HomeMy Public PortalAbout307CITY OF MEDINA
ORDINANCE NO.307
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS 355.01 ET SEQ. OF
THE CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATING TO FALSE ALARMS
The City Council of the City of Medina Ordains as follows:
Section 1. Section 355.01 et seq. of the Medina Code of Ordinances is amended by adding the
underlined language and deleting the st, ielEen language as follows:
355.01. Purpose. The City finds that the occurrence of false alarms is a threat to the public health
and safety by causing the unnecessary mobilization of emergency personnel and their diversion
from other locations or activities in which assistance may be needed. Many false alarms are caused
by equipment which is improperly installed or inadequately maintained or by inadvertent activation
of a system by a person legitimately on the premises. The City also recognizes that persons
suspecting the existence of an emergency should seek assistance immediately. In order to balance
these goals, the City seeks to .,n ,...., i:., it-e mber- of false , ,,,....,s but- *e seek, ro ...,bur -se fF e ftt f r
excessive false alarms in order to encourage the proper use and maintenance of alarm systems and
the implementation of sound security practices.
355.03. Definitions. For the purposes of this ordinance, certain words or terms are defined as
follows:
a. "Alarm system" means any equipment or device, designed or intended to signal the
presence of an emergency such as a fire, unauthorized intrusion, crime in progress or
medical emergency.
b. "Alarm user" means the individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation,
company or organization of any kind occupying the premises where an alarm system
is maintained. If the occupant cannot be readily determined, the term "alarm user"
means the owner of the premises as determined by the real estate records of Hennepin
county.
c. "False alarm" means the activation of an alarm system when a condition requiring
emergency fire, police or ambulance response does not in fact exist and which is
caused by mechanical failure; or malfunction; improper installation or maintenance;
aniffia4-ffievementrifiseet4ofestatieft negligent use or maintenance of the alarm
system; or 12 y the actions of a person or person legitimately on the premises.
Activations caused by utility mishaps, unusual or unforeseen weather or climatic
conditions, acts of God or other circumstances reasonably beyond the control of the
alarm user shall not constitute false alarms.
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Ordinance #307
01-19-99
355.05. False Alarm Fee Established. Any alarms user who incurs more than five (5) two (2) false
alarms for police emergencies or one (1) false alarm for a fire emergency at ene a single address or
premises during any calendar year in an.. twel„e month -period shall be required to pay a false alarm
t f *h xth a�a o ch eedi�g falso lar The fee schedule shall be
fee to the city. �--..�''------ ------ ------ -----------a ----- ,;,.,, ,.,_
established by the city council by -resolution. The responding fire or police department shall file a
written report of each false alarm with the city clerk -treasurer. Upon receipt of a report prepared by
the responding fire or police chief regarding-ef a false alarm at a particular address or premises, the
city clerk -treasurer shall notify the alarm user of the provisions of this ordinance and any fees due.
If the alarm user is a tenant, the city clerk -treasurer shall also send a copy of the notice to the
property owner. The alarm user shall have ten days after receipt of the notice to pay the fee
required by this ordinance.
355.07. Assessment. On or before September November 1 of each year, the city clerk -treasurer
shall list calculate the total of unpaid false alarms against fees attributable to each lot or property to
After notice and hearing, the city council may
edge levy the unpaid fees against the properties as special assessments and the
city clerk -treasurer shall certify the same to the county auditor for collection along with current
taxes payable the following year.
355.09. Penaltiesr-Nn-alarm-user-whe-negleets-er-fails-te-pay-the-false-alafm-fee-established-under
Appeals. An alarm user charged with a false alarm fee pursuant to this ordinance may file a written
appeal to the responding fire or police chief within 15 days of receipt of the notice from the city
clerk -treasurer. Within 10 days of receipt of the appeal, the responding fire or police chief shall
make a determination regarding whether a false alarm occurred at the site within the meaning of
this ordinance. The alarm user may appeal the decision of the responding fire or police chief to the
city council within 15 days of receipt of the chief s decision. The city council shall consider the
appeal at its next regular meeting, following 10 days notice to the alarm user and the chief.
355.11. Severability. Every section of this ordinance is declared separate from every other section.
If any section is held to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, no other section shall be
invalid by such action or decision.
Section II. This ordinance shall become effective upon its adoption and publication.
Adopted by the city council of the city of Medina this 19th day of January 1999.
Joh 3. Ferris, Mayor
Paul Robinson, Clerk -Treasurer
Published in the Lakeshore Weekly News this 28th day of January, 1999.
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Ordinance #307
01-19-99
STATE OF MINNESOTA
COUNTY OF HENNEPIN
I, the undersigned publisher or editor of the
Lakeshore Weekly News, swear that said
the newspaper has its office of issue at
18178 Minnetonka Blvd, in the City of
Wayzata, in the County of Hennepin, State
of Minnesota, and is a third class free
distribution newspaper with a combined
circulation of 25,000.
I further state an oath that the printed
Legal Notice hereto attached as a part
hereof was cut from the columns of said
newspaper, and was printed therein in the
English language one a week for I
weeks ), that it was first so publishe
the a day of JC",.Yl . ,19
an last appeared on the .Q'$ day of
19Ba. The following is a copy
of the lower case alphabet which is
acknowledged to have been the size and
kind or type used in the publication of said
notice.
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Signed �/�"�/���
(P}t ilisher o itor)
Subscribed and sworn to before me this
1 day of /Y• ,197�
Notary Public
AMY L. CICCHESE
NOTARY PUBLIC - MINNESOTA
My Commission Expires Jan. 31, 2000
CITY OF MEDINA
ORDINANCE 307
AMENDING SECTIONS 355.01 ET SEQ. OF THE
CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATING TO FALSE
ALARMS
Public Notice
The City Council of the City of Medina has adopted
Ordinance No. 307. The ordinance amends the city's reg-
ulations regarding the fees chargeable for false alarms.
The current ordinance allows up to five false alarms per
year per address before the user incurs a fee. The amend-
ment allows only two false alarms for police matters and
one false alarm for fire during a calendar year before the
imposition of fees. A separate resolution adopted by the
city council establishes a fee schedule which increases the
fees payable for false alarms. A full copy of the ordinance
is on file at city hall in the office of the Berk -treasurer and
may be reviewed during regular business hours.
Paul Robinson
City Clerk -Treasurer
Published in the Lakeshore Weekly News this 28th day
of January, 1999.