Item B: Downtown Public Safety Issues

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Downtown Public Safety Issues Meeting Date: November 23, 2009 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Police Staff Contact: Police Chief Pete Kerns Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Susan Muir www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5102 ISSUE STATEMENT This is a work session to discuss public safety policies and solutions in the downtown core. BACKGROUND Councilor Clark requested a work session to discuss current public safety policies and possible solutions to issues occurring in downtown Eugene. Downtown issues have been raised frequently within the last several decades. Many efforts have taken place and some of these include: In February 2005, the City Council identified “Helping the Homeless in Eugene” as one of their annual Council Goals. This goal was continued in 2006, and in 2007, Mayor Kitty Piercy, acting on City Council direction, appointed a 21-member Blue Ribbon Committee to Finance Homelessness and Housing Programs. The committee was charged with “examining the local impacts of homelessness, identifying strategies and making recommendations to the City Council related to new funding and finance options.” They produced a report and recommendations that were adopted on April 2, 2008. The City Council has held recent discussions about downtown revitalization in the context of local economic development plans and the council’s 2009 vision statement. A survey was conducted by the Strategy Research Institute to provide the council with specific information on the level of community support for particular policies and actions under consideration. On October 21 the council discussed downtown strategies, and in December of this year they will continue this discussion and suggest processes for linking desired downtown strategies to specific projects and tools. This comprehensive approach includes strategies to create jobs and support redevelopment, improve safety, ensure convenient parking while promoting alternative modes and providing attractions and amenities to enliven downtown and enhance revitalization. Police Chief Pete Kerns and Planning and Development Executive Director Susan Muir are co-chairing a Downtown Safety Task Team that is meeting November through December to make recommendations to the City’s executive team that, if implemented, would serve to reduce crime in the downtown core, improve the feeling of safety, and establish an environment that would make the downtown a safe and welcome place for everyone. This group includes downtown business owners, youth agency representatives, members of the Human Rights Commission, arts resources representatives and other Z:\CMO\2009 Council Agendas\M091123\S091123B.doc