In 1873 the University of California moved from its one-block site in downtown Oakland to a farm at the mouth of Strawberry Canyon, in what is now Berkeley. Legend has it that the University then sold a portion of the land south of the creek for building lots in order to buy Strawberry Canyon and its springs to provide water for the new campus. Whether that legend is true or not, by the 1950s the campus was eyeing much of the area south of the campus for expansion. Its first move was to buy the commercial blocks on Telegraph Avenue just south of Sather Gate (actually the “gate” is a bridge over the creek).

That move precipitated the University’s first big fight over land use in l964. The students had used the sidewalks leading up to Sather Gate to set up tables for every sort of political and social cause. Once the land became part of the campus, the chancellor, Edward Strong, decreed that the tables would have to go. The students rebelled, and the Free Speech Movement was born.

I came to Berkeley four years later as a graduate student in the College of Environmental Design. A few years after that I joined the UC Office of the President, where I worked for thirty years. I read studies about the University’s plans to clear the land south of the campus for housing, and I listened to the University’s real estate officer give me his backstory on the acquisition of the land where People’s Park sits. Even later I worked closely with and got to know Roger Heyns, who had been the chancellor during the creation of People’s Park and resulting protests.

The intellectual and political underpinnings for the south campus clearance and redevelopment were articulated in a University report called, as I recall, “Students at Berkeley.” It was a classic example of 1950’s slum clearance or “urban renewal,” justifying wholesale destruction of old housing and its replacement with high-rise towers. Photos of the existing south campus brown shingles, taken with the maximum effort to show deterioration and decay, were juxtaposed with sketches of new dorms in the brutalist style of the French architect Le Corbusier.

Armed with this kind of intellectual underpinning the University moved to acquire entire blocks of south campus land. Then came a revolt by students to living in typical dorms—tiny rooms, one bathroom per floor, etc. (This revolt was not limited to UC; on a visit to the University of Maryland, I once toured a dorm complex that was being completely reconfigured into clusters of co-ed student apartments.) UC’s dorm building slowed down, but the properties were already acquired. UC was not good at maintaining rental properties in old brown shingles. As my real estate officer colleague told me, they were old and expensive to repair, and the tenants were smoking marijuana. “We had no choice but to tear them down.” The land remained vacant. -more-

I hope everyone will write letters to the Congress and Postmaster General in defense of our postal service. Seems to me the time has come to put to beneficial use the enforced savings fund for future postal workers’ health benefits, which I hear now holds $50 billion. This would make much more sense than burdening the USPS with a loan with destructive strings attached. The address for Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan and the USPS Governing Board is 475 L'Enfant Berkeley ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Senator Ron Johnson, Chair Senator Gary Peters, Ranking Member Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee 340 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC, 20510 -more-

In this Covid-19 time, the tide is turning against bloated US military budgets that have drained public money from health and other programs that should sustain our daily lives. -more-

The Ashby BART station in Berkeley has resumed normal service Tuesday morning after closing because of a report of a suspicious package, according to the transit agency. -more-

A group of researchers at University of California at Berkeley and UC San Francisco on Monday announced a joint study of more than 120 available antibody test kits to examine potential immunity, temporary or otherwise, to the COVID-19 coronavirus. -more-

Pasted below is the letter sent by me today to Mayor Arreguin, the City Manager, the Deputy City Manager, members of the Berkeley City Council, and other staff. I hope that it will lead to change in the oppressively dysfunctional Berkeley Parks Department. Last Sunday it felt as I was a lone victim, but in recent days numerous neighbors and others have expressed their dismay about the action of the Parks Department, and I have learned that serious problems have been rife for years. The current Parks Department needs to be plowed-under. Healthy new growth is needed for the citizens of this community. -more-

As the days run together, I'll be posting more later... Humor from Rachel Swan in the Comical: "Riders who loved the bustle and conviviality of transit are now grappling with a rush hour that resembles the 1970s, when people tended to isolate themselves in cars"... Really? Both of them? Cool! ...Not so funny, this in the NYT: We Know Crowding Affects the Spread. It May Affect the Death Rate.... -more-

I guess our local world-class research university has learned nothing from the pandemic. Remarkably, UC is proposing to build 16- and 11-story dorms over People's Park. Because – as NYC's catastrophic infection and death rates show – close quarters and elevator-only access must be how to promote public health.

You can comment at UC's online "survey" through Monday, April 27:
https://capitalstrategies.berkeley.edu/peoples-park-housing-open-house-3

Many of the questions include a tiny free-text response field labeled "Other." These fields will actually accept any length of text. So draft offline, and paste in.

My own responses emphasized that just one block north, UC's recent "Anna Head Lot" dorm project respected Southside's fabric and history as a residential neighborhood. They're peaked-roof, brown-shingle, 4-story buildings that fit in with their neighbors instead of shadowing them. Even to reach the top floor, most young residents don't need to congregate in elevators. Why not replicate this success, instead of building a monstrosity that won't be safe to occupy?

Vote your conscience. -more-

Not only is UC Berkeley doing an "Online Open House" this coming Monday, April 27, but on the same day an "Online Scoping Session" for the Long Range Development Plan, which also includes housing on People's Park. It has received lots of push back from many quarters about doing this during the COVID-19 crisis; this is not a model for truly getting public input. -more-

I don't speak CEQA. The California Environmental Quality Act is a dazzling piece of legislation with a lot of moving parts, and I rely on others to help navigate its waters. But the "scoping" opportunity on April 27, this Monday, and the letters we can send up until May 15, 2020 (5:00 pm), have a purpose; to require the university to explain itself. -more-

Bay Area Community Services (BACS) was named directly the “Public Comment” posted in the Daily Planet on April 19, (“ BACS Group Housing Not Complying with COVID-19 Rules “), so I want to address its inaccuracies.

Most importantly to address, BACS does not own or operate the house referenced in the Daily Planet’s Public Comment post. Our agency has no jurisdiction over that house, and no ability to dictate how private landlords operate. Our only recourse is to do whatever possible to help each individual we work with. -more-

What can be learned from the coronavirus pandemic? -more-

We're in the middle of a slow-motion catastrophe. The consequence of disease, depression, and Donald. Here are a few thoughts about what we can do about this dire situation.

The Pandemic: The best summation of our current situation was written on April 18 by New York Times science and health reporter Donald G. McNeil Jr, "The Coronavirus in America: The Year Ahead." (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/18/health/coronavirus-america-future.html) "In truth, it is not clear to anyone where this crisis is leading us... Exactly how the pandemic will end depends in part on medical advances still to come. It will also depend on how individual Americans behave in the interim. If we scrupulously protect ourselves and our loved ones, more of us will live. If we underestimate the virus it will find us."

"Resolve to Save Lives, a public health advocacy group run by Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the former director of the C.D.C., has published detailed and strict criteria for when the economy can reopen... Reopening requires declining cases for 14 days, the tracing of 90 percent of contacts, an end to health care worker infections, recuperation places for mild cases and many other hard-to-reach goals." Donald Trump is not willing to apply these criteria and is pushing states to reopen early. Some Republican governors are obliging.

Donald McNeil noted: "[Recently, a science writer] analyzed Medicare and census data on age and obesity in states that recently resisted shutdowns and counties that voted Republican in 2016. He calculated that those voters could be 30 percent more likely to die of the virus." -more-

A person's brain has some level of similarity to a computer. Physically, the two are quite different, yet they have parallels. Humans know everything about the workings of human-made computers, yet there is a lot we don't know about the human brain, despite advances in science. The manner in which information is processed by the brain, versus by a computer, is vastly different. Yet, if you look at how human beings have short-term memory, long term memory, and mechanisms for processing data, this is parallel to the design of a computer. And, in this piece, I will make some analogies so that the readers can understand more easily. -more-

In March 2020, the most detailed study yet on how sea level rise could alter the San Francisco Bay Area, titled Adapting to Rising Tides, was published. The study speculated that the 48-inch increase in the bay’s water level in coming decades could cause more 100,000 Bay Area jobs to be relocated, 30,000 lower-income residents might be displaced, and 68,000 acres of ecologically valuable shoreline habitat could be lost. We can also expect the waters to rise not only along our coast and bayshore, but in local creeks and groundwater too. -more-

Happy post-Earth Day to all. Who knew we'd be honoring the 50th anniversary by hunkering in our suites instead of marching in the streets? To my mind, a viral pandemic is nature's way of fighting back against humankind's planet-killing misbehavior. Mother Nature's giving us a good global spanking and she's sent us to our rooms. Now let's consider what Michael Moore has to say on the matter.

Planet of the Humans: Moore Than We Can Handle? -more-

Worth Noting:

All City meetings and events are either by videoconference or teleconference.

Video Updates from the Mayor on COVID-19 are on Mondays and Wednesdays and will be posted on the Mayor’s YouTube page, the Town Halls are also posted https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgXaP2idglejM_r7Iv7my6w

• Saturday, April 25 - Virtual Town Hall, 12 – 1 pm, Live stream on jessearreguin.com

submit questions ahead of time using this form by 9am on Saturday.

• Monday, April 27 – City Council Budget & Finance Committee at 10 am and City Council Agenda Committee at 2:30 pm for review of proposed May 12 City Council meeting
• Tuesday, April 28 – City Council Regular meeting is at 6 pm,
• Thursday, April 30 – Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board at 7 pm, no agenda posted

Before looking at the list of expenditures in the consent calendars, take a few minutes to read the 24 page report from the City Auditor Navigating the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Berkeley’s Finances. It is also item 2 in the Monday morning Budget Committee meeting.

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/uploadedFiles/Auditor/Level_3_-_General/Navigating%20Impact%20of%20COVID-19%20Pandemic%20on%20Berkeley’s%20Finances%20rpt.pdf



Sunday, April 26, 2020

No City meetings or events found

Monday, April 27, 2020

City Council Budget & Finance Committee, 10 am, Videoconference https://zoom.us/j/95290132454 or Teleconference 669-900-9128 meeting ID 952 9013 2454, Agenda: 2. Report from City Auditor Regarding Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Berkeley Finances, 3. COVID-19 Response, 4. FY 21 Budget Update, 5. 2019 4^th Qtr Investment Report: ended June 30,2019, 6. FY 2020 1^st Qtr Investment Report ended sept 30, 2019, 7. Cannabis Cryptocurrency Tax, 8. Allocating Car Fees for Street Improvements, 9. Open West Campus Pool and MLK Jr Pool (King Pool) to implement Shower Program at these locations during COVID-19 pandemic, 10. Housing Trust Fund Resources, 11. Homeless Services Report, 12. Review of Council Fiscal Policies, (meeting packet 111 pages)

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

Agenda and Rules Committee, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm, Videoconference https://zoom.us/j/94066072320 or Teleconference 669-900-9128 meeting ID 940 660 723 20, Proposed May 12 City Council CONSENT: 1. A=FY 2020 Annual Appropriations $47,602,843 (gross) $42,647,016 (net), 2. Formal Bid and RFP, 3. Revenue Grant Agreements – to submit grant agreements (1. CHDP $352,000 FY 2021, 2. MCAH $336,000 FY 2021, 3. Tobacco Trust $300,000 FY 2021, 4. Immunizations $42,204 FY 2021, 5. Public Health Emergency Preparedness COVID-19 $401,462, March 4, 2020 – March 15, 2021, 7. Infectious Disease Prevention $210,468 Feb 1, 2020 – June 30, 2023), 4. Revenue Grant Agreements – grant application funding support from Essential Access Health to Conduct Public Health Services, 5. Dorothy Day House License Agreements – Veterans Memorial Building and Old City Hall, 6. Contract $187,401 with CycloMedia Technology, Inc. for Geographic Information System Infrastructure Asset Data Acquisition, 7. Contract $727,821 with Integration Partners for Avaya Upgrade, Support and Maintenance, July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2024, 8. Amend Contract add $30,000 total $117,175 with Santalynda Marrero DBA SMconsulting for Professional Consulting (coaching) Services, 9.Amend and extend contract to June 30, 2023 add $31,500 total $81,167 with 3T Equipment Co, Inc, for Maintenance of Pipeline Observation System Management (POSM) Software, 10. Contract $900,122 (includes 15% contingency $117,407) with ERA Construction, Inc. for Strawberry Creek Park Play Area and Restroom Renovation Project, 11. Contract $1,969,056 (includes 10% contingency $179,005) with Suarez and Munoz Construction, Inc. for San Pablo Park Playground and Tennis Court Renovation Project, 12. Contract $200,000 term 5 years with BMI Imaging for Data Conversion Services for Berkeley Police Dept. Systems, 13. Contract $4,598,942 (includes 15% contingency) with Bay Cities Paving & Grading, Inc. for Measure T1 Street Improvements & Green Infrastructure, 14. Amend and extend contract to Dec 31, 2022 add $200,000 tota $1,200,000 with AECOM USA, Inc for On-Call Traffic Engineering Services for Design and Construction for Ashby-San Pablo Intersection Improvements Project, 15. Amend contract add $338,000 total $862,900 with SCS Engineers and SCS Field Services for Cesar Chavez (Park) Landfill Post-Closure Maintenance and Monitoring, 16. Navigating Impact COVID-19 Pandemic on City Finances (from Auditor) , 17. Repeal SB 872 – call to State Legislature to overturn SB 872 prohibiting new taxes on Sugar Sweetened Beverages. 18. Support CA Farmworker COVID-19 Relief Legislation, 19. Berkeley Juneteenth, 20. Board of Library Trustees reappoint John Selawsky, 21. Budget Referral Telegraph Shared Streets, ACTION: 22. FY 2021 Proposed Budget Public Hearing #1, 23. Public Hearing Mental Health Clinic Charges, 24. Surveillance Technology and Acquisition Report and Surveillance Use Policy for Automatic License Plate Readers. (Follows proposed agenda review) Discussion and Direction Regarding Impact of COVID-19,

Unscheduled Items: 9. Compulsory Composting and Edible Food Recovery, 10. Amendments to Officeholder Accounts, Unfinished Business for Scheduling: 1. Revision Short Term Rental Ordinance, 2. Grant Writing, 3. Kitchen Exhaust Hood Ventilation, 4. Navigable Cities Framework for People with Disabilities, 5. Pathways STAIR Center 6-month Evaluation, 6.Opt Up Residential, Commercial to Bright Choice and Municipal Accounts tp Renewable 100% (meeting packet 218 pages)

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

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Berkeley City Council, Note there are different teleconference and videoconference numbers for the closed session and the regular session. Videoconference: If you do not wish for your name to appear on the screen, use the drop down menu and click on “rename” and rename yourself to be anonymous use the “raise your hand” and wait to be recognized to comment Teleconference: to comment press *9 and wait to be recognized, you will hear your phone number when recognized

LIVE AUDIO: KPFB 89.3, LIVE CAPTIONED BROADCAST: Cable B-TV (Channel 33) for the full agenda use the link

The April 28 City Council Meeting will be conducted exclusively through VIDEOCONFERENCE: https://zoom.us/j/96207688419

TELECONFERENCE: 1-669-9009128 Meeting ID 962 0768 8419

Agenda: CONSENT: 1. 2^nd reading Amendment to FY 2020 Annual Appropriations Ordinance $28,565,263 (gross) $15,378,568, 2. 2^nd reading lease agreement with 200 Marina Blvd LLC, Doubletree Hotel 60-year term 5/14/2020 – 12/31/2080, capital contribution from 200 Marina LLC to Marina Street improvements, 3. Zoning Ordinance Amendment for Family Daycare Homes to comply with Senate Bill 234, 4. 2^nd reading Amend Tenant Screening to prohibit fees to existing tenants and lease terminations, 5. Approve 5/10/2020 minutes, 6. Ordinance to establish Citizen Redistricting Commission rules and procedures will convene in Fall in response to 2020 Census results, 7. Formal Bid solicitations, RFP Sanitary Sewer Rehab Project, 8. Contract $32,160/yr for FY21 with City Data Services and authorization to extend for additional 3 years (FY21+FY22+FY23+FY24=$128,640), 9. Amend and extend Contract add $117,000 total $217,000with Youth Spirit Artworks for Transition Age Youth Case Management, Linkage Services and Tiny House Case Management, 10. Contract $500,000 with ENGEO for testing and inspection services for Tuolumne Camp Construction project 5/1/2020 – 7/1/2022, 11. Contract $556,292 (includes 10% contingency) with Andres Construction for Sanitary Sewer Rehab at West Frontage Road, 12. Contracts 1. Add $1,000,000 total $1,500,000 and extend to 6/30/2022 with LCC Engineering & Surveying Inc for on-call civil engineering, 2. Add $1,000,000 total $2,500,000 and extend to 6/30/2022 with Pavement Engineering In for on-call engineering services, 13. Approve Proposed Projects anticipated to be paid for by State Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) for FY 2021, 14. Fill Vacancy with appointment of Mr. Carlos Hill (District 1) on Human Welfare and Community Action Commission,

ACTION: 15. Public Hearing Redesign and Rezone of Rose Garden Inn at 2740 and 2744 Telegraph and 2348 Ward, 16. Public Hearing Submission of 2020-2025 Consolidated Plan Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME), allocate 85% of Program Year (PY20) to Housing Trust Fund, 5% to Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) and 10% Program Administration and authorize City Manager to submit Plan to HUD, 17. Discussion and Direction to City Manager regarding community survey for Nov 3, 2020 Ballot Measures, 18. Charter Amendment on Nov 3, 2020 Ballot changing Mayor and Councilmembers to full-time status with salary increase, 19. Prepare City Ballot Measure to Create a Climate Action Fund to become fossil free – response to Climate Action Plan and Climate Emergency, 20. Ballot Measure to introduce Term Limits 3 – 4 year terms or twelve years with required 2-year hiatus in order to serve additional terms for Mayor and City Councilmembers, INFORMATION REPORTS: 15. Mid-Year Budget Update, 16. Eight Previous Referrals to Planning Dept Which Can Be Tracked as Fulfilled,

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

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

No City meetings or events found

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board, 7 – 11 pm, at Virtual meeting, no agenda posted, no information for connecting to the virtual meeting, check after Monday for more information

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

Friday, May 1, 2020

No City meetings or events found

Saturday, May 2, 2020

No City meetings or events found

Sunday, May 3, 2020

No City meetings or events found

_____________________



Use Appeals

1533 Beverly (single family dwelling) TBD

0 Euclid – Berryman Reservoir TBD

Remanded to ZAB or LPC With 90-Day Deadline

1155-73 Hearst (develop 2 parcels) – referred back to City Council – to be scheduled

Notice of Decision (NOD) With End of Appeal Period

1132 Amador 4/28/2020

2590 Bancroft 4/30/2020

2715 Belrose 5/5/2020

1440 Bonita 4/28/2020

1500 Fifth Street 5/14/2020

2417 Grant 5/12/2020

1449 Grizzly Peak 4/28/2020

1484 Grizzly Peak 4/30/2020

1476 Keoncrest 4/28/2020

2150 - 2176 Kittredge 4/28/2020

1397 La Loma 4/30/2020

11 Maryland 4/30/2020

74 Oak Ridge 4/30/2020

1231 Ordway 4/28/2020

1205 Parker 5/5/2020

1315 Peralta 4/28/2020

2418 Sacramento 4/28/2020

2910 Seventh 4/23/2020

1998 Shattuck 4/30/2020

660 Spruce 4/28/2020

2650 Telegraph 4/28/2020

1665 Thousand Oaks 4/30/2020

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/planning_and_development/land_use_division/current_zoning_applications_in_appeal_period.aspx

LPC NOD 2043 Lincoln – no end of appeal date given

LPC NOD 2133 University – no end of appeal date given

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

___________________



WORKSHOPS

June 23 – Climate Action Plan/Resiliency Update,

July 21 – Crime Report

Sept 29 – Digital Strategic Plan/FUND$ Replacement Website Update, Zero Waste Priorities

Oct 20 – Update Berkeley’s 2020 Vision, BMASP/Berkeley Pier-WETA Ferry



Unscheduled Workshops/Presentations

Cannabis Health Considerations

Vision 2050

Ohlone History and Culture (special meeting)

Presentation from StopWaste on SB1383

Systems Realignment

_____________________



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



To check for Berkeley Unified School District Board Meetings go to

https://www.berkeleyschools.net/schoolboard/board-meeting-information/



_____________________



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



When notices of meetings are found that are posted after Friday 5:00 pm they are added to the website schedule https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html and preceded by LATE ENTRY



If you wish to stop receiving the Weekly Summary of City Meetings please forward the weekly summary you received to kellyhammargren@gmail.com, -more-