Memo Second Reading Ordinance 94-751
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To: Hopkins City Council
From: Jim Genellie, City Clerk
Date: January 10, 1995
Subject: Second Reading of Ordinance #94-751
Staff recommends the following motion: Move that the Hopkins City Council approve
Ordinance #94-751 for second readinq and approve the summary of Ordinance
#94-751 and order the publication of the summary.
This action will continue the process of amending Section 930 of the Hopkins City Code
in regard to alarm systems.
A question was raised at the January 3 City Council meeting regarding section 930.07,
. Subd. 2 which contained language indicating that the City might cease to respond to a
business or residence where there had been false alarms and no payment had been
received for the false alarms. This language is part of the current ordinance. The
police department, however, has never not responded to an alarm. This language has
now been dropped from the revised ordinance.
There have been no other changes to the ordinance since the first reading.
The summary of the ordinance must be approved by a four-fifths vote.
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CITY OF HOPKINS COUNTY OF HENNEPIN
e ORDINANCE NO. 94 -751
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 930 OF THE HOPKINS CITY CODE
ALARM SYSTEMS
The City Council of the City of Hopkins does hereby ordain:
SECTION 1. That Section 930.03, Subdivision 2 be amended to read as follows:
Subd. 2. "Alarm" means a oin~lc transmission from any alarm installation
which summons police, fire, or medical personnel.
SECTION 2. That Section 930.03, Subdivision 4 be amended to read as follows:
Subd. 4. "Alarm installation" or "alarm system" means any mechanical,
electrical, or electronic device which directly or indirectly sununons .Efl.e police,
fire or medical personnel dcp~rtment of the city.
SECTION 3. That Section 930.03, Subdivision 5 be amended to read as follows:
Subd. 5. "Alarm user" means the peraon in control of ~ny any person, owner,
occupant, tenant, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, or
organization of any kind upon whose premises, building, structure, or facili t y -i-fi:
~ an alarm inotallation system is maintained.
. SECTION 4. That Section 930.03, Subdivision 7 be amended to read as follows:
Subd. 7. "Automatic dialing device" means a device which is interconnected
with a telephone line and is designed or programmed to select a predetermined
telephone number and transmit by voice message or code signal an emergency message
indicating the need for emergency police, fire, or medical dcp~rtment services.
SECTION 5. That Section 930.03, Subdivision 8 be amended by deleting the current
language and replacing it in its entirety:
Subd. 8. "Faloc alarm" mCi:lnD ~n aLum oi<3"nal eliciting a rCGpon:Jc by fire,
policc, or D~fety pcraonncl '.lhcn u .:::;ituation rcquiring a reopon.:::;c doco not in fact
clliot, the term doco not include a :Ji9n~1 CQuocd by violent condition::; of nature or
other unuQual circumotancc::; not aubject to thc control of the alarm oyotem or u:Jcr.
Subd. 8. "False Alarm" means an alarm message or signal initiated and
transmitted either automatically or manually through an alarm system which summons a
response by police, fire or medical personnel when no fire, smoke, criminal
activity, medical or other emergency exists.
"False Alarm" shall also mean the failure or refusal of an alarm user or authorized
designee to respond upon request to the activated alarm system location to assist
police/fire personnel, whether or not an emergency exists.
"False Alarm" DOES NOT include an alarm caused by violent conditions of nature,
utili ty line mishaps, power outages or other unusual circumstances which are
determined to be beyond the control of the alarm system or user.
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SECTION 6. That Section 930.05, subdivision 4 be amended to read as follows:
e Subd. 4. Exemption. Alarm system perIni ts are not required for the use or
operation of those alarms affixed to motor vehicles. .J.utomobilc.:J or O\ffiCr i1'i:Jt.:lllcd
;J.udible .J.larms \lhen tiocd in a pri'.rutc d\:clling.
SECTION 7. That Section 930.07, be amended by deleting the current language and
replacing it in its entirety:
930.07. F.J.l.:Je al.:lrm3: charges, fce:J. Subdi.....i.3ion 1- naport. " faloc alarm
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.:Jh.:lll be reported in writing to thc city by the per:HHl o'..ming or maint.:lining any
:l1.J.rll1 oystem, which report, among other information, muot dCrJcribe the alilrm syotem
:lnd the rCQoon for ~uch falDc .J.l:lrm.
Subd. 2. Faloc .:llarm Ch.:lrgeD. Subject to thc eKemptiono herein oct forth the
eh.:lrgco, ..hieh shall be paid by the pcrmit holder to the city for cach fo.lDc alarm
from the permitted premisc3, are :Jet forth in Chapter K. (J'.mended Ord. No. 91 680)
Subd. 3. Discoflficctiofi3. If a f.J.l:Je al.:lrm charge rem.J.ino unpaid beyond 60
d.:lY:J from the datc of billing, thc .J.larm termin.J.l involved Dh.].11 be disconnected at
the police or fire headqu.:lrtcro until p.J.ymcnt i3 received. If an ~lurffi in~tQl1ution
h.J.~ al;1rm:3 conveyed by a Dccurity company or other orqaniz:ation, it Gh.J.Il be
notified that reoponGe to 3uch .J.l.J.rm ~:ill not be made unleDD the emergency i:3
confirmed by .J. rCDponciblc pcr~on.
930.07 False Alarm Fees. Subdivision l. For each Police false alarm in excess
of four per calendar year (January 1 through December 31) , a fee shall be paid by
the permit holder to the City of Hopkins. This fee shall be set by City Council
resolution.
. Subd. 2. False Alarm Billing. If a false alarm charge remains unpaid
beyond 60 days, unpaid fees and late payment penalties may be collected by assessing
the amounts against the property where the false alarm occurred.
SECTION 8. That Section 930.09, be added to read as follows:
930.09 Prohibited Acts. subdivision 1- Automatic Dialing Devices. No person
shall use or cause to be used any automatic dialing device that automatically
selects any telephone line to the City, police, fire or any of its departments or-
divisions.
Subd. 2. Testing of Equipment. No alarm system designated to summon police,
fire or medical personnel shall be tested or demonstrated without first notifying
the police department. The unannounced testing of equipment which results in
notification and response by police, fire or medical personnel shall be in
violation of this section and designated as a false alarm.
Subd. 3. Intentional False Alarms. No personal shall intentionally activate
a false alarm or otherwise, directly or indirectly, cause a false response of
police, fire, medical personnel.
SECTION 9. That Section 930.11, be added to read as follows:
930.11 Audible Alarms. Alarm systems with audible sounds shall not sound for a
period exceeding 15 minutes unless otherwise authorized.
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SECTION 10. The effective date of this ordinance shall be twenty days after
publication.
. First Reading of Ordinance #94-751: January 3, 1995
Second Reading of Ordinance #94-751 and
approval of the summary of Ordinance #94-751: January 17, 1995
Date of Publication of the Summary: January 25, 1995
Effective Date of Ordinance: February 14, 1995
Charles D. Redepenning, Mayor
ATTEST:
James A. Genellie, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
. City Attorney Signature Date
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CITY OF HOPKINS COUNTY OF HENNEPIN
. SUMMARY OF
ORDINANCE NO. 94 -751
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 930 OF THE HOPKINS CITY CODE
REGARDING ALARM: SYSTEMS
This ordinance makes the following changes to the Section 930 of the Hopkins City
Code:
1. Adds medical personnel to the list of emergency services which might be
summoned by an alarm system;
2. Expands the definition of an Alarm User;
3. Expands the definition of what constitutes a false alarm;
4. Amends the current language regarding false alarm fees to bring it into
conformance with current practice;
5. Adds language prohibiting alarm systems that automatically dials the police or
fire departments;
6. Adds language prohibiting the testing of alarm systems without notifying the
City; and
7. Limits the sounding of audible alarms to 15 minutes.
A printed copy of the entire ordinance is available from the City Clerk and at the
e Hopkins library.
First Reading of Ordinance #94-751: January 3, 1995
Second Reading of Ordinance #94-751 and
approval of the summary of Ordinance #94-751: January 17, 1995
Date of Publication of the Summary: January 25, 1995
Effective Date of Ordinance: February 14, 1995
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