City Council Sees Benefits Of Anti-Crime Urban Designs

The Spokane City Council approved a resolution Monday that recognizes the benefits of urban designs that discourage criminal activity.

But the council stopped short of including the program, known as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, in the city’s approval process for new homes, subdivisions and businesses.

“It seems to me that, as a guideline, this is appropriate activity,” said Mayor Jack Geraghty. “But once it moves into the next step, we could be involved in other things, design elements that might be subjective in nature.

“We need a lot more public understanding before we move ahead with this.”

The program was developed years ago but only recently gained popularity in Spokane. It encourages developers to use certain types of lighting, fencing and other design elements that reduce the risk of criminal activity.

In October, some Spokane police officers and city planners attended a 40-hour training course on the crime prevention program.

Spokane Horizons members currently are incorporating parts of the program into their planning process, said planning director Charlie Dotson.

Police Officer Rick Albin, a long-time supporter of the program, said the basic concept is to bring “legitimate” people out of their houses and back yards and into their front yards, onto porches and sidewalks.

Criminals avoid neighborhoods where people know and watch out for each other.

Albin told the council on Monday that business owners and landlords along West First used the program’s concepts in the push to clean up the neighborhood. As a result, calls for police service in the area are down, he said.

“Who could not want a tool that enhances our community?” Albin said.

Five Mile Prairie resident Candace Dahlstrom echoed Albin’s support for the program and urged the council’s support.

“You’d be giving the city the most precious Christmas gift this year: the gift of peace,” Dahlstrom said.

But while several people spoke in its favor, others worried the program would lead to increased regulation of an already tedious approval process for new developments.

“A lot of this is common sense, but all of us can use education,” said developer Jim Frank. “What we can’t use is more regulation.”

Suzanne Knapp, representing the Spokane Homebuilders Association and Association of Realtors, said some of the recommendations defy what residents say they want. The program encourages wide streets, while many homeowners want narrow streets, she said.

“These are design guidelines which should be put out to the design community to review,” Knapp said. “Let’s keep working together.”

, DataTimes