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Residents press Tustin council for an active transportation plan, raise ALPR camera and Bel Air Motel concerns
Summary
During public input residents urged the council to fund an Active Transportation Plan for bike/walk safety, called for audits or halting of ALPR/face‑recognition cameras, and asked the city to consider a community reinvestment fund to address the Bel Air Motel as a nuisance property.
Multiple residents urged the Tustin City Council to act on pedestrian and bicycle safety, surveillance‑camera transparency, and chronic nuisance properties during the meeting's public input segment.
Leslie, who identified herself as a Tustin resident, told the council she was concerned about automated license‑plate reader (ALPR) and face‑recognition cameras "spreading rapidly in the city," called them a security risk and alleged private funding links and misuse. "These cameras do not only have driver license storing, but face recognition, dangerous machine learning... They can be hacked in less than 5 minutes," Leslie said, and asked the council to end the contracts and prevent future leases.
Speakers from Vibrant Neighborhoods Tustin pressed the council to fund an Active Transportation Plan (ATP). "We know Tustin has a great track record of securing grant funding," said Tony Pelaridi, noting only jurisdictions with an ATP can access certain state active-transportation funds. Veronica Ocon and Matthew (both with Vibrant Neighborhoods Tustin) described unsafe intersections, absent bike lanes and poor markings, and asked the city to allocate budget resources to develop a cohesive network that improves safety and unlocks grant opportunities.
Nina Deleeuw, an Old Town resident, requested the creation of a community reinvestment fund to address problem properties, highlighting the Bel Air Motel as a long-standing source of transient activity, frequent 911 calls and strain on emergency services. She urged the city to consider acquisition, redevelopment, or repurposing as possible tools.
Councilmembers responded during later discussion that staff are exploring active-transportation work, that an e-bike ordinance is under development, and that the budget workshop will include consideration of funding for an ATP. Councilmembers expressed support for pursuing grants and partnerships to implement active-transportation improvements and discussed options for addressing problem properties.
Next steps: councilmembers encouraged residents to participate in upcoming Tustin Legacy workshops and the city's budget process; staff indicated planning work and grant-seeking will continue and that staff will report back as the budget and grant opportunities unfold.
