Township of Aleppo, PA Chapter 111 Alarms

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Aleppo 7-20-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-1. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 111-1 Conflicting provisions; repealer.

Those sections of any or all other ordinances or parts of all other ordinances are repealed insofar as they conflict with the provisions of this chapter; however, such repeal shall not affect any act done or any liability or violation accrued under any such prior ordinance herein repealed or superseded. Furthermore, all such liabilities or violations of any repealed or superseded ordinances shall continue and may be enforced in the same manner as if such repeal or supersession had not been made. Moreover, any offense or violation committed and any penalty or forfeiture incurred under any such ordinance, herein repealed or superseded, may be prosecuted in the same manner as if this chapter had not been approved.

§ 111-2 Word usage; definitions.

A. The singular shall include the plural, and the plural shall include the singular. Words used in the present tense shall also include the future.

B. As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless otherwise expressly stated:

ALARM

A communication to a public safety agency indicating that a crime, fire or other emergency warranting immediate action by that public safety agency has occurred or is occurring.

ALARM DEVICE

A device designed to automatically transmit an alarm:

(1) Directly to a public safety agency; or

(2) To a person that is instructed to notify the public safety agency of the alarm.

AUTOMATIC DIALING DEVICE

A device which is interconnected to a telephone line and is programmed to transmit a coded signal of an alarm to a dedicated telephone trunk line or to dial a predetermined telephone number to an alarm to a public safety agency.

CHIEF OF POLICE

The administrative head of the Police Department who shall have responsibility for the registration of all alarm systems within the Township and the administration and enforcement of this chapter.

DEDICATED TELEPHONE TRUNK LINE

A telephone line or lines that serve a public safety agency dedicated to receiving transmissions from an automatic dialing device.

EMERGENCY

A police, fire, medical or hazard emergency.

FALSE ALARM

The activation of an alarm device to which a public safety agency responds when a crime, fire or other emergency has not occurred.

OWNER OF ALARM DEVICE/BUILDING

The person that owns the property where the alarm device is installed. In Zoning Districts R-1, R-2 and R-3, this will be the owner of the building where the alarm device is installed. In Zoning Districts C-1, C-2 and PRD, this means the owner of the alarm device.

REGISTRATION

Written permission duly received upon the filing of all necessary information and the payment of a fee as required by this chapter.

§ 111-3 Registration requirements.

A. New installation. From the effective date of this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any alarm system to be installed within Aleppo Township without first registering such system and paying the required fee as prescribed by this chapter.

B. Existing installation. Within 90 days from the effective date of this chapter, every alarm system located within Aleppo Township shall be registered. Registration and payment of the required fee shall be the responsibility of the owner, user or lessee of such system.

C. Application. Application forms for the registration of an alarm system shall be made available by the Township and shall require the following minimum information:

(1) The name, address and telephone number of both the alarm user and property owner.

(2) The address where the alarm system is installed, and telephone number at that location.

(3) The name, address and telephone number of the alarm supplier.

(4) The name, address and telephone number of a person or firm who is authorized to respond immediately to an emergency or false alarm and to gain access to the alarm system and who is available on a twenty-four-hour-a-day basis, seven days a week, to respond for servicing and maintenance and to correct malfunctions as they occur.

(5) The type of system (i.e., holdup, burglary, fire or medical emergency).

(6) Any other information which shall be required by the Township.

§ 111-4 Registration fees; violations and penalties.

A. A fee in the amount of $25 shall be paid to Aleppo Township for the registration of each alarm device.

B. The penalty for failing to register the alarm device shall be $25 for every 30 days the device is not registered pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

§ 111-5 Installation standards.

A. Every alarm supplier who sells, leases or furnishes an alarm system or any individual, firm or corporation who installs his or its own alarm system shall be required to meet the following minimum requirements:

(1) The system installed shall be listed by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., as being electrically safe.

(2) Such system shall be provided with standby battery power, which shall automatically and immediately take over in the event of a power failure.

(3) Wiring for each system shall meet all applicable Township codes and be installed using shielded cable to prevent wave interference.

B. Exemptions. A battery-powered (nine-volt, 11.2-volt or similar voltage) audible alarm system or an electrically energized audible alarm system whose sole purpose is to notify the occupants of that location of an emergency shall be exempt from the registration requirements of this chapter if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The alarm is not connected to any mechanical or electrical device that automatically notifies a person or agency outside of that location that the alarm system is activated.

(2) The alarm system is not connected to any external speakers.

C. Alarms without timing mechanisms prohibited. On and after the effective date of this chapter, owners and users of audible alarms shall equip such device with a timing mechanism that will disengage the audible alarm after a maximum time period of 15 minutes. Alarms without such a mechanism shall constitute a violation of this chapter and must be disconnected.

§ 111-6 Inspections.

A. Aleppo Township reserves the right to inspect the installation and operation of every alarm system within the Township.

B. Inspection of premises where an alarm system is installed will be conducted during reasonable hours, except in emergency situations.

§ 111-7 False alarms.

A. For the purpose of defraying the cost to Aleppo Township for responding to false alarms, and in conjunction 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 7511, the owners of the buildings where an alarm device is installed (Zoning Districts R-1, R-2 and R-3) and owners of the alarm device (Zoning Districts C-1, C-2 and PRD) as defined by this chapter shall be subject to the following penalties:

(1) For the fourth and subsequent false alarms per twelve-month period: $300 for each alarm;

(2) For the fourth and subsequent false alarms per twelve-month period, the owner of the alarm device may be charged with a summary offense and be subject to the fine outlined above.

B. Following the third false alarm, the Chief of Police shall have the authority to temporarily revoke the registration of any alarm system within Aleppo Township. The person to whom the alarm system is registered shall be notified by both certified and regular mail of such action and be provided with the effective date of the revocation. No further response to an alarm device shall be provided until such time that the Chief of Police has received a certification from a licensed alarm supplier describing the basis for malfunction and also certification that the alarm system is free of defect. If no report or certification is received within 45 days from the effective date of revocation, the registration for the calendar year issued shall be considered void, and the alarm system shall be disconnected. Where determined necessary in the opinion of the Chief of Police, an annual maintenance agreement shall be required as a condition for reinstatement of the registration.