10-17-2007 City administration files hotel ordinance with Council

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PRACK l8fi5 Office of the Mayor NEWS RELEASE Wednesday, October 17, 2007 3:00 PM City administration files hotel ordinance with Council Contact: Chuck Leone, City Attorney, 235-9241 A comprehensive ordinance governing residence hotels was filed today with the South Bend Common Council, culminating weeks of research by the city's legal staff as well as consultation within the administration, and with council members and hotel operators. The ordinance creates a three-tier classification system, based on police calls for service — an approach suggested in a study published by the U.S. Department of Justice. South Bend police have conducted a preliminary calls-for-service assessment of all local hotels and found: • Most South Bend hotels would fall in the Tier 1 category, which includes the most well-managed and trouble-free facilities. The rate of calls for service would be less than or equal to 0.35 calls for service per room per year. • One South Bend hotel would fall in the Tier 2 category, on which moderate regulations would be imposed. The rate of calls for service would be between 0.36 and 1.0 calls for service per room per year. • Two hotels, including the Wooden Indian, would fall in the most regulated, Tier 3 category. The rate of calls for service would exceed 1.0 calls for service per room per year. "We believe the proposed standards imposed on South Bend's hotel industry will reduce the problems caused by the few establishments generating most of the public safety personnel responses," said City Attorney Chuck Leone. "The intention of the ordinance is to impose minimum requirements upon well-managed, trouble-free hotels, and to require the problematic hotels to take action designed to reduce crime and violence on their premises." Comprehensive regulations represent one of the avenues the city is pursuing to bring about changes that would affect the Wooden Indian, 1631 Lincolnway East, the site April 24 of a fatal shooting of South Bend Police Corporal Nick Polizzotto. Tightened licensing