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<br />September 22, 1993 <br /> <br />FROM: <br /> <br />Steve Sarkozy, City Manager <br />Jim Zelinsky, Police Chief~~ <br />LAVA LINKS SPECIAL USE/LICENSE APPLICATION <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />SUBJECT: <br /> <br />The Police Department has serious concerns and reservations with <br />the above request that will be considered by the City Council on <br />September 27. <br /> <br />A revised ordinance was adapted by council on 25 February 1991 <br />which generally speaks to those concerns. The Parks and Recreation <br />Director, Community Development Director and Chief of Police were <br />the staff members that initiated the Special Requirements for <br />licensing. Now, two years later, the Planning Commission has <br />passed on a Special Use Permit request ignoring those guidelines. <br /> <br />When we were doing the research and drafting the requirements, a <br />considerable amount of data was accumulated that justified the <br />requirements. Since then, we have seen a number of these <br />businesses either fail or have caused a considerable drain on <br />police resources in other communities. Some of those that fell <br />victim to problems were l) Bankshot at Rice and County Road C in <br />Little canada; and 2) Rock-a-fellas at Snelling and Larpenteur in <br />Falcon Heights. <br /> <br />Although it wasn't tied to the Circus Circus in Har Mar regarding <br />a recent shooting, there have been numerous problems in the parking <br />lot near the area of Circus Circus -- thefts from auto, vandal isms, <br />hit and runs, assaults and other mischievous incidents. <br /> <br />Running an activity check at Crossroads from January 1, 1992 thru <br />August 31, 1993, the Police Department has taken three hundred <br />sixty five reports. Again, many of these incidents were similar to <br />activity occurring in the parking lot at the Har Mar Mall Center. <br /> <br />I have checked with two other departments in the metro area that <br />police Circus Circus establishments, West st. Paul and Brooklyn <br />Park. Both have had histories of generating criminal activity. <br />Both communities now require police officers to work part-time, <br />both in the business itself and in the parking lot. If the Council <br />decides to grant this special use, I sincerely hope this is a <br />minim~ requirement placed on Lava Links. <br /> <br />I will be available to answer any questions the Council may have <br />regarding this matter on September 27. <br /> <br />cc: D. Welsch, Community Development Director <br />