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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - February 4, 2015 Public CommentsC-12 Ado t Resolution Aporaving. Bylaw Change§ for the QmMer L i Area Yo Com fission (CLK) Adopted Resolution No. 2015-06 approving the bylaw changes for the Greater Lodi Area Youth Commission. C-13 i n' o e i M Received the biennial report regarding AB1234 mandatory ethics training. C-14 R ive Report RegardiM Boards, Committees, and Commissions LK Received a report regarding the boards, committees, and commissions. C-15 Adopt Resolution 5elettln�}r Grave Bowl, Improvements Phase4 as Proied Nomination for San Joaguin Ctiungit of Govemments=Dne'Voice. TdP (EM Adopted Resolution No. 2015-07 selecting the Grape Bowl Improvements Phase 4 as the project nomination for the San Joaquin Council of Governments' One Voice trip. A Was Posted Oent Code .Section 54954.2(b)(2)):Ail other hems onf be ed o sta1fm-RkqMht on a future Council agends. Wendy Conte presented a letter and petition signed by 62 downtown merchants regarding lack of police presence, increase in vagrants and homeless individuals, drug activity in the alleys, increase in trash, and lack of maintenance and lighting in downtown Lodi. Ms. Conte urged everyone, including business owners, employees, residents, Council, and press, to all work together toward finding a viable solution for dealing with these growing concerns. She further suggested that research be done to see how other destination communities are handling these problems and to see if Lodi could implement similar practices. The submitted materials included suggestions to consider for alley maintenance, the Elm Street storage units, and vacant buildings. Ms. Conte requested that the interested downtown business owners be regularly informed of progress, actions, and discussions, and she further submitted a letter on behalf of herself as a citizen living in the downtown area regarding the deplorable conditions. Each of the Council Members commended Ms. Conte and the business owners for their collaborative effort and sensible approach to working toward a common solution and also provided individual comments: 1) Mayor Pro Tempore Chandler questioned if security cameras could be deployed to track vagrant activities; 2) Council Member Kuehne stated that he has heard an overwhelming majority of people express a desire to return the tree lights; 3) Council Member Mounce stated that Council asked the City Manager and Police Chief to put together an action plan, which will be forthcoming in the near future; 4) Council Member Nakanishi also stated that there will be a Shirtsleeve Session soon to discuss this topic; suggested staff research other communities and ordinances that could be implemented; and stated that the City could likely address the code enforcement issue and police presence, however, funding is a concern. David Claxton, owner of French at Heart, stated he understood the City had funding for additional police officers and suggested Council do what it can to get those positions filled and potentially fund an officer on an interim basis to provide downtown policing. Mr. Claxton further requested that Council put this item formally on a future agenda so it can take action. Judy Hendey requested enhanced security near the Catholic church on West Walnut Street, particularly at night. With the street being closed off, a greater number of people are congregating and sleeping there. She further expressed support for the tree lighting in the downtown area. Colleen Brown, owner of Beauty of the Beast pet salon, suggested the City also look into the drug users who live in the housing above the businesses. They have code enforcement issues, such as air conditioners hanging by their cords and odors, and also accost and steal from people. Alex Aliferis stated the homeless problem is getting worse, many are drug users, and he is discovering that many are coming to Lodi from other communities. He believed that research needs to be done to see from where these people are coming, what their issues are, and if the local churches and non -profits can get more involved. Police Chief Mark Helms stated the Lodi Police Department is aware of and concerned about the situation downtown and introduced Lieutenant Shad Canestrino who is the district commander for the downtown area. He assured the public that the Department is working to mitigate the affect of the staffing losses downtown, adding that officers are sent to the area for a few hours at a time as well as for large events because of the changes in the demographics in that area. Chief Helms stated that there will be a study session soon to discuss this problem and strongly cautioned that no one give the homeless money or feed them because that only promotes the problem. Currently, the City does not have cameras in the downtown area, with the exception of the parking garage, and suggested there needs to be a public/private partnership where all parties pitch in to help on security. Chief Helms pointed to Proposition 47, regarding reduced criminal penalties, and prison realignment as contributing factors to the increase in this problem. City Manager Schwabauer responded to an earlier comment regarding police officer funding, stating that the City currently has vacant but funded positions in the Police Department and the Chief is diligently trying to fill those vacancies, but without much luck. E. Comments by the CitV Council Members on Non-Aaenda Items Council Member Kuehne reported on his recent training opportunities and meetings, including the League of California Cities New Mayors and Council Members Academy in Sacramento, the Northern California Power Agency 101 session in Sacramento, and San Joaquin Council of Governments board meeting in Stockton. Council Member Nakanishi was pleased to report that former San Joaquin County Supervisor Ken Vogel informed him that funding has been committed for the Veterans clinic in French Camp. F. Comments by the City Manaaer on Non-Aaenda Items None. G. Public Hearinas - None H. Communications - None I. Reaular Calendar 1-1 Adopt Resolution Adding One Senior Police Administrative Clerk and Deleting One Police Records Clerk II Within the Police Department (GM) Human Resources Manager Adele Post provided a presentation regarding the request to add one Senior Police Administrative Clerk and delete one Police Records Clerk II within the Police Department, stating that the position would be assigned in the Records Division and would be providing journey level work. The difference in salary is 6.6 percent, and the additional cost to fund the lead position is $2,700 annually. The information in this packet has been compiled through a joint effort of many downtown businesses. Any information the City Council may choose to share will be distributed to all listed businesses via e-mail or paper copies through the primary contacts listed below. Every business listed has a personal story of vandalism, loitering, customer harassment or trashed property. Any or all City Council members are welcome to call any business for comments. The listed businesses were those we were able to contact, not one business contacted was hesitant or refused to sign. Without exception their desire was to talk about the problems they have had, are currently having or expect to have in the future. Every business, again without exception, takes special precautions to avoid the consequences of dealing with drug addicts, alcoholics, and mentally ill individuals who have effectively taken over our town. Primary Contacts: Aaker, June 369-4391 Brown, Colleen 3.33-3343 Conte, Wendy 747-3635 Didreckson, Sheri 368-4800 RECEIVED JAN 3 0 2015 CITY CLERK The Lodi Police Department removed the bike patrol from the downtown area due to staffing and funding issues. This led to an immediate and steadily increasing negative effect on the safety and quality of the downtown environment. Merchants risk damage by parking in their personal alley spaces. Customers are harassed and annoyed by drugged and drunk panhandlers. Alleys are rarely used by merchants or customers as they have become trash filled, foul smelling bathrooms. Human feces, urine and/or vomit can be found most mornings. While officers respond as quickly as they can, our pleas for more police coverage have fallen on the (apparently) deaf ears of City Hall and police management. Following is a short list of recent occurrences: • Drug dealing in alleys • Alley and parking garage used as restrooms • Dumpster divers leaving trash scattered across the alleys • Suspicious looking people entering businesses and confronting staff + People screaming and otherwise causing commotions on the street and in the alley during the day + Vandalism that has cost countless dollars overall and, to one local merchant, over $3500.00. • Thefts from businesses, during the day (shoplifting) and at night ■ Less than upstanding citizens (?) sleeping on benches and porches during the day, leaving customers to walk past them, wondering if they're alive or dead, or going elsewhere to shop r Homeless people found sleeping in doorways when merchants try to open • Parking patrol appears to be non-existent, movie goers park in 30 minutes slots for hours, it is common knowledge that only one officer is assigned to parking control, and parking control vehicle has gone unrepaired for months/years ■ Homeless transients take full and constant advantage of the vacant buildings along North Sacramento Street. "Keep Out" signs are worthless, chains are cut, doorways are kicked in. Candles and cooking/heating fires are common, endangering all of downtown Lodi Seriously, Lodi can, and should, be better than this! The number of incidents reported to the police is staggering, note attached lists. And yet, nothing has been done by the city to engage in a long term solution. The tax paying, voting merchants of the downtown area live with these issues every day and see the results of no comprehensive solution every morning. Highly visible and proactive bike patrol (or foot patrol) officers are a large part of a long term solution. Recently, in leaner times, the chief of police and his staff were forced to make the decision to reassign the bike officer and to not repair the parking control vehicle. But now, with the City of Lodi trumpeting the "balanced budget" and ample reserve, granting pay increases for several city staffers, it appears the fiscal crisis has passed. The crisis in crime (vandalism, drug dealing, drug use increase, loitering, sleeping off a night of drinking and using, panhandling, and public harassment of our customers) has NOT passed. We request, again, that Chief Helms respond to our concerns with either a bike or foot patrol office downtown on a full time basis. If he is unwilling or unable to do so, we request the City Council takes whatever steps are necessary to fund such an officer. Our desire is not to confront and threaten but rather to input our experience and knowledge into the overall solution process. Attached please find a list of the rent paying, voting, tax paying members of the Lodi downtown businesses who support this request/plea/demand for increasing the downtown police presence. Comments from petition signers: (Listed in no specific order. Unless a different location is listed, all references to "alley" refers to the north -south alley, running parallel to, and between, School and Sacramento Streets from Oak to Elm. ) Epic Wireless: Panhandling is at an all time high. Makes clients uneasy. I dumped the trash and hit someone (with the trash) that was IN the dumpster. French At Heart Home & Garden: The homeless sleep in the alley. I DON'T feel safe dumping the garbage. It's worst than ever before. Elizabeth of Lodi: Broken front window, blood trail led to alley, not the parking area. week of 1/17/15 - Man sleeping on the bench at B of A at 6:00pm, , great for our tourists to see. 1/27/15 — Corner of Sacramento and Elm Streets, saw someone receiving oral copulation. All the time — trash in the alley from transients. Shangri-La: We found a lot of trash and beer cans on the alley (alley between and parallel to School and Church Streets) and at the (our) front door. New & Again Consignment Furniture Gallery (School Street): Homeless going through our trash bins, hold-up at the store, defecation and urination in the alley behind building, panhandling to our customers. New & Again Consignment Furniture Gallery (Sacramento Street): Theft of items, urination against rear door of building. Also graffiti constantly. Marino's Italian Restaurant: It is very important to have bicycle patrol. Tokay Glass Company: We deal with all the homeless on Sacramento Street, too. We've asked for help and not received any. We were told it was better to keep them here (in our neighborhood) rather than downtown (nearer to School Street.) We watch them urinate in the gutters and against fences. Cars are (parked) up and down the street with people sleeping and living in them. Drug deals (happen) right in front of our shop and in the alley behind us. We watch them push their (stolen grocery) carts to the recycling center with stolen merchandise. They walk up and down (in front of our shop) screaming and cussing. Our bookkeeper has to lock the door when the guys are gone for her own safety. Something has to be done. We need bicycle patrol on Sacramento Street too! House of Clocks: Personal and confidential letter to Lodi Police Dept. Olive Haven: More patrols! Cameras Prestigio Jewelers: Please patrol more often. Storage units (Elm Street Storage) double as a drug den! Tuxedos of Lodi: Please patrol more! Sheri's Sonshine Nutrition Center: We really need more support downtown in combatting all of these issues!! Storage units in the alley (Elm Street Storage) are terrible. We (have) had tire slashing and BBs shot through car windows in the alley, with storage unit residents seen in the area immediately after the vandalism. The Clothes Closet: I have seen it all. International Ballet Theater Institute: Bike patrol really worked!! Willow Tree: Daily incidents downtown!! City Girl: Fewer problems with bike patrol downtown Abrahamson Printing: Alleyway is a HUGE problem Grooming By Moraine: Vandalism, car damage, begging, urinating in the alley Bath and More: We and our customers have been approached in our store by homeless. Poop in our alley — Yuck! P J Polkadot: begging, urinating on our (front) door Beauty of the Beast: My grandmother's car window smashed out, my employee's car window shot out with a BB gun, my brother's bedroom window (facing Sacramento Street) shot out with a BB gun, my front salon window shot with a BB gun, my mother's car tires slashed in the alley, my son and my mother's bikes stolen from a locked yard behind my shop, people living in the storage units (Elm Street Storage), terrified by vagrant leaping up inside my cardboard recycle bin, employee attacked by drunk resident of the OUT OF CONTROL!!! Police reports filed in every incident. Nothing resolved. Antiquarium: Please help us — we have a large problem with vandalism and general vagrant problems. Synowicki's Jewel Box: Please — (police presence) much needed! We need to be safe!! A Flair For Hair: We deal with the "outdoorsmen" (homeless) daily- we need better and more patrol downtown! Nationwide Insurance: Had a laptop stolen from our office on Walnut Street Thornton House Furniture: $3,000.00 of damage to our truck in 4 months!! The Dermal Clinic: Lots of vagrants jump our security gate to dig in garbage. Two calls made to police for homeless disturbing out facility. The Alley The problem The alley runs between School and Sacramento Streets, running north/south from Elm to Oak Streets. Its an easy route between bus/train station and Salvation Army food distribution areas. It's low visibility and low traffic make drug and stolen property transactions easy. Police cars and any other vehicles are immediately visible. Pedestrians are rare so parked cars (belonging to merchants who pay for designated spaces) are easy targets. There are 3 escape routes between Elm and Pine and 4 escape routes between Pine and Oak. There is easy access to 4 large vacant buildings and easy access to the Elm Street Storage Units. The Elm to Pine stretch is kept fairly clean by local businesses. The Pine to Oak stretch is a junk yard of empty boxes, tipped over garbage cans, littered yards, weed strewn lots, abandoned grocery carts, Styrofoam pellets and miscellaneous debris. While the Amgen Tour decision makers haven't seen this yet, their racers no doubt will. NOT a good picture of the quaint little town we think we are. Solutions to consider • General clean up of city owned alley areas, including, but not limited to, repairing and repaving of city owned paved areas. • Enforcement of existing (or enacting new) requirements for property owners to remove weeds, and repair or repave any areas they rent out for parking making the alley more attractive to pedestrians and thus less attractive to those wishing to hide their actions, e.g. drug use, urination, defecation, sleeping, littering, dumpster diving. • Require owners seal off any areas not currently rented or used, charge significant fines if those unused areas are breached by vagrants • Install and maintain lighting and cameras, specifically targeting vacant buildings, locked dumpsters and dark areas regularly used for human waste elimination • Require (and subsidize) law enforcement patrol the area hourly 24 hours a day ■ Remove any structures attractive to vagrants for sitting, sleeping or loitering, e.g. the large raised area at the rear of 27 North Sacramento Street, Hasan's storage warehouse ■ Require sweeper trucks to clean downtown alleys Elm Street Storage Units The problem A few of us are well acquainted with the longer term transients and the residents of the Elm Street Storage Units. The storage units folks live there by choice. Their optional living locations, the Salvation Army, homeless shelters, parents' homes, rehab centers, do not allow or tolerate their drug and alcohol addictions and the storage of stolen property. One Elm St. resident with multiple units has been served with eviction papers. This morning (29 Jan., Thursday) a mother and daughter, new to the area, were seen moving in. Current resident(s) have refrigerator(s). At least 4 local merchants have spotted the unit residents bathing in the single hose near the entrance. Known drug dealers make regular deliveries to the units. Solutions to consider • Revoke the owners business license and close the units • Replace the current gate/fence with an electronic gate that: o Cannot be cut through or climbed over o Alarms directly to the PD if compromised o Requires specific code for entrance o Records who comes and goes o Denies all access after normal business hours • Remove or restrict hours on electricity to units • Turn off water • Install cameras and check the recordings regularly • Hire a property manager who will inspect the units on a minimum once a week schedule • Require minimal background checks on unit renters and refuse to rent to anyone currently on probation for theft, possession of stolen property and/or any drug related charges Vacant buildings 9 & 11 N. Sacramento Street Parcel # 043-035-150-000 15 N. Sacramento Street Parcel # 043-035-140-000 19 & 21 N. Sacramento Street Parcel # 043-035-130-000 23 & 25 N. Sacramento Street Parcel # 043-035-120-000 The problem None of these buildings are checked by owners and/or managers on any regular basis. Local merchants, residents and property owners have spent generous sums on chains, locks, wood to board up entrances and "No Trespassing" signs. None of this has been in any way effective in keeping transients out of the buildings. Chains are cut (often with bolt cutters borrowed from storage unit residents), signs are torn down (generally in one week or less), wood door covers are pried off and tossed aside, and front doorways are simply kicked in. Chain link fences have a zero deterrent effect, bolt cutters make access fast and easy. The transients who use these building use candles for light and start fires for cooking and warmth. When one of these fires gets out of control, which is only a matter of time, the entire downtown Lodi will be in danger. Blocked windows and doors make fast fire discovery impossible. Like the recent downtown Stockton fire, it will be beyond control long before it is discovered. Lawsuits against the property owners will pale when compared to the suits against the city's much deeper pockets. Solutions to consider • Offer the building owners some incentives to restore and rent out these buildings. Right now, these buildings are a threat to the City of Lodi, in costs of a probable fire disaster and the lawsuits that will follow such an occurrence. ■ Offer incentives to owners to restore and renovate: smoother permit acquisition, financial help for necessary safety improvements • Condemn all the buildings and give the owners a set timeframe for repair or removal. • Charge significant fines if the properties are not improved and subsequently rented or used by owners • Create an owner accountability fine system that will force non -local owners to either secure or sell the buildings. Make it financially impossible for the current conditions to continue. To: Lodi City Council Lodi Police Department Lodi News Sentinel Stockton Record This letter accompanies a petition/plea signed by 41 -plus downtown business owners/managers. I offer here a different perspective as I live in the center of the effected area. While business men and women deal with this crisis for 8 to 12 hours a day, I live with it all day every day and all night every night. My calls to the police over the past 7 years are countless. They have exponentially increased in the past year. I do not live in a walk-in hotel. I pay $1000.00 a month for a large flat with a spacious, well landscaped yard. I have an impressive 6 foot iron gate (locked day and night) between the alley and my parking area. I have a chain link fence and gate topped with 12 feet of welded wire fencing between my cars and my "inner" backyard. The inside gate has a padlock. Until last year I never had an incident of vandalism, theft, harassment, or public urination and defecation anywhere near my driveway or yard. Within the past year I have cleaned up human feces multiple times within 10' of the only access route to my home. I would humbly ask whomever reads this to imagine doing that 10' from their own front door. However, that disgusting task does not cost me anything. Vandalism has cost me serious money; $346.00 for slashed tires, another $75.00 to have the new tires mounted, $65.00 to have my gate lock changed, a $175.00 loss when my bike was stolen, $400.00 loss when my grandson's bike was stolen, $500.00 loss when a power washer was stolen, another $150.00 loss when a gas leaf blower was stolen. One of my bedroom windows remains damaged with a BB imbedded between the dual panes, my inner chain link fence was dismantled to bypass the padlocked gate. Every morning I back my car into the alley and then get out, lock the gate and then spend 5 to 20 minutes picking up litter left by vagrants sifting through dumpsters. There are some items I pick up so often I begin to form attachments to them. I see people bathing in the storage unit hose. I blamed them for the feces and urine in the alley until one of the unit residents showed me the chemical toilet in her multi -room storage unit home! My building is flanked on the north side by a number of vacant buildings. Less than 48 hours ago, I was awakened at 5:00am by vagrants kicking in the front door of 9 North Sacramento Street. Later that day ( Tuesday, Jan. 27 ) the city code compliance person arrived in the alley to (with the help of the fire department ladder truck) hang "No Trespassing" signs. She expressed her belief that the signs would cause the vagrants to think twice before breaking into the buildings. The owner of a local business, Colleen Brown, explained she had personally hung countless signs, almost all of which were torn down in days. In fact, the chains and locks on two of the vacant buildings were purchased and installed by Ms. Brown. They are not the first chains and locks Ms. Brown, and the building owners and managers, have generously donated to the bolt cutter wielding vagrants. My primary concern is for my safety. These vagrants routinely use candles and light fires for cooking and heating. They do not use fireplaces or BBQs. I live next door to these buildings. These building are all in excess of 100 years old. They reek of history and ambiance. They do not meet the minimum safety standards of a newly constructed building. A similar (in age and construction) building in Stockton burned to the ground not long ago. I have fire and smoke alarms in every room of my home, including the hall. They will warn me, but they will not keep the entire downtown from burning when a fire begins in one of the vacant buildings. I have personally contacted the police on countless occasions but they are helpless. Even if vagrants are caught in an illegal act, they will be back on the street before the arresting officer finishes the incident paperwork. The building owners must be held accountable for securing their buildings. If city codes make improvements and subsequent use of these building financially unfeasible, then these codes need to be changed. As it is now, the buildings are vacant and they are a deadly threat to me and to everyone who visits or works in downtown Lodi. Sincerely, Wendy Conte 7 i North Sacramento Street Lodi, CA 95240 (209) 747-3635 A Flair For Hair 222 South School Street Rita Sperling (209) 334-5357 Abrahamson's Printing 15 West Pine Street J Atwood, J Aaker (209) 369-4391 aprint@att.net Antiquarium 18 West Pine Street Bonnie Schneider (209) 365-1700 schnidr@pacbell.net Beauty of the Beast 13 West Pine Street Colleen Brown (209) 333-3343 calleepsounple Lwvahoo com Bunches of Beads 10 West Pine Street Kimberley Smith (209) 367-1207 kvintage@bunchesofbeads.com Bath and More 19 West Pine Street DeWayne Konz {209) 360-2284 sales@bathandmore.com Burtons Shoes 226 South School Street Cynthia Estrella (209) 334-6822 The Clothes Closet 16 North School Street Lisa (req. name block) (209) 333-2302 Cheese Central 11 North School Street Cindy Della Monica (209) 368-3033 cheesmritrallodi@hotmail.com California Embroidery 17 West Pine Street Brandon Maccoun (209) 224-8853 Brandon@CA-EMB.com Ciao Bella 1 West Pine Street Jillian Lewis (209) 366-2255 iillianlewis ciaobella@aol.com City Girl 14 West Pine Street Joni Moore (209) 339-9838 citygirllodi@vahoo.com Danz Jewelers 220 South School Street Dan Ingrum (209) 339-5239 The Dermal Clinic 105 West Walnut Street Dolores Pulido (209) 367-5857 dcskincare@sbcglobal.net DeVinci's Deli 22o South Church Street Mr. Phillips (209) 334-3234 lodi@devincisdeli.com Edward Jones 55 South School Street Doreen Meisch (209) 339-9010 Doreen.meisch@edward6ones.com Elizabeth Of Lodi 222 West Lockeford Street Nancy Chambers (209) 269-9046 Elizabethbridal@outlook.com Epic Wireless 222 West Lockeford Street Amanda Heuer (209) 327-0881 A.Skarloken@gmail.com Exhale Salon and Spa 103 West Pine Street Rosie and Imeioa Leyva (209) 333-3733 imeioalevval4@gmail.com Fashion Safari 9 North School Street Tammy Blair (209) 482-5681 tcbsafari@aol.com French At Heart Home and Garden 22 South School Street Kay Claxton (209) 333-3800 kmclaxton@gmail.com Grooming By Moranie 13 West Pine Street Moraine Kirby -Green (209) 712-1739 kirbygreen@clearwire.net House of Clocks 208 South School Street S., C. and S. Hohn (209) 369-7961 houseofclocks@sbcglobal.net International Ballet Theater Inst. 41/2 West Pine Street Ronna Roberts (209) 403-3897 ibtil997@sbcglobal.net Jackson Hewitt Tax Service 1218 South School Street Nancy Byer Havan (209) 366-0746 bverhauan.ea@sbcglobal.net Jewell's Salon 15 South School Street Kelly Jacobson (209) 369-0333 kidgntz@sbcglobal.net Lodi Sporting Goods 220 South Church Street Sharon Marini (209) 368-7993 Marino's Italian Restaurant 212 South School Street Leona Marino (209) 368-1221 marinochick@gmail.com McKinley's Frame Shop 11 West Pine Street Julie McKinley (209) 224-1225 ifmckinley45@live.com Minervas Furniture 21 West Oak Street Scott Molinari (209) 334-9411 Nationwide insurance 123 South School Street Pat Schumacher (209) 334-1400 schumap@nationwide.com New & Again Furniture Consign. Gallery 210 South School Street Allan Levy (209) 368-2200 lodinewandagain@sbcglobal.net New & Again Furniture Consign. Gallery 229 South Sacramento Street JAIlan Levy (209) 368-2200 lodinewandagain@sbcglobal.net Olive Haven 10 North School Street L. Jasmine Harris (209) 912-8233 liasmine.harris@gmail.com 011ie's Pub 38 North School Street Sean Guthrie (209) 333-0933 P J Polkadot 7 West Pine Stree Pam Hukebosch (209) 823-1357 Ik dot ' o . The Perfect Pear 14 South School Street Chuck Vecchiareli (209) 603-9552 Prestigio Jewelers 8 North School Street Damian Weber (209) 333-3900 91MIA0382009mall.COM Renee's Boutique 9 West Pine Street Renee Snell (209) 329-4500-rqu@.qt-Myahog.comI Scooters California Grill 121 West Elm Street Erin Smith (209) 369-8100 scootersoflodi@comcast.net Shangri-La 203 A South School Street Paul Van (916) 548-6888 P iV-82$P_Mall.corn Secondhand Rose 14 North School Street Christina Hoffman (209) 329-1166 siggadkgockgse@comcast.net Shep's Sports Bar & Grill 123 West Elm Street Claudia Bacchetti (209) 369-7437 sheasbar@smail.com Sheri's Sonshine Nutrition Center 6 North School Street Sheri Didreckson (209) 368-4800 sherfPsheris.cam The Shoppe 23 North School Street Cecelia Halim (925) 487-6219 Smart Alic Accessories 5 West Pine Street Valerie Rodenborn (209) 224-8157 sma ca e=6es Synowicki's Jewel Box 125 South School Street Brian S nowicki (209) 334-0095 synowicki@sbcelobal.net Thornton House Furniture 6 South School Street Al Nunes (209) 369-0130 Tillie's Cafe 21 West Pine Street Bo Hym (916) 384-6671 Tokay Glass Company 631 North Sacramento Street Loren Shively (209) 368-3845 susanrader@tokavalass.net Tuxedos of Lodi 12 North School Street Jazz Dhatt (209) 339-8897 Willow Tree 116 West Pine Street ITaml Enos (209) 339-7300 Itami iinn@hotmail.com Vf-l- Ik --� w!6\j (3 Business Namce1 Co tact Person Phone Address Si nature Email Comments: �- -MzI6UL7Rr2 BUMV, 5HW 7 ak)LI L MAJI)Lel-f A2 (4- 1225 Business Name Contact Person Phone ! 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ZZ Phone Email Business Name Address Comments: Business Name Address Comments: Contact Person Signature Contact Person Signature Phone Email Phone Email - -7 -,ROOD, Business Name Con a#�ct Per n Phone 1D 5• scr� s �' _ sg� Addresspaty ��'l7SS �9/rP�`' �'7�/� 4 rlr� !/� � %�4L/�� �� STD•2,� Email , Comments: _ �►� In7 Business Name Contact Person Phone :5-. Si l�i 17'�v S� %�� V L[9f�%+k i ►��' SOiL �Gr�Rl.�C• Address Signature Email Comments: g&Zr6c I O.3., Business Name Address Comments: Business Name Address Comments: Contact Person Signature Contact Person Signature Phone Email Phone Email To: Lodi City Council Lodi Police Department This letter accompanies a petition/plea signed by 62 downtown business owners/managers. I offer here a different perspective as I live in the center of the effected area. While business men and women deal with this crisis for 8 to 12 hours a day, I live with it all day every day and all night every night. My calls to the police over the past 7 years are countless. They have exponentially increased in the past year. I do not live in a walk-in hotel. I pay $1000.00a month for a large flat with a spacious, well landscaped yard. I have an impressive 6 foot iron gate (locked day and night) between the alley and my parking area. I have a chain link fence and gate topped with 12 feet of welded wire fencing between my cars and my "inner" backyard. The inside gate has a padlock. Until last year I frequently left my gates unlocked. Until the last year, I never had an incident of vandalism, theft, harassment, or public urination and defecation anywhere near my driveway or yard. Within the past year I have cleaned up human feces multiple times within 10' of the only access route to my home. I would humbly ask whomever reads this to imagine doing that 10' from their own front door. However, that disgusting task does not cost me anything. Vandalism has cost me serious money; $346.00 for slashed tires, another $75.00 to have the new tires mounted, $65.00 to have my gate lock changed, a $175.00 loss when my bike was stolen, $400.00 loss when my grandson's bike was stolen, $500.00 loss when a power washer was stolen, another $150.00 loss when a gas leaf blower was stolen. One of my bedroom windows remains damaged with a BB imbedded between the dual panes, my inner chain link fence was dismantled to bypass the padlocked gate. Every morning I back my car into the alley and then get out, lock the gate and then spend 5 to 20 minutes picking up litter left by vagrants sifting through dumpsters. There are some items I pick up so often I begin to form attachments to them. I see people bathing in the storage unit hose. I blamed them for the feces and urine in the alley until one of the unit residents showed me the chemical toilet in her multi -room storage unit home! My building is flanked on the north side by a number of vacant buildings. Less than 48 hours ago, I was awakened at 5:00am by vagrants kicking in the front door of 9 North Sacramento Street. Later that day ( Tuesday, Jan. 27 ) the city code compliance person arrived in the alley to (with the help of the fire department ladder truck) hang "No Trespassing" signs. She expressed her belief that the signs would cause the vagrants to think twice before breaking into the buildings. The owner of a local business, Colleen Brown, explained she had personally hung countless signs, almost all of which were torn down in days. In fact, the chains and locks on two of the vacant buildings were purchased and installed by Ms. Brown. They are not the first chains and locks Ms. Brown, and the other local business people, have generously donated to the bolt cutter wielding vagrants. My primary concern is for my safety. These vagrants routinely use candles and light fires for cooking and heating. They do not use fireplaces or BBQs. I live next door to these buildings. These building are all in excess of 100 years old. They reek of history and ambiance. They do not meet the minimum safety standards of a newly constructed building. A similar (in age and construction) building in Stockton burned to the ground not long ago. I have fire and smoke alarms in every room of my home, including the hall. They will warn me, but they will not keep the entire downtown from burning when a fire begins in one of the vacant buildings. I have personally contacted the police on countless occasions but they are helpless. Even if vagrants are caught in an illegal act, they will be back on the street before the arresting officer finishes the incident paperwork. The building owners must be held accountable for securing their buildings. If city codes make improvements and subsequent use of these building financially unfeasible, then these codes need to be changed. As it is now, the buildings are vacant and they are a deadly threat to me and to everyone who visits or works in downtown Lodi. Since ly, Wendy Conte 7 2 North Sacramento Street Lodi, CA 95240 (209) 747-3635 The Lodi Police Department removed the bike patrol from the downtown area due to staffing and funding issues. This led to an immediate and steadily increasing negative effect on the safety and quality of the downtown environment. Merchants risk damage by parking in their personal alley spaces. Customers are harassed and annoyed by drugged and drunk panhandlers. Alleys are rarely used by merchants or customers as they have become trash filled, foul smelling bathrooms. Human feces, urine and/or vomit can be found most mornings. While officers respond as quickly as they can, our pleas for more police coverage have fallen on the (apparently) deaf ears of City Hall and police management. Following is a short list of recent occurrences: • Drug dealing in alleys • Alley and parking garage used as restrooms • Dumpster divers leaving trash scattered across the alleys • Suspicious looking people entering businesses and confronting staff • People screaming and otherwise causing commotions on the street and in the alley during the day • Vandalism that has cost countless dollars overall and, to one local merchant, over $3500.00. • Thefts from businesses, during the day (shoplifting) and at night • Less than upstanding citizens (?) sleeping on benches and porches during the day, leaving customers to walk past them, wondering if they're alive or dead, or going elsewhere to shop • Homeless people found sleeping in doorways when merchants try to open • Parking patrol appears to be non-existent, movie goers park in 30 minutes slots for hours, it is common knowledge that only one officer is assigned to parking control, and parking control vehicle has gone unrepaired for months/years ■ Homeless transients take full and constant advantage of the vacant buildings along North Sacramento Street. "Keep Out" signs are worthless, chains are cut, doorways are kicked in. Candles and cooking/heating fires are common, endangering all of downtown Lodi Seriously, Lodi can, and should, be better than this! The number of incidents reported to the police is staggering, note attached lists. And yet, nothing has been done by the city to engage in a long term solution. The tax paying, voting merchants of the downtown area live with these issues every day and see the results of no comprehensive solution every morning. Highly visible and proactive bike patrol (or foot patrol) officers are a large part of a long term solution. Recently, in leaner times, the chief of police and his staff were forced to make the decision to reassign the bike officer and to not repair the parking control vehicle. But now, with the City of Lodi trumpeting the "balanced budget" and ample reserve, granting pay increases for several city staffers, it appears the fiscal crisis has passed. The crisis in crime (vandalism, drug dealing, drug use increase, loitering, sleeping off a night of drinking and using, panhandling, and public harassment of our customers) has NOT passed. We request, again, that Chief Helms respond to our concerns with either a bike or foot patrol office downtown on a full time basis. If he is unwilling or unable to do so, we request the City Council takes whatever steps are necessary to fund such an officer. Our desire is not to confront and threaten but rather to input our experience and knowledge into the overall solution process. Attached please find a list of the rent paying, voting, tax paying members of the Lodi downtown businesses who support this request/plea/demand for increasing the downtown police presence. A Flair For Hair 222 South School Street Rita Sperling (209) 334-5357 Abrahamson's Printing 15 West Pine Street J Atwood, J Aaker (209) 369-4391 aprint@att.net Antiquarium 18 West Pine Street Bonnie Schneider (209) 365-1700 schnidr@aacbell.net Beauty of the Beast 13 West Pine Street Colleen Brown (209) 333-3343 coileensouptaiesOyahoo:co.m Bunches of Beads 10 West Pine Street Kimberley Smith (209) 367-1207 kvinta a bunchesofbea s.c m Bath and More 19 West Pine Street DeWayne Konz (209) 360-2284 sales@bathaodmo .c.com Burtons Shoes 226 South School Street Cynthia Estrella (209) 334-6822 The Clothes Closet 16 North School Street Lisa (req. name block) (209) 333-2302 Cheese Central 11 North School Street Cindy Della Monica (209) 368-3033 cheesecentrallodi hotmail.com California Embroidery 17 West Pine Street Brandon Maccoun (209) 224-8853 Brandon@CA EMB.corn Ciao Bella 1 West Pine Street Jillian Lewis (209) 366-2255 illl.'tatilewis ciaobella@aal.cam City Girl 14 West Pine Street Joni Moore (209) 339-9838 pitygirlicidl@gKoo.com Danz Jewelers 220 South School Street Dan Ingrum (209) 339-5239 The Dermal Clinic 105 West Walnut Street Dolores Pulido (209) 367-5857 dcskincare@sbcAlaba DeVinci's Deli 22o South Church Street Mr. Phillips (209) 334-3234 lodi devincisdeli.co Edward Jones 55 South School Street Doreen Meisch (209) 339-9010 Doreen.meisch edwardiones com Elizabeth Of Lodi 222 West Lockeford Street Nancy Chambers (209) 269-9046 Elizabethbridai@optlo.ok.com Epic Wireless 222 West Lockeford Street Amanda Heuer (209) 327-0881 A.5karloken@&mail_Gam Exhale Salon and Spa 103 West Pine Street Rosie and -Imeioa Leyva (209) 333-3733 imeioaleyval42gmail.com Fashion Safari 9 North School Street Tammy Blair (209) 482-5681 t6safarOjoLcorin French At Heart Home and Garden 22 South School Street Kay Claxton (209) 333-3800 kmclaXtnn@gmail.com Grooming By Moranie 13 West Pine Street Moraine Kirby -Green (209) 712-1739 kjrhygreenkDcIejrwjLq.Det House of Clocks 208 South School Street S., C. and S. Hohn (209) 369-7961 houseofclocks .sbc lolaal.net International Ballet Theater Inst. 4 1/2 West Pine Street Ronna Roberts (209) 403-3897 lhtli997@Lbcglobal.net Jackson Hewitt Tax Service 218 South School Street Nancy Byer Havan (209) 366-0746 byerhauan.ea sbcelobal.net Jewell's Salon 15 South School Street Kelly Jacobson (209) 369-0333 kid n i sb lobal.ne Kirsten Company, LLC 115 South School Street Dave Kirsten (209) 747-1100 lave@kirsten.com Knowlton Gallery 115 South School Street Robin Knowlton (209) 747-0557 robinknowlton@sbcgloba! het Lodi Beer Company 105 South School Street Sam Rehmlee (209) 642-0833 sam@lodibeercompany.com Lodi Sporting Goods 220 South Church Street Sharon Marini (209) 368-7993 Luscious Salon 115 South School Street Shannon Jewell (209) 339-1713 sha nonC&luscioushairsai_on.com Marino's Italian Restaurant 212 South School Street Leona Marino (209) 368-1221 Mrinochick@gMgll.com McKinley's Frame Shop 11 West Pine Street Julie McKinley (209) 224-1225 ifmckinle345@live.com Minervas Furniture 21 West Oak Street Scott Molinari (209) 334-9411 The Mud Mill 115 South School Street Vicki Snell (209) 365-9900 VLSNELL64@comcast.net Nationwide Insurance New & Again Furniture Consign. Gallery New & Again Furniture Consign. Gallery 123 South School Street 210 South School Street 229 South Sacramento Street Pat Schumacher Allan Levy Allan Lev (209) 334-1400 (209) 368-2200 209 368-2200 schumapOnationwide.com 1pdinewandaeain@sbtgiol 'ai.net lodinewandagain@sbcglobal.net Olive Haven 011ie's Pub 10 North School Street 38 North School Street L. Jasmine Harris Sean Guthrie (209) 912-8233 (209) 333-0933 liasmine.harrisftgmail.com_ P J Polkadot 7 West Pine Stree Pam Hukebosch (209:) 823-1357 olkadot ahoo.com The Perfect Pear 14 South School Street Chuck Vecchiareli (209) 603-9552 Porters Pub 121 South School Street Shae Porter (209) 470-7506 hoo.com SHAE 1924@lghgo.com Prestigio Jewelers Renee's Boutique 8 North School Street 9 West Pine Street Damian Weber Renee Snell (209) 333-3900 (209) 329-4500 damian3,824@Zmail.com reneethis@vahoo.cgm Rocky Mountain Chocolate 114 South School Street Jeanne Bria 209) 329-1372 rmcflod aol.com Rosa Law Offices 115 South School Street Randy Rosa (209) 327-1374 Scooters California Grill 121 West Elm Street Erin Smith (209) 369-8100 scootersoflodi@comcast.net Secondhand Rose 14 North School Street Christina Hoffman (209) 329-1166 secondhandrose@comcast.net Shangri-La 203 A South School Street Paul Van 916) 548-6888 PAVA2828@amii com Shep's Sports Bar & Grill Sheri's Sonshine Nutrition Center 123 West Elm Street 6 North School Street Claudia Bacchetti Sheri Didreckson 209 369-7437 (209) 368-4800 shegsbar@aimail.rom Aheri@sheris.com The Shoppe 23 North School Street Cecelia Halim (925) 487-6219 Smack Pie Pizza Smart Alic Accessories 121 South School Street #B 5 West Pine Street Krysta Pleyte Valerie Rodenborn (209) 747-4814 209) 224-8157 KLSNELI22@rraailcom smartalicaccessories@gmall.com S nowicki's Jewel Box 125 South School Street Brian Synowicki (209) 334-0095 svnowicki@slaMIobal.net Taste of Heaven 115 South School Street D Ruiz, K Williams (209) 369-5160 Jnfg@tasteofheavengftLcgm Thornton House Furniture 6 South School Street Al Nunes (209) 369-0130 Tillie's Cafe 21 West Pine Street Bo H m (916)384-6 ' 671 Tokay Glass Company 631 North Sacramento Street Loren Shively (209.368-3845 susanrader@tokayglass.net Tuxedos of Lodi 12 North School Street Jazz Dhatt (209) 339-8897 Willow Tree 16 West Pine Street ITami Enos (209) 339-7300 Itami linn@h2tmgil.com Comments from petition signers: (Listed in no specific order. Unless a different location is listed, all references to "alley" refers to the north - south alley, running parallel to, and between, School and Sacramento Streets from Oak to Elm. ) Epic Wireless: Panhandling is at an all time high. Makes clients uneasy. I dumped the trash and hit someone (with the trash) that was IN the dumpster. French At Heart Home & Garden: The homeless sleep in the alley. I DON'T feel safe dumping the garbage. It's worst than ever before. Elizabeth of Lodi: Broken front window, blood trail led to alley, not the parking area. week of 1/17/15 - Man sleeping on the bench at B of A at 6:00pm, , great for our tourists to see. 1/27/15 — Corner of Sacramento and Elm Streets, saw someone receiving oral copulation. All the time — trash in the alley from transients. Shangri-La: We found a lot of trash and beer cans on the alley (alley between and parallel to School and Church Streets) and at the (our) front door. New & Again Consignment Furniture Gallery (School Street): Homeless going through our trash bins, hold-up at the store, defecation and urination in the alley behind building, panhandling to our customers. New & Again Consignment Furniture Gallery (Sacramento Street): Theft of items, urination against rear door of building. Also graffiti constantly. Marino's Italian Restaurant: It is very important to have bicycle patrol. Tokay Glass Company: We deal with all the homeless on Sacramento Street, too. We've asked for help and not received any. We were told it was better to keep them here (in our neighborhood) rather than downtown (nearer to School Street.) We watch them urinate in the gutters and against fences. Cars are (parked) up and down the street with people sleeping and living in them. Drug deals (happen) right in front of our shop and in the alley behind us. We watch them push their (stolen grocery) carts to the recycling center with stolen merchandise. They walk up and down (in front of our shop) screaming and cussing. Our bookkeeper has to lock the door when the guys are gone for her own safety. Something has to be done. We need bicycle patrol on Sacramento Street too! House of Clocks: (Personal and confidential letter to Lodi Police Dept. (delivered to Lt. Sierra Brusa 1-30-15) Olive Haven: More patrols! Cameras Prestigio Jewelers: Please patrol more often. Storage units (Elm Street Storage) double as a drug den! Tuxedos of Lodi: Please patrol more! Sheri's Sonshine Nutrition Center: We really need more support downtown in combatting all of these issues!! Storage units in the alley (Elm Street Storage) are terrible. We (have) had tire slashing and BBs shot through car windows in the alley, with storage unit residents seen in the area immediately after the vandalism. The Clothes Closet: I have seen it all. International Ballet Theater Institute: Bike patrol really worked!! Willow Tree: Daily incidents downtown!! City Girl: Fewer problems with bike patrol downtown Abrahamson Printing: Alleyway is a HUGE problem Grooming By Moraine: Vandalism, car damage, begging, urinating in the alley Bath and More: We and our customers have been approached in our store by homeless. Poop in our alley— Yuck! P J Polkadot: begging, urinating on our (front) door Beauty of the Beast: My grandmother's car window smashed out, my employee's car window shot out with a BB gun, my brother's bedroom window (facing Sacramento Street) shot out with a BB gun, my front salon window shot with a BB gun, my mother's car tires slashed in the alley, my son and my mother's bikes stolen from a locked yard behind my shop, people living in the storage units (Elm Street Storage), terrified by vagrant leaping up inside my cardboard recycle bin, employee attacked by drunk resident of the OUT OF CONTROLM Police reports filed in every incident. Nothing resolved. Antiquarium: Please help us — we have a large problem with vandalism and general vagrant problems. Synowicki's Jewel Box: Please — (police presence) much needed! We need to be safe!! A Flair For Hair: We deal with the "outdoorsmen" (homeless) daily- we need better and more patrol downtown! Nationwide Insurance: Had a laptop stolen from our office on Walnut Street Thornton House Furniture: $3,000.00 of damage to our truck in 4 months!! The Dermal Clinic: Lots of vagrants jump our security gate to dig in garbage. Two calls made to police for homeless disturbing out facility. Knowlton Gallery: The downtown is starting to look like Skid Row Porter's Pub: Too many homeless in our alley. Scares the staff. (this "alley" refers to the alley between, and parallel to, Church and School Streets) Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory: We have an increased number of loiterers and people bothering customers — scaring off tourists Taste of Heaven: (We) need more protection, more monitoring The Mud Mill: (We) need more protection downtown The Alley The problem The alley runs between School and Sacramento Streets, running north/south from Elm to Oak Streets. Its an easy route between bus/train station and Salvation Army food distribution areas. It's low visibility and low traffic make illegal transactions easy. Police cars and other vehicles are immediately visible. Pedestrians are rare so parked cars (belonging to merchants who pay for designated spaces) are easy targets. There are 3 escape routes between Elm and Pine and 4 escape routes between Pine and Oak. There is easy access to 4 large vacant buildings and easy access to the Elm Street Storage Units. The Elm to Pine stretch is kept fairly clean by local businesses. The Pine to Oak stretch is a junk yard of empty boxes, tipped over garbage cans, littered yards, weed strewn lots, abandoned grocery carts, Styrofoam pellets and miscellaneous debris. While the Amgen Tour decision makers haven't seen this yet, their racers no doubt will. NOT a good picture of the quaint little town we wish we were. Solutions to consider • General clean up of city owned alley areas: o Renegotiate City contract with UCP and have them regularly sweep alleys o Repair and re -pave major downtown alleys o Require city sweeper trucks to clean downtown alleys • Require all businesses to use and maintain locked dumpsters (garbage cans are routinely dumped by recyclers looking for bottles and cans) • Remove any structures attractive to vagrants for sitting, sleeping or loitering, (the removal of the benches north of the Elm Street end of the alley had an immediate and highly visible positive effect) ■ Install and maintain lighting sufficient to eliminate any dark alley areas regularly used for human waste elimination, drug deals and drug use • Require (and subsidize) law enforcement patrol the area regularly 24 hours a day and/or require property owners to subsidize private security to regularly patrol and report to police • Enforce existing health, safety and fire codes o remove weeds o repair or repave any areas rented as parking spaces • Require owners seal off any areas not currently rented or used, charge significant fines if those unused areas are breached by vagrants • Enact new codes (assuming none currently exist) requiring all properties bordering (and clearly visible from) downtown alleys must be maintained at all times with respect to o weeds o debris o broken, hazardous pavement o broken or cut fences o rodent control • Back up all code enforcement with substantial fines Elm Street Storage Units The problem A few of us are well acquainted with the longer term transients and the residents of the Elm Street Storage Units. The storage units folks live there by choice. Their optional living locations, the Salvation Army, homeless shelters, parents' homes, rehab centers, do not allow or tolerate their drug and alcohol addictions and the storage of stolen property. One Elm St. resident with multiple units has been served with eviction papers. This morning (29 Jan., Thursday) a mother and daughter, new to the area, were seen moving in. Current resident(s) have refrigerator(s). At least 4 local merchants have spotted the unit residents bathing in the single hose near the entrance. Known drug dealers make regular deliveries to the units. Solutions to consider • Revoke the owners business license and close the units • Replace the current gate/fence with an electronic gate that: o Cannot be cut through or climbed over o Alarms directly to the PD if compromised o Requires specific code for entrance o Records who comes and goes o Denies all access after normal business hours • Remove electricity to units • Turn off water • Install cameras and check the recordings regularly • Hire a property manager who will inspect the units on a minimum once a week schedule • Require minimal background checks on unit renters and refuse to rent to anyone currently on probation for theft, possession of stolen property and/or any drug related charges Vacant buildings 9 & 11 N. Sacramento Street Parcel # 043-035-150-000 15 N. Sacramento Street Parcel # 043-035-140-000 19 & 21 N. Sacramento Street Parcel # 043-035-130-000 23 & 25 N. Sacramento Street Parcel # 043-035-120-000 The problem None of these buildings are checked by owners and/or managers on any regular basis. Local merchants, residents and (infrequently) property owners have spent generous sums on chains, locks, wood to board up entrances and place "No Trespassing" signs. None of this has been in any way effective. Chains are cut (often with bolt cutters borrowed from storage unit residents), signs are torn down (generally in one week or less), wood door covers are pried off and tossed aside, and front doorways are simply kicked in. Chain link fences have a zero deterrent effect, bolt cutters make access fast and easy. The transients who use these building use candles for light and start fires for cooking and warmth. When one of these fires gets out of control, which is only a matter of time, the entire downtown Lodi will be in danger. Blocked windows and doors make fast fire discovery impossible. Like the recent downtown Stockton fire, it will be beyond control long before it is discovered. Lawsuits against the property owners will pale when compared to the suits against the city's much deeper pockets. Solutions to consider ■ Offer the building owners financial incentives to restore and rent out these buildings. Right now, these buildings are a huge financial threat to the City of Lodi, in costs of the upcoming fire disaster, the lawsuits that will follow such an occurrence, and the current time spent by dispatchers, officers and paperwork investigating and subsequently writing reports on, break- ins. • Offer time and dollar incentives to owners to restore and renovate: expedited permit acquisition, financial help for necessary safety improvements • Condemn all the buildings and give the owners a set timeframe for repair or removal. • Charge significant fines if the properties are not improved and subsequently rented or used by owners • Create an owner accountability fine system that will force non -local owners to either secure or sell the buildings. Make it financially impossible for the current conditions to continue.