Newsletter Archive

I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and are ready for an exciting 2018. There are several interesting events coming up in January and you can read about them below.

Alta Bates

As I’ve discussed before, Sutter Health Alta Bates Hospital has begun moving, and is planning to move more, critical services to their Oakland hospital. While they plan to maintain the location for outpatient services, we are concerned about the loss of a full service acute care hospital that our community has relied on. To provide you more detail about the hospital’s planned closure, and to provide actionable steps you can take to let Sutter Health know how important Alta Bates is to our community, I invite you to attend a Community Forum to Save Alta Bates Medical Center in Berkeley. My office has worked closely with Mayor Jesse Arreguín, my fellow Councilmembers Hahn and Harrison, the California Nurses Association, and leaders of the surrounding communities to organize this forum.

Please save the date: Saturday, February 3, 2018, 11-1pm, Ed Roberts Campus 3075 Adeline Street, Berkeley CA 94703. RSVP here.

Earthquake Preparedness

Given the earthquake on Thursday morning, I encourage everyone to be prepared–see what the City of Berkeley recommends here.

City/UC Berkeley/ Student Relations Committee: Next Meeting is February 5th

In an effort to have ongoing dialogue with UC Berkeley about school and city relations, the City has formed a City/UC/Student Relations Committee. This committee consists of City Council Members elected from Districts 4, 6, 7, and 8, two representatives of UC Berkeley undergraduate students, two representatives of UC Berkeley graduate students, and two representatives of UC Berkeley. The committee’s next meeting is on Monday, February 5, from 3:30 PM to 5 PM at UC Berkeley Senate Chambers, where there will be discussion and action on Group Living Accommodations and other items. The agenda has not yet been posted.

Community Town Hall on Accessory Dwelling Units

Have you thought about building a granny flat or in-law unit on your property? Berkeley has recently made it easier for homeowners to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on their properties, so come learn about a new housing solution that may fit in your budget. ADUs can be perfect for seniors who want to age in place, for creating housing for caregivers or extended family, or just earning a little extra cash. They are also a great tool to help communities build more affordable housing.

When: January 25, 6pm — 8pm, Longfellow Middle School, 1500 Derby St, Berkeley. RSVP or send questions to the panel at [email protected]

Seventh Annual Community Breakfast celebrating the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The event will include live music and awards for local students and one community organization, as we highlight achievements as well as work yet to be done to achieve Dr. King’s vision.Tickets are $25/ person and can be purchased at berkeleymlkjrday.org

When: Monday January 15, 2018, 8am to 10am; Registration begins at 7:30am, HS Lordships, Berkeley Marina

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8

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January 18, 2018

Our first regular Council meeting of the new year is on January 23rd, followed by another meeting on the 30th. Our agendas include a proposal to include new slogans (e.g. “Love Life”) on all Welcome to Berkeley Signs, a Community Surveillance Ordinance (which you can provide feedback on through the Berkeley Considers platform), rules regarding off-leash dogs at Cesar Chavez park, and several other items. You can see the complete agendas here.

It’s come to the City’s attention that the federal government is reportedly planning large immigration raids in Bay Area Sanctuary Cities, including possibly Berkeley. To report Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity, you can call the Alameda County Immigration Legal & Education Partnership (ACILEP) Hotline at 510-241-4011 for rapid response to ICE and legal services. The Mayor’s Office has also created a useful handout with additional resources.

Lastly, if you hadn’t had a chance to read the recent Berkeleyside article titled ““With restaurants booming, Berkeley’s vacancy rate for commercial spaces is at 5-year low” about local businesses and commercial vacancies in Berkeley, I would recommend looking at it. Keeping our commercial corridors is a priority of mine, and I am working closely with our Office of Economic Development to ensure the Elmwood shopping district vacancies are filled soon. Please also check out Economic Development’s staff report and presentation on this issue as well.

As always, I’ve included additional announcements and events below.

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 Police Department Warns Community About Recent Scam Attempts
The Berkeley Department is alerting community members about an ongoing telephone scam where crooks are attempting to extort money from unsuspecting victims. On January 16, 2018, the Berkeley Police Communication Center received over a dozen calls from community members regarding what they perceived to be a scam. A person or persons with a heavily accented voice called claiming to be Berkeley Police Officers and threatened to arrest them if they did not pay them. The Berkeley Police Department is not making these phone calls. They are part of a scam. Members of the community are urged to avoid giving personal or financial information over the phone. If they receive an unanticipated call from the Police Department, they can always ask the officer for a call back number and then call the Berkeley Police Communication Center (510-981-5900) to verify the identity of the alleged caller. If you have become a victim as described above, you are encouraged to call the Berkeley Police Communication Center to report the crime at the number listed above.

City/UC Berkeley/ Student Relations Committee: Next Meeting is February 5th

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/City/UC/Student_Relations_Committee.aspx

Developing Regulations for Cannabis Businesses

As the City of Berkeley develops regulations for recreational, adult-use cannabis and refines those for medical cannabis, you can give input at a series of public meetings or via email. The Cannabis and Planning commissions will be discussing regulations such as the distances from sensitive uses, business locations, delivery services and a selection process for new recreational cannabis retailers.

The City regulations will align with recently released State of California regulations for the cannabis industry as a whole. The new state regulations created new license types for retail sales, cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and testing labs. The City Council will take final recommendations from the Cannabis and Planning Commissions and consider them publicly for final adoption in the spring of 2018. You can attend meetings, learn more online or give input here.

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January 31, 2018

Please join me this Saturday at the Forum to Save Alta Bates

February 3rd, 2018 from 11:00-1:00pm – at the Ed Roberts Campus at 3075 Adeline St in Berkeley.

As you may already be aware, Sutter Health intends to close Alta Bates Hospital – Berkeley’s only acute-care hospital. This move would deprive our community of a critical facility which provides critical emergency services to East Bay residents including but not limited to: labor and delivery, emergency services, and intensive care services. This community forum will include a panel discussion with information about the closure and action items. You can learn more about the Campaign to Save Alta Bates Berkeley here and RSVP for the Forum here.

As always, I’ve included additional announcements and events below.

Sincerely,

Lori Droste

Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8

www.LoriDroste.com

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

City/UC Berkeley/ Student Relations Committee

In an effort to have ongoing dialogue with UC Berkeley about school and city relations, the City has formed a City/UC/Student Relations Committee. This committee consists of City Council Members elected from Districts 4, 6, 7, and 8, two representatives of UC Berkeley undergraduate students, two representatives of UC Berkeley graduate students, and two representatives of UC Berkeley. The committee’s next meeting is on Monday, February 5, from 3:30 PM to 5 PM at UC Berkeley Senate Chambers, where there will be discussion and action on Group Living Accommodations and other items.

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/City/UC/Student_Relations_Committee.aspx

Berkeley CERT Volunteer Meeting: Utility Undergrounding for Emergency Preparedness February 15, 7pm at 997 Cedar – Utilities Undergrounding for Emergency Preparedness in Berkeley. Hear from Ray Yep and Victoria Legg, representatives of Berkeley’s Fire and Disaster Safety Committee that led this study.

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February 26, 2018

As you may have noticed, there are many changes underway in the Elmwood commercial district. Five storefronts are in the midst of opening as new businesses, and more remain vacant. I’m sure you share my concern about our small businesses. I’m working very closely with our Office of Economic Development to determine why businesses close and to reach out to landlords about prospective new tenants. So far, stores have closed for a wide range of reasons: owners couldn’t maintain multiple store locations, family members got sick, owners wanted to retire, rental increases, or the franchise decided to close all locations. Needless to say, maintaining the beautiful and thriving commercial corridor is a high priority of mine.

I’m exploring several ways to help our commercial corridor thrive. Berkeley City Council recently heard a report from the Office of Economic Development about the challenges small businesses face and the proactive steps we can take to address them. During our last work session, I urged the City Council to consider putting a commercial vacancy tax on the ballot to prevent landlords from letting their properties go vacant. City Council will have further discussions on ballot measures tomorrow, Tuesday, February 27. The same night, we will vote on an item I authored to request that Mayor Arreguín and I, along with other councilmembers, create a Small Business Subcommittee to better address the challenges and hurdles that our local businesses face. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] to share your opinion on these proposals.

The Office of Economic Development also has released their February economic dashboard report which highlights the Elmwood on p.18. I have heard feedback on how to address vacancies from a wide variety of residents, business owners, and customers. I also have heard suggestions for desired businesses on the corridor as well. Some of you have asked how Berkeley’s College Avenue regulations differs than Oakland’s College Avenue regulations. The two biggest differences are 1) Berkeley prohibits stand-alone alcohol sales (e.g. wine bar) and 2) Oakland doesn’t impose quotas (caps) on restaurants. I’d love to hear your thoughts as I’m compiling this feedback. As always, please shop at our local stores!

Tomorrow, February 27th, Council is deliberating, discussing, and voting on several important measures related to community safety. We will address fire safety and undergrounding utility wires. Our commissioners on the Fire and Disaster Safety commission, Public Works commission, and Transportation commission are doing amazing work for our community.

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March 22, 2018

As you likely know, I am a parent of two young children. They attend Berkeley schools everyday, and like all parents, their safety is my top priority. Last week I was deeply moved by the #neveragain day of action organized by students in the wake of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. My son participated at his school, and it was truly inspiring to see students and teachers throughout Berkeley participate (thanks to Berkeleyside for the great coverage). In light of the terrible tragedy, I’m humbled by the strength of our youngest residents, and I’m forever grateful to live in a city that teaches our students to speak up about the issues they care about.

Last December, our Transportation Commission briefed Council about the Vision Zero Campaign that’s building momentum nationwide. Their goal is to have zero traffic-related fatalities by 2028. Sadly, Berkeley had the highest rate of pedestrian and bike related fatalities among cities of our size from 2009 – 2015 according to the Office of Traffic Safety. We can surely do better to support people relying on alternative forms of transportation.

At our 3/27 Council meeting, I’m authoring a resolution in support of Vision Zero, and requesting that the City develop a Vision Zero plan. Last year I successfully advocated with Councilmember Wengraf to double the City’s budget for traffic calming measures, but that program is still deeply underfunded. We also collaborated on legislation to reach out to Waze, Google Maps, and other apps to request that residential neighborhoods not be used for cut-through traffic. I’m pleased to have secured over $350,000 worth of funding for traffic calming measures for our district, but there is still more to do to reduce traffic accidents and injuries in our City.

In addition to a Vision Zero policy, I am proposing that our Public Works department reassess the street sweeping schedule to make sure that streets can be swept efficiently, regardless of whether trash collection occurs on the same day. Parts of our district have had ongoing issues with incomplete street sweeping because of bins left out in the street.

You can find the full March 27 Council agenda here and send all Councilmembers an email at [email protected]. FYI, I’m moving my April office hours to April 12, at 9:30 at Cafe Roma. If you can’t make it, feel free to contact our office if you have a particular concern.

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

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to request a City service?
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.

Provide Input to Improve Berkeley for Seniors
The City of Berkeley is looking for Berkeleyans age 50 and over to take a survey on how Berkeley can address key issues that can enhance seniors’ ability to thrive while aging in our community.

Your anonymous feedback will be used to help guide a plan to make Berkeley more “age-friendly,” a community that meets the needs of all ages. Learn more and fill out the survey here.

Volunteers Needed for Save Alta Bates Campaign Door Knocking event
CNA is hosting a door-to-door canvassing/yard sign info event on April 11 and 12 from 4 – 7pm. People who are interesting in helping “get the word out” are encouraged to come to Alta Bates and get connected to a team of nurses and other community leaders to go into the neighborhoods, knock on doors and spread the word.

Anyone who is interested in participating should contact: [email protected]You will be contacted with more specific information as the date draws closer. Come out and help!!

City / UC Student Relations Committee (4×6 Committee)
Wednesday, April 25, from 3:30 PM to 5 PM, UC Senate Chambers
The tentative agenda, as discussed by the committee at the February 5meeting, includes an action item from the Group Living Accommodation (GLA) Subcommittee, as well as an update from UC Berkeley on student and faculty housing efforts.

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April 24, 2018

There has been a lot happening lately. First, I want to update you on important policy issues Council will be debating over the next couple of weeks.

Sidewalk Ordinance

At Thursday’s special meeting, Council will revisit sidewalk regulations. Many of you have written to me about the state of our public spaces and sidewalk accessibility. I’m pleased the Mayor is committed to addressing the issue of sidewalk accessibility and obstructions while respecting the constitutional rights of our community.

Because this discussion will take place at a special Council meeting on Thursday at the Longfellow School Auditorium, please share your thoughts with me or Council at [email protected] before Wednesday 4/25 at noon.

Encampment Policy

One of the fundamental issues that Council has discussed over the past several years is the presence of encampments throughout the City. On Thursday, we will discuss an encampment policy (p.12) that defines encampments as individuals inhabiting a public location for three consecutive days. It lists various considerations for either a) abatement b) moving or c) immediate removal.

It is important to me that we clarify the following questions:

If encampments abate conditions or move locations, should encampments be allowed to stay? The City currently does not allow encampments to remedy negative impacts.
Are there any other provisions that would warrant immediate removal of encampments outside of health & safety, failure to abate, and failure to move?
Is three days adequate/too much/too little time for an encampment to exist before it is abated or moved?

This is also part of Thursday’s special meeting so please share your thoughts with me or Council at [email protected] before Wednesday 4/25 at noon. Please keep in mind that the encampment policy may be continued to a later meeting for a final vote.

Regional Disaster Training

On May 1, The Disaster and Fire Safety Commission has recommended to Council that Fire and Health city staff continue training in regional disaster preparedness exercises. I discussed this issue at length in my June newsletterfrom last year when Council voted on the City’s participation in regional trainings.

Outdoor Shelter for Homeless Individuals

Related to the encampment ordinance, the Peace and Justice Commission is attempting to address encampments by recommending the designation of locations for sanctioned encampments and immediately providing storage.

Digital currency

At Tuesday’s Council worksession, Councilmember Bartlett will be introducing a proposal for a microbond blockchain initiative to invest in public projects. We will be voting on the item on next week.

To provide feedback on any of these items, please contact [email protected]

Supporting Small Businesses

Since my last newsletter, I authored and City Council passed legislation setting up a Council subcommittee addressing challenges small businesses face. Please feel free to come to these worksessions. We are having the next meeting on May 10th at 10am (Magnolia Conference Room, 3rd Floor, 1947 Center St.) where we will be discussing the Office of Economic Development’s report on small businesses. You can view the full agenda here.

The Elmwood District has seen the closures of many beloved retail stores and restaurants. I want to assure you that I am in regular communication with our OED staff, property owners, and potential tenants to try and fill those spaces as soon as possible. In the meantime, our office is working with staff to move forward with some permitting changes that may dramatically help retail.

On that note, it is incredibly important to support our local businesses. This weekend is a perfect opportunity with the Elmwood Wine Walk on April 29th. You can support the Berkeley Schools Fund by buying tickets.

April 29th Elmwood Wine Walk to Support the Schools Fund – Buy Your Tickets!

What better way to spend your last Sunday in April? Sample over 70 wines and browse over 50 local businesses while supporting the Schools Fund! Join us for the Elmwood Wine Walk on Sunday, April 29 from 1-5pm. You can buy your ticket online and sample over 70 wines for a discount price of $25! Small bites, too!

Office Hours

I’ll be hosting office hours on Thursday, May 3rd from 9:30 – 11am at Cafe Espresso Roma on College @ Ashby. Feel free to stop by and say hello – no appointment necessary.

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

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to request a City service?

Sign up for emergency notifications on AC Alert and crime prevention/updates on Nixle.

Street Lights and Stormwater Funding

Since Berkeley’s storm drainage rate has not increased since 1991, and the street lighting rate has not increased since 1982, there is not enough funding available for needed system improvements, new infrastructure, or even for annual maintenance costs. The City recognizes it cannot responsibly go forward without investing in the future safety and reliability of this critical infrastructure we all rely on. As such, the City has proposed an increase in street light and stormwater fees. Per State law, property owners must approve a ballot measure before the City can raise fees or assessments. You should have received your ballot in the mail.

At the May 29th Council meeting, the City will tally votes from property owners about the proposed fees. You can learn more about the proposed fees, etc. here.

Bay Area Book Festival

Please consider joining hundreds of authors and attendees at the Bay Area Book Festival. It takes place April 28–29. See the schedule for details.

Berkeley Commencement

Berkeley Commencement is on Saturday, May 12th at Memorial Stadium, and
individual departmental ceremonies will take place from May 13th to 19th. Find information about commencement here.

Cal Move Out

Cal Move Out is coming in mid May/early June. The city is partnering with UC and students to decrease environmental and social impacts of illegal dumping and waste at the end of semester. Here is more information: Cal Move Out Flyer. If you need extra trash service, please contact customer service. More resource are available online at
CalMoveOut.berkeley.edu

City/UC Student Relations Committee- meeting location CHANGED

Wednesday, April 25, from 3:30 PM to 5 PM, Wada Hall, Room LO8 (2650 haste Street). The agenda includes an update from UC Berkeley on student and faculty housing efforts. Full agenda here.

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May 11, 2018

Happy Mothers Day! The City will be hosting a lovely celebration at the Rose Garden on Saturday, details here.

Many of you attended a workshop I co-hosted last year on building Accessory Dwelling Units (also known as in-law units or backyard cottages), and I’m happy to say that next week Council will be discussing proposed changes to make building those units more streamlined and family-friendly. If you would like to provide your thoughts and opinions on ADUs, please utilize Berkeley Considersto do so or email [email protected].

At our last work session, Council looked at the FY 2019 budget update and capital improvement projects. Several people made public comments expressing their desire to see more staffing and funding for transportation improvements, including safer crossings, traffic circle upgrades, protected bike lanes, etc. I couldn’t agree more. I know several of you have applied for traffic calming measures on your streets, and even when those requests were successful, the start dates can be delayed because of the high demand for public works projects. I’m committed to making our streets safer and will continue to push for additional funding/staffing.

I’m also continuing to keep up the pressure on Sutter Health to keep Alta Bates as a full service acute care hospital. On May 29th, I’ve authored a letter of support for Assemblymember Thurmond’s health facilities bill AB 2784 that mandates community notice before any hospital closures, and requires hospitals to seek the Attorney General’s written consent prior to closure.

My next office hours will be on June 7th, from 9:30-11am, at Espresso Roma on College at Ashby.

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

Important numbers for city services:

Sidewalk repairs, garbage pickup, tree pruning | 311 Service Center (3-1-1)
Transient-related issues | 311 Service Center (3-1-1)
Criminal activity in progress | Berkeley Police (9-1-1)
Non-emergencies (reporting suspicious activity or making an initial report) | Berkeley Police (510) 981-5900
Homeless Person in Distress (appears vulnerable, disruptive or concerning behavior) | HOTT (510) 981-5273
Sign up for emergency notifications on AC Alert and crime prevention/updates on Nixle.

As Students Move Out, Keep Berkeley Clean

As Cal students move out for the summer, tenants and landlords can help keep our streets clean by planning ahead, using City of Berkeley services, and properly discarding of the items they no longer need.

Commissioner Spotlight

I’m pleased to introduce Juli Adhikari, my appointee to the Commission on the Status of Women.

Juli is currently a 4th-year undergraduate student studying Political Science and Gender & Women’s Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. She is also the Vice-Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women for the City of Berkeley. Juli has truly enjoyed her time as a commissioner working on policies that bolster the lives of women in the City. The Commission has drafted recommendations on Paid Family Leave, Equal Pay, and inclusive reproductive healthcare. Juli always tries to bring the knowledge she’s learned in her various roles as a research assistant at Berkeley Law and high school teacher for the non-profit IGNITE National to serve the City. She is honored to be working for Berkeley’s diverse population and wants to take the spirit of Berkeley with her as she pursues a future in law and public policy.

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June 27, 2018

Earlier this month, Council prioritized all of the legislation we’ve passed over the last year.

I’m pleased to report that the Vision Zero referral that I authored was the City Council’s #1 priority for this upcoming year.

Since I introduced the prioritization system three years ago, legislation that I have authored has been the top priority two out of the three years. I want to thank the Mayor and my colleagues on City Council for their support of these important neighborhood and citywide initiatives.

Vision Zero requires Berkeley to develop an action plan to eliminate traffic fatalities. The Vision Zero initiative originated in Sweden, and has since been adopted in various cities throughout the world. Berkeley will be the tenth city to adopt Vision Zero in California. I specifically want to thank Frank Cruz for his advocacy around this issue. Additionally, Mayor Jesse Arreguin, Ben Gerhardstein, Karen Parolek, and Mark Humbert have been incredibly supportive of this initiative. By putting more funding, staffing, and focus into our City’s traffic and bike/pedestrian infrastructure, we can reduce serious injuries and fatalities on all of our streets.

On that note, the Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon light to assist bicyclists and pedestrians across Ashby at Hillegass will be up and running this summer! This has been years in the making and I’m very pleased to see it come to fruition. Using sensors to detect a cyclist or by a pedestrian pressing the walk button, this intersection will change signals to allow people to cross Ashby. You can find videos about these types of crossings here and here, and I’ve included a helpful infographic below.

Save the Date: Fire Safety in the Hills–Annual Fire Safety Meeting on July 12th at 7pm at Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda, Berkeley

I will be co-hosting an annual fire safety meeting at the Northbrae Church with Councilmembers Susan Wengraf and Sophie Hahn on July 12th at the Northbrae Church. The topic of this year’s meeting will be firescaping (landscape design and maintenance that reduces the vulnerability of your house and property to wildfire), evacuation routes, and vegetation management tips.

Please keep in mind that there is significant fire danger in the hills over the summer. Please remember to sign up for alerts at AC Alert and review your household’s evacuation routes. During an evacuation you may not be able to drive, so consider using the network of Berkeley Path Wanderers paths in your evacuation plans. To learn more, please visit the City’s Wildfire Evacuationpage.

Council Update

On June 26th, I proposed that the City reassess/modify our existing traffic calming policy to allow more streets to qualify for traffic calming. All too often, residents request traffic calming, circulate a petition but then can’t qualify for traffic calming measures, such as bulb outs, speed tables, flashing lights, etc. My hope is that this makes it easier but we still need to address understaffing and underfunding as well.

Council also voted to adopt the FY2019 Budget. The Mayor proposed a set of supplemental budget recommendations which Council passed as well. I was pleased the Mayor agreed to add funds for traffic calming as part of his overall package.

People’s Park

Several weeks ago, UC Berkeley announced plans to build student and supportive housing on People’s Park. I support the University’s effort to change the status quo at People’s Park. I have long said that People’s Park is not working as it is currently constituted and I have talked extensively with UC administration, business, and community stakeholders over the past year regarding plans for People’s Park. I’m pleased to see that the UC will be addressing the community’s concerns regarding the park. Read more about the University’s plans to build housing for both students and very-low income/homeless individuals here.

Office Hours

My monthly office hours will be on July 12th, from 9:30-11am, at Espresso Roma on College at Ashby. Note that is not the first Thursday of the month which are my usual hours. As always, if you can’t make this time, please feel free to reach out and schedule an individual appointment!

Ending on a happy note, I’d like to congratulate Ari’El Stachel and Itamar Moses, both Berkeley natives, for the Tony awards they received for their contributions to “The Band’s Visit.” Stachel won Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical and Moses won Best Book of a Musical.

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

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to request a City service?

Sign up for emergency notifications on AC Alert and crime prevention/updates on Nixle.

Commissioner Spotlight

I’m pleased to introduce Kristina Lim, my appointee to the Community Environmental Advisory Commission.

Kristina Lim has worked for the last 6 years at Earthjustice–the largest environmental public interest law firm in the country. Soon after she started at Earthjustice, she was appointed to the Community Environmental Advisory Commission and has worked on everything from urban gardening education to reducing the amount of cigarette butts flowing into the Bay to Green Infrastructure projects to household hazardous waste disposal to lead enforcement. Kristina is also a painter, hiker, and urban forager and received her BA from Vassar College.

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July 5, 2018

Mark your calendars! Councilmembers Wengraf, Hahn, and I invite you to a Community Meeting on Firescaping and Fire Safety on Thursday, July 12th, 2018 @ 7 PM, Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda, Berkeley. This meeting will cover: firescaping (landscape design and maintenance that reduces the vulnerability of your house and property to wildfire), evacuation routes, and vegetation management from East Bay Regional Parks and PG&E. I hope to see you there.

On July 10th, I am introducing an item requesting that the City provides an annual homeless services report. This report will provide an overview and update of services and funding, locations, and a wide variety of other information. On a regular basis, constituents ask me about homelessness programs and funding and I believe these annual reports will be very informative to the public. The City of Berkeley opened a homeless navigation center last week and Council is considering putting a measure on the ballot to increase the transfer tax from 1.5% to 2.5% on properties that sell for over $1 million to pay for general municipal services, including homeless services.

Additionally, there are a few follow up items I have authored or co-sponsored on the 7/10 agenda. First of all, Councilmember Wengraf and I are following up on our previous commission work plan requests by asking staff to synthesize all commission work plans in one location. Second, Councilmembers Worthington, Wengraf and I are co-sponsoring an update to a referral Councilmember Wengraf and I put forward last year to establish a voluntary private resident security camera database to help Berkeley police solve crimes.

Finally, there are a few other items on the July 10, 2018 agenda that may interest you as well:

Accessory Dwelling Unit updates
Two police oversight/restructuring charter amendments from the Police Review Commission and/or the Mayor
Placing a General Obligation bond measure on the ballot for affordable housing.
Placing an item on the ballot amending the rent ordinance
A report from our Fire Chief regarding Immediate priorities for fire safety, education, prevention, and overall disaster preparedness

Please feel free to email [email protected] if you support or have any concerns with the aforementioned items.

Office Hours

My monthly office hours will be on July 12th, from 9:30-11am, at Espresso Roma on College at Ashby. Note that is not the first Thursday of the month which are my usual hours. As always, if you can’t make this time, please feel free to reach out and schedule an individual appointment!

A list of community events and announcements are below.

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

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to request a City service?

Sign up for emergency notifications on AC Alert and crime prevention/updates on Nixle.

Summer Reading Program 2018 and Library Events

Please check out the 2018 Summer Reading Program. If you are a kid ages (0-14), stop by any Berkeley public library to get a game card and sign up online atberkeleypubliclibrary.org/bplsummer. If you complete your game card, you will receive a prize (ice cream, books, bowling, a ride on the ferry…) while supplies last.

On Saturday, July 7th, the Magical Moonshine Theater’s acclaimed puppet company will present The Golden Armadillo at 4:00pm at the Claremont Library Branch at 2940 Benvenue Avenue.

Also, on Wednesday, July 11 at 4:00pm at the West Branch library, you can see a traveling menagerie of lizards, salamanders, and other reptiles from East Bay Vivarium.

Magicians will be at both the Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch on Friday July 13 at 4:00 PM and the North Branch on Saturday, July 14th at 3:30.

On Monday, July 16th at 4:30, there will also be a Dance Party for 4-7 year olds in the community meeting room at the Central Library.

Give Input on Declaring Vacant Residential Buildings as a Nuisance

Use the City of Berkeley’s online forum to help Council decide whether to adopt an ordinance that would specify the time period after which vacant residential buildings can be declared an unlawful nuisance.

A vote on July 10 would adopt a first reading of an ordinance amending Berkeley Municipal Code Chapter 12.92.

View and give input on this Berkeley Considers topic, which was selected by the Council Agenda Committee. Learn more by reading Item 28 on the July 10, 2018 Agenda.

Registered users on Berkeley Considers can post their comments online with or without their name. Anyone can view registered comments. The goal of the forum is to broaden civic discourse in a constructive and civil manner.

MOVIES IN BERKELEY PARKS: WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

Berkeley, California (Monday, July 02, 2018) – Our summer of Friday night movies in Berkeley parks begins this week with the 1971 classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, which will be showing at Strawberry Creek Park.

Bring friends, join neighbors, and revel in some of the gems of Berkeley: our parks.

The free outdoor movie series will show six films on a large portable 20’x12′ inflatable movie screen and premium audio visual movie equipment for outdoor cinemas.

Come out and join us on select Fridays through September:

July 6th, 8:45pm: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Strawberry Creek Park, 1260 Allston Way
July 27th, 8:30pm: Mulan, James Kenney Park, 1720 8th Street
August 10th, 8:15pm: Paddington 2, Codornices Park, 1201 Euclid Avenue
August 24th, 8:00pm: Coco, Cedar Rose Park, 1300 Rose Street
September 7th, 7:45pm: Lion King, San Pablo Park, 2800 Park Street
September 21st, 7:30pm: Kubo and the Two Strings, Willard Park, 2730 Hillegass Avenue

Enjoy all the fun of a drive in movie at your local park.

Please arrive at least 30 minutes before the movie begins. Bring blankets, sleeping bags, and/or low-back beach chairs with a maximum height of 9 inches off the ground, so the view of other patrons is not blocked. A flashlight or headlamp makes walking out at the end of the night easier. Limited street parking is available. This is an alcohol free event.

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July 20, 2018

On Monday, July 23rd, Council will discuss whether all of our first responders can participate in a regional disaster preparedness program called Urban Shield. I wrote to you about this last June. Since then my staff and I have attended Urban Shield so please feel free to email any questions.

On Tuesday, July 24th, Council has 77 items on the agenda but I don’t think we will get to them all. Here are a just a few of the items Council we will be voting on:

Putting a measure on the ballot to increase the transfer tax on property sales to fund municipal and homeless services.
Putting a measure on the ballot that amends the rent ordinance. This also relates to the statewide bill to repeal Costa Hawkins and expand rent control options for cities.
Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance updates
An item that would repeal a Berkeley Municipal Code and a 2016 Open Government item. This proposed item would allow paid Council or Mayoral employees and city staff to serve on city commissions advising Council on policy. I co-authored an op-ed about my concerns about transparency and conflict of interest in 2016.

PG&E Work on Panoramic Hill:

PG&E will be upgrading and modernizing overhead electric lines. Construction will take place on Panoramic Way in Berkeley on Tuesday, July 31, 2018. In addition, crews will be completing pre-work the week before construction begins and restoration work the following week. This type of upgrade usually takes several weeks to complete, but PG&E is working to minimize disruption by completing the improvements in one day. This will require work outside usual business hours and the closure of Panoramic Way during construction.

Potential traffic impacts

Panoramic Way will be closed to traffic on July 31, 2018. Vehicles will not be able to enter or leave during that time, and no parking will be allowed on the street. PG&E will post “No Parking” signs at least 72 hours in advance of the work and route traffic around construction areas. Please plan to park personal vehicles in your driveway or outside the construction area the evening of July 30.

What you can expect

During construction, you may see PG&E crews, contractor trucks and other heavy equipment, as well as emergency vehicles standing by so first responders can get to homes in the event of an emergency. To ensure the safety of PG&E customers, the public and our employees, a temporary service interruption will be necessary. Residents will receive a separate letter in advance to provide you with the details and schedule of the interruption. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact your local PG&E Customer Outreach Specialist, Lina Tate, at 510-423-8279, during normal business hours, or email us at [email protected].

Office Hours

My monthly office hours will be on August 2nd, from 9:30-11am, at Espresso Roma on College at Ashby. As always, if you can’t make this time, please feel free to reach out and schedule an individual appointment!

A list of community events is below.

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

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to request a City service?

Sign up for emergency notifications on AC Alert and crime prevention/updates on Nixle.

MOVIES IN BERKELEY PARKS
July 27th, 8:30pm: Mulan, James Kenney Park, 1720 8th Street
August 10th, 8:15pm: Paddington 2, Codornices Park, 1201 Euclid Avenue
August 24th, 8:00pm: Coco, Cedar Rose Park, 1300 Rose Street
September 7th, 7:45pm: Lion King, San Pablo Park, 2800 Park Street
September 21st, 7:30pm: Kubo and the Two Strings, Willard Park, 2730 Hillegass Avenue
Enjoy all the fun of a drive in movie at your local park.

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS QUESTIONNAIRE
Help the City of Berkeley better prepare for disasters such as earthquakes, wildfires, and climate change by filling out a short questionnaire.Your anonymous feedback will help us to better share information and science about disaster risk. It will also help inform the City’s current and future disaster readiness programs. The questionnaire will be available until September 30, 2018 on the Berkeley Considers platform. It is a first step in our update to the 2014 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. The updated plan will evaluate potential disasters and use the latest science to create a list of projects that could protect Berkeley when the next disaster strikes.

The effort to update the mitigation plan is led by the City’s Office of Emergency Services, which coordinates a suite of programs to build disaster resilience in Berkeley. Visit the Berkeley Ready website to create a disaster plan, sign up for Community Emergency Response Team Training, and sign up to receive emergency alerts.

The City, its partners, and individuals throughout Berkeley have been working together for years to make Berkeley safer in disasters. The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan continues this work and will be better informed when you share your concerns. We appreciate your feedback.

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August 1, 2018

Summer is in full swing, and I wanted to share some exciting announcements and events. I’ve highlighted two events that I think are particularly important to our district – an open house about Clark Kerr Campus construction, and an upcoming information session on undergrounding utility wires. Additional events, including National Night Out details, are listed in the announcements section. I hope to see you in the neighborhood.

Hillegass Crosswalk Grand Opening!

I am beyond thrilled to announce that we have worked with the various regional agencies and have pushed up the grand unveiling of the Hillegass pedestrian and bicycle crossing!! If all goes as planned, it will be activated on 8/9/18. Our office has been working on a weekly basis for years to try and coordinate the various agencies to implement this device to save lives. As you know, this has been a journey but pedestrian and bicycling safety has been a top priority of mine since taking office. Just this year, Council rated the Vision Zero legislation I authored to eliminate all traffic deaths and injuries as Berkeley’s number one priority this year.

Clark Kerr Campus Beach Volleyball Complex Community Open House

Monday, August 13, 2018, 6:30-8:00 pm, Simpson Center for Student Athlete High Performance, Cronk Room, Enter from Memorial Stadium Gate 4, Piedmont Avenue

We invite our neighbors to an open house to share background and planning details for an improved beach volleyball facility at Clark Kerr Campus. The proposed facility would replace existing beach volleyball courts at Clark Kerr Campus with a modern training and competition facility.

Representatives from UC Berkeley will be on-hand to engage with the community, to share information about this project, and to listen to your input. Light refreshments will be served. Inquiries: (510) 642-1173 or [email protected]

Forming Utility Undergrounding Districts (UUDs)

Please attend a meeting on September 27 at Northbrae Community Church, 914 The Alameda, Berkeley, CA 94707 to hear:

An introduction to www.berkeleyundergrounding.com
An overview of Berkeley’s undergrounding study and anticipated actions in the next year.
The status of CPUC Electric Rule Review including the difference between 20A and 20B.
How to successfully form an utility undergrounding district

Q and A will follow.

Traffic Circles

City staff are taking on more maintenance of traffic circles to ensure visibility at these intersections. Staff has emphasized that they want to continue community involvement and each traffic circle will be evaluated on an individual basis. Community involvement in our parks is paramount to me and I want to continue that partnership. If you are interested in participating in the process to work with the City on maintaining traffic circles, please contact[email protected].

Office Hours

My monthly office hours will be tomorrow August 2nd, from 9:30-11am, at Espresso Roma on College at Ashby. As always, if you can’t make this time, please feel free to reach out and schedule an individual appointment!

A list of additional community events is below.

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

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to request a City service?

Sign up for emergency notifications on AC Alert and crime prevention/updates on Nixle.

National Night Out – August 7th

National Night Out is an annual event designed to strengthen our community by encouraging neighborhoods to engage in stronger relationships with each other and with their local public safety and city officials.

How do you participate? Organize or attend an event in your neighborhood to gather and get to know one another. The size of the groups range greatly with some as little as only a few neighbors to some where 100 people or more come out. These groups gather for potlucks, BBQ’s, ice cream socials, or just a meet and greet.

City of Berkeley staff, Berkeley Fire Department staff, and Berkeley Police staff will be out roaming the neighborhoods of Berkeley and will stop by to say hello.Become a part of your community and join us for National Night Out 2018! Find an event near you and get more information at https://www.cityofberkeley.info/nationalnightout/

MOVIES IN BERKELEY PARKS

August 10th, 8:15pm: Paddington 2, Codornices Park, 1201 Euclid Avenue
August 24th, 8:00pm: Coco, Cedar Rose Park, 1300 Rose Street
September 7th, 7:45pm: Lion King, San Pablo Park, 2800 Park Street
September 21st, 7:30pm: Kubo and the Two Strings, Willard Park, 2730 Hillegass Avenue
Enjoy all the fun of a drive in movie at your local park. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before the movie begins. Bring blankets, sleeping bags, and/or low-back beach chairs with a maximum height of 9 inches off the ground, so the view of other patrons is not blocked. A flashlight or headlamp makes walking out at the end of the night easier. Limited street parking is available. This is an alcohol free event.

MUSIC IN THE PARK: Family Concerts

Aug 11, Ohlone Park, 12:00pm-4:00pm

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS QUESTIONNAIRE

Help the City of Berkeley better prepare for disasters such as earthquakes, wildfires, and climate change by filling out a short questionnaire.Your anonymous feedback will help us to better share information and science about disaster risk. It will also help inform the City’s current and future disaster readiness programs. The questionnaire will be available until September 30, 2018 on the Berkeley Considers platform. It is a first step in our update to the 2014 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. The updated plan will evaluate potential disasters and use the latest science to create a list of projects that could protect Berkeley when the next disaster strikes.

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August 10, 2018

Move-In for UC Berkeley Students is 8/13–8/14

The majority of UC Berkeley’s incoming undergraduate students will be moving into the residence halls on Tuesday, August 14. A more limited number will move in the day before, Monday, August 13. Theye anticipate that roughly 5, 500 incoming undergraduates and their families will be making their way through the streets of Berkeley to their residence halls (to check in and unload belongings) on Tuesday, from 8AM to 8PM.

UC Berkeley’s Move-In Team worked with the City of Berkeley (Transportation/Parking and Police Department) to plan the logistics for August 13-14 in a manner that will minimize the impact on the adjacent neighborhoods–with a special emphasis on traffic management on the South Side. You can review the traffic circulation map for the majority of the residence halls on the South Side at the link below: https://housing.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/SiteMap_MoveInDay_18.pdf

Golden Bear Orientation, a comprehensive week-long new student orientation, takes place from August 15–21. For more information on the GBO, including schedules for planned activities please use the following link: http://orientation.berkeley.edu/once-here/orientation

Clark Kerr Campus Beach Volleyball Complex Community Open House

Monday, August 13, 2018, 6:30-8:00 pm, Simpson Center for Student Athlete High Performance, Cronk Room, Enter from Memorial Stadium Gate 4, Piedmont Avenue

Update on Traffic Circle Policy

As many of you know, the Department of Public Works announced guidelines regarding trees in our traffic circles last week. Since that time, the City has revised our plans and held a community meeting to discuss this policy. Like many of you, I do not favor a blanket policy that prohibits all trees in traffic circles. I would like to thank all of you who came to the meeting to voice your concerns and your willingness to work with the City to make sure our traffic circles are safe and beautiful. Berkeley has a rich tradition of community involvement in greening our city. I favor continuing that tradition. Berkeleyside recently published a story regarding the new policy which you can read here.

Coffee with a Cop on August 16

On August 16th from 6pm to 9pm, members of the Berkeley Police Department and members of University of California Police Department will be at Caffe Strada (2300 College Avenue) for “Coffee with a Cop.” Please join us to share concerns, ask questions and meet the people who keep our community safe.

Office Hours

My monthly office hours will be September 6, from 9:30-11am, at Espresso Roma on College at Ashby. As always, if you can’t make this time, please feel free to reach out and schedule an individual appointment!

A list of additional community events is below.

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

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to request a City service?

Sign up for emergency notifications on AC Alert and crime prevention/updates on Nixle.

Music in the Park

Our Music in the Park concert series is continuing into the fall with Family Concerts!

Saturday, August 11, noon – 4:00pm: Jazz + R&B

Ohlone Park Baseball Field, Hearst & Sacramento Streets

Performances by Janice Maxie Reed & The Berkeley Jazz Collective, featuring Vincent Lars, saxophonist. Soloists include Dee Dee Simon, Derick Hughes and Omega Rey, accompanied by Levi Seacer Jr., and the Smash City Band.

Saturday, September 15, noon – 4:00pm: Hip Hop
Grove Park Ball Field Area, 1730 Oregon Street

This event is dedicated to the teens and will showcase up and coming new artists with a dance battle, rap performances by C5, Caleb, Kevin Allen (formerly known as Erk the Jerk), spoken word by Youth Speaks, a hip hop dance battle, karaoke, and much more!

Saturday, October 13, 10:00am – 4:00pm: Harvest Festival
Cedar Rose Park, 1300 Rose Street (at Hopkins)

Our annual Harvest Festival features a Food Expo, Garden Expo, Community Resources, food contests and demos, and a Kids’ Zone with face painting, bounce house, balloon art, pumpkin and scarecrow making and much more! Stage performances by Spazmatics, Motor Dude Zydeco, and Tortilla Soup.

Indigenous Peoples Day Pow Wow and Indian Market

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September 5, 2018

I’m frequently asked at neighborhood meetings what we can do to reduce crime in our communities. One step, which I worked with Councilmembers Wengraf and Worthington to promote, is to allow residents to register their security cameras with the City if they so choose. Doing so will let BPD know that you have a security camera which may assist them if a crime occurs in your vicinity. Please know that even if you register your camera, BPD will not be able to access any footage without your knowledge. More information is listed in the updates/announcements section below.

As part of an ongoing effort to work in partnership with the University, the City/UC/Student Relations Committee will meet on 9/24 to discuss amendments to the City’s Group Living Accommodation (GLA) Ordinance and more. Meeting details will be posted here.

City Council will be back in session on September 13th. Our agenda includes Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance updates, urban forestry requirements, proposed vehicle encampments, BART plaza encampment enforcement, and regulations for cannabis distribution and cultivation.

Elmwood Wine Walk

Enjoy a leisurely Sunday afternoon stroll in The Elmwood and sample over 70 wines! Sunday 1-5 pm, Sept. 23, 2018

Buy tickets online by September 15 at www.ShopTheElmwood.com for only $25. After September 15, tickets will be available for $35. If we do not sell out, tickets will be available Sept. 23 at the ticket table on the lawn next to Wells Fargo Bank on Ashby Ave.

Sunday 1 PM, Sept. 23, 2018 – Bring your ticket and ID to one of the check-in locations: Anton Salon, McGuire Real Estate, or the table on the lawn next to Wells Fargo. (A limited number of tickets may be available for purchase at the latter location on the day of the event.) Pick up your wine glass and program. The program has a map with the participating locations and information about the wines being poured.

For more information on wines, participating retailers and restaurants, transportation, parking suggestions and more, go to www.ShopTheElmwood.com. 50% of the event’s net proceeds will be donated to Berkeley United in Literacy Development (BUILD). BUILD is one of the largest reading programs in the East Bay.

Save Alta Bates at the Solano Stroll, 9/9:

Let Sutter Health know we want to keep Alta Bates in Berkeley, we’re going to have a booth at the Solano Stroll and march in a rally at 9am on September 9th. Meet at Fresno Ave. (between Solano Ave. and Marin Ave.) and wear red.

Office Hours

My monthly office hours will be tomorrow, September 6, from 9:30-11am, at Espresso Roma on College at Ashby. As always, if you can’t make this time, please feel free to reach out and schedule an individual appointment!

A list of additional community events is below.

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

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to request a City service?

Sign up for emergency notifications on AC Alert and crime prevention/updates on Nixle.

BPD’S NEW VOLUNTARY SECURITY CAMERA REGISTRY

As a result of a Council item I co-authored, the Berkeley Police Department’s Security Camera Registry will help BPD know you have a security camera and you’re willing to voluntarily share footage if we’re investigating a crime.

While private security video systems may deter crime, they also serve to capture valuable evidence of which can be used to identify and apprehend suspects who have been recorded in the commission of their crime. Many residents and business owners currently operate security systems which could aid in criminal investigations, and we have had great success from community members who have supported investigations by providing us with footage from their security systems.

By registering your camera with the Department, you would enable officers to quickly identify cameras that could potentially aid in the apprehension of the suspect(s) responsible for the crime under investigation. This saves officers valuable time which they would otherwise spend going door-to-door attempting to locate security footage that could help identify a suspect.

Registering your security camera information simply lets us know that you may be willing to share your camera’s footage. Registering does not provide the Berkeley Police Department with direct access to your camera. Registration is completely voluntary and free of charge. Your personal information will be kept confidential by the Police Department and will only be accessed by law enforcement personnel who are conducting an investigation. Registration may be withdrawn at any time.

The process for registering your camera is simple and only takes a few minutes to complete. You will be asked to provide basic information on where your camera(s) are located. Once you have completed the registration process, a member of the Berkeley Police Department will follow up with you to confirm your registration.

The Berkeley Police Department is committed to fostering strong community-police relationships in order to prevent and reduce crime. We invite our community to register your security camera as part of our effort to safeguard Berkeley.

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/police/security-camera-registry/

Music in the Park

Our Music in the Park concert series is continuing into the fall with Family Concerts!

Saturday, September 15, noon – 4:00pm: Hip Hop
Grove Park Ball Field Area, 1730 Oregon Street

Saturday, October 13, 10:00am – 4:00pm: Harvest Festival
Cedar Rose Park, 1300 Rose Street (at Hopkins)

Proposed Improvements to Levine Fricke Field – Community Open House

Thursday, September 20, 2018, 6:30-8:00 pm, Simpson Center for Student Athlete High Performance, Cronk Room, Enter from Memorial Stadium Gate 4, Piedmont Avenue

UC Berkeley invites our neighbors to an open house to learn about proposed improvements to Levine-Fricke Field, located on Centennial Road in the Strawberry Canyon Recreation Area.

The University is committed to providing commensurate facilities for our men’s and women’s athletic teams, and this proposed project will significantly improve the existing competition and training facility for the Intercollegiate Athletics women’s softball team. The project includes substantial reconfiguration of the existing field to accommodate required NCAA field dimensions, to incorporate improved training facilities, and to add new spectator seating.

Representatives from the campus project team and Intercollegiate Athletics will be on-hand to share information about this project, answer questions and listen to your input. Light refreshments will be served. We look forward to welcoming you.

Inquiries: (510) 643-4793 or [email protected]

Web: https://capitalstrategies.berkeley.edu/levine-fricke-field

Forming Utility Undergrounding Districts (UUDs)

Please attend a meeting at 7:00pm on September 27 at Northbrae Community Church, 914 The Alameda, Berkeley, CA 94707 to hear:

-An introduction to www.berkeleyundergrounding.com
-An overview of Berkeley’s undergrounding study and anticipated actions in the next year.
-The status of CPUC Electric Rule Review including the difference between 20A and 20B.
-How to successfully form an utility undergrounding district

Q and A will follow.

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September 20, 2018

As you know, pedestrian safety and traffic calming is a top priority of mine. Many of you have made requests to see traffic calming and improvements in our district. I want to give you an update on many of your requests, and also provide additional guidance on how to use the new light at Hillegass Ave. @ Ashby Ave.

HAWK Light at Hillegass Ave @ Ashby Ave.

A number of factors went into this site being chosen for this type of light. Ashby Avenue is a major state route, there are a high number of pedestrians and bicyclists, and Hillegass is a bike boulevard. In addition, the light was paid for by Caltrans, which funded the project as part of a settlement with a neighborhood group over the creation of the fourth bore at the Caldecott Tunnel, (The Fourth Bore Coalition – http://www.fourthbore.org). Below, I’ve included an infographic explaining the light. I am also providing answers to questions that my office has received since the light was installed.

Question: Why isn’t this just a normal traffic light that activates when someone bikes/walks on Hillegass Ave.?
Answer: CalTrans proposed to install a regular traffic signal years ago, but the neighbors were concerned that a traffic light would encourage additional traffic on Hillegass, which is a bicycle boulevard. A Pedestrian-Hybrid Beacon light, which is what is installed, gives priority to bicyclists and pedestrians but retains stop sign control for cars on Hillegass, and was permissible by CalTrans.

Question: Why are there blinking red lights (in addition to blinking yellow, yellow, and red lights)?
Answer: The blinking yellow lights indicate the beginning of the progression of lights: Blinking yellow = ‘The light is going to turn on’ -> Yellow = ‘Get ready to stop’ -> Red = ‘Stop’ -> Blinking red = ‘Stop, then proceed if clear’

Question: As you bike on Hillegass Ave., why don’t you see a bicycle signal in addition to a pedestrian walk signal?
Answer: Though a bicycle signal would be ideal, CalTrans would not permit it. The pedestrian signal serves both bicyclists and pedestrians.

Question: As you drive on Ashby and have a red light at the signal, if you see that a pedestrian is crossing Ashby on the crosswalk furthest away from you, is it okay to make a left turn during the red?
Answer: No, It should be treated exactly as a red light at a standard traffic signal. Turning left on red from a two-way street is illegal and will be cited if observed. By turning left on red, you run the risk of hitting a second pedestrian or jogger in the near crosswalk, or a bike arriving after the pedestrian.

Question: If a car is driving on Hillegass and has no cross traffic on Ashby, can they cross even if there is a red pedestrian hand up (facing them)?
Answer: If a car driving on Hillegass stops at the stop sign, they may then proceed when it is clear, even if the pedestrian signal shows a “don’t walk” indication. The only traffic control for cars on Hillegass is the stop sign, which must be obeyed whether the pedestrian indication is red or green. Cars driving through without stopping during a green walk signal may be cited for running the stop sign.

While I’m relieved to have the light finally up and running after over a decade of advocacy by neighbors, I understand that it will take some time to adjust to it. The City welcomes feedback on this crossing and we will gladly communicate any input to our Transportation Department and Commission. In the meantime, my office has heard from many people that they now feel safe bicycling and walking across that intersection, especially children travelling to Willard Middle School.

Other Completed projects:

High visibility crosswalk and flashing beacon lights at College @ Garber as part of Emerson Safe Routes to School
High visibility crosswalk and flashing beacon lights at Brookside @ Claremont Ave.
Bulbouts and cross-hatches at Forest @ Claremont Blvd.,Piedmont @ Forest, Piedmont @ Garber to calm traffic around Emerson Elementary
Leading pedestrian intervals to improve safe crossing at Ashby @ Claremont

Future Projects :

Design/Construction for Woolsey/Eton Traffic Circle
Claremont/Eton Ave RRFB
John Muir Elementary School pedestrian crossing with lights
Claremont/Russell HAWK (pending additional funding)
Tunnel/Oak Ridge Light Improvements
Lewiston/Alcatraz Crosswalk Repainting
Additional stop bar at Derby @ College

Clearly there are exciting projects planned for our neighborhood. The big challenge for implementation is ensuring that we have appropriate staff levels. I am regularly meeting with our City Manager to emphasize the importance of ensuring that we can complete these projects sooner rather than later. I am fully supportive of hiring more staff so we can accomplish our goals to make our city safer. If you have any questions about the status of these projects, please reach out to our office and Farid Javandel [email protected]

Additional transportation policies:

Vision Zero Update: As you know, City Council rated my legislation to make Berkeley a Vision Zero City its top priority for this year, with the goal of eliminating pedestrian and bicycle fatalities and major injuries. Since then, staff has begun incorporating goals of Vision Zero into the City’s long term plans, and working on those details with the Transportation Commission.
Traffic Calming Criteria: I wrote legislation to make it easier for neighborhood streets to qualify for traffic calming. Additionally, I co-authored legislation to consideration of additional or supplemental stop sign criteria to address the needs the vulnerable populations, the presence of bicycle boulevards, and the difficulty of crossing particular intersections.
Protecting Pedestrians During Construction: To make sure that our pedestrians can walk safely past construction sites in Berkeley, I passed legislation to ensure more accessible sidewalks. All too often, sidewalks are suddenly blocked during construction and pedestrians are forced to walk in the street. We need to ensure that there are protected avenues for pedestrians and people in wheelchairs.
Addressing Beg Buttons: Pedestrians should automatically be given walk signals at every traffic intersection. All too often, pedestrians have to use “beg buttons” in order to cross the street. I wrote legislation to make our intersections more hospitable to pedestrians.

Coming to Council: On 9/25 Mayor Arreguin, Councilmembers Davila, Bartlett and I are asking our Parks and Waterfront and Transportation Commission to set up a community-led process to address vegetation in our traffic circles. You can find that item and the whole agenda here.

Office Hours: My monthly office hours will be October 4, from 9:30-11am, at Espresso Roma on College at Ashby. As always, if you can’t make this time, please feel free to reach out and schedule an individual appointment!

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

Need a sidewalk repair? Want to request a City service? 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.

Sign up for emergency notifications on AC Alert and crime prevention/updates on Nixle.

City/UC Student Relations Committee (4×6 Committee)

September 24, 9am -11am, Senate Chambers in Eshleman Hall, UC Berkeley, 2465 Bancroft Way more info here. Agenda includes:

Discussion of Berkeley City Council on Proposed Amendments to the Group Living Accommodation (GLA) Ordinance (Arreguin)
Update on Campus Area National Night Out Against Crime (Worthington)
Informational Report on UC/City Housing Efforts (Lizardo / Worthington)

Elmwood Wine Walk

Enjoy a leisurely Sunday afternoon stroll in The Elmwood and sample over 70 wines!

Sunday 1-5 pm, Sept. 23, 2018

City of Berkeley Harvest Festival

Saturday, October 13, 10:00am – 4:00pm: Harvest Festival
Cedar Rose Park, 1300 Rose Street (at Hopkins)

Outdoor Movie At Willard Park: Kubo And The Two Strings

Our summer of Friday night movies in Berkeley parks ends this week with a showing of Kubo and the Two Strings, which will be showing at Willard Park.

September 21, 7:30pm: Kubo and the Two Strings, Willard Park, 2730 Hillegass Avenue

Please arrive at least 30 minutes before the movie begins. Bring blankets, sleeping bags and/or low-back beach chairs with a maximum height of 9 inches off the ground, so the view of other patrons is not blocked. A flashlight or headlamp makes walking out at the end of the night easier. Limited street parking is available. This is an alcohol free event.

Forming Utility Undergrounding Districts (UUDs)
Please attend a meeting at 7:00pm on September 27 at Northbrae Community Church, 914 The Alameda, Berkeley, CA 94707 to hear:

Q and A will follow.

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November 30, 2018

Budget Updates

As part of Council’s FY 2018 Year-End Results and FY 2019 First Quarter Budget Update, I’m pleased to report that Mayor Arreguin allocated $100,000 to fund my request for two flashing crosswalks in our district. The additional funding for safer crosswalks will go toward a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon light at Eton Ave. @ Claremont Ave., and pedestrian safety mitigations at Russell St. @ Claremont Ave. The timing of implementation depends a lot on staffing levels so we are working with our City Manager to address staffing so we can implement these sooner rather than later. Additionally, we expect construction of a safer crosswalk in front of John Muir Elementary to start in the Spring. As you know, our office has been particularly focused on passing traffic and pedestrian safety policies, many of which were outlined in our previous newsletter.

Mayor Arreguin also allocated $200,000 for a temporary full time staff member dedicated to working on undergrounding Berkeley’s utility wires. Councilmember Wengraf and I requested this staff position last June, and we’re thrilled to see it funded. Our Disaster and Fire Safety Commission has done extensive background work around the costs, feasibility, and plans for undergrounding utility wires. This next phase will move their recommendations forward.

Finally, the Mayor allocated significant funding to our reserves, which is incredibly important to bolster our rainy day fund. This has been an issue I have advocated forcefully for over the last few years and I’m pleased that we are preparing for unexpected catastrophic and financial hurdles.

You can find the Mayor Arreguin’s complete budget recommendations here. Feel free to send him an email for a thoughtful, fiscally responsible budget at [email protected]

December 4 Council Meeting

Farewell to Councilmembers Linda Maio and Kriss Worthington

On December 4th, we will be saying goodbye to Councilmember Linda Maio and Councilmember Kriss Worthington at our new meeting location BUSD Board Room (1231 Addison Street) at 6pm. Councilmembers Maio and Worthington have served Berkeley for decades and their contributions to our community are immeasurable. Please feel free to provide public testimony at our meeting on Tuesday, if you wish.

Pedestrian Plan Update

Public Works staff will provide an update regarding Berkeley’s Pedestrian Plan, which was last completed in 2010. The process of updating the plan is underway – see the announcements below to provide online feedback and attend an open house. As you know, pedestrian safety is a top priority of mine and I encourage you all to get involved in this process which will inform the City’s work plan for the next ten years.

Please complete this survey about your walking experience in Berkeley.You can also see “Events” below for information about the Pedestrian Plan open house tomorrow, December 1st.

Tree Planting Requirements with Residential Alterations or Housing Construction

Council will discuss a proposal to establish appropriate tree planting requirements, e.g. a ratio of trees required per square foot, for new single-family and multi-family construction, as well as qualifying alterations to existing residential buildings.

Allowing Paid City Staff and Council Aides to serve on Commissions

A few years ago, City Council passed a good governance item to prohibit paid city staff and council aides to serve on commissions. I served on the Ad-Hoc Committee for a More Open Government and feel very strongly that it is important to retain the independence of our commissions. This repeal would create a perceived conflict of interest if paid staff or Council aides could vote on or push forward certain policies. In 2016, the nonpartisan League of Women Voters Berkeley Albany Emeryville wrote in support of this good governance item.

City Council Standing Policy Committees

Council will be voting on establishing standing policy committees to further vet Council items. I think this is an exciting endeavor and will lead to more efficient Council meetings and fully-fleshed out Council proposals.

Electric Scooters

Council will be voting on a Shared Electric Scooter Pilot Program. The proposal would permit a one year pilot, with up to three scooter operators, for 1200 scooters to be phased in over time. To cover costs associated with the program, operators would pay a $2,500 application fee, a $15,000 annual franchise fee, and $10,000 balance for a public maintenance fund. Operators would be responsible for managing ongoing scooter storage, removal, and relocation. The City is also requesting that operators offer a low-income membership option and a customer service hotline.

As always, you can provide commentary on these items and more by emailing [email protected]

Office Hours Update: My office hours will still be on the first Thursday of the month, December 6th, at Cafe Roma with a modified time: 9:30-10:30am.

Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8
www.LoriDroste.com
Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to request a City service?

Sign up for emergency notifications on AC Alert and crime prevention/updates on Nixle.

Help make Berkeley an even more walkable city by completing a survey,visiting our pedestrian wikimap to share with us your opinions on routes you use, and attending a Dec. 1 meeting.

We are updating our pedestrian plan, a blueprint to guide how projects will make it safer and more comfortable for people of all ages to walk across our city. The pedestrian plan will analyze pedestrian crash data throughout Berkeley, identify problem areas or intersections and propose solutions.

Pedestrian Plan Open House Saturday, December 1, 2018 11:00 am – 2:00 pm Francis Albrier Community Center 2800 Park Street

You’ll get to talk to staff and provide input about all things pedestrian: crosswalks, sidewalks, street trees, walking to work and more. Learn more about the Pedestrian Master Plan project, complete the survey, fill out our wiki and come to our open house. We want to make it easier to walk Berkeley! Walkberkeley.info

We’re having public workshops to re-design our transfer station for garbage, recycling, compost and other materials so that Berkeley ships less to landfills. We’d like your input. The eventual goal of a new site is simple: if we recover more of what can be reused or recycled, we slash what Berkeley trucks to the mountains of garbage that fill landfills. Come out to our listening session to share your vision:

Transfer Station Redesign: Listening Sessions

– Wednesday November 28th 6 pm to 9 pm South Berkeley Senior Center 2939 Ellis Street

– Saturday December 1st 1 pm to 4 pm Live Oak Community Center 1301 Shattuck Avenue

Canned Food Drive

Elmwood merchants are hosting 5 food barrels from the Alameda County Food Bank to collect food this season. The barrels are placed in Anton’s Salon, Vintage Berkeley, McGuire Real Estate, Cheap Pete’s, and Rialto Cinemas Elmwood. They will be there through December 15th!

Berkeley Historical Society Event

On December 1st, at 1pm, the Berkeley Historical Society will be installing a Plaque on at 2945 College Avenue honoring “Bill’s Trading Post’ and Peggy Casey for all our years of service to the community. Everyone is invited for a Celebration with refreshments.

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December 10, 2018

On Tuesday, December 11th before the City Council meeting, important stakeholders will host a press conference to support a Council item from Mayor Arreguin, Councilmember Harrison, Councilmember Hahn, and me. We have co-sponsored an item to direct the city manager to engage with Sutter Health to request a plan to retrofit and rebuild Alta Bates or sell the hospital to an operator who will maintain a full service, acute care hospital in Berkeley.

Join us at the press conference: 4:45pm, Tuesday, Dec. 11, on the steps of City Hall at 2180 Milvia St.

December 11 Council Meeting

2019-2023 Street Paving Plan

You can see the map of streets to be paved here, along with streets from FY2018 that were delayed (they are included below). The following District 8 streets will be paved:

College Ave. from Ashby Ave to the south city limit (around Alcatraz Ave.)
Forest Ave from College Ave to Claremont Blvd
Hillegass Ave. from Dwight Ave to Woolsey St.
Arden Rd. from Panoramic Way to end of street (FY 2018 carryover)
Canyon Rd. from Panoramic Way through the end of the street (FY 2018 carryover)
Mosswood Rd. from Panoramic Way through the end of the street (FY 2018 carryover)
Panoramic Way from Canyon Rd. to east city limit (FY 2018 carryover)

Single Use Disposable Foodware Ordinance

This item would mandate that compostable foodware containers be used for all to-go foods and it would add a 25 cent fee for any disposable cup used. The item also includes mini-grants to support implementation, and includes policies to accommodate special circumstances.

Follow Up: Allowing Paid City Staff and Council Aides to serve on Commissions

Thanks to all of you who wrote to Council about your concerns with this item. It was withdrawn from the agenda so it is no longer under consideration.

As always, you can provide commentary on these items and more by emailing [email protected]

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

Need a street or sidewalk repair? Want to request a City service?

Sign up for emergency notifications on AC Alert and crime prevention/updates on Nixle.

WITH NEW ELECTRICITY PROVIDER FOR BERKELEY, CLEANER OPTIONS AVAILABLE
100% carbon-free and renewable options fight climate change

Berkeley residents and businesses now receive greener sources of electricity and have the option to get completely carbon-free power such as solar or wind.

The new electricity provider is East Bay Community Energy, an organization formed by Alameda County and cities within the county to provide cleaner and more local sources of electricity. PG&E continues to deliver electricity and gas, maintain the power lines, respond to outages, and provide billing.

December 20, 2018

Happy holidays, from my family to yours. Don’t forget to support our local Elmwood businesses this holiday season. If your looking for ways to give back to the community, you can find suggestions here.

Office Hours: A quick note about office hours: my January office hours are cancelled. You can contact my office for an appointment, or come to the next office hours on February 7th, Cafe Espresso Roma, 9:30-11am.

City Auditor Survey: Our new City Auditor, Jenny Wong, is asking Berkeley residents to complete a survey about your questions/concerns regarding the city. You can complete the survey here.

Holiday trees: If possible, cut up your holiday tree to fit in your green cart for your normal weekly compost collection. If that is not possible, you can place your holiday tree at the curb on your normal collection day during the month of January. Trees left at the curb must be cut to a maximum of 4 feet tall. Trees left at the curb may be picked-up by a separate truck, during the week they are set out. If we do not service your tree during the week it was set-out, call 311 to report a holiday tree at the curb.

You may also choose to drop your holiday tree off at the City’s Transfer Station (1201 2nd St.) at no charge during the month of January. Businesses and residents who normally don’t have compost collection can call 311 (or 510-981-7270) to schedule a tree pick-up at the curb. After January you can cut up your tree to fit in your plant debris cart, or you can bring it to the Berkeley Transfer Station for the minimum compost fee of $23.

Please remove: all lights, decorations, tinsel, plastic bags and plastic tree stands.
We will collect flocked trees, but they are not compostable, so please avoid flocking.

UC Berkeley’s New Academic Strategic Plan: Read the newly released academic strategic plan here.

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

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