Events

The Berkeley Activist's Calendar: Week May 24 – May 31, 2020

Kelly Hammargren, Sustainable Berkeley Coalition
Saturday May 23, 2020 - 02:26:00 PM

Worth Noting

There are six City meetings this coming week.

Tuesday

The Budget Committee, 10 am, is meeting weekly, but there seems to be a disconnect between the expressed concerns of the impact of Covid-19 and Council agendas and actions. The FY 2021 budget agenda item was accompanied by page with “No Material Available for this Item.” The last update is from May 19.

The City Council 6 pm meeting contains some mind-boggling items and agenda order. Take a look at Consent items 18, 19, 20, 21, 23 and Action 27. Item 18. $6.1 million on recyclable materials – (recycling/reuse seems to be hitting an all time low with Covid-19 and there needs to be an honest discussion on “wish” cycling), items 19., 20., 21. total $10,193,714 in contracts to generate parking revenue through fees and fines, 23. On CycloMedia system produces high-resolution, 360 degree, 3-d panoramas of every street view it is deployed on (see explanatory letter following the weekly calendar) and item 27. The Emergency Ordinance to enhance tenant protections during the pandemic is placed as the very last item on a long agenda. Will the Council even get to tenant protections.  

Thursday 

The Zoning Adjustment Board, 7 pm, is meeting via Zoom for the first time after the March 16 Shelter in Place order. 

The City Council Agenda for the June 2 meeting is available for comment (agenda follows daily calendar). There are several ballot proposals 

The Saturday noon Town Halls with the Mayor continue. Since questions need to be submitted in advance by 9 am on Saturday using this form and there is no live interchange with the public, watch anytime on the Mayor’s YouTube site or watch as it is live streamed on jessearreguin.com. Video Updates from the Mayor on COVID-19 are on Mondays and Wednesdays and are posted on the Mayor’s YouTube page, the same site as the posted Town Halls. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgXaP2idglejM_r7Iv7my6w 

Sunday, May 24, 2020 

No City meetings or events found 

Monday, May 25, 2020 

Memorial Day Holiday 

Tuesday, May 26, 2020 

City Council Budget & Finance Committee, 10 am, 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84285620387 

Teleconference: 669-900-9128, Meeting ID: 842 8562 0387 

Agenda: 2. Fiscal Year 2021 Budget, Unscheduled items not to be discussed at the meeting 3. Open West Campus Pool and MLK Jr Pool for shower during COVID-19 Pandemic, 4. Housing Trust Fund Reserves, 5. Homeless Services Report, 6. Review of Fiscal Policies, (packet 26 pages - there is a link to FY 2021 Budget Update on home page from May 19 meeting). 

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

Berkeley City Council,  

Special Closed Session, 5 pm, Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/s/81197535688 

Teleconference: 669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 811 9753 5688,  

Agenda: Filling Director of Public Works position 

Regular Meeting, 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm, 

Public Comments to be read by the Clerk during the meeting need to be emailed to clerk@cityofberkeley.info with the agenda item number. 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84645708594 

Teleconference: 669-900-9128, Meeting ID:846 4570 8594 

CONSENT: 1. FY 2020 Annual Appropriations Ordinance $47,770,093 (gross) and $42,815,104 (net), 2. 2nd reading Dorothy Day License Agreement for services at Veterans Memorial Building and Old City Hall, 4. Resolution designating City Manager as Authorized Agent for COVID-19 Relief Funds, 5. Resolution for FY 2021 to levy an annual assessment for the Downtown Berkeley Property Based Business Improvement District and 6. Levy Assessment Telegraph Property Based Business Improvement District, 7. Notice of Appropriations Limit for FY 2021, 8. Amend Contract add $603,874 total $960,874 and extend for 1 year with Berkeley Food & Housing for Berkeley Food and Housing Project, Berkeley Mental Health, Flexible Spending Programs and Russell Street Residence, 9. Contract $56,000 7/1/2020-6/30/2021 with Bay Area Community Resources for placement of AmeriCorps Members, 10. Resolution Accept Grant from Alameda Co of $32,080 for FY 2021 for Public Health Infrastructure Program, 11. Resolution Accept Alameda Co Grants for FY 2021, Foster Care $93,187, BHS and Berkeley Tech Academy $178,778, School Linked Health Services $193,175 and Tobacco Prevention $193,175, 12. Resolution Accept Grant from State of CA for FY 2021 for Tuberculosis Program $14,000, 13. Contract $436,000 6/1/2020 – 6/30/2023 with Software AG, Inc for software, maintenance and professional services for Data Integration Middleware Platform webMethods, 14. Amend Contract add $95,451 total $399,411 9/14/2016-6/30/2022 with Geographic Technologies Group for Geographic Information system (GIS) Master Plan, 15. Accept Cash Donation $74,266 for Tuolumne Camp Shade structure, 16. Lease 235 University with Hana Japan for 5 years, 17. Set Public Hearing for 6/16/2020 Street Lighting Assessments, 18. Amend Contract add $2,100,000 total $6,100,000 with Community Conservation Centers, Inc for Processing and Marketing Services of Recyclable Materials, 19. Amend Contract add $111,150 total $1,335,257 with SKIDATA for Parking Access and Revenue Control System Maintenance Services and Warranties, 20. Amend Contract add $1,513,540 total $7,033,457 thru 6/30/2022 with IPS Group for Parking Meter Operations to provide parking meters, replacement parts and support services, 21. Amend Contract add $175,000 total $1,825,000 with Portable Computer Systems dba PCS Mobile for Automated License Plate Reader Equipment, ACTION: 22. Electric Bike Franchise Agreement, 23. Contract $187,401 (5/15/2020 – 6/30/2022) with CycloMedia Technology for Geographic Information System Infrastructure Asset Data Acquisition, 24. a, FY 2021 Proposed Budget Update, b. 2020 mid-year Budget Update, 25. Establish COVID-19 Business Damage Mitigation Fund (related to vandalism of business closed due to pandemic), 26. Support Global Ceasefire during COVID-19 Pandemic, 27. Urgency Ordinance – COVID-19 Emergency Response Ordinance to Amend BMC13.110Title 13 to enhance emergency Tenant protections consistent with recently adopted County Laws, INFORMATION REPORTS: 28. FY 2019 4th Qtr Investment Report, 29. FY 2020 1st Qtr Investment Report ended 9/30/2019, 

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

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 

Police Review Commission, 7 – 10 pm,

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88540396983 

Teleconference: 669-900-9128, Meeting ID: 885 4039 6983 

Agenda: 5. Review 2019 Draft PRC Annual Report, 7. Closed Session - Consider whether to accept late-filed complaint #2469, 

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

Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force and Tiny Homes Solution Task Force, 5:30 – 7 pm 

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81269252337?pwd=aVhuVVIxY2xjQTJzaGxzS1AwL2tYdz09 

Teleconference: 669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 812 6925 2337 PW 801003 

Thursday, May 28, 2020 

Zoning Adjustment Board, 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/95844922726 

Teleconference: 669-900-9128, Meeting ID: 958 4492 2726 

2129 Shattuck – add service of distilled spirits incidental to food within a hotel (on consent) 

1700 Seventh – eliminate single family dwelling and establish child care center (on consent) 

920 Heinz – add sale of distilled spirits at existing grocery that sells beer and wine (on consent) 

1001 Dwight – allow non-conforming nursery with two 1-story buildings and 61 sq ft restroom to change to cannabis retail nursery microbusiness (on consent) 

2139 Oregon – demolish 1-story single family dwelling and construct two detached 2-story single family dwellings (staff recommend approve) 

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/zoningadjustmentsboard/ 

Friday, May 29, 2020 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Special Meeting, 6 pm, No Agenda or virtual meeting login information provided – check website during week for update 

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/ 

Saturday, May 30, 2020 

Expect a Town Hall announcement from the Mayor at 12 noon, Watch live at jessearreguin.com 

 

Sunday, May 31, 2020 

No City meetings or events found 

_____________________ 

(ITEM 23 on June 26 City Council Agenda was rescheduled from May 12 where it was listed as ITEM 7. ) 

To:
The Honorable Mayor Jesse Arreguin,
Members of the Berkeley City Council - Rashi Kesarwani, Cheryl Davila, Ben Bartlett, Kate Harrison, Sophie Hahn, Susan Wengraf, Rigel Robinson, Lori Droste,
Berkeley City Manager, Dee Ridley-Brown,
Berkeley City Attorney, Farimah Brown,
David White.

Oakland Privacy is writing about Item 7 on the 5/12/20 Berkeley City Council Agenda, the CycloMedia contract, postponed for consideration at the next meeting. This technology falls under Berkeley’s Surveillance Ordinance, and a use policy that is considered and approved by the Council as required by law, will be needed before the purchase is finalized and the equipment deployed.

Oakland Privacy is a citizen coalition that works regionally to defend the right to privacy, enhance public transparency, and increase oversight of law enforcement, particularly regarding the use of surveillance techniques and equipment. We were instrumental in the creation of the first standing municipal citizens’ privacy advisory commission in the City of Oakland. We have engaged in privacy enhancing legislative efforts with Berkeley and with several other Northern California cities and regional entities. As experts on municipal privacy reform, we have written use policies and impact reports for a variety of surveillance technologies, conducted research and investigations, and developed frameworks for the implementation of equipment with respect for civil rights, privacy protections and community control.

The CycloMedia system produces high-resolution, 360 degree, 3-d panoramas of every street view it is
deployed on. It is our understanding that Berkeley intends to deploy this system over many, if not all, Berkeley streets.

According to Berkeley’s Surveillance Ordinance, surveillance technology is defined (in part) as

“[any] tool... used to... collect... information specifically associated with, or capable of being associated with, any individual or group.”

As well as identifying and geolocating signs, lampposts, streetlights and other City of Berkeley property, the raw data captured by the panoramas will include houses, cars and people. Post-processing of the data for public works purposes may blur or delete image components not needed for such purposes but the data collected by the equipment will be capable of being associated with an individual – a property owner or resident, by street address on a house or geolocation, a vehicle owner by license plate, and a person by recognition of their physical characteristics.

A use policy defines the allowed uses for a technology and/or the data it creates and defines the prohibited uses. On its website CycloMedia talks about its technology being used for such things as enhancing tax assessment capability and public safety. It must be the Council’s decision, after taking into account public input, what uses will be allowed and prohibited. As noted in the ordinance itself:

Decisions regarding whether and how Surveillance Technologies should be… used should be governed by the City Council as the elected representatives of the City.

In addition, a reasoned use policy defines allowable data sharing and data retention. Neither prohibited uses nor these things are specified, or even alluded to, in the short writeup attached to the consent-calendar Agenda item that the Council was presented with on 5/12/20.

The intent of the surveillance ordinance passed by the Berkeley City Council unanimously in March of 2018 was
to have intended uses and purposes defined in a written policy that is approved by the City Council and noticed to the public.

The City’s stated purpose for using the Cyclomedia equipment for handling the city’s public infrastructure assets is reasonable and does not seem to present significant surveillance concerns, so we would not anticipate significant community concerns once a use policy is presented to the Council. But we will insist that the City follow the straightforward process laid out in Berkeley’s Surveillance Ordinance before acquiring and deploying this technology.



Respectfully,

Oakland Privacy
contact@oaklandprivacy.org 

__________________________________ 

City Council June 2, 2020 meeting agenda is available for comment. 

Email comments to council@cityofberkeley.info 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82518774480 

Teleconference: 669-900-9128, Meeting ID: 825 1877 4480 

CONSENT: Contract add $37,046 total $249,653 with City of Albany for Animal Care Services FY 2021-2023, 2. Contract extend to 6/30/2021 & increase $20,400 total $121,600 with Koefran Industries to pick up and dispose of deceased animals for Berkeley Animal Care Services, 3. Ballot Measure Increasing City’s Appropriation Limit to Allow Expenditure of Tax Proceeds for FY 2021-2024, 4.add $127,947 total $303,527 (7/1/2016 – 6/30/2022) with Persimmony Electronic Case Management System for Software Licensing, Implementation and Maintenance for Online Electronic Case Management System 5. Contract $534,000 total $989,335 (7/1/2017 – 6/30/2025 with AMS.NET for Network Support and Maintenance, 6. Contracts June 15, 2020 – June 30, 2023 for on-call waterfront engineering, design, environmental permitting and construction for capital improvement projects, (1) Anchor QEA, LLC not to exceed $1 million, (2) COWI North America, In not to exceed $1 million, (3) Moffatt & Nichol not to exceed $1 million, (4) Transystems Co. not to exceed $1 million, 7. Reject all bids and negotiate in open market for Grove Park Field Renovation and Park Improvements Project, 8. Amend Capital Contribution Agreement with 200 Marina Blvd for Doubletree Hotel and assign to parent company Apollo Bright, LLC and change payment schedule to $3M due in June to $375,000 due in Oct 2020 and $2,675,000 due upon Council approval of Marina streets construction contract estimated Jan 2021, 9. Contract $1,011,006 includes $131,871 contingency with Alta Group, Inc for T1 Corp Yard Maintenance Building Upgrade at 1326 Allston and 201 University, 10. Contract $114,576 (7/1/2020-6/30/2023) with Urban Ore, Inc for Salvage Operations at City Transfer Station, 11. Berkeley Safe Open Air Dining, ACTION: 12. FY 2021 Proposed Budget Update Public Hearing #2, 13. Presentation & Discussion Community Survey Results on possible Ballot measures, 14. Ballot Measure Charter Amendment to change Council and Mayor Status to full-time with FT salary, 15. Ballot Measure to Create a Climate Action Fund in response to Fossil Free Berkeley, 16. Contract extend by 1 year add $117,000 total $217,000 with Youth Spirit Artworks for Transition Age Youth Case management and Linkage Services and Tiny House Case Management, 17. Contract $782,715 15% contingency total $900,122 with ERA Construction for Strawberry Creek Park Play Area and Restroom Renovation Project, 18. Amend Berkeley’s Minimum Wage Ordinance to reinstate youth wages at $14.50/hr for youth training services for FY21, then increase annually per CPI, INFORMATION REPORTS: 20. Short Term Referral Process – Quarterly Update. 

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

_________________________________________ 

Use Appeals 

1155-73 Hearst (develop 2 parcels) - 6/9/2020 

0 Euclid – Berryman Reservoir (denial of 4G telecom facility) - 7/7/2020 

1449 Grizzly Peak Blvd (single family dwelling) – 7/7/2020 

2650 Telegraph (construct new mixed-use building) – 7/7/2020 – possible change in date 

1533 Beverly (single family dwelling) - 7/14/2020 2020 

2133 University (Acheson Commons – sign alteration) 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 

1711 Allston 5/28/2020 

2417 Browning 5/28/2020 

2945 College 5/26/2020 

933 Creston 5/26/2020 

2224 Stuart 6/2/2020 

611 Vistamount 5/28/2020 

(Link to review zoing applications in appeal period is broken and has been reported) 

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

 

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

___________________ 

WORKSHOPS 

June 23 – Special Meeting on City Budget 

July 21 – Crime Report, Climate Action Plan/Resiliency Update, 

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

 

_____________________ 

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