KCBA - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News Weather-Fencing Off Violence In Salinas
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SALINAS, Calif.- A Salinas neighborhood wants the city to block off a walkway connecting Boyle Ct. and Alvin Dr., that they say, is fueling burglaries, drugs and fights.
The request to close off the path is set to go before the city council Tuesday night. City staff is recommending that the council deny the request, saying it goes against the city's general plan to promote a bicycle and pedestrian friendly community. Salinas police officials said closing the walkway won't stop the influx of crime.
Rose Maria Gomez lives one door down from the walkway. Gomez and her niece Sonya Zepeda said they started the petition a few months ago to gather signatures from neighbors who were in support of a barrier. They presented the petition to city planners .
Gomez said the path has become a gateway for crime in their neighborhood.
"There's a lot of vandalism, rob, leave weapons behind," said Zepeda, translating for her aunt.
Liz Montes also lives next to the pathway. She said she would like to see the walkway closed because so many fights break out in that area.
"They go that way, they go this way, and the cops choose only one way to go," said Montes.
According to staff reports, there's been five burglaries and one act of vandalism in the neighborhood since January of 2008. In the report, Salinas police said only one of those incidents involved the Boyle Ct. walkway.
"That is a symptom, but doesn't stop the problem," said Salinas Deputy Chief Manny Perrien.
Perrien said aggressive plans like neighborhood watch is what really works to combat crime.
In the staff reports, city planners and traffic commissioners said putting up an iron or steel fence would cost the city about $5,000.
But for Gomez, she said they need something, anything, to at least slow the wave of violence flowing into their neighborhood.
City officials said a similar request from another Salinas neighborhood is being looked at by city planners. Residents living on Castleton near Creekbridge also want to put up a fence to block pedestrian and other foot traffic. City officials said they plan to deny that request as well.
