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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRC Min 1986-11-12 . ~- .327 476 . SEAL BEACH RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION The Seal Beach Recreation and Parks Commission met in regular session on Wednesday, November 12, 1986, in City Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Weiler at 7:00 p.m. and the Pledge of Allegiance was given. ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Petersen, Procter, Thomas, Weiler Reilly (arrived 7:35 p.m.) Procter moved, Thomas second, to hold all agenda items until after the Public Hearing. Chairman Weiler opened the Public Hearing and called for comments and recommenda- tions from the audience regarding the fishing problem on the San Gabriel River adjacent to Edison Park. 31 BILL JAY, 224 Harvard Lane Mr. Jay described the problems at Edison Park. People are fishing illegally along the San Gabriel River, leaving trash and garbage, which is bringing rats. The fishermen are illegally parking within the park, (in direct violation of the posted NO PARKING signs), using marijuana, and stealing vegetables from the Gardens. Recommendation: City Council establish an Edison Park Parking Ordinance, involving the issuance of parking stickers, and posting TOW AWAY signs, with strict Police Department enforcement. LILIAN MYKETUK, 1320 Mayfield, 62~K Ms. Myketuk stated that she maintains a garden plot at Edison Park. She discussed the parking problem and the need for portable restrooms. Recommendation: Consistency from Police Department in ticketing illegally parked cars. JOHN KIRKUS, 261 College Park Drive Mr. Kirkus stated that residents of College Park West have been dealing with this problem since March of this year. "We've had meetings in the park area with City Councilmembers, we've had meetings with the Chief of Police, and with the City Manager. On more than one occasion, I have met with the City Manager and the Chief of Police in their offices regarding this issue. When we atarted 7-8 months ago, at a City Council meeting, they were both here. They told us they couldn't enforce the laws because there were no signs down there. Theyneeded some time to paint and install some signs. They needed 45 days." Signs went up. The signs say very clearly "2-hour parking, for use of Edison Park only". "If there are cars there and nobody in the park. obviously they're violating the law. I've stood in the park, nose to nose with a police officer on four different occasions and said, "There are cars parked there. Read the signs. Ticket the cars." I had a policeman say, "1 will not do it for the following reasons. I think the signs are unconstitutional. I'm not going to spend all my time in court trying to argue with somebody. Maybe Some of these cars belong to people in College Park West, parking here and walking down there." "50 what? They're still breaking the law. Ticket the cars." "1 won't do it." Heated discussion followed. I reminded him of the promise of the Chief of Police and the promise of the City Manager to enforce the law after they got the signs up. He still refused." "1 went down and talked to Bob Nelson. I talked to Stacy in his office. He said "It seems like a few people haven't got the message. I'll see to it that they do." This was five months after implementation of this plan and three months after the signs had gone up, and some policemen haven't got the message. "Stacy, how long is it going to take?" "Probably 2-3 days." A good month later I approached . . . . a police officer parked in the basketball court near Edison Park. I observed 13-15 cars illegally parked. "Why aren't you writing tickets at the park?" . "I can't ticket. All I can do is mark the tires." "But there are cars parked allover and the sign says park in marked stalls only." "Oh. does it say that? I didn't really know that." This was the month Stacy was going to get the message down." "The problem is real simple. We're not ticketing cars. We're chasing our tail here. We've got the signs up. We've had numerous conversations. We've had close to 100 College Park West residents voice their opinion to the Chief of Police and the City Manager. We've had our City Councilmember there. I sat in the City Council meeting and heard the Council say to Stacy and Bob, please get the signs up and enforce the law, 7-8 months ago. We have an attitude problem here. The attitude is that this is not an important issue." "People have been urinating and defecating there. I've seen it myself on three different occasions. We've told the Chief of Police, the City Manager, and the City Council." "We have called. I've made 25-30 calls, numerous residents in the tract have called, housewives have taken turns calling. It's not that they don't know about it. They've been told. They're simply not responding. They feel the problem will go away. I wish the Chief of Police were here so you could ask him why he's not doing anything about it." "There's a safety problem involved. I've seen little children climb over the cyclone fence and lower themselves onto the rocks. I brought this up in front of the City Council saying I understand we don't have liability insurance. What happens if the police know it's pgainst the law and see it happening repeatedly and they don't stop it? Does that not set the City up for some kind of liability? If we're allowing people to do things illegally, repeatedly, that means we're approving of it and I think that means we're accepting the liability for what happens if they get hurt." "The Chief of Police knows about it, the City Manager knows about it. The City Council may be of the opinion that it's being taken care of because it looked as if Stacy was going to do something. I personally feel he waa stonewalling us." "I've seen people sleep all night down there in sleeping bags. I've seen people build fires on the rocks, and then throw the ashes in a pile of dead grass in the park." "Stickers might work, but they're not going to do any good if the police don't write tickets. They are making a decision whether or not they choose to enforce the law after the Chief of Police tells me they've been told to. There's a lack of control somewhere." "The Chief of Police and the City Manager don't think this issue is serious enough to put forth the effort. You can issue stickers and put signs up, and if the people we hire to enforce the law aren't going to do it, then nothing is going to happen. That's the issue we have to deal with." "I think it's really sad that our children are supposedly being disciplined and taught to be good citizens and they watch people break the law, disobey parking signs, jump over the fence, and fish illegally." "The problem rests with the City Council, the Chief of Police and the City Manager. They are the ones who have the power to enforce this." -. ~-~--"'~._.... .-- -~------~-------_._...._-- . Recommendation: Make the City Council aware of these problems and that the Police are not enforcing the laws, get strict Police enforcement or close down the park before it gets worse than it is now. 805 LOWELL KOLB, 192 Harvard Lane Mr. Kolb stated that these problems began approximately 8-10 years ago, when the Bike Trail was completed. He had a meeting at that time in his home. Chief of Police, Ed Cibarelli, told everyone to call the Police Department and they would correct the problems. Recommendation: Edison Park Parking Ordinance, or even more drastic . close the park. 885 FRANK CROSS, 112 College Park Drive Mr. Cross supported everything previously stated. cooperation from the City of Long Beach regarding Recommendation: Solicit the enforcement of NO FISHING. 948 ROBERT LAIO, 112 Princeton Circle Mr. Laio commented on the graffitti in the park, especially on the NO PARKING signs. Recommendation: Secure Police Department cooperation in enforcing the laws, including ticketing and towing away. 980 JACK HALE, 129 Yale Lane Mr. Hale stated that the removal of fish would not be a permanent solution. The problem stems from lack of help from the Police Department. Recommendation: Enforcement from Police Department, including tow away, and the issuance of a resident parking sticker, and a non-resident, I-day sticker. ,,044 JOE GOFF, 108 Princeton Circle Mr. Goff agreed it would be imposaible to rid the river of fish. Recommendation: More consistent Police enforcement. 1095 BETTY KOO, 160 Harvard Lane Ms. Koo agreed with statements of neighbors regarding problems, but did not want to see the park closed. Recommendation: Post TOW AWAY signs and issue parking permits, with enforcement. 1120 JOHN KIRKUS spoke again stating that the problem with the Police Department was NOT a matter of not enough Police to enforce the law or a matter of assets, but a lack of desire to do their job. 1132 BILL JAY spoke again, saying don't kill the fish. They bring the Pilicans, which are beautiful to watch. He also stated he was in favor of posting TOW AWAY signs and of towing illegally parked cars away. 1155 FRANK CROSS spoke again, calling for Health Department asaistance. 1174 TOM ALDERSON, 144 College Park Drive Mr. Alderson commented that the removal of the fish in the river would also remove the Brown Pelicans from the area, which are an endangered species. Recommendation: The City work with Fish and Game and declare a wetlands area, therefore no fishing would be allowed. . Chairman Weiler declared the Public Hearing closed at 8:20 p.m. Discussion among the Commissioners followed. Thomas moved, Procter second, to recommend that City Council enact an Edison Park Parking Ordinance, limiting parking in Edison Park for park use only, establishing a parking sticker for residents at a nominal fee ($5), non-resident fee substantially higher ($40), waiver for Senior Citizens, and violators will be towed away. It was unanimously approved. .. ..M -;;______ __... '. ,. . . . . Chairman Weiler expressed a desire to have Commissioners ride in Christmas Parade again this year. Discussion regarding the Armed Forces Reserve Center Park followed with an up-date. from Osteen. Petersen was excused at 8:45 p.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Thomas moved, Procter second to approve minutes of October 8, 1986 as written. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS There were no oral communications. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS Osteen discussed the letter which was received regarding volleyball on the beach. OLD BUSINESS Thomas moved, Procter second to table the discussion Resolution No. 82-1 until the next regular meeting. of Ordinance No. 909 and It was unanimously approved. NEW BUSINESS Hellman Property Development was discussed. Thomas moved, Procter second to table further discussion until the next regular meeting. It was unanimously approved. .39 ADJOURNMENT Procter moved, Reilly second, to adjourn the meeting at 8:50 p.m. It was unanimously approved. ~~~~ ~ack Osteen, Secretary .