2019 Newsletter Archive

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

February 8, 2019

March 4, 2019

April 29 2019

February 8, 2019

I’m pleased to cohost office hours with Mayor Arreguin this Sunday at Cafe Espresso Roma, 2960 College Ave., on the corner of College and Ashby. Please stop by between 11am and 1pm and say hello!

2019 has gotten off to a busy start:

On Tuesday, Council heard staff updates to our Pedestrian Plan and Small Business Support package. We also heard from staff about wildfire safety in our community. I encourage you to read these presentations.

The Pedestrian Plan Update dovetails with Berkeley’s work on Vision Zero to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries among all roads users. As you know, this has been a passion of mine and I’m eager to see this project implemented and provide staff with the resources they need to accomplish this.

Between 2012 and 2016, approximately 3 people were killed and 31 people severely injured each year in traffic collisions. Pedestrian and bicyclists were involved in only 7% of crashes but represent one-third of all traffic fatalities (Vision Zero presentation, 2019).

I have asked the Council to consider a budget allocation to oversee Vision Zero so we can start making progress on this issue. In the meantime, Council has asked staff to daylight problem intersections, particularly on high injury corridors. Approximately 14% of a Berkeley’s street miles account for 93% of fatal and severe injuries.

Last week, Council affirmed the Zoning Adjustments Board’s approval to build a building in Berkeley’s Downtown Corridor. In 2010, Berkeley voters overwhelmingly approved Measure R, which was a blueprint for more housing, greater sustainability, and improved transportation and infrastructure Downtown. Our decision last week follows the will of Berkeley voters who supported Measure R’s plan to allow taller buildings downtown if they provided community benefits. This project will provide $10 million in affordable housing, good paying jobs, and a community space.

In January, Council passed an ordinance that will eventually require all restaurants to use compostable takeout containers, require that any food served on site be served in non-disposable foodware, and require an additional charge on to-go cups for coffee, tea, soft drinks, etc. The hope is that this ordinance will reduce our reliance on single use, disposable containers, encourage composting, and change our consumption habits. In terms of the cup fee, it will be similar to that of the plastic bag fee: merchants can keep the additional revenue to support the transition to compostable containers, and people will have an incentive to bring their own coffee cups when purchasing drinks.

The Ecology Center, who runs the City recycling program, was a key sponsor of this legislation and conducted significant outreach to businesses. They, along with city staff, are committed to helping businesses as they transition to these new regulations.

Our next Council meeting is on February 19th. You can find the agenda here, which includes a proposal to permit additional cannabis dispensaries in Berkeley. As always, you can email thoughts and questions to [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?

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.

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March 4, 2019

Happy March! I wanted to update you on some policies Council has adopted or are considering.

1000 Person Homeless Plan

City staff have outlined useful background information and several strategies to address Berkeley’s rising homelessness. As you likely know, Berkeley invests significant resources into helping as many people as possible to find stability and housing. Voters also overwhelmingly passed Measure P which will provide approximately $6-8 million of additional funding per year to address homelessness in Berkeley. This plan (link will download) concludes that “To end homelessness for 1000 people in Berkeley, the original referral directive from City Council, the city will need up-front investments in targeted homelessness prevention, light-touch housing problem-solving, rapid rehousing, and permanent subsidies, with a cost of $16 – $19.5 million up front and an annual ongoing expense of between roughly $12 – 15 million.”

Clean and Livable Commons Initiative

Council unanimously passed guidance to the City Manager regarding restroom access, locker storage, and illegal dumping that occurs around homeless encampments. Our vote authorizes the City Manager to use roughly $4 million in state funds to address homelessness by providing four additional restrooms near encampments, provide trash removal at encampments, expand the city’s locker storage program, and add lighting/cameras/signs to prevent future illegal dumping.

Policy Managing Recreational Vehicle Parking

As you may know, the number of Berkeley’s RV dwellers has expanded in recent months. At last count, nearly 200 vehicles were parked in Berkeley. Over half of those vehicles were located in West Berkeley. To address the impacts of some of those vehicle dwellers – including illegal dumping and improper human waste disposal – Council looked at neighboring City policies to see how they address similar issues. At the last Council meeting, Council voted to prohibit RV parking from 2am – 5am after outreach, and create a permit system allowing RVs to stay on city streets for a maximum of 14 days.

Initial Discussion of “Missing Middle Report”

Together with Council members Kesarwani, Robinson, and Bartlett, I am requesting that City staff work with housing experts to produce a report/analysisof strategies that we as a city can take to allow more “Missing Middle” housing. Missing middle housing is often defined as duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes, which typically provide housing to accommodate middle income earners such as teachers, city employees, etc. Right now, the the vast majority of new multi family housing in Berkeley are taller midrises, as opposed to subtler forms that are affordable by design.

Discriminatory lending/zoning practices in the 1950’s laid the foundation for our current neighborhood makeup by permitting costlier, single family homes in caucasian neighborhoods and banning more affordable duplexes, triplexes in those areas to keep people of color from moving in. As a result, homeowners today lack flexibility to split their house into separate units to accommodate aging parents or children moving back home. Quite a few state bills are pursuing zoning reform to address this issue as well. I think it is imperative that we have full information before we embark on any changes OR if the state mandates that we pursue zoning changes.

I am requesting more information on where missing middle housing might be appropriate within our current housing stock. My referral is a request for an informational report NOT a request for zoning revisions. Any actual proposals to modify our zoning code should come after significant community engagement and informed discussion.

Council will vote on whether we want information on March 26th.

Approval of Sixth Cannabis Dispensary Location

The Apothecarium, which currently runs a few dispensaries in San Francisco, will be opening on Telegraph Ave. at Bancroft. At our next Council meeting, we will discuss additional components of the City’s cannabis ordinance, including discussion of expanded buffer zones near schools and quotas on different cannabis business types. You can provide input on this topic through Berkeley Considers.

Our next Council meeting will take place on March 12th, agenda here. As always, you can email thoughts and questions to [email protected].

One final note: my office hours for this month are Monday, March 18th (9:30-10:30am) at Cafe Espresso Roma on the corner of College Ave. and Ashby Ave.

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

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

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Citywide Traffic Enforcement

Over the next month, members of the Berkeley Police Department will be conducting increased traffic enforcement throughout the city. Officers will be looking for violations made by drivers that put the community at risk. These violations include drivers speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and failing to stop for signs/signals. In addition to this enforcement, officers will also be looking for impaired and/or distracted drivers.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been over 45 collisions throughout the city where people have been injured. Our hope is that this increased enforcement will make our community and roadways safer.

Funding for this enforcement is provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety and the City of Berkeley.

The Berkeley Police Department Conducts Traffic Enforcement In Memory Of Zachary Cruz

February 27, 2019 marked the 10 year anniversary of the death of Zachary Cruz. Zachary was only 5 years old when he was struck and killed while crossing the street at the intersection of Warring Street and Derby Streets on February 27th 2009. The following year, the Berkeley City Council issued a proclamation declaring March as Zachary Cruz Pedestrian Safety Month.

This enforcement, which is funded by a grant provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety, focused on education and enforcement of stop sign, seatbelt, and right of way violations. The Traffic Bureau conducted traffic enforcement in the area of Warring and Derby Streets—educating numerous drivers about traffic safety and issuing 15 citations.

These efforts, made in his memory are intended to help safeguard our community through education on traffic safety and enforcement.

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April 29 2019

I hope you are enjoying this beautiful spring weather!

Council has been busy and we have many important issues coming before us. I’ve highlighted a few of them below. You can find the full City Council agenda for Tuesday’s meeting here.

1,000 Person Plan

Tomorrow, April 30th at 4:30pm, Council will review and discuss the City’s Thousand Person Plan to End Homelessness. I shared this with you several weeks ago, but Council discussion on this item was postponed. If you haven’t looked at this already, I would encourage you to read it to learn more about homelessness in our community and the steps we are taking to help house vulnerable populations.

Special Council Meeting to Discuss the Development of North Berkeley Bart Station

At the special meeting on May 9th at 6pm, Council will consider:

Goals and objectives for development of the N. Berkeley BART station.
Three specific zoning scenarios that will help us to better understand development tradeoffs between, for example, the number of housing units (including affordable units) that we can create versus the number of parking spaces we can accommodate.

The special meeting is the next step in our efforts to comply with the state law, AB 2923, which requires local jurisdictions like Berkeley to zone BART parking lots in accordance with BART transit-oriented development standards. This is an opportunity for us to address our City’s shortage of affordable homes and meet our climate change goals by locating homes close to public transit. Please join us to give public comment and learn about next steps in the process. If you’re unable to attend, please feel free to contact Council with your input:[email protected].

Details: Thurs., May 9th, 6 p.m., Longfellow Middle School, 1500 Derby St.

New Office Hours: I’ll be holding office hours on the second Monday of every month from 8 – 10am at Cafe Espresso Roma, 2960 College Ave. Come say hello on May 13th! As always, if you can’t make that time, please reach out to my office and we can set up another time to chat.

Additional upcoming events and announcements are listed below.

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

Want to request a City service?

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May 4th & 5th: Bay Area Book Festival

Tens of thousands of book lovers meet hundreds of acclaimed authors over an exciting weekend in downtown Berkeley, California. One of the premier literary events in the nation!

https://www.baybookfest.org/

Cal Commencement Day is May 18th

https://commencement.berkeley.edu/

Cal Move Out is May 19th

Learn more about Cal Move Out! to avoid fines for illegal dumping and learn how to dispose of unneeded belongings sustainably.

Provide Input on the San Pablo Avenue Corridor Project

The San Pablo Avenue Corridor Project seeks to develop a long-term vision and near-term improvements for San Pablo Avenue that will allow it to function better and more safely. The Alameda County Transportation Commission and the Mayor are hosting a public workshop to review three proposed concepts for the future of San Pablo Avenue:

Thurs., May 23rd, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Frances Albrier Community Center, 2800 Park St.

Take the public survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SPACorridor

Evening Fundraiser for Women’s Daytime Drop In Center

Come support the Women’s Daytime Drop-in Center, a non-profit organization that empowers women and children to move from the streets to a home. The Center provides a daytime refuge where they receive support, nourishing meals, and access to community resources to overcome homelessness and regain self-sufficiency.

Bring your friends for an evening of…wine, dinner, and live and silent auctions.Items for bid include:

A breathtaking farmhouse in Tuscany
A wine country home in Sonoma
A peaceful Sea Ranch getaway
Food, wine, and other adventures

Ed Roberts Campus, 3075 Adeline St., Berkeley, CA. 94703

Saturday, May 4, 2019, 6:00 – 9:30PM

Buy tickets here

For more information: Call 510-548-2884 [email protected]

May 22 Workshop to Reduce Waste, Help Design Berkeley’s Transfer Station

Come out to the last of our public sessions on reconfiguring our transfer station, a critical piece in our efforts to reduce what Berkeley sends to the landfill. At this May 22 session, you’ll see the most developed layouts to date for the future transfer station, which accepts and then transfers recyclables, compost and garbage. The input from this meeting will further refine the designs that will be presented to the Zero Waste Commission in June and, ultimately, to the City Council in November.

These preliminary plans were created through a series of community meetingsand workshops about the station, which transfers garbage, recycling, compost and other materials. Both plans:

make it easier to drop off materials that aren’t collected curbside
propose an environmental center, allowing greater capacity for school tours or other education
catwalks, to help the public view and learn more about the work of reducing waste
design the facility to be able to take in other materials

If you come, you’ll get an overview, and you’ll be able to review these conceptual plans. You’ll also be able to give input on how you want to experience this facility, a critical nexus in the City’s efforts to reduce waste

May 22nd (Wednesday), City of Berkeley – West Branch, Community Meeting Room, 5-7pm, 1125 University Ave.

Safe Skateboarding Event

5/4/2019, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Skate Park at 5th and Harrison St

Happy Good Time: A Fun and Safe Skateboarding Event| ALL AGES

A free introduction for skaters and parents. Parents are encouraged to participate (ages 7 and under must be accompanied by a guardian). Food, music and prizes!

*Participants must wear a helmet. (Knee pads and elbow pads recommended.)

Mother’s Day @ the Rose Garden/Roses in Bloom Acoustical Series featuring Bay Area Jazz Society

In honor of Mothers Day, we invite you to “Hats & High Tea” for our first event in the Music in the Park, Roses in Bloom Acoustical Series at the Berkeley Rose Garden. Saturday, May 11, 2019 from 11 am to 2 pm. Ladies and Gents, sport your spring hat and enjoy the ambience of the gardens spectacular rose bushes along with breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge while sipping tea and listening to live jazz. Flowers will be handed out to the mothers.

The Roses in Bloom Acoustical Music Series will be performed by musicians from the Bay Area Jazz Society for three additional weekends following the Mothers Day event.

Series dates are:

Saturday, May 11, 2019, 11am – 2pm ~ Park Place
Sunday, May 19, 2019, 3 – 5 pm ~ JazSynergy
Sunday, May 26, 2019, 3 – 5 pm ~ The Miichael Cheadle Group
Sunday, June 2, 2019, 3 – 5 pm ~ The Steve Carter Quintet

Community Yard Sale and Craft Fair | ALL AGES

5/11/2019, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Cost $15/$18 (res/non)

Contact: Akil Danjuma, 981-6651, City of Berkeley

James Kenney Recreation Center, 1720 8th Street

It’s time for spring cleaning! Get ready for summer by cleaning out your closets and garages and join with neighbors for our largest community yard sale ever!

One table, two chairs and space will be provided for all participants registered to sell your previously used items. Pre-registration is required. Registration deadline: May 9, 2019. Setup begins at 9:30am.

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May 18, 2019

Measles Case

A measles case has been confirmed in Berkeley. Anyone who visited the Berkeley Bowl on 2020 Oregon Street on Tuesday May 7 from 3pm to 5pm should look for the first stage of symptoms: runny nose, red eyes, cough and fever. Symptoms start to emerge 7 to 21 days after exposure. The next stage of measles symptoms involves a rash that typically appears on the face and spreads down the body. If you develop these symptoms, call your doctor right away. It is important to call ahead to any medical facility and to tell them that you may have been exposed to measles, so they can take measures to protect other patients and visitors. If you or your family have not already been vaccinated, vaccines are available at the City’s health clinic.

Game Day Parking

At our last Council meeting, I’m pleased to say that we voted to increase parking fines on Cal football game days to deter illegal parking and incentivize visitors to use alternative modes of transportation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many of you have requested increased fines to deter illegal parking, and I’m happy to report that changes are underway. In certain areas surrounding campus, fines will increase substantially (to $225) for non-RPP permit holders.

Crime and Safety

Although violent and property crime decreased in 2018, I always am concerned for the safety of Berkeley residents. In particular, I was extremely concerned about the murder of a man in People’s Park. I have been engaged in conversations with the University about the safety of People’s Park.

On the city’s end, the City Manager and Police Chief are focused on hiring officers, dispatchers and community service officers to get staffing levels back up. I continue to be supportive of these efforts. This is important if we want Berkeley to have specialized units like a violent crime suppression team, bike patrol, investigative resources or a robust traffic enforcement unit.

These recruitment efforts are paying off.

The City of Berkeley would love to hire locally. If you know a friend or family member who you think would be a great addition, link them to BPD’s Recruitment team. The BPD team would love to to talk to prospects, arrange tours and ride-alongs, and can be reached at (510)981-5813, or[email protected]. Let’s help our Department find outstanding folks to serve our community!

Council Agenda

At our next Council meeting, we will be discussing the FY2020-21 budget and looking at citywide economic indicators. Compiled by our Office of Economic Development, the report shows that Berkeley’s economy was healthy throughout 2018, but latest trends such as decreased sales tax revenue and increased office vacancies indicate slow or flattening growth. Unemployment rates remain low, construction continues to increase, and housing prices remain high. Retail in commercial districts (by square footage) continues to decline as those spaces are being used for additional uses such as offices and personal services.

You can view the full 5/28 agenda here. Please feel free to email me at[email protected] with any questions. You can also provide feedback to the entire Council by emailing [email protected]

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

Want to request a City service?

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Reminder: Community Fire Safety Meeting May 21st

May 21st, 7-9:30pm, Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda

Please join Council members Wengraf, Droste, and Hahn for a in-depth presentation and discussion about fire safety in Berkeley. A panel of speakers will discuss Berkeley’s evacuation, vegetation management, partnerships with UC Berkeley, East Bay Regional Parks, and the Moraga-Orinda Fire District.

Wildfire Evacuation

May 25, 2019 – 2:00pm-3:00pm, Claremont Branch Library

Learn about the wildfire threat in Berkeley, what to do to prepare, and when and how to evacuate. Please call 510-981-6280 for more information

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June 14, 2019

2019 Street Paving Plan

This summer the City is paving 40 Berkeley streets that account for 6.6 miles throughout the City. This summer’s paving is on top of another 20 miles we paved since 2016, part of a surge in street paving that’s been made possible by Berkeley and Alameda County voters.

Construction began in April. Residents and businesses on affected streets, which are listed below, will receive mailers which will have information for relevant contractors and city staff. The last of the projects is expected to be completed in six months.

How are streets selected for paving? Streets are selected for paving projects based on criteria such as pavement condition, type of repair required, cost effectiveness, budget constraints and road classification as an arterial, collector, or residential street. In recent years, we’ve focused on “arterial streets” – the ones that most people and buses use. As a result, paving those streets has the biggest impact. This summer, we’re increasing the proportion of neighborhood streets paved to make sure those are also addressed. The Public Works Commission also provided input.

In Berkeley, paving doesn’t just mean asphalt. Our paving plan includes the repair or replacement of nearby elements that need attention — curb ramps, curbs, sidewalks, drainage inlets and pipes, gutters, street signage, and striping. This increases the cost for particular streets, but saves money over time by coordinating all of a road’s construction needs at one time. Integrating this work also improves pedestrian access and better serves those with disabilities.

How is the City funding these paving projects? A big part of the funding comes from two measures funded by Berkeley voters: Measure M, the $30 million streets and watershed bond voters passed in 2014 and T1, a 2016 city infrastructure bond, a portion of which includes roads. Other funding sources include Alameda County Measures B and BB sales taxes, the city’s General Fund, and state gas tax revenues.

Summer 2019 Paving – List of Streets

5th, from Harrison to Camelia
6th, from Albany border to Gilman
6th, from Allston to Dwight
Adeline Street, between Shattuck and Ashby avenues
Arden, from Panoramic to Dead End
Bancroft, from Prospect to Panoramic
Bonar, from University to Dwight
Burnett, from Mabel to Acton
Byron, from Addison to Bancroft
Canyon, from Bancroft to #67 Canyon
Carleton, from San Pablo to Mathews
Catalina, from Colusa to The Alameda
Cornell, from Hopkins to Virginia
Delaware, from California to Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Derby, from San Pablo to Mabel
Dwight, from Panoramic to eastern City Limit
Dwight Crescent, from 6th to 7th
Folger, from West End to Hollis
Hearst, between Shattuck and Milvia
Henry, from Cedar to Rose
Highland Place, from Ridge to Hearst
Hilgard, from La Vereda to Dead End
Jones, from Eastshore Highway to 2nd
Jones, from 4th to 6th
Josephine, from Hopkins to The Alameda
Lincoln, from Sacramento to Grant
Milvia Street between Blake and Russell streets
Modoc, from Marin to Solano
Mosswood, from Panoramic to Dead End
Murray, from 7th to San Pablo
Page, from 3rd to 4th
Panoramic Place, from Panoramic to #8 Panoramic Place
Panoramic Way, from Bancroft to Oakland border
Poe, from Bonar to Dead End
Prince, from Tremont to Telegraph
Prospect, from Hillside to Bancroft
Ridge, from La Loma to Highland Pl
Rugby, from northern city border to Vermont
Station Place, from Catalina to Dead End
Vermont, from Maryland to End Above Rugby

The next City Council meeting is on 6/25 where we will be discussing the City Budget in greater detail. You can find the Mayor’s proposed budget here. I will be available on 7/8 for my usual office hours, 8-10am on the second Monday of the month at Cafe Espresso Roma on College @ Ashby.

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

Want to request a City service?

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KidChella: Free concert series for young children and their families

The music ranges from reggae and rock-and-roll to calypso and sing-alongs. Each concert will also have an interactive children’s performance, a bubble station, and face-painting. This summer’s KidChella performances are:

Sunday, June 22, 3-5 pm

Asheba – a musical storyteller who specializes in calypso, the musical and folkloric oral tradition of Trinidad, Asheba’s homeland.

Live Oak Park

1301 Shattuck Avenue

Saturday, July 6, 3-5 pm

Andy Z – Andy engages children (and parents) with songs, banter, and stories that run the gamut- from educational to just plain silly, from dance songs to lullabies, from sing-alongs to finger plays.

San Pablo Park

2800 Park Street

KidChella is just one of an array of events throughout the year organized by the City’s Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Department, which organizes dozens of camps, classes and other activities for people of all ages. Get a glimpse at the Recreation division’s offerings through the Activity Guide and sign up via our online registration portal. Call 510-981-5150 for more information. Bring your family, enjoy Berkeley’s parks, take blankets, umbrellas, sunscreen, and maybe even a picnic snack to enjoy

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July 11, 2019

Budget

As the Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee, I worked extensively with City departments to learn about what they need to better improve their work, and what funding that required. As you know, a particular concern of mine is fire safety. Two overwhelming needs that the department had was protective gear for paramedics who would respond to active shooter events, and money specifically dedicated for wildfire safety focusing on vegetation management along evacuation routes. While there are many competing initiatives in our budget, these are two requests I felt personally committed to fulfilling. After several Committee meetings reviewing the budget, I advocated for over $400,000 over FY 2020 and 2021 to meet these needs. I’m happy to say that based on the Mayor’s support for my Committee’s recommendations, these funds were passed in full by City Council last month.

Rally for Children in Migrant Detention Centers

This weekend the City will join communities around the country to hold a rally for children in migrant detention centers. The rally will take place from 12-2pm on Saturday July 13, at Berkeley Civic Center Park at MLK and Center St.

Upcoming Council Meetings

Natural Gas Prohibition

Council will be considering adopting an ordinance prohibiting natural gas in new buildings starting in 2020.

Housing Production

For those of you who are interested in housing production trends over the past few years in Berkeley, staff have provided an update on recent projects in the housing pipeline. Highlights include:

There have been nineteen approved projects (1,141 units) that are now occupied (building permit issued after 2014)
Eighteen projects (1,074 units) have been approved and with building permits issued from 2013-2018 but are not complete. 182 of those units were entitled in 2017-2018.
135 subsidized housing units for very low income and low income individuals have been built and occupied.
An increase in the number of building permits issued for Accessory Dwelling Units (backyard cottages) from one in 2015 to 80 in 2018.
A summary of the median time periods of each stage of development for projects with five or more units was:
4.9 months between time of application and use permit issuance
20.6 months between use permit issuance and building permit issuance
24.2 months between building permit issuance and Certificate of Occupancy issuance

I’m pleased to see that more people are building ADU’s than in the past. As I’ve previously noted, I believe they are an excellent way to increase housing stock within our community. I also believe that we need to do more for our city with regard to addressing affordability, housing options, and project timelines.

Vision Zero

I’m happy to cosponsor a Vision Zero item with Mayor Arreguin, Council member Hahn, and Vice Mayor Wengraf that prioritizes high collision streets as street repairs (improved lighting, updated signage, crosswalk repainting) occur. Read the item here.

RVs

On July 23, Council will be considering a couple of measures regarding RVs. The first item is to develop a two week permit and system for RV parking while the second item identifies locations for RV parking on city-owned land, development of a three month permit program, and requesting parking at the Marina.

As always, you can contact all of City Council at [email protected] or me at [email protected].

Office Hours

Please note that my office hours for the month of August are cancelled due to Summer Recess, but I’ll be back at Espresso Roma on Sept. 9th from 8-10am.

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

Want to request a City service?

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

New parking management system launching July 22

The new system will allow people to renew online for residential parking permits, which will use license plates instead of stickers to track which cars qualify for each of the city’s 16 designated residential parking zones.

Switching from a paper and sticker based system to an innovative, license plate-based solution – the first of its kind in the Bay Area – is complex. But there are some steps you can take to prepare for July 22.

Keep an eye out for letters from the City that will have link codes for each car – and save them. If you have multiple cars, you’ll need all letters. Use those link codes to apply or renew at cityofberkeley.info/rpp starting July 22 and by August 31 – the last day 2018-19 residential parking permits will be honored.

The top of the letter will say your license plate number as well as “unique identifier (link code).”

For citations issued on June 24 or later, the new parking management portal already allows people to instantly pay citations, another new feature. For these, current citations, deadlines are not suspended, and the escalation dates still apply.

For those who received citations before June 24, payments online will also start on July 22. For citations issued before June 24, deadlines are suspended and they will not incur penalties during that time. You can pay by check for those citations, though they will not process until after July 22.

New permit holders will be able to use this portal on July 22 to upload documents. In the fall, residents will also be able to purchase 1- and 14-day temporary permits online. Both new residential permits and temporary permits previously required visits to the City’s Customer Service Center. You can still apply or renew in person at the service center.

If you have questions, you can call 1-844-855-2333.

Effective September 1, license plates will be permits in designated residential permit neighborhoods. Our new online portal will let you look up whether you’re in a residential permit neighborhood and also whether your neighborhood qualifies to apply for the program.

Parking enforcement officers have been using license plate recognition technology since 2016. Our privacy policy is that no data is kept for more than 30 days unless we take action, such as through a citation or violation found. Violation data is kept for 1 year. This database is a closed system, unlinked to any other database, such as DMV databases.

Football Season Community Briefing

Community Briefing – UC Berkeley and City of Berkeley staff host this annual meeting to provide information on Home Football Season. The focus of the meeting will be to preview the fall football season and consider ways that UC Berkeley, the City of Berkeley, neighborhood associations and other community partners can continue to work together to minimize the impacts of the home games.

The Briefing will take place on Wednesday, July 24th at 6:30pm at California Memorial Stadium.

The first home game of the Golden Bear’s 2019 Football Season will be held on Saturday, August 31. Kickoff for the game against the UC Davis Aggies is 3:30 PM. You can review the full season schedule at http://www.calbears.com/schedule.aspx?path=football.

Until then, please feel free to get in touch with Joe Mulford, Senior Associate Athletic Director (510-642-264), with any questions or concerns you may have about the meeting.

Movies in the Park! Derby Day Races! All FREE.

On Friday, July 12 at 8:30 at Cedar Rose Park (1300 Rose Street), you can see the Incredibles 2. The Wizard of Oz, Spider-Man, How to Train Your Dragon, and the LEGO Movie 2 are all playing for free throughout our parks this summer. For more information, click here.

On Friday, July 19, don’t miss the annual cardboard boat races and other fun activities at Derby Day Boat Races at West Campus Pool, 2100 Browning Street. For more info, click here.

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September 30, 2019

Council is meeting on October 15th and our agenda includes:

A proposal that Mayor Arreguin, Council members Robinson and Harrison and I authored to develop a bike lane and pedestrian improvement policy that would better coordinate the timing of bicycle improvement projects with the City’s paving plan, and prioritize streets to be paved that also serve our bicycle network. In the past month Berkeley has seen several major bicycle crashes, including one fatality. We need to improve our infrastructure to ensure everyone, including cyclists and pedestrians, can enjoy our streets.
A proposal to create a sanctioned homeless encampment (page 203 of the link) in Berkeley. Passage of this proposal would allow the City to purchase tents, a portable toilet, and a handwashing station to be located on a chosen city parcel. The City would release an RFP for an agency to manage and oversee the encampment.
Council will also be discussing a traffic circle policy put forward by the newly created traffic circle task force. I strongly support grandfathering in existing traffic circle trees in our district and don’t support their removal.
A discussion and one year review of the City’s Pathways STAIR Center which helps house and find permanent housing for our homeless population. Results from this pilot are positive: the STAIR Center shelter assisted 82 clients into housing within an average of a three month timeline. Of the 160 total clients to utilize the STAIR Center, 4 out of 5 slept in an encampment the night before. Council will also receive an update on a mobile shower pilot program that I advocated for in 2015. The pilot currently operates in two Berkeley locations.

I encourage you to write to me [email protected] or [email protected] with comments regarding the Council agenda.

Updates on Fire Prevention Measures

The City of Berkeley’s Vegetation Management Crew (VMC) is a collaborative light duty workforce consisting of Berkeley Fire Dept. personnel and Berkeley YouthWorks. This collaborative project is progressing with a commitment from both department heads (Fire & YouthWorks). VMC personnel will be focusing on supporting defensible space projects and the Safe Passages program, including collaboration with Berkeley Path Wanderers Association. Path Wanderers have identified over twenty routes needing immediate attention. In addition to the regularly used hand tools in wildfire mitigation, the VMC will be utilizing commercial grade electric power tools.

Early Bird Office Hours

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

Want to request a City service?

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

10/12 – East Bay Community Disaster Prep Fair, 10-3pm, James Kenney Park – Quake Shake Truck, First Aid Learning, Disaster Supplies, Pet Preparedness and more. https://bdpnnetwork.org/event/community-based-dp-demofair-2019/ For more info email: [email protected]

CITY LAUNCHES DAYTIME MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS LINE

Spread the word about the City of Berkeley’s new crisis line that connects community members with an experienced mental health professional during mental health crises.

This new crisis line offers support, consultation, and resources with a call to (510) 981-5244, Monday through Friday 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM. This new crisis line is a pilot program that leverages staffing within our Berkeley Mental Health Division to address a community identified need for additional mental health crisis response services.

Community Meeting: Willard Clubhouse

Please join City staff for a community meeting to discuss the planning and conceptual design for a new Willard Clubhouse. Come meet the design team and provide feedback to help shape the future of the new clubhouse. If you can’t make it, feel free to share your thoughts with our office and we will pass them along.

10/2/2019, 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM, Willard Clubhouse, 2720 Hillegass Ave @ Derby

Session 1: 5:00pm – 6:00pm

Community meeting with a focus on the Willard Clubhouse Afterschool Program

Session 2: 6:15pm – 7:30pm

Community meeting and open house workshops

Community Forum to Save Alta Bates in Berkeley

WHAT: Contra Costa Community Forum to Save Alta Bates Medical Center in Berkeley

WHEN: Saturday, November 16th,2019 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

WHERE: El Cerrito Community Center, 7007 Moeser Lane, El Cerrito

RSVP: [email protected]

Learn about the Health Impact Assessment and the potential impact of an Alta Bates closure.

Oct. 6 Elmwood Wine Walk: Enjoy A Leisurely Sunday Afternoon Stroll In The Elmwood And Sample Over 70 Wines!

Tickets are available for $35. If we do not sell out, tickets will be available day of at the ticket table on the lawn next to Wells Fargo Bank on Ashby Ave. Bring your ticket and ID to one of the check-in locations: Anton Salon or the table on the lawn next to Wells Fargo. Pick up your wine glass and program. The program has a map with the participating locations and information about the wines being poured. 50% of the event’s net proceeds will be donated to Emerson Elementary School (BUSD).

For more information on wines, participating retailers and restaurants, transportation, parking suggestions and more, go to www.ShopTheElmwood.com.

Sunday 1-5 pm, October 6, 2019 For more information and to buy tickets: https://shoptheelmwood.com/event/wine-walk-in-the-elmwood-2/

HELP SHAPE A NEW BIKEWAY ON MILVIA STREET

Come learn about and give feedback on plans to install a protected bikeway, increase safety at intersections, and calm traffic along Milvia Street – Berkeley’s busiest north-south bikeway.

At an October 1st open house, you’ll have the opportunity to speak with City staff and provide input on the project to improve the Milvia Street Bicycle Boulevard between Hearst and Blake streets. The City will share the preferred design alternative for the street to look at and comment upon.

This project proposes to build a protected bikeway – a bicycle lane physically protected from vehicle traffic. The preferred design alternative includes a continuous protected bikeway on either side of Milvia.

To make this happen, the reconfigured street would create several one-way sections. Milvia would be one-way for southbound cars between University Avenue and Center Street as well as between Channing Way and Blake Street. Northbound cars would be one-way between University and Hearst avenues.

The space created by these one-way sections would prioritize safety improvements for all types of users. Factors we’re considering include:

reducing conflicts between vehicles and those between vehicles and bikes;
creating shorter and more visible pedestrian crossings;
improving the pick-up/drop-off area alongside Berkeley High School;
accessible parking for people with disabilities; and
loading and parking for businesses

At the intersection of Milvia Street and University Avenue, the proposed traffic signal would provide separate crossing times for people driving and people walking and biking. This change would eliminate existing user conflicts at this difficult intersection where Milvia jags as it crosses University. The Milvia Bikeway Project is part of the City’s engineering approach to traffic safety, supported by public awareness and enforcement efforts.

Join us in person for the Open House:

Milvia Bikeway Open House #2, Tuesday, October 1st, 5:00pm to 7:00pm, Berkeley Public Library Community Room – 3rd Floor, 2090 Kittredge St, Berkeley

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October 4, 2019

The City of Berkeley has been hard at work to address fire safety in our community. As I updated you in a previous newsletter, we have been especially focused on fire safety in our community. Here is a brief update of the work Berkeley is doing to address the dangers of catastrophic fires:

Aligning vegetation programs throughout various city departments and conducting vegetation management through the City’s Fire Fuel Chipper and Debris Bin Program, ongoing vegetation removal in parks and public land, and supplementing existing programs with the creation of a new fire department vegetation management crew (see newsletter link above for more information)
Updating the City’s Fire Code to make it more clear and achievable for residents to properly manage vegetation on their property
Collaborating with neighboring jurisdictions by participating in monthly meetings with the Hills Emergency Forum
Pursuing ongoing funding to support these programs through:
- Grants through Cal Fire and others to provide ongoing funding for these efforts through collaboration with neighboring municipalities, UC Berkeley, and East Bay Regional Parks
- Exploring the creation of a special Fire Assessment District to provide additional funding and
Preparing the public for evacuating in a fire through multiple evacuation exercises and implementing the Safe Passages Program – see update below

The Berkeley Fire Department will begin to implement a Safe Passages Program this fall focusing on various streets in fire zones throughout the City to assess emergency vehicle accessibility and evacuation needs. Narrow streets pose particular challenges for emergency vehicles and evacuation routes.The Safe Passages Program will be carried out on several streets throughout the City, starting with a select few.

The Berkeley Fire Department and Transportation Division of Public Works have evaluated Alvarado, Bridge, and Vicente Roads in our district and will be extending parking restrictions to ensure 20’ of travel way at all times by putting red zones on one side of the street along with “No Stopping Fire Lane” signs. Recognizing that full adherence to the City’s fire code would result in no parking along both sides of many streets and would pose significant daily challenges to residents, the Safe Passages program will evaluate individual blocks to implement customized treatments that improve access and egress while maintaining some parking for the neighborhoods.

Removing parking on one side of narrow streets will preserve resident parking while accommodating the needs of first responders to protect lives in the event of another fire like the 1991 Hills fire. The Fire Department will be reaching out to affected neighbors in the coming weeks with more information, detailed maps, etc. There will be a comment period following neighborhood notifications so your questions can be addressed. If you live on Alvarado, Bridge, or Vicente Road, keep an eye out for additional information from BFD.

Emergency Prep Fair, Saturday, October 12th

Join City staff, community groups, and volunteers from around Berkeley to learn how to prepare yourself and your household for emergencies at our Emergency Prep Fair.

October 12th, 10am—3pm, James Kenney Park, 1720 Eighth Street

Early Bird Office Hours

Since Monday October 14th is Indigenous People’s Day, my office hours for October will now take place on October 24th from 7:30am – 9am. I’ll be at Espresso Roma on the corner of College Ave. and Ashby Ave.Sincerely,
Lori Droste
Berkeley City Councilmember, District 8
www.LoriDroste.com
Want to request a City service?

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October 25, 2019

Fire Safety- Prepare for potential power outage starting Saturday Oct. 26

PG&E has told Alameda County that, due to dry and windy weather conditions, it plans to shut off power on Saturday afternoon to 58,000 customers in the county, including portions of Berkeley stretching down from the hills.

PG&E says this outage may last for multiple days. You can specifically look up whether your address is affected by searching https://psps.ss.pge.com. You can also see a general map of the outage area, though all addresses shown in the shaded area will be affected. Please note that this is a dynamic and evolving situation, and PG&E may update their information over time.

Visit the City’s website for a full list of resources in the event of what PG&E labels as a Public Safety Power Shutoff. www.cityofberkeley.info/psps. The City will continue to post shutoff updates at cityofberkeley.info/pge-shutoff.

Air Quality Advisory

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is extending a Spare the Air Alert for smoke through today, Friday, October 25, for the entire region. The Air District is closely monitoring smoke impacts from the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County and the northern portion of the Bay Area is currently experiencing smoke impacts. Additional smoke impacts are expected to spread across the Bay Area starting this evening.

Conditions may change so keep updated through AC Alert. Berkeleyside has been posting updates regarding fires and local power outages here. As always, please be safe and make sure you are prepared in the event of a fire evacuation or power shutoff.

Come celebrate Halloween with some trick or treating in the Elmwood.

Saturday, October 26th from 12-5pm

Wear a costume & pick up your treat bag and map. Pick up the map and bag at either The Cutting Edge Optical (2980 College Avenue) or Your Basic Bird (2940 College Avenue).

Treats available at over 30 businesses, fun for children and families.

Give Input On Traffic Enforcement and Bicycle Safety

Weigh in on whether the City Council referral to address traffic enforcement and bicycle safety. You can read more about the item here. Use Berkeley Considers to register your input.

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

Want to request a City service?

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

Mrs. Dalloway’s Benefit Weekend for Emerson School

Saturday, Nov. 9 – Monday, Nov. 11

Mrs. Dalloways will reimburse Emerson School for 17% of total purchases made by the school community from Nov. 9-11. Online sales are welcome- support your school by visiting www.mrsdalloways.com. Please make sure to keep your receipts and turn them in to the school office no later than Friday, Nov. 15.

Transition Berkeley & Cal Zero Waste – REPAIR CAFE!

Do you have BROKEN ITEMS you don’t want to send to the landfill? Come to this gathering where community members help each other repair what’s broken! All household items are welcome, including LAMPS, CLOTHING, TOYS, FURNITURE, ELECTRONICS, APPLIANCES, BICYCLES etc. BRING ONE ITEM PER PERSON.

Date: Saturday, November 2, 2019

Time:1:00-4:00 pm

Location: Berkeley Technology Academy, 2701 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Berkeley, CA 94703

Transportation: Public transportation encouraged. Accessible by AC Transit and walkable from Downtown Berkeley or Ashby BART. Bike parking and car parking available. ADA Accessible. Cost: FREE. Donations are greatly appreciated to cover costs and host future events!

Cafe: Refreshments will be available for purchase. Bring your own cup/utensils to reduce waste.

This event is FREE and intended to empower us to repair. It is not a free drop-off repair service.

There is no guarantee that your item will be fully repaired, but hopefully you will have a fun learning experience. Registering helps us manage the event and pre-registering your broken item could reduce your wait time. To register go to: www.transitionberkeley.org Questions? [email protected] This project is organized by Transition Berkeley and Cal Zero Waste and supported by UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Community Partnership Fund and StopWaste.org.

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October 29, 2019

Update from PG&E

PG&E issued an “all-clear” for the 10/26 weather event yesterday, Oct. 28 and most of Berkeley has been reenergized. There are still spot outages that remain to be energized.

Currently, today’s 10/29 wind event is not anticipated to impact Berkeley. It may still, but PG&E has said it is unlikely and if it does impact Berkeley de-energization would not happen until this evening.

Air quality in Berkeley is rated “moderate” at this time. However, conditions can change rapidly due to wind and other factors. Residents should check for updates at airnow.gov and take precautions based on their own health.

Keep up with updates on www.cityofberkeley.info/psps-updates and the City’s Twitter account, @CityofBerkeley. See resources on how to stay safe during an outage prompted by fire danger at www.cityofberkeley.info/psps. For UC Berkeley campus-related information, see https://news.berkeley.edu

Write BUSD If You Want Willard Pool Funding Included in Upcoming Ballot Measure

I have always believed that South Berkeley kids deserve a pool. In 2017, I asked our joint City-BUSD committee to look into how we can make this happen. We have reached a pivotal moment because the Berkeley Unified School District Board will be voting on the components of a 2020 Construction bond at its meeting on Nov. 6th. Now is the opportunity to voice your support for Willard Pool, community pools, and MLK Jr youth center. BUSD currently owns Willard building and site, West Campus pool, King pool, and MLK youth services center. The City operates them. Our staff indicates that we need approximately $29.4 million dollars for those facilities. Please join me in requesting that they allocate that funding, especially $11 million to restore Willard Pool and its associated building. If funded, the City would oversee ongoing operations and maintenance costs once the structures are rebuilt. You can include them all on one email: [email protected]

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

Want to request a City service?

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

Mrs. Dalloway’s Benefit Weekend for Emerson School

Saturday, Nov. 9 – Monday, Nov. 11

Transition Berkeley & Cal Zero Waste – REPAIR CAFE!

Date: Saturday, November 2, 2019

Time:1:00-4:00 pm

Location: Berkeley Technology Academy, 2701 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Berkeley, CA 94703

Cafe: Refreshments will be available for purchase. Bring your own cup/utensils to reduce waste.

This event is FREE and intended to empower us to repair. It is not a free drop-off repair service.

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November 6, 2019

I hope you all had a safe and fun Halloween. As we move into the November and December holiday season, City Council has four meetings remaining. You can see our agenda for 11/12 here.

As you know, pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements are a priority of mine so I’m happy to report that as a Vision Zero City, staff presented a draft Action Plan last night outlining our goals, priorities, and plan to eliminate pedestrian and bicycle fatalities and major injuries in our community.

Please note that office hours resume next month on December 9th from 8-10am at Cafe Espresso Roma on College Ave @ Ashby.

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

Want to request a City service?

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

Innovating for Gun Safety and Juvenile Justice for all of Alameda County

The League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany & Emeryville Alameda hosts County DA Nancy O’Malley to talk on her office’s award winning research into gun safety and juvenile justice SUN. Nov. 17, 2-4 pm, at Berkeley Central Library.

November 17 Workshop: Improve Home Air Quality, Comfort

Come to a free workshop to learn about how you can improve the air quality in your home while also saving energy, reducing utility bills and increasing comfort. Indoor air quality is typically two to five times worse than outdoor air quality and can worsen common illnesses such as allergies and asthma.

At our November 17 workshop, learn how to keep pollutants and allergens out of your home. We’ll tell you about cash rebates and how you can get a state-selected energy advisor to help guide your home improvements and connect you to certified contractors.

Sunday, November 17, 2:00pm-3:00pm, Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave, Albany, 94706

Please RSVP online – space is limited. Hosted by the cities of Albany and Berkeley, BayREN, and the Ecology Center Read more at CityofBerkeley.info

How to Save the World with Local Politics: a Climate, Housing, and Street Safety Forum

Climate change, air pollution, traffic fatalities: these feel very big and unsolvable.

But they actually can be tackled at the local level. Forward-thinking citizens are needed to take charge. Come hear from our state elected representatives, who are leading on these issues, to find out what YOU can do to combat the big problems.

South Berkeley Now! and North Berkeley Now! — the two neighborhood groups who are organizing for homes on the Ashby and North Berkeley BART parking lots — are hosting a leadership forum on housing, climate and safe streets.

The forum will feature Senator Nancy Skinner and Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, moderated by Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, founder of the Daily Kos. Expert panelists will provide background info on climate change and safe streets: Daniel Kammen is a Distinguished Professor of Energy in the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley and a former Science Envoy for the State Department. Barnali Ghosh is Vice Chair of the Berkeley Transportation Commission, Board member of TransForm, and founded the Berkeley South Asian Walking Tour.

Wednesday, Nov. 13th, 2019 6-8pm, Berkeley City College, 2050 Center St., Berkeley CA 94704

BERKELEY RECREATION ACTIVITIES TO HELP YOU THRIVE

Find classes, activities and events for adults, kids and families using the 2019 Fall/Holiday Recreation Activity Guide, which lists affordable, fun and engaging recreation programs throughout Berkeley.

There is something for everyone, whether it’s swimming laps at the pool, breaking a sweat during one of our fitness classes, learning how to skateboard, or volunteering for a shoreline cleanup.

Visit www.cityofberkeley.info/activity_guide, a page that’s updated each season to keep you in the loop on all of the fun and exciting programs we are offering. Sign up for programs on our new Online Registration portal.

For children 0-5 year olds, the City offers a variety of infant, tot and pre-k programs, including our free Together Wee Play drop-in program, our popular Super Soccer Stars classes, and our Music Together classes, where you and your child can sing, dance, play and create music together!

To find a full list of Fall/Holiday 2019 programs, activity schedules, and participation fees, you can view the most recent edition of the Recreation Division Activity Guide.

CITY LAUNCHES DAYTIME MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS LINE

Spread the word about the City of Berkeley’s new crisis line that connects community members with an experienced mental health professional during mental health crises.

If you are experiencing uncomfortable thoughts or emotions, or challenges in your life, a trained counselor on the crisis line will be available to talk directly to you, connect you to the right resources, and determine if an immediate in-person evaluation for safety is needed.

The goals are to better support individuals with mental health concerns, provide early intervention for mental health crises, and decrease mental health-related calls to the Berkeley Police Department.

This new crisis line, a pilot program funded by the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, provides an expansion to Berkeley Mental Health’s services. The crisis line program is a direct result of a needs assessment conducted by the Mental Health Division and community partners in 2016 to 2017. Having police officers who are skilled at working with people in crisis is important, so Berkeley Police train on de-escalation and crisis-intervention techniques. However, the assessment identified the need for more mental health crisis response services to be one more alternative to law enforcement.

Outside of the crisis line hours of operation, individuals in mental health crisis, their families, and community members can:

Come to the Berkeley Mental Health Clinic at 1521 University Avenue in Berkeley Monday through Thursday 8:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Call Berkeley Mental Health’s Crisis, Assessment, and Triage team at (510) 981-5244 Monday through Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Call the Mobile Crisis Team every day 11:30 AM – 10:00 PM, by calling the police non-emergency number at (510) 981-5900 or by leaving a voicemail at (510) 981-5254
Call the 24-hour crisis line for immediate support through Crisis Support Services of Alameda County at 1-800-309-2131
Call the Alameda County ACCESS (Acute Crisis Care and Evaluation for Systemwide Services) Program for questions about mental health services and eligibility at 1-800-491-9099 Monday through Friday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

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December 12, 2019

Happy Holidays!

Homeless Services & Measure P update

Some of you have written to me in response to this week’s Berkeleyside article about how Council is spending money to help our homeless community. I supported and campaigned for Measure P to help our unhoused community so you may be wondering why I voted against the first round of allocations. Berkeleyside wrote an extensive article about this process here. I really encourage you to read it. In short, I fully support spending money to fund homeless services; however, there were several issues I had with the vote on 12/3.

The numbers were wrong and the claimed allocations were incorrect and I was prohibited from asking clarifying questions about it.
Council voted to fund an encampment/outdoor shelter when no details were provided and Council hasn’t voted on it.
The Council’s vote didn’t align with either staff’s or the Homeless Panel of Experts recommendations.
It was unclear to me whether permanent housing subsidies would be guaranteed.

I want to be very clear that Council is spending Measure P money on homeless services and homeless-related services. I support that. However, we also need to be transparent on where those dollars are being spent and how much is being spent in various investment areas so we can best help our homeless community.

The Mayor has committed to revisiting the allocations in January to correct the errors, have a robust discussion, and get clarity on the actual amounts. I’ll let you know when that date is finalized.

Homes on BART parking lots

Council held our last meeting of 2019 on Tuesday. We unanimously passed an MOU with BART regarding future development at the Ashby and North Berkeley BART stations. This was the next step in complying with a newly enacted state law, AB 2923.

Street Rehabilitation

In January, Council will be discussing our five year Street Rehabilitation Plan for FY2020-FY2024. The streets to be repaved are identified through a long process within our Public Works Commission, which bases their decisions on current pavement conditions, type of street (residential, arterial, etc.), etc. The following map outlines the streets identified for rehabilitation:

Many of you have asked how the paving plan is divided among districts. The following table shows a district by district comparison. “PCI” is the Paving Condition Index, which goes from 0-100, with 100 being a street in ideal condition. As you can see, the Commission strived to distribute funds evenly throughout the City.

Measure T1–Infrastructure and Parks Update

Throughout next year, the City’s Parks, Waterfront, and Recreation staff will be holding neighborhood meetings throughout the City to collect feedback on the use of Measure T1 funds, which voters passed in 2016 to address the City’s aging infrastructure and parks. In District 8, the Willard Clubhouse will be renovated with Measure T1 funds and a neighborhood meeting is set for August 2020. I’ll share details closer to the meeting. For a full summary and map of Measure T1 improvements, click here.

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

Want to request a City service?

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

2019 Holiday Meal at Berkeley High

The 2019 Holiday Meal at Berkeley High, an annual festive meal and event, is approaching.

Saturday, December 14, 12:30 – 2:30 pm

Enter at Milvia & Kittredge

(if raining, we will move the line inside a few steps from this corner)

We provide a meal, beverages, entertainment, and usually have a decent amount of giveaways (clothing, socks, hygiene products, etc…)!

For more info, contact John Villavicencio [email protected]

Southside Zoning Ordinance Amendments

The City is initiating a study of zoning ordinance changes designed to increase housing options in the Southside. The Planning Commission has established a Southside EIR Subcommittee to review potential amendments to evaluate in an Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

The inaugural meeting of the Southside EIR Subcommittee will be held at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, December 17th, at 1947 Center Street. The discussion will focus on the zoning changes to consider in the EIR. Feedback from the subcommittee will be incorporated into a draft Project Description to be considered by the full Planning Commission on February 5, 2020.

The agenda and related materials for the December 17, 2019 meeting are available online. You may access the information by clicking on the link below, or by copying and pasting the link into your web browser:

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/uploadedFiles/Planning_and_Development/Level_3_-_Commissions/Commission_for_Planning/2019_12_17_%20PC_Southside%20SubCom_Linked%20Agenda.pdf

Children’s Holiday Movies at the Elmwood Rialto Theater

FREE with VOUCHER! Join us this holiday season for these classic family films!

The Polar Express Sat, Dec 14 11am

A Christmas Story Sat, Dec 21 11am

FREE with VOUCHER available at Elmwood merchants: A Cuppa Tea, Baker & Commons, Bill’s Trading Post, 14 Karats, Gai Barn, Mrs Dalloway’s, Nabolom Bakery, Piedmont Copy, Summer Kitchen, Rogue Chow Deli, Tail of the Yak, Your Basic Bird.

Please present your voucher at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood box office no later than 10 minutes prior to showtime to obtain up to 4 tickets. Limit four (4) tickets per voucher. No cash value. Admission subject to seating availability.

Waste pickup pushed back a day for holidays

Take note of the waste collection schedule during the holidays and, before you buy your holiday tree, make a decision about whether it will end up as compost, landfill or be planted in the earth as a living tree.

There will be no refuse, recycling or compost collection on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. Commercial and residential collection will be pushed back a day for those with regular Wednesday, Thursday or Friday collections.

For example, if Wednesday is your regular collection day, your holiday collection will occur on Thursday. Friday pickups will be collected on Saturday.

Please place your carts curbside by 7a.m. Please be advised that collection may occur later in the day than usual. If your collection is more than one day behind schedule, call 510-981-7270 to report a missed pickup.

Before you buy a tree, consider the City’s tree disposal requirements and have a plan for when the season is done: landfill, compost or a living tree. To learn more about tree disposal requirements, read more at CityofBerkeley.info

BERKELEY’S WINTER ON THE WATERFRONT DECEMBER 14

Celebrate winter with real snow, a lighted boat parade, and fireworks. Come out to Berkeley’s waterfront on Saturday to celebrate winter with activities for all ages including real snow, a lighted boat parade, visits with Santa, and a fireworks display over the Bay.

There will be plenty of children’s activities like face painting, carnival games with prizes, a tot play area to keep the little ones entertained, and this year, families will have the opportunity to play in real snow!

Decorate cookies or enjoy a cup of free hot cocoa while listening to holiday music and enjoying some of the best views around. Santa Claus will be at the event to visit with families and maybe even pose for a selfie or two!

Berkeley’s 3rd Annual Winter on the Waterfront

Saturday, December 14, 2019

2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Berkeley Yacht Club, 1 Seawall Drive

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