09/17/07 Council Special Meeting Minutes

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SPECIAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 17, 2007 Office of Community Oriented Policy Services Publication 39 goes on and on and it's not about policy, it's about policing. It is a typographical error but if you look at the rest of the citations to this, one might think that it is falsification of evidence. Mr. King stated that falsification of evidence is a pretty serious issue. On the fast page of the COPS document goes on to say this for police it is not written for City Council's or any other government officials, there are suggestions for how police can function more effectively in their community. Maybe the best course of action would be to appropriate time and money for those law enforcement officials who would like to implement the COPS program to a much greater extent. He stated that he looked at the South Bend Police Departments Website there was a very small reference to the COPS documents and it really did not tie or dove tail with this document. He was disappointed that the COPS document was cited as the basis for something, when in fact it's not really a good basis. It goes on to say that it recommends the word recommends is nowhere to be found in this document. He stated that he looked at it three times and he doesn't think he seen the words recommend or recommendation, but it does say some thing like to analyze or gather data. The CCAC is a good thing and the COPS document does say that establishing a committee is a good thing, but the rest of the things are very problematic. Mr. King stated that on page 16 of the COPS document states "Measuring your effectiveness", this is what is misquoted and bothers him a lot, the ordinance says that they recommend measures, the exact wording is "measurement allows you to determine to what degree your efforts have succeed and suggests how to modify the responses if they are not producing intended results. Measure, get the data, it's the right thing to do, but to hold the handle over people's heads is just really the wrong thing to do and unconstitutional how the way the City is limiting gatherings in that kind of way. Ms. Ellen Deamer, stated that she lives on the corner of Lawrence & Peashway just a few blocks away from campus. She stated that maybe she is naive in the process that is going on tonight, but it seems to her when an ordinance is passed the Council is attempting to correct or respond to a perceived problem. She noted that the Council passed a lawn parking ban earlier this year. Was this ordinance tested was it enforced, was there a problem with the lawn parking ban? She noted that she has been attending the meetings and now all of a sudden the Council wants a lawn parking exception for special events. The perceived problems are excessive drinking and a drain on law enforcement, drain on emergency services. She fails to see how allowing lawn parking will solve excessive drinking drain on law enforcement and emergency services, if anything, this bill will encourage it. More people, more cars will be allowed to come to be near campus, more people will be allow to drive drunk in the middle of the night. Ms. Deamer noted that enforcement and that even the Councihnember's are not completely sure of all the details. Some points are not detailed enough, some are too detailed. Side yard, front yard, boarding house, special event, under 10 more than 10, what is that? When you open this exception you open a can worms, and getting more and more involved in the personal lives of the citizens. She noted that people's lives are being regulated to death! She noted that Notre Dame started several years ago banning tail-gaiting drinking around the stadium, eliminated the football parking south of Edison Rd., much before the Eddy Street Commons was ever an idea. If the University doesn't want it, why should the entire northeast neighborhood become a parking lot for Notre Dame on Game Days? Ms. Pat Chism, 1305 White Oak, South Bend, Indiana, stated that her mother owned the home prior for 30 years. She stated that Notre Dame Parking means a lot to her family and has for many years. She noted that she and her husband have 3 children, ages 18, 16, 15. They have raised them to be very respectful and have taught them that charity begins at home and spreads abroad. When people come to their home on game day, they felt safe because of the values that her family has instilled. Ms. Chism stated they open their home and yard to visitors who want to come to South Bend, Indiana on Notre Dame home games. She doesn't believe that the City should charge her for permits to have people park on her lawn. She understands the quality of life issues and believes that public safety should come first. In all fairness, it is the homeowner's responsibility for what goes on at their property. Ms. Jean Hanrahan, 826 N. St. Louis, South Bend, Indiana, stated that is just so happens that this morning there was a beer can on her front yard. She is disappointed that the 12