While lawmakers are seeking credit for declassifying U.S. state secrets (ref. letter to N.Y.T. by Nancy Pelosi) ) what is sorely missing is why lawmakers remained silent while our government went on a rampage targeting democracies around the world such as Iran and Chile. What is profoundly disturbing is President Biden's recent security pact with Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East, especially given the atrocities committed by Saudi Arabia in Yemen and the role played by the United States and the United Kingdom in radicalizing Iran through the 1953 coup against Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. 

August 19th marked the 70th anniversary of the overthrow of Mohammad Mosaddegh, the first democratically elected prime minister of Iran. It is a somber reminder of the United States' involvement in orchestrating coups and regime changes around the world. While this grim anniversary received little attention in the United States, the attempted coup against the peaceful transfer of power on January 6th, 2021, by then-President Donald Trump, was widely covered. The violence on that day, however, pales in comparison to the bloodshed resulting from numerous U.S. sponsored interventions globally. 

President Dwight Eisenhower's administration was directly involved in the overthrow of Mosaddegh, but the British spy agency, MI6, played a significant role. The documentary "Coup 53" by Taghi Amirani uncovered the long-concealed direction of the coup by MI6 operative Norman Darbyshire. This revelation sheds light on the extent of MI6's partnership with the CIA in Mossadegh's ouster. 

It is essential to remember that the U.S. and Britain installed a puppet, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, as the Shah of Iran, who ruled for a quarter century with the support of the CIA and its creation, SAVAK, a brutal state security apparatus that terrorized and killed Iranians who dared to speak out. The consequences of these actions continue to affect Iran and the region today. 

Documents obtained by the National Security Archives in Washington, DC, confirm that the coup in Iran was carried out under CIA direction as an act of U.S. foreign policy, conceived and approved at the highest levels of government. This coup was just one in a long list of U.S.-sponsored interventions and coups that have left lasting scars on affected nations, from Guatemala to Chile, from Vietnam to the Middle East. 

As we contemplate President Biden's security pact with Saudi Arabia, a country that has committed appalling crimes in Yemen using U.S. weapons, we must reflect on our nation's history of intervening in the affairs of other nations. It is disheartening to see our government align with a regime that has caused immense suffering in Yemen and played a role in destabilizing the region. 

Confronting the attempted coup on January 6th, 2021, and holding those responsible accountable is essential, but it should also serve as a catalyst for a broader reckoning with our nation's history of violent interventions abroad. On the 70th anniversary of the coup in Iran, it is high time for self-reflection and a renewed commitment to diplomacy and respect for the sovereignty of other nations. state .

Over the past two or three decades, the caprices of fortune have not boded well for mentally ill disabled people. If a person has a mental or emotional difference that makes it hard for them to get and maintain work, it is automatic that they are at risk for homelessness. The amount we receive to live on is inadequate in the San Francisco Bay Area to pay for housing, forcing some to accept institutionalized housing when this is not appropriate for their level of development. Meanwhile, others have it worse. 

Blaming the victim has invariably been the default. This is blaming a disabled adult as being at fault for his or her disability. Some imply a psychiatric condition is a defect of character and mentally divergent people need to straighten themselves out. Employed people are fond of saying they are intrinsically better than the disabled person, because "I have a job, I work for a living." It is a superiority complex, and it is built on false ground. 

Mentally ill people are capable people unless proven otherwise, and those of us over eighteen are actual adults, and we ought to be afforded the same basic respect that most people believe themselves to deserve. 

Some have asserted mentally ill people become homeless because of bad decisions caused by not taking our medication. Bunk. The government doesn't give us enough, rents are too high, food is too high, and we have a corrupt, tangled mess of a social service system. And let's not forget the courts. I won't even go into that one. 

Yet, it is up to us to find a way we can survive, maintain housing, and keep fed, medicated and safe. The reality is no one is going to do this for us, if we are considered competent adults. 

If we can't afford housing because either we can't get hired or because we can't handle the rigors of a job, we need to find another way. It will be different for everyone. If we have a method of bettering our circumstances, we should employ that method, so long as it is safe, legal, and legitimate. There may be some job that would be a job match, that we haven't yet explored. Doing that could be uncomfortable, but it is probably better to be in the category of "employed", so that even if we can't always work, we can have a time of doing better. 

When I worked at nighttime cleanup in 1983, servicing "Flair Markets" in the East Bay, and later when I delivered pizza for Rocket Pizza, I earned enough money to live on and I felt like I was a normal person. And I in fact had money. When I did electronic repair, I didn't earn as much, for whatever reasons. My condition may have affected it, and in a lot of those jobs, the expectations were too much. When self-employed at it, I still couldn't make enough. So, we may not always get a "respectable job" but at least, in a job with less social status, we have provided for ourselves. 

(Today's essay is a ramble--you might have guessed that by now.) 

The value of being employed, even if it doesn't last, is partly that it lends feeling like a "normal" "real" person, "adult". For example, if we need a car repair, paying for it on our own rather than getting a parent to pay for it could be liberating. Collecting a paycheck is liberating. This is so even though we are expected to report our earnings. 

About life: you envision yourself being something or someone, or doing something; you do it, and later it is gone. That's just how it works. Everything goes away at some point. 

There is something to be said for showing up for work every day, putting in a shift, driving home, sleeping, and doing it again the next day. Multiply that by 300 shifts or so, after you subtract weekends and holidays, and you have a year in which you've worked. 

I have done this in my past. Today, I still work--at writing, which is usually an unpaid endeavor. I've been doing this for two decades. I'm labeling it "inverse retirement." 

At some point I hope to have enough sources of paid work in this field so that I can better my financial situation. It is already beginning to feel like a job; wherein I do it whether I feel like it or not. It is an invisible line. And when you cross that line, somewhere up ahead comes the money, I hope. 

---

 

Jack Bragen lives and writes in Martinez, California.  

After neighbors on Keeler showed up at the Transportation Commission on Thursday complaining about the condition of their street in the hills, I decided it was time for another drive into the Berkeley hills. After hearing Councilmember Wengraf say during the City Council debate on the ADU Ordinance Tuesday evening that property owners in the hills didn’t know where to put their fences as the hills were moving and property lines weren’t clear, Keeler wasn’t the only reason I was curious.

Adding to the urgency, nothing was settled Tuesday evening. The Berkelely City Council ended in a split vote (4 to 4) on the Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) Ordinance for the Hillside Overlay, the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ), and will take up the ADU Ordinance again next Tuesday, October 3. It is item 10 on the agenda. https://berkeleyca.gov/city-council-regular-meeting-eagenda-october-3-2023

Writing about adding ADUs aka granny flats in the Berkeley Hills is a constantly moving target.

The more I read, the more I dig, the messier it gets. Just this week J.K. Dineen wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle about the multiple vacant multi-unit buildings in San Francisco. That was a contrast to the usual stories with the usual rants about not building new housing, often quoting Scott Wiener or Buffy Wicks.

I’ve always wondered how many vacant housing units there are in Berkeley with the “for lease” signs that never seem to go away. We’re supposed to get that answer with the vacancy tax? 

Before leaving, I studied the online Berkeley street map and the Earthquake Zones of Required Investigation showing the fault lines and landslide areas in the North Berkeley Hills. Most of Keeler is in designated landslide areas and all of Keeler is in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. 

This is the link to the Earthquake Zones of Required Investigation map I checked. https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/EQZApp/app/  

The map opens to the entire state of California. Typing Berkeley into the box with the magnifier will center it over Berkeley. By clicking on the + symbol the map can be enlarged to the point where the street address is visible. From there you can click on an address and learn if the parcel is in a Fault Zone, Liquefaction Zone or Landslide Zone. The fault lines are broken black lines, areas of required investigation before building are yellow, landslide areas are in blue and yellow, and liquefaction is green. 

I didn’t stop to check if the map of the fault line and landslide areas was included with the open houses for sale I drove by; maybe next time. 

I’ve driven Marin and Spruce many times, but never deep into the North Berkeley Hills. This time I drove up and down the narrow winding roads filled with canyons and hills that are better suited to deer and wildlife than to the houses I saw packed in closely next to each other, hanging over cliffs or perched on hillsides. I didn’t count the number of times I crossed the Hayward Fault or meandered in and out of the earthquake zones of required investigation. 

There is no way to get a sense of the topography by looking at a google map. Even the 3D map versions are of little help in giving a true sense of the terrain. Nearly all of what I drove was designated as landslide zones. 

It is no wonder that Wengraf is so concerned about wildland urban fire. The evidence for the foolishness of adding density to an area that should have remained wildland instead of turning it into a densely packed urban area was everywhere. 

Tuesday, September 19, 2023, was the first time I can remember a split vote with the cuncil unable to reach a majority vote and continuing the agenda item to the next meeting (October 3, 2023). The presentations, public comment and debate on ADUs started after the evening break at 8 pm and ended at 11:15 pm with Hahn, Wengraf, Robinson and Arreguin on one side and Kesarwani, Taplin, Barlett and Humbert on the other. Councilmember Harrison was away representing the City. 

While Mayor Arreguin voted with Wengraf, Hahn and Robinson on the 19th, he was back at the podium in his State of the City presentation the next day talking about his aspiration to exceed the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for the assigned 8934 new housing units in Berkeley. Instead Arreguin set his sights on adding 15,000 housing units in Berkeley and spreading them across all districts. That should keep the real estate and building industries and unions happy. They have lined up behind Arreguin with their endorsements in his run for State Senate Seat District 7. 

Fire Chief Sprague in his presentation on the 19th laid out the real Berkeley fire risk and concluded with “The scientific data presented in the supplemental, coupled with the region’s cyclic relationship with significant fire events, are the reason Berkeley Fire Department strongly believes that a moratorium should be considered on any development within the Fire Zones that: increases HU/ac [housing units per acre], reduces existing non-conforming 

[tructure Separation Distance – puts buildings closer together], increases population or increases the number of vehicles that will use the roadway during a wildfire.” 

ADUs and JADUs are supposed to be naturally affordable, because they are added to existing lots or to existing housing stock. An ADU is a completely independent living unit and can be detached or attached to a single-family home. A JADU (Junior ADU) is built completely within an existing home by converting/renovating an underutilized part of the house. 

For details: HCD Accessory Handbook https://www.hcd.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-07/ADUHandbookUpdate.pdf 

There is pressure to build enormous amounts of housing when population in California is in decline. The latest update from the California State Department of Finance projects population to continue to decline for the next several years and then slowly grow until it peaks in 2044 with a population increase of 635,426 over 2020 to 40,155,497. Then population falls into slow decline until by 2060 there are fewer people in California in 2060 than 2020. Document P-1A Total Population for California gives the revised year by year projections. https://dof.ca.gov/forecasting/demographics/projections/ 

It might be easier to follow by watching Marc Verville’s presentation to the Livable California organization on September 23, 2023. It is posted on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtVEkLx3-Qs 

You can turn the YouTube video instantaneously into a transcript by pasting the link into YouTube Transcript. It’s not perfect, but close. https://youtubetranscript.com/ 

The process to get to the 8,934 new housing units assigned to Berkeley to build starts with the California Department of Finance. The California Department of Finance creates the projections for population growth. This is turned over to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) which turns the population projections into new housing needs to be built over an eight-year cycle. Then HCD breaks down housing needs by region and assigns the housing needs known as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) to the Council of Governments (COG) which breaks it down further to cities and counties which must develop a plan called the Housing Element: where all this new housing can go to meet the assigned allotment in the eight-year cycle, currently 2023 – 2031. 

Berkeley’s regional COG is the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) of which our Mayor Jesse Arreguin is the President. 

Finding places to build means cities and counties with a shortage of vacant lots and “underutilized” buildings to demolish for new housing are pushed into upzoning, which is changing zoning to put more housing, more people on a lot, which adds more density, increases the value of the land and provides the incentive to demolish whatever happens to exist on a lot. 

ADUs and JADUs aren’t counted like houses and multi-family units, so they increase building structures, decreasing the Structural Separation Distance and adding population density, all while slipping under the radar except for being part of the RHNA count. 

The cities and counties aren’t actually building the housing (at least goes usually).l Building is in the hands of private/corporate developers/builders. When cities and counties have failed to meet their target allocation of building new housing midway through the eight year RHNA/Housing Element cycle, there is something called “Builder’s Remedy” which basically lets builders bypass zoning and approval processes as long as 20% of dwellings/units are for low-income households (up to $112,150 annual income for a household of 4 in Alameda County) or when 100% of the units are for moderate income households (up to $177,500 annual income for a household of 4 in Alameda County). 

You can read the entire chart of income levels by category by county starting on page 6. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/sites/default/files/docs/grants-and-funding/income-limits-2023.pdf 

The only problem with all of this is that it seems the California Department of Finance made a little(?) error in their overly ambitious projections of population growth moving into the current RHNA cycle. Instead of fantastical future growth, the population in California is actually in decline. The Department of Finance press release of May 1, 2023 laid the ground that population projections had been overly optimistic. https://dof.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/352/Forecasting/Demographics/Documents/E-1_2023PressRelease.pdf 

The new updated population projections made public in July 2023 set the total California population gain for 2031, the year this Housing Element cycle ends as only 11,957 more people than 2020. 

In January 2021, ten months into the pandemic, when California population was in decline, ABAG (under the leadership of Arreguin as President) in its ABAG Plan Bay Area 2050, their plan for the future, used the fantastical growth for the Bay Area of 51% since 2015. The Plan Bay Area 2050 projected population growth of 1,367,000 for just the Bay Area. https://www.planbayarea.org/digital-library/plan-bay-area-2050-final-blueprint-growth-pattern 

Back to the RHNA assignment to Berkeley to build 8934 new housing units: It is based on those old fantastical growth projections, not the Department of Finance July 2023 revision. The Housing Element for Berkeley and every entity in California is built on population growth that the Department of Finance no longer supports. 

HCD is still operating on those old projections,holding cities to building housing for fantastical population growth predictions. Other cities are resisting, with some suing over the RHNA assignments, but not Berkeley. 

In 2022, Berkeley ranked as 84th in density in the U.S. When the ranking is narrowed to cities between 100,000 and 150,000, Berkeley is the second densest city in the nation. Listening to Arreguin, it sounds like his intention is to surpass that second in density rating. The agreement Arreguin negotiated with UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ appears to put student population growth on the accelerator. That agreement which can fill an entire Planet issue is a subject for another day. 

On to the ordinance to add ADUs in the benign sounding “Hillside Overlay.” That title encompasses all of the hazards which are layered on top of each other, the Hayward Fault, the designated landslide areas and the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and Wildland Urban Interface. 

After multiple stops and starts, City Council separated the ADU Ordinance into two Ordinances. The first ADU Ordinance covering all of Berkeley except the Hillside Overlay passed in a unanimous vote on January 18, 2022. It was modeled on Councilmember Kesarwani’s Supplemental encouraging adding ADUs. 

The ADU Ordinance for the Hillside Overlay based on the Hahn-Wengraf revised material for fire safety requirements using the public safety exception was passed on January 25, 2022. While allowing ADUs, it included firm setback requirements for building separation at property lines, prohibited intrusion into the setbacks and rooftop decks and included off-street parking requirements 

There were memorable points in that January 2022 evening. While there was overwhelming public comment in support of the Hahn-Wengraf supplemental, there were a few outliers like Todd Andrew, who commented that evacuation in a fire would not be a problem as people would be driving down Marin. 

When Wengraf took the floor after public comment closed, she shared the video of people evacuating in the 1991 Oakland-Berkeley Hills fire where 25 people died. It was pretty raw. Wengraf said this as she commented on the video, “this is what an evacuation looks like. There is no such thing as an orderly peaceful choreographed evacuation. It’s chaotic, it’s driven by fear and panic and everybody is racing for their lives.” 

What I remember most about the January 2022 evening was not the end of the evening with seconds running out in a 5 to 4 vote when Councilmember Bartlett said he thought he voted the wrong way and asked for reconsideration to change his vote. In the 5 to 4 revote, Bartlett sided with the motion based on the Hahn-Wengraf Supplemental. 

The memory that stood out the most from that evening was Councilmember Kesarwani’s long winded comment on the simmering resentment of perceived inequity between the North Berkeley Hills and the “flats,” South and West Berkeley. An excerpt of her comments is included here: 

“…I do have to say that those stone pillars that mark the areas of the city that were designed to exclude people of color…you know that does sting, that stings for me as a woman of color and that stings for my constituents and I just want to share with you my perspective that when you put forward limits that are very much different from what the rest of the flats are doing are going to be part of the housing solution that does rub some of us the wrong way and I’m trying to see your perspective and spend a lot of time driving around the hills on those narrow winding streets and I do want to say that it is unsafe up there. There are real concerns. But I do think we also have to figure out how can we do, how can we affirmatively further housing. You know that’s fair to the whole city, but that also mitigates wildfire risk and that it is my view that we follow the minimum requirements of state law and as it relates to ADUs.” 

While Kesarwani acknowledged the real fire danger, more important to her was fulfilling equity, that the hills did not have exceptions and were under the same conditions as the flats for adding ADUs. That stand lost to public safety in January 2022. 

The perception of privilege and the impacts of redlining lingers. The demographic chart of the Berkeley City Council Districts by race and home ownership tells the difference. In addition, the hills create a natural barrier to the homeless encampments that settle in the flats mostly in Districts 1, 2, and 3 with smaller encampments in District 4. 

On October 17, 2022 HCD sent a letter to Jordan Klein, Director of Planning and Development Department stating that Berkeley’s ADU Ordinances did not comply with State Law. 

Now we are back at this again, with a split City Council on what to do about adding ADUs in the Hillside Overlay with its many dangers, the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, the Hayward Fault, and designated Landslides Zones. 

X The landslides were ljast January . Significant fires cycle about every 20 years. The last major fire was 32 years ago, 1991. Berkeley is overdue. In 1868 the ground on the Hayward Fault line shifted six feet. A major earthquake on the Hayward Fault is overdue too. 

There is limited egress and ingress to the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. 

How will thousands of residents in the Berkeley Hills evacuate while the Fire Department tries to make it in? All we really have are Marin and Spruce. Grizzly Peak through the very high fire zone really isn’t a way out. 

Chief Sprague has a lot more worry than the thousands of residents in the Berkeley Hills. He has the department firefighters. Adding to all of this is climate change, the dangerous winds where fires create their own weather patterns. Fires can go up or down the hills and canyons. Embers can float in the wind and start new fires including in places not expected to burn like Coffey Park in the Tubbs fire. 

Will City Council ignore the warnings from Fire Chief Sprague and acquiesce to HCD or will City Council heed the warnings and put forth the case to attend to public safety first? Will the simmering resentment over perceived privilege put the entire city at risk? These are open questions. Wengraf called on City Council to challenge HCD. There are strong arguments to be made. 

Worth Noting:

The manufacturing tours of Berkeley businesses look interesting!

BERKELEY MANUFACTURING WEEK TOURS October 2 – 6,

Check Webpage and Registration for Tour Times

Register for Free Tours: At https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/2023-berkeley-manufacturing-week-tours-2635549

Participating Local Manufacturers: Adams and Chittenden, Artworks Foundry, Berkeley Potters Guild, Boichik Bagels, Metro Lighting, Takara Sake, TCHO Chocolate, Zenbooth

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/news/explore-berkeleys-manufacturing-bagels-glass-soundproof-booths

The Go to meeting of the week is City Council on the ADU Ordinance in the Hillside Overly (Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, Landslide Zones, and the Hayward Fault runs through it). Monday:

• At 9 am the Elmwood BID meets in person.
• At 3 pm the City Council meets in Closed Session.
• At 7 pm the Personnel Board meets in person.

• Tuesday: At 6 pm the City Council meets in the hybrid format. The ADU Ordinance is item 10 on the agenda.
• Wednesday:
  • From 9 am – noon is the tree planting at John Hinkel Park.
  • At 2 pm FITES meets in the hybrid format on deconstruction/construction materials.
  • At 5:30 pm the Planning Commission meets in person and conducts a public hearing on zoning to support small business in Southside, BART Housing and Commercial Districts.
  • At 6:30 BOLT meets in person.
  • At 7 pm the Homeless Services Panel of Experts meets in person.
• Thursday:
  • At 7 pm the Landmarks Preservation Commission meets in person.
  • At 7 pm the Housing Advisory Commission meets in person.

Activist’s Diary for September 17, 2023 on Ready Festival, Planning and Fire Department Master Plan

https://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2023-09-02/article/50412?headline=A-BERKELEY-ACTIVIST-S-DIARY-week-ending-Sept.-17--Kelly-Hammargren



The City Council October 10, 2023 is posted and available for comment.

Check the City website for late announcements and meetings posted on short notice at: https://berkeleyca.gov/

Directions with links to ZOOM support for activating Closed Captioning and Save Transcript are at the bottom of this calendar.



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BERKELEY PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CIVIC EVENTS 

 

Sunday, October 1, 2023 – No City meetings 

 

Monday, October 2, 2023 

 

CITY COUNCIL Closed Session at 3 pm 

A Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 2180 Milvia, 6th Floor – Redwood Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1602668772 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (toll free)  

Meeting ID: 160 266 8772 

AGENDA: 1. Employee Evaluation – City Attorney, 2. Conference with labor negotiators, employee organizations Berkeley Firefighters Association, Local 1227 I.A.F.F. / Berkeley Fire Chief Fire Officers Association; Berkeley Police Association; SEIU 1021 Community Services and Part-time Recreation Activity Leaders, SEIU 1021 Maintenance and Clerical, Public Employee Union Local 1, Unrepresented Employees. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/city-council-closed-meeting-eagenda-october-2-2023 

 

ELMWOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD at 9 am 

In-Person: 2947 College, Rear Outdoor Parking Lot 

AGENDA: Review and Approve Elmwood BID Boundary Map 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/elmwood-business-improvement-district-advisory-board 

 

PERSONNEL BOARD at 7 pm 

In-Person: 1301 Shattuck, Live Oak Community Center, Creekside Room 

AGENDA: V. Request for Extension of Temporary Appointment in the HHCS Community Service Specialist III Joshua Oehler and Assistant Management Analyst 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/personnel-board 

 

Tuesday, October 3, 2023 

 

CITY COUNCIL Regular Meeting at 6 pm 

A Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison St. in the School District Board Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1600539994 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (toll free)  

Meeting ID: 160 053 9994 

AGENDA: Use the link and choose the html option or see the agenda listed at the end of the calendar. Item 10 On the Agenda Is the ADU Ordinance. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas 

 

Wednesday, October 4, 2023 

 

JOHN HINKEL PARK TREE PLANTING at 9 am – 12 pm 

Location: 41 Somerset Place 

Wear closed-toed footwear and clothing ready to get a bit dirty. Park staff supply all the tools. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/john-hinkel-park-tree-planting 

 

FACILITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE (FITES) Meeting at 2 pm 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 2180 Milvia, 6th Floor – Redwood Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1610954457 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free)  

Meeting ID: 161 095 4457  

AGENDA: 2. Harrison – Adopt an Ordinance Adding Chapter 12.39 to the BMC to Regulate Deconstruction and Construction Materials Management. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-committees/policy-committee-facilities-infrastructure-transportation-environment-sustainability 

 

BOARD of LIBRARY TRUSTEES (BOLT) at 6:30 pm 

In-Person: At 1125 University, West Branch 

AGENDA: II. Consent Calendar A. FY 2022 Annual Report of Gift Received to City Council, E. 2024 Holiday & Closing Schedule, F. Schedule to open 1 hour later for staff meetings, G. 2024 Meeting Schedule, H. Amend Contract #32000176 add $1,450.000 and extend for 12 months 7/31/2023 – July 6/31/2024 with Universal Protection Service, LP. Dba: Allied Universal Security Services for security services at the Central Library and Library Branches on request, III. Action Calendar A. Recommendation on appointment of Trustee to serve four-year term, B. Nominations for Board President and Vice-President, C. Election of President, D. Election of Vice-President. 

https://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/about/board-library-trustees 

 

HOMELESS SERVICES PANEL of EXPERTS at 7 pm 

In-Person: 999 Harrison, Berkeley Reparatory Theater, Admin Office, Mercer-Golden Rehearsal Hall 

AGENDA: 6. Development of Good Neighbor Guidelines and Encampment Policy, 7. 2024 meeting schedule, 8. Update on reports to council including serving inclement weather needs, RV dwellers and other vehicle dwellers, 9. Update on Encampment Based Mobile Wellness Team, HHCS new health assessment report and additional funds to Berkeley Food Network. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/homeless-services-panel-experts 

 

PLANNING COMMISSION AT 5:30 PM 

In-Person: 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: 10. Draft Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, 11. Public Hearing: Zoning Amendments to Support Businesses. Areas affected Southside, BART Housing Development and Commercial Districts. (packet 128 pages – 98 pages on hearing) 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/planning-commission 

 

Thursday, October 5, 2023 

 

LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION (LPC) at 7 pm 

In-Person: 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: 6. Piedmont Avenue and Channing Way Pedestrian Improvements – Advisory Referral presentation on Public Works project that would affect the City Landmark Olstem Landscape, 7. 2113 Kittredge Street – Structural Alteration Permit #LMSAP2022-0011 for the California Theater, 8. 2420 Shattuck – Demolition Referral. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/landmarks-preservation-commission 

 

HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE (HAC) at 7 pm 

In-Person: 2939 Ellis, South Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: Receive Presentation on HUD Program Year 2022 (FY 2023) Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), 9. 2023-2024 Workplan, 10. Fair Access and Transparency for Rental Housing Applications Ordinance. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/housing-advisory-commission 

 

Friday, October 6, 2023 - No City meetings 

Saturday, October 7, 2023 - No City meetings 

Sunday, October 8, 2023 - No City meetings 

 

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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA for Regular 6 pm Meeting on October 3, 2023 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison St. in the School District Board Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1600539994 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (toll free)  

Meeting ID: 160 053 9994 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas 

 

AGENDA on CONSENT: 

1. 2nd reading – Utility easement: Bolivar Drive – EBMUD, Adopt 2nd reading of Ordinance No. 7,883-N.S. to convey utility easement to EBMUD along Bolivar Drive at Aquatic Park
2. 2nd reading - Oyekanmi, Finance – 2024 Tax Rate: Transportation Network Company User Tax
3. 2nd reading – Authorizing Lease of 830 University to Lifelong Medical Care
4. Robinson – Appointment to Police Accountability Board (PAB)
5. Radu, City Manager Office – Revenue Contract with City of Emeryville for Animal Care Services for $235,548 for 10/6/2023 – 6/30/2023
6. Oyekanmi, Finance – Formal Bid Solicitations $9,284,266, Housing Inspection Software $150,000, sidewalk Repair Project $1,181,266, Whistleblower Hotline $100,000, Library Technology Roadmap $100,000. Berkeley Marina Docks D & E Replacement Project $7,753,00
7. Fong, IT – Amend Contract No. 9791 add $279,750 total $900,750 for 7/1/2023 – 6/30/2023 with Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. for Enterprise Graphical Information system (GIS) Software License Maintenance and Support
8. Fong, IT - Modify Contract No. 114382-1, add $115,016 total $261,922 from 7/1/2014 – 6/30/2026

AGENDA on ACTION: 

9. Sprague, Fire – Ambulance Transport Fee Increase
10. Klein, Planning – Amendments to title 23 ADU Ordinance – (on 9-19-2023 the council was split 4 to 4, Councilmember Harrison was away representing the City at a conference)
11. Friedrichsen, Budget Manager – Berkeley’s Financial Condition (FY 2012 – FY 2021) Pension Liabilities and Infrastructure Needs

INFORMATION REPORTS: 

12. Oyekanmi, Finance – Sanctuary City Contracting Compliance Report for FY 2023
13. Louis, Police - Update on the Implementation of Fair and Impartial Policing Task Force Recommendations

 

++++++++++++++++++ 

 

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA for Regular 6 pm Meeting on October 10, 2023 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison St. in the School District Board Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1611670896 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (toll free)  

Meeting ID: 161 167 0896 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas 

 

AGENDA on CONSENT: 

1. Numainville, City Clerk – City Council Rules of Procedure and Order Revisions – Removed by City Manager
2. Hollander, Economic Development – Write-off of a delinquent revolving loan fund (RLF) Balance of $25,000 oved by Kidventurez, Inc.
3. Oyekanmi, Finance – Formal Bid Solicitation and requests for RFP, Hazardous Fire Fuel Treatment $4,000,000
4. Warhuus, HHCS – Revenue Contracts: Aging Services Programs, FY 2024-2026, a. Congregate Meals $213,000, b. Home Delivered Meals $440,000, Family Caregiver Support Program $126,500, d. Senior Center Activities $136,000, e. Information and assistance Services $460,000
5. Warhuus, HHCS – Amend Contract add $10,760 total $139,400 with City Data Services to Develop and maintain Homelessness Prevention reporting module in online data management utilized by HHCS
6. Kouyoumdjian, HR – Establish classification and salary range for Graphic Designer hourly $39.5233 - $48.5000 annually $82,208.4870 - $100,880.0000
7. Klein, Planning – Contract $128,375 from 12/1/2023 – 11/31/2028 with EdgeSoft for Data Automation Services and Support for Toxics Management Division
8. Louis, Police – Contract (appears to be amendment though not listed as such) for $344,500 total not to exceed $425,000 with Flock Safety to provide ALPR Cameras Services and extend term to two years from date of implementations,
9. Garland, Public Works – Amend Contract #32300191 add $150,000 total $260,000 with Pacific Site Management for Landscaping Services for Public works and HHCS
10. Garland, Public works – Amend Contract #108037-1 add $350,000 total $480,000 with MSR Mechanical, LLC for on-call heating, ventilation and air conditioning services
11. Garland, Public Works – Grant Application to BART for $3,000,000 from the Safe Routes to BART (SR2B) Grant Program to help close the funding gap for construction of safety-related improvements to the Ohlone Greenway
12. Garland, Public Works – Purchase Order: $2,050,000 for four Front Loaders with Western Truck Center
13. Elmwood BID Advisory Board – Renewal of the Elmwood Ave. BID (Business Improvement District for 2024 Calendar Year
14. Solano Avenue BID Advisory Board - Renewal of the Solano Ave. BID for 2024 Calendar Year

INFORMATION REPORTS: 

15. Hollander, Economic Development - FY 2024 Civic Arts Grants Awards

 

++++++++++++++++++++++ 

 

LAND USE CALENDAR PUBLIC HEARINGS: 

• 705 Euclid Avenue (new single family dwelling) 9/26/2023
• 1598 University Avenue (Construct 8-story mixed-use building) – date 9/26/2023
• 3000 Shattuck Avenue (Construct 10-story mixed-use building) – TBD

WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS: 

• October 10 at 4 pm Potential Changes & Enhancements to the City Council Legislative Process
• November 2, 2023 - Draft Waterfront Specific Plan
• Proposed December 5, 2023 – Re-Imagining Public Safety Update and Ceasefire– (to be the only action item of the evening, Wengraf and Arreguin will be absent on December 5)

UNSCHEDULED WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS 

• Fire Department Standards of Coverage & Community Risk Assessment
• Dispatch Needs Assessment Presentation
• Presentation on Homelessness/Re-Housing/Thousand-Person Plan

PAST MEETINGS with reports worth reading: 

• May 16 - Fire Facilities Study Report, Wildfire Prevention Plan https://berkeleyca.gov/city-council-special-meeting-eagenda-may-16-2023-6-pm
• June 20 (WS) - Climate Action Plan & Resilience Update, Berkeley Economic Dashboards Update reports available https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas/city-council-2023-06-20

. 

* * * * * 

 

Kelly Hammargren’s summary on what happened the preceding week is posted on the What Happened page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/what-happened.html and in the Berkeley Daily Planet https://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/ 

 

The Activist’s Calendar of meetings is posted on the What’s Ahead page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html 

 

If you would like to receive the Activist’s Calendar as soon as it is completed send an email to: kellyhammargren@gmail.com.If you want to receive the Activist’s Diary send an email to kellyhammargren@gmail.com. If you wish to stop receiving the weekly calendar of city meetings please forward the email you received to- kellyhammargren@gmail.com -with the request to be removed from the email list. 

______________ 

For Online Public Meetings 

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>

What I’d heard till now of music by Bay Area composer Mason Bates seemed to me glib, light-weight, and of llittle interest. For example, his Piano Concerto, which premiered at San Francisco Symphony in 2022, struck me as meretricious, hardly worth the valiant effort of the brilliant pianist Daniil Trifonov for whom Bates wrote the work and who performed it at its SF premiere. So now, as I attended the Sunday matinee of The (R()evolution of Steve Jobs on October 24, I didn’t expect great things. Well, though I certainly did not experience great things, I must say that, for the most part, Mason Bates’ pop-infused mix of traditional orchestration and computerized soundscapes worked reasonably well in this operatic tale about a Silicon Valley ihigh-tech mogul and ruthless executive. 

Although this opera’s opening —and closing — scenes feature a ten year-old tSteve Jobs receiving a birthday gift of a work table and tools given him by his adoptive father, no mention is ever made in this opera of the fact that Steve Jobs was born Abdul Lateef Jandall of a Syrian father and a German-American mother, who put him up for adoption shortly after his birth. Surely, this fact seems highly relevant to the story told here by Mason Bates and librettist Mark Campbell of a Steve Jobs who always considered himself an outsider. 

In the role of Steve Jobs, baritone John Moore presents a tormented individual, a dropout from college, a guy who was a hippie, a follower of Zen Buddhism, and a renegade with little regard for others. John Moore, who pioneered the role of Steve Jobs when this opera received its world premiere at Santa Fe Opera in July, 2017, has won praise for his “handsome timbre, unflagging energy, and an easy command of the stage.” indeed, we witness the charisma of John Moore’s depiction of Steve Jobs when the non-linear narrative jumps from the opening scene of a ten year-old in 1965 to an adult Steve Jobs making a dramatic project launch of the first Iiphone in 2007 at a SF Convention Center. Alas, the music that closes this bravura speech is bombastic in the extreme. One wonders: Did Mason Bates make this music bombastic to underscore the glibness of Steve Jobs’s over-the-top sales pitch of this new hand-held device that he alleges can do so many wonderful things? In short, is Steve Jobs a high-tech wizard or a huckster? Or both? 

Several other members of the original Santa Fe cast are present here in our SF Opera production. Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke is a radiant, vocally anchored Laurene, the woman Steve Jobs marries. In keeping with her portrayal as a potent grounding element for the mercurial Steve Jobs, 

Laurene’s music is, as Bates describes it, full of stately “oceanic harmonies.” Vocally, Sasha Cooke was at her best in Scene 16 where she tells the seriously ill Steve she loves him but cannot live with him unless he is willing to change, deal with his illness and confront his mortality. This moment was perhaps the vocal highlight of the entire opera. Moreover, on this moment hinges the libretto’s story of the ultimate redemption of Steve Jobs through the loving intervention of his wife Laurene. Whether audiences believe in this redemption is an open question; but this opera plainly makes the case for such a redemption, unlikely as it may seem in reality. 

Another carry-over from the Santa Fe premiere was tenor Billie Bailey as Steve Wozniak, the co-founder with Jobs of Apple, and a high-tech genius in his own right. Billie Bailey’s vocals are often accompanied by saxophones; and his high point was his confrontation with Steve Jobs whom he castigates for running roughshod over all his underlings in his obsessive quest for perfection. In short, Wozniak accuses Jobs of becoming “one of the bastards we hated, … a corporate prick.” Yet another stalwart from the Santa Fe premiere was soprano Olivia Smith in the role of Chrisann Brennan, Jobs’s girlfriend whom he gets pregnant and then refuses to accept his paternity. Chrisann is characterized by flutes, emphasizing her flights of hippie idealism. Last but by no means least from the Santa Fe premiere is bass Wei Wu as Kõbun, Steve Jobs’s Buddhist mentor, whose vocal parables are accompanied by gongs, Tibetan singing bowls, and an alto flute. One may balk at Kõbun’s musical and dramatic portrayal as a stereotype, but it is undeniable that this Buddhist monk had quite an influence on Steve Jobs. 

Steve Jobs died in 2011 at the age of 56. A memorial service was held at Stanford University Chapel, in which Steve Wozniak and Laurene Powell Jobs reminisced about Steve Jobs and his remarkable achievements. In this, the penultimate scene in the opera, Laurene closes with the remark that Steve Jobs would probably say “Buy the phones. But don’t spend your life on them.” 

This is an astute cautionary warning. But one that apparently is ignored by so many people who remain glued to their smart phones throughout most of their waking hours. 

Conducting this SF Opera production of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, was Michael Christie, who also conducted this opera at its 2017 Santa Fe premiere and its subsequent 2019 Grammy award-wiinning recording with the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra. Kevin Newberry was our SF Opera director. Set designs were by Victoria (Vita) Tzykun, the lighting designer was Japhy Weiderman, and costumes were by Paul Carey. The sound designer was Rick Jocobsohn, and composer Mason Bates performed electronics from two MacBook Pros, which were amplified in the orchestra pit. 

---

ERRATA::Olivia Smith did not perform in the Santa Fe premiere of *The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs. *She made role debut here as Chrisann Brennan. Baritone Billie Bruley sang Steve Wozniak, NOT Billie Bailley. Director was Kevin Newbury, NOT Newberry. Lighting Designer was Japhy Weideman, NOT Weiderman. Sound Designer was Rick Jacobsohn, NOT Jocobsohn. My apologies for these errors. 

Perhaps you have been wondering why the planet’s not publishing this week? The short answer is that I broke my ankle in three places and have been in bed ever since it was operated on at Kaiser. I can’t stand on it for 3 to 6 weeks.and it’s too hard to type from bed. Our faithful correspondents have been submitting as usual but I haven’t been able to post their work. Watch this space for updates.

Sunday, September 17 was the 100th anniversary of the 1923 Berkeley Fire that destroyed a 50-block area burning more that 600 homes to the ground. The anniversary was marked with the Fire Ready Festival at Live Oak Park, tented tables with city police, firefighters ready to talk about safety, vendors with fire prevention and safety products, sparkling fire trucks and children running around in their firefighter hats, playing games and generally enjoying the day. 

There have been many California fires with greater devastation than Berkeley’s 1923 fire. There was the 1991 Oakland-Berkeley Hills fire with 25 lives lost and 3,469 homes, apartments and condominiums burned, and the 2017 Tubbs fire with 6,957 structures burned, of which 1,422 were homes in Coffey Park where 23 people lost their lives. There was the Camps Fire in 2018, where 85 people in the town of Paradise lost their lives and nearly 19,000 structures burned to the ground. 

There is a common thread in all of these: the rapidity with which the fires moved and how quickly they engulfed residential neighborhoods. Coffey Park wasn’t even designated as a hazardous high fire risk area and yet it succumbed to flying embers blown over the six lane 101 freeway. 

Peter Hartlaub in the Sunday, San Francisco Chronicle described the advancing 1923 fire from Wildcat Canyon into North Berkeley this way, “The fast moving wall of flames descended like an ambush, reaching residential streets with little warning less than two hours later.” 

In 1923 the winds shifted from the east in the late afternoon to come in from the Bay. That is what stopped the advancing fire from crossing Shattuck and stopping near Berkeley Way. 

I am reminded of a conversation I had with the former Fire Chief Brannigan. I heard 3rd hand that the fire chief for Kensington had said a wildland-urban fire could burn Kensington to the ground in around eight minutes. I asked then-Chief Brannigan what he thought about that statement. His answer was, “that sounds about right, Berkeley could burn to the ground in about an hour.” 

Startled, I absorbed that news thinking about where I live in the flats. Several weeks later, I asked my question about Berkeley a little differently. Did he mean Berkeley could burn to Sacramento or San Pablo in an hour? Brannigan answered“to the bay”, describing how strong winds from the east could carry embers spreading the fire. 

At the Fire Ready Festival, I caught up with Fire Chief David Sprague who cordially answered my many questions. When I asked the same questions of Chief Sprague, he said he didn’t want to put a time on how fast Berkeley could burn to the ground in highest risk fire conditions. We went on to talk about the evacuation study that is currently in process, the Master Plan for facilities, decontamination areas in facilities, adding density in the hills and curb redlining to prohibit parking. 

Sprague didn’t want to paint the picture of current readiness too harshly, but reading the Master Facilities Plan presented to the Disaster and Fire Safety Commission on September 6, 2023, the study of Standards of Coverage (SOC) by Citygate which compares Berkeley Fire Department response times to accepted standards states this: 

“…the Department is organized only to accomplish ‘yesterday’s mission’ and is struggling to meet current demand, much less the future growth of the City and University…The ongoing intensification of land uses, building heights, and population density will make several sections of the City very urban – typical of the largest metropolitan cities for building fire and rescue/EMS challenges…The City’s fire and ambulance programs must evolve to those suitable for a major urban fire department in staffing, unit types and facility locations…” 

Over the last twenty years, Berkeley has transitioned from a mostly single story, single-family residential community, with low-rise multi-unit buildings of two, three and four stories, to a dense urban, vertically oriented community. 

The State density bonus allows a 50% increase in height over zoning limits in return for the paltry designation of 10% of the units of the “base project” for very low-income households. This means that six, eight and ten story buildings seem to be popping up everywhere in the flats. Soon there will be 26 story buildings. In the end, the 10% of very low-income units is calculated only on that portion of the building that could have been approved without the state density bonus. This means that the number of units set aside for very low-income households is less than 10% when looking at the entire project including the bonus. 

We’ve heard from Fire Chief Sprague previously, what vertical density, adding height, means to firefighters. Sprague said buildings above seven stories are designated as high-rise, though the transition comes with anything above five floors. The example he gave to Budget and Finance Committee last April was that a fire on a ground floor could be handled with around 30 firefighters, but when that same kind of fire is in a high-rise the number of firefighters needed goes up to 50 to 100 and if it is anything more than a couple of rooms then it is several hundred firefighters. 

At the Fire Ready festival, I struck up a conversation at the firefighters’ booth, asking about their new air breathing equipment and how that worked going into a high-rise fire. Firefighter Jesse told me they don’t turn on their “air” until they hit the fire/smoke. That answered my question about how they could run up all those stairs with fifty plus pounds of equipment in a high-rise and still have any air in their breathing equipment left when they reached the fire. 

The health risks to firefighters from exposure to smoke and inhaled toxins was covered in the Sunday, September 3, 2023 San Francisco Chronicle article “Smoke poisoning state’s firefighters agencies accused of decades of failure to protect wildland workers.” 

The significantly higher incidence of cancer and heart disease firefighters face is also included in Berkeley Fire Department Master Plan. https://berkeleyca.gov/sites/default/files/legislative-body-meeting-agendas/DFSC%20Agenda%20Packet%2023-09-06%20-%20Special%20Meeting.pdf 

As Chief Sprague and I spoke, I directed the conversation to the apparent disconnect of the Planning Department proposals to densify Berkeley with the impact on the Fire Department to service bigger taller buildings and the residents in them.  

September 6 was an interesting evening as City meetings go with just that contrast. There was a very well-attended hearing at the Planning Commission on the Southside Zoning Modification Project at the North Berkeley Senior Center, and fewer than a handful of attendees at the Fire Department Training Center to hear Fire Chief Sprague present the Fire Department Master Plan to the Disaster and Fire Safety Commission. 

While the Planning Commission listened to the City of Berkeley Planning staff describe the plan for upzoning the Southside and the public comment that followed, Fire Chief David Sprague was reporting elsewhere that the Fire Department facilities are not equipped to handle the current Berkeley population and current high-rise buildings. 

It didn’t seem to cross anyone’s mind in the City Planning Department presenting the case for upzoning, intensifying the Southside with bigger taller buildings that cover more land and more buildings on a parcel (a lot) with more people, would add a burden to an already overtaxed Fire Department. 

A number of speakers at the Southside Zoning Modification hearing complained of not having adequate notice and that the 269-page meeting packet and the agenda did not drop until just before the beginning of the long holiday Labor Day weekend. 

As for the complaints that the Southside Zoning Plan was new and there was no public notification or meetings, rezoning the Southside has been in the City’s sights for years, really since 2016. It has been in the Planning Commission Workplan. The Planning Commission met on the Southisde Zoning Modification Project on April 19, 2023 and that meeting was followed with a presentation at the Design Review Committee May 18 and June 15, 2023. 

However, the earlier presentations did not include the environmental impact report or diagrams of the fault lines and landslide areas. The presentations covered the changes to the zoning code and very little else. 

Digging through the Planning Commission 269-page agenda packet, buried in the Addendum to the 2023-2031 Housing Element Update Final Environmental Impact Report (HEU) on pages 172 173 under Services, concludes that adding up to 1652 new units will reduce the demand for fire protection as the probable 4,130 new residents will be in new buildings with more stringent regulations. Additionally, increased call volumes, emergency medical, disaster preparedness, future facility remodeling, 911 dispatch upgrades, etc. could all be covered by the 2020 Measure FF. Measure FF was estimated to generate $8,500,000 annually. 

The diagrams on pages 140 and 141 show the eastern edge of the Southside sitting in an earthquake-induced landslide area with the Hayward fault running through it. 

The agenda packet HEU section on Wildfire is contained in pages 182 – 186. This section starts out describing increased development would be located in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ), “…that construction and operation…could introduce potential sources of wildfire ignition…” and that the impact of building out the plan was “…found to be significant and unavoidable…” but since there are no significant changes there doesn’t need to be any revision in the analysis or plan. 

While City staff did mention that the border of the Hillside overlay runs through the Southside, it was never stated that the Hillside overlay defines entrance into the very high fire hazard severity zone. Nor was it ever noted in the Southside Zoning Modification Project that these new eight story buildings (twelve stories with the State Density Bonus) filled with students would be just four blocks from Panoramic Hill, the highest fire risk area in the entire city for a wildland-urban fire. 

Nowhere in the environmental impact report (HEU) is the history of wildfire nor as recently noted by Fire Chief Sprague is there the information that Berkeley experiences a major fire about every 20 years. Berkeley is now at 32 years since the last fire, the Oakland-Berkeley Hills fire. 

At the Planning Commission hearing there was the usual parade of UC students declaring their support for the plan, reiterating there is a housing crisis. 

The neighbors expressed their concern about the impact on city services and the potential of UC taking over the new developments with master leases giving them tax exempt status and thereby removing them from contributing through property taxes to the cost of services these added thousands of students will demand. 

Mayor Arreguin would probably say that the agreement he negotiated with UC covers the financial impact of UC on the City budget though Dean Metzger and David Wilson soundly disagree as they wrote in the Berkeley Daily Planet, September 15, 2021. https://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2021-09-03/article/49400?headline=Opinion-Berkeley-vs.-UC-Settlement-or-surrender-Part-1--Dean-Metzger-David-Wilson 

There were comments about the proposed classifying a pet washing room, meeting room and gyms as open space, land value capture with upzoning and wildfire risk and the impact on evacuation. 

Land value capture relates to the increased value of the land on which the new buildings will sit. Land value is why putting bigger denser buildings and more buildings on a plot of land does not bring the expected lower rent outcome. The new high value of the land is incorporated into the cost of the housing. 

There were two substitute commissioners, Tim Frank (appointed by Mayor Arreguin), whom I know better as a representative (lobbyist?) for the building trades and Brandon Yung (appointed by Councilmember Robinson), who sits on the Zoning Adjustment Board. 

Tim Frank expressed concern that payment of prevailing wage to construction workers should be included in the plan. Emily Marthinsen, appointed by Councilmember Wengraf,w stated her support for the designation of inside spaces as open space as the campus provides plenty of outdoor open space. 

Brandon Yung said he was, “super stocked” by the progress of the plan and then went on to push for smaller setbacks with more density. Brandon’s suggestions to rewrite setbacks and conditions were finally stopped when staff stepped in to say that such changes would unravel the project. The Southside Zoning Modification Project passed as presented and moves on to approval by City Council. 

Meanwhile across town, Fire Chief Sprague explained when Berkeley’s becoming a YIMBY driven city, fire conditions, science and the emergency services provided by the Fire Department in addition to fire response all fold into the Master Plan. The Fire Department provides emergency medical services (EMS), paramedics, transport, disaster response, dispatch, rescue to name a few. 

Firefighters face significant risk to their health and life through work exposure to smoke and toxins. They do not have facilities for decontamination of themselves and equipment that are properly separated from their work and living spaces while on duty. 

The Master Plan covers the specific needs and deficiencies station by station. Four of the seven fire stations need to be replaced. Those are Fire Stations 1, 2, 4, and 5. A new site needs to be found for West Berkeley Station 1. Stations 3, 6 and 7 can be expanded and renovated at their current sites. Fire headquarters and the ambulance deployment center need to be relocated to a larger space. The needed new training facility and relocation is progressing through a partnership approach with other local municipalities. All this comes with a big price tag estimated as $330,000,000 to $372,000,000. 

This is a lot to swallow. 

Doctors and especially psychiatrists believe they can dictate to us how we're going to live. This is accurate if we are under conservatorship. However, in the absence of a court mandate, we have choices in what medications we're going to take or refuse. And if a doctor wants to give us a new "miracle drug," we should research the drug or the proposed treatment before we accept it. I can't give any specific medical advice because I'm not a doctor and I don't have the authority to dispense medical or psychiatric advice. Yet, I can tell you that you have the right to do research on a medication a doctor wants you to put into your body. 

I can advise that you can make an informed decision concerning which medications would be acceptable. You should have a say concerning what substances go into your body. Every person has some level of personal and civil rights. While legally some rights can be taken away with "due process," it doesn't mean we should be a human doormat. 

If you suffer from a psychiatric condition that causes danger or grave disability, you might need to be on some psych meds to treat this. Yet, you have wiggle room. And this wiggle room is very basic and must not be trivialized. If a medication is causing you to have extreme physical suffering, maybe you should tell your doctor about it and maybe he or she can put you on something else. 

It is okay to be emphatic. It is okay to say "I'm angry" if you do so in a manner that doesn't come off as threatening. Your right to say "I'm angry" is protected by the U.S. Constitution. The government isn't permitted to punish you for it. Other people and entities are. 

It is okay to be vehement about not taking a particular medication that causes you too much physical and/or mental suffering. It is not okay to lie. If you want to refuse a medication, you need to be upfront about it. If you tell a doctor a medication isn't right for you, the doctor ought to be willing to at the very least, compromise. 

A lot of psychiatric medications are available. If you react badly to one of them, there may be other choices. 

There are some psychiatrists who disbelieve their patients have any kind of competence to decide. Yet you can also take steps toward seeing a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner who has some level of respect. 

The choice of medication resembles the "pro-choice" versus "pro-life" debate. The right to a safe, clean, legal abortion is based on the concept that a woman owns her body, and the government does not. You could argue something analogous about forced medication. A mentally ill person's body is their property. 

There are differences in the specifics of the forementioned analogy. Yet, psych patients' rights have been under siege for many years, and this began when stronger medications were introduced that do more to shut people down. When there are no more thinkers among mental health consumers, the situation is unbalanced. 

We encounter problems when the lack of being medicated causes us to be unable to live in our complicated and demanding human environment. If we are unable to follow the rules, society will often force us to be medicated. 

It is too bad that patients' rights have fallen by the wayside. And this happened partly because we live in more repressive times than we did in the 1980's. And our culture is decreasingly tolerant of people being and behaving differently than the expected norm. 

But it starts with us being involved in the decision-making process. If doctors can't allow that, it becomes repression, and it is wrong.. 

---

Jack Bragen lives and writes in Martinez, California.

Worth Noting:

City Council returns from summer recess on Tuesday. It is getting busy.



The Go To meetings of the week are in bold and underlined. The agenda for parks is unknown

• Sunday: Solano Stroll from 10 am – 5 pm
• Monday:
  • At 3 pm City Council meets in closed session.
  • From 6 – 8 pm the North Berkeley Housing presentation is in-person.
  • At 6:30 pm the Youth Commission meets in person.
  • At 7 pm the Peace and Justice Commission meets in person.
  • At 7 pm the Personnel Board meets in person.
• Tuesday: At 6 pm City Council meets in the hybrid format with only one action item, should the land in front of the Maudelle Shirek Building (Old City Hall) be designated as a linear park?

• Wednesday:
  • At 5 pm the Commission on Disability meets in person.
  • At 7 pm the Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Commission is scheduled to meet, not documents, not agenda or location have been posted as 3 pm Saturday.
• Thursday:
  • At 10 am the Budget Committee meets in the hybrid format.
  • At 6:30 pm the PAB meets in the hybrid format.
  • At 7 pm the Zoning adjustment Board meets the hybrid format presentation and comments for the EIR on the Solid Waste and Recycling Transfer Station is the only action item.
• Friday: From 9 am – 12 pm the Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force (CEMTF) webinar is on Climate & Indigenous Leadership
• Saturday: From 10 am – 2 pm the Fire Ready Festival is at Live Oak Park

The City Council Regular Meeting Agenda for September 19, 2023 is available for comment.

Check the City website for postings on short notice at https://berkeleyca.gov/



Bay Area SunShares Solar Discount Program is open from September 1 – November 15, 2023.

Register at: https://www.bayareasunshares.org/



Free on-day household hazardous waste drop-off event in Albany, Sunday, September 24, appointment required sign-up early. https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/news/free-one-day-household-hazardous-waste-drop-event-albany-sunday-sept-24



Library Service Survey https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/CABERKE/bulletins/36ee2d5



If you know someone needing assistance with overdue water bills, refer them to the Low Income Household Waster Assistance Program (LIWAP) Program has been extended, however, applications need to be submitted asap https://www.ebmud.com/customers/customer-assistance-program/financial-relief-customers-behind-water-bills-during-pandemic



e-Bike rewards/purchase discount program for Richmond-San Rafael Bridge

https://www.rsrebikecommute.org/s/



Berkeley Daily Planet postings are currently on hold while the editor recovers from an injury: www.berkeleydailyplanet.com



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



BERKELEY PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CIVIC EVENTS



Sunday, September 10, 2023



SOLANO STROLL from 10 am – 5 pm

https://www.solanoavenueassn.org/events/solano-avenue-stroll/



Monday, September 11, 2023  

 

CITY COUNCIL Closed Session at 3 pm 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 2180 Milvia 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1613787641 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free)  

Meeting ID: 161 378 7641 

AGENDA: 1. Conference with Labor Negotiators, employee organizations: Fire Fighters Association Local 1227 I.A.F.F., Fire Fighters Association Local 1227 I.A.F.F. Fire Chiefs, Berkeley Police Association, SEIU 1021 Community Services and Part-Time Recreation Activity Leaders, SEIU 1021 Maintenance and Clerical, PEU Local 1, Unrepresented Employees, 2. Employee Performance Evaluation City Attorney.  

https://berkeleyca.gov/city-council-closed-meeting-eagenda-september-11-2023 

 

BART PRESENTATION and OPEN HOUSE from 6 pm – 8 pm 

In-Person: At 1701 San Pablo  

AGENDA: Presentation from 6 pm – 7 pm followed with open house from 7 pm – 8 pm to provide feedback on Updated/Revised Design and draft Objective Design Standards 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/north-berkeley-bart-presentation-and-open-house 

 

PEACE and JUSTICE COMMISSION at 7 pm 

In-Person: At 2939 Ellis, South Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: 8. Discussion on a Possible Forum Regarding Japan’s Release of radioactive water in the Pacific, now and for the next 30 years 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/peace-and-justice-commission 

 

PERSONNEL BOARD at 7 pm 

In-Person: 1301 Shattuck, Live Oak Community Center, Creekside Room 

AGENDA: V. Recommendation to Establish Classification and Salary Range – Graphic Designer 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/personnel-board 

 

YOUTH COMMISSION at 6:30 pm 

In-Person: At 1730 Oregon 

AGENDA: 10. Commission Workplan 2023-2024. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/youth-commission 

 

Tuesday, September 12, 2023 

 

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA for Regular 6 pm Meeting on September 12, 2023 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison St. in the School District Board Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1606796328 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (toll free)  

Meeting ID: 160 679 6328 

AGENDA: Agenda follows calendar of meetings or use link and choose HTML to view the agenda and choose which agenda items you wish to open to see the documents. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/city-council-regular-meeting-eagenda-september-12-2023 

 

Wednesday, September 13, 2023 

 

COMMISSION on DISABILITY (CoD) at 5 PM 

In-Person: At 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center, Aspen Room 

AGENDA: Staff Updates: 2. ADA Program Coordinator reply to ADA Title III complaints, 3. Messages to CoD re Ohlone Greenway Project, Presentations: 1. Ohlone Greenway Project, 2. CA Commission on Disability Access 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/commission-disability 

 

PARKS, RECREATION, and WATERFRONT COMMISSION at 7 pm 

In-Person: not posted as of 3 pm 9/9/2023 

AGENDA: not posted as of 3 pm 9/9/2023  

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/parks-recreation-and-waterfront-commission 

 

Thursday, September 14, 2023 

 

BUDGET and FINANCE COMMITTEE at 10 am 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 2180 Milvia 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1612170326 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free)  

Meeting ID: 161 217 0326 

AGENDA: 2. Oyekanmi, Finance – Accept the Risk Analysis for Long-Term Debt (Bonding Capacity) Report provided by Government Finance Officers Association, 3. Energy Commission – Recommendation on Climate, Building Electrification and Sustainable Transportation budget priorities staff positions, pilot projects, EV and charging stations, 4.a. Peace and Justice Commission – Refer to budget process two Health Educator Positions $150,000, 4.b. Refer back to commission, 5. Oyekanmi, Finance –Investment Report Update, 6. Warhuus, HHCS – COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance, Presentation from the Eviction Defense Center, 7. Louis – Audit Recommendation Status on BPD overtime and security work for outside entities, 8. Garland, Public Works - Audit Status fleet replacement. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-committees/policy-committee-budget-finance 

 

POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD Special Meeting Closed Session at 6:30 pm  

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87621762698 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833  

Meeting ID: 876 2176 2698 

AGENDA: Conference with Labor Negotiators, Negotiator: Tim Davis, Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP, employee organization, Berkeley Police Association. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/police-accountability-board 

 

ZONING ADJUSTMENT BOARD at 7 pm 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison St. in the School District Board Room 

Videoconference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86341722178 

Teleconference: 1-669-444-9171 of 1-669-900-6833  

Meeting ID: 863 4172 2178 

AGENDA: 2701 Eighth – on consent - #ZP2022-0159 – to change protected industrial use to a non-industrial use within an existing catering business (Standard Fare) to a quick service restaurant with incidental service of beer and wine for on-site consumption and incidental retail sales of beer and wine for off-site consumption 

3121 Sacramento – on consent – #ZP2023-0075 – to add service of distilled spirits incidental to food service at an existing restaurant, under a Type 47 ABC license 

1201 Second / 699 Gilman – on action – Public Scoping session for EIR and Project Preview for Use Permit #ZP2021-0215 – to demolish existing City of Berkeley Solid Waste and Recycling Transfer Station (SWRTS) and replace with new SWRTS with 2 main buildings, 114,380 sq ft of gross floor area, 195,300 sq ft of unenclosed and paved area and 32,200 sq ft landscaped area. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/zoning-adjustments-board 

 

Friday, September 15, 2023 – Reduced Service Day 

 

CLIMATE EMERGENCY MOBILIZATION TASK FORCE from 9 am – 12 pm  

Online - Register At: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climate-indigenous-leadership-registration-656180893717 

AGENDA: Climate & Indigenous Leadership 

https://www.cemtf.org/ 

 

Saturday, September 16, 2023  

 

FIRE READY FESTIVAL from 10 am – 2 pm 

In-Person: At Live Oak Park, 1301 Shattuck 

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/CABERKE/bulletins/36f3c40 

 

Sunday, September 17, 2023 – no City meetings or events found 

 

+++++++++++++++++++ 

 

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA for Regular 6 pm Meeting on September 12, 2023 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison St. in the School District Board Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1606796328 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (toll free)  

Meeting ID: 160 679 6328 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas 

 

AGENDA on CONSENT: 

1. Friedrichsen, Budget – Contract $130m176 with Downtown YMCA for Fitness Center Memberships for City Employees, 7/1/2023 – 6/30/2024
2. Ferris, Parks – Amend Contract #32200058 add $35,000 total $185,000 with ACI Payments, Inc for Recreation Online Registration System
3. Ferris, Parks – Stipend for Echo Lake Camp Staff approving $500/week stipend for certain Echo Lake Camp daily-rated staff working in the summer of 2023 starting 7/30/2023
4. Louis, Police – Amend Contract #10092-4 add $1,000,000 total $3,000,000 with Serological Research Institute (SERI) for DNA testing
5. Minutes
6. Establish 2024 City Council Meeting Schedule
7. Numainville, City Clerk - Appointment of new Police Accountability Board Member
8. Numainville, City Clerk – Contract $170,700 with NWestcoast Online Information Systems, Inc. dba NetFile for online campaign report, public financing and Form 700 Filing, processing, web posting, and tracking
9. Oyekanmi, Finance – Formal Bid Solicitations and Request for Proposals $9,990,000 (Derelict Vessel/Debris $90,000, Sanitary Sewer The Alameda, Keeler, Euclid, et al $4,400,000, Sanitary Sewer Virginia, Parker et al $5,500,000
10. Sprague, Fire – Contract $600,000 with Swifthawk, LLC to provide project management and consulting services
11. Sprague, Fire – Amend Contract #32300094 add $228,000 total $308,000 with Restoration Family Counseling Center for Counseling Education and Support
12. Warhuus, HHCS – Accept Future of Public Health Funds from the State of California of $912,213 for each of the following fiscal years 2024, 2025, 2026
13. Warhuus, HHCS – Increase Taxi Scrip Redemption Window Cash Drawer from $15,000 to $20,000
14. Warhuus, HHCS – Contract $175,000 with The Housing Workshop for Social Housing Models & Market Analysis from 9/13/2023 – 9/13/2024
15. Warhuus, HHCS – Expenditure Contract: $289,011 with Persimmony International for ongoing system maintenance of web-based MediCal Administration Activities (MAA)and Targeted Case Management (TCM) documentation from 7/1/2023 – 6/30/2027
16. Warhuus, HHCS – Amend Contract #31900009 add $287,712 total $945,424 with Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS) for McKinley House (2111 McKinley) and extend 2 years to 11/1/2025
17. Kouyoumdjian, HR – Contract $125,000 (1 year) with Sensis, Inc. for recruitment and marketing services with option to renew for $125,000 total $250,000 over 2 years
18. Kouyoumdjian, HR – Establish Classification and Salary Range for Lactation Counselor, hourly $41.1351 - $50.0000, annual $85,561.0080 - $104,000 in order to utilize grant funding for International Board Certified Lactation consultant (IBCLC)
19. Kouyoumdjian, HR – Revise Classification and Salary Range for Paramedic hourly $30.00 - $40.00 (currently $30 - $45 per hour) to offset unanticipated budgetary impacts due to overtime
20. Kouyoumdjian, HR – MOU Berkeley Police Association
21. Ferris, Parks – Grant Applications: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law(BIL) for Parks Improvement Projects amount up to $5,000,000 to the Clean California Local Grant Program (CCLGP) for the Tom Bates Fields Beautification Project
22. Ferris, Parks – Utility easement: Bolivar Drive – EBMUD along Bolivar Drive at Aquatic Park
23. Homeless Services Panel of Experts – Serving Inclement weather needs, RV dwellers, and other vehicle dwellers through Encampment Mobile Mental Health Wellness Team
24. Homeless Services Panel of Experts – Restore one monthly meeting
25. a. Homeless Service Panel of Experts - Accommodating Client Literacy and Cognitive Challenges in Community Agency Allocation Funding Process to include allocation funding RFP, b. Companion Report – take no action staff have already included RFP
26. Arreguin – Appoint Ayanna Davis to the Berkeley Housing Authority Board
27. Arreguin – Excused Absence for Kate Harrison
28. Tapin, co-sponsor Robinson – Letter to State Legislators requesting state budget allocations for capital improvements at San Pablo Park including Frances Albrier Community Center and San Pablo Park Pool
29. Taplin, co-sponsors Robinson, Humbert (reviewed by FITES) – 51B GART + University/Shattuck Corridor Mobility Improvements Referral to City Manager for feasibility analysis and community engagement process plus budget referrals $150,000 for FY 2024-2025 and $150,000 for FY 2025 – 2026
30. Harrison – Budget referral $100,000 to FY 2023 and FY 2024 AAO #1 to beautify Vacant Storefronts in Berkeley Commercial Districts
31. Hahn, co-sponsor Taplin – Budget referral $140,000 AAO #1 for Miyawaki “Pocket Forest” Pilot Program to Support Carbon Sequestration, Biodiversity, Cooling, Noise Reduction, Health, and Equity

AGENDA on ACTION: 

32. Harrison – Designate Open Space adjacent to Old City Hall, Alameda County Berkeley Court House and City of Berkeley Public Safety Building as a Linear City Park pursuant to BMC 6.42

INFORMATION REPORTS: 

33. LPO NOD: 60 Panoramic Way #LMIN2023-0001
34. LPO NOD: 1960 San Antonio Ave // 645 Arlington #LMSAP2022-0005
35. LPO NOD: 803 Delaware LMSAP2023-0002

 

+++++++++++++++++++ 

 

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA for Regular 6 pm Meeting on September 19, 2023 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison St. in the School District Board Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1609353651 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (toll free)  

Meeting ID: 160 935 3651 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas 

 

AGENDA on CONSENT: 

1. Radu, City Manager’s Office – Amend Contract #32200202 add $5,362,043 total $8,367,313 extending lease at 1461 University for interim non-congregate shelter program at this location
2. Radu, City Manager’s Office – Contract with Housing Consortium of the East Bay (HCEB) to operate shelter at 1461 University, Rodeway Inn.
3. Oyekanmi, Finance – Formal Bid Solicitations and Request for Proposals $22,472,259, Berkeley Fire Station Landscape Project $172,259, Street Rehab $14,000,000. Berkeley Water Transportation Ferry Pier Project Traffic & Parking $150,000, Berkeley Water Transportation Ferry Pier Project Design $5,800,000, Berkeley Water Transportation Project EIR $2,200,000, TOTAL for PIER & FERRY $8,150,000, HARD HATS labor compliance consultant $150,000
4. Oyekanmi, Finance – 2024 Tax Rate: Transportation Network Company User Tax (Uber, Lyft, etc) 56.162 cents individual, $27.424 pooled for rides originating in Berkeley
5. Warhuus, HHCS – Contract $2,802,400 through 6/30/2028 with Options Recovery Services for encampment-based mobile wellness center project
6. Warhuus, HHCS – Authorize Lease 830 University to Lifelong Medical Care
7. Louis, Police – Revenue Grant $269,000 accept Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant with CA Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) period 10/1/2023 – 9/30/2023
8. Louis, Police – Revenue Grant $59,168 accept Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program (CTFGP) with CA Highway Patrol period 7/1/2023 – 6/30/2023
9. Garland, Public Works – 5 year License Agreement with RM Ventures, LLC, d.b.a. In the Wood Grill & Bar for nonexclusive use of the Elmwood Parking Lot Pedestrian Paseo
10. Garland, Public Works – Amend Contract #32200073 add $508,602 total $1,790,213 and extend from 12/31/2023 to 6/30/2025 with Toole Design Group for engineering design and construction for Southside Complete Streets Project
11. Garland, Public Works – Agreement with Goldsmiths for Strawberry Creek Culvert Repair authorizing cost sharing agreement and release of claims for 10/24/2021 failed culvert under both City right of way and private property, City share $75,000
12. Garland, Public Works – Amend Agreement for Maintenance of State Highways between City and CA Dept of Transportation for new pedestrian hybrid beacon at San Pablo and Virginia, San Pablo and Hearst and new rapid rectangular flashing beacon (RRFB) at Ashby and California
13. Garland, Public Works – Amend Contract #9977C add $1,650,000 total $3,700,000 and extend to 6/30/2029 with Portable Computer Systems dba PCS Mobile for parking and citation services
14. Garland, Public Works – Amend Contracts #32000078 add $300,000 total $475,000 and #32000093 add $100,000 total $600,000 with DC Electric Group, Inc for on-call electric services
15. Garland, Public Works – Contract $375,000 with Turnstone Data, Inc for parking data analytics services period 1/1/2024 to 12/31/2026
16. Arreguin, so-sponsor Hahn, Harrison – Budget Referral $200,000 to November AAO#1with Measure P funds to Berkeley Food Network for FY 2023-2024

AGENDA on ACTION: 

17. Klein, Planning – Amendments to Title 23 relating to ADUs to conform to State Law and respond to guidance from CA Dept of Housing and Community Development
18. Arreguin & Robinson, co-sponsor Wengraf – Authorizing City Attorney to Submit an Amicus Brief in Support of the UC Regents in Make UC a Good Neighbor v. Regents of UC
19. Kesarwani, co-sponsor Taplin, Robinson, Wengraf – Referral to City Manager to rezone Gilman from existing Manufacturing (M) to Manufacturing, Research and Development (M-RD) for the planned Pacific Steel Casting site development and to extend the West Berkeley Commercial Zone from Gilman and Ninth West and to refer $250,000 to the FY 2024-2025 for consulting services to assist with the planning process and associated environmental review and economic analyses. (The project plan thus far is to “cap” the toxic waste and build on top of it)

INFORMATION REPORTS: 

20. Brown, City Attorney - Settlement of California River Watch of Intent to File Suit

 

+++++++++++++++++ 

 

LAND USE CALENDAR PUBLIC HEARINGS: 

• 705 Euclid Avenue (new single family dwelling) 9/26/2023
• 1598 University Avenue (Construct 8-story mixed-use building) – new date 9/26/2023
• 3000 Shattuck Avenue (Construct 10-story mixed-use building) – TBD

 

WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS: 

• October 3, 2023 - Staff report on Berkeley's financial condition
• October 10 at 4 pm Potential Changes & Enhancements to the City legislative process
• Proposed November 2, 2023 - Draft Waterfront Specific Plan
• Proposed November 30, 2023 – Re-Imagining Public Safety Update

 

UNSCHEDULED WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS 

• Fire Department Standards of Coverage & Community Risk Assessment
• September 19 at 4 pm Being rescheduled - Dispatch Needs Assessment Presentation
• Presentation on Homelessness/Re-Housing/Thousand-Person Plan

 

PAST MEETINGS with reports worth reading: 

• May 16 - Fire Facilities Study Report, Wildfire Prevention Plan https://berkeleyca.gov/city-council-special-meeting-eagenda-may-16-2023-6-pm
• June 20 (WS) - Climate Action Plan & Resilience Update, Berkeley Economic Dashboards Update reports available https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas/city-council-2023-06-20

. 

* * * * * 

Berkeley Daily Planet postings are currently on hold while the editor recovers from an injury: www.berkeleydailyplanet.com 

 

The Activist’s Calendar and Activist’s Diary are still available in the interim through email and the website Sustainable Berkeley Coalition https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com 

 

Kelly Hammargren’s summary on what happened the preceding week is posted on the What Happened page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/what-happened.html 

 

The Activist’s Calendar of meetings is posted on the What’s Ahead page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html 

 

If you would like to receive the Activist’s Calendar as soon as it is completed send an email to: kellyhammargren@gmail.com. 

 

If you want to receive the Activist’s Diary send an email to kellyhammargren@gmail.com. 

 

If you wish to stop receiving the weekly calendar of city meetings please forward the email you received to- kellyhammargren@gmail.com -with the request to be removed from the email list. 

 

______________ 

For Online Public Meetings 

CLOSED CAPTIONING, SAVE TRANSCRIPT OVERVIEW, DIRECTIONS and ZOOM SUPPORT LINKS:
.
ZOOM has as part of the program -(for no extra cost)- Closed Captioning (CC). It turns computer voice recognition into a text transcript. Accuracy of the Closed Captioning is affected by background noise and other factors, The CC transcript will not be perfect, but most of the time reading through it the few odd words, can be deciphered--for example "Shattuck" was transcribed as Shadow in one recent transcript. 

 

For the us, the online attendee, the full transcript is only available from the time the attendee activates Closed Captioning. But if Closed Captioning is activated and you sit through a meeting and then remember 10 minutes before it is over to click on CC then go to the arrow/carrot next to CC for the menu and click on Show Full Transcript you will only get the last 10 minutes, not the full transcript – So click often on both Save Transcript and on Save to Folder during the meeting for best results. 

 

When you click on Show Full Transcript it will allow you to scroll up and down, so if want to go back and see what was said earlier you can do that during the meeting while the transcript is running. 

 

At the bottom of the transcript when we as attendees are allowed to save there will be a button for, "Save Transcript," you can click on the button repeatedly throughout the meeting and it will just overwrite and update the full transcript. Clicking on the Save Transcript repeatedly as the meeting is coming to an end is important because once the host ends the meeting, the transcript is gone if you didn't save it. 

 

Near the end of the meeting, after you click on "Save Transcript," click on "Save to Folder." The meeting transcript will show up (as a download to your desktop) in a separate box as a text file. (These text files are not large.) After you have done your last Save Transcript and Save to Folder (after the meeting is over) you can rename the new transcript folder on your computer, and save it (re-read or send or share it). 

 

Remember, allowing us attendees to save the meeting transcript does not require the public meeting host to save the transcript (for public record.) 

 

Here is the link to ZOOM Support for how to set up Closed Captioning for a meeting or webinar:
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/8158738379917#h_01GHWATNVPW5FR304S2SVGXN2X 

 

Here is the link to ZOOM Support for attendees in how to save Closed Captions: 

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360060958752-Using-save-captions#h_01F5XW3BGWJAKJFWCHPPZGBD70 

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