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First there was the Little Free Library.

Now there's the Free Little Art Gallery.

Looking to inspire others to share their artwork, a Berkeley actress and screenwriter has started a Free Little Art Gallery in front of her home on Forest Lane between Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Keeler Avenue.

All the art is miniature and, like the free libraries, enclosed in a free standing wooden display box. 

"I miss museums and theaters and art and I just feel like Berkeley is just loaded with great people (doing art),'' said Pamela Gaye Walker of Berkeley. 

The idea behind the outdoor gallery is to leave art for others to enjoy and take a piece or two for yourself. The new gallery is at least the third such project in Berkeley. Tiny Great Art at Hopkins and Ordway streets in Berkeley features artwork from watercolors to children's Crayon drawings. Walker also inspired her daughter to start a little outdoor gallery in front of her home at Edith and Vine streets in Berkeley. 

Walker said she was inspired to start the outdoor free gallery from the Little Free Library concept. "In my walks in the Berkeley hills, there are so many of those little libraries," she said Saturday. 

Started in 2009 by a Wisconsin couple, the little wooden libraries are designed to look like one-room schoolhouses and can store a few dozen books. People donate ones they're finished with and help themselves to ones they'd like to read.  

The Little Free Library was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 2012 and has also been adopted internationally. There are now more than 90,000 little libraries in 91 countries around the world.  

To celebrate the opening of her miniature art gallery, Walker will hold a champagne reception from 4 to 5 p.m. on April 18. She hopes for a large turnout and to add a lot more art to the gallery. She's also interested in talking to artists who might be willing to do some painting at the entrance to the gallery, she said.

I received an email last Sunday afternoon from someone who had written the Mayor and Council very eloquently in support of the Rights of Nature resolution, wanting me to know her delight in seeing that it had passed on consent. My response: You haven’t seen what I wrote.

The Rights of Nature did pass on consent, only to be routed to the Peace and Justice Commission That commission is not meeting currently, and I expect the Rights of Nature will gather dust to die, just like the Bird Safe Berkeley Ordinance that languishes at the bottom of the Planning Commission’s work plan, with no priority to be accomplished in 2021 or 2022. (see the April 4 Activist’s Diary)

It is easy to be fooled, or more politely misled, when paying attention to city politics means sitting through hours of zoom. I just happen to find watching how our elected and appointed officials behave and what actions they take more interesting than TV, especially when what they do (or don’t do) has a direct impact on my everyday life.

Long before Councilmember Lori Droste submitted “Commission Reorganization for Post-COVID 19 Budget Recovery” for placement on the June 30, 2020 city council agenda, those of us who had been tracking the December 11, 2018 reorganization of City Council into six standing committees expected the demise of the board and commission structure to follow.

Reorganizing the boards and commissions under the guise of budget recovery hung in abeyance for months, and then activity picked up in January. It culminated on Monday, April 5, when Mayor Jesse Arreguin announced to the Council Agenda and Rules Policy Committee members Sophie Hahn and Susan Wengraf that a revision was emailed at 11:52 a.m., and he was trying to get a positive recommendation for it to council from the committee. Arreguin signed onto the latest revision, bringing the number of supporters to four, with Droste as the original author and Robinson and Kesarwani as co-sponsors.

When the public was informed of the latest revision, I grabbed a copy off the computer and it’s a good thing I took that action as the 11:52 submission never made it into the agenda packet or into the annotated agenda. The chart lining up commissions with the council policy committees slipped off into the ether. Click here to see it. 

Arreguin and Hahn discussed the merging of commissions for more than half an hour as if Wengraf wasn’t even part of the committee, before Arreguin noted that Wengraf was waiting to speak. When she did, she voiced her concern over the loss of expertise through merging commissions, but in general she was in agreement with much of the proposal. Wengraf did push for the Commission on Aging to be removed from being merged into the Peace, Justice and Human Welfare Commission. 

None of the commissions that are left standing should feel comfortable. Wengraf commented about this being a beginning of the reorganizing, and asked about continuing parts of the proposal. Hahn said this was the end for now. 

As the meeting was closing, the committee noted that commissions should be contacted about how to merge. I’ve attended enough city meetings that I shouldn’t even be surprised that involving the members of the commissions was a mere afterthought, but I always am. The next steps are for a full council vote followed by staff review and implementation plan. The merged Measure O and the Housing Advisory Commissions and the merger of the Homeless Commission and the Homeless Services Panel of Experts are to be fast tracked. Here is the final version: 

 

New Commission Name (suggested)	Former Commissions to Be Reorganized
Commission on Climate and the Environment	Zero Waste, Energy, Community Environmental Advisory, and Animal Care
Parks, Recreation, Waterfront (special Marina subcommittee)	Children, Youth, and Recreation and Parks and Waterfront
Peace, Justice, and Human Welfare	Peace and Justice Commission and Human Welfare and Community Action Commission
Public Health Commission & Sugar Sweetened Beverage Panel of Experts	Community Health Commission and Sugar Sweetened Beverage Panel of Experts
Housing Advisory Commission	Measure O and Housing Advisory Commission
Homeless Services Panel of Experts	Homeless Commission and Measure P Homeless Services Panel of Experts
Public Works and Transportation	Public Works and Transportation
Planning	Planning and Cannabis
All other commissions will maintain their current structure: Aging, Library Board of Trustees, Civic Arts, Disability, Commission on the Status of Women, Design Review Committee, Disaster and Fire Safety, BIDs, Fair Campaign Practices and Open Government, Redistricting, Landmarks Preservation, Labor, Loan Adjustments Board, Personnel, Planning, Police Review/Accountability, Reimagining Public Safety, Mental Health, Zoning Adjustments Board, and Youth

 

Another item up for attention this last week was the Planning Commission’s public hearing on amendments to the ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) ordinance. The State has overridden much of local control on these. ADUs are popular as potential income and nice cottages to live. What gets in the way is when what used to be a single cute cottage in a neighbor’s back yard turns into multiple cottages a step away, a full-size house, maybe with a quadplex thrown in and barely space to turn around. 

The State mandates ADUs by right with ministerial approval (over-the-counter by staff) with few restrictions, considerations or public input, even from neighbors . What this means is that if there is space to build, there isn’t a safety issue or \ a historic district isn’t involved, the property owner presents the plans to the Planning Department, gets a sign-off by whoever is on the desk that day, pays the permit fee and is free to start without even so much as a notification to anyone. Of course, there will be inspections of the construction. 

Under the new state law, Berkeley can set some modest additionali ADU standards within state limits. It was the City of Berkeley’s delays and inaction in updating the Berkeley ADU ordinance that gave permission to building an unsightly ADU at 2915 Harper following the extremely lenient state requirements. 

The Planning Commission’s final recommendation to Council passed by unanimous vote. Included were 4-foot side and rear yard setbacks (unless existing setbacks are smaller) and front yard setbacks to be the same as the district. If the ADU is reuse/conversion of an existing building then it must be in the same footprint regardless of setback. The commission recommended consideration of a 20 ft height limit instead of 18 ft, if the total square footage of the ADU remained within the set limit with half the land covered: I.E. a 2-story ADU 20 ft high covering 500 sq ft of land instead of a 1-story ADU covering 1000 sq ft of land. The size limit for ADUs in very high fire zones was limited to 800 sq ft. and ADUs in other areas with multiple bedrooms would have a limit of 1000 sq ft. The minutes aren’t posted yet, but you can read the proposed recommendations in the full packet for April 7. https://www.cityofberkeley.info/uploadedFiles/Planning_and_Development/Level_3_-_Commissions/Commission_for_Planning/2021-04-07%20PC%20Agenda_Linked.pdf 

Thursday evening, the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force third meeting was going quite smoothly with the presentation by the new interim police chief and the fire chief until the excruciatingly long explanation of the methodology of how surveys are created. Then it descended into the actual survey. Task force members made it clear that the LGBTQ community is over- policed and that the community survey failed on LGBTQ community issues.  

The task force formed two subcommittees 1) Community Engagement, which would include the community survey and analysis and 2) Policing, which would include budget, staffing and alternatives. But Deputy City Manager David White told the task force they couldn’t use the city’s Zoom account for subcommittee meetings, there can’t be a commitment of staff and he wasn’t sure if the consultants who created the survey could be made available to work with the subcommittee on community engagement. The subcommittee members were not deterred, and agreed to set up their first meetings with or without support from the City of Berkeley’s staff. 

The Loan Administration Board met Wednesday and continued both of the applications for loans which were on their agenda. One applicant, Kidventurez,s failed to show up. The other applicant sounded like minor owners with an investment group of the new motel at Sacramento and University. They gave their pitch for a $180,000 loan from the city’s loan administration fund. The business plan wasn’t current and with further questioning the board discovered that if the business failed, Berkeley would be third in line behind other loans. I expected a flat-out denial, but the board continued the request for further review. 

The Loan Administration Board is a commission that Hahn suggested combining with the Commission on Labor. So far, they remain separate. It’s a little difficult to see how commissioners on labor issues have expertise in reading business plans for loans.  

The Police Review Commission Subcommittee on the Warrant Service Policy, after a lot of discussion among the members, voted for a complete ban on no-knock warrants. Representatives of the Berkeley Police Department (BPD) attend the meetings, but they are not “members” and have no vote. The meeting ended cordially even though BPD spoke in favor of maintaining no-knock warrants. Usually BPD gets their way when ordinances go to the full council. After all, they make major financial contributions to local elections, but the death of Breonna Taylor may have an impact this time. 

I like to finish with what I’m reading. The audio book 2034: A Novel of the Next World War by Elliot Ackerman and James Admiral Stavridis USN, published 2021 popped up as available from the San Francisco library (Oakland also has it) and I couldn’t put it down. The interview at the end with Admiral Stavridis was especially interesting. Nearly every book I pick up is from one of our libraries. I can’t say enough about the wonderful current selections. I love our libraries! Twilight of the Elites got set back a week.

When I first escaped to Los Angeles, California, from New York City in the early 1970s, L.A. and all of California felt like a place of open spaces and unbounded opportunity. A place where you could get ahead but also finally sit for a minute and breathe. Fast forward to today and life in California’s major metropolitan areas feels like New York City did when I left it: increasingly claustrophobic, falling into unsustainable debt, filled with endless layers of regulations, taxes, entrepreneurial obstacles, sky-high prices for everything, and enabled by an increasing disregard for the environment. In other words, a place that's lost its soul.

As an architect, perhaps I’ve been more sensitive to all this than others, and particularly to the simultaneous degradation of our “built” and natural environment: what we build, how we build, where we build, and how we seem to be so willing to sell our soul to the Devil in the name of growth and government revenues.

As I said, just like New York City in the 1970s.

Another thing I always loved about California was its striving to balance growth with passionate environmental concerns. And the growth that did occur was filled with local influences and idiosyncratic nuance. Every multi-family residential building did not look the same in every town and city. Context, geography, and the scale of the surrounding neighborhood seemed to matter. And I remember how even in L.A., which is known for its disruptive and daring designs, neighborhoods were filled with great little Mission styled multi-family buildings with unique design features.

But now, in Sacramento’s mad rush to build as much as we can as fast as we can, and developers’ penchant for homogenizing everything—because it’s more profitable to build the same 50-year old apartment floor plans over and over again (the only thing new are the marble countertops and the appliances)--all that seems to have gone out the window. Honestly, there’s barely even a faint whisper of the kind of contextual design thinking that used to be an integral part of multi-family residential design, other than an occasional faux, stylistic reference on a building facade or detail. 

Every new housing project, particularly the ubiquitous 4 to 5 story apartment building kind, looks like an even blander clone of the last one. Sure, a slick “tech” look here and a “craftsman” detail there. But it’s all the same under the hood. 

Worse still, in California today, to bring up the natural environment as an objection to cookie-cutter urbanization everywhere risks being vilified as an obstructionist, “using” the California Environmental Quality Act as a “weapon,” being a NIMBY or an elitist or a racist or much, much worse. 

Environmentalism in California these days is really little more than a marketing slogan to sell taxpayers on yet another bond measure to build more affordable “warehousing” or a ploy to help politicians and rapacious development interests pass off the latest green-washed development proposal, even though the fundamental construction methods and impact externalities are essentially the same as they have been for 100 years. 

All of this suits most developers and their financial backers just fine. 

At the other extreme, we have the “starchitects,” whose approach is much like that the Silicon Valley tech culture’s mantra of “move fast and break things.” These practitioners choose to deliberately produce what might be called “anti-contextual” designs that are proud to look like an alien space ship just landed. Perhaps, it’s a reflection of our society’s increasing addiction to speed, convenience, amped up noise and stimulation, and endless fascination with anything that can claim to be new and promising in order to hold our attention for more than a few seconds. 

I’m not saying this phenomena is categorically bad. Quite the contrary. I would be the first to say that in the right hands (e.g., Frank Gehry, et al), it has produced some of the most innovative, dynamic, cutting edge architecture in the world. But, let’s just say that in less masterful hands, this fashion has produced less spectacular results. 

But even this is not what bothers me most. 

What bothers me, personally, is that in all this din, the middle ground of the art of architecture is being lost, and when it comes to mid-rise, multifamily development, it’s pretty much non-existent. The growing homogenization of our built environment and its genuflection to branding is producing a growing ignorance of what architecture, design, and our everyday, built environment could actually be and how much it could improve the lives of its tenants, physically, emotionally, psychologically, and I dare say even spiritually. 

Left to their own devices, most residential developers have always sought to relegate architects to the role of “exterior” decorators, subservient to the “tried and true” floor plan layouts that they made their bones building. This has always been true, but when they are handed the keys to the kingdom, as Sacramento seems intent on doing, look out below. 

What is architecture? 

Architecture, at its very core, done well, is a poetic endeavor. It is the embodiment of an individual intention, an effort to memorialize some aspect of our society at a given time in a given place. 

There is a difference between writing a shopping list and writing a novel. There is a difference between painting a house and painting a canvas. And there is a difference between building a building and architecture. The former are simply tasks, while the latter are desperate attempts to communicate. 

Good architecture is one of those things where we know it when we see it. And we somehow sense when it’s missing. It is functional and provides for our needs, but it is also exciting (or sublime) to experience and hopefully offers us the ability to live and grow in ways not previously available. 

Architecture remains greatly misunderstood, even by many architects. People refer to “modern” architecture, “contemporary” architecture, and “classical” architecture.” But these are not architecture. They are just styles of architecture. 

Architecture, itself, is like the energy in a wave in the ocean. The water is not the wave. The wave is the energy moving through the water. Similarly, a “style” is not architecture. It’s just the surface action. 

Architecture is the energy, the force, moving within the style. Its language is timeless and universal. It expresses itself through a vocabulary of geometry, form, mass and void, dimensions, proportion, and scale, tempered by gravity, physics, and materiality. It is grounded in location and ecological systems. It is experienced over time and extruded through a complex sieve of human needs and desires. 

What it is not is a 150 unit, five-story, block of identical, multifamily apartments. 

I sincerely hope we don’t lose sight of that. 

Bob Silvestri is a Marin County resident and the founder and president of Community Venture Partners, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization funded by individuals and nonprofit donors. Please consider DONATING TO CVP to enable us to continue to work on behalf of California residents. This article first appeared in the Marin Post. 

I'm still experimenting with moving deadlines and adjusting the format. Today (Monday) I've broken out today's segment of Kelly Hammargren's invaluable civic calendar, a service that should be provided by the City of Berkeley but is not. I've added yellow highlighting to the Zoom links to meetings, so now there's no excuse for you not to know what's coming down. Give it a try: one link on the Agenda Committee at 2:30 today and you're at the meeting which determines what will happen at the Berkeley City Council's next meeting. I hope I might create these daily calendar entries every day when something significant is happening.

Prior to 1953, Iranians were pro American and pro-British. Scores of bright students ventured abroad to seek advanced degrees in some of the most elite colleges in the UK and US. 

I was living in UK at the time and remember the “UK tabloids mocked and denigrated Mosaddeq as the “weeping” PM. All that changed in 1953 when Britain’s super spy agency, MI6 sought the help of the CIA to overthrow the burgeoning democracy of Premier Mohammad Mosaddeq and replaced him with the Shah of Iran. The Shah quickly consolidated power and imposed a blanket of self-censorship with the aid of his dreaded secret police, the Savak. Thousands of activists were jailed or “disappeared.” America’s stooge was finally removed with the return of Ayatollah Khomeini who quickly established a theocracy. 

Iranians expressed their solidarity with the Palestinians in Israel who retaliated by killing a number of their prominent nuclear scientists. . The British , the US and the European Union remained silent in complete solidarity with the Israeli killers. Fast forward to the historic nuclear accord signed in 2015. Sadly, a big bad American wolf was waiting to destroy the accord. On a pique of self-importance he withdrew US support much to the chagrin of the signatures to the agreement. Boasting he could force a regime change, Trump introduced crippling sanctions which hurt the most vulnerable, - the women of Iran who have been working for reform for decades. 

The sanctions restricted oil sales and access to the global banking system, and pushed the economy into a deep recession. 

Since 2018, the Iranian Rial has lost 68 percent of its value. In March 2020, inflation soared around 41 percent; today it hovers around 30 percent 

The decimation of Iran’s economy is impacting the lives of the very constituency that has been working for reform and liberalization. The slump is tearing away at their fragile gains in employment, upper management positions and leadership roles in the arts and higher education, while reducing their capacity to seek legal reforms and protections. No, Mr. Trump you have intensified anti-American sentiments and especially hurt marginalized Iranian women who were desperately trying to survive and seek a better life. 

Sanctions, regime change, and covert operations are all part of the American playbook. Excessively cruel and antithetical to Christ’s teaching. Shame on America and the UK. Don’t. you ever read the Bible? Deuteronomy 5:21 21"You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor INCLUDING OIL!."

I am a life-long registered democratic voter. These days I have come to question to credentials of several so-called Democratic office holders.

Some Democrats are dragging their feet about ending the filibuster—a very undemocratic manipulation of the Senate that enables a few Senators to subvert the democratic process by cancelling the will of the majority.

It is time for those who uphold democracy to do their job and end the filibuster. Now.

The Pentagon is trapped in a Cold War mindset. The spending habits of the US government closely parallel the spending habits of many Americans. That is to say, they spend more than they earn. The F35 fighter plane is drowning in red ink. It is mired with technical issues and is generally considered unsafe to fly. This comes amidst a staggering federal deficits. Since about 2012, the official national debt has equaled or exceeded the GDP. Shockingly, the real fiscal gap is much higher when factoring in programs such as Medicare and Social Security. The US government spends more each than it takes in the form of taxes. Wealthy Americans use a host of schemes to minimize their taxes. Following Medicare and Social security and Covid related expenditures, is US defense expenditures. The name is a classic misnomer. The US military is not engaged in activities to defend the homeland but is obsessed with regime change with its coequal partner, the CIA. But that has left a gaping hole in cyber security which foreign actors have exploited with devastating impact. It may take decades to recover from the latest cyber-attack. The US military and the CIA, have done a poor job fighting wars (Vietnam. Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya) but have engaged in covert operations destabilizing nations and intensifying anti-American sentiments. 

The School of the Americas strained many of the world’s west tyrants, including El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras whose refugees are now fleeing north to the US. The US defense budget spends as much as the next ten advanced nations defense budgets combined including several who are US allies. Few politicians have the stomach to propose reducing the military budget out of fear of the opposition, with exception of Senator Bernie Sanders. The F-35 is by far the biggest boondoggle in the US DoD budget— is, the most expensive weapons system in history. And of course, the costs continue to go up, according to a recent DoD report. The Pentagon first put out the project for bids in 1996, and the first F-35s were manufactured and flown in 2006. However, it wasn’t until 2018 that they saw combat for the first time when Israel deployed them. Since then, the USMC, USAF, and RAF have used them in combat only rarely. For a plane that is supposed to be sufficiently versatile and modular to replace virtually all other combat aircraft, the F-35 has been a failure. 

Last year, Defense News identified 13 significant deficiencies in one or more F-35 models, including the possibility of a blown tire destroying the entire aircraft, inadequate vision and sensor systems, unable to fly too high, too fast, or in maneuvers. Other issues include logistical and security concerns. Former Senator Proxmire spent the better part of his career exposing Pentagon waste. So how does a project like this happen, and continue, despite chronic problems? The Pentagon quickly learned that such expensive projects have to be spread across multiple states with adequate funding. There are 1,400 subcontractors for the F-35 program spread out over 307 congressional districts in 45 states. That means there are 307 congressmen (out of 435) and 90 senators (out of 100) who have constituents whose livelihoods depends on continuing funding of the F35. 

So this a plane mired with technical issues but may never die.

Editor's Note: The latest issue of the Pepper Spray Times is now available.

You can view it absolutely free of charge by clicking here . You can print it out to give to your friends.

Grace Underpressure has been producing it for many years now, even before the Berkeley Daily Planet started distributing it, most of the time without being paid, and now we'd like you to show your appreciation by using the button below to send her money.

This is a Very Good Deal. Go for it! 

On March 31st, President Joe Biden introduced his infrastructure plan, "The American Jobs Plan" (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/31/fact-sheet-the-american-jobs-plan/ ) It's an omnibus $2 trillion plan to repair the major holes in America's infrastructure, and to create jobs. 

It's useful to recall that, during the 2016 presidential campaign, former-President Trump promised to repair America's infrastructure. In February 2018, Trump sent to Congress an $1.7 trillion infrastructure "plan" financed by $200 billion in new Federal spending and $1.5 trillion "from the private sector." Trump didn't follow through on his proposal and it died in the halls of Congress. 

Nonetheless, Trump's infrastructure "plan" was popular with voters. Similarly, President Biden's plan polls well. A recent Reuters/IPSOS poll (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-infrastructure-poll-idUSKBN2BP126 ) found that "79% of Americans supported a government overhaul of American roadways, railroads, bridges, and ports." And, "Americans also were largely supportive of ways that Biden has proposed to pay for his massive infrastructure bill. According to the poll, 64% of U.S adults supported a tax hike on corporations and large businesses, and 56% supported ending tax breaks for the fossil fuel industry." However, when filtered through a partisan lens, the findings changed: "Only 45% of Americans said they would support a jobs and infrastructure plan that was 'recently released by the Biden administration.' Another 27% said they were opposed and the remaining 28% said they were not sure... only about two in 10 Republicans and three in 10 independents said they supported a Biden infrastructure plan, compared with seven out of 10 Democrats." 

Biden's Plan: Here's the first cut of the $2.15 Billion Biden Infrastructure/Jobs plan. Bear in mind that the entire plan will be modified by the (Democratically controlled) Senate and House. 

1.Transportation Infrastructure: ($621 Billion) This allocates $174B for electric vehicles and charging stations. $115B for road and bridge repair. $85B for "modernizing transit systems. $80B for Amtrak repairs. $50B for "infrastructure resiliency," funds to deal with climate-related disasters." $25B for airport upgrades. $20B for underserved neighborhoods; "The President’s plan includes $20 billion for a new program that will reconnect neighborhoods cut off by historic investments and ensure new projects increase opportunity, advance racial equity and environmental justice, and promote affordable access." $20B to "improve road safety;" $17B for inland waterway and port improvements; and $35B for related projects. 

2. "Quality of Life at Home": ($650 Billion) This allocates $213B to "build, preserved, and retrofit more than 2 million affordable homes and commercial buildings." $111B for safe drinking water, $100B for "constructng or modernizing public schools." $100B for new high-speed broadband networks. $40B to improve public housing. $18B for Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics. $12B for community-college infrastructure improvements. $16B to "plug oil and gas wells and reclaim abandoned mines." And $40B for related projects. 

3. Caregivers for elderly and disabled. ($400 Billion) Biden's plan will expand Medicaid to provide affordable, quality care for everyone who needs it. 

4. Research, Development, and Manufacturing: ($480 Billion) Around $300B would be devoted to improving domestic m manufacturing capacity-- including $50B for semiconductor manufacturing. $180N would be allocated to new research and development of clean energy. 

As you can see, the Biden Infrastructure/Jobs plan collects many of the elements of previous plans and links them together. There are standard infrastructure improvements, such as roads, bridges, ports, and trains, and non-standard items such as home-improvement, removal of lead water pipes, and provision of a high-speed broadband network. The Biden plan provides funds to deal with the impact of climate change and funds to retrain workers to take on the jobs of the future, 

5. Funding: President Biden estimates the infrastructure plan will be paid for within the next 15 years, if his newly proposed “Made in America” tax plan is also passed: 

 

• Set the Corporate Tax Rate at 28 percent. "The President’s tax plan will ensure that corporations pay their fair share of taxes by increasing the corporate tax rate to 28 percent. His plan will return corporate tax revenue as a share of the economy to around its 21^st century average from before the 2017 tax law and well below where it stood before the 1980s. This will help fund critical investments in infrastructure, clean energy, R&D, and more to maintain the competitiveness of the United States and grow the economy."
• Discourage Offshoring by Strengthening the Global Minimum Tax for U.S. Multinational Corporations. "The President’s tax reform proposal will increase the minimum tax on U.S. corporations to 21 percent".

6. Process: On April 12th, The House and Senate will begin work on the Biden infrastructure/jobs plan. It appears this will come up for crucial votes around July 4th. In the House, only a majority is needed to play the plan. In the House, it will also need a simple majority to pass because of a recent ruling by the Senate Parliamentarian (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/infrastrucutre-bill-american-jobs-plan-reconciliation-senate-parliamentarian/ ) "Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that Section 304 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 can allow for multiple reconciliation bills per fiscal year. The parliamentarian is an expert on the obscure procedures of the Senate, and determines whether certain actions are permitted under Senate rules." 

BB prediction: something close to what Biden proposes will be approved by Congress. 

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Bob Burnett is a Bay Area writer and activist. He can be reached at bburnett@sonic.net 

The term "safety mechanism" when referring to mentally ill people can be applied in numerous respects. One of them was relevant to me when I had several relapses of psychosis (that were usually six years apart). I had a mechanism that would prevent me from doing physical harm. This was a special faculty that continued to work even when my brain was predominantly doing the wrong thing. 

Another "safety mechanism" is where I'd get out of a situation in which the demands were excessive. Job situations in which too much was expected caused me to leave in a hurry. While this wasn't good for my work history, it may have prevented mental damage. When medicated, and if you do not have the same insulation from your surroundings compared to neuro-typical people, you may not be able to handle as many demands. People, not just mentally ill people, can sustain damage through overload. The difference is where non-afflicted people can often handle more stimuli and more stress without complications. 

An example of not being able to do as much: I can barely handle picking up someone from the Oakland Airport or dropping someone off there for a flight. I can pull it off once in a while, but it brings me to my upper limit. And afterward, I need some recovery time. 

Another safety mechanism caused me to get out of destructive relationships (that were usually with other mental health consumers) or to avoid some relationships entirely. There are all kinds of traps and minefields in the realm of dating. A mentally ill man or woman needs to beware when she or he is thinking of dating. For example, you can catch an STD. There are strains of some STD's that are incurable viruses or are bacteria completely resistant to all antibiotics. 

Pregnancy is another risk, and it can cause a lifelong obligation, a particularly challenging one. And if you can't make a living before you were dating, you won't be transformed into being job ready by virtue of becoming a mom or dad--you'll probably still have the same problems with employment. 

Not to mention raising the child--twenty years--or maybe forty years of responsibility if the offspring inherits your disability. I never had children because I and/or a partner used birth control. This is because I felt that I could not provide for a child. And that is also a safety mechanism. It consists of conscious choice. 

Another self-protection involves writing at the computer. I can usually know whether my brain is up for the task. Writing is often very brain-intensive, especially if done well, and if my brain doesn't want to go there, I follow its prompt and I avoid writing until after I get the rest I need. Forcing oneself to churn out material is incongruous with the writing being a source of joy, and it could result in bad material.  

An author wrote that writing is "hard physical work." And it really seems to hold true, especially when you are producing good material. And I arrived at the comparison of writing vs. being a bricklayer. Or the comparison that writing a novel could resemble building a house. I know a man who built a house (with help) and now he is writing a novel (with proofreading help). When writing, you are not putting together pieces of brick, metal, and wood, you are putting words on a computer screen. But really it is the same thing in a different form. And safety precautions should be used since you don't want to overload the brain. The pretense that your brain should just work and isn't subject to overload, is just that, a pretense. 

When you get older, safety mechanisms may be more important because it is harder to bounce back from a mishap. You should be done with episodes of severe mental illness long before you reach age forty, and you should not burden parents with caring for you when they get too old. Life isn't easy, and employing some safety precautions is worthy, even though we'd like to think we can always count on our bodies and minds having the ability to do anything--they don't.  

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Jack Bragen is a fiction, commentary, and self-help author, and lives in Martinez, California.  

President Joe Biden unveiled his more than $2.25 trillion American Jobs Plan (Plan), which would inject money into roads, bridges, airports, broadband, electric vehicles, housing and job training over ten years while hiking the corporate tax rate to 28% after Republicans had cut it to 21% from 35% as part of their 2017 tax law.  

U.S. infrastructure received only a C- grade up from a D+ in 2017, from the American Society of Civil Engineers in its 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. “This is good news and an indication we’re headed in the right direction, but a lot of works remains.” Thus, Biden’s bold infrastructure plan is needed and timely. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has pledged that no Senate Republicans will vote for President Biden’s Plan and vowed to fight the bill “every step of the way.” So much for Congressional bipartisanship. 

Because of the Senate filibuster rule, the Plan will have to pass through budget conciliation. However, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) objects to a raise of the corporate tax to 28%, preferring 25%. Senator Manchin is also against eliminating the filibuster rule. In addition, Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) continues to be against changing the filibuster rule. 

A recent survey, however, shows that 73% of U.S. voters— including 57% of republicans — back Biden’s infrastructure plan and 65% of voters support corporate tax increases to fund the Plan. Now that’s bipartisanship.  

While increasing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% is popular, unfortunately, too many corporations rarely pay this amount. In fact, many corporations pay little or no taxes. At least 55 big companies paid zero federal income taxes in 2020. 

In the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, many corporations paid about half of their profits to the federal government to help pay for the U.S. military and for investments in roads, bridges, schools, scientific research and more. Since the mid-20th century, however, politicians of both political parties have supported cuts in the corporate-tax rate, often under intense lobbying from corporate America. The cuts have been so large — including in former President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax overhaul, which failed to address loopholes that enable tax dodging. The Democrats will have to close tax loopholes in order to pay for the Plan. 

The Democrats have their work cut out for them to get 50 Senator votes if they want to pass the Plan and for that matter, the rest of Biden’s agenda.

On March 29, Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz admitted to Fox News host Tucker Carlson that he was facing federal charges for underage-dating—aka, "trafficking a child." But as squeamish as the revelations are, Gaetz' critics may be overreaching in their condemnation. While the "age of consent" in Florida is 18, a 17-year-old is not a child. (Florida actually has a "Romeo and Juliette Law" that allows 16-year-olds to "have sex with someone no older than 23 years." That won't help Gaetz: he's 38.) 

The legal age of consent is 16 in most of the US (including Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia.) In the Golden State it’s 18. 

According to Age of Consent.net, the point at which female sexual activity is judged acceptable varies widely from culture to culture—from 11-to-21 years. 

In Japan, the age of consent is just 13. In the Philippines, 12. In Nigeria, 11. The traditional "Christian" concept of "holy matrimony" and "no sex before marriage" is only in force in 13 mostly-Muslim nations: Afghanistan, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. 

The Virgin Mary 

Here's another bit of religious reference on the matter of maternity and maturity. Quoting Wikipedia: "some apocryphal accounts state that, at the time of her betrothal to Joseph, Mary was 12–14 years old. According to ancient Jewish custom, Mary could have been betrothed at about 12." 

While Mary is venerated as a saint in Christian culture, most folks in the West would be surprised to learn that Mary is also venerated in the Quran. (The Muslim holy book actually contains more references to Mary (70 citations) than the Holy Bible and devotes two long chapters to Maryam binat Imran and her family. 

The Holy Family — Mom, Dad, Brothers, and Sisters 

The story of the Virgin Mary, the 90-mile donkey-ride to Bethlehem, and the birth in a manger, have been rooted in my head since childhood but only recently did the thought occur to me: "If Mary was married to Joseph, why was she still a virgin?" 

According the Gospels of Google, Joseph and Mary never consummated their union and remained celibate through their long marriage. By some accounts, Joseph was celibate by choice. 

According to the Eastern Orthodox Church, when Joseph met Mary, he was on the rebound from a previous marriage to a woman named Salome. This was not a childless union. The New Testament references Jesus' three step-brothers (James, Joseph, and Judas) as well as a couple of unnamed step-sisters. 

Some Christian texts describe Joseph as Jesus' "step-father" since the Savior was actually "fathered" by the Holy Ghost! (It does get complicated.) Perhaps the reason the Holy Couple remained celibate was simply the fact that Joseph was reportedly 90 years old when he married Mary. 

Mural, Mural on the Wall 

I dropped by the new Kaiser parking lot in West Berkeley a few days ago to catch up with progress on the massive mural being painted single-handedly by a wall artist named Desi Mundo. When I handed him a copy of a recent Planet article citing his work, he responded like the schoolteacher he also is. He squinted at the page and huffed: "You spelled 'Fremont' wrong." 

In the course of a short conversation, I learned that Mundo has been painting murals around the world—sometimes as far afield as Egypt—and also had a starring role in a prizewinning 2020 Oakland documentary called Alice Street that was recently recognized as an Official Selection in the 2021 San Luis Obispo Film Festival. 

Alice Street recounts the struggle of Mundo and fellow muralist, Chilean studio painter Pancho Peskador, who joined forces to create an unprecedented four-story mural in the heart of Oakland. The mural overlooked a mixed neighborhood of Chinese and Afro-Diasporic communities threatened by gentrification-fueled displacement. While the painters enjoyed local support, they soon found themselves targeted by "pro-growth" interests—and a highrise whose construction would completely cover the massive mural. Here's a short taste of the film. 

 

Tipping, Yes. Handouts, Not So Sure 

Why is it that we get a good feeling whenever we tip a barista for a cup of coffee but we too often cringe and avoid contact with people who are panhandling? Underpaid workers at least have jobs and incomes. People on the street have neither, so you'd think they would be viewed with even greater sympathy. 

Do Lawyers Serve the Interests of the People Or Is It Vice Versa? 

On April 2, the Chronicle reported the case of a blind woman who sued Uber after several drivers refused to let her ride with her service dog, Bernie. The Chron's headline read: "Blind woman denied rides to get $1.1 million." 

The headline was misleading. In the article's fourth paragraph we learn that an arbitrator decided in the plaintiff's favor, "awarding her $324,000 in damages plus legal expenses of $805,313." In other words, the aggrieved lady only pocketed 27% of the judgment. The real winner was the legal firm that collected 73% of Uber's pay-out. 

While lawyers are frequently portrayed as justice-seekers serving the needs of mistreated victims, this case show that, far from serving the needs of clients, sometimes it's the clients who serve the needs of the lawyers. 

Full-a-Bluster Filibuster 

To the delight of our DC Democrats, the Senate parliamentarian has ruled that Joe Biden's Senate allies can employ the tool of "budget reconciliation" two more times this year. That effectively means that the White House's trillion-dollar infrastructure bill might well be "filibuster-proof." Bad news for Mean Mitch McConnell, the Grinch from Kentucky—aka the Grim Reaper of Progressive Legislation. 

Now, instead of a 60-vote supermajority, an infrastructure bill can be passed with only 50 votes—plus Vice President Kamala Harris. But there's a glitch that will please the Grinch: Two Democrats—West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin and Kyrtsen Sinema of Arizona, both share an unfortunate fondness for the filibuster. 

Manchin has been complaining that Biden's Build Back Better bill will raise the corporate tax from 21% to 28%. Fellow Dems have been reminding Manchin that the corporate tax rate used to be 35%—before Trump lowered it in 2017. 

Cruz Control: Voter Suppression Tricks in Texas and Georgia 

(April 1, 2021) — Watch Greg Palast tell it to Thom Hartmann. 

 

Adam Schiff on Louis DeJoy 

"You might be wondering why Republican mega-donor and Donald Trump’s hand-picked Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is still sabotaging our Postal Service under the new Biden Administration. I am too," says California Representative and road-tested Trump Trouncer Adam Schiff. 

Schiff is more than miffed over DeJoy's appalling “10-year plan” to imposed "the largest rollback of consumer mail services in a generation." DeJoy's postal horror show calls for longer first-class mail delivery times, reduced operating hours, and higher prices! 

DeJoy has already achieved notoriety for his brazen attempt to skew the 2020 presidential vote in the favor of T****. As Schiff recalls, DeJoy "banned employee overtime, decommissioned mail-sorting machines, and removed drop boxes. He did this during a deadly pandemic that had millions of Americans relying on the mail for their medications, businesses, and safely voting by mail in November’s election." 

When you attack the Post Office, Schiff noted, you also attack the people who depend on it. "We’re talking about veterans, the elderly, and small businesses who are most impacted by these policies. If we don’t act now, things will get even worse, and you can be sure that Republicans will point to mail delays to justify even more cuts to the Post Office." 

So, what to do? "It’s simple," says Schiff. President Biden simply has to appoint new members to fill the empty seats on USPS Board of Governors. The new, pro-PO quorum would be able to sack DeJoy and send him packing. The good news: Biden's made those nominations. The not-so-good news: until the Senate confirms the new members of the board, DeJoy will be free to further damage the hallowed 246-year-old institution. 

If the plot to gut the Post Office has got you POed, deploy this ploy to dis-employ DeJoy. Here's a petition you can sign. 

More positive news: There's a good chance that Congress will approve a bill to repeal the gosh-awful 2006 law that forces the Postal Service—alone among every other branch of government—to "pre-fund" retiree health benefits 75 years in advance. 

The Contest for Control of Pacifica 

As KPFA's fervent fan-base knows all too well, it's time for another divisive showdown over the future of the pacifist-founded, free-wheeling network. A looming vote could determine whether a majority of listeners support or reject a proposal known as the New Day Bylaws. 

The Pacifica Foundation's website explains how, if the new bylaws are adopted, "significant modifications will be made to the foundation's governance structure affecting both the national and local station boards, including how you, as a listener sponsor, are represented and can participate." The referendum is set to begin on June 7 and run for 30 days. 

According to New Day Pacifica, new bylaws are needed "to ensure accountability by Pacifica’s leadership to the listeners and members" and to "ensure a national rather than parochial perspective." The NDP folks point to a looming fiscal collapse—one that threatens the survival of the five-station network—to justify a reduction in the size of the Pacific board and a centralized approach that would diminish the role of "parochial" station decision-making at the local level. 

Here are some of the NDP's dire stats: 

• Pacifica has failed every audit since 2015. 

• Pacifica was just kicked out of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Before that, Pacifica’s Board had forfeited nearly $7 million dollars in Corporation for Public Broadcasting grants since 2013.  

• Pacifica has no money to pay a $3.2 million loan payment due April 2021; we could lose Pacifica’s last three buildings as a result.  

• Pacifica has no financial reserves and is close to financial collapse. 

In order to address these challenges, the NDP has proposed: 

• Creating a "more democratic" organization by reducing the size of the Pacifica National Board from 22 to 15 seats. 

• Members of the new National Board would be chosen by "direct elections, rather than our present, baroque two stage voting process.” 

• Local boards would surrender "unproductive managerial duties" and focus instead on "fundraising, community outreach and local oversight" 

On the other side of the debate, members of the Pacifica Democracy Project view the solution to these apocalyptic threats through a different lens. 

In a petition to the Pacifica Foundation, the PDP prescribes the following remedies: 

• The Pacifica Foundation should remain united as a strong network of 5 radio stations, a historical archive and over 200 affiliated stations 

• Conflict resolution should be used to resolve disputes and find common ground 

• Local and national boards should continue to be elected democratically 

• Local boards should include staff 

• The National Board should continue to include staff and Affiliate representation 

• Pacifica should maintain its democratically elected local governing boards to provide meaningful oversight over radio station management and budgets 

• A public, network-wide effort to improve the Pacifica Bylaws that includes all concerned stakeholders should be conducted 

And the PDP opposes: 

• Lawsuits and threats of legal action that divide us and waste our resources 

• Bylaws revisions that diminish democracy, eliminate local oversight and concentrate power in the hands of a few 

• Efforts to shut down or sell any of the 5 Pacifica stations 

More information (much, much more) is available online.

Remembering 'Freedom Summer' 

The Free Speech Movement Archives (www.FSM-A.org) recently reached out to the hundreds of FSM veterans on its mailing list to share an invitation from the Bob Hicks Foundation. The appeal follows: 

Are you a civil rights worker who spent time in Louisiana (esp. Bogalusa and Washington Parish) or other parts of the South where the Deacons for Defense and Justice were active?” 

The Robert “Bob” Hicks Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit collecting materials for an online digital archive and future museum honoring the work of the Bogalusa and Washington Parish Civil Rights Movement. The Foundation’s mission is to create a civil rights museum and cultural center inside two historic houses that were at once homes to the Hicks family [and provided] safe havens for civil rights workers, and bases of operation for the executive members of the Bogalusa Civic and Voters League and the Deacons for Defense. 

We will be enormously grateful for any materials or memories you can share, either originals or digital copies; your photos, memoirs, letters, documents like flyers and newsletters, and physical artifacts like Freedom Now t-shirts or pins, to help keep this history alive for future generations . . . . We are also conducting remote oral histories with civil rights veterans to speak about their experiences in Bogalusa and how that impacted their lives. 

If you are willing to share, please contact foundation researcher Theresa Schwartzman at theresaschwartzman@gmail.com. . . . The mailing address is: The Robert “Bob” Hicks Foundation, 2682 South Columbia Road, Bogalusa, LA 70427  

The letter ends with: "We want to express our thanks to [Berkeley resident and FSM veteran] Anita Medal who organized the Summer Berkeley CORE recruiting drive in 1965 and has become a steadfast ally and supporter of the Foundation today." 

Big Online Nonviolence Event on April 13 

Join Nonviolence International (NVI) for "the largest Palestinian-Israeli Peace event" in history, on April 13. https://afcfp.org/memorial/ Also available: a selection of NVI videos of webinars and speakers on the NI website and YouTube channel. 

Standing Up to Lay the Guns Down 

The Founders SIng 

In this Founders Sing original, inspired by the musical stylings of Prince, we tackle America’s outrageously high rate of gun violence. In the wake of 2 mass shootings in one week, some legislators STILL insist our gun safety laws are too restrictive. But the stats don’t lie: over 38,000 Americans are killed by guns in an average year, which is 25 times the rate of other high-income countries. Sending a big shout-out to Emma González and David Hogg, survivors of the Parkland shooting, and prominent leaders in the gun safety movement. 

 

Worth Noting:

Monday – Agenda committee is meeting at 2:30 pm to plan the April 27 City Council regular meeting. There are a number of items of interest – too many to list in this header

Tuesday – The Special council meeting is at 6 pm on the UC Berkeley Long Range Development Plan (LRDP). Public response to the LRDP must be submitted to UC by 5 pm on April 21.

Wednesday – The Homeless Commission at 7 pm is discussing a proposal for a residential vacancy tax. The Parks and Waterfront commission agenda includes refuse pick-up at the parks and fitness courts.

Thursday – The Budget process for FY2022 is starting at the Budget and Finance committee at 10 am. Thursday evening the Open Government Commission will consider the Brown Act complaint related to land use proceedings. The Transportation Commission at 7 pm will establish a subcommittee on access/parking at the BART stations – after housing is built at the BART stations there won’t be big parking lots anymore and a plan needs to be developed for how people who used to drive and park at BART will get to and from the stations in the future. Access/parking is not part of the BART CAG (Community Advisory Group) work.

The City Council April 20 regular meeting agenda is available for comment and follows the list of meetings.

If you have a meeting you would like included in the summary of meetings, please send a notice to kellyhammargren@gmail.com by noon on the Friday of the preceding week.

Sunday, April 11, 2021

No City meetings or events found

Monday, April 12, 2021

Agenda and Rules Committee at 2:30 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87548147156 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 875 4814 7156 

AGENDA Planning for April 27 regular city council meeting: CONSENT: 1. Urgency Ordinance lease 742 Grayson for 11 months, 2. Dorothy Day to operate shelter at 742 Grayson, 3. Appointment of Jordon Klein as Director of Planning and Development annual salary $194,765, 4. Extend contract to 6/30/2023 with Michael Brady Emergency Management Training, 5. Donation surplus fire apparatus, 6. Contract add $245,700 and extend 3 years FY 2022, FY2023 with Rebuilding Together East Bay-North, 7. Contract add $180,100 total $230,000 1/7/2019-6/30/2022 with Cyber Leadership and Strategy Solutions, LLC for professional services, 8. Contract add $60,000 total $120,000 with Edgeworth Integration for additional security cameras at waterfront, 9. Contract add $110,000 total $240,000 with Bellingham Inc. for additional finger dock repairs, 10. Contract $540,000 with Raimi + Associates for professional planning services for the 2023 – 2031 Housing Element Update (RHNA), 11. Contract $4,296,733 with Bay Cities Paving & Grading, Inc for street rehabilitation FY 2021, 12. PO $465,000 for one CCTV Sewer Camera Truck, 13. PO $390,000 plus up-fitting costs $120,000 total $510,000 for eight hybrid Ford Interceptor Utility Hybrid SUVs, 14. Contract add $50,000 total $920,304 with Downtown Streets Team for services around encampments and neighborhoods, 16. Contract add $1,000,000 total $1,450,000 with Trip Stop Sidewalk Repair for sidewalk inspection and shaving, 17. Contract add $78,200 total $484,800 with Disability Access Consultants for ADA Transition Plan, 18. Approve list of projects to utilize State Road and Maintenance Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) Funds, 19. Contract for parking data collection, community outreach with Nelson/Nygaard for goBerkeley Residential Shared Parking Pilot, 20. Contract add $100,000 total $3,156,900 with D.L. Falk Construction for renovations at Central Library, 21. Vision Zero Annual Report and BerkDOT Berkeley Department of Transportation, 22. Contract add $350,000 total $8,670,400 with D.L. Falk Construction for renovation/upgrade at N. Berkeley Senior Center, 23. Lease Agreement 2010 Addison at Center St Garage with Vito Loconte and Alexie LeCount DBA Lexie’s Frozen Custard for 10 yr w/5 yr lease extension and $9,331.23 to Colliers International for commercial brokerage fees for locating tenant, 24. Taplin support AB-490 (use of force policies to prohibit techniques and transport methods with substantial risk of positional asphyxia. 25. Taplin, Arreguin, Budget Referral remediation Ninth St Traffic Conditions adds six traffic circles, ACTION: 26. CM, Public Hearing Submission of PY2021 (FY2022) Annual Action Plan Allocations of Federal Funds (HUD) for community agencies, 27. CM, Refinancing 2010 Certificates originally issued to finance Animal Shelter Project, 28. CM, Issuance of $45,000,000 in General Obligation Bonds, Series B for Measure T1 (Facilities and Infrastructure Improvements), 29. CM, Reserve $40 million of Measure O bonds as part of the $53 million to achieve 35% affordable housing at the Ashby and North Berkeley BART sites and future Housing Funding Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA), reserve at least $13 million in future Affordable Housing Mitigation fees to cover balance of $53, million, refer to CM to investigate bond measure with goal of maximizing affordable housing (up to 100%), 30. Harrison, Bartlett, Taplin, Adopt Ordinance Regulating Police Acquisition and Use of Controlled Equipment, 31. Arreguin, Assessing City’s Bonding Capacity Referral to CM, 32. Harrison, Request CalPERS Divest from Industrial Animal Protein and Factory Farming Companies and Invest in CA Local Plant-Based Food Economy, Information Reports: Zero Waste Commission Workplan, Referred Items for Review: 8. COVID-19 impact on meetings (boards/commissions), 9. Systems Realignment (changing council submissions to budget cycle), Unscheduled Items: 10. Strengthening and Supporting Commissions. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/Policy_Committee__Agenda___Rules.aspx 

Personnel Board at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85334925816?pwd=enlvZkViL0pmeEVSQk5nOGRmeENRdz09 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 853 3492 5816 

AGENDA: V. Recommendation to Revise the Housing Inspector Supervisor Classification, VI. Adopt Program Manager I and II Classifications, VII. Establish Director of Police Accountability. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Personnel_Board_Homepage.aspx 

Youth Commission at 5 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/92660674844 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 926 6067 4844 

AGENDA: 13. Current work, 14. Trigger Warnings subcommittee discussion, 15. Student Advocate subcommittee, 16. Potential environmental projects, 17. Review and approval for Sex Education Survey and its distribution, 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Youth_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Tuesday, April 13, 2021 

City Council Special Meeting at 6 pm, 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85445489790 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 854 4548 9790 

AGENDA: 1 item: UC Berkeley Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) Update and Housing Projects #1 Anchor House, Oxford, University, Walnut 16 stories, 14 above ground 770 student beds and #2 Peoples Park 1187 student and faculty housing, 125 for supportive housing. LRDP Comment Period ends April 21, 2021 at 5 pm, https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Agenda_Index.aspx 

Wednesday, April 14, 2021 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board MM Webinar at 10 am 

Pre-register for links to webinar http://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/ 

AGENDA: Measure MM rent stabilization prohibiting evictions during state or local emergencies 

Homeless Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/96645301465 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 966 4530 1465 

AGENDA: 7. Enforce Berkeley source of income discrimination ordinance, 8. Proposal for Residential Vacancy Tax, 9. Unsheltered Homeless in downtown, 11. Pathways (homeless shelter) accessibility and pandemic response for disabled, 12. Accountability for vendors and NGOs that work for or with City, 13. Possible Homeless Ombudsman Position, 14. Participatory Planning for RHNA. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Homeless_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Parks and Waterfront Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/96974512296 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 969 7451 2296 

AGENDA: 9. PRW Capital Budget FY2022, 10. Refuse cost at parks, 11. Update Adopt-a-spot, 12. Update Greening Berkeley, 13. Outdoor fitness courts grant, 14. Proposed Pier/Ferry 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Parks_and_Waterfront_Commission.aspx 

Police Review Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87070468124 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 870 7046 8124 

AGENDA: 9. Subcommittee reports, Warrant Service policy, Lexipol, 10. a. Update on transition to new Police Accountability Board, applications for Board members closed, b. Review BPD issues with Use of Force Policy (UOF), c. Whether commissioners to participate in UOF training 11. Whether commissioners may be allowed to observe police officers being trained 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Police_Review_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Thursday, April 15, 2021 

City Council Budget & Finance Committee at 10 am 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86368395448 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 863 6839 5448 

AGENDA: 2. Bartlett, Arreguin, Taplin, Predevelopment Allocation, Ashby Recreation and Community Housing (ARCH) Consortium planning grant for Ashby BART East Parking Lot, 3. From Parks and Waterfront Commission, Proposal to Allocate Revenues from Transient Occupancy Tax from the Waterfront Area to the Marin Fund. 4. FY2022 Budget Calendar Update, 5. Fire Dept Budget Presentation, 6. Human Resources Dept Budget Presentation, 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Budget___Finance.aspx 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/95480886658?pwd=SmJrc1QzdDczeDltaHhySWxndndVQT09 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 954 8088 6658 Passcode: 427413 

AGENDA: 7. State Legislative Report and action to take positions on AB1199, AB854, AB1188 

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/ 

Design Review Committee at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/98029280758 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 920 2928 0758 

AGENDA: 1. 2352 Shattuck @ Channing – continued final review – demolish 2 existing commercial buildings, split lot in two, construct two 8-story mixed-use buildings with 204 units, (including 14 very low income units) 

2. 2000 University @ Milvia – preliminary design review – demolish 2 commercial structure, construct new 8-story mixed-use building with 82 units and ground floor commercial 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/designreview/ 

Fair Campaign Practices Commission and Open Government Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89688058545 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 896 8805 8545 

AGENDA: 6. Mandated Cost of Living Adjustments for Public Financing Program, 7. Developing policies allowing administrative closure of inactive campaign committees, 9. Handling of public communications submitted to city legislative bodies as part of public record in land use proceedings, 10. Brown Act and Open Government Ordinance complaints submitted by Shirley Dean related to City Council land use items. 

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/FCPC/ 

Independent Redistricting Commission at 6 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81495024968 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 814 9502 4968 

AGENDA: 2. Training Communities of Interest and Public Engagement. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/redistricting/ 

Transportation Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86076822421 

Teleconference: Meeting ID: 860 7682 2421 

AGENDA: B.1. Dana Complete Streets 35% Design Plan, 2. Subcommittee Assignments – Form a subcommittee called the Berkeley-El Cerrito Corridor Access Plan (BECCAP) to plan how BART riders who will not live at the BART station projects (transit oriented development -TOD) get to and from BART, 3. TDA Funding for Bike Plan Update and Vision Zero Quick Build Projects, 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Transportation_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Friday, April 16, 2021 & Saturday, April 17, 2021 & Sunday, April 18, 2021 

No City meetings or events found 

________________________ 

April 2 City Council Regular Meeting at 6 pm,  

email comments to council@cityofberkeley.info 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84640742374 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 846 4074 2374 

AGENDA: Recess item: 2. Contract add $250,000 total $2,495,726 for Police Substation at 841 Folger/3000 7^th St, CONSENT: 4. T1 Loan $1,500,000 to complete Phase1 projects, 6. Contact add $25,000 total $74,000 and extend thru FY2024 with Freitas Landscaping at Dona Spring Animal Shelter, 7. Contract add $110,000 total $231,600 and extend 6/30/2026 with Koefran Industries for Animal Disposal Services, 8. Add $4800 with Orsolya Kuti, DVM to provide free spay and neuter surgeries to pets of low/no income and homeless persons and authorize receipt of $40,000 in donations, 9. Add $9,936 total $219,936 for public art commission at San Pablo Park, 10. Approve (unspecified) bid solicitations $1,581,000, 11. Predevelopment affordable housing funding 2024 Ashby $1,198,960 and 1708 Harmon $1,056,400, 13. Receive grants for Shelter Plus Care Program Renewal HUD $4,124,485 6/1/2021-1/1/2022, COACH Project $2,411,026 1/1/20222-12/31/2022, and Co. of Alameda for tenant-based rental assistance $881,046 3/1/2021-2/28/2022, 14. Contract add $160,562 total $6,066,230 with Mar Con Builders for Live Oak Community Center Seismic Upgrade, 15. Contract add $125,000 total $2,094,056 with Suarez and Munoz Construction Inc for San Pablo Park Playground and Tennis Court Renovation, 16. Contract $542,032 plus 20% contingency $108,406 total $650,438 with ERA Construction for King School Play Area at 1700 Hopkins, 17. Contract $5,369,727 plus 15% contingency $805,459 total $6,175,186 with O.C. Jones & Sons for Berkeley Marina Roadway, 18. Grant application accept any amount up to $8,000,000 CA Proposition 68 Statewide Parks Program for selected Santa Fe Right-of-Way parcels, 19. From Homeless Commission Refer to City Manager including Homeless Persons in hate crime reporting, 20. From Housing Advisory Commission Refer to City Manager release a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) of Measure O Bond funds allowing tenant incomes up to 120% of AMI reserve $15,432,000 for 2001 Ashby, 21. Authorize CM to amend contract with Badawi & Assoc to perform audits of City’s financial statements for FY 2021, 2022 and include T1 adding $372,660, 22. Refer to budget process from Taplin, Arreguin remediation for plan for Lawn Bowling Green at 2270 Acton and 1324 Allston (North Bowling Green at 1324 Allston contains elevated pesticides and metals and is protected from development under Measure L), 23. Taplin Support AB1401 eliminate parking requirements for housing and commercial buildings near transit, 24. Taplin Support SB 519 decriminalize controlled substances, 25. Taplin, Bartlett, Harrison Urge AC Transit to Restore 80-Ashby/6^th Street bus line, 26. Bartlett Support AB 816 State and Local Agencies: Homelessness Plan, 27. Bartlett, Taplin, Harrison oppose FAA proposal to shift WNDSR Commercial Airliner Flight Corridor Directly over residential neighborhoods in Berkeley, Richmond, El Cerrito and Albany, 28. Harrison, Robinson Support SB 271 Sheriff Democracy and Diversity Act to allow for more diverse and democratic sheriff elections, 29. Harrison support AB 1199 creates a database of rental properties serving low-income tenants and levies a tax on holders of multiple rental properties, ( in packet pages 119 -174 from Hahn and Harrison not in agenda revitalization of Solano Ave), 30. Budget Referral FY2022-FY2023: $300,000 Solano Ave Revitalization Plan, 31. Hahn Personal Liability Protection for small businesses impacted by COVID-19, 32. Robinson support AB 455 Bay Bridge designate transit-only traffic lanes, ACTION: 33. New temporary rules for Council committees during COVID-19 emergency, 34. Davila Request CA State Legislature to introduce actions to value human life and condemn racial injustice and police brutality – Health Council Committee recommends refer to Public Safety Committee and f/u on pending bills on police reform, 35. Kesarwani, Taplin refer to Planning commission to establish zoning overlay at Pacific Steel Casting Property to redesignate zoning as Manufacturing (M) to Mixed Use-Light Industrial (MULI), 37. Harrison refer to CM prioritize shift to electric bicycles and other forms of zero-emissions mobility, INFORMATION REPORTS: 38-41 Workplans from Civic Arts Commission, Community Health Commission Disaster and Fire Safety Commission and Measure O Oversight Committee. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Agenda_Index.aspx 

_____________________ 

Public Hearings Scheduled – Land Use Appeals 

2421 Fifth Street (construct two residential buildings) 6/1/2021 

Notice of Decision (NOD) and Use Permits with End of Appeal Period 

1805 Blake 4/13/2021 

1511 Cedar 4/13/2021 

905 Contra Costa 4/20/2021 

2801 Dohr 4/29/2021 

1480 Dwight 4/13/2021 

2421 Fifth 2/23/2021 

1157 Francisco 4/13/2021 

1918 Grant 4/29/2021 

1402 Hawthorne 4/29/2021 

1514 MLK Jr 4/13/2021 

1137 Parker 4/13/2021 

2111 Seventh 4/13/2021 

28 Tanglewoods 4/13/2021 

3031 Telegraph 4/13/2021 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Planning_and_Development/Land_Use_Division/Current_Zoning_Applications_in_Appeal_Period.aspx 

LINK to Current Zoning Applications https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Planning_and_Development/Land_Use_Division/Current_Zoning_Applications.aspx 

___________________ 

WORKSESSIONS 

May 18 – 1. Systems Realignment 3. Affordable Housing Policy Reform (tentative) 

July 20 – 1. Bayer Development Agreement (tentative), Measure FF/Fire Prevention 

September 21 – 1. Housing Element (RHNA) 

Unscheduled Workshops/Presentations 

Cannabis Health Considerations 

Berkeley Police Department Hiring Practices (referred by Public Safety Committee) 

Update Zero Waste Priorities 

Civic Arts Grantmaking Process & Capital Grant Program 

This meeting list is also posted on the Sustainable Berkeley Coalition website. 

http://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html and in the Berkeley Daily Planet under activist’s calendar http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com 

To Check for Regional Meetings with Berkeley Council Appointees go to 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Committee_and_Regional_Body_Appointees.aspx 

If you or someone you know wishes to receive the weekly summary as soon as it is completed, email kellyhammargren@gmail.com to be added to the early email list. 

If you wish to stop receiving the Weekly Summary of City Meetings please 

forward the weekly summary you received to kellyhammargren@gmail.com. 

City Council Special Meeting at 6 pm,

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85445489790

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 854 4548 9790

AGENDA: 1 item: UC Berkeley Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) Update and Housing Projects #1 Anchor House, Oxford, University, Walnut 16 stories, 14 above ground 770 student beds and #2 Peoples Park 1187 student and faculty housing, 125 for supportive housing. LRDP Comment Period ends April 21, 2021 at 5 pm, https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Agenda_Index.aspx

Agenda and Rules Committee at 2:30 pm

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87548147156

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 875 4814 7156

AGENDA Planning for April 27 regular city council meeting: CONSENT: 1. Urgency Ordinance lease 742 Grayson for 11 months, 2. Dorothy Day to operate shelter at 742 Grayson, 3. Appointment of Jordon Klein as Director of Planning and Development annual salary $194,765, 4. Extend contract to 6/30/2023 with Michael Brady Emergency Management Training, 5. Donation surplus fire apparatus, 6. Contract add $245,700 and extend 3 years FY 2022, FY2023 with Rebuilding Together East Bay-North, 7. Contract add $180,100 total $230,000 1/7/2019-6/30/2022 with Cyber Leadership and Strategy Solutions, LLC for professional services, 8. Contract add $60,000 total $120,000 with Edgeworth Integration for additional security cameras at waterfront, 9. Contract add $110,000 total $240,000 with Bellingham Inc. for additional finger dock repairs, 10. Contract $540,000 with Raimi + Associates for professional planning services for the 2023 – 2031 Housing Element Update (RHNA), 11. Contract $4,296,733 with Bay Cities Paving & Grading, Inc for street rehabilitation FY 2021, 12. PO $465,000 for one CCTV Sewer Camera Truck, 13. PO $390,000 plus up-fitting costs $120,000 total $510,000 for eight hybrid Ford Interceptor Utility Hybrid SUVs, 14. Contract add $50,000 total $920,304 with Downtown Streets Team for services around encampments and neighborhoods, 16. Contract add $1,000,000 total $1,450,000 with Trip Stop Sidewalk Repair for sidewalk inspection and shaving, 17. Contract add $78,200 total $484,800 with Disability Access Consultants for ADA Transition Plan, 18. Approve list of projects to utilize State Road and Maintenance Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) Funds, 19. Contract for parking data collection, community outreach with Nelson/Nygaard for goBerkeley Residential Shared Parking Pilot, 20. Contract add $100,000 total $3,156,900 with D.L. Falk Construction for renovations at Central Library, 21. Vision Zero Annual Report and BerkDOT Berkeley Department of Transportation, 22. Contract add $350,000 total $8,670,400 with D.L. Falk Construction for renovation/upgrade at N. Berkeley Senior Center, 23. Lease Agreement 2010 Addison at Center St Garage with Vito Loconte and Alexie LeCount DBA Lexie’s Frozen Custard for 10 yr w/5 yr lease extension and $9,331.23 to Colliers International for commercial brokerage fees for locating tenant, 24. Taplin support AB-490 (use of force policies to prohibit techniques and transport methods with substantial risk of positional asphyxia. 25. Taplin, Arreguin, Budget Referral remediation Ninth St Traffic Conditions adds six traffic circles, ACTION: 26. CM, Public Hearing Submission of PY2021 (FY2022) Annual Action Plan Allocations of Federal Funds (HUD) for community agencies, 27. CM, Refinancing 2010 Certificates originally issued to finance Animal Shelter Project, 28. CM, Issuance of $45,000,000 in General Obligation Bonds, Series B for Measure T1 (Facilities and Infrastructure Improvements), 29. CM, Reserve $40 million of Measure O bonds as part of the $53 million to achieve 35% affordable housing at the Ashby and North Berkeley BART sites and future Housing Funding Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA), reserve at least $13 million in future Affordable Housing Mitigation fees to cover balance of $53, million, refer to CM to investigate bond measure with goal of maximizing affordable housing (up to 100%), 30. Harrison, Bartlett, Taplin, Adopt Ordinance Regulating Police Acquisition and Use of Controlled Equipment, 31. Arreguin, Assessing City’s Bonding Capacity Referral to CM, 32. Harrison, Request CalPERS Divest from Industrial Animal Protein and Factory Farming Companies and Invest in CA Local Plant-Based Food Economy, Information Reports: Zero Waste Commission Workplan, Referred Items for Review: 8. COVID-19 impact on meetings (boards/commissions), 9. Systems Realignment (changing council submissions to budget cycle), Unscheduled Items: 10. Strengthening and Supporting Commissions.

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/Policy_Committee__Agenda___Rules.aspx

Personnel Board at 7 pm

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85334925816?pwd=enlvZkViL0pmeEVSQk5nOGRmeENRdz09

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 853 3492 5816

AGENDA: V. Recommendation to Revise the Housing Inspector Supervisor Classification, VI. Adopt Program Manager I and II Classifications, VII. Establish Director of Police Accountability.

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Personnel_Board_Homepage.aspx

Youth Commission at 5 pm

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/92660674844

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 926 h6067 4844

AGENDA: 13. Current work, 14. Trigger Warnings subcommittee discussion, 15. Student Advocate subcommittee, 16. Potential environmental projects, 17. Review and approval for Sex Education Survey and its distribution,

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Youth_Commission_Homepage.aspx

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board MM Webinar at 10 am

Pre-register for links to webinar http://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/

AGENDA: Measure MM rent stabilization prohibiting evictions during state or local emergencies

Homeless Commission at 7 pm

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/96645301465

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 966 4530 1465

AGENDA: 7. Enforce Berkeley source of income discrimination ordinance, 8. Proposal for Residential Vacancy Tax, 9. Unsheltered Homeless in downtown, 11. Pathways (homeless shelter) accessibility and pandemic response for disabled, 12. Accountability for vendors and NGOs that work for or with City, 13. Possible Homeless Ombudsman Position, 14. Participatory Planning for RHNA.

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Homeless_Commission_Homepage.aspx

Parks and Waterfront Commission at 7 pm

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/96974512296

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 969 7451 2296

AGENDA: 9. PRW Capital Budget FY2022, 10. Refuse cost at parks, 11. Update Adopt-a-spot, 12. Update Greening Berkeley, 13. Outdoor fitness courts grant, 14. Proposed Pier/Ferry

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Parks_and_Waterfront_Commission.aspx

Police Review Commission at 7 pm

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87070468124

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 870 7046 8124

AGENDA: 9. Subcommittee reports, Warrant Service policy, Lexipol, 10. a. Update on transition to new Police Accountability Board, applications for Board members closed, b. Review BPD issues with Use of Force Policy (UOF), c. Whether commissioners to participate in UOF training 11. Whether commissioners may be allowed to observe police officers being trained

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Police_Review_Commission_Homepage.aspx

 

City Council Budget & Finance Committee at 10 am

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86368395448

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 863 6839 5448

AGENDA: 2. Bartlett, Arreguin, Taplin, Predevelopment Allocation, Ashby Recreation and Community Housing (ARCH) Consortium planning grant for Ashby BART East Parking Lot, 3. From Parks and Waterfront Commission, Proposal to Allocate Revenues from Transient Occupancy Tax from the Waterfront Area to the Marin Fund. 4. FY2022 Budget Calendar Update, 5. Fire Dept Budget Presentation, 6. Human Resources Dept Budget Presentation,

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Budget___Finance.aspx

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board at 7 pm

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/95480886658?pwd=SmJrc1QzdDczeDltaHhySWxndndVQT09

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 954 8088 6658 Passcode: 427413

AGENDA: 7. State Legislative Report and action to take positions on AB1199, AB854, AB1188

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/

Design Review Committee at 7 pm

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/98029280758

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 920 2928 0758

AGENDA: 1. 2352 Shattuck @ Channing – continued final review – demolish 2 existing commercial buildings, split lot in two, construct two 8-story mixed-use buildings with 204 units, (including 14 very low income units)

2. 2000 University @ Milvia – preliminary design review – demolish 2 commercial structure, construct new 8-story mixed-use building with 82 units and ground floor commercial

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/designreview/

Fair Campaign Practices Commission and Open Government Commission at 7 pm

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89688058545

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 896 8805 8545

AGENDA: 6. Mandated Cost of Living Adjustments for Public Financing Program, 7. Developing policies allowing administrative closure of inactive campaign committees, 9. Handling of public communications submitted to city legislative bodies as part of public record in land use proceedings, 10. Brown Act and Open Government Ordinance complaints submitted by Shirley Dean related to City Council land use items.

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/FCPC/

Independent Redistricting Commission at 6 pm

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81495024968

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 814 9502 4968

AGENDA: 2. Training Communities of Interest and Public Engagement.

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/redistricting/

Transportation Commission at 7 pm

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86076822421

Teleconference: Meeting ID: 860 7682 2421

AGENDA: B.1. Dana Complete Streets 35% Design Plan, 2. Subcommittee Assignments – Form a subcommittee called the Berkeley-El Cerrito Corridor Access Plan (BECCAP) to plan how BART riders who will not live at the BART station projects (transit oriented development -TOD) get to and from BART, 3. TDA Funding for Bike Plan Update and Vision Zero Quick Build Projects,

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Transportation_Commission_Homepage.aspx

Friday, April 16, 2021 & Saturday, April 17, 2021 & Sunday, April 18, 2021

No City meetings or events found