Charlotte City Council
Community Safety Committee
Meeting Summary for January 16, 2009
COMMITTEE AGENDA TOPICS
I.
Subject:
Rental Property Ordinance
Action:
Information Only Presentation
Staff Resource: Major Eddie Levins
II.
Subject:
Community Safety Focus Area Plan
Action:
Committee discussion
Staff Resource: Chief Rodney Monroe, Eric Campbell
COMMITTEE INFORMATION
Present:
Absent:
Time:
Warren Turner, Patsy Kinsey, Edwin Peacock
Andy Dulin
2:05-3:20 pm.
ATTACHMENTS
1.
2.
3.
Agenda
Stakeholders Group Members.doc
FY10/11 Draft FAP rev.3
Community Safety Committee
Meeting Summary for January 16, 2009
Page 2
DISCUSSION HIGHLIGHTS
I.
Subject:
Rental Property Ordinance
Major Eddie Levins provided a brief update on the proposed rental property ordinance.
The Stakeholders meeting has been rescheduled for January 26; at that time, the
stakeholders will have the opportunity to review the latest draft of the ordinance. There
has been good participation from the stakeholders. Staff continues to work on the appeals
process and is considering a rental board to handle the appeals. Staff is also looking at
options for the registration process since registering through the Registrar of Deeds or the
Mecklenburg County Tax Office does not appear to be a viable option. Staff is also
finalizing recommendations on the crime threshold under which a property would be
targeted for remedial action by the property owner.
At their last meeting, the Committee requested information on the first year results from
the Houston, Texas rental property ordinance. Major Levins reported that Houston
experienced positive results, including reductions in crime at targeted properties. Those
results were e-mailed to the committee. Dallas County, Texas adopted an ordinance
based on Houston’s; that ordinance went into effect this month.
Staff anticipates that the ordinance will go to Council in March.
II.
Subject:
Focus Area Plan
Committee members continued their discussion of the focus area plan from the previous
meeting. Chief Monroe indicated that he would like the crime reduction goal to be 12%
over the next two fiscal years, with a 7% reduction in the first year and 5% in the second
year. The Chief feels this will be a stretch target, given the decreases being achieved this
fiscal year, but feels that it is achievable. The Committee agreed to the 12% goal.
Council member Turner did not agree with singling out the Wilkinson Boulevard corridor
as a crime reduction goal for major business corridors; he requested that all five of the
business revitalization corridors be included in the objective. CMPD will look at the
calendar and fiscal year crime data to determine an appropriate goal.
There are a number of topics on which the Committee has not reached agreement. They
are: whether to say that crime reduction is a goal for the City or the Police Department;
whether to retain the goal on diversity of the police workforce which was in the original
draft of the document; the level of detail to be included in the explanation of the policing
strategy and whether to retain an objective regarding homeland security.
The Committee set a tentative meeting date of January 23 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. to
complete their work on the focus area plan.
Community Safety Committee
Friday, January 16, 2009; 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Room 280
Committee Members:
Warren Turner, Chair
Patsy Kinsey, Vice Chair
Andy Dulin
Edwin Peacock
Staff Resource:
Eric D. Campbell
AGENDA
I.
Draft – Focus Area Plan
Staff Resource: Chief Rodney Monroe
The Committee will review and discuss the third draft of the Community Safety Focus
Area Plan and make suggestions as to possible changes. The Committee is asked to
forward the draft for review by the City Council at the annual retreat.
II.
Rental Property Ordinance
Staff Resource: Major Eddie Levins
CMPD staff will provide a brief update on their progress in developing a draft Rental
Property Ordinance.
Attachment: 1. Stakeholders Group Members.doc
Next Scheduled Meeting: February 19, 12:00 pm, Room 280
Distribution:
Mayor/City Council
Stephanie Kelly
Curt Walton, City Manager
Rodney Monroe
Leadership Team
Jon Hannan
Mac McCarley
Rental Property Stakeholders Group Members
•
Deputy Chief Ken Miller, CMPD
•
Major Eddie Levins, CMPD
•
Paul Paskoff, Director, CMPD Research, Planning & Analysis
•
Mark Newbold, Police Attorney
•
Pat Barker, Nuisance Abatement, CMPD
•
Officer Donna Burgess, CMPD
•
Walter Abernathy, Neighborhood Development
•
Mujeeb Shah-Kahn, Senior Assistant City Attorney
•
Michael Jenkins, Neighborhood Development
•
Nick Polimeni, Planning Department
•
Allon Thompson, Metrolina Real Estate Investors Association and President,
Charlotte Landlords’ Association
•
Ken Szymanski, Director, Greater Charlotte Apartment Association
•
Scott Wilkerson, Babcock & Brown Residential
•
Tom Latimer, Metrolina Real Estate Investors Association
•
Linda Johnson, Legal Aid
•
Ted Fillette, Legal Aid
•
Linda Caudle, Westdale Asset Management
•
Aric Beals, Berryhill Realty
•
Joe Rempson, T.R. Lawing Realty Inc.
•
Andy Munn, The Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition
•
Dorothy Waddy, Clanton Park Neighborhood
•
Randy Johnson, Central Avenue/Eastcrest Neigborhood
•
Mildred McCullough, Metro Division
•
Christopher Dennis, Metro Division
•
Laura Miller, Steele Creek Division
•
Mike Craft, North Division
•
Chris Connor, Country Club Heights Neighborhood Association
1.16.09 Draft rev.3 Charlotte Will Be The Safest Large City In America
The City of Charlotte will be the safest large city in America, a community in which
citizens feel safe in the areas where they live, work, and spend their leisure time.
Citizens in a safe community have confidence in their public safety agencies to
proactively identify and address issues related to crime, disorder and personal safety.
The Police and Fire Departments have the most direct impact on public safety. Other city
departments, such as Neighborhood Development, Engineering, Transportation, and
Planning also have a role in creating safe and strong neighborhoods.
The mission of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department is to reduce crime and
improve the quality of life for citizens. The department’s policing strategy is focused on
the reduction of crime and disorder in neighborhoods. Police staffing plans promote high
visibility throughout all of the Department’s 39 response areas, which is served by a
Response Area Team. Each Response Area Team, led by a Sergeant, is responsible for
crime reduction in their assigned areas and the engagement of the community as partners
in keeping their neighborhoods safe. Each team develops enforcement strategies specific
to their areas that target both crime and chronic offenders. They work closely with
specialized police units to address criminal issues such as gangs, assaults, drugs, and
firearms.
Collaboration is critical to making Charlotte the safest large city in America. Police
partner with a variety of public and private agencies in a holistic approach to crime and
disorder issues. One key partnership is between Police and Neighborhood Development.
Police work closely with Code Enforcement and Neighborhood Specialists to address
conditions that breed criminal activity and implement strategies that ultimately strengthen
and empower neighborhoods. CMPD also partners with other city and county agencies
as well as other members of the Criminal Justice System in an effort to prevent crime and
enhance the quality of life for all citizens.
The Charlotte Fire Department plays a major role in making our community safe from
loss of life and property caused by fire through proactive fire code enforcement,
educational programs for youth and rapid response to working fires. As first responders,
CFD is first on the scene of an accident or other medical emergency to provide
immediate medical attention. The Fire Department also takes the lead in homeland
security preparedness and works with partners around the Charlotte Region to ensure that
emergency personnel have the training, equipment and strategies to respond effectively to
natural or man-made disasters.
1 1.16.09 Draft rev.3 Focus Area Initiatives
Focus Area Initiative 1: Decrease crime throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg through
enforcement and problem solving strategies that target criminal activity and chronic
offenders at the neighborhood level.
Measure: Crime rate per 100,000 population for UCR Part One offense categories
(Homicide, Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Auto Theft, Larceny, and
Arson)
Target: 5% reduction in crime rate per 100,000 population in FY10
7% reduction in crime rate per 100,000 population in FY11
Prior Year Actual: -21.3% during first five months of fiscal year
Focus Area Initiative 2: Enhance citizen safety through increased police visibility and
engagement of citizens as active partners in crime reduction.
Measure: Survey ratings on citizen satisfaction with police service and safety in their
neighborhoods in November 2009 and November 2010
Target: Ratings of 7 or above on a 10 point scale on questions related to police services
and citizen perception of safety
Prior Year Actual: 73% on overall impression of police; 79% on courtesy; 80% on
professionalism; 73% on feeling safe in their neighborhoods
Focus Area Initiative 3: Partner with other city and county agencies as well as other
members of the criminal justice system in enforcement and prevention efforts that reduce
crime and enhance the quality of life in our community.
Measure: Crime reduction in Wilkinson Boulevard corridor through Police/Neighborhood
Development collaboration
Target: 10% reduction in UCR Part One Crimes (homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated
assault, burglary, vehicle theft, larceny and arson) in FY10
Prior Year Actual: FY08: 2,157 incidents; FY09 (through January 11): 878 incidents
Measure: Reduction in national and international gangs operating in CharlotteMecklenburg
Target: In conjunction with other state and federal law enforcement agencies, identify
and dismantle one gang per year.
Prior Year Actual: N/A
2 1.16.09 Draft rev.3 Focus Area Initiative 4: Reduce loss of life and property damage from fires through
proactive fire code enforcement and rapid response to working fires
Measure: Percent of fire code inspections with an annual state-mandated frequency
conducted each year
Target: 85%
Prior Year Actual: 96.7%
Measure: Percent of alarm first-due responder companies on scene within 6 minutes of
call receipt
Target: 80%
Prior Year Actual: 79.35%
Measure: Number of fire education programs delivered to CMS third grade classrooms
that are within city limits
Target: 80%
Prior Year Actual: N/A
Focus Area Initiative 5: Coordinate planning and training that enables the City of
Charlotte to respond rapidly and effectively to natural or man-made disasters.
Measure: Number of community-wide disaster preparedness exercises conducted
annually
Target: 1 per year in FY09 and FY10
Prior Year Actual: 1
Measure: In an actual emergency, time to deliver accurate initial information to affected
citizens through the reverse 911 system
Target: Information communicated to 80% of affected citizens within 30 minutes
Prior Year Actual: N/A (Note that this measure would apply only in case of an actual
emergency during FY10/11)
3