GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Curbing crime with things like window transparency and proper lighting; that's the goal of a new Grand Rapids ordinance.
The Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) ordinance was passed at the end of August. Just last week, city commissioners set the fees business owners could face if they violate the code. The city's acting planning director Kristin Turkelson said that despite the ordinance taking effect on Sept. 26, there will not be any immediate enforcement action taken.
"Our commitment to the community and to the city commission was that we would lead with education," Turkelson said Monday.
Businesses that sell alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or illicit massages are the target of the new regulation, which includes aspects of preexisting zoning ordinances.
"What we did is pull those sections from other ordinances and put them into one," Turkelson said.
Turkelson said the city's planning department hired their own crime prevention officer who will be communicating with individual business owners over the next few months about the requirements of the ordinance. Those requirements include things like the quick removal of graffiti and litter, window transparency and video surveillance.
The Family Pantry on Stocking Avenue NW remodeled over the last year, and the city is now using the store as an example of what a business should look like under the CPTED ordinance.
"The improvements that they made were directly in line with crime prevention strategies," Turkelson said. "The community officer did report a decrease in criminal activity and calls for service to that location."
The city is also in the process of developing a grant for store owners who can't afford to remodel.
► Emma Nicolas is a multimedia journalist. Have a news tip or question for Emma? Get in touch by email, Facebook or Twitter.
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