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Gem Lake – Alarm Systems Ordinance Updates <br />Gem Lake City Council Meeting 9/17/24 <br />September 11, 2024 <br />Page 2 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />OTHER COMMUNITIES <br /> <br />White Bear Lake <br />Last amended in 2005, their ordinance currently regulates excessive false alarm incidents. WBL defines <br />“Excessive False Alarms” as “more than three (3) false alarms generated or reported by an alarm user during <br />twelve (12) consecutive months”. <br /> <br />Each false alarm after three (3) is penalized by a fee. The fee starts around $100 and increases by $25 with each <br />additional false alarm. <br /> <br />Fridley <br />Last amended in 2023, the city of Fridley charges a fee after the second false alarm in one year and increases the <br />fee by 25$ for each subsequent false alarm report. <br /> <br />Woodbury <br />Last amended in 2009, the city of Woodbury’s Alarm System Ordinance charges a fee after the second false <br />alarm in one year. Woodbury also regulates the noise/sound of alarms: <br />b) “Every person maintaining an audible alarm shall post a notice containing the name and telephone <br />number of the persons to be notified to render repairs or service during any hour of the day or night that <br />the alarm rings. Such notice shall be posted at the main entrance to such premise s or near the alarm in <br />such a position as to be legible from the ground level adjacent to the building or kept currently corrected <br />and on file with the police department and/or fire department. <br />c) Audible alarms that sound like police or fire sirens are forbidden. <br />d) Audible alarms shall have an automatic shut-off which will silence the audible alarm within a period not to <br />exceed 20 minutes and such alarms shall not sound for more than 20 minutes during any hour.” <br /> <br />Vadnais Heights <br />Adopted in 1999, the city of Vadnais Heights’ Building Alarms Ordinance states that each false alarm after the <br />second is charged a fee. Beginning at $110.00, the fee increases for each subsequent false alarm. After 7 false <br />alarms, the fee is kept at $320.00. <br /> <br />ORDINANCE UPDATES <br />Section Existing Proposed <br />3. Definitions N/A “Excessive False Alarms. More than <br />three (3) false alarms generated or <br />reported by an alarm user during a <br />calendar year (January 1st – December <br />31st). <br />3. Definitions Public Safety Department. The <br />Ramsey County Sheriff's Department <br />with respect to an alarm system <br />designed to be used for prevention or <br />detection of burglary or robbery; the <br />Fire Department of the City of White <br />Bear Lake with respect to an alarm <br />system designed to be used for the <br />prevention or detection of fire. <br />Public Safety Department. … the agency <br />or staff designated to respond with respect <br />to an alarm system designed to be used <br />for the prevention or detection of fire. <br /> <br />- Changed to the agency to allow for <br />future agency changes without <br />updating this Ordinance. <br />4. Reports of False <br />Alarms <br />“a written report of each false alarm <br />with the Administrator of this <br />Ordinance” <br />“a written report of each false alarm with <br />the Gem Lake City Clerk” <br />5. User Fees; Notice False alarms in excess of 3 constitute <br />a fee of $50.00. After 15 the fee is <br />$150.00. <br />All false alarms in excess of 3 constitute a <br />fee as determined by the City Fee <br />Schedule as adopted by ordinance.