Section 505.391. Assessment of charge for false alarm from an automatic fire alarm system at a commercial establishment

(A) If, after the fire department of a township, township fire district, or joint fire district, or a private fire company with which the fire department of a township, township fire district, or joint fire district contracts for fire protection, responds to a false alarm from an automatic fire alarm system at a commercial establishment or residential building, the board of township trustees gives written notice by certified mail that it may assess a charge of up to three hundred dollars for each subsequent false alarm occurring after three false alarms by that system within the same calendar year, the board of township trustees may assess that charge. This notice shall be mailed to the owner and the lessee, if any, of the building in which the system is installed. After the board gives this notice, the board need not give any additional written notices before assessing a charge for a false alarm as provided by this section.

(B) If payment of the bill assessing a charge for a false alarm is not received within thirty days, the township fiscal officer shall send a notice by certified mail to the manager and to the owner, if different, of the real estate of which the commercial establishment is a part, or to the occupant, lessee, agent, or tenant and to the owner, if different, of the real estate of which the residential building is a part, indicating that failure to pay the bill within thirty days, or to show just cause why the bill should not be paid within thirty days, will result in the assessment of a lien upon the real estate in the amount of the bill. If payment is not received or just cause for nonpayment is not shown within those thirty days, the amount of the bill shall be entered upon the tax duplicate, shall be a lien upon the real estate from the date of the entry, and shall be collected as other taxes and returned to the township treasury to be earmarked for use for fire services.

(C) As used in this section, "commercial establishment" means a building or buildings in an area used primarily for nonresidential, commercial purposes.

Effective Date: 09-17-1986; 08-17-2006