Stuart, Fla., Updates Alarm Ordinance

Dec. 20, 2004
New ordinance requires annual permit updates/registration, specifies false alarm fees

According to a report in the Stuart News, Stuart, Fla., joins the list of communities dealing with alarm ordinances. The city's commissioners recently made adjustments to the city's alarm code, calling for all owners of fire and burglar alarm systems to register for a permit for their systems. The cost is a mere $10 for renewals/updates, and requires an annual registration. Initial permits costs $24.

The requirement of annual registration was designed so that police and fire responders would have current contact information on the alarm system owner whether the case was a real fire or break-in, or simply a false alarm.

The city faced over 1,700 false alarms in 2003, and the commissioners also updated false alarm fees. The commissioners decided that on the first and second false alarm calls, owners will be sent a notification letter by the responding officer. On the third and fourth offenses, owners pay a reasonable $50 per offense. Fifth and sixth offenses costs $100 each, and seventh and higher offenses will cost $400 per false alarm.

Owners of unregistered alarm systems face doubled fines.

Information from the Stuart News, Stuart, Fla., and TCPalm.com.