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Attachment 2 Atherton Municipal Code Chapter 8.04 Alarm Systems

Atherton City Council
April 15, 2026

Document
Attachment 2 Atherton Municipal Code Chapter 8.04 Alarm Systems
Meeting
April 15, 2026
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Atherton City Council
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Text extracted from the city's file for reading and search. Open the original on atherton.primegov.com. That file is the official record.

MUNICIPAL CODE
Chapter 8.04

ALARM SYSTEMS
Sections:

8.04.010 Prohibited phone device.

8.04.010 Prohibited phone device. * e required for alarm system businesses phone line-Permit application
No person shall use or cause to be used an
elephone device or telephone attachment on the Shone line-Costs and charges primary telephone trunk line of the police mit and registration fee required -Annual renewal. department which reproduces any prerecorded
message. ad fees.

Tart aren-t egulations.

8.04.010
Prohibited phone device.

No person shall use or cause to be used any telephone device or telephone attachment on the primary telephone trunk line of the police department which reproduces any prerecorded message. (Ord. 328 5 1, 1974)

8.04.020 Q
Business license required for alarm system businesses.

Any person engaged in the business of selling or leasing alarms in the town shall pay a yearly license fee as provided in Section 5.12.150(1) of this code. (Ord. 635 5 1(A), 2018; Ord. 492 5 1(A), 1996; Ord. 328 5 2, 1974)

8.04.030 a e
Secondary telephone line-Permit application.

Any persons wishing to obtain a private secondary phone line terminating at the police dispatching center shall submit an application in writing to the chief of police. Such application shall contain an agreement to comply with the conditions of this chapter. The chief of police shall approve such application if the following conditions are met:

A. The termination of the secondary phone line constitutes no hinderance to regular town activities.

B. All costs of installation and maintenance of such telephone lines shall be borne by the person requesting the terminating phone line.

C. The person requesting the terminating phone line shall maintain adequate equipment and service personnel to maintain or otherwise service alarms sold or leased by him.

D. The person requesting the terminating phone line shall make adequate provisions for testing of equipment and prevention of false alarms. (Ord. 328 5 3, 1974)
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8.04.040
you customize it, and to help us understand how it is
Secondary telephone line-Costs and charges. used.

All costs and recurring charges incurred in the installation and maintenance of such More choices OK be borne by the person requesting the terminating phone line. (Ord. 328 5 4, 1974)

8.04.050
Installation permit and registration fee required-Annual renewal.

Each person installing an alarm system in any premises or building in the town shall obtain an appropriate permit from the police department and pay a registration fee in an amount established by resolution of the city council.

Additionally, each permit shall be renewed annually and a fee paid to the police department in an amount established by resolution of the city council. (Ord. 642 5 1, 2020; Ord. 635 $ 1(B), 2018; Ord. 492 5 1(B), 1996; Ord. 328 5 5, 1974)

8.04.070
False alarms and fees.

A. The first through third false alarms within a twelve-month period shall result in a warning letter, but shall not incur any fee or charge for the response. Any fourth false alarm within the twelve-month period shall result in assessment of a fee as set forth by resolution of the city council. A fifth false alarm within the twelve-month period shall result in assessment of a fee as set forth by resolution of the city council. Any subsequent false alarm in excess of five shall result in assessment of a fee for each aciditional false alarm as set forth by resolution of the city council.

B. The term "false alarm" is defined as when an alarm signal is activated intentionally or inadvertently which results in a police response when there is no need for such response. If the alarm system owner contacts the police department prior to the arrival at the location of the alarm by a dispatched unit, the alarm system response shall not count as a false alarm.

C. Appeals. Any determination of a false alarm may be appealed by the alarm owner to the chief of police. Within five days of receipt of a written appeal, the chief of police or his authorized deputy shall set the time and place for the hearing of the appeal and give the appellant written notice thereof by United States mail, postage prepaid, to the address given in the appeal. The owner of the alarm system may appear at such hearing and testify if he or she desires. An appeal for financial hardship in paying accrued false alarm fees shall be part of the appeal process. The decision of the chief of police on the appeal shall be final, and the alarm owner shall be notified of the decision by regular United States mail, postage prepaid. There shall be a thirty-day grace period before termination of the alarm monitoring or nonresponse to privately monitored alarm.

D. Excessive False Alarms. In the event of receipt of more than twelve false alarm activations in a one-year period, such alarm system monitoring shall be suspended and the owner notified that the town will not continue to monitor their alarm system although the police department will continue to respond to outside monitoring calls for response or direct calls for service; however, additional false alarm fees in such cases will still be charged. (Ord. 635 55 1(D)-1(1), 2018; Ord. 527 5 1, 2001; Ord. 492.5 1(C), 1996; Ord. 432 $ 2, 1987; Ord. 380, 1980; Ord. 354, 1977; Ord. 328 $ 7, 1974)

8.04.080
Audible alarm regulations.

A. Each audible alarm system shail be equipped with a timing device that will silence or turn off such audible signal within ten minutes of activation. After mailing of written notice of a first violation hereof, the owner of each audible alarm system that is not so equipped shall pay a service charge in an amount established by resolution of the city council for each subsequent violation.

B. It is unlawful to install or maintain any audible alarm which generates a sound similar to sirens used on authorized emergency vehicles or for civil disaster purposes.

C. "Audible alarm" means a device designed for detection of unauthorized entry on the land, building, structure or facility of any alarm owner, and which generates a sound audible outdoors when activated. (Ord. 492 5 1(D), 1996; Ord. 354, 1977; Ord. 328 § 8, 1974)
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The Atherton Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 676, passed January 21, 2026.

Disclaimer: The town clerk's office has the official version of the Atherton Municipal Code. Users should contact the town clerk's office for ordinances passed subsequent to the ordinance cited above.

Town. Website: www.clatherton.ca.us
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