HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/10/20051
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MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2005 — NOON
COUNCIL CHAMBER, 990 PALM STREET
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA
ROLL CALL:
Council Members
Present: Council Members Paul Brown, Christine Mulholland, Allen K. Settle
and Mayor Dave Romero
Absent: Vice Mayor John Ewan
City Staff:
Present: Ken Hampian, City Administrative Officer; Jonathan Lowell, City
Attorney; Audrey Hooper, City Clerk; Wendy George, Assistant City
Administrative Officer; Deborah Linden, Police Chief
Mayor Romero announced the death of City Employee Greg Walker who passed away today.
BUSINESS
1. SAFETY ENHANCEMENT ZONE.
Police Chief Linden presented the staff report and responded to questions.
Public Comments
The following speakers opposed the CAO recommendation to extend the Safety Enhancement
Zone through March 2, 2005. Their concerns were, in part, that this action would appear to
target students and may further divide the community and students, that it may escalate "Poly
Gras" problems, that Poly Gras is not the same event as Mardi Gras and won't be drawing a
large crowd to the City, that the majority of Mardi Gras arrests involved out -of- towners, not
Cal Poly students, and that this action will set a bad precedent;
Jennifer Matz, Cal Poly student
Christine St. Pierre, Cal Poly student and ASI Board member
Jonnalee Henderson, Cal Poly student
Mike Jurewicz, Cal Poly student and ASI Board member
Daniel Ficclori, Cal Poly, ASI Board member
Mike Motroni, Cal Poly, ASI Board member
Tylor Middlestat, Cal Poly, ASI Board member
Bill Hales. Cal Poly alumni of Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo resident
Blake Bolton, Cal Poly, Student President of ASI,
Erik Veium, Cal Poly student
Scott Gormly, Cal Poly student
Chris Moles, Cal Poly student
City Council Meeting
Thursday, February 10, 2005, Noon
Page 2
Mary Jenny. San Luis Obispo resident, commended both the students and the Police
Department, but spoke in support of extending the fines permanently.
Greg Van Dyke, San Luis Obispo resident, stressed that the students have acknowledged the
City is doing a good job, but that their concerns about escalating problems with the students
if the Safety Enhancement Zone is extended should be taken into consideration.
—end of public comments—
Discussion followed during which CAD Hampian and Police Chief Linden discussed
concerns related to the promotion of Poly Gras and the potential problems that could
result.
Council Member Mulholland explained that she would have preferred addressing fines at
another meeting, and that her concerns are not related to Mardi Gras or the upcoming
weekend or other special events. Her concerns relate to criminal behavior and, because the
fines are old ones, she is interested in increasing them to address that behavior.
Council Member Brown explained that while he agrees fines should be increased, he does
not think that the Safety Enhancement Zone is the method for taking this action. He
acknowledged the cooperation of Cal Poly students during Mardi Gras and expressed
concern that extending the Zone would send the wrong message to the students.
Council Member Settle explained that he supports the increase of fines on a permanent
basis, but that he also supports the extension of the Safety Enhancement Zone because of
the liability exposure the City will incur if the Poly Gras event comes to fruition.
Mayor Romero explained why he believes the triple fine policy is both useful and beneficial,
but that he believes the students have a better feel for whether "Poly Gras" is a bigger
threat than does the City and so will not support extending the Safety Enhancement Zone.
Council Member Mulholland recommended that the resolution be revised to extend the
Safety Enhancement Zone until such time that the Council addresses a permanent increase
of the fines.
Discussion followed regarding the feasibility of implementing Council Member Mulholland's
recommendation, as well as of CAD Hampian's recommendation to extend the fines
through Poly Gras weekend instead of through March 2, 2005.
Chief Linden clarified that staff has been monitoring the Poly Gras situation as closely as
possible and explained that no efforts have been made to discourage Poly Gras by the
student leaders. She supported the compromise of extending the fines through this
weekend.
Council Member Settle moved to extend the Safety Enhancement Zone through noon on
February 13u, as recommended by the CAD. Mayor Romero seconded the motion for
discussion.
Greg Van Dyke explained that the student leaders are not condoning criminal behavior, but
are concerned that this a message and timing issue. He stressed that extending the Safety
Enhancement Zone for this weekend will have the same impact as keeping it in place until
March 2nd. He supported adjusting the fines, but felt that action at this meeting will cause
more harm than good.
City Council Meeting
Thursday, February 10, 2005, Noon
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ACTION: Moved by Settle/Romero to adopt a modified resolution designating a
City -wide safety enhancement zone to be in effect through noon on Sunday,
February 13, 2005, pursuant to Municipal Code Chapter 9.22; motion failed 1:3:1
(Mulholland, Brown, Romero opposed; Ewan absent).
Council Member Mulholland asked, and Council concurred, that the matter of increasing
these fines should be brought back to Council as soon as possible.
There being no further business to come before the City Council, Mayor Romero adjourned
the meeting at 1:45 p.m. to Monday, February 14, 2005 at 11:30 a.m. in the Council Chamber,
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.
APPROVED BY COUNCIL: 3/1/2005
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Au rey Hooper
City Clerk