H.B. police helicopter may provide service to Irvine

Irvine may contract with Huntington Beach for use of its police helicopter.

Services would be on a per-call basis at an hourly rate starting at $770 for the first of a three-year contract. Rates would adjust annually.

The contract could generate $300,000 a year for the city of Huntington Beach, according to the staff report.

The Huntington Beach Police Department’s Air Support Unit supports patrol and traffic operations, search and rescue, aerial photography and more, according to the city’s website.

Huntington Beach also provides air support to Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.

$550,000 grant awarded to police department

The Police Department is also seeking approval to receive a $550,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to reimburse costs associated with sobriety and driver’s license checkpoints, a full-time DUI officer, traffic enforcement and computers for motor officers.

The one-year grant would help the department implement “progressive and innovative enforcement techniques” to step up DUI efforts and improve the city’s ranking on several Office of Traffic and Safety categories, according to Police Chief Robert Handy.

The most recent statistics from the Office of Traffic and Safety show Huntington Beach ranks fifth out of 57 cities for alcohol-involved collisions, according to the staff report.

Residents request permit parking along Royalist Drive and Willett Lane

In other business, residents along Royalist Drive and Willett Lane petitioned the city to be included in the nearby residential permit parking district.

Petitioners say commuter vehicles block their driveways and ability to park in front of their homes, according to the staff report. On trash pick-up day, residents move their trash containers to create additional parking areas.

City public work’s staff investigated the matter and found unrestricted parking interferes with available on-street parking for residents and guests. If approved by the council, 27 addresses would be included within the permitted parking district.

Tuesday’s City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Civic Center at 2000 Main St.

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