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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-06-30 - AGENDA REPORTS - GRAFFITI ABATMENT PGM (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA INTER.:O-E-FICE MEMORANDUM TO: City Council ` George Cara o, City FROM: Jeff Kolin, Deputy City Manager/Pu'blic Works DATE: June 30, 1993 SUBJECT: CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION: GRAFFITI ABATEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE BACKGROUND In January of 1992, the City's Public Works Department assumed a role of coordinator with regard to the graffiti abatement efforts of the Santa Clarita Valley Pride Committee. Prior to the City's involvement, graffiti abatement efforts were coordinated through the Canyon Country Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Clarita Pride Committee. In early 1992, through a series of meetings with the Pride Committee and the City Manager, the parameters of the City's role pertaining to graffiti abatement was defined. At that time; it was staffs understanding that the City's role entailed: • The coordination and dispatch of all calls received concerning graffiti 0 The relaying of graffiti information to the Pride Committee volunteers and the County Juvenile Alternative Work Service (JAWS) Program • Coordinating usage of the sandblaster To date, staff's direction has been to support the Pride Committee's efforts, help facilitate programs or legislation which the Pride Committee felt would increase their ability to eliminate and prevent graffiti, .and assist in the coordination of their efforts. As you can see from the attached accomplishment report (see attachment "A"), staff has provided a level of support to the Pride Committee which exceeds its original direction. In the previous nine months, staff has observed a marked increase in the level of graffiti vandalism, both reported and occurring, within the Santa Clarita Valley. This observation can be quantified by the .increased number of calls placed to the City's Graffiti Hotline. As of May 1993, the City's Graffiti Hotline has been averaging 160 to 180 calls per month over the last six months. In contrast, at this same time last year, the City's Graffiti Hotline on average received approximately 50 to 60 calls per month. It is staffs belief that community awareness to graffiti has increased City-wide. Until recently, very few residents realized a graffiti problem existed, primarily because the Pride Committee members removed graffiti so quickly. Now that the community has shown a greater awareness to this problem, City staff, the Pride Committee and the Anti -Gang Task Force will be working together to establish a level of "Zero Tolerance" throughout the community. Agenda Item" Graffiti Abatement Program Update June 30, 1993 Page 2 The rise in the level of graffiti vandalism within the City has spurred the Santa Clarita Anti -Gang Task Force to develop a'sub-committee, specifically designated to tackle the issue of graffiti from a number of fronts. City staff is extremely pleased that the Anti -Gang Task Force has taken a keen interest in the issue of graffiti within the Santa Clarita Valley, and views the Graffiti Sub -Committee as an agency which can provide much needed support to the collective efforts of the Pride Committee and City. In the past weeks, Public Works staff has met with representatives of the Anti -Gang Task Force, Graffiti Sub -Committee, and Pride Committee in an effort to clarify each of our specific roles regarding graffiti. Public Works staff believes that the City's primary role regarding graffiti should be focused upon abatement activities. It is staff's proposal that graffiti abatement continue through the use and coordination of the Pride Committee, County JAWS Program, Code Enforcement Division, and any potential future contractual agency and/or part-time City employee(s). After meeting with each group, it is the Public Works staffs recommendation that the City continue the coordination of all graffiti abatement efforts within Santa Clarita.. It is proposed that the coordination of graffiti abatement efforts remain with the City's Public Works Department, acting in a capacity which is separate from the Anti -Gang Task Force and Graffiti Sub -Committee. On Thursday, June 10, the Pride Committee met to discuss the present Graffiti Abatement Program and outline the future direction of their efforts. The following represents the consensus of the Pride Committee as a collective group, and outlines the proposed direction this group believes the City, working in conjunction with both the Anti -Gang Task Force Graffiti Sub -Committee and the Pride Committee should pursue with regard to graffiti abatement. 1. CURFEW: The enforcement of the curfew law was prioritized by the Pride Committee as the number one issue which must be addressed by the City. The Sheriffs Department has determined that the majority of graffiti inscribed in the City is done so between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. The enforcement of curfew would give the Sheriff's Department the ability to stop and question minors out after 10:00 p.m. Recently, the Sheriffs COBRA Division has enforced curfew on a very limited basis. On June 11, the COBRA Division detained ten minors for violation of curfew. Of these ten individuals, all between the ages of 15 to 17, that were detained: Graffiti Abatement Program Update June 30, 1993 Page 3 • One person was carrying a loaded gun •Two had in their possession fake identifications •Two were run-aways *Three were members of the tagging crew TFR, and had spray paint in their possession 0One was a gang member, in violation of his probation *One was in possession of narcotics 2. USE OF CITY VEHICLES BY VOLUNTEERS/LIABILITY INSURANCE A major hinderance for the Pride Committee is the lack of a vehicle to tow sandblasting equipment. Of additional concern are issues of liability with regard to the volunteers graffiti abatement activities. The City is currently considering the establishment of a program which will permit volunteers to utilize City vehicles to tow sandblasting equipment. This proposed program is currently being reviewed and developed by the City's Risk Manager. With regard to liability, the City carries two individual liability policies,. its $10,000,000 General Liability Policy Self -Insurance Fund and an individual $1,000,000 policy for City volunteers. Utilization of the Volunteer Policy, the City's $250,000 Self Insured Retention carried on its ten million primary liability policy is protected. 3.' PROPOSED 48 HOUR REMOVAL ORDINANCE The Pride Committee has requested that the City investigate the implementation of an ordinance which requires property owners to remove graffiti within 48 hours. Previously, in January of 1993, the City Council adopted Ordinance 93-1, requiring property owners to remove graffiti within 20 days. While Ordinance 93-1 has been effective in causing the removal of graffiti by individual property owners, the Pride Committee believes a 20 day period for removal is too long a time frame for graffiti to remain up. Staff has some concerns with regard to a proposed 48 Hour Removal Ordinance. The, City Attorney has advised staff that while such an ordinance.could be legally permitted, it would not be recommended. Hypothetically speaking, if the City was to require 48 hour removal of graffiti, and a speck property owner did not comply, before any type of abatement action could legally take place, the City would have to provide the property owner with at least a five day period to appeal any demand placed upon their property. At the conclusion of that appeal period, the City would then need to secure an abatement warrant in order to enter the property and perform the abatement. Graffiti Abatement Program Update June 30, 1993 Page 4 While the implementation of such a proposed ordinance may prompt some property owners to remove graffiti within 48 hours, as you can see from the above hypothetical situation, if the City was required to go through the formal process associated with such an ordinance, the actual time involved for the City to perform such an abatement would require a minimum of 8 to 10 working days. Additionally, the City's Code Enforcement Division was asked to evaluate and comment on this proposed ordinance. At this time, the Code Enforcement Division does not have the resources that would be required to strictly enforce this type of ordinance. It is the opinion of the City Attorney, Code Enforcement Division, and Public Works staff that the City does not adopt an ordinance which it clearly does not have the capacity to actively enforce, and consider reducing the City's existing ordinance from 20 to 14 days. 4. HAM -WATCH ACTIVITIES The Sheriff's Department is currently conducting weekly surveillance with the HAM Radio operators. 5. RECRUITMENT OF NEW VOLUNTEERS It has been proposed that the Anti -Gang Task Force/Graffiti Sub -Committee coordinate the recruitment of potential new volunteers. The Graffiti Sub -Committee will make initial contact, and invite new volunteers to participate at future Anti -Gang Task Force and Graffiti Sub - Committee meetings. New volunteers who would like to become. involved specifically with graffiti abatement activities, will be assigned through the Graffiti Sub -Committee to .Public Works staff who will coordinate monthly graffiti abatement training sessions. It is staff's desire to develop a Graffiti Abatement Program which is analogous to the existing SECURE Program. At fust staff would utilize existing members of the Pride Committee to facilitate these monthly sessions and train new graffiti abatement volunteers. Much like the SECURE Program, it is envisioned that this program will take on a life of its own, and eventually new volunteers will assume the role of training future volunteers from each segment of the City. 6. COMMUNITY EDUCATION The Pride Committee has requested that the City increase its efforts to provide the residential and business community with information pertaining to our combined graffiti abatement efforts. It is staff's intention to work with the Pride Committee and the Anti -Gang Task Force in the development and circulation of such information to the community through the City's Quarterly Municipal Report, the Chambers of Commerce, and individual letters to members of the City's business community. Graffiti Abatement Program Update June 30, 1993 Page 5 At this time staff would like to outline the goals of the Graffiti Abatement Program for the coming year. Public Works staff believes that the Anti -Gang Task Force represents an excellent opportunity to expand the scope of the Pride Committee Graffiti Abatement Program, with strong support and coordination from the City. Working with the Task Force and Graffiti Sub - Committee, the Pride Committee and City can continue to focus upon their current role of abatement and documentation of graffiti. It is proposed that the. Graffiti Sub -Committee continue its role of researching pending graffiti legislation, community outreach and education, fund-raising, and coordination of potential new volunteers. It is envisioned that the Pride Committee and Graffiti Sub -Committee will supplement one another, each responsible for different facets of the City's overall Anti -Graffiti Program. As. previously stated, it is proposed that the Graffiti Sub -Committee will coordinate the recruitment of new volunteers, some of which will be assigned to the Pride Committee to be trained specifically to handle abatement. It is envisioned that the City's Abatement Volunteer program will model our existing SECURE Program. Eventually, the community will be sectioned off into different segments with each having community based volunteers trained to abate graffiti. Once this is accomplished, any graffiti reported to the City can be quickly dispatched to a contact person within a specific segment of the community, who will in turn make arrangements for its removal. Finally, in Fiscal Year 1993-94, the City has appropriated $28,000 to its Graffiti Program. Of this amount $22,000 has be designated for abatement, with the remaining $6,000 funding our Reward Program. Staff anticipates expending these funds in the following manner: •County JAWS Program $13,000 •Pride Week Community Clean-up Day $ 3,000 *Pride Committee Graffiti Abatement $ 6,000 Of the $6,000 currently committed to the Pride Committee, approximately $4,000 will be expended upon supplies, equipment and Polaroid film. The Pride Committee utilizes the film provided by the City to document each incident of graffiti which they remove. These photographs, along with report forms completed by the volunteers, are forwarded to the COBRA Division for documentation. The remaining balance of $2,000 will be specifically designated for use by the Pride Committee. Graffiti Abatement Program Update June 30, 1993 Page 6 To date, the information provided by the Pride Committee has lead to the arrest and conviction of 10 individuals responsible for graffiti vandalism in Santa Clarita, including the five individuals responsible for the $12,000 in damage which occurred. at Rosedale Elementary School in February of 1993. RECOMMENDATION That Council receive and review, and direct staff to implement the City's proposed Graffiti Abatement Program. ATTACEMEENT Graffiti Abatement Program Accomplishments JK:lant Grafstud.y GRAFFITI ABATEMENT PROGRAM - Attachment "A" ACCOMPLISHMENT'S To date, staff would like to provide you with an overview of the activities and accomplishments which this program has achieved: • The City's Graffiti Abatement Program provides for the coordination of efforts between the City's Code Enforcement Division, the County Sheriff's Department and JAWS Program, and Pride Committee Volunteers • The abatement of an estimated 1,500 incidents of graffiti • Establishment of a 24 Hour Graffiti Abatement Hotline • The coordination of Pride Committee Volunteer and County Graffiti Abatement efforts 0 Resolution No. 92-6 establishing a Graffiti Reward Program of $1,000 (Newhall Land and Farm has agreed to match this reward dollar for dollar) • The presentation of the Graffiti Reward Programs' first Award of $1,000 in May of 1993 (three reward payments are currently pending and will be awarded in July 1993) a Resolution No. 93-45, modifying the City's Graffiti Reward Program in a manner which tiers the overall reward amount in increments of $250.00, up to a maximum of $1,000 • Ordinance 91-51 which provides for the City's ability to remove graffiti from private and public property • Ordinance 92-4 which provides that businesses within the City must place spray paint containers of 6 ounces or greater in a secure location • Ordinance 93-11, modifying the above ordinance, requiring all businesses within the City to place all aerosol spray paint and marking pens with a marking tip exceeding one quarter inch in size in a secured location, inaccessible to the general public without employee assistance • Ordinance 93-1 which provides that property owners have twenty days to remove graffiti once they have received written notification from the City • The siting of an equipment and material storage area at Valencia Glen Park • Staff has provided Pride Committee members with a type of business card to hand out to residents, and will continue to facilitate the Pride Committee's request to produce handouts and literature which informs the community of their efforts and the existence of the City's reward program • To provide for better documentation of reported incidents of graffiti, the City has purchased Polaroid instant film for the Pride Committee • For Fiscal Year 1992-93, the City has allocated $25,000 towards the removal of graffiti. To date, all funds have been expended • In Fiscal Year 1992-93, the City donated $2,500 and assisted in collection of approximately $3,000 in donations made to the Pride Committees'. abatement efforts • On several occasions, staff has made presentations to various community organizations with regard to graffiti abatement efforts within the City 0 The Sheriff's Department has assumed the task of maintaining a graffiti tracking system; City staff will work with the COBRA Division to develop a modified graffiti report form that works hand-in-hand with the tracking system they have developed • Since January of 1993, the Sheriff's Department has arrested approximately 60 individuals for graffiti related vandalism