Item 22 - Ord. Adding Article XV (Street Racing) , Sections 36-706 through 36-710, to the SAMC

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Police Department https://www.santa-ana.org/pd Item # 22 City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report May 18, 2021 TOPIC: Ordinance Adding Article XV, Sections 36-706 through 36-710, Entitled "Street Racing" to the Santa Ana Municipal Code AGENDA TITLE: Ordinance Adding Article XV, Sections 36-706 through 36-710, Entitled "Street Racing" to the Santa Ana Municipal Code Prohibiting Spectators at Illegal Speed Contests and Reckless Driving Exhibitions RECOMMENDED ACTION Approve first reading of an ordinance to prohibit spectators who knowingly attend or assist with illegal speed contests and reckless driving exhibitions. If approved, Article XV, sections 36-706 through 36-710 entitled “Street Racing” will be added to the Santa Ana Municipal Code. DISCUSSION As a result of the serious public safety threat street racing poses to other drivers, residents, and visitors, the Santa Ana Police Department, in partnership with the Public Works Agency, developed a comprehensive program to deter street racing and reckless driving exhibitions in Santa Ana. The program, dubbed S.T.E.A.R.R.D (Strategic Traffic Enforcement Against Racing and Reckless Driving), is a three-pronged approach to address the racing and reckless driving problem in the City. The three prongs of the program are Enforcement, Engineering, and Education. The Public Works Agency (PWA) has been actively involved in S.T.E.A.R.R.D's Engineering component. Public Works has strategically re-phased specific traffic lights to "Rest in Red" along major arterial roadways throughout the City. The re-phasing deters street races by presenting a traffic signal resting in red rather than green. PWA is also evaluating roadway designs and speed limits where street racing and reckless driving exhibitions are prevalent. The Police Department emphasizes the educational component of S.T.E.A.R.R.D through various social media platforms, focusing on the dangers and consequences of street racing and reckless driving exhibitions. The Department also produced a recently