Item # 10.
GOAL #6: PUBLIC SAFETY
THE CITY OF GRASS VALLEY IS DEVOTED TO PROVIDING A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY.
Grass Valley is home to resilient and dynamic police and fire departments. The police are dedicated to ensuring the City’s streets, parks, businesses, and neighborhoods are safe; while the fire department is committed to enhancing their medical response capacity and protecting Grass Valley from the ever-growing dangers associated with wildfires. Both public safety departments are eager to improve their processes and response times through the use of modern technology.
Ideas from the Community:
❖ Address homelessness.
❖ Confront the growing drug issues plaguing the youth in Grass Valley. ❖ Provide for a safe walking and driving environment throughout the community.
A. SHORT TERM PROJECTS (0-3 YEARS):
6.A.1. Enhance the City’s technological capabilities to provide for increased public safety via the utilization of cameras, drones and modernized patrol car technology. • We have added card-lock access control across City Facilities including City Hall, the Police Department, both fire stations, the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Water Treatment Plant.
• We have added high definition video equipment at City Facilities including City Hall, the Police Department, both fire stations, the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Water Treatment Plant, as well as, at sewer lift stations and parks (Memorial / Minnie (on FS1)) o Funding for these projects were from several funds including, general fund, enterprise funds, asset forfeiture funds, and developer impact fees.
6.A.2. Improve investigative capability using modern technology and new/updated software packages.
• The Police Department has invested in several technologies, some of which were pretext call software for wireless platforms, a throw camera, exploration of ALPR platforms at reasonable costs (still researching), and deployment of high definition cameras across facilities and public spaces as mentioned above.
6.A.3. Review development projects with crime prevention in mind. • The Police Department worked with CDD to develop conditions of approval related to crime prevention through environmental design and via the conditioning of space for City accessed video surveillance systems as part of the Dorsey Marketplace design and intersection construction.
Item # 10.
• The Police Department is working collaboratively with the Engineering Department to create new design standards for signalized intersections that may develop in the future to include video and potentially ALPR technologies with dedicated physical space for those infrastructure needs.
6.A.4. Emphasize community policing strategies and crime prevention through regular interactions with residents, visitors, youth, and business owners. • Several active shooter/critical incident preparedness presentations as well as mock drills at several high-risk locations have been completed (i.e. NID, Mental Health, Brighton Greens) and will continue. In the case of mutual responsibility facilities, like Health and Human Services at Brighton Greens, joint drills between the NCSO, CHP and GVPD were conducted, with GVPD taking the lead role.
• Numerous K9 presentations with groups such as Rotary, Elks, Vet’s and nursery/grade/ and middle schools. National Night Out, Coffee with a Cop, Hero’s Night etc.
6.A.5. Commence regular statistics-driven public education messages via social media and City website to spread awareness and recruit community involvement in Grass Valley public safety efforts.
6.A.6. The Grass Valley Police Department will coordinate with local schools and afterschool programs to execute a drug awareness and prevention program. • The assigned School Resource Officer at Silver Springs High School conducts drug awareness and prevention on the campus. GVPD has and plans to continue to host the GREAT Summer Youth Academy, in partnership with NEO, to provide prevention-based summer youth camps for kids, while building positive youth-police relationships.
6.A.7. Take a more proactive approach to homelessness and drug use within the City to ensure our neighborhoods, parks, downtown, and other public areas are safe for our residents, businesses, and visitors.
• Creation of specialty team within our Strategic Response Unit (previously Investigations Unit) that is dedicated to homeless and quality of life related issues in the City. We have partnered with the County Home Team to provide congruent services in our interaction with the homeless population. We are a partner agency recipient of a Peace Officer Standards and Training Innovation Grant for the training of police officers related to locally based curriculum related to Community Partnerships and Homeless engagement training. Hospitality House is the lead grant recipient with GVPD instructors of the curriculum that is in development.
6.A.8. Expand police presence in public places and during events; look into hiring a sworn Park Ranger.
• With staffing at 28 of 29 FTE we are finally able to fill a Parks/Downtown position with a sworn officer. Absent any staffing issues, we intend to fill this position during the Spring – made possible by Measure E personnel.
6.A.9. Review the City’s dispatch capabilities, as well as, the contract with Nevada County to see what the best solution is for the City. Address radio dead spots within the City and surrounding areas. Update cooperative and mutual aid agreements.
Item # 10.
6.A.10.Provide easier access to current fire information, emergency evacuation processes, and preparatory education related to property and vegetation management. • Fire information link on City Web Site, Grass Valley Fire social media sites (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter).
• Developed and mailed to City residents the Ready Nevada County Wildfire Handbook. • Conducted Community Fire Forum at Love Building in May 2019.
6.A.11.Expand outreach for National Night Out events.
• Under GVPD leadership, we have collaborated with all local LE agencies to create a jurisdictional-roving NNO event every August, bringing together the community with their police and public safety departments in a fun and engaging environment.
6.A.12.Collaborate with Nevada County and the State to address homelessness. • See 6.A.7. above
6.A.13.Evaluate fire cooperation with the City of Nevada City. • Developed and implemented Shared Administrative Service agreement with Nevada City Fire.
• Integration of staff and programs has provided operational efficiencies through staffing, equipment standardization, training, and professional development opportunities. • Amended Nevada City Municipal Code for Vegetation Management to reflect the Grass Valley Vegetation Management Municipal Code.
• Continued evaluation of Shared Service Agreement to develop additional strengths and promote resilience within each Cities’ Fire Department.
6.A.14.Continue a proactive and progressive Code Enforcement program, including an aggressive approach to weed abatement as it relates to fire hazards. • The City has instituted a progress and aggressive vegetation management program to mitigate exposure to wildland fire. Proactively the City has mailed informational notices to property owners regarding the responsibility of vegetation management on parcels in the City. The City has proactively mitigated City properties to comply with the vegetation management program, and funds mitigation of properties that are non-responsive. • Cal Fire is completing the Ponderosa Fuel break to protect the Western side of Grass Valley from wildland fire. Parcels in the City comply with City vegetation management program.
6.A.15.Conduct annual disaster response trainings (i.e. tabletop exercises for Emergency Operations Plan).
• GVPD is currently working with GVFD and will be conducting tabletop exercises for active shooter response and disaster response in March 2020. A tactical medicine course is being presented in March 2020 to the GVFD by GVPD Reserve Chris Quinn. We are also working with the NCSO to put on a multi-agency active shooter training which will include tactical medic response, hospital and ambulance involvement as well as LE and Fire response and tabletop exercise. Many of the incident command and resource deployment models are replicable for other disaster response.
Item # 10.
6.A.16.Update Emergency Operations Plan to ensure preparedness for a large scale natural or manmade disaster. Develop a major fire evacuation plan, staging areas, and lines of defense around Grass Valley and conduct drills to commit plan to memory. • We are working collaboratively with the County OES to review and update their Evacuation Annex. Final comments are due back this month.
6.A.17.Pursue safety for all (inclusionary).
• The City and Cal Fire have entered a Mutual Threat Zone (MTZ) agreement providing additional resources to wildland fires including aircraft within the City of Grass Valley. • Measure E has been instrumental in advancing the capabilities of the fire department by way of 1) Staffing (paramedics, red flag warnings, 2) New Fire Engines, 3) State of the Art equipment, and 4) Training.
• The fire department continually seeks improvements to service levels internally and with our partner agencies to provide operational resilience, readiness and excellent service.
B. MEDIUM TERM PROJECTS (2-5 YEARS):
6.B.1. Evaluate the prospect of acquiring the property behind the alley of the police department for additional parking, storage, and officer safety.
6.B.2. Update City Fire Stations to meet current safety standards.
6.B.3. Evaluate the possibility of introducing a program where police officers visit local schools for the day.
6.B.4. Evaluate placement of more solar-powered radar speed limit notification signs. • The Police Department is in the final stages of making a recommendation for a “city standard” of solar radar sign with data collection and analytic capabilities with cross-department access to information as may be needed for business needs.
Item # 10.
GOAL #7: WATER & WASTEWATER SYSTEMS
&
UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE
THE CITY OF GRASS VALLEY IS COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING AND UPGRADING THE CITY’S UNDERGROUND AND SURFACE INFRASTRUCTURE.
Grass Valley will continue to upgrade and replace underground infrastructure including storm water, wastewater, and water pipes. The City strives to maintain our wastewater and water treatment plants to meet the highest standards, keeping in line with State and Federal rules, regulations, certifications, training and new technologies to improve the operation and efficiency of each plant in a fiscally responsible manner.
Ideas from the Community:
❖ Improvements need to be made to update and improve the City’s storm water system.
A. SHORT TERM PROJECTS (0-3 YEARS):
7.A.1. Install the necessary hardware and software to establish a City wide and surrounding area highspeed internet and broadband system, connecting homes and businesses.
7.A.2. Establish a methodical improvement program to upgrade, improve, and replace the existing storm water system with emphasis on older areas that are prone to flooding during high-volume water events.
7.A.3. Improve the creeks that traverse the City for increased storm water flows.
7.A.4. Sustain a high-quality drinking water delivery system to support the community and water-dependent businesses.
7.A.5. Maintain pace with the latest technologies and safety standards to ensure our water is clean and safe to drink, and our wastewater is disposed of in the most effective and sanitary means.
7.A.6. Continue to replace and upgrade aging wastewater and water system pipes.
B. MEDIUM TERM PROJECTS (2-5 YEARS):
7.B.1. Continually evaluate the water and wastewater fiscal reserves and their capital depreciation as it relates to the rate structure, to ensure fiscal prudence on behalf of the rate payers.
7.B.2. Look for opportunities to underground utilities (electrical, phone, cable facilities).
Item # 10.
C. LONG TERM PROJECTS (5-10 YEARS):
7.C.1. Develop a useful GPS mapping system of the various underground tunnels and mine shafts in the City and surrounding area to identify potential hazards and protect against public safety hazards and mine shaft/tunnel failure.
7.C.2. Research the feasibility and produce a cost analysis for the City to work with local businesses to extend sewer lines to the Grass Valley airport business park to help influence economic development and business expansion in that area.
Item # 10.