Alex Coolman
CITY HALL -- Hotels that operate in Glendale may be forced to keep
closer tabs on their patrons under a ordinance to be considered Tuesday
by the City Council.
The proposed ordinance would add a list of rules to the guidelines
hotel operators must follow, pressing them to collect accurate
information on the identity of guests, rent rooms for full days instead
of hourly blocks, prohibit minors from renting rooms and in other ways
tighten their operations.
The point of the steps, said police Sgt. Rick Young, is to reduce the
opportunity for crime. The tighter rules, he said, could be a deterrent
to prostitution and drug dealing and could help police when they need to
track down criminals at hotels.
"It's working together with the community to combat these issues," he
said.
David Britton, vice president of marketing and business development
for the California Hotel and Motel Assn., said his group regards the
implementation of such policies as a local issue as long as the policies
are not overly zealous.
"Certainly city attorneys have to be sensitive to privacy issues," he
said.
Young said he thought the harder line wouldn't limit customers'
ability to use hotels in whatever way they chose. It would only limit
their ability to do so in Glendale.
"If you don't show your identification, then you can go find a hotel
in another community," he said. "I guess that's the bottom line."
IN OTHER ACTION
The Glendale City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the council
chambers of City Hall, 613 E. Broadway. The Glendale Housing Authority
will meet at 2:30 p.m. and the Glendale Redevelopment Agency will meet at
3:30 p.m. The meetings will be televised live on Charter Communications
Channel 6. In other action, the council will consider:
* a contract with Quality Paper Fibers to handle the city's recycling.
* pay increases for some city employees.
