TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Derrick Abell, Police Chief
Carrie Tai, AICP, Community Development Director
SUBJECT:Title
Request by Mayor Montgomery for a Status Update on Recent Police Activity at the Residence Inn by Marriott, Located at 1700 North Sepulveda Boulevard (Police Chief Abell).
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and provide direction.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with receiving information; however, there may be costs associated with City Council direction.
BACKGROUND:
The Residence Inn by Marriott at 1700 North Sepulveda Boulevard is the site of a shooting that occurred on September 8, 2020. Police Department personnel and records indicate that this property has historically experienced heightened criminal activity. The City has received numerous complaints about the property from nearby residents. The Police Department also commonly observes behavior inconsistent with temporary visitor lodging on the property.
The City granted a Use Permit in 1985 for the construction and operation of the 176-room hotel. The Use Permit included a condition for an annual review. Staff has no indication that an annual review has been performed in recent past.
DISCUSSION:
After the September 8 shooting incident, the Police Department initiated a dialogue with the interim manager of the hotel, who has proposed the following operational changes in an effort to deter criminal activity.
• The length of stay will be increased to a two-day minimum. Third party internet sales websites will be updated with this information.
• No same-day bookings will be accepted by the hotel.
• No walk-in reservations or bookings will be accepted by the hotel.
• Room rates will be increased on all rooms.
• The hotel will assign three security guards during each shift.
• All hotel guests will be required to sign a waiver regarding the $1,000 security deposit indicating that the security deposit is forfeited if there is a call to the Manhattan Beach Police Department complaining about a disturbance involving that hotel guest.
• A parking control system will be implemented in which an outside security group will make contact with all incoming hotel traffic, including checking identification and verifying room guests. The number of room guests will be closely monitored.
• A permanent parking gate will be installed that restricts entry to hotel guests with room keys only and which is also supervised by security.
In addition, due to impacts to the residential neighbors on the east side of the subject property, the City is also requesting that the gate on the east side be secured and used for emergency purposes only. These modifications are memorialized in a letter that the City hand-delivered to the manager of the Residence Inn on September 11, 2020. The letter is attached.
Upon review of the recent police activity, the City Council could choose to request an annual review of the Use Permit to identify deficiencies or necessary modifications for crime deterrence. Furthermore, Municipal Code Section 10.104 grants enforcement responsibility of Use Permits to the City and includes a process to modify or revoke Use Permits.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Letter to Residence Inn, September 11, 2020