Feb 14, 2023 City Council Meeting 3pm

POSTED ORDERS OF ADJOURNMENT OF THE JANUARY 24TH, 2023 MEETING AND THE AGENDA OF THE FEBRUARY 14TH, 2023 MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW CITY COUNCIL ON HOUSING AUTHORITY POLICY.

THE CITY CLERK

[ POSTINGS: The City Clerk posted Orders of Adjournment of the January 24, 2023, Meetings and the Agenda of the February 14, 2023, Meeting in accordance to State Law and City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Policy.]

THERE ARE NO PRESENTATIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

STAFF, DO YOU HAVE ANY AGENDA CHANGES? NO, SIR.

COUNSEL LOOKS LIKE NO.

WE'RE

[7. CONSENT ITEMS: Consent Items are routine matters enacted by one motion according to the RECOMMENDATION listed below. With the concurrence of the City Council, a Council Member or person in attendance may request discussion of a Consent Item at this time.]

NOW CONSENT ITEMS. CONSENT ITEMS OF ROUTINE MATTERS ENACTED BY ONE MOTION ACCORDING TO THE RECOMMENDATION LISTED BELOW WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

A COUNCIL MEMBER OR PERSON IN ATTENDANCE MAY REQUEST DISCUSSION OF A CONSENT ITEM AT THIS TIME.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU WANNA PULL ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS? STAFF? NO, SIR.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THEN TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ITEMS. SECOND, PLEASE VOTE.

AND FOR THE RECORD, SIR, THERE WERE NO SPEAKER CARD FOR CONSENT ITEMS AND THE MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT.

BECAUSE WHEN I TALKED TO THE POLICE, I ALSO WENT ACROSS TO THE CITY BUILDING AND CONVINCED THEM WE WERE IN THE CITY AND THEY SAID WHAT THEY DO TO SAVE, UH, MAILING COST.

WE'RE NOW

[ PUBLIC COMMENT: At this time, any person may address a matter within the jurisdiction of the City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the El Cajon Redevelopment Agency that is not on the Agenda. Comments relating to items on today’s docket are to be taken at the time the item is heard. State law prohibits discussion or action on items not on the Agenda; however, Council, Authority and Agency Members may briefly respond to statements or questions. An item may be placed on a future Agenda.]

PUBLIC COMMENT.

AT THIS TIME, ANY PERSON MAY ADDRESS A MATTER WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL HOUSING AUTHORITY SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE EL CAJON REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

STATE LAW PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

HOWEVER, CITY COUNCIL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY MEMBERS MAY BRIEFLY RESPOND TO STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS, AND AN ITEM MAY BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA.

ANGELA, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS? YES, SIR.

WE HAVE ONE CARD FROM RICHARD V.

UH, I RESIDE ON, UH, CAJON DRIVE, WHICH IS IN THE 20 21 9 9 20 21, UH, BOSTON AREA.

BUT WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF ABOUT 40 FAMILIES THAT IS IN THE CITY.

AND, UH, UH, UH, GARY AND I LOOKED AT THE CA UH, CALENDAR AND WE ARE ON THE, IN THE CITY, BUT WHEN TWO YEARS AGO I WENT TO THE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ASKED WHY WE WEREN'T GETTING PATROL IN THAT AREA.

AND HE SAID, WELL, YOU'RE IN THE COUNTY.

THE SHERIFF SHOULD TAKE CARE OF YOU.

AND I POINTED OUT TO HIM THAT WE ARE IN THE CITY AND HE CHECKED HIS COMPUTER AND HE SAID, YES, YOU'RE IN THE CITY.

AND, UH, BUT DO YOU NEED PATROL THERE? WELL, IT JUST, THEIR PRESENCE WOULD MAKE THE AREA SAFE, BUT IT'S JUST A COMMUNITY, UH, WITH ONE ENTRANCE ON CA CAJON GREENS DRIVE OFF OF FIRST.

SO WE WE'RE THE, WE ARE BETWEEN GARFIELD AND BRADLEY ON FIR JUST OFF OF FIRST.

SO THE, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE COUNTY ON FIRST STREET AND MAKE A, UH, TURN TO THE WEST TO GET ONTO CAJON GREENS DRIVE.

AND THERE'S CAJON GREENS DRIVE, CAJON, UH, GREENS PLACE DRILL.

AND THERE'S ONE OTHER STREET THAT'S OFF OF THERE, BUT IT'S ALL DEAD END AND YOU HAVE TO COME BACK OUT TO HOME GREENS DRIVE.

SO IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE HAD PATROL ONCE IN A WHILE.

THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT WE DON'T GET ANY OF THE, UH, LIKE THE EVENTS, UH, BROCHURES OR ANY OF THAT STUFF EITHER,

[00:05:01]

THEY BUNDLE UP A BUNCH OF THE, UH, BROCHURES AND STUFF AND GIVE IT TO THE POST OFFICE FOR THEM TO DISTRIBUTE WITH NO ADDRESSES ON THEM.

THEY, UH, BUT IN THE, UH, ZIP CODES THAT, UH, MOST OF THE CITY PEOPLE LIVE IN, WELL BEING 2021, WE'RE IN THE AREA OF BOSTON AND THEY DON'T GIVE THE POST OFFICE ANYTHING TO DISTRIBUTE IN THE 2021, UH, AREA BECAUSE MOST OF IT IS COUNTY.

SO I'M JUST LOOKING TO TRY TO HELP, YOU KNOW, GET SOMETHING FOR THE FAMILIES IN THAT AREA BECAUSE, UH, IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT HAS QUITE A FEW, UH, CHILDREN THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE BENEFIT FROM SOME OF THE EVENTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SURE.

THAT'S INTO THAT BROCHURE.

GRANDMA SHOULD BE EASY PROBLEM TO FIX, DON'T YOU THINK? ABSOLUTELY.

SO WE, WE DO BUNDLE, UM, IT'S, I MEAN THE POST OFFICE PROVIDES THAT SERVICE, SO WE BUNDLE IT.

SO IT MAY BE A MATTER OF JUST INCLUDING MAKING SURE THE POST OFFICE KNOWS THAT'S PART OF THE BUNDLE PACKAGE.

SO WE CAN LOOK READDRESS OR RE-LOOK AT THE ADDRESS, VERIFY WHETHER IT'S IN THE CITY OR NOT.

AND THEN WE'LL JUST COMMUNICATE WITH THE POST OFFICE ON THAT.

THEN THE POLICE ISSUE, WHAT YOUR, UH, EMPLOYEE SAID IS THAT IF THE PEOPLE CALLED IN AND GAVE THEM THE, THEIR ADDRESS, THEY WOULD SEND THEM INDIVIDUALLY A COPY OF THE THIS STUFF.

BUT HE HAD MY NAME AND ADDRESS AND I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY MAILINGS FROM THE CITY, UH, FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

SO, UH, I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY FIX THIS IF THE GENTLEMAN LEFT HIS CONTACT INFORMATION, WE'LL HAVE THAT AND WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

AND, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S UH, 40 OTHER FAMILIES THAT I'D LIKE TO PROBABLY BENEFIT FROM THAT DISBURSEMENT.

AND I, I SEE OUR CHIEF BACK THERE.

I KNOW YOU HEARD THE PATROL ISSUE AS WELL.

HE IS NODDING AT ME.

SO THANKS FOR COMING.

AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW, UH, PROBLEMS GET ADDRESSED IF WE DON'T KNOW THAT YOU HAVING A PROBLEM, WE DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM.

SO THANK YOU FOR COMING.

WELL, THANK YOU.

LET ME SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR, OKAY.

YEAH, IF THERE'S ANY DIFFICULTY FINDING OUT IF A PARCEL IS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OR NOT, YOU CAN CHECK A ASK FOR A DOWNLOAD FROM EITHER THE ASSESSOR OR THE TAX CUT.

THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE TAX RATE AREA FOR EL CAJON ZERO THREE.

SO ANYTHING WITH ZERO THREES WITHIN THE CITY LIMIT.

OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

THANKS FOR COMING, SIR.

I APPRECIATE IT.

ANY OTHERS? NO OTHER SPEAKERS, SIR.

12 IS THE MODIFICATION OF NEW HIRE INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR SWORN OFFICERS.

THERE ARE NO WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

WE'RE NOW AT PUBLIC HEARINGS.

WE HAVE ONE ITEM TO

[11. Appeal of Planning Commission's Decision Denying a Request to Add Off-Sale Alcohol to an Existing Convenience Store at 500 N. Second Street RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council: Reopens the continued Public Hearing and receives testimony; Closes the Public Hearing; Moves to adopt the next Resolution, in order, affirming the decision of the El Cajon Planning Commission and DENYING the request to add off-sale alcohol to an existing convenience store at 500 N. Second Street.]

CONSIDER.

ITEM 11 IS APPEAL, A PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION.

I'LL ASK STAFF TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UM, WE, BEFORE, AFTER THE POSTING AGENDA, WE RECEIVED A, UM, REQUEST BY THE APPELLANT TO WITHDRAW THEIR APPEAL.

SO YOU ARE RIGHT NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REPUBLIC HEARING, THERE'S NO NEED TO ASK FOR FURTHER TESTIMONY.

THERE'S, BECAUSE IT'S MOOT, UH, HAVING WITHDRAWN THE APPEAL.

SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND JUST MOVE ON WITH THE NEXT ITEM.

THERE'S NO ACTION FOR YOU TO TAKE, NO DECISIONS YOU NEED TO MAKE.

THANK YOU, COUNSELOR.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

WE HAVE TWO ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

ITEM

[12. Modification of New Hire Incentive Program for Sworn Police Officers RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council authorizes the modification of the Police Department’s “New Hire Incentive Program for Sworn Police Officers.”]

AND I'LL ASK OUR STAFF TO PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THIS.

HI.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MARI, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.

SO I AM HERE TO BRING BACK THE NEW HIRE AND SENATE PROGRAM.

WE BROUGHT IT ON BOARD ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, AND WE STARTED OFF WITH A $5,000 INCENTIVE FOR RECRUITS AND FOR LATERALS.

AND SO AS WE HAVE PROGRESSED, SO HAVE OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES.

SO WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A NEED TO RECRUIT LATERALS BECAUSE WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF SENIOR OFFICERS.

UH, SO IN LOOKING IN OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES

[00:10:01]

AND THE OTHER AGENCIES IN THE REGION, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE.

SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING A $28,000 INCENTIVE FOR OUR LATERAL OFFICERS.

AND THIS IS THE AVERAGE OF THE AGENCIES THAT YOU CAN SEE UP ABOVE.

UM, WITH THE CHANGES IN THE PROGRAM, WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO ATTRACT LATERALS.

WE WILL ALSO, UH, BRING BACK THE RECRUIT PROGRAM, SO THAT'LL BE $5,000 FOR RECRUITS.

AND WE ARE PROPOSING TO EXPAND THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR OUR EXISTING EMPLOYEES TO MAKE IT CITYWIDE, NOT JUST SWORN.

AND SO WITH THAT, I WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANKS MARIAL QUESTIONS, PHIL, I'M SORRY.

THIS IS WHAT WE ARE OFFERING TO OFFICERS THAT COME OVER FROM THESE AGENCIES OR THIS IS WHAT THESE CITIES ARE OFFERING TO THEIR RECRUITS.

SO THIS IS WHAT CITIES ARE OFFERING AND THE COUNTY TO LATERALS.

GOT IT.

IN COMPARISON TO R 20,000 THAT WE'RE OFFERING, THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO OFFER.

YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

I THINK I SAW ON THE STAFF REPORT THAT A CITY EMPLOYEE CAN RECEIVE UP TO TWO BONUS, UH, PER YEAR, NOT JUST ONE.

SO THAT CERTAINLY IS AN INCENTIVE FOR, UH, PEOPLE.

AND IF A HUSBAND AND WIFE OR, OR THOSE KIND OF THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE CITY, ACTUALLY THEY COULD GET FOUR IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD.

IS THAT CORRECT? UH, POTENTIALLY IN A FISCAL YEAR, UM, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAPPEN.

YES, I HAVE, YOU KNOW, I'M ALL FOR IT.

LET'S, LET'S FIND SOME GREAT SENIOR OFFICERS.

UH, LET'S NOT REPLACE THE ONES THAT WE HAVE.

LET'S KEEP THEM AND ADD MORE TO THAT.

GREAT.

UH, WE SAVE A LOT OF MONEY BY GETTING EXPERIENCED OFFICERS FROM OTHER CITIES AND THEY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

SO I THINK THIS IS MONEY VERY WELL SPENT.

SO I NOTICED THAT, UM, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OFFERS 25 NATIONAL CITY OFFERS 30 CHULA VISTAS, 25.

I'M WONDERING IF IT MIGHT MAKE MORE SENSE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT 25 OR GRAMMAR.

ARE WE LOCKED INTO THE 20 NUMBER? WELL, WE'RE RECOMMENDING 20, BUT IF, IF COUNCIL WANTED TO AT LEAST KEEP UP WITH CHULA VISTA AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THAT WOULD BE A, A REALISTIC PROPOSAL.

I'D RECOMMEND THAT.

BUT, UH, I AGREE WITH YOU MR. MAYOR.

I MONEY TALKS AND WE CAN ALWAYS USE EXPERIENCED POLICE OFFICERS AND LET'S BE COMPETITIVE.

I'M ASSUMING IN THE, IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, IT'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY.

NO.

SO HOW MANY LATERAL, UH, IN THE PAST YEAR WOULD YOU SAY THAT WE'VE HAD? OOH, IN THE PAST? PEARL BONUSES, OCCURRENCES, BONUS BONUSES.

I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER WITH ME.

SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT A MAX OF $55,000 EDITION? THAT'S NOT THAT MUCH, BUT I THINK IN, I THINK THIS YEAR WAS AN UNUSUAL YEAR BECAUSE WE HIRED A LOT OF LATERALS FROM DEPARTMENTS THAT HAD BEEN LETTING PEOPLE GO BECAUSE OF THEM NOT WANTING TO TAKE THE COVID VACCINE.

RIGHT.

SO WE, SO THAT HAD WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING A LOT OF LATERALS OVER THEM.

PROBABLY CHIEF, IS THAT 11, IS THAT INDICATIVE OF AN AVERAGE YEAR OR IS THAT A LOT FOR, I'M JUST CURIOUS.

I, I AGREE WITH YOU, STAN.

I THINK IT MAY EITHER, EVEN IF IT IS 11 EVERY YEAR, IT PROBABLY MAKES A VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE.

BUT HI, CHIEF AFTERNOON, UH, THE, THE EIGHT, IT'S NOT INDICATIVE OF A NORMAL YEAR.

WE HAD THAT INFLUX OF SAN DIEGO LATERALS OVER A COURSE OF ABOUT A YEAR.

HISTORICALLY, WE HADN'T HAD A LOT OF SAN DIEGO PD LATERALS OVER THE LAST 12 TO 18 MONTHS.

WE DID.

SO, YOU KNOW, USUALLY OUR LATERALS ARE IN, IN THE ONE TO TWOS.

WE'RE TRYING TO INCREASE THAT, OBVIOUSLY.

UH, WE JUST DID A RECRUITMENT VIDEO.

WE'RE DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH.

UM, WE'RE TRYING TO GET EXPERIENCED OFFICERS AND IT IS A VERY GOOD POINT THAT COUNCILMAN OR KENDRICK MAKES.

IT'S A HUGE SAVINGS TO GET A LATERAL OFFICER.

IF I GET A LATERAL OFFICER HIRED UP, I CAN PUT THEM IN THE FIELD.

THEY'RE SERVING THE COMMUNITY IN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A MONTH TO TWO MONTHS.

IF WE DO A RECRUITMENT AND HIRE, UH, A BRAND NEW POLICE OFFICER TO SEND THROUGH ALL THE TRAINING THAT WE PUT 'EM THROUGH, IT'S, IT COULD BE 12 TO 18 MONTHS.

SO WE'RE SAVING OVER A YEAR'S WORTH OF TIME BY IRONING LATERALS.

LOOKING TO BE ON THAT ONE? YEAH, , I, THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I MEAN, BASED OFF OF THE 25 THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, DO YOU THINK THAT'S GONNA GET US TO THE NUMBERS THAT WE NEED? OR IS IS IT, ARE WE JUST KIND OF LIKE GOING WITH THE, THE AVERAGE TO TRY AND STAY WITH THE PACK? CAUSE I MEAN, IF IT'S GONNA BE A RECRUITMENT TOOL AND WE CAN SAVE 12 MONTHS, YOU KNOW, I, I'M, I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT, WHERE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, IF IT'S ONLY A $55,000 INCREASE, THAT'S, THAT'S MY QUESTION IS WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK IF WE WANNA STAND OUT, LET'S STAND OUT.

ARE YOU

[00:15:01]

ONE IS I HOPE, I HOPE THAT SOMEONE ISN'T CHOOSING TO WORK FOR EL CAJON AND SERVE EL CAJON RESIDENTS BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING THEM $5,000 MORE THAN CHULA VISTA.

I MEAN, I, WE HOPE THAT THAT GETS 'EM INTERESTED IN EL CAJON, BUT THEY COME TO EL CAJON BECAUSE THEY LIKE OUR CULTURE AND THERE'S GONNA BE SOME POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE GONNA LIKE THE CULTURE OF NATIONAL CITY AND CHULA VISTA AND NOT OURS.

AND, AND WE ACTUALLY HOPE THAT, THAT THEY FIGURE THAT OUT DURING THEIR RECRUITMENT PROCESS.

CAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE THAT, THAT WANT OUR CULTURE, AND THIS IS JUST A WAY TO GET THEM INTERESTED IN US.

I, I WOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT CREATING AN ARMS WAR BETWEEN US AND OTHER CITIES.

I THINK BEING AT THAT $25,000 MARK IS, IS SAFE.

UM, IT PUTS US WHERE SORT OF THAT TOP, UM, EDGE WITH SOME OF THE OTHER BIGGER AGENCIES.

I I, I THINK WE COMPETE A LOT WITH CHULA VISTA FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND PROBABLY WITH THE SHERIFFS AS WELL.

IN FACT, WE, WE GET A LOT OF SHERIFF DEPUTIES COMING OUR WAY.

SO I THINK THE 25 IS A GOOD WAY TO GO.

I, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WITH THE JOB MARKET RIGHT NOW, I DON'T KNOW THIS, THIS MAY NOT DO ANYTHING, BUT I THINK YOU IMPLEMENT THIS, WE SEE WHERE IT GOES.

WE'LL REASSESS IT AND COME BACK IF, IF WE THINK IT NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED.

BUT I, I WOULD RECOMMEND NO MORE THAN THE 25.

GREAT.

IT CAN I POINT SOMETHING OUT? THE AGENCIES THAT HAVE UP TO, THERE'S OTHER STIPULATIONS WITH THAT, UM, SUCH AS WHAT TYPE OF POST, UM, CERTIFICATE THEY HAVE OR HOW MANY YEARS OF SERVICE THEY HAVE.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT CHULA VISTA, LA MESA, OCEANSIDE AND THE SHERIFFS, IT'S NOT LIKE OUR PROGRAM WHERE YOU GET IT AT THE BEGINNING, THEN A COMPLETION OF PROBATION THEN A YEAR AFTER.

SO THEIR PROGRAMS ACTUALLY REQ REQUIRED, DID YOU HAVE FIVE YEARS AT THE OTHER AGENCY VERSUS WE CAN GET SOMEONE WITH MAYBE THREE YEARS.

UM, SO NOT EVERYBODY GETS A 25,000.

UM, AND WE DID WORK WITH THE POA ON THIS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL AND, UM, THEY AGREED WITH, UM, INCREASING THE INCENTIVE.

MARISOL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK, THANK YOU.

SO THIS ISN'T UP TO, THIS IS $25,000? THAT'S CORRECT.

SO WE, WE, UM, AFTER A PUBLIC COMMENT, WE WOULD JUST NEED A MOTION AND, UM, AND A VOTE ON THIS.

YEAH.

IS THERE, IS THERE ANY, UH, SPEAKER CARDS ON THIS SIDE? WE HAVE NO SPEAKER CARDS, SIR.

SO, UH, WE DON'T NEED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING SO WE CAN JUST DISCUSS IT AND MAKE A MOTION MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE, UH, INCENTIVE AS PRESENTED IN THE STAFF MODIFICATION THAT THE TOP BONUS IS $25,000.

SECOND, PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT.

ALL RIGHT, BILL, I, I JUST WANNA, I HAVE A COMMENT.

I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I'VE BEEN ON RIDE ALONGS AND I WASN'T DOING ANYTHING EXCEPT SITTING THERE AND I WAS EXHAUSTED BY THE END OF THE DAY.

SO I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW EXHAUSTING IS FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING EVERYWHERE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT, BUT THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

AND IT'S A TOUGH JOB THESE DAYS.

A LOT TOUGHER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN.

SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP THEM OUT, I'M ALL FOR IT.

THE LAST ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT, I'M 13, IS A DEEMED APPROVED LODGING ESTABLISHMENT UPDATE, AND I'LL ASK STAFF TO TELL US ABOUT THIS.

[13. Deemed Approved Lodging Establishment Update RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council receives the report, provides feedback, and gives staff direction.]

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

AS A REMINDER, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED A LODGING ESTABLISHMENT ORDINANCE BACK IN 2019 THAT ADDRESSES COMMUNITY CONCERNS ABOUT MOTELS AND HOTELS IN THE CITY OF EL CAJON.

UM, FOR THOSE THAT WERE HERE WHEN THAT HAPPENED, AS YOU RECALL, THAT WAS, I THINK, I THINK ALL OF YOU MAY, EXCEPT FOR ME, MR. OR MR. ORTIZ WAS EVEN HERE TODAY.

UM, AS YOU RECALL, WE, WE DECIDED TO PATTERN THE ORDINANCE OFF OF THE ORDINANCE THAT HAD BEEN ADOPTED IN 1999 BY THE CITY OF OAKLAND, IN PART BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN CHALLENGED IN COURT AND HAD BEEN PROVEN TO BE, TO BE UPHELD.

UM, AND JUST ANECDOTALLY, I, IT'S INDICATED IN THE STAFF REPORT THAT IT WAS ALSO ADOPTED AT A TIME WHEN THEN MAYOR BROWN WAS THE MAYOR OF OAKLAND.

SO IT, IT'S BEEN, BEEN PROVEN TO HAVE WORKED FOR LO THESE MANY YEARS.

UM, UNDER THE ORDINANCE, AS YOU RECALL, 30 DAYS AFTER THE ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED, ALL MOTEL OR LODGING ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE CITY WERE DEEMED APPROVED.

AND IT GAVE THE CITY THE ABILITY TO DO AN AN OR A PERIODIC INSPECTION.

WE TRIED TO DO THOSE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

WE DID, UH, SLOW THAT DOWN DURING THE COVID YEARS, BUT WE'VE PICKED THAT UP AND ALMOST EVERYONE HAS GONE THROUGH AT LEAST ONE INSPECTION SO FAR, AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO ROUND TWO OF INSPECTIONS.

AND IT ALSO GIVES THE CITY THIS ABILITY TO SET A CERTAIN STANDARD.

AND IF A LODGING ESTABLISHMENT

[00:20:01]

DOES NOT MEET THAT STANDARD, THE CITY HAS THE ABILITY TO TAKE THAT TO A PUBLIC HEARING WITH A PLANNING COMMISSION, AND TO EITHER REVOKE OR UPHOLD THEIR, THEIR DEEMED TO APPROVE STATUS.

NOW AT THAT HEARING, LET'S SAY THE PLANNING COMMISSION WERE TO REVOKE A DEEMED APPROVED STATUS.

STAFF WOULD ALSO GIVE THE APPLICANT OR THE MOTEL ESTABLISHMENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO APPLY FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, WHICH WOULD THEN REPLACE THEIR FORMALLY DEEMED APPROVED STATUS.

AND THAT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT COULD INCLUDE OTHER CONDITIONS OR OTHER STANDARDS OF OPERATION THAT WE FELT WERE IMPORTANT.

SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD THEORETICALLY BE LOOKING KIND OF AT, AT TWO DECISIONS, ONE REVOKE OR NOT REVOKE THEIR DEEMED APPROVED STATUS.

AND IF IT'S REVOKED, DO WE CONSIDER A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AT THAT SAME MEETING? UM, AND THEN THEY WOULD HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE BASED ON PUBLIC HEARING FROM, OR PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THAT.

SO IN THE PAST RECENT PERIOD OF TIME, THERE ARE TWO MOTELS THAT HAVE, UH, RECEIVED MANY NEIGHBORHOOD COMPLAINTS.

UM, COMMUNITY CONCERN NOTICE, A SPIKE IN CALLS FOR SERVICE, AND ONE OF THEM HAD A, A HIGH PROFILE CRIME OCCUR.

UH, THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGENDA ITEM IS ONE, TO INFORM THE COUNCIL OF WHERE WE ARE AT WITH THOSE TWO MOTELS.

AND I'LL, I'LL SHARE SOME, SOME OF THE DATA THAT SUPPORTS WHERE WE'RE GOING AND, AND KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THEM AT THIS TIME.

SO WITH THAT, THE TWO MOTELS ARE EL CAJON INN SUITES AND THE RELAXED INN SUITES.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS CHART, AND THIS IS IN THE STAFF REPORT AS WELL.

OH, CAN WE GO TO POWERPOINT PLEASE? AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED WHAT WE'RE CALLING QUALIFIED CALLS FOR SERVICE.

THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY FIRE, MEDICAL, OR OTHER ROUTINE POLICE CALLS.

THESE ARE REALLY WHAT WE WOULD CALL ALMOST NUISANCE CALLS THAT WE HAVE MADE TO THE MOTELS.

THESE TWO MOTELS, UM, ONE HAS HAD 52 CALLS, THE OTHERS HAD 61 CALLS IN THE PAST YEAR.

UH, WE'VE BROKEN DOWN THE TYPE OF CALLS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARGUMENTS, TRESPASSING FIGHTS, OR DRUG RELATED TYPES OF CALLS.

AND THEN WE'VE, I IDENTIFIED ALSO THE CALLS FOR SERVICE PER ROOM PER YEAR, UH, BOTH EXCEED A AROUND THE 1.5.

UH, MARK, AS YOU RECALL, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.

UM, A STUDY DONE BY IN ARIZONA, INCLUDING DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WAS INVOLVED.

I'VE IDENTIFIED KIND OF THE AVERAGE MOTEL OR HOTEL SHOULD REALLY BE LOOKING AT ABOUT ONE CALL FOR SERVICE PER YEAR, PER ROOM.

AND SO, UM, THESE ARE EXCEEDING THAT, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY EVEN A, A MORE GENEROUS NUMBER BECAUSE WE TOOK OUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER CALLS.

IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY CLOSER TO DOUBLE THAT, THAT NUMBER.

THESE ARE JUST THAT QUALIFIED CALLS.

AS YOU ALSO RECALL, AS WAS REPORTED IN THE NEWS, AND THIS IS FROM N B C NEWS, ONE OF THE MOTELS, ELCON IN AND SUITES HAD AN INCIDENT THAT, UM, INVOLVED THE SHOOTING OF A, OF A YOUNG LOCAL, HIGH SCHOOL AGE STUDENT, UM, HAVING PARTIES FOR PERIODS OF TIME, UH, WITH UNDERAGE RENTING OF ROOMS AT THIS LOCATION.

AND SO, UM, THE CALLS FOR SERVICE AND THIS CRIME HAVE REALLY IN, UH, RESULTED IN THE CITY BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE PROACTIVE, SPECIFICALLY WITH THESE TWO.

SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE'VE TAKEN IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, WE'VE MET WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, GOBEL AND ORTIZ, AS YOU RECALL.

THEY'RE ON OUR COMMITTEE, THE DEEMED TO APPROVE COMMITTEE.

WE'VE UPDATED THEM.

WE'VE GOT SOME ADDITIONAL INPUT AND SOME FEEDBACK FROM THEM, WHICH WE'RE REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF, OF SORT OF HEARING THEIR THOUGHTS ON THIS.

UM, SECOND, THE COUNCIL HAS, UH, PROVIDED FORMAL NOTICES TO BOTH THE EL CAJON INN SUITES AND THE RELAX INN SUITES.

UH, WE'VE MET WITH THE OPERATORS OF THE RELAX INN AND WE'VE ASKED FOR AN ACTION PLAN THAT INCLUDES SOME SPECIFIC THINGS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO TO REDUCE THE COST FOR SERVICE AND TO ENSURE THAT THEIR PROPERTIES MAINTAINED IN A CLEAN AND APPROPRIATE WAY.

WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT PLAN SHORTLY.

I THINK THEIR DEADLINE IS IN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS OR SO.

UM, FOURTH STAFF HAS ALSO MET WITH THE OPERATORS OF THE INN SUITES, ALONG WITH THEIR ATTORNEY.

UH, WE'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH WITH SOME CORRESPONDENCE.

UH, THEY'VE ACTUALLY SUBMITTED A, AN ACTION PLAN.

WE'RE ABOUT TO PROVIDE SOME, A WRITTEN CRITIQUE OF THAT ACTION PLAN IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO THAT WILL GO OUT TO THEM.

AND THEN, UH, FIFTH, WE'VE ALSO SENT A FORMAL NOTICE OF VIOLATION TO THE EL CAJON INN SUITES THAT WE ARE, WE HAVE SCHEDULED AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING TO BE HELD BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION

[00:25:01]

ON MAY 16TH OF THIS YEAR.

AT THAT HEARING, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL BE ASKED AFTER WE PRESENT FACTS, AND AFTER, UH, THE PUBLIC HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO REVOKE THEIR DEEMED TO PROOF STATUS.

SO THIS IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTION WE'VE TAKEN ON A MOTEL SINCE THE ORDINANCE WENT INTO EFFECT.

UM, WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION OR FOR A CONDITIONAL NEWS PERMIT, BUT, UM, STAFF HAS, HAS OFFERED THAT AND HAS SHOWN THEM THE PATH FORWARD IF THEY WANT TO TAKE THAT, UM, AS AN OPTION.

AND THEN LASTLY, WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON UPDATING THE LODGING ESTABLISHMENT DEEM DEEMED APPROVED ORDINANCE AS THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED, AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE AS WE DEVELOP SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO BOLSTER OR TO AUGMENT THAT, UM, UH, ORDINANCE.

SO WITH THAT, THAT, THAT IS REALLY MEANT.

THIS IS REALLY MEANT TO BE JUST A, AN UPDATE.

IF STAFF IS GOING COMPLETELY IN THE WRONG DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL'S PERSPECTIVE, IT'D BE HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT AT THIS TIME.

BUT, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S NO REALLY ACTION REQUIRED EXCEPT TO RECEIVE ANY SPECIFIC FEEDBACK IF WE'RE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

SO, WITH THAT COUNSEL QUESTIONS.

UH, ANY SPEAKER CARDS ON THIS ITEM? NONE RECEIVED, SIR.

UM, ANY DISCUSSION OR WE JUST WANT TO ACCEPT THE REPORT? ALL I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORT.

SECOND, PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT.