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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSafe City - 1996-05-07SAFECI'I'Y~1996-05-07 SAFE CITY COMMITTEE MINUTES MAY 7, 1996 The Safe City Committee held its meeting under the Chairmanship of Trudy Beaulne and Councillor Karen Redman with the following members present: Councillor Mark Yantzi, Nancy Brawley, Philip Fernandez, Alan Richardson, Bryan Stortz, Karen Taylor-Harrison, and Rita Westbrook. Others Present: Brock Stanley, Julie Dean, Bob Arnot, Sybil Frenette, David Corks, George Borovilos and Don Snow. Members Absent: Manuela Almedia, Gregory Jahn and Wilf Park. I Julie Dean Don Snow All Committee Members For Working Group Meetings As soon as possible Next Meeting - June 4th All Committee Members Put together Lighting information for Lighting Working Group. Put together Safety Audit Information for Safety Audit Working Group. Forward to Julie Dean the following information: 1. Laneway Lighting - what has been installed, what is outstanding. 2. Lighting Pilot Project Report (King Street). 3. Cost Estimates for Conversion of existing lights. Look at item #8 on Culture Plan - April 1996 Document that Bob Arnot handed out (attached). All Working Groups to hold one meeting and report back to Committee at next meeting. -108- The meeting was brought to order with Trudy explaining that due to the number of guests she felt it was appropriate for each person present at the meeting to introduce themselves. 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA DATED MAY 7/96 A request was made by Sybil Frenette that item # 3 (Presentation on Retail Action Plan) under the Administrative Section of the Agenda be brought forward to be the first item on the Agenda. Don Snow made a similar request to move item # 4 (Lighting) to the top of the Agenda as well. He also noted that as of yet he has not been receiving copies of the Agendas & Minutes of this Committee and added that he would like to be added to the circulation list. It was generally agreed upon to move these two items to the top of the Agenda. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE MARCH 26, 1996 MEETING There was general agreement that the minutes of the March 26, 1996 meeting were an accurate reflection of what took place and was discussed. A motion was made to approve the minutes of March 26, 1996. Moved By: Seconded By: Alan Richardson Rita Westbrook 3. PRESENTATION ON RETAIL ACTION PLAN - Sybil Frenette Sybil Frenette started her presentation by explaining that she had requested to come to this committee and has been asked to speak to all committees concerning the Mayors Task Force Report & the Downtown Team. She continued by saying that the Downtown Team came up with 4 initiatives which are as follows: Support Businesses in the Downtown, Bring People Downtown, Increase Housing in the Downtown and Improve the Physical Environment of the Downtown. She noted the Downtown Team is comprised of the following Members: George Borovilos, David Corks and herself adding that Nancy Brawley has also played a major role within the team. Of importance, the following initiatives were listed by Sybil as being related to the Safe City Committee: Property Standards Clean-Up, Promenade on Gaukle Street, Managing the Entertainment Industry, Laneway Lighting, Elimination of Crime Statistics to get rid of myths, Converting Ring Road to two way and addressing one way roads as it creates an unsafe atmosphere for pedestrians and parking concerns. -109- Sybil Frenette referred the following 3 items for discussion: Downtown Safety Audits and Working on Surrounding Neighbourhoods - Identifying problems - Mapping them out and prioritizing them - Working out a budget for them Laneway Lighting - How to deal with this item - Sees this item as being connected with the Safety Audits Crime Statistics - Collection & interpretation Sybil noted that she wanted to make sure these items were included in the Committee's list of initiatives and wanted to know how the Downtown could help the Safe City Committee in fulfilling any initiatives of the committee. She then inquired if any of these 3 items were included in the committee's initiatives. Trudy Beaulne replied by saying that item # 1 Safety Audits was included, item #2 Laneway Lighting would be included in the Safety Audit section and that item # 3 Crime Statistics keeps coming up and that therefore the committee would have to deal with this item as well. Sybil then indicated that $100,000.00 in this year's budget was allocated for Lighting in the Downtown, however noted that it would be up to the Safe City Committee to decide where these funds would be spent. 4. LIGHTING Discussion about lighting included clarification about the reports that had been done by KW Hydro, one of which was focused on the Laneways ("Investigation of Lighting in City of Kitchener Downtown Core Public Laneways") and the other that was done along King Street ("Evaluation of Sidewalk Illumination in the Kitchener Downtown Core Area"). Different standards, which were partly determined by the anticipated use of the space, were used in each report, both to evaluate the existing lighting and to make recommendations. Don noted that staff are in process of developing City-wide standards for lighting and the question of different light levels in different areas is one of the issues that must be determined. It was asked that the Safe City Committee be kept informed of any proposals that arise from this initiative. The King Street Sidewalk Evaluation involved assessing the light levels for pedestrians. The Laneway Lighting Study did not attempt to achieve as high lighting levels for pedestrians. Some of the Laneway Lighting has been implemented. It was requested that -110- Don Snow provide information as to what has been installed to date and what remains outstanding. In terms of the King Street Sidewalk Evaluation, Don Snow explained that it would not be possible to achieve the light levels recommended in the study using only the existing poles at their current spacing. There was discussion about the costs/benefits of changing the existing high pressure sodium (yellow) lights to metal halide (white) lights. It is not possible to change just the lamp (light bulb), the ballast in the fixture must also be changed. Don Snow clarified that although it would be possible to increase the wattage of the lamp and convert to white light, the lighting would still not meet the levels recommended in the study unless the light poles were moved closer together. A report was previously prepared by Don Snow suggesting that a pilot project be implemented to demonstrate white light along one block of King Street between Gaukle & Ontario Street. $50,000.00 was budgeted in 1995 for a lighting pilot project and this amount was still available. Don was asked to provide copies of the report and the cost estimates he had gotten previously so that the Committee could understand how much it would cost to convert and/or install additional lights. Questions arose concerning how the scope and location of the pilot lighting project was determined. It was noted that we need to be clear as to what our objectives are in order to make decisions about lighting and evaluate whether or not an action has been successful and our objectives attained. It was suggested that it may be helpful to have the Peel Regional Police, or other lighting experts, make a presentation on different types of lighting and related factors. It may be possible to invite members of Council, a representative from Hydro and business owners. Some business owners seem receptive, but others need encouragement. It would be necessary to target those property/business owners who are not interested in improving their lighting and explain that it would help to reduce vandalism & theft and increase the number of potential customers & sales. Julie Dean noted that she has collected a lot of information about lighting and if anyone is interested she will provide copies of articles and reports. Trudy Beaulne indicated that she would get back to Don Snow when the Committee had finished its priority setting and inquired if he would like to be included in a Working Group on Lighting. Don replied yes. After some discussion on Crime Statistics Rita Westbrook noted it would be easy for her to get up to date information and can continue to in the future in 3 or 6 month intervals. 5. DISCUSSION ON PRIORITIZED INITIATIVES -111- Julie Dean referred to the Summary of Prioritized Initiatives attached to the March 26, 1996 minutes, noting that she felt under 1996 Group 1 item #8 and #9 were both given very high points. She added that we now have a student available to go over Safety Audits completed to see if the problems still exist, and proposed setting up 2 Working Groups. The first Working Group being for Lighting Issues and another for Safety Audits (to look at previous reports & what needs to be done). Brock Stanley inquired how the committee wanted to deal with finalizing the rest of the initiatives, suggesting putting together a third working group to tidy up and pull together initiatives (Prioritizing Sub-Committee). Nancy Brawley emphasized that there is an immediate concern of youth hanging out in the Downtown area and a lack of ability to enforce or create an environment of penalizing people in the Downtown area. She added that gathering of groups in the Downtown will be a major problem with the change in weather and Police do not enforce as there are no laws set out. Trudy Beaulne mentioned that she sees this as fitting in Section # 1 and #2 of Group 1 in the Summary of Prioritized Initiatives and suggested rewording this area to include Nancy's concern. Rita Westbrook commented that she felt this was a seasonal problem and that she agreed with Nancy's thinking of this situation requiring immediate action. Nancy added that she sees this as being worse that it ever has been in the past. Rita Westbrook mentioned that the Police could take immediate action on this for now adding that the Police have been more focused on bars and nighttime and maybe they should focus on day time as well. It was noted that the Judicial System in Kitchener was far more lenient than in other cities. Councillor Mark Yantzi noted that he sees the Judicial System as being irrelevant in this matter and that we should focus on where people are and why they are there, in hopes to provide a better alternative as a solution. Karen Taylor- Harrison noted she felt that finding alternative programs was a very good idea. After some discussion it was decided to go with 3 Working Groups, Safety Audits, Lighting and a Prioritizing Sub-Committee and the following people volunteered to be in the Working Groups: 1. LIGHTING WORKING GROUP Nancy Brawley, Councillor Mark Yantzi, Bryan Stortz, Alan Richardson, Don Snow and Tony Frensch. 2. SAFETY AUDIT WORKING GROUP Philip Fernandez, Karen Taylor-Harrison, Rita Westbrook, Trudy Beaulne, Councillor Karen Redman and Bob Arnot. 3. PRIORITIZING SUB-COMMITTEE Nancy Brawley, Trudy Beaulne, Karen Taylor-Harrison and Rita Westbrook. -112- It was decided that each Working Group would meet at least once before the next meeting and give a report to the other committee members in June. It was requested that Julie Dean attend the initial meeting of each Working Group and that she would put together information for the Lighting And Safety Audit Groups. It was requested of Avril Tanner to contact those members not at the meeting to see if they would like to volunteer in any of the 3 Working Groups. It was noted that if the Working Groups require any administrative services they could contact Avril Tanner. 6. WILF PARK'S LETTER OF RESIGNATION Trudy Beaulne explained that Wilf Park's Letter of Resignation would have to stand now as his wife is quite ill and suggested sending a letter of thank-you. It was noted that the letter should state that we accept his resignation with regret. Trudy then asked the committee if they wanted to make a request to Council that the committee be exempt from the new policy that any member being appointed to a committee must live or work within the City boundaries. After some discussion it was decided to leave this position vacant for now and we would discuss replacing Wilf's position during the meeting in July. It was noted however, that at our meeting of February 6, 1996 Bob Arnot was to look into getting a representative from the Youth Council to participate in our meetings and for information purposes. It was decided that Bob Arnot would continue to look into this suggestion. 7. PROPOSED LETTER TO WATERLOO REGIONAL POLICE Brock Stanley indicated that this letter and more particularly the larger problem of Safe City indicators was referred to the Safe City Committee and other committees at the Region for comments. Nancy Brawley added that the purpose was to come up with a way to deal with Crime Statistics and the letter was only attached for reference. Rita Westbrook suggested that she could look after getting these statistics, Councillor Mark Yantzi recommended that Rita go ahead with her suggestion. Councillor Karen Redman noted that the letter has been pulled. Nancy Brawley asked what information was available to help with Downtown Safety. Some discussion took place about Crime Statistics and there was concern noted that just giving the statistics could cause problems and that when the statistics are given they should be presented in a positive way moreover, it was suggested that broader more inclusive Safe City indicators need to be developed and used rather than event generated Crime Statistics. -113- After some discussion it was decided to not comment on the letter at this time. Moved By: Councillor Yantzi Seconded By: Mark Alan Richardson Karen Taylor-Harrison asked Trudy Beaulne if she would be willing to come to the KDAC meeting in June to share an overview of what this committee is doing. Trudy noted that she would like to do this but requested that she be placed early in the Agenda. At the close of the meeting Bob Arnot handed out a document entitled "Culture Plan" and requested that everyone take a look at item #8 concerning lighting in the document (document attached). Meeting adjourned 5:30 p.m. A. Tanner LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 1. Wilf Park's Letter of Resignation 2. Culture Plan - April 1996