False alarm ordinance approved False alarm ordinance approved (June 01, 2001)

Council makes provision for fining repeat offenders

By Justin Scheck

Beginning later this year, Mountain View residents and businesses with burglar alarms will have to pay the city when their systems go off falsely.

The City Council Tuesday passed an ordinance that will assess fines of up to $300 to burglar alarm users whose systems repeatedly go off for no reason. If repeat offenders do not fix their alarm systems, police could temporarily cut off service until the system is fixed.

According to a city staff report, Mountain View police have responded to an average of 425 false alarms each month over the past three years. "In Mountain View, approximately 99 percent of alarms are false," says the report, which estimates the cost to the city of false alarms over the past three years to be "in excess of $312,300."

The alarm ordinance will charge alarm users an annual permitting fee of $15.00 for residents and $35 for businesses. City Manager Kevin Duggan said these fees will go to pay the salary of an alarm officer, whose job it will be to oversee the false alarm program.

Council member Ralph Faravelli said Wednesday that he supports the measure, and that when it was first introduced to the council last month his main concern was the expense to residents.

"I was adamant about reducing the fees for homeowners from $30 to $15. Corporations and businesses can afford over $30, but not residents, especially seniors," said Faravelli.

"I approved it, but I have some reservations," said Council member Matt Pear. He said the annual fee is his main problem with the ordinance. "As far as the law-abiding citizen or business who operates an alarm, they don't benefit... We're not talking about a lot of money, but there's a principle here," said Pear.

Duggan said the ordinance will become official after the second reading June 12, and while it technically goes into effect 30 days after the second reading, the police department will make outreach efforts, and notify alarm users of the new procedures prior to implementing the measure.