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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12 SECURITY ON CITY PROPERTIES 03-04-08AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: MARCH 4, 2008 TO: WILLIAM HUSTON, CITY MANAGER FROM: REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY SUBJECT: SECURITY MEASURES ON CITY-MAINTAINED PROPERTIES AT TUSTIN LEGACY SUMMARY City Council approval is requested for the implementation of additional security measures for City-maintained properties at Tustin Legacy. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council: 1. Authorize the Assistant City Manager to negotiate and enter into a security Consultant Services Agreement with Castillo Private Patrol, Inc. at a monthly cost of approximately $2,730, and to monitor services pursuant to the Agreement for effectiveness in reducing security concerns on the subject properties. If the services provided by Castillo Private Patrol, Inc., prove to be inadequate in reducing security concerns, authorize the Assistant City Manager to negotiate a security Consultant Services Agreement with Securitas, Inc., at a monthly cost of approximately $6,750. Any and all Consultant Services Agreements shall be subject to approval as to form and content by the City Attorney consistent with the City Council's authorization. 2. Authorize the Assistant City Manager to negotiate and enter into a temporary lighting installation contract or purchase order with Power Plus for installation of temporary lighting on three city parcels at a cost not to exceed $20,320 for the first year and subsequent annual cost of $11,280 thereafter. Any and all contracts or purchase order provisions shall be subject to approval as to form and content by the City Attorney consistent with the City Council's authorization. Energy costs associated with the temporary lighting will be an additional $4,000 annually. 3. Appropriate a total of $32,575 from the MCAS Tustin Enterprise Fund to the MCAS Tustin Enterprise expenditure account number 18-805-6732 for Fiscal Year 2007-08 to cover anticipated expenses for the security services and temporary lighting, as well projected monthly SCE billing for certain City maintained properties at Tustin Legacy through June 30, 2008, (assumes agreement executions by February 1, 2008). FISCAL IMPACT The fiscal impact for the additional security, any temporary lighting measures, and Southern California Edison energy costs will be funded through the Tustin Legacy Enterprise Fund which has adequate balances to absorb the identified cost alternatives; such expenditures are an authorized expenditure under the Conveyance Agreement with the Department of the Navy which identifies restricted uses for this Enterprise Fund. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION The following is a summary of the current conditions at the Tustin-maintained properties which require the immediate implementation of additional security measures. History • July 2, 1999 - MCAS Tustin closed and City assumed security and caretaking responsibilities of former MCAS Tustin property until portions were conveyed to different developers, including the Master Developer, Tustin Legacy Community Partners, LLC (TLCP) . • June 11, 2007 -TLCP assumed security and caretaking responsibilities of the approximately 820 acres within the Master Developer footprint pursuant to the Disposition and Development Agreement executed between the City and TLCP. Since security and caretaking activities on approximately 46 acres (Parcels 8, I-E-2.1, I-H-5, and IV-J-7) outside of the Master Developer footprint remained the responsibility of the City, the properties were fenced from the remainder of Tustin Legacy and pre-existing security and caretaking service contracts were terminated. • After termination of the security and caretaking services, it was anticipated the Tustin Police Department would assume the primary responsibility of securing the properties, and Redevelopment staff, in conjunction with ,Field Services staff, would provide caretaking services at the properties. Although after the first two months of assuming responsibility, the ability to effectively secure the properties from the escalating number of occurrences of theft and vandalism became increasingly difficult due to a number of reasons, including: the size of the properties (46.34 acres total), the absence of electricity and lighting throughout the sites, the chain-link perimeter fencing preventing frequent police drive-throughs, the rise in commodity costs associated with building materials (e.g. copper), the opening of Valencia Avenue and Armstrong Avenue (and pending opening of Severyns Road) to the public, the new construction of residential neighborhoods in the adjacent Columbus Square and non-residential uses at the Village of Hope, ATEP (Phase 1), and Sheriff's Training Facility. Current Status Theft, vandalism, and trespassing occurs every weekend, and many nights and days during the week, to many areas of the properties (e.g. utility poles, transformers, vaults) and to almost every building on the properties, including: • 23.9-acre Future Community Park site (Parcel 8): o Bachelor's Officers Quarters (Bldg 93) o Barbecue Hut (Bldg 146) o Indoor Racquetball Court (Bldg 150) o Public Toilet (Bldg 163) o Swimming Pool (Bldg 164) o Indoor Handball Courts (Bldg 216) o Physical Fitness Center (Bldg 221) o Youth Center (Bldg C3) o Officer's Club (Bldg C4) • 18.49-acre Red Hill Avenue site (Parcel 1-E-2.1): o Bachelor's Enlisted Quarters (Bldg 213) o Enlisted Club (Bldg 218) o Bachelor's Enlisted Quarters (Bldg 553) • 2.4-acre Child Care Center (Parcel IV-]-7): o Child Care Center (Bldg 547) • 1.25-acre Future OCFA Fire Station site (Parcel 1-H-5): o Vacant Most of the theft that has occurred has been by copper thieves removing wiring from the buildings and facilities. Vandalism appears to be isolated from a majority of the theft with the intent to inflict as much damage as possible to whatever is accessible. In addition to the theft and vandalism, there are also an increasing number of trespassers using the swimming pool for skateboarding. All of the following activities occur, at a minimum, on a weekly basis: • Broken windows • Broken glass and wood doors • Damaged/destroyed mechanical equipment • Crawl and attic spaces forcibly opened, including roof-top access doors • Interior drop ceilings damaged/destroyed • Interior utility panels/cabinets and wiring destroyed/removed • Wiring removed from many of the lights at the former sports field (Community Park Site) • Wiring removed from the top of many of the former military utility poles • Above- and below-ground utility cabinets/systems completely removed and/or damaged • General vandalism/damage within and around buildings (e.g. skateboarding in empty swimming pool, stairs/walkways destroyed at handball courts, broken tables, fire extinguishers sprayed, etc.) • Openings in fences cut • Building and gate locks/chains/clasps repeatedly cut/removed • Numerous alcoholic containers discovered throughout the properties and within building interiors Impacts on City Resources Responding to these activities has a considerable impact on staff resources. The estimated impact on City resources is a follows: • Redevelopment Agency - An Agency Project Manager, has spent a minimum of 50% of their time responding to security-related issues, in addition to the hours spent discussing these issues with the Project Manager's direct supervisor and the Assistant City Manager; however, the escalation of activities over the past few months has required closer to 75-100% of the Project Manager's time and attention. • Field Services -Depending on the types of repairs, a minimum of two (2) Field Service employees will spend an entire day or more on-site at least once a month; however, a standard response will include four (4) or more employees in addition to a supervisor. Due to the escalation of damage occurring during the last few months the number of workers and days dedicated per occurrence has also increased, and due to the urgent nature of the repairs the workers must be reallocated from other jobs currently underway throughout the City. • Police Department -The K9 officers alone have spent approximately fifty (50) hours total on and around the City-maintained properties on the base in the in November and through mid-December, including Parcel 8. This time includes responding to calls for service, taking crime reports, surveillances, and patrol checks. In addition, numerous hours are spent by several South Area officers conducting regular patrol checks at varying times of the day and night. Despite police presence, criminals continue to enter the properties and commit various thefts and vandalisms in the abandoned buildings. In the last three months, the Police Department has arrested at least seven different people on the properties for various crimes, including commercial burglary, possession of burglary tools, possession of controlled substances, and other miscellaneous crimes including vandalism and trespassing. Action Required The considerable efforts of City staff to police the property and repair openings in the buildings and property perimeters to deter people from trespassing on the properties are straining City resources and proving to be inadequate. While the Agency is not aware that anyone has been injured since the City terminated on-site security on June 11, 2007, the presence of people in, on, and around the buildings at certain of the City-maintained properties potentially exposes the City to a high level of potential risk and liability should someone be injured on the properties. Security and lighting on the City-maintained properties would greatly reduce the City's exposure to potential liability and minimize physical impacts to City property; therefore, it is recommended that the following security measures be implemented: 1. Securi The City should employ a security firm to patrol the four City-maintained properties. A security presence would be beneficial during the entire day, but at a minimum security should be present during the period from dusk till dawn. The most timely and efficient way to establish security on-site would be to coordinate with Tustin Legacy Community Partners, LLC (~'TLCP'~ and also contract with their contracted security firm, Castillo Private Patrol, Inc, that patrols the Master Developer footprint generally from dusk to dawn and 24-hours on the weekend. Alternatively, the City could contract with the City's prior security firm, Securitas, who patrolled the property 24-hours a day prior to June 11, 2007. Castillo Private Patrol, Inc. is a reputable company that employees former police personnel and has already established a good relationship with the Tustin Police Department. They could immediately extend the current security patrol within the Master Developer footprint to the City properties for 2 hours per night and 2 additional hours during the day on the weekend to establish a presence on the sites, and to coordinate with the Tustin Police Department, if necessary. Securitas, Inc. is also a reputable company that provided security 24-hours a day until TLCP assumed responsibilities in June 2007. Given familiarity of the properties and its local office, Securitas could promptly establish a patrol but would require at least a minimum of 8 hours per night. The cost implications of each alternative and the options available are identified on the following chart. TLCP subcontractor Securitas, Inc Castillo Private Patrol, Inc. $16.72/Hour $35/Hour (Vehicle Cost Included in Estimates) PRIVATE No Additional Vehicle Costs SECURITY OPTION #1 OPTION #2 OPTION #3 OPTION #4 OPTION #S OPTION #6 OPTIONS 2 Hours/Night 8 Hours/Day 1 Hour/Day 2 Hours/Day 2 Hours/Day 8 Hows/Day (6 months)* * * 12 Hours/Day 12 Hours/Day* (SadSun) 6 months Monthly* Cost $1,050 $2,100 $2,730** $5,153 $6,750 $8,162 Annual Cost $12,775 $25,550 $33,215 $62,692 $81,001 $99,309 * 30 days ** Approximately 78 hours per 30 days ***Includes 4 hours of overtime at 1.5 times regular rate. 2. Lighting: The properties currently do not have any electricity or lighting. Perimeter street lighting is ineffective given the size. of the different properties. As a result, the properties are nearly pitch black at night. There are also properties that we are particularly concerned about where City assets need to be protected and buildings have been determined to have reuse potential (the Day Care Center parcel). In addition, perimeter chain-link fencing., while generally opaque during the daytime, creates visibility challenges for the Police Department at night to effectively patrol site perimeters. Interim security lighting in certain key locations near the buildings would significantly increase Police Department's effectiveness in patrolling ,certain of the sites, in addition to deterring many of the unwanted nighttime inhabitants. Two companies, Power Plus Utility and National Construction Rentals, have provided estimates to install temporary power connections, power poles and wiring, and light fixtures assuming that such lighting would be installed at the future 25 acre Community Park, Red Hill Avenue, and former Child Care Center parcels (see below). It would be suggested that the priority installation be the Child Care parcel and Community Park site until implementation and an assessment of the effectiveness of the proposed security services can be evaluated. If it is then determined that further lighting of the Red Hill parcel is desired, then temporary lighting could be then installed to serve the Red Hill parcel as well. Please note monthly costs significantly decrease after the first 12 month period due to initial installation/connection charges, which have been factored into the monthly and annual estimates for the first year. National Construction Rentals For Lease Parcel COST Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Total: Future Community Park Annual $5,331.52 $2,870.52 $2,870.52 $11,072.56 (Parce18) Monthly* $444.29 ,$239.21 $239.21 Red Hill Avenue Annual $ 8,879.72 $ 4,848.72 $ 4,848.72 $18,577.16 (Parcell-E-2.1) Monthly* $ 739.98 ~ 404.06 ~ 404.06 Child Care Center Annual $ 7,007.84 $ 3,807.84 $ 3,807.84 $14,623.52 (Parcel IV-J-7) Monthly* $ 583.99 $ 317.32 $ 317.32 Total Annual Cost**: $21,219.08 $11,527.08 $11,527.08 $44,273.24 Power Plus For Lease Parcel COST Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Total: Future Community Park Annual $6,420.00 $2,880.00 $2,880.00 $12,180.00 (Parce18) Monthly* $535.00 $240.00 X390.00 Red Hill Avenue Annual $9,690.00 $4,740.00 $4,740.00 $19,170.00 (Parcel 1-E-2.1) Monthly* $807. SO ,$395.00 $395.00 Child Care Center Annual $4,210.00 $3,660.00 $3,660.00 $11,530.00 (Parcel IV-J-7) Monthly* $350.83 X305.00 X305.00 Total Annual Cost**: $20,320.00 $11,280.00 $11,280.00 $42,880.00 *30 Days **Does not include monthly SCE billing. The Red Hill site would have the most lights (Nine - 500 Watt Quartz Spot Lights), which could costa roximately $130-$140 er month. Rou hl $4,000 annually for all three arcels . City staff will be available at the City Council meeting to respond to any questions. Christine Shingleton Assistant City Manager Tim Serlet Public Works Director Matt West Project Manager Attachment: City Maintained Parcels Exhibit S:\RDA\CC report\2008\Agenda Report 3-4-08-Security Measures.docx EXHIBIT A CITY-MAINTAINED PARCELS ~. ;~ ~n :a n { v a 4r ~ :, ~J ~ . ~ r+ cV ~J W i ~ /r '~ f -1 ~ ~ N ~ U U u cd ~'.