Laguna Woods raises false security alarm fee to $209 per response, effective Sept. 8

Laguna Woods city council voted unanimously Aug. 20 to increase the city’s false security system alarm fee from $141 to $209 per response, effective Sept. 8, 2025.

The fee applies beginning with the third false alarm at a single address in a calendar year and is intended to offset the sheriff’s cost of responding to repeat false alarm calls. According to staff, the County of Orange recently updated its cost study and the Board of Supervisors adopted the $209 figure; the county collects the fee and returns 100% to the city as a credit two years later against law‑enforcement contract costs.

The city reported 16 false alarms that produced fees in fiscal year 2023–24, yielding about $2,256 in credits to the city’s law‑enforcement costs. Staff estimated the fee increase would produce roughly an additional $1,000 or less in annual credits based on historical false‑alarm activity.

During the public discussion, Sheriff’s Department representatives said repeat false alarms are most commonly tied to aging or malfunctioning business alarm systems with multiple sensors; deputies sometimes must search large buildings, requiring several officers and time that would otherwise be spent on other calls. Council members said the fee is intended both to recoup response costs and to incentivize property owners to repair malfunctioning systems.

The council adopted the resolution to raise the fee after a brief public hearing; no public commenters spoke specifically on the item.

The city clerk’s office will coordinate with the sheriff’s department to update billing systems and begin charging the higher fee on the announced Sept. 8 start date.