Draft Housing Element 

• The DRAFT Housing Element is a DRAFT. It will not be formally submitted to the State Housing and Community Development Department for certification until such time as the City Council adopts the document.

• City Council has not adopted the Housing Element. They are continuing to review the DRAFT document and are continuing to receive feedback. The August 20th Council meeting was a continuation of that iterative process.  

• It has been stated that City staff did not act in accordance with Council's previous direction to bring the DRAFT document back for Council review. Staff did have meetings with the State Housing and Community Development (HCD) as a matter of "checking in" to ensure that the document development, based on previous Council comments and public feedback, was adequate to meet HCD's requirements. This is a DRAFT document and can be amended and changed per the direction of Council.   By no means is the copy that HCD has reviewed considered to be the formal official adopted Housing Element for the City.

• We have heard complaints about the City's hiring of Housing Consultant, Barry Miller, who helped produce the Draft Housing Element. The Planning Department has been short staffed over the course of the last two years, and did not have the capacity to produce the project.  Mr. Miller has added value to our product and has been responsive to the City's directions. He has completed his assignment and indicated that he is no longer available to assist the City. 

• We have heard statements that the City intends to build low-income housing on the 3.2 acre Santa Maria vacant parcel site. The City has no intentions of procuring the property, condemning the property, acquiring it through eminent domain or pressuring the Santa Maria Church to develop the property. The property is currently zoned for 10 - units per acre. The City is discussing rezoning the property to 20 - 25 units per acre to meet our housing mandates but the decision on whether to ever develop the property is solely the decision of the Church. 

• Additionally, we have heard that the reason the Fountainhead Montessori School is applying to build a school at the old Phair's building site is because the City wants to build affordable housing on the site that they lease from the Santa Maria Church. The City is not aware of any such connection.

• Lastly, it has been brought to our attention that a 100-unit luxury condominium is being proposed for the north end of downtown at the Country Club Village area. We are not aware of any such proposal.    

After the Council received comments from the public, they deliberated on the next steps and directed staff to return to the Council with a revised Draft on September 17th then proceed to the Planning Commission with a draft CEQA document and draft ordinances to amend the density to 20 - 25 units per acre allowed on the 3.2 - acre Santa Maria site and to clarify that the density of residential development in the Downtown Commercial district itself, will remain at no more than 10 dwelling units per acre.  The Planning Commission will provide recommendations on the zoning code/map revisions and the CEQA document for the Council's consideration.   

The bulk of Council's revisions to the Draft Housing Element were along the lines of the recommendations contained on page 5 of the staff report.  Council also directed staff to make edits to Chapter Six and requested that we provide written clarification to the Santa Maria Church that the increase in density of development that will be allowed on the site does not change the property owner's ability to continue to use the 3.2-acre site for the same recreational and religious purposes it has historically used on the site and that the decision as whether or not to develop the site remains with the property owner.

The Council meeting concluded at 11:40 p.m. with a few members of the public and media left in the audience who endured the marathon and informative discussion. The meeting was covered by newspaper print reporters from the Contra Costa Times and the Lamorinda Weekly. In addition, a cameraman videoed the Council meeting and indicated a copy of it would be uploaded in a couple of days to YouTube Tea Party Television.

The staff report and attachments for the September 17th meeting should be available to the public by Friday September 13th on the City's website at www.cityoforinda.org under Council Meetings and Agendas.

Police Activity

 

Orinda Police arrests include, a Warrant arrest for petty theft with priors and violation of probation, 2 arrests for prostitution,  an arrest for battery on a police officer and an arrest for domestic battery

 

The Investigation Unit packaged and prepared several cases for the District Attorney. They are currently investigating a suicide that occurred on 8-21-13 and they are continuing follow-up investigations on recent residential burglaries.

 

Orinda officers assisted the CHP on an officer involved shooting at Wilder Road near the Highway 24 off ramp. The suspect was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The Contra Costa Office of the Sheriff is conducting the investigation. 

 

Community Service Officer Tracey and Sergeant Rafanan - Photo by J. Keeter

Orinda Police Officers with the help of Community Service Officer Scott Tracy, Public Works Inspector Tod Fierner, Maintenance Worker Ruben Gerk, City Manager Janet Keeter, City Clerk Michele Olson and Human Resources Manager Trish Raver organized a barbeque for incoming OIS 6th graders. Over 250 kids were fed hot dogs, chips, cookies, and water. It was a pleasure for the Officers to meet the new middle school students.

Manzanita Bridge - On Thursday the project reached a major milestone when the contractor placed the concrete for the bridge deck.

Parks and Recreation