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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPACKET Public Safety 2000-04-06.. TOWN OF ESTES PARK PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE April 6, 2000 8:00 A.M. POLICE DEPARTMENT 1. Skateboarding Ordinance FIRE DEPARTMENT 1. Hose Purchases REPORTS * The committee reserves the right to consider other appropriate business not available at the time the agenda was prepared. MEMORANDUM TO: Honorable Mayer Dekker and Board of Trustees FROM: Deputy Chief Filsinger DATE: March 23,2000 SUBJECT: SKATEBOARDING ORDINANCE BACKGROUND: As directed by the Public Safety Committee, I have conducted some research, with assistance from Vicki O'Connor. I have learned that: Town Ordinance 9.18.020 originally came to be under ChiefRobert Ault in November of 1986. The ordinance at that time prohibited skateboarding on any public property located within the Town. I have researched the Trail Gazette newspaper for the entire year of 1986 and do not find articles that relate to a specific problem or accident that occurred in that time period. There is no notation in the paper relating to the adoption of this ordinance. Relying on my personal recall of the original adoption of the ordinance, I believe that Chief Ault had said that an elderly woman had been knocked to the ground by a skateboarder, this occurring on a downtown sidewalk. It is further my recall, that the woman was not injured in the mishap. In May of 1993, Chief Racine made a proposal to the Public Safety Committee that expanded the concept of human powered wheeled objects. While the request related to "public safety issues", there is no specific mention of an issue bringing this topic to light. It is my recollection that we, as a Police Department, were experiencing problems anew, especially as relating to the "new" riverwalk paths and Confluence Park. In his proposal, Chief Racine had asked that the rollerblade restrictions "be identical to those of skateboards, with the exception that rollerblades are allowed on designated bike paths." In my research of the Trail Gazette for this time period, I found only brief referral to the request by ChiefRacine in the May 20, 1993, edition on page 15. As was brought to the Public Safety Committee by the Honorable Judge Brown, I concur that it is time that the Committee reconsider the wording in the ordinance limiting the use of skateboards. My comments on behalf of the Police Department are as follows: 1. Due to the substantial amount of pedestrian traffic and store fronts adjacent to walkways, I do feel that the ordinance should continue to prohibit bicycles, rollerblades and skateboards in the "core downtown" area. This area should be that as currently defined by Sections 1 and 2 of Town Ordinance 9.18.030. 2. There is a degree of ambiguity existing currently, in that the initial paragraph of the Ordinance 9.18.030 would seem to imply that rollerblades could be operated on public streets outside of the "core area" as defined later in Sections 1 and 2. If the Committee were to entertain the proposal to adopt the geographical boundaries of this Ordinance for skateboards, this is an area that should be more clearly defined. 3. The Police Department has dealt with some issues of damage resulting from skateboarding. This damage did not result from the recreation of skateboarding itself, rather the reckless conduct by a person with a skateboard resulting in damage, i.e, riding stair railings or wooden benches. This type of"willful conduct" should be handled as any intentional damage would, via a charge of"Criminal Mischief'. 4. · There should not be an attempt to seasonalize an ordinance, or to limit enforcement to certain times of the year. In conclusion, I do feel that total exclusion of a "reasonable" activity such as skateboarding is unnecessary and delivers the wrong message to our youth. We need to deal with the issues resulting from reckless and /or wanton behavior ofthose who abuse the privilege. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that Town Ordinance 9.18.020 be amended to only disallow skateboarding in those areas that are currently off limits to rollerblading. It is further recommended that both this ordinance and 9.19.030 be clarified to state that skateboards, rollerblades and roller-skates are prohibited from all public roadways. MEMORANDUM To: Honorable Mayor Dekker and Board of Trustees From: Fire Chief Scott Dorman Date: March 22,2000 Subject: Purchase of new Fire Hose Background: The Estes Park Volunteer Fire Depallment (EPVED) is needing to replace some ofits fire hose. The EPVFD tests its firehose on an annual basis. Forthelastfbw years the EPVFD has lost some hose due to failing the pressure test. The most common failure is bursting ofthejacket mostly due to age. The EPVFI) has been mplacing all of its mbber lined wovenjacketed cottonhose with alighter and more durable synlhetic rubber lined hose. Budget: The EPVFD currently has $10,000 budgeted for the replacement of fire hose. The following bids have been received: • Wheatland Fire Equipment...................1.75" hose $112 per 50 ft. section • Wheatland Fire Equipment...................2.50" hose $144 per 50 ft. section • Gun Barrel Fire Equipment..................1.75" hose $104 per 50 ft, section • Gun Barr©1 Fire Equipment..................2.50" hose $144 per 50 ft. section • Mile High Fire,.,...........,.,,...............1.75" hose $106 per 50 ft. section • Mile High Fire.................................2.50" hose $152 per 50 ft. section • Factory Surplus Distributors....,..,.......,.1.75" hose $ 86 per 50 ft, section • Factory Surplus Distributors.......,,.....,.,2.50" hose $119 per 50 ft. section Recommendation: The EPVFD recommends purchasing 3,000 feet of 1.75" fire hose and 2,000 feet of 2.50" fire hose from Factory Surplus Distributors for a total purchase price of $9,920.00 SD/sd