Untitled
CITY MANAGER
MEMORANDUM
FROM: Eugene Miller, City Manage
TO: The Honorable Mayor Linda Ku
SUBJECT: Nuisance Ordinance (Excessive Calls)
DATE: July 11, 2005
Introduction: This ordinance has taken into consideration every reasonable
action available under law to remediate and prevent nuisance calls within the City
of Sanford.
Backqround: The Police Department has received a steady flow of citizen
complaints resulting in an increased demand for law enforcement services at
specific hotels, apartments, residences and businesses. The Police Department
conducted a comprehensive analysis and found that certain residences and
businesses constituted the vast majority of police calls in the city. As an example
from July 1, 2004 to November 21, 2004 the Police Department received 2,794
business alarms and 660 residential alarms. In 2,967 or 83.5% of these calls the
business or residence was found to be secure or no crime had occurred. One
residence during the month of September 2004 generated 135 calls for service to
the police department. During the same month one business generated 72 calls
and one apartment complex 63 calls.
Discussion: The approval of this ordinance will hold the property owners and
residents responsible thru a user fee system for the inappropriate burden to the
taxpayer for the excessive use of police and code enforcement services. Three
of more nuisance call in any consecutive thirty day period pertaining to police or
code enforcement services at a single location would result in a user fee being
levied. The Police Department's analysis of the four most frequent calls for
service from January 1, 2004 to May 31, 2004, resulted in 5,192 calls at an
estimated 820 work hours and annual cost of $29,602.
Budqet Impact: There is no direct cost to the city for implementing this ordinance
however the collection of fines will generate a recovery of some of the cost for
excessive use of police services. As an example a property that generates 10
calls for service in one month could result in user fees of $3,250. Additionally the
goal is for a reduction in repeat call to certain properties thereby allowing police
resources to be utilized to the greater benefit of all the citizens and taxpayers.