Item A: Ordinance on Unruly Gatherings

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: An Ordinance Concerning Unruly Gatherings; Adding Sections 4.670 and 4.672 to the Eugene Code, 1971; Repealing Section 4.775 of that Code; and Amending Sections 4.990 and 4.996 of that Code Meeting Date: October 10, 2012 Agenda Item Number: A Department: Eugene Police Staff Contact: Lt. David Natt www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5642 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session provides an opportunity to discuss how a social host ordinance could help address neighborhood livability issues, particularly in the areas surrounding the University of Oregon campus. BACKGROUND In July 2010, the Neighborhood Livability Working Group (NLWG) formed to help address behaviors and practices in the neighborhoods around the University of Oregon that negatively impact quality of life and public resources. Staffed by the City Manager’s Office and Eugene Police Department and with participation from campus area neighborhood associations, the University of Oregon, Lane County, rental property managers/owners and college students, the NLWG identified a number of strategies to improve campus area livability, presenting a report to the City Council in September 2011. One of those strategies was the development of a Eugene social host ordinance. The traditional approach to resolving noise, behavior issues and related problems has been increased police response followed by an aggressive enforcement action against individual party attendees for violations such as minor-in-possession. This costly approach has not been effective as existing ordinances do not provide a sufficient deterrent effect, and potential offenders have learned how to avoid the most significant sanctions. However, the experience of other communities with large higher education institutions has shown that a social host ordinance can be an effective tool in deterring the hosting of large parties in near-campus environments. A staff team with representatives from Neighborhood Services and the Police Department has developed a draft ordinance, and the attached draft includes best practices identified in the NLWG report. That stakeholder group also has provided input throughout the process, as the ordinance was initially being drafted, and in the review of subsequent drafts. In November 2000, the City Council adopted Ordinance 20217, known as the Special Response Ordinance, which established a fee for police responses to gatherings with more than 25 people. The ordinance is not effective in abating negative impacts from loud gatherings; only one first response fee has been assessed since the ordinance’s adoption, and no money was collected. The proposed social host ordinance would address several of the problems with existing code, and is further addressed in the section entitled “Stakeholder Perspectives.” S:\CMO\2012 Council Agendas\M121010\S121010A.docx.doc