§ 11-51. Alarm permit.

(a)

Permit required. No person shall use an alarm system without first obtaining an alarm permit for such alarm system from the City of Kannapolis. Each alarm permit shall be assigned a unique permit number, and the alarm user shall provide the permit number to the alarm company to facilitate law enforcement dispatch. The cost for permitting an alarm system shall be twenty dollars ($20.00) per location.

(b)

Penalty for failure to obtain a permit. Any person(s) operating an alarm system without an alarm permit (whether the permit was revoked or not acquired) shall be subject to a civil penalty for violation of this article of two hundred dollars ($200.00) for each false alarm, including the first and second false alarms notwithstanding any other provision of this article to the contrary. Any penalty assessed for operation of an alarm system without an alarm permit shall be in addition to any other penalties assessed pursuant to any other sections of this article.

(c)

Application. The alarm permit shall be requested on an application form provided by the City of Kannapolis. An alarm user has the duty to obtain an application from the city.

(d)

Transfer of possession not permitted. When the possession of the premises at which an alarm system is maintained is transferred, by sale, lease or any other method, the person (the new alarm user) obtaining possession of the property shall file a new application for an alarm permit within thirty (30) days of obtaining possession of the property. Alarm permits are not transferable.

(e)

Reporting updated information. Whenever the information provided on the alarm permit application changes, the alarm user shall provide correct information to the City of Kannapolis within ten (10) days of the change. Failure to comply with the requirements of this subsection shall constitute a violation of this article enforceable in accordance with section 11-56 hereof.

(f)

Multiple alarm systems. If an alarm user has one (1) or more alarm systems protecting two (2) or more separate structures having different addresses and/or tenants, a separate alarm permit shall be required for each structure and/or tenant.

(g)

Written warning and grace period. Alarms in use at the time of adoption shall be registered and permitted immediately or as soon as practicable. No person shall be fined for operation of an alarm without a permit without first being given a written warning specifying steps necessary to register the alarm, receive a permit and otherwise comply with the requirements of this article. If the alarm user registers the alarm and applies for a permit within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the warning, then no penalties, other than the permit fee, shall be assessed based upon the specific incident resulting in the warning, nor shall that specific incident be included when determining fees for any future false alarms. Should the alarm user fail to register the alarm and apply for a permit within the fifteen-day grace period, then the penalty for operating an alarm without a permit shall be assessed in accordance with section 11-51(b), and shall be in addition to any other applicable penalties resulting from the incident that gave rise to the written warning. In no case shall any alarm user receive more than one (1) warning and opportunity to comply regardless of whether the use of any unpermitted alarm occurs at the same or at a different location owned, operated or otherwise controlled by that alarm user.

(Ord. No. 2008-20, 4-28-08)