No fee shall be assessed for the first three (3) false fire alarms at the same premises responded to by the fire department during each calendar year. Thereafter, the following fees shall be paid by the owner:

Number of false alarms	Fee per false alarm
4—6	$100.00
7 and above	200.00

 

(3) Issuance of invoice for fees due. An invoice shall be issued by the city to the owner of the alarm system stating the location of the false alarm and the amount of fees due. The owner of the alarm shall remit payment to the city within thirty (30) days of receipt of the invoice. If payment is not received within thirty (30) days, the city is authorized to pursue collection as stated in paragraph (d).

(d) Enforcement of collection. The city is authorized to pursue and shall pursue all legal means to collect fees due the city for service responding to false alarms. Said means may include, after review by the office of the city manager, filing a claim of lien against the property of the owner in the amount of the unpaid fees plus legal and administrative costs of the collection.

(e) Foreclosure of claim of lien. A copy of the claim of lien provided for in the foregoing paragraph (d), after certification by the city clerk, may be recorded in the public records of the county. After three (3) months from the filing of any such claim of lien which remains unpaid, the city manager may authorize the city attorney to foreclose the claim of lien. No lien created pursuant to the provisions of this part may be foreclosed on real property which is a homestead under Sec. 4, Art. X of the State Constitution.

(Ord. No. 94-19, § 1, 10-4-94; Ord. No. 98-21, § 1, 11-11-98)