City of Berkeley

The agenda details several items scheduled for the meeting, which was conducted exclusively through videoconference due to the continuing public health emergency. Preliminary matters included a presentation on the 'Berkeley Inclusion in Opportunity Index' study for city contracting equity and the City Manager's comments. The Consent Calendar covered several administrative and financial resolutions, such as ratifying the Proclamation of Local Emergency due to COVID-19, approving formal bid solicitations and RFPs, extending health and dependent care account options, authorizing grant applications for Proposition 68 parks funding, accepting a traffic safety grant from OTS, and reappointment to the Board of Library Trustees. Council Consent Items addressed contributions to the Berkeley Holiday Fund, declaring United Against Hate Week, and referring the Affordable Housing Overlay proposal to the City Manager and Planning Commission for further consideration regarding zoning code revisions and density incentives. Additional budget referrals included funding for Berkeley Ceasefire consulting costs, the Strawberry Creek Lodge Food Program, expansion of the Residential Preferential Parking Program, and funding for a Homeless Outreach Coordinator. The Council also planned to adopt a resolution recognizing housing as a human right and referring measures for developing social housing. Further discussion items included opposing the release of genetically engineered mosquitoes, referring funding for Solano-Peralta Park improvements, Bright Streets to Schools initiatives, and recommending that PG&E include Berkeley's evacuation routes in its undergrounding plan. The Action Calendar included a Public Hearing regarding administrative citations and a property lien, and continued old business regarding Objective Standards Recommendations for Density, Design and Shadows, allocating Transient Occupancy Tax revenues to the Marina Fund, and amending the Berkeley Election Reform Act concerning officeholder accounts. Finally, there were budget referrals for subsidizing AC Transit fares on Sundays.

The agenda details a Special Meeting conducted exclusively through videoconference and teleconference due to the ongoing COVID-19 state of emergency. The meeting includes a Closed Session to discuss litigation, specifically concerning the National Prescription Opiate Litigation and two cases involving the Oceanview Neighborhood Council. Further closed session items include real property negotiations regarding 1007 University Avenue with Bauman College, and labor negotiations with multiple employee associations. The Open Session is scheduled for public reports and adjournment.

The meeting agenda included several key actions and public hearings under the Consent Calendar. Actions included adopting second readings of ordinances related to amending the Berkeley Municipal Code concerning bicycle registration and licensing (repealing Chapter 14.68), clarifying disability parking standards (amending Section 14.40.100), and amending Title 21 and Chapter 23.306 to allow separate sale of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) per AB 1033. Other adopted items involved amendments to Zoning Title 23 for by-right approval of qualifying housing projects, rescission and replacement of the Police Equipment and Community Safety Ordinance, establishing the job class specification for Risk Manager, approving a contract for Firefighter Personal Protective Equipment maintenance, authorizing an application for Prohousing Incentive Program Funds, extending reservations for Housing Trust Fund Projects, accepting donations for memorial benches, authorizing an amendment for traffic engineering support services, and denying an appeal concerning Use Permit #ZP2024-0066 for a mixed-use residential building at 2109 Virginia. The agenda also noted information reports and extensive public comment periods on various local issues.

The document compiles minutes from several Berkeley City Council meetings conducted via videoconference and teleconference in February 2022, including regular, special, and closed sessions. Key discussion topics covered consent calendar approvals for expenditures related to the Malcolm X Elementary PTA Read-a-thon and a grant application for the Commission on the Status of Women (COSOW). Legislative actions included adopting ordinances to create the Environment and Climate Commission, amending the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance, authorizing a lease agreement for a Downtown Berkeley Bike Station with BART, and ratifying the local emergency proclamation related to COVID-19. Other significant items included approving contracts for public safety wellness programming and community wildfire protection planning, reviewing formal bid solicitations, supporting resolutions on immigration reform, justice for Haitian refugees, and normalization of relations with Cuba. The Council also addressed Japanese American Day of Remembrance, planned for EV fast-charging hubs, conducted a public hearing regarding a ZAB appeal for a property addition, and discussed updates on redistricting and the Healthy Checkout Ordinance Protocols. Further discussions included homelessness and mental health systems, condemning hate speech and anti-Semitism, supporting Ukraine, and referring budget items for bike boulevard improvements and streamlining toxic remediation processes.

This document provides an overview and updates on the City of Berkeley's Measure O Affordable Housing Bond, which passed in 2018 to raise $135 million for increasing affordable housing. It details the allocation of funds to completed, under construction, and pipeline projects, including those at BART sites. The plan emphasizes leveraging City investments to maximize impact and aims to significantly grow Berkeley's affordable housing portfolio, with future bond issuances planned through 2027.