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Dewey Beach tables alarm ordinance change after resident raises potential state-law conflict
Summary
Council debated repealing alarm-company registration and recodifying false-alarm penalties as a civil offense but tabled the item so counsel can review whether municipal changes must align with Delaware Title 24, Chapter 12.
Dewey Beach commissioners on Aug. 15 discussed a proposed municipal-code cleanup that would repeal the town’s alarm-registration requirement and move false-alarm penalties into civil offenses. Town staff and counsel said registration and the nominal $10 per-alarm fee have not been enforced for several years; the draft ordinance would retain civil penalties for recurring false alarms.
Resident David Moskowitz raised concerns that state law appears to require alarm-system registration and cited Delaware Title 24, Chapter 12 and a state registration website (crywolfservices.com). Moskowitz urged the council to ensure any municipal changes comply with state law and its penalty schedule.
Town counsel told commissioners she would research the interaction between the municipal draft and state statute and whether Dewey Beach may be more restrictive or should defer to state requirements. The council voted to table the ordinance and asked counsel to return with research and recommendations at a future meeting (rescheduled to October).
