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Home My WebLink About10/05/1999, C5 - BARRICADES council '� `;o s_ q j acEnaa PEpoRt h.H.A� C I T Y OF SAN LU I S O B I S P O FROM: Paul LeSage,Parks and Recreation Director SUBJECT: BARRICADES CAO RECOMMENDATION a) By motion, approve an expenditure of$21,500 from the unreserved General Fund balance for the purchase of 200, 20-foot metal barricades. b) Authorize a single-source purchase of the materials. DISCUSSION Background The Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for facilitating city-wide special events. On several occasions, the staff has expressed concerns related to spectator safety of the Mardi Gras parade. Because of the large crowds, staff uses a variety of devices to barricade the Mardi Gras parade route and restrict spectator access to the parade. These devices include hard metal barricades, wooden "saw horse" barricades, and police line tape that is strung between parking meters. In some places, crowds are shoulder to shoulder and ten people deep, for several city blocks. People in the back begin to push forward to get a better view of the parade. People in the front rows, often children, are pushed out into the parade route. Unless there are hard barriers to restrict this movement forward, the people in the front, including children, are likely to be pushed into the oncoming parade route. Staff has even observed spectators pushed onto the parade route and intermingled with motorized parade vehicles. Much has been done to add more "human power" to managing the parade. This includes increasing the number of monitors on the route and adding law enforcement officers through prearranged mutual aid. While this improves the situation, it does not solve the problem. Wooden barricades and police line tape are not effective. The barricades can be overturned and the tape broken. The only effective method of restricting access is through the deployment of metal barricades along the entire parade route. Funding for additional barricades was requested as part of 1999-01 financial plan submittals. Based on other priorities, funding for this is currently scheduled for 2002-03 (the fourth year of the Capital Improvement Plan). In the interim, the Special Events Coordinator was directed to see if the City could rent or borrow enough metal barricades to cover the entire Marsh Street parade route. C5-1 Council Agenda Report—Barricades Page 2 The Barricade Situation The City currently owns enough metal barricades to line 1,000 feet of the parade. This covers both sides of one city block. Staff has located another 1,500 feet of barricades that can be rented locally for $2,000. That seems to be the extent of what is available in San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara County. Leaving no stone unturned, Staff found a firm in San Diego that rents barricades. The only problem is that they do not deliver. Staff would need to rent a truck and drive down and back to San Diego twice. The estimated cost of this rental is $3,500 for 1,800 feet of barricades. Counting both sides of the street, the full parade route, from Osos to Carmel Streets and the staging area, is 6,500 feet (Attachment 1). With 2,500 feet available locally, an additional 4,000 feet of barricades is needed to provide the proper parade route safety. While the price for 200 20-foot barricades is not cheap, $21,500, it is more cost effective than renting them from outside the area for years into the future. In order to have the barricades constructed in time for Mardi Gras in 2000,they must be ordered now. Other Barricade Uses • The barricades make excellent portable fencing for athletic facilities, such as baseball/softball diamonds and soccer fields. All of the current barricades owned by the City, and these that are proposed for purchase, can be used at the Sports Fields Facility in Damon-Garcia Park, year round. • Other parades could use the barricades, especially those with large vehicles, such as flatbed trucks, as entries. • The barricades provide security and control points. In the last national election, for example, several prominent elected officials, including a Presidential candidate, appeared in the Plaza. For security reasons, all persons entering the Plaza had to be screened. The barricades would be valuable in securing Mission Plaza in the future. • The barricades can be made available for other community events. Single Source Purchase The barricades must be custom made, a process requiring several months. In order to insure that they are ready in time for Mardi Gras, they must be ordered almost immediately. In addition, purchasing the barricades from the same local company will insure they are identical to the ones currently used. It will also insure they are of the quality of the ones currently used. Staff can simply specify barricades identical to those used in the last parade and be assured that they will provide the necessary restraint needed to properly protect the public. C5-2 Council Agenda.Report=Barricades Page 3 In conclusion, the City has committed to host the Mardi Gras parade and other major events in as safe a manner as possible. These barricades will improve spectator safety considerably. CONCURRENCES The Police Chief and the City Risk Manager concur with.this request. FISCAL IMPACT Funding for this purchase is scheduled for 2002-03 in the 1999=01 Financial Plan. Based on the need for additional security at major community events, and the lack of cost=effective interim solutions, we recommend accelerating the appropriation for this purchase. Based on interim results for 199&99, adequate monies are available to fund this purchase and retain fund balance at minimum policy levels. ATTACHIVIENI' 1. Parade Route Map C5-3 ® 0 ® m i: is Ll ti •e o i� m ~! rfC fo • I c n 1 Cl +ff� !a � • i � i IIto ® ldI r , l ti ARCHER . j Q :l 11 Y lj 1j O D O Z �l NIPONO I I \ \ A BROADEl yi AD GARDEN MO 2 CNDRRO 1 El I NDRRO El I OSOS noo w = 1100 Q Z 4 pi Z 9 ; V D VU c m N.4 > j r Z f n 2 i D 3 r I i H �r1 SANTA ROSH r= j� D TORO uuu JOHNSON ATTACHMENT 1 I � E \ " 4