2016 Newsletter Archive

Please note that links from these archived newsletters may no longer be active.

January 22 2016

February 12, 2016

March 10, 2016

June Update — WILDFIRE and CLIMATE CHANGE: Are We Ready?

January 22 2016

Happy New Year!

City Council is already underway with several big issues in 2016: at our last meeting, we began to examine Berkeley’s Paid Sick Leave policy and we directed staff to allocate the $1.5 million dollars we’ve collected as a result of the Sugar Sweetened Beverage tax/Measure D per the direction of the voters (by a 76% margin) and a Panel of Experts to mitigate the impacts of sugar sweetened beverages.

In case you hadn’t heard, in December City Council approved the first tall building as part of the voter-approved Downtown Plan. By permitting this building, a significant amount of money will go into Berkeley’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Read more here.

Our next meeting, on 1/26, will include discussion of group living accommodations and minidorms, reviewing commission reports from the Dec. 6th, 2014 protests, and more. You can find the full agendahere. As always, feedback is welcome.

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8

Check out my website: www.loridroste.com
Looking for a city service? Use the City of Berkeley’s online 311 form

Office Hours

My next office hours will be on Thursday, 2/4 from 9:30 -11am at Cafe Espresso Roma. Feel free to drop by- no appointment necessary.

Opportunities to get involved:

Opening on the City’s Personnel Board which advises the City Manager on personnel policy and administration, and conducts hearings to assist in resolving complaints of unrepresented employees.- details here. Email [email protected] if you’re interested.
AC Transit is looking for members on their Accessibility Advisory Committee. The Accessibility Advisory Committee was established by the Board of Directors in 1991 to review, comment and advise the Board of Directors and District staff regarding the implementation and enhancement of planning programs and services for seniors and people with disabilities. Applications available here.

Support Berkeley Restaurant Week

Berkeley Restaurant Week 2016begins Thursday, Jan. 21 and runs through Sunday, Jan. 31. Participating restaurants are offering lunch and/or dinner menus at special values of $20 per person for lunch, and $25 or $35 per person for dinner (tax and gratuity are generally not included). Learn morehere.

New Incentives Available for Seismic Upgrades: Register between January 20 – February 20, 2016

Sign up quickly for a chance at $3,000 worth of rebates that can help pay for seismic upgrades to your home’s foundation and make it safer from earthquakes.

Take action soon to be eligible for the rebates. Property owners must register with the California Earthquake Brace and Bolt Program either online at www.earthquakebracebolt.com or by calling877.232.4300 between January 20 and February 20, 2016. Qualifying homes will be entered into a lottery for the funding and homeowners will be notified by March 1, 2016, as to whether they have been selected.

In a strong earthquake, the crawl space that is common below Berkeley homes is vulnerable to collapse, dropping the house to the ground or causing it to slide off its foundation. Not only is this dangerous, but also very expensive to repair, and most homeowner insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage. Read more at CityofBerkeley.info

Commissioner Spotlight

I’d like to introduce my Zoning Adjustments Board Commissioner, Savlan Hauser.

Savlan grew up in rural Northern California, developing an appreciation for environmental and humanitarian activism from an early age through her Berkeley-educated parents. By the age of 6, Savlan was in love with vibrant, diverse urban environments when she started a career as a busker, playing her fiddle on the streets of great North American cities on family travels. She chose to study at UC Berkeley specifically for its progressive values and lively urban context. Savlan holds a degree in Architecture from UC Berkeley, and is a LEED AP and is inspired that her two favorite things; great cities and a sustainable future– are interdependent.

Savlan brings 10 years of experience in architecture, urban design and community development in Mexico City for international projects and in the San Francisco Bay Area to her current role as Executive Director of the Non-Profit Jack London PBID—Oakland’s newest—and geographically largest—property based Improvement District. Prior to her role in Jack London, Savlan worked on multifaceted revitalization efforts through two major Area Specific Plans as consultant to the City of Oakland.
Savlan currently lives in the Fairview Park neighborhood in South Berkeley with her partner Jonathan. They enjoy hikes out the front door, jam sessions, their delightful neighbors, and the local culinary bounty of Berkeley.

February 12, 2016

February is a busy month for Council – we had one Council meeting on Tuesday, and have two more this month. At our last meeting, we discussed potential ballot measures and bonds to help support Berkeley infrastructure and projects. Berkeley has several outstanding needs, and it’s difficult to pick and choose how to prioritize them. Just this week we learned that to restore the Berkeley Pier, which was closed last year due to safety concerns, we would need to pay for a $200,000 study to determine the extent of necessary repairs. At the same time, Willard Pool and John Hinkel Park have been closed for cost saving measures, and Council has no safe building in which to hold our meetings (Old City Hall is not structurally sound but we continue to meet there). These are critical and important decisions.

On February 16th, Council will be hearing from a panel of housing experts on how to address our housing shortage and affordability crisis. The Legislative Analyst’s Office recently published a report on California’s high housing costs. I strongly encourage you to read it, especially if you have interest in housing affordability in Berkeley.

On February 23rd, Council has a packed agenda where we’ll be discussing a fourth cannabis dispensary in Berkeley, discussing the City’s Reserve policies, and debating additional funding strategies for parks capital projects. The agenda is available here. As always, I look forward to your input.

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8

Check out my website: www.loridroste.com
Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to report illegal dumping? Use Berkeley’s online 311 form

Office Hours

My next office hours will be on Thursday, 3/3 from 9:30 – 11am at Cafe Espresso Roma, 2960 College Ave. Feel free to drop by – no appointment necessary.

New Bike Share Stations are Coming to Berkeley…. Help Decide Where!

Come to a South Berkeley Bike Share planning workshop to decide on locations for bike share expansion in downtown and South Berkeley. When: Thursday, 2/25, Ed Roberts Campus, 3075 Adeline St. Berkeley. Sessions begin at 6pm and 7pm – attend either session! If you can’t attend, suggest a location at suggest.bayareabikeshare.com

Opportunity to get involved:

I have an opening on the City’s Personnel Board which advises the City Manager on personnel policy and administration, and conducts hearings to assist in resolving complaints of unrepresented employees. Details here. Email [email protected] if you’re interested.

Commissioner Spotlight

I’d like to introduce Shannon Brown as my Landmarks Preservation Commissioner. Shannon is District 8 resident:

Shannon was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas (but his great grandfather, like Lori, was born in in Pickaway County, Ohio)! After obtaining an AB the University of Kansas, he got a PhD in economics at Berkeley, where he met his wife Judith. After academic careers, where Shannon specialized in economics and financial management while Judith was a faculty member and an senior administrator, they retired to Berkeley. As they moved around the country — Baltimore, Palo Alto, Houston, Middletown, CT — Shannon enjoyed being involved in local government in a variety of roles.

Serving on the Landmarks Preservation Commission has given Shannon an opportunity to learn about the city, its government and its finances. it has also strengthened his belief that Berkeley could and should be the best governed city in the state. But, in order to achieve this, Shannon believes, the city needs to reform its budgeting system in order to take advantage of what modern computing and networking has to offer.

March 10, 2016

Below, I’ve included several timely updates to address recent public safety concerns in our community, particularly the pedestrian-car collision near John Muir Elementary, recent sexual assaults around Cal campus, and an update on the Sutter Health – Alta Bates Ashby campus. Please know that safety in our community is a top priority.

Pedestrian Safety at John Muir Elementary

On Tuesday evening, a student and mother were struck by a car on Claremont Ave. in front of John Muir Elementary School. The driver was at fault and was cited. This is a tragic incident, and fortunately the student and her mother will recover. I take pedestrian safety very seriously, and also desire overdue improvements to that particular intersection. I play often with my two young children at John Muir Elementary playground so I understand the urgency and concern. In the coming weeks, I’ll be meeting with the John Muir community and City staff to explore our options for improved safety measures around John Muir Elementary. I will also ask you for feedback regarding potential long-term solutions for improved safety along Claremont Avenue. Please know that we are working overtime on this issue to ensure that our children can walk to school safely.

The City has applied for four Safe Routes to School grants to make multiple changes around John Muir Elementary School to encourage bicycling and walking to the school. The proposed changes include sidewalk bulb-outs, crosswalk safety beacon improvements, an overhead mast, signs (including a speed-feedback sign), pavement striping and pedestrian lighting. The most recent application was for $392,000 in May 2015, which was rejected. We will continue to seek funding.

Some have inquired about reducing the speed limit on Claremont to less than 25 mph, but state law does not allow us to make that speed reduction on a four-lane street. In our future communications, we will ask you whether you might support a road diet on Claremont Avenue. This could include a lane reduction in order to include bike lanes and/or other pedestrian improvements.

Additional traffic improvements at Ashby and Claremont have been approved and we expect to start construction soon. Changes along Ashby Avenue and Tunnel Road should all have approved permits this spring and move towards construction immediately thereafter. This includes bike lanes and a rapid flashing beacon crossing on Tunnel Road, a pedestrian hybrid beacon signal at Ashby and Hillegass, a signal-controlled bike path crossing of Ashby at the 9th Street Path, and signal modifications at several other intersections to better serve pedestrian safety.

The pedestrian and bike master plans evaluate the history of crashes in the City in order to identify priority locations for improvements. With 1,013 reported crashes involving pedestrians and 1,290 crashes involving people riding bikes over the past 10 years, there are many areas at which the City seeks to make improvements. The City is developing a Strategic Transportation Plan which will not only prioritize projects but develop a strategy to fund and build them. While designing and building roadway improvements and traffic controls can’t absolutely guarantee bike and pedestrian safety, which is up to all of us, the City seeks to do everything we can to contribute to safer use of public streets. We want to hear your input on these plans and will update you on future meetings. It is important to be involved in these discussions (see “Help the City Prioritize Transportation Projects” below).

Important message from Berkeley Police: Community Crime Alert – Recent Sexual Assaults

The City of Berkeley Police Department Special Victims Unit is investigating four similar sexual assaults which occurred over the past month.

On February 11, 2016 at about 9:10 p.m., an unknown suspect sexually assaulted a woman in the 2500 block of Haste Street. On February 16, 2016 at about 1100: p.m., a second woman was assaulted near the intersection of Durant Avenue and Ellsworth Street. About twenty minutes later, a third woman was assaulted a short distance away, in the 2500 block of Benvenue Street. In that incident, the victim chased the suspect through UC Berkeley’s Unit 2 parking lot, and the suspect was last seen running west on Haste. On March 4, 2016 just before midnight a fourth woman was assaulted on Etna Street near Parker Street.

Detectives are seeking the community’s help in identifying a possible suspect in these cases. Video of the person can be viewed on BPD’s website here. If you have any information regarding these assaults, please call the BPD Special Victims Unit at 510-981-5735. For any crimes in progress, call 911. If a caller wishes to remain anonymous they can call Bay Area Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Community members are reminded to employ crime prevention measures whenever possible. By taking a few precautions, you can reduce your risk as well as discourage those who commit crimes.

Be alert to your surroundings and people around you.
Whenever feasible, walk, jog or travel with a friend.
Walk confidently and at a steady pace.
Do not talk on cell phones or listen to devices when alone, as they limit awareness.
Be aware of locations and situations, which make you more vulnerable to crime such as alleys, doorways, parking lots and stairwells.
Stay in well-lighted areas as much as possible.
Call Berkeley PD at 981-5900 to report suspicious persons or activity

Sutter Health Alta Bates – Ashby Campus Update

Many of you have reached out to my office with concerns about the future of Sutter Health’s Alta Bates Ashby campus. As you may know, the campus on Ashby, like other hospitals around the state, is required by state law to seismically upgrade facilities by 2030. I’ve met with Sutter Health leadership who confirm that they are shifting services to other campuses, but stated that they intend to keep the campus for outpatient services and other uses. To address your concerns of changes to the Ashby Campus, I’ve joined with Councilmember Capitelli to request that the City’s Community Health Commission assess the impact and potential changes of this on our community. The referral is on the 3/29 Council agenda, will will be available here. If you have any comments to submit, please email [email protected] and[email protected]. I will keep you all abreast of any updates/findings from the Commission and information regarding Sutter Health Alta Bates.

City Council Update

City Council met on Tuesday and approved the mid-program Measure M Paving Plan and moved forward on developing a system to prioritize Council referrals. As the author of this referral, I’m pleased that Council is taking a step to identify city priorities in an efficient manner. Last night’s agenda included 41 items, and my hope is that with a better sense of prioritization, CIty staff will be less inundated with so many referrals at once. I see this as a victory for good government.

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8

Check out my website: www.loridroste.com
Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to report illegal dumping? Use Berkeley’s online 311 form

Office Hours

My next office hours will be on Thursday, 4/7 from 9:30 -11am at Cafe Espresso Roma, 2960 College Ave. Feel free to drop by – no appointment necessary.

Update: New Area Coordinator, Officer Sean Tinney

Please join me in thanking Ofc. Jessyca Nabozny in her service to our neighborhoods over the past few years. Beginning on March 14, Ofc. Sean Tinney will begin as the new Area Coordinator. Ofc. Tinney has been an officer for 11 years. He worked 5 years with UCPD and 6 years with BPD. Ofc. Tinney has worked a lot of different assignments but his most recent assignment is working as a bike unit in the downtown Shattuck/Telegraph area. He can be reached via email at [email protected]

Celebrate Meet Me Downtown Day

Meet friends and family in Downtown Berkeley on March 20 for an afternoon of theatre, music, art, film, live performances, food & drink featuring the new BAMPFA, UC Theatre, Berkeley Rep, Freight & Salvage, and more. For more details visit www.meetmedowntown.info

On Sunday March 20, from 12 noon to 5pm, six venues will feature free activities to give you a taste of their offerings, AND Downtown restaurants are offering food and drink specials for visitors. Explore the stunning architecture and collection of Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive at its new location on Center Street, and enjoy short films on their spectacular outdoor screen. Experience the newly reopened UC Theatre for drinks and snacks in its beautiful interior and be amazed by a demonstration of their Meyer Sound system. And rediscover classic venues with performance workshops at the Berkeley Rep, interactive bands at the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, and live music at the California Jazz Conservatory. Start it all off with yoga, swimming, or a workout at the YMCA.

Help the City Prioritize Transportation Projects

Come out on March 16th and help the City build our transportation strategy, which will prioritize improvements to our streets, sidewalks, bikeways and intersections. How people move through a community has a powerful impact. The design of a community’s transportation systems can strengthen neighborhoods. Better pedestrian spaces can spur economic vitality. Transportation design can help achieve environmental goals, such as reducing greenhouse gases. It can improve social equity by increasing mobility for low-income residents or underprivileged groups. Think about your values and your goals for what Berkeley should be, and bring them to our kick-off meeting. Berkeley Strategic Transportation Plan, South Berkeley Senior Center, Multi-purpose room, 2939 Ellis Street, Berkeley, Wednesday, March 16th, 2016, 5:00pm to 8:00pm, drop by anytime. Presentations at 6:00pm and 7pm. Read more here.

Commissioner Spotlight

I’d like to introduce my Police Review Commissioner, Kad Smith:

Kad grew up in West Berkeley, raised by his grandmother, Dorothy Smith. It was through his grandmother that Kad received a deep appreciation for community involvement, education, and social equity. By fifth grade, Kad was questioning the why socio-economic differences existed between his classmates at Black Pine Circle and himself as a resident in West Berkeley, growing up in a fixed-income home. After a tumultuous and world-rocking high school experience, Kad was able to put himself through college, where he studied politics and philosophy at the University of San Francisco. He chose the University of San Francisco for its institutional commitment to social justice.

Kad brings 7 years of experience from the social justice professional arena and a unique perspective on community policing, based on his lived experience with the juvenile justice system and subsequent advocacy for criminal justice reform. Kad proudly remembers his grandfather’s legacy as one of the first black deputies in the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department and has a deep appreciation for the positive impact police can have in the community

Kad currently lives in Berkeley and works in Oakland, cultivating leadership cohorts within the nonprofit sector. He enjoys writing, playing basketball (Go Warriors!), analyzing hip-hop music, and learning about all the innovation happening in the world.

March 22, 2016

Since my last newsletter, I wanted to update you on several short terms solutions that are being implemented to ensure pedestrian safety around John Muir elementary. I’ve spoken with Berkeley Police who will provide increased traffic enforcement on Claremont Ave., I’ve met with the City Manager who is going to explore enhanced lighting options on the street, and Transportation staff will be painting yield indicators on Claremont Ave.

In the longer term, the Mayor and I have agreed to put forth a budget proposal to fund overhead flashing pedestrian lights, additional signage, and enhanced pedestrian crossing measures at Claremont Ave and Claremont Crescent. While City staff has diligently applied for Safe Routes to School funding for these improvements, I want to be sure they happen as soon as possible. Thank you to Principal Audrey Amos, Darryl Bartlow, and all the parents who spoke out encouraging action on pedestrian safety at the last Council meeting. I take your concerns and comments very seriously. My heart goes out Lillia and I hope for a speedy recovery.

Picture from Berkeleyside.com

As the weather gets warmer this spring, I wanted to share a list of places to visit, activities and spring break camps available for Berkeley’s youth. As a parent of young children, I’m thrilled to have so many options for children’s recreation. Join me in exploring these great options this spring – find a list of these activities here.

Child Abduction Attempt – Please Stay Alert

A student from Malcolm X elementary school reported that two men in a green van followed her to school last week, and one tried to grab her, prompting her to run away. The description of the van is similar to the description of a vehicle used in one of the five child abduction incidents in the fall. The Berkeley Police Department is investigating. According to Principal Hunt, the young student left her home near the school around 8am to walk to Malcolm X on Prince Street near Ashby Avenue. “The student reported that a green van pulled into a driveway in front of her, with two men in the vehicle,” Hunt said in the email. “They waved her ahead/told her to go ahead. The passenger allegedly got out and was walking behind her. The child said she felt him getting closer and reach for her, and she started to run to school.”Full Berkeleyside story.

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8

Check out my website: www.loridroste.com
Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to report illegal dumping? Use Berkeley’s online 311 form

Office Hours

My next office hours will be on Thursday, 4/7 from 9:30 -11am at Cafe Espresso Roma, 2960 College Ave. Feel free to drop by – no appointment necessary.

City of Berkeley Resilience Strategy Community Event

The City is hosting a community event to announce the release of the Berkeley Resilience Strategy and to launch the new Community Resilience Center Program. The event will take place at Le Peña Cultural Center, which is one of the first Community Resilience Centers partnering with the City to host disaster preparedness, public health and other trainings and to serve as a conduit to information and services that are tailored to the needs of the people whom the organization serves. Community Event: Berkeley Resilience Strategy, Friday, April 1, 2016, 3:00 – 5:00 pm, La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave. Wheelchair accessible. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Commissioner Spotlight

I’d like to introduce my Arts Commissioner, Weston Taruya.

Weston Teruya was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai’i and has lived in Berkeley since 2006. His love of the visual arts sprung from the words of encouragement from elementary school teachers and summer art classes as a child. While at Pomona College studying to be a Studio Art major, he also became heavily involved in student activism leading to the establishment of an Asian American Studies department at the Claremont Colleges. Since then, he has deeply believed in the connections between art and social justice issues. While working in Los Angeles after his undergraduate degree, he worked for a youth leadership program facilitating young artists teaching workshops at a juvenile hall. In the years since then, he received his MFA & MA from California College of the Arts and worked for the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Cultural Equity Grant program (now known as Community Investments) for eight years. He has since moved on from the SFAC, but continues to work with organizations of color and individual artists to write grants and seek out professional resources.

Weston is currently an artist-in-residence at Recology SF, having recently also completed residencies at Mills College and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. He’s most excited about recently co-founding the Related Tactics collective, a group of artists, writers, curators, and educators of color creating projects and opportunities at the intersection of race and culture.

April 1, 2016

Since my last newsletter, several items have been introduced and will be debated by City Council next Tuesday (4/5) to tackle Berkeley’s affordability and housing crisis. I have authored and co-sponsored two pieces of legislation that I hope will address concerns that many of you share. If you are so inclined to support these items (details below), please feel free to email [email protected] so your comments will be received by the Council meeting.

The first item addresses the City of Berkeley’s massive shortfall in creating middle income housing. According to the Association of Bay Area Governments, Berkeley is only creating 4% of the housing that were needed to meet the needs of its middle income earners. Our most recent nexus study suggests that even households earning the Area Median Income can’t afford to live in Berkeley. This type of housing is incredibly hard to create because very low-income housing units are often more economically feasible because the developer can access federal and state subsidies. This proposal also asks city staff to look at “affordability by design” standards (i.e. modular construction, etc.).

The second piece of legislation is a neighborhood preference proposal that mirrors legislation passed by my colleagues in San Francisco, Supervisors London Breed and Supervisor Malia Cohen with the intention to stabilize San Francisco’s African American population. This proposal would allow individuals living near a new development or those who have been subjected to an Ellis Act eviction a greater chance in accessing those new affordable units.

While there are many other housing proposals on the agenda on Tuesday night, you might also want to check out the Mayor’s Housing Omnibus package. His plan contains 13 action items to address the housing affordability crisis. I urge you to look at his package. It includes affordable housing mitigation fee updates, zoning updates in the South Side and along transit corridors, and a streamlined approval process for projects that meet specific criteria. I urge you to take a look at this extensive plan. I look forward to discussing and learning more about this plan on Tuesday night.

In addition to housing, we also will be discussing potential ballot measures whether the City should conduct a second round of polling on these measures. The results of the City of Berkeley’s first survey of its residents are pretty fascinating and indicate that affordable housing, homelessness, and improving schools are the top priorities of respondents.

Caleb’s Law

Caleb Sears attended Monteverde Preschool in our district within St. John’s Church and tragically died last year after going to an oral surgeon who administered general anesthesia. Dentists and oral surgeons are the only medical providers who can administer anesthesia themselves without an anesthesiologist present and no indication was given to Caleb’s parents that he would be receiving a lower level of care than allowed in any other medical setting where anesthesia is administered. Caleb’s parents have teamed up with Assemblymember Tony Thurmond to introduce AB2235 which would require tracking of adverse effects from dental sedation and require notice of the risks be given to parents. If you support this proposed legislation, please consider contacting the business and professions committee to voice your support.

Sincerely,
Lori Droste

Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8
Check out my website: www.loridroste.com

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to report illegal dumping? Use Berkeley’s online 311 form

Office Hours – New April Date

My next office hours will be on Thursday, 4/14 from 9am – 10:30am at at Cafe Espresso Roma, 2960 College Ave. Feel free to drop by – no appointment necessary.

In Lieu of our Commissioner Spotlight: in memory of Caleb Sears

April 21, 2016

At our last Council meeting, Council approved a referral I sponsored along with Councilmembers Laurie Capitelli and Susan Wengraf to review UC Berkeley game day parking fines. Several neighbors have raised concerns that the fines for illegal parking on Cal football game days do not adequately disincentivize illegal parking in their neighborhoods. The referral tasks the Transportation Commission with identifying and recommending a higher fee for illegal game day parking fines to ensure neighborhood parking is preserved on game days.

Many of you have contacted my office with concerns around recent news that the Claremont Hotel is looking to develop condominiums on its property. I’ve met with the Claremont planners and conveyed neighborhood concerns of the impact such development could have on Berkeley residents. I’ve also spoken with the City’s planning and transportation staff, who do expect to comment on associated Environmental Impact Reports with the development. Since the Claremont Hotel exists within the City of Oakland and the Tunnel/Ashby Corridor remains primarily under the purview of CalTRANS, I encourage you to reach out to Ann Clevenger (email: [email protected]) who is the Oakland planner working on this, if you have concerns about the project. I will keep you updated as this project moves through Oakland’s planning process and our office will actively provide input.

Coming up at our 4/26 meeting, City Council will be discussing Berkeley’s minimum wage ordinance and tenant protections, among other topics. To review the $15 minimum wage proposal the City Council has already passed, please see www.loridroste.com/minimum_wage. Find the full agenda, meeting location, and time here.

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8

Check out my website: www.loridroste.com

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to report illegal dumping? Use Berkeley’s online 311 form(you can use the General Request form if your issue isn’t listed) or call 311 from a landline, or510-981-2489 from a cellphone. Please note that my office routes all the service requests we receive through this customer service center, so your request will be handled most efficiently by directly contacting 311.

Office Hours

Councilmember Droste holds office hours on the first Thursday for every month (next up is May 5th), from9:30-11am at Cafe Espresso Roma, 2960 College Ave (on the corner of College and Ashby). No appointment necessary – just stop by!

City of Berkeley Energy Commission Hosts Public Workshop on Community Choice Aggregation

Get energized! Learn about Community Choice Energy (CCE) at this public workshop hosted by the Berkeley Energy Commission. Provide input on priorities, governance structure, portfolio of renewable energy sources, economic and sustainability benefits, and costs. Free and welcome to all. Light snacks will be provided. For more information: www.cityofberkeley.info/communitychoice/ When: Saturday May 14, 2016. 10AM – 1PM (library doors open at 10am), Berkeley Public Library, Main Branch Community Room 2090 Kittredge Street, Berkeley CA 94704 (1 block from the Downtown Berkeley BART Station).

Changes in Recurring Children’s Programs and Registration Process @ Claremont Branch Library

The Berkeley Public Library’s Claremont Branch is making changes to our weekly Baby & Toddler Storytime and Movement and Music programs to improve service and manage these popular programs that regularly draw crowds beyond the capacity of our space.

Starting April 8th, Claremont Branch Library will pause our Children’s programs. (There will not be no Tuesday Baby storytimes, Thursday Preschool story times or Friday Movement and Music Programs.) When we resume our regularly scheduled Children’s programs on April 22nd, patrons will reserve tickets online for Claremont’s weekly Baby & Toddler Storytime and Movement and Music programs using EventBrite, an online ticketing system used by other libraries. Patrons can also go online via our website calendar and reserve a space for their child. Registration for these programs will go live the day before each event. (For example, register on Thursdays, beginning April 21st at 12:00pm, the day before our Friday Music and Movement and Mondays beginning April 25th at 12:00pm for Tuesdays Baby & Toddler Story Time.)
Currently, Claremont’s Preschool Story Time does not require registration. This could change if it gets too crowded for safety.

To see all of our children’s programs, please visit our online calendar. For questions about these changes or about our branch, please call 510-981-6280. Visit the library’s website: www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

2016 Berkeley Emergency Preparedness Fair

Kids growing up in earthquake country need a disaster-prepared household. Pet owners need to know how to keep pets safe in a disaster. At this FREE community-wide event, we invite people at all levels of preparedness to take steps towards emergency readiness for their whole family. You’ll find family-friendly activities, tips and information, on-site training, and interactive demonstrations of safety resources available to you in our community. There will be a showcase of emergency vehicles, prizes, kids activities, and more. When: Saturday, April 30, 2016, 10:00 AM to 2:00PM, Civic Center Park, 2151 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (at Center St.), Berkeley. Cost: FREE. Free Event Parking (at Bancroft Way at Milvia St.)

Annual Friends of the Berkeley Public Library Sale

The Annual Sale of the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library will be held on Saturday, June 11, 10-4 pmand Sunday, June 12, 1-4 pm in the 3rd floor meeting room of the Berkeley Central Library, 2090 Kittredge Street, in downtown Berkeley. Thousands of donated books will be on sale for 50¢ each plus a special Better Book section with extremely low prices as well. There will be a Fill a Sack for $5 at the end of Sunday’s Sale. Please bring your own tote bags. Your purchases help support programs at the Berkeley Public Library.

Commissioner Spotlight

I’m happy to introduce Caitlin Brostrom, my Parks and Waterfront Commissioner. Caitlin is a District 8 resident and native Berkeleyan.

Caitlin grew up in the Elmwood neighborhood and attended Berkeley public schools from 1-12 grade (before that she was in the first class of Hedge School). Caitlin attended John Muir School, Willard Junior High and graduated from Berkeley High School in 1980. She even swam in the school’s swim team which was based at the now defunct Willard Pool. As a Parks and Waterfront Commissioner, her interest in Berkeley’s Parks is lifelong. Caitlin’s father, while a PhD student at Cal, involved her at 6 in the establishment of People’s Park and Willard Park (called Ho Chi Minh Park in the beginning). Later, her father worked for the Parks and Recreation Department and had Caitlin help him build several of Berkeley’s parks as they were originally designed. Caitlin is an architect educated at Cal and her practice is based in the Claremont area. Caitlin, her husband Nathan and their family of 6 children and two dogs all make regular use of all the City’s parks. Commissioner Brostrom’s greatest concern for our parks is that there be equitable access to recreation throughout the City coupled with parks which serve as sustainable community-building centers to their neighborhoods.

May 12, 2016

At last Tuesday’s Council meeting, per voter approval of Measure T in 2010, City Council unanimously approved the iCANN Health Center on Sacramento Street as the vendor for Berkeley’s fourth medical cannabis dispensary. Learn more about it here. There was also a Council motion to explore increasing the number of dispensaries to a total of six. I’d love to hear your opinion on expanding the number of permitted cannabis dispensaries to six – you can write to [email protected] if you want to provide feedback.

On Tuesday, City Council also unanimously approved the installation of a bike lane on Fulton St., where a near fatal car-bicycle collision took place in February. I’m pleased at the quick movement by City staff and cycling advocates to recognize the importance of improved bicycle safety in our city.

Also on Tuesday, City Council heard our first budget report from staff. I will communicate more about this issue in the next few months but please learn more about our competing needs here.

On March 17th, City Council will hold a special meeting to discuss an array of housing policies that carried over from an April meeting. The Council agenda for that meeting, with meeting details, will be availablehere.

Sutter Health Alta Bates – Capitelli/Droste/Wengraf/Moore Referral to Evaluate Community Impact

Berkeley City Council unanimously approved a referral that Councilmember Laurie Capitelli and I wrote (and Susan Wengraf and Darryl Moore co-sponsored) requesting that the City’s Community Health Commission and Disaster and Fire Safety Commission assess the impact and potential changes of Alta Bates on our community – read it here. Many of you have reached out to my office with concerns about the future of Sutter Health’s Alta Bates Ashby campus. Our residents’ health is also very important to me. Over the past year, I have been meeting with various stakeholders, including Sutter Health leadership. They confirm that they are shifting many services to other campuses, but stated that they intend to keep the campus for outpatient services and other uses. Since this time, the media has picked up on this very important issue as well. I will keep you all abreast of any updates/findings from the commissions and information regarding Sutter Health Alta Bates.

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8

Check out my website: www.loridroste.com

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to report illegal dumping? Use Berkeley’s online 311 form(either through the General Request form or a specific topic) or call 311 from a landline, or 510-981-2489. Please note that my office routes all the service requests we receive through this customer service center, so your request will be handled most efficiently by directly contacting 311.

Office Hours

Councilmember Droste holds office hours on the first Thursday for every month, from 9:30-11am at Cafe Espresso Roma, 2960 College Ave (on the corner of College and Ashby). No appointment necessary – just stop by!

John Muir School Turns 100!

John Muir Elementary School is celebrating a century of educating Berkeley children on Saturday, May 14th from 3-6 pm with school tours and a history program in the auditorium. Light afternoon fare by alumna Jennifer Sherman, of Chez Panisse, will be served on the lawn, and beverages will be available in the Harwood Creek preserve, a natural habitat restored and maintained by volunteers.
Follow this link to buy tickets: http://www.johnmuirschool.org/centennial.html Tickets may be purchased at the door $50 adults and $10 children (free childcare).

Ticket sales, donations and sponsorships for the Centennial benefit programs like PE, field trips, teacher grants, and after-school enrichment for students in kindergarten through 5th grade. The school has a legacy of inclusive education, hosting the first integrated classrooms in Berkeley and pioneering programs for disabled and hearing-impaired children. John Muir at 2955 Claremont Ave. is the smallest elementary school in Berkeley with an enrollment of 295.

Commissioner Spotlight

I’m happy to introduce Anna Goodman, a District 8 resident, as my Youth Commissioner.

Anna was born in San Francisco, California but now lives with her family in the Elmwood neighborhood of Berkeley. She is currently a junior at Berkeley High School and has previously attended Emerson Elementary and Willard Middle School. In 2014, Anna was appointed to the Youth Commission by former Councilmember Gordon Wozniak and she has enjoyed advocating for the youth of Berkeley ever since. Most notably, the Youth Commission hosts a job fair every year that connects Berkeley youth with credible employers. Anna also works with youth as a classroom volunteer at Emerson and a math tutor at Willard. This summer Anna will continue with the City of Berkeley as a “Playground Leader Trainee” for Berkeley Day Camp. Her position as commissioner has inspired Anna to look into political science and public policy when she enters college and the workforce.

June Update

WILDFIRE and CLIMATE CHANGE: Are We Ready?

Thursday, June 9th, 2016 @ 7 PM
Northbrae Community Church
941 The Alameda, Berkeley

Presentations from:

Berkeley Fire
Berkeley Police
Berkeley Chief Resilience Officer
Moraga/Orinda Fire
East Bay Regional Parks
Sierra Club and Alliance Neighborhood

on what they are doing and how you and your community can be better prepared.

Hosted by Councilmembers Susan Wengraf, Laurie Capitelli and Lori Droste
For more information, call: Councilmember Susan Wengraf @ 510-981-7160

May Council Meetings

At a May 17th special meeting, Berkeley City Council achieved unanimous consensus on most of our housing and homelessness action items. Please find more details here. I’m pleased to say that my workforce housing affordability proposal –co-sponsored by Councilmembers Laurie Capitelli and Darryl Moore–passed unanimously. Berkeley is having problems retaining and attracting median income earners. We need to be able to provide affordable housing for our teachers, librarians, and many others in our workforce.

On May 24th, City Council had a chance to review the reweighted range voting prioritization process that I introduced to Council. I am extremely excited that our city staff will now have a formal process in which to address the many pieces of legislation that City Council passes per year. I am also happy to report that Council rated two of pieces of legislation that I authored as the first priority (Green Affordable Housing Package) and the third priority (Neighborhood Preference). Click here for the full Council ratings.

At our last meeting on May 31, City Council voted to put the following items on the November ballot:

General obligation $100 million bond measure for improvements to existing city infrastructure and facilities (including sidewalks, storm drains, parks, streets, senior and recreation centers).
Increasing the business license tax on owners of five or more residential units from 1.081% to 2.880% to fund affordable housing.
Placing a charter amendment and ordinance measure to create a public campaign financing system.

City Council also voted to legalize and regulate short-term rentals. Our goals in passing this proposal were to:

Generate City revenue through taxing short-term rental companies
Prevent long-term rental units from being displaced by short-term rentals
Preserve and protect neighborhood character and livability from nuisances
Provide alternative forms of lodging

There are many fine details in the proposal, so I encourage you to read the actual ordinance by clicking here .

We have a lot of items on our June 14 City Council agenda so stay tuned for another newsletter later this week.

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8

Check out my website: www.loridroste.com

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to report illegal dumping? Use Berkeley’s online 311 form (either through the General Request form or a specific topic) or call 311 from a landline, or 510-981-2489. Please note that my office routes all the service requests we receive through this customer service center, so your request will be handled most efficiently by directly contacting 311.

Other June Events

Common Ground: A Celebration of Our National Parks
May 20, 2016 – September 08, 2016, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Admission: Free
Location: David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704
For its 2016 juried show, the David Brower Center presents Common Ground: A Celebration of Our National Parks, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park System and our parks as seen through the eyes of Bay Area artists. Join us for a beer & wine reception, free and open to the public. Featured work of emerging and established artists, many of whom have exhibited at prestigious venues including the Contemporary Jewish Museum, the de Young Museum, Headlands Center for the Arts, The New York Hall of Science, Southern Exposure and diRosa Preserve. Opening Reception: Friday, May 20, 6:30-8:30pm. Free ($10 suggested donation).
View Website or call (510) 809-0900

Lawrence Hall of Science: Roller Coaster Engineers @ North Branch Library
Friday, June 10, 3:30-4:30pm
Admission: Free
Location: North Branch Library, 1170 The Alameda, Berkeley, CA 94707
Custom-make a table-top marble roller coaster! Kids and families will design and test their coasters to keep their marble on track through all their loops, twists and turns. Participants will take home their projects. Ages 5-13.
Lawrence Hall of Science Inventor’s Workshops are drop-in, hands-on, single station, engineering activities designed to engage families with children in grades K-8. Workshops are drop-in style programs, so that families can engage in the engineering challenge at their pace.

Berkeley World Music Festival
Saturday & Sunday, June 11-12, 2016, Noon – 9 pm
Admission: Free
Location: Telegraph Ave. at Haste St
Join us to celebrate Bay Area’s multicultural tapestry in song, dance and craft. Talented musicians have prepared a wonderful party. Adding to the festivities are the local folks running colorful community and artisan booths. Upon arrival pick up a map & schedule at the info booth along Telegraph Ave., at Haste St near UC Berkeley. A wonderful mix of outdoor & intimate performances in or in front of Telegraph Ave cafes to Amoeba Music’s acclaimed concert in People’s Park with village arts ‘n activities await you.

Downtown Berkeley Eats, Beats & Brews Block Party
Third Sundays, June through October, Noon-6:00 PM
Admission: Free
Downtown Berkeley Eats, Beats & Brews block party is back this year – with Salsa Sundays featuring live salsa music along with a Drake’s Brewing outdoor beer garden, delicious food, outdoor seating and Games of Berkeley games pavilion. Celebrate summer vacation with friends and family at our free Sunday Fun Day celebration featuring local and internationally touring salsa bands in Downtown Berkeley, bringing the crowds to their feet for a sizzling afternoon dance party. For all those who don’t know how to salsa dance, Ruth Caspary of Latin Connection Dance will teach a couple short basic salsa lessons before the bands go on, so that everyone can dance to the sizzling latin rhythms.

Annual Juneteenth Festival
Sunday, June 19th, 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Admission: Free
Location: Adeline-Alcatraz corridor
The Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863, freed slaves from southern states in rebellion against the United States during the Civil War. News of the signing did not reach Galveston, Texas until June 19, 1865. On June 19th (shortened to JUNETEENTH), slaves flooded the streets, rejoicing in their newly discovered freedom. Barbecue smoke filled the air! Dancing feet pounded the ground and voices sung out. This day, JUNETEENTH, would forever commemorate African American freedom! Communities nationwide have adopted JUNETEENTH as an occasion to celebrate African American culture and traditions, and as an opportunity to acknowledge contributions African Americans have made to the fabric of America.Cultural events like JUNETEENTH, celebrate diversity, and unify our nation when we all celebrate together. The Berkeley Juneteenth Festival, held annually in June in south Berkeley’s five-block Alcatraz-Adeline corridor, is produced by Berkeley Juneteenth Association, Inc. (BJAI).

New Temporary Legislative Aide – Adrianna M. Hutchinson

An alumna of Mills College, Adrianna M. Hutchinson dedicates her career towards serving underrepresented communities and addressing issues of social justice through advocacy, empowerment, educational outreach, and community organizing. Adrianna M. Hutchinson has a Bachelor of Arts in Political, Legal, and Economic Analysis and a Master’s degree in Public Policy. She has worked with cities, non-profits, school districts, and colleges and universities to identify and implement solutions to eliminate the expansive opportunity gap that institutional systems wrought with racism, classism, sexism, transphobia, and other –isms and phobias have created. Her love and desire to be an active social justice agent of change is what drives her both personally and professionally.

August 2, 2016

Happy Summer! I hope you are enjoying Berkeley’s beautiful weather. City Council is on summer recess so we will not have our regular office hours this Thursday. The monthly coffees will resume in September. As always, you can contact my office if you would like to make an appointment to discuss City issues.

National Night Out

Tonight is National Night Out! National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live. Click here to find an Night Out event in your neighborhood.

Alta Bates Resolution
Our meetings in June and July were action-packed. As you know, in March of this year, Councilmember Laurie Capitelli, Councilmember Susan Wengraf, Councilmember Darryl Moore and I co-sponsored a referral to our Disaster and Fire Safety Commission and Community Health Commission to examine the effects of a potential Alta Bates closure and discuss potential action. The Community Health Commission moved forward with a resolution which Councilmember Laurie Capitelli, Kriss Worthington, and I amended and passed unanimously. With this resolution, the City has officially opposed the closure of Alta Bates and asked the state legislature to come up with funding for a seismic retrofit. In addition, Mayor Tom Bates has called for a regional committee to examine this issue so we can ensure that our residents’ health is considered first and foremost.

John Muir Crosswalk

The City Council also passed a mid-year budget which you can find here. I’m happy to report that I secured $335,000 for the John Muir Elementary School crosswalk. I’m in the process of discussing next steps with city staff so I’ll make sure to keep you posted.

Work Plans for Commissions

Councilmember Susan Wengraf and I co-authored an item that asks for our numerous city commissions to submit an annual work plan. It’s really important that our commissions adhere to their missions and identify activities, outputs, and short-term and long-term outcomes.

Short-Term Rentals

The mayor called a special meeting on 7/7 to address short-term rentals. Council requested that the City Manager initiate a process of enforcement for when three or more verified complaints are received against the same individual, company, or owner, of multiple units being used as short-term rentals. Council also requested that the Planning Commission further examine accessory building regulations. For more detailed information, please read this.

Recent Spate of Robberies in Southside

On Monday, several people were robbed in Berkeley’s Southside neighborhood. For more specific information about these incidents, please click here. Berkeley Police Department advised community members to follow these safety tips when walking at night:

Pay attention to your surroundings
Travel in large groups whenever possible
Consider putting your smart phone in a pocket while in transit
Attempt to travel in well lighted, highly populated areas whenever possible

If you have any information regarding these cases, please contact the BPD Robbery Detail via Dispatch at (510)981-5900. For crimes in progress, call 9-1-1 or (510) 981-5911 from your cell phone.

Also, for public safety alerts, please sign up for email or text alerts at http://www.nixle.com/

Claremont Hotel Expansion

In response to questions about the Claremont Hotel expansion and the City of Oakland’s planning process, I would like to direct you to the City of Oakland’s Planning Commission website where you can view recent agenda minutes. You may also voice your concerns by contacting Oakland case planner Ann Clevenger [email protected] or 510-238-6980. We are following the process closely and have been engaged in conversations with stakeholders.

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8

Check out my website: www.loridroste.com

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to report illegal dumping? Use Berkeley’s online 311 form (either through the General Request form or a specific topic) or call 311 from a landline, or 510-981-2489. Please note that my office routes all the service requests we receive through this customer service center, so your request will be handled most efficiently by directly contacting 311.

Office Hours

Office Hours for this month is cancelled due to summer recess. As always, contact the District 8 office if you would like to meet with Lori to discuss a particular item. [email protected] or 510-981-7180.

August 17, 2016

We’ve heard concerns from many constituents about the Claremont Hotel Expansion. We wanted to let you know that the City of Oakland has extended the time period for submitting comments about Claremont’s Environmental Impact Report to September 6, 2016.

Their press release states, “The City [Oakland] will consider every comment it has received to date. If you have already commented on the NOP, please do not send the same comments again. In addition, when making comments, please keep in mind their purpose, which is to help the City shape the EIR that it will prepare to analyze the environmental impacts of the proposed project. The City will offer future opportunities to comment on the proposed project itself.”

Please click here to read the full memorandum from the Oakland Planning Department. Since the Claremont Hotel exists within the City of Oakland and the Tunnel/Ashby Corridor remains primarily under the purview of CalTRANS, please send your comments to:

Ann Clevenger
City of Oakland, Bureau of Planning
250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
Suite 2114
Oakland, CA 94612
[email protected]

A Message from Public Works: Cal Students Moving In [Best Practices]

It’s the time of year when students move in for the Fall semester. Help us to keep Berkeley green by asking your residents to plan, properly discard unwanted items, and use City services. Failure to schedule a pick-up of abandoned items outside your property can result in an illegal dumping citation costing at least $1000/day.

Ask your new tenants to follow these steps for a smart and sustainable move:

Plan ahead: Don’t dispose of goods in the trash or on the curb. Learn how to properly dispose unwanted goods and avoid landfills by visiting CalMoveOut.Berkeley.edu
Use City Services: Arrange extra refuse service or rent short-term dumpsters by calling 510-981-2489 or 311. Need prepaid extra debris bags or bulky waste pickup? Visit cityofberkeley.info/zerowaste
Reuse & Recycle: Many local organizations accept furniture, appliances, & clothing. Alameda County Food Bank at accfb.org accepts donations of canned goods
- Recycle: Visit StopWaste.org for recycling services. Use the City blue bins to recycle cans and bottles. Bundle newspaper and cardboard for recycling.
- Electronics are considered hazardous waste and must be disposed of properly. The ewaste collective (ewastecollective.org) picks up anything with a plug

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8

Office Hours

Councilmember Droste holds office hours on the first Thursday for every month (next up is September 1st), from 9:30-11am at Cafe Espresso Roma, 2960 College Ave (on the corner of College and Ashby). No appointment necessary – just stop by! As always, contact the District 8 office if you would like to meet with Lori to discuss a particular item. [email protected] or 510-981-7181

September 19, 2016

I hope you are enjoying the last days of summer. I wanted to update you on a few issues specifically concerning our district:

Street Rehabilitation in District 8

As you may know, the City is rehabilitating Derby Street funded in part by the Measure B and Measure BB sales tax. We have been working with City Staff to address traffic problems and other concerns brought to our attention by neighbors, and we thank you for your patience during construction. For more information, you can view the City Traffic Control Plan and the Street Rehabilitation FY2016 (#B3).

EBMUD Work on Panoramic Hill

EBMUD will be replacing pipelines in the Panoramic Hill neighborhood in several phases and has a scheduled helicopter delivery of piping on September 21 from 10am to 2pm. The helicopter will not fly over any homes. There will be approximately seven trips. Expect helicopter-related noise and minor traffic delays as crews move the pipes from the drop-off zone to the top of the hill. Read more here.

Details: EBMUD has scheduled a helicopter to airlift approximately 2,500 feet of pipe to the upper Panoramic Hill neighborhood. Bundled pipe will be delivered by truck to Fernwald Road, where the helicopter will pick up the pipe bundles and lift them to the intersection of Panoramic Way and Dwight Way. This is the first of two planned helicopter deliveries. A second delivery will occur later this year.

CA Nurses Association Town Hall on Alta Bates Closure

As you know, Sutter Health announced its intention to cease emergency services at its Alta Bates Campus by 2030. I’ve met with hospital leadership several times to convey community concerns, and co-sponsored an item with Laurie Capitelli, Susan Wengraf, and Darryl Moore that has tasked the Community Health Commission and Disaster and Fire Safety Commission with examining the impacts of the move. I also co-sponsored a resolution with Council Members Worthington, Capitelli, and Moore opposing the closure of Alta Bates. As a result, the Mayor is working on establishing a regional subcommittee with important stakeholders to determine what the City can do to ensure that our citizens have access to emergency services and quality health care. The CA Nurses Association is hosting a town hall for community discussion on this issue. Details: Wednesday, September 21, 2016, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Ed Roberts Campus — Atrium, 3075 Adeline Street, Berkeley, CA 94703.For more information, contact Anita Gridley at CNA/NNU, [email protected]

Office update: Kerry Birnbach, my Legislative Aide, has returned from maternity leave. Many thanks to Adrianna Hutchinson for covering in her place!

Coming up at City Council….

Mid-Year 2016 Crime Report: At our September 20 special work session, Berkeley Police will provide a mid-year crime report to Council for discussion. Read the report here. At our regular Council meeting we will be discussing the approval of two additional medical cannabis dispensaries and City financial reserve policies. You can view the full agenda here.

On September 27, Council will discuss a Southside pilot project recommended from the City’s Transportation Commission intended to demonstrate and evaluate dedicated bike and transit lanes.

Many of you who have attended Council meetings have expressed frustration at the long wait times and unknown schedule of Council items when you hoped to speak to a specific item. I share those frustrations. At our last meeting, Council voted to schedule a work session dedicated to examine meeting procedures to make them more efficient and effective. Council will have a work session to review potential policies such as requiring speaker cards, agendizing the meeting with time estimates for each item, adjusting public comment speaking opportunities, limiting the number of Council items that can be referred per meeting or per year, etc. to make Council meetings more efficient and accessible to all members of the public.

As always, I am happy to discuss these or other issues at my office hours (first Thursday mornings at Cafe Roma, at College Ave at Ashby, from 9:30-11am) or by appointment (email me at[email protected] to set up a time). It’s my honor to serve as your elected Councilmember.

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8
www.loridroste.com

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to report illegal dumping?

Use Berkeley’s online 311 form (either through the General Request form or a specific topic) or call 311 from a landline, or 510-981-2489. Please note that my office routes all the service requests we receive through this customer service center, so your request will be handled most efficiently by directly contacting 311.

Movies in the Park!

On September 30, 2016, “Up” will be showing at Willard Park at 2730 Hillegass from 7:30-10:00. Clickhere for more information, or contact Cecilia Booker at 510-981-5158.

Downtown Bart Plaza Renovations

Construction begins soon on the Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza renovation, one in a series of projects to make it easier for people to travel to and around the downtown and campus area. Read more here.

Heart 2 Heart Job and Education Fair

There will be a job and education fair for those over the age of 14 on 9/24 from 11:00 AM – 2:00PM at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Center, 1730 Oregon Street.

October 12, 2016

Happy October! I hope you’re all gearing up for a fabulous fall.

About a year ago, I asked what you all thought about the quota system in the Elmwood Commercial district. My goal in revisiting the quota system was to identify a simpler policy around commercial space in the Elmwood. I wanted to preserve the diversity of the stores currently in business, and at the same time be open to new businesses that might strengthen our community. The majority of responses I received also expressed the same sentiment. At our next Council meeting (10/18), this item is coming full circle. Council will review our Planning Commission’s proposal for a modified system. The proposal would eliminate retail quotas (as has been done in other Berkeley commercial districts) and simplify food quotas to allow for 25 total food businesses (simplified from the current system of three types of food business quotas). Read the details of the proposal here.

Our 10/18 Council meeting will also include discussion of tiny homes as a strategy to increase housing for the homeless, increasing the number of parking permits for BUSD teachers and staff, and expanding the downtown arts district.

My office recently attended a great Council on Student-Neighbor Relations meeting and learned that student leadership of Greek life at Cal now has an email ([email protected]) that residents can send complaints to directly, and leadership will provide a 24-hr response and 72-hr follow-up action commitment based on complaints. Please note this email for future issues.

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8
www.loridroste.com

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to report illegal dumping?
Use Berkeley’s online 311 form (either through the General Request form or a specific topic) or call 311 from a landline, or 510-981-2489. Please note that my office routes all the service requests we receive through this customer service center, so your request will be handled most efficiently by directly contacting 311.

Berkeley Public Library:Kenn Adams’ Adventure Theater: Haunted House

See this special version of the Kenn Adams Adventure Theater, just for Halloween! Our intrepid hero rushes into a haunted house in order to save her little brother, faces off against zombies, werewolves, witches and vampires, and – of-course – saves the day and the world! (And, yes, someone in the show will eat a banana!) Ages 6 and up!

@North Branch Wednesday, October 19, 3:30pm-4:15pm

@Claremont Branch Friday, October 28, 4:00pm-4:45pm

Sunday Streets in Berkeley

Sunday October 16, 2016 | 11 am to 5 pm, Shattuck Ave from Haste to Rose, Berkeley, FREE. Visit http://www.sundaystreetsberkeley.org/ for more information.

Sunday Streets (also called “Open Streets”) closes streets to automobile traffic for a day so that people may usethe space for other physical and social activities. The streets become parks as people replace car traffic. People walk, bike, skate and dance and play. Everyone from businesses and community organizations to musicians and artists use the space creatively, engaging the public and providing spontaneity and discovery. It sounds simple, yet it really is very different and exciting.

HARVEST FESTIVAL OCT. 15: – MUSIC, FOOD, FARMING AND KIDS ACTIVITIES
Cedar Rose Park: Saturday, October 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Join us for the City of Berkeley’s annual Harvest Festival, a chance to honor the Fall with live music, kids’ activities, and celebrate our city’s thriving culture of growing and making our own food.

This year’s festival – from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Cedar Rose Park – will celebrate foods grown, harvested, and prepared by members of the Berkeley community. To inspire more urban farming, homemade food, and healthier eating, the Food and Garden Expo will host:

Crop Swap – Bring your garden’s surplus and exchange it with other gardeners. All types of fruits and vegetables are welcome.

Seed Swap – Swap garden seeds and share gardening tips. Don’t have any seeds to swap? No problem! We will have a generous supply of organic vegetable and flowers seeds on hand (while supplies last).

Food Contests – Enter your best homemade pie, pickled vegetables, cookies, jam, and other homemade goods or homegrown produce. Although all food entries must feature a main ingredient that could feasibly be grown in Berkeley, the actual ingredient does not need to have been grown in Berkeley. All participants will receive recognition and ribbons will be awarded in each category.

BERKELEY PREPARES TO DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON IN GLOBAL SHAKEOUT EARTHQUAKE DRILL

Join in with Berkeleyans throughout the city on October 20th and participate in a five-minute earthquake drill no matter where you are. At 10:20am on October 20^th, practice the three things that everyone should do during an earthquake:

DROP to the ground
Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and
HOLD ON to it until the shaking stops.

Learning and practicing how to “drop, cover, and hold on” is a brief commitment that can save your life. Earthquakes are an inevitable part of Berkeley’s future. Acting now prepares Berkeleyans for the immediate impact of shaking. Being safe and prepared also helps everyone bounce back quickly from an earthquake’s effects.

Individuals, families, businesses or organizations can register at the ShakeOut Website to receive information on how to plan their drill and how to talk with others about earthquake preparedness. Use “City of Berkeley” as the “Parent Organization.”

Everyone in the City of Berkeley is encouraged to join the Citywide exercise, either by participating on the 20th, or finding a time that works best for them. Neighborhood groups who register on the ShakeOut website and participate can count this towards the “citywide exercise” requirement in the Office of Emergency Services’program to qualify for a free dumpster once a year. After participating, check disaster supply kits, review evacuation plans, and practice notifying loved ones of your status. Tips for preparedness are available at the Berkeley Earthquake Website.

PAID AFTER SCHOOL JOBS FOR BERKELEY YOUTH- APPLY BY OCT. 31

Berkeleyans between 14 and 25 years of age are encouraged to apply to be part of YouthWorks, which allows youth to get valuable work experience while getting paid. YouthWorks places local youth in after-school jobs that last up to 7 weeks, for up to 15 hours per week, earning $10.50 per hour, beginning in early January. Youth can work in computers and IT, office administration, childcare and youth development, and more! Applications can be picked up beginning October 3 and are due by Monday October 31, 2016 (or sooner!)

If you need to create your very first resume or spruce up the one you have, YouthWorks and the Berkeley Public Library can help. Come to FREE resume workshops: Wednesdays October 12th and 19th, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM, Central Branch of the Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge at Shattuck, 3rd floor electronic classroom. FREE for Berkeley teens aged 14-19. Sign up for the workshops at YouthWorks, 2180 Milvia St. 1st floor – the same place you’ll get your YouthWorks job application!

Visit the address below to pick up your 2016 YouthWorks After-School Employment application and sign up for a free resume workshop.

YouthWorks, 2180 Milvia St., 1st Floor, Berkeley, CA 94704, (510) 981-4970, Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/youthworks/

Commissioner Spotlight: Alex Mabanta

I’m thrilled to introduce Alex Mabanta as my Commissioner to the Peace and Justice Commission.

Alex was named after Alex Trebek, the host of the TV game show Jeopardy! Consequently, he has always had a passion for knowledge and learning. Alex grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he attended Saratoga High School and graduated magna cum laude from UC Berkeley with degrees in Rhetoric and Political Science and minors in Human Rights and Entrepreneurship. During his college years, Alex immersed himself in a gamut of activities that ranged from directing the largest student-run tax-assistance center in Northern California to conducting a massive field experiment on religious minorities in India. As a result, he is always up for a game of trivia on any topic (all in preparation for making his own Jeopardy! debut).

Alex is interested in promoting all aspects of social justice, intersectional equity, feminism, and human rights at the local level. He is the Vice Chair of the Peace and Justice Commission, having spearheaded a number of bills ranging from divesting from private prisons, positioning Berkeley to observe the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and passing a resolution that called for the cessation of U.S. military base construction on the Japanese island of Okinawa. Currently, he is leading the planning of the 30th anniversary of the Peace and Justice Commission, with the goal of convening the public to brainstorm long-term social policy for Berkeley. He also can be found writing children’s books, attending or participating in slam poetry events, exploring Northern California, and engaging in public service for the local community.

December 8, 2016

Please join me in formally welcoming Mayor Jesse Arreguin, City Council members Sophie Hahn, Ben Bartlett, and Cheryl Davila to Council! I also want to congratulate Councilmember Susan Wengraf on her re-election. I look forward to working with all of them in the coming years. Photo ℅ Daily Cal.

I would also like to take a moment to introduce you to the Mayor’s team: former District 4 staffers Brandi Campbell and Stefan Elgstrand, Alejandro Soto-Vigil, former legislative aide to Councilmember Kriss Worthington, and our very own District 8 resident Jacquelyn McCormick. I look forward to working with the Mayor’s team and the Mayor.

Next Tuesday, 12/13, is our final City Council meeting of the year. You can find the complete agenda here, which includes a package of items to address Berkeley’s homeless crisis from Mayor Arreguín and an item from our last meeting about the City’s reserve policy. Details on both of these items are included below (along with hyperlinked reports).

Mayor Arreguin’s Package on Homelessness: Since so many of you have expressed concern about recent incidents and interest in the City’s policies on homelessness, I have included an outline of the package below. If passed, Mayor Arreguín’s item would:

1. Direct the City Manager and Chief of Police to permit camping on designated public property unless camping poses a threat to health and safety.

2. Form a sub-committee to explore emergency solutions to homelessness, including short-term navigation centers.

3. Develop a formal policy regarding the removal of encampments which requests a 7 day notice before the removal of an encampment.

4. Repeal a component of the Sidewalk Ordinance from last year that limits the amount of physical space personal belongings can take up on the sidewalk.

5. Redirect funding formally allocated to the Homeless Locker Program to the following: $5,722 for Berkeley Drop-In Center, $50,000 Youth Spirit Artworks, and up to $25,000 for three Tiny Homes Pilot Projects (up to $10,000 each for proposals from First They Came for the Homeless, Youth Spirit Artworks, and up to $5,000 to Vehicles for Change).

If Council repeals the sidewalk ordinance provision, the funding needed to create the City’s Locker Storage Program would be reallocated. To be clear, limits on personal belongings or encampments on the sidewalks have not yet been enforced because the Council previously said that locker storage for belongings must be in place before enforcement.

The larger question then becomes how do we reallocate that money to resources that will best help people off the street? In 2015, City staff presented detailed evaluations of community agencies. You can find those recommendations here and here. Given this information, and the fact that we have an annual competitive process for funding community agencies, I have several questions regarding those evaluations and I share others’ concern about the fairness of funding any community agencies outside a competitive, evaluative process.

Given the complexity of homelessness, I believe a multifaceted approach to policy solutions is warranted. I think short-term navigation centers based on San Francisco is a great idea. I also have a lot of questions about the Mayor Arreguín’s proposal around tent encampments. Regardless of the outcome of our Council meeting, I believe it is imperative that we involve our staff in this conversation given that they are on the front lines in evaluating and providing services. You can read a summary of what homeless services the City currently provides in this report.

As always, I welcome your feedback at [email protected] as does the rest of the City Council at [email protected]

City Reserves: The City Auditor Ann-Marie Hogan has written extensively on the need to increase our reserves to a Government Finance Officers Association-recommended minimum of 16.7%. Our current policy is 8% which would fund City operations for 30 days in case of an unexpected emergency. Also, a risk assessment conducted by the City of Berkeley recommends a 30% reserve level for many reasons, one of which is the City’s vulnerability to extreme events and public safety concerns (i.e. earthquakes).

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8
www.loridroste.com

Registration now open for Echo Lake family camp

Berkeley residents can start registering Monday December 5 for Echo Lake family camp, which continues traditions built through generations of campers amidst the beauty of the High Sierras.

The six weeks of 2017 family camp, which blends camp culture of both Echo Lake and Berkeley Tuolumne family camps, are from June 17 to July 16 and from July 21 to July 31. The registration form, registration schedules, the calendar, and program fees are on the Family Camp website. For more information see the family camp welcome packet or the page about all camps at Echo Lake.Other campsat Echo Lake include Fish Camp, Work Weekend, Youth Residential Camp, Counselor-In-Training (CIT) programs, and 50+ camps. There will also be the return of our Artist-In-Residence and Guest Chef programs. Read more at CityofBerkeley.info

December 16, 2016

First off, thanks to all of you who emailed my office and Council at large about the package of homeless policies that were discussed at our meeting on Tuesday. For background information, please see my previous email or read this Berkeleyside article. Council stayed up late and debated the amended proposal at length, passing the following:

Directing the City Manager to work with Department heads on an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to focus on increasing emergency shelter, mobile health units, and warming centers and explore navigation centers and extra detox beds. As a result, the City now has 270 beds available during this current storm – 140 are available on a regular basis, and the EOC identified 130 more. Outreach staff are working to let people at encampments know about these resources (listed below).
Directing staff to explore and return to Council with recommendations for a locker storage program with multiple sites throughout the City.
Forming an Ad-Hoc Committee to discuss and develop a formal policy around existence and removal of encampments (this will return to Council for approval or rejection).
Amending the sidewalk ordinance so that Council review of a regulation on objects on sidewalks and enforcement will not be contingent on locker storage.
Reallocating a portion of the funding which was originally designated for locker storage to fund two community agencies for $30,722. Note: I proposed redirecting this funding to support increasing or maintaining shelter beds throughout the winter, but my motion did not pass. I abstained on funding specific organizations since doing so falls outside of the annual competitive City process for funding community agencies.

In short, policies around encampments and possessions on the sidewalk will be returning to Council. I will keep you updated when they come back for discussion. As always, I welcome your feedback at [email protected] as does the rest of the City Council at [email protected]

Information about emergency beds and shelter:

Overnight shelter is now available at the following locations (in addition to the regular shelter beds available throughout the year):

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave.
Francis Albrier Community Center, 2800 Park St.
First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, 2407 Dana St.

The following daytime warming center is also available:

Multi-Agency Service Center/Berkeley Food and Housing Project (Veteran’s Building), 1931 Center St. 8am – 6:30pm

Happy Holidays,

Lori Droste

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to report illegal dumping?

City Seeking Feedback on Website

We’re planning on changing our website, CityofBerkeley.info, and, before we start, we’d like to get feedback from you about your experience with the current site and what you’d like a future site to have.

Please spend 10-15 minutes on a survey to let us know what you think about www.CityofBerkeley.info, and how we can enhance the information and online services we provide.

Residents, those who work in the City, visitors and other community members all have online needs we’d like to assess. Your input on this survey will help the City identify how key users currently use the website and how they may in the future. The responses you provide will be used to help redesign our website and develop a digital roadmap for the next several years.

Prepare for the Rain: Free Sandbags at Fire Stations 1, 2, 3, 7

Station 1 – 2442 Eighth Street, 94702 (510) 981-5510

Station 2 – 2029 Berkeley Way, 94705 (510) 981-5520

Station 3 – 2710 Russell Street, 94705 (510) 981-5530

Station 7 – 3000 Shasta Avenue, 94708 (510) 981-5570

Give Input on Plan to Improve Mental Health Services

Provide input on a plan to improve mental health services in our community. The update to the annual plan addresses services that are both ongoing as well as new services the City would like to add.

Berkeley Mental Health helps people of all ages with services across a spectrum of our community, from prevention in schools to intensive wrap-around services for our most vulnerable, mentally ill community members. The division works with those in housing or those they get housed so that they can lead full lives in the community.Feedback on the plan will be received via the following methods until December 15th at 5pm:

Email: [email protected] Mail: Karen Klatt, MEd, MHSA Coordinator, City of Berkeley Mental Health, 3282 Adeline Street, Berkeley, CA 94704