[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Wilkinsburg 2-19-2003 by Ord. No. 2694.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire Department — See Ch. 29.
Police Department — See Ch. 74.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 108, Alarm Systems, adopted 9-14-1981 by Ord. No. 2183, as amended.
Whenever the following terms are used in this chapter, they shall be defined as follows:
ALARM SYSTEMS
Any alarm system which alerts the Wilkinsburg Police Department directly or indirectly to a burglary, attempted burglary, breaking, breaking and entering, trespassing or other act for which it is designated to initiate a police investigation; and/or any alarm system which alerts the Wilkinsburg Fire Department directly or indirectly of an unauthorized entry on the premises, unlawful act, fire or any other emergency that alerts the Wilkinsburg Fire Department of the commission or occurrence which is designated to initiate a response by the Fire Department.
FALSE ALARM
An alarm transmitted directly or by a third party to the Wilkinsburg Police Department or Fire Department which discloses that no activity defined by the definition of "alarm system" above is in process or has occurred.
FEE
An amount assessed a subscriber protected by either a burglar or fire alarm system for a false alarm only.
SUBSCRIBER
An owner or lessor of premises equipped with either a burglar or fire alarm system which alerts the Wilkinsburg Police Department or Wilkinsburg Fire Department, either directly or through a third party.
Fees for violation of these provisions shall be assessed as follows:
A. 
Council shall adopt a resolution from time to time which establishes fees as appropriate pursuant to this chapter.
B. 
If a subscriber has more than three false alarms in a twelve-month period, the subscriber will be charged a fee for the each additional false alarm in a twelve-month period.
C. 
If a subscriber has three or more unpaid false alarm fees, Borough Council may direct the filing of a municipal claim against the subscriber's property which shall have the same force and effect of a municipal lien and shall be a lien against the real property owned by the subscriber.
D. 
In the event that a nonowner or tenant has more than three unpaid false alarms, Borough Council may direct the filing of a civil suit for the collection of said fees.
A. 
There shall be an exemption from the false alarm fee for nonprofit institutions which have as their primary purpose the education and care of children and youth with severe emotional disturbances or physical or intellectual handicaps.
B. 
Nothing in the within chapter shall be construed to provide an exemption from the requirements of this chapter for churches, colleges, universities, institutions of higher education, hospitals, nursing homes or boarding homes.
In the event that any provision of the within chapter conflicts with provisions of any ordinance previously adopted by Council, the provisions of the within chapter shall be deemed controlling.