REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Councilmember Watanabe's Request Related to Illegal Street Racing and Sideshow Activity
Report
BACKGROUND
On March 31, 2019, Councilmember Watanabe (Attachment 1) sent an email to the City Attorney and City Manager requesting an item be placed on the April 9, 2019, City Council agenda related to illegal street racing and sideshow activity. In her email, Councilmember Watanabe also references an ordinance that was passed in 2004.
Per Council Policy 30, Adding and Item to an Agenda (Attachment 2), the Mayor or any individual Council Member may submit a written request to the City Manager's Office for inclusion of an item on a City Council agenda, provided the request is received two (2) days prior to the public release of the agenda packet. It is worth noting that the City Council Policy does not require a staff report on the matter, rather the request for it to be added for future consideration.
DISCUSSION
In 2004, calls for police service, traffic accidents and property crimes increased in connection with street racing. From January, 2003 - March, 2004, Public Safety Dispatchers received 153 calls for service for illegal street racing (Attachment 3). Of these, officers responded to 128 reports of races in progress and 25 vehicle accidents as a result of street racing.
On March 23, 2004, the City Council exercised its authority granted by Vehicle Code 21101.4 which allows local authorities to adopt rules and regulations for temporary street closures due to serious and continual criminal activity on portions of the streets recommended for closure by making certain findings (Attachment 3). Based on these findings, the Council adopted an ordinance (Attachment 4) which was operative for eighteen (18) months from adoption. According to the staff report from 2004, with the passage of this ordinance the Police Department was able to temporarily close streets in order to prevent illegal street racing on affected City stre...
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