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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEstablish a Downtown Public Safety and Residential Quality o04 2 ri� CITY OF HUNTINGT9 City Councnity roffice Com To: Honorable Ma uncil Members BEACH cation From: Joe Carchio, ty ember Date: July 8, 2013 Subject: CITY COON EM FOR ULY 15, 2013, CITY COUNCIL MEETING TABLISFi DOWNTOWN PUBLIC SAFETY AND RESIDEN L QUALITY F LIFE TASK FORCE STATEMENT OF ISSUE: In July 2009, the City Council formed a Downtown Image Committee. The Committee's focus was on improving the environment in the downtown area. The Committee created sub- committees including Pubic Safety; Business Variety and Attraction/Nightlife; Maintenance and Culture. The Downtown Image Committee developed 28 recommendations regarding the work of the sub -committees. Many of the recommendations have been implemented by City Council, the Downtown BID, and Planning Commission through the Downtown Specific Plan. However, there is still the need to review and to ensure that the quality of life in the Downtown area is improved. A new Task Force should be created to provide input and make recommendations on how to create a sustainable and vibrant downtown economy while maintaining a safe and high quality of life for the residential neighborhoods. RECOMMENDED ACTION: The City Council should establish an ad -hoc committee to serve on the Task Force. The Task Force should consist of four (4) representatives from the Downtown Residential neighborhoods, three (3) representatives from Downtown restaurant/bars, one (1) Downtown Business owner, one (1) Downtown BID representative, one (1) Chamber of Commerce representative; and one (1) HB Marketing and Visitors Bureau representative. In addition, there should be three (3) City Council Members serving on the Task Force along with representatives from the Police Department, City Attorney's Office, Planning and Building, and Economic Development. I am further recommending that the three City Council Members appointed to serve on the Task Force be responsible for appointing the other members. I would propose that anyone interested in serving on the Task Force submit their name for consideration to the Council Members serving on the Task Force. xc: Fred A. Wilson, City Manager Jennifer McGrath, City Attorney Ken Small, Police Chief Scott Hess, Director of Planning and Building Kellee Fritzal — Deputy Director of Economic Development ,�i°,�o✓� /ice 6-0-/ senior parks from converting to family parks during this process; and ensure that the Mobile Home Advisory Board has an opportunity to review and provide input during the process. Approved 5-1-1 (Harper -No; Hardy absent) 22. Submitted by Councilmember Shaw - Direct the City Attorney to prepare a Resolution requiring a minimum number of Electric Vehicle (EV) capable parking spaces for new residential, commercial, and industrial developments Recommended Action: Direct the City Attorney to prepare a Resolution that requires a minimum number of EV-capable parking spaces (wiring only) for both new residential, commercial, and industrial developments. Approved 5-1-1 (Harper -No; Hardy absent) 23. Submitted by Councilmember Carchio - Establish a Downtown Public Safety and Residential Quality of Life Task Force Recommended Action: The City Council should establish an ad -hoc committee to serve on the Task Force. The Task Force should consist of fetes (4) five (5) representatives from the Downtown Residential neighborhoods, three (3) representatives from Downtown restaurant/bars, one (1) Downtown Business owner, one (1) Downtown BID representative, one (1) Chamber of Commerce representative; and one (1) HB Marketing and Visitors Bureau representative. In addition, there should be three (3) City Council Members serving on the Task Force along with representatives from the Police Department, City Attorney's Office, Planning and Building, and Economic Development. I am further recommending that the three City Council Members appointed to serve on the Task Force be responsible for appointing the other members. would propose that anyone interested in serving on the Task Force submit their n onsideration to the Council Members serving on the Task Force. Approved as amended to include Mayor Boar man and Counci members Carchio and Katapodis as Council liaisons and increase Downtown residents from four to five. 6-0-1 (Hardy absent) COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS (Not Agendized) Shaw, Sullivan, Harper, Katapodis, Carchio, Boardman reported. ADJOURNMENT OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL/PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY AND THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE FORMER REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH — 9:03 PM There will be a Special Meeting on Friday, August 2, 2013, at 8:00 AM at the City Council/ PFA Regular Meeting July 15, 2013 -9- RICHARDSON GRAY 415 Townsquare Lane #208, Huntingtog�each, CA ?2` 4;8 1 714-348-1928, richardson.gray( ffioo.com HAND DELIVERED _ July 12, 2013 Dear Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and Council Members: For your July 151h meeting, I support your adoption of two agenda items, numbers 15 and 23. The first is Resolution No. 2013-30, directing the Chief of Police to protest any future "off -sale" ABC licenses for District 1 in Downtown. The second is Council Member Carchio's recommendation for a Downtown Task Force. On the Downtown Task Force, I have a suggestion. In addition to Council Member Carchio's recommended members, I suggest six more. To balance the seven business representatives, I suggest that the Task Force should have three more representatives from Downtown's residential neighborhoods, bringing their number to a matching total of seven. Furthermore, I suggest that the Task Force should include three representatives from Downtown's nearby public schools, one each from Smith Elementary, Dwyer Middle, and Huntington Beach High. My suggestion comes from the idea that our Downtown is just as much an affluent, established residential neighborhood as it is a tourist district. As such, the Downtown neighborhoods should have at least an equal voice with the tourist interests. In that the Downtown tourist district impacts the nearby schools, the parents and schoolchildren who live in our Downtown neighborhoods, too, should have an important voice concerning our tourist district. A strong quality of life for our surrounding Downtown neighborhoods and for our public schools is crucial to the long-term success of our tourist district. I have two telling personal anecdotes on this subject. One of Downtown's major resident leaders recently sold his home and moved to another area of the City, largely due to his and his wife's fears about the bad influence that our overly rowdy Downtown tourist district was having on their young children. As he put it to me, those forty Downtown bars are never going away. For another example, my best friend of the last six years, who lives in Anaheim, a city with a much higher crime rate than Huntington Beach, will not allow her sixteen -year -old daughter to visit our Downtown, even during the days. She is fearful for her daughter's safety here. Again, I urge you to adopt these two agenda items. Thank you for your consideration. SUPPLEMENTAL sinter 9 y COMMUNICATION n &r— ray cc: Fred A. Wilson, City Manager; Joan L. Flynn, City Clerk; Agenda Item NO-. ,, Kenneth W. Small, Chief of Police; Scott Hess, AICP, Director of Planning