31B - CUP - VELVET LOUNGE - 416 W FOURTH ST

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Modification to CUP No. 96-30 May 23, 2011 Page 5 Police Department Analvsis The Police Department reviews conditional use permit applications for the sale of alcoholic beverages because there is a strong correlation between the availability of alcohol and crime. Studies have shown that alcohol is a contributing factor in crimes, such as drunk driving, fatal traffic collisions, homicide, assaults, rape, domestic violence, drunk in public and other nuisance type of offenses. Without stringent controls to address the location of alcohol outlets, there is a strong likelihood that an overconcentration will create blight and adversely impact the community. The approval of a license in an area deemed over concentrated and high in crime may affect the quality of life and police resources in the area, and aggravate existing conditions. Since the City's overconcentration standards do not apply to on-sale establishments, the Police Department considered two factors when reviewing this application, crime rate and sensitive land uses. The Police Department has determined that this establishment is located in an area that is above average in police-related incidents. This site is located within Reporting District No. 165, which ranks 5th out of 102 citywide districts in total number of police-related incidents. In terms of land uses, there is a public park and senior residential tower located within 500 feet of this proposed use. Loud music or noise may impact those residents. Based on the above average crime rate, the Police Department recommends approval of the CUP amendment provided that conditions are imposed to ensure that this location operates as a bona fide eating establishment and does not aggravate existing conditions or negatively impact adjacent land uses. Public Notification The project site is located within the boundaries of the Downtown Association. The president of the Association was notified by mail 10 days prior to this public hearing. In addition, separate meetings with Tish Leon, neighborhood representative for the residential project immediately south of the project site, as well as Latino Health Access, who recently took ownership of the building immediately to the west of the subject property, were held to ensure that they were notified of the project and to see if there were any areas of concern. No areas of concern were identified by the Neighborhood Association representative, nor was there a request that the applicant present the project to a meeting of their members. Latino Health Access was concerned with adequate security due to some of the evenings programs conducted. The project site itself was posted with a notice advertising this public hearing, a notice was published in the Orange County Reporter and mailed notices were sent to all property owners within 500 feet of the project site. At the time of this printing, no correspondence, either written or electronic, had been received from any members of the public. 31 B-19