Section 2.35. PRIVATE ALARM SYSTEMS.
(1) Definitions.
[a] Alarm System shall mean any device designed for the detection of an unauthorized entry on premises or for alerting others of the commission of an unlawful act or both, or for the detection of a fire, and when actuated, emits a sound or transmits a signal or message or both.
[b] False Alarm shall mean an alarm signal necessitating response by the River Hills Police Department or any Fire Department (including the North Shore Fire Department) when an actual emergency situation does not exist.
[c] Excessive false alarms shall mean all false alarms received from the same alarm system at any time after an alarm system has been installed and in operation for a period of two (2) months.
(2) Permits.
[a] Permit Required. A permit shall be required for each type of alarm system now installed on premises within the Village or installed after the effective date of this Ordinance.
[b] Permit Fee. A permit fee as set forth in the schedule of fees as adopted and subject to amendment from time to time by Resolution of the Village Board for each type of alarm system shall be paid at the time of filing an appropriate application for a permit. The Resolution and the applicable schedule of fees shall be kept on file in the Office of the Village Clerk and will be posted on the village website. Fees for any permits issued by the North Shore Fire Department are set forth in the North Shore Fire Department Fee Schedule.
(3) Prohibitions.
[a] Alarm System Permits. No person shall install an alarm system or use or possess an operative alarm system without having a permit in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance.
[b] No person owning, using or possessing an alarm system shall cause or permit the giving of a false alarm, whether intentional, accidental or otherwise.
(4) Permit Application.
[a] Application Form. Applications for all permits required by this ordinance shall be filed with the Chief of Police for an alarm system for a residential building or property and with the North Shore Fire Departments for a non-residential building or property upon forms requesting such information as is necessary to evaluate and act upon the application; the application form shall be signed by the proposed permittee and in doing so the proposed permittee shall agree to pay any and all forfeitures in excess of the forfeiture deposit which may be due to the Village for false alarms in the amounts set forth in Subsections (5)[a] and [b] of this Ordinance, and upon the failure of the permittee to pay such excess forfeitures by December 1 of the year in which incurred, to authorize the Village Clerk to place the amounts then due and owing to the Village upon the Village Tax Roll; all proceedings in relation to the collection of general property taxes and to the return and sale of property for delinquent taxes shall apply to said forfeitures if they are not paid within the time required for the payment of taxes upon real estate.
(5) Forfeitures.
[a] For each false alarm, resulting in the dispatching of police personnel, the permittee shall be subject to a forfeiture of an amount as amended from time to time by Resolution of the Village Board. The Resolution and the applicable schedule of fees shall be kept on file in the Office of the Village Clerk and will be posted on the village website.
[b] For each alarm resulting in the dispatch of fire personnel and equipment where there is no fire or risk of fire, the permittee shall be subject to a forfeiture of an amount as amended from time to time by Resolution of the Village Board for each such false alarm. The Resolution and the applicable schedule of fees shall be kept on file in the Office of the Village Clerk and will be posted on the village website.
(6) Appeal. Any person who has been denied an alarm system permit by the Chief of Police shall have a right to appeal that decision to the Village Board and the Village Board may affirm, amend, or reverse the decision of the Chief or take other action deemed appropriate.
(7) Suspension and Revocation of Permits.
[a] Grounds for Suspension. The Chief of the Police may suspend or revoke a permit where the permittee has continuously failed to comply with the provisions of this Ordinance or whenever an alarm system actuates excessive false alarms and thereby constitutes a public nuisance.
[b] Hearing. Before a permit issued pursuant to this Ordinance may be suspended or revoked, a hearing must be held before the Chief of the Police. Any permittee may appeal the decision of the Chief to the Village Board within five (5) days after his decision. The Village Board may affirm, amend, or reverse the decision or take such other action as is deemed appropriate.
(8) Penalty. Any person who shall violate any of the terms or provisions of this Ordinance shall, upon conviction thereof, forfeit not less than Twenty-Five ($25.00) Dollars nor more than Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars, together with the costs of the action. Each day’s continuance of such violation shall be construed to be a separate offense. (Ord. 560, 03/09/22)