09/17/07 Council Special Meeting Minutes

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SPECIAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 17, 2007 for service. There was a greater need to protect quality of life in residential areas. There were more public safety concerns of pedestrians and motorists. There were decreasing property values of homes, and the lack of managing residential events resulted in litter, trash, pubic urination & noise problems. Special events in residential areas may enhance the vibrancy of the neighborhood if properly managed by the person(s) hosting such events. However, our community has seen far too often the negative secondary effects when the person or persons hosting a special event in a residential neighborhood fails to control and manage the event resulting in: Noise, litter, public intoxication, rude behavior, public urination, & unruly large crowds congregating outside in residential neighborhoods during the early morning hours & have caused problems, such as: increased home owner occupancy turnover, increased calls for service requiring our South Bend Fire Department ambulances to make multiple runs, as well as increased calls to Neighborhood Code Enforcement & the South Bend Police Department, increased public health, safety and general welfare concerns for those living in the neighborhood, damaging the quality of enjoyment by the residents and neighbors who have invested in the neighborhood. Proposed special events regulations 2nd Substitute Bill No. 44-07, would create a 21 member Community/Campus Advisory Coalition (CCAC) composed of neighborhood residents, City officials, representatives from the University of Notre Dame, St. Mary's College and Indiana University South Bend and Holy Cross. CCAC would meet on a regular basis throughout the year to "collaborate, brainstorm and make advisory recommendations" to the Common Council. Pro-Active Measures such as these are intended to build positive, long-term partnerships which aid in protecting the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Proposed Special Events Regulations 2nd Substitute Bill No. 44-07 would place an emphasis on planning and management so that the responsibility falls on the person planning special events. If special events are properly managed, there should be fewer calls for police service and emergency medical personnel, so that all such needed services are available on a city-wide basis. It would create temporary one-day special events lawn parking regulations on a city-wide basis as a limited exception to the two (2) ordinances which ban all residential lawn parking. It would balance the responsibilities of persons who wish to host such special events with the rights of the surrounding residents who wish to have quiet enjoyment and a better quality of life in their residential neighborhood. South Bend benefits financially for calls for service, however there is too often a corresponding drain on public safety services simultaneously taking place in the rest of the City for such needed services. The US Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Publication No. 39 published February 2006 recommends: Pro-Active strategies to address such multi-faceted problems developing comprehensive actions plans. 2nd Substitute Bill No. 44-07 is consistent with such recommendation, and with the inclusion of the Community/Campus Advisory Coalition we believe that these pro-active regulations are further enhanced on both a short and long-term basis. The US Department of Justice COPS publication No. 39 concluded that "Implementing multiple interventions at each of the five (5) stages of an event's "life cycle" will help to prevent misconduct and subsequent police use of force" requiring permits serves two (2) important purposes: Notifies authorities of gatherings in advance; and pre-defined conditions can be used to establish minimum standards that must be met before people can assemble. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse reported that drinking by 18 to 24 year old college students contributes to: 1,700 student deaths each year, 599,000 student injuries each year; 696,000 students assaulted each year; 400,000 students have unsafe sex each year; 150,000 students have health problems/suicide attempts each year; 97,000 cases of sexual assault or date rape each year; 2.1 million students drove under the influence last year as well as increased student vandalism, property damage, police involvement and alcohol abuse and dependence. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA supported a Task Force on College Drinking who met for three (3) At the individual-student level; At the level of the entire student body; At the community level. Councilmember Kirsits read a quote from Rev. Edward A. Malloy, C.S.C. "Decisions about alcohol consumption are not just individual, they can affect the common life of the university... It is not realistic to expect that colleges can eradicate alcohol problems among students, given the complexity of the issues and the role of alcohol in the broader social culture. But we can work to prevent alcohol-induced behavior that violates our sense of peace and security and that makes us passive contributors to the degradation of student lives... " Councihnember Kirsits quoted Rev.