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MINUTES Eugene City Council McNutt Room--City Hall July 12, 1999 5:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Scott Meisner, Nancy Nathanson, Pat Farr, Bobby Lee, Betty Taylor, David Kelly, Gary Rayor, Gary Pap& Mayor James D. Torrey called the council to order at 5:30 p.m. A. WORK SESSION: GRAFFITI REMOVAL PROGRAM Referring to an agenda item summary, copies of which were included in the meeting agenda packet, Jeff Lankston of Public Works recalled that on April 21, 1999, the council directed staff to prepare an ordinance defining graffiti and declaring it a nuisance. On May 24, 1999, the council directed staff to prepare three versions of the proposed ordinance for a public hearing. On June 14, 1999, the council held a public hearing to gather public comments on the proposed ordinance. Mr. Lankston stated that staff had since incorporated the comments issued during the public hearing into one draft ordinance. Mr. Lankston explained that in addition to the development of a graffiti tracking system and a public information effort (programs which have been implemented), the Interdepartmental Cooperative Action Team (ICAT) has proposed a number of changes to the Eugene Code related to graffiti. He said the proposed ordinance defines graffiti and declares it a nuisance. Mr. Lankston stated that the ordinance requires property owners to remove graffiti present on their property. If the property owner does not abate the graffiti, the ordinance allows it to be removed by the City. All property owners would be exempt from expenses incurred by the City abating the graffiti. Mr. Lankston noted that under the ordinance, property owners are not required to abate etching on glass. He added that the ordinance provides for penalties up to a $750 fine, confinement in jail for up to 30 days, restitution and/or community service for causing graffiti. Mr. Lankston stated that staff from the Municipal Court, Public Works Department, and the Police Department are designing and will implement a program for community service by graffiti offenders. He said this program will not only provide a valuable learning experience for offenders, but will also provide resources for graffiti abatement. Mr. Lankston said staff members are currently researching "graffiti walls" around the country and assessing both the benefits and difficulties experienced by other communities. He said most of the communities researched have reported little success in terms of "graffiti walls" decreasing the amount of graffiti elsewhere in the community. Mr. Lankston stated that two options were available for the council to consider: 1) adopt the proposed ordinance defining graffiti, making it a public nuisance, and requiring property owners to abate graffiti on their property and exempting all property owners from the cost of graffiti abatement; or 2) continue the graffiti MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 12, 1999 Page 1 5:30 p.m.