The View from Ward 2: Issue #25

Parklets Discussion

The Housing, Planning, & Development Committee meeting was focused on parklets. Parklets take many forms, but generally, Parklets are seating spaces that extend the sidewalk, often taking the place of a car in a parking spot. Under the Temporary Outdoor Dining Resolution, the Planning Commission can approve parklets to allow for additional outdoor dining space. At a previous committee meeting, the administration expressed an uneasiness in approving any parklet proposal without the existence of design guidelines. Mayor George requested that Council provide direction in the form of a proposed set of guidelines along with how we envision parklets to be implemented. With input from my colleagues, I drafted guidelines and presented them to the Mayor and her staff.

Mayor George shared that she will seek input from the Planning Commission, Public Safety Forces, and the rest of her team in the coming weeks. If all goes according to plan, the City will be ready to accept applications for parklets by the beginning of August.

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Public Safety Committee Meeting

We had a robust discussion about the Lakewood Police Department’s policies and practices at the Public Safety Committee meeting. We learned that our department does not use bean bags, rubber bullets, or tear gas. The Lakewood Police Department does have at its disposal OC Vapor for use in crowd dispersal. OC Vapor is significantly different than tear gas because of its nonintrusive nature. Unlike tear gas, where the effects of it continue once a person leaves the location in which the gas is deployed, OC Vapor no longer effects a person once they leave the area where the vapor is deployed. Additionally, decontamination is not necessary.

We also learned about our department’s extensive training in de-escalation, anti-bias, human relations, and crisis intervention. We have 27 Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) officers on the force and there is always at least three on shift at any given time. Last year, CIT officers responded to 191 calls, with 49 of those calls being suicidal threats. Out of all those calls, zero were arrested, zero were cited, 118 were voluntarily taken to the hospital, and 44 had to be involuntarily admitted to the hospital. Additionally, during those calls a taser was never deployed and OC spray never had to be administered.

Please contact me if you have any questions and I invite you to join us at future Public Safety Committee meetings.

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Census 2020

You may have noticed some new signs around the City reminding you to complete the 2020 Census. Currently, only 67.3% of Lakewood households have responded. For more information or to respond to the Census, please visit https://2020census.gov/ or scan one of the signs around the City. The sign pictured is from Lakewood Park. It is so important to our City and schools that everyone is counted!

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