N.Y.C. Admin. Code § L.L. 1995/020: L.L. 1995/020

Enactment date: 3/21/1995

Int. No. 484-A

By Council Members Leffler, Eisland, Henry, Pagan, Fossella, Stabile, Fusco, Michels, Malave-Dilan, Fisher, Lasher, Marshall, Pinkett, Povman and Spigner; also Council Members Albanese, DiBrienza, Foster, Harrison, Koslowitz, McCabe, McCaffrey, Rivera, White, Williams, Rosado, Weiner and Robinson

A Local Law in relation to requiring the submission to the city council of a comprehensive proposal for the removal or deactivation of fire department street alarm boxes

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. No fire department street alarm box shall be removed, deactivated or otherwise rendered unusable for the purpose of summoning the fire department, nor any administrative action related thereto taken, other than studies and planning, unless (a) the mayor, within three months of the effective date of this local law, shall have prepared and submitted to the city council a comprehensive proposal setting forth the details of any such proposed removal or deactivation; and (b) the city council shall have approved the proposal pursuant to section three of this local law.

§ 2. Such proposal shall include, but need not be limited to:

1. a specific analysis of the effect on the public's ability to notify the fire department of a fire or other emergency resulting from the widespread removal or deactivation of street alarm boxes;

2. a detailed review of the availability of functioning public telephones, broken down by councilmanic district;

3. a review of the results of eliminating street alarm boxes in other urban areas, particularly with regard to the number of emergency calls, response times and loss of life and property damage resulting from fire;

4. a detailed analysis of the annual financial costs and/or gains to the city resulting from the removal or deactivation of the street alarm boxes;

5. a detailed analysis of the one-time financial costs to the city of the removal or deactivation of the street alarm boxes; and

6. a specific timetable for the removal or deactivation of street alarm boxes.

§ 3. Within sixty days after the first stated meeting of the council following the receipt of the removal proposal, the council may approve or reject such proposal by means of any appropriate legislative action. If the council rejects the proposal, the mayor may, in his or her discretion submit an amended proposal. The council shall approve or reject such amended proposal within sixty days after the first stated meeting of the council following its receipt. In the event the council fails to act with respect to the original proposal or the amended proposal within such sixty day period; the removal proposal shall take effect in accordance with its terms.

§ 4. This local law shall take effect immediately, and shall be deemed to have been in full force and effect as of January 1, 1995.