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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 99-16RESOLUTION NO. 99-16 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DIAMOND BAR OPPOSING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FORENSIC TREATMENT PROGRAM AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FORENSIC PATIENT SECURITY COMPOUND AT THE LANTERMAN DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER WHEREAS, the State Department of Developmental Services has determined and the State Legislature has approved the transfer of seventy-five (75) forensic patients to the Lanterman Developmental Center; and, WHEREAS, a forensic patient is an individual, with developmental disabilities, that has committed an act(s), which is a violation of the Penal Code; for which, the individual cannot be prosecuted because of their developmental disabilities; and, WHEREAS, forensic patients must be treated and confined in a secure treatment facility, pursuant to Penal Code Section 1370.1; and, WHEREAS, the proposed secure treatment compound at Lanterman would have double sixteen (16) foot high fences, spaced fifteen (15) feet apart; it has four twenty-eight (28) foot high observation/guard towers; it has double gated entry sallyport with an access/ingress control building; and, a security staff of more than thirty (30) personnel; and, WHEREAS, the proposed forensic/secure treatment facility would be located in a highly urbanized, residential area (within less than two blocks), with thousands of Diamond Bar residents living in close proximity to the forensic security compound; and, WHEREAS, the existence of such a forensic patient security compound would be a continuing source of unmitigatable concern for.public safety, as well as, psychological and emotional distress for all that live, work, recreate and attend school in the surrounding urbanized areas; and, WHEREAS, the Lanterman Development Center is located in an extremely urbanized land use environment, wherein the placement of an intensive forensic patient treatment security compound is completely incompatible with the surrounding residential properties, e.g., single family residences and Little League fields abut the southern Lanterman boundary; and, WHEREAS, the State of California failed to provide reasonable actual notice to abutting property owners or to the Diamond Bar community; which is especially inexplicable, in light of the failure to provide appropriate notice, to the surrounding community, related to a recent expansion project at Metropolitan Hospital (Norwalk); and, WHEREAS, the State Department of Developmental Services has other developmental centers, which are located in semi -rural or rural areas and have developmental centers at which there are existing forensic patient security compounds; and, WHEREAS, the City of Diamond Bar will work in concert, with its neighboring cities (Pomona, Walnut and Industry) the County of Los Angeles, Cal Poly -Pomona, State elected officials, Congressional elected officials other public agencies/institutions and community individuals and organizations, to oppose the Lanterman forensic expansion project; and, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Diamond Bar does hereby oppose the placement of a forensic patient treatment security compound at the Lanterman Developmental Center; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Diamond Bar does hereby beseech the State Department of Developmental Services and the State Legislature to change their respective decisions regarding the locating of a forensic treatment facility at Lanterman Developmental Center; and, instead, locate the forensic treatment facility in more rural and appropriate environment. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Diamond Bar does hereby direct that copies of this resolution be sent to the Governor, Speaker of the Assembly, President Pro Tem of the Senate, all State Assembly Members, all State Senators, Congressmen Miller and Dreier, Senators Feinstein and Boxer, Members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, all relevant State Departments, and the media (print, television, radio, CATV, electronic data, and others). PASSED, ADOPTED and APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Diamond Bar, California, this 6' day of April, 1999. Mayor I, LYNDA BURGESS, City Clerk of the City of Diamond Bar, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly introduced, passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Diamond Bar, at a regular meeting held on the 6th day of April 1999, by the following vote: AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Ansari, Herrera, Huff, MPT/O'Connor, M/Chang NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None ABSTAINED: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None r LYNDA BURGESS, City Clerk City of Diamond Bar 99--16