CYPRESS : A Stricter Policy Urged for Center

A half dozen neighbors of the community center urged the City Council this week to implement a stricter rental policy for the popular facility in wake of a suspected gang-related shooting over the weekend.

The council, which took no action Monday night, expects to vote on a revamped rental policy at its next meeting.

“We are going to take a serious look at the rental policy and try to prevent this kind of thing from happening again,” Mayor Gail H. Kerry said.

About 10 p.m. Saturday, a parking lot brawl between two rival gang members attending a birthday party at the community center at 5700 Orange Ave. quickly escalated into a fierce gun fight, police said. None of the estimated 200 party guests were injured during the incident in which at least 20 shots were fired, police said.

“These people started shooting near my front yard,” Holly Daub, who lives across the street from the center, told the council. “I have two small children to think of.”

Neighbors told the council that community center parties have long been a source of problems. When the center is rented out and especially when alcohol is being served, neighbors regularly complain of loud music, bright lights shining in their bedroom windows and a lack of parking.

Now, neighbors--many of whom did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation--say they’re afraid.

“With shootings going on there at the center, you don’t feel safe anymore,” said Ramona Olson of Anaheim, who grew up in Cypress and whose mother still lives near the center. “I’m afraid for my mother.”

City policy requires at least one uniformed security guard for each 100 guests expected at a function, which must end by midnight. If the renter wants to serve alcohol, liability insurance must be bought from the city.

Both Cypress residents and non-residents can rent the center, which is rented out almost every weekend, most commonly for birthdays, wedding receptions and anniversaries, said city officials.

Neighbors said they would like to see the city impose limits on the number of guests, enforce an earlier curfew, and require more uniformed security or even police to patrol future events.

Neighbors claimed that Saturday night’s incident marked the third shooting at the center in as many years, although police could not confirm this.

Six people were taken into custody within an hour of the shooting. Police are still investigating the incident and expect to make more arrests, said Police Capt. Bob Krauss.