1991-167e wpdocs\alarmrev 1
ORDINANCE NO ?2I
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, AMENDING CHAPTER 4,
"ALARM SYSTEMS", OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF DENTON
PROVIDING FOR DEFINITIONS, PROVIDING FOR APARTMENT COMPLEX OWNERS
TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR APARTMENT UNIT VIOLATIONS, PROVIDING FOR
TERMINATION OF ALARM SYSTEM PERMIT, PROVIDING FOR A SERVICE CHARGE
FOR FALSE BURGLAR ALARMS, PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY IN THE MAXIMUM OF
$500 FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY ORDAINS
SECTION I That Sec 4-1, ("Definitions") of Chapter 4 of the
Code of Ordinances is amended to read as follows
Sec 4-1 Definitions
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this
chapter, shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this section,
except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning
Alarm site means a premises or location served by an alarm
system
Alarm system means a device or system that transmits a signal
intended to summon emergency services of the city The term
includes an alarm that emits an audible signal on the exterior of
a structure Alarm system does not include
(1) An alarm installed on a vehicle, unless the
vehicle is used for a habitation at a permanent
site,
(2) An alarm designed to alert only the inhabit-
ants within a premises, or
(3) An alarm installed upon a premises occupied
by the city
Apartment means a room or suite of rooms in a multifamily
dwelling or apartment complex arranged, designed or occupied as a
place of residence by a single family, individual or group of
individuals
Apartment complex means any building or portion thereof which
is designed, built, rented, leased or let to be occupied as three
(3) or more dwelling units or apartments or which is occupied as a
home or place of residence by three (3) or more families living in
independent dwelling units
Burglar alarm notification means a notification intended to
summon the police, which is initiated or triggered manually or by
an alarm system designed to respond to a stimulus characteristic of
unauthorized intrusion
Director means the chief of police or the chief of the fire
department
Emergency medical assistance alarm notification means a
notification intended to summon emergency medical assistance from
the city
False burglar alarm notification means a burglar alarm notifi-
cation to the police when the responding officer arrives at the
alarm site within 30 minutes of the alarm notification and
determines from an inspection of the interior or exterior of the
premises that no evidence existed which would indicate entry or
attempted entry into the premises
False emergency medical assistance alarm notification means an
emergency medical assistance alarm notification to the fire depart-
ment when the responding fire department personnel find no evidence
of need for emergency medical assistance
False fire alarm notification means a fire alarm notification
to the fire department when the responding fire department per-
sonnel find no evidence of a fire having occurred or of a need for
fire department services
False robbery alarm notification means a robbery alarm notifi-
cation to the police when the responding police officer finds no
evidence of a robbery
Fire alarm notification means a notification to the fire
department intended to summon firefighting forces, which is
initiated or triggered manually by an alarm system designed to
react to any of the visual or physical characteristics of a fire
Local alarm means an alarm system that emits a signal at an
alarm site that is audible or visible from the exterior of a struc-
ture and has as its purpose the summoning of aid from a city
department
Permit means a certificate, license, permit, or other form of
permission that authorized a person to engage in an action
Robbery alarm notification is a notification intended to summon
the police when a robbery occurs by means of an alarm system
designed to be purposely activated by a human
PAGE 2
SECTION II That Sec 4-3, ("Other types of alarms") of
Chapter 4 of the Code of Ordinances be renumbered as Sec 4-4,
("Other types of alarms") and the previous text remains unchanged
SECTION III That Sec 4-3, ("Alarm systems in apartment
complexes") of Chapter 4 of the Code of Ordinances is hereby
created and shall read as follows
Sec. 4-3 Alarm systems in apartment complexes
(a) The owner or property manager of an apartment complex
shall obtain a master alarm permit from the director if any alarm
system is operated in any residential unit on the premises, whether
the alarm system is furnished by the apartment complex owner as an
amenity or contracted for by an individual tenant
(b) The owner or property manager of an apartment complex shall
provide the director with a list of occupied residential units con-
taining alarm systems and the name or names of persons occupying
said unit on or before the 5th day of each month
(c) A tenant of an apartment house shall obtain an alarm
permit from the director before operating or causing the operation
of an alarm system in the tenant's apartment
(d) For purposes of assessing service fees and enforcing the
provisions of this article against an individual apartment unit,
the alarm permit of the tenant supersedes the master alarm permit
of the apartment complex The tenant is responsible for payment of
service fees for false alarm notifications emitted from the alarm
system in the tenant's apartment unit The master alarm permit
holder 1s responsible for payment of service fees for false alarm
notifications emitted from unoccupied residential units
(e) The owner or property manager of an apartment complex
shall obtain a separate alarm permit for any alarm system operated
in a nonresidential area of the apartment complex, including, but
not limited to, common tenant areas and office, storage, and
equipment areas
SECTION IV, That paragraph (a) of Sec 4-62, ("Service charge
for false alarms") of Chapter 4 of the Code of Ordinances is hereby
amended to read as follows
(a) The holder of a permit required under this chapter shall
pay a fee established by the city council and on file in the office
of the city secretary for each false burglar alarm notification
emitted from an alarm site that is in excess of five (5) false
burglar alarm notifications within a twelve-month period
PAGE 3
SECTION V That Sec 4-32, ("Revocation") of Chapter 4 of the
Code of Ordinances is hereby amended to read as follows
Sao 4-32. Termination of permit
(a) The director may revoke an alarm system permit or refuse
to renew an alarm system permit for any violation of this chapter
(b) The director may revoke a permit for failure to pay a
service charge fee as required by section 4-62
(c) The director may revoke a permit or refuse to renew an
alarm system permit at an alarm site if an alarm system generates
an excessive number of false alarm notifications in a twelve-month
period, but revocation or nonrenewal may only occur in the event
the permit holder has failed to pay any service charge fee as
required by section 4-62 In each respective category, an
excessive number shall be as follows
(1) Five (5) false burglar alarms,
(2) Five (5) false robbery alarms,
(3) Five (5) false emergency medical assistance
alarms, and
(4) Five (5) false fire alarms
(d) Emergency service response shall continue to any alarm
notification unless the alarm system permit is revoked as provided
herein No alarm system permit shall be terminated without
providing the permit holder with thirty (30) days written notice of
revocation
(e) A revocation may be withdrawn and a permit reinstated or
a permit may be renewed upon a sufficient showing that the condi-
tions which caused the action have been corrected and if the direc-
tor determines that the alarm system is likely to be maintained and
operated in a responsible manner and in accordance with the
provisions of this chapter
SECTION VI That any person violating any provision of this
ordinance shall, upon conviction, be fined a sum not exceeding
$500
SECTION VII That this ordinance shall become effective
fourteen (14) days from the date of its passage, and the City
Secretary is hereby directed to cause the caption of this ordinance
to be published twice in the Denton Record-Chronicle, the official
newspaper of the City of Denton, Texas, within ten (10) days of the
date of its passage
PAGE 4
PASSED AND APPROVED this the day of , 1991
BOB CASTLEBERRY,
ATTEST
JENNIFER WALTERS, CITY SECRETARY
BY
QED AS Jib LEGAL FORM
A D OVITCH, CITY ATTORNEY
7
BY
PAGE 5