City of Orinda est 1985
 Orinda Outlook

For the week of November 11, 2013

 By City Manager

Janet S. Keeter
Parks and Recreation 

 

37th Annual Orinda Holiday Bazaar sponsored by the Orinda Community Center Auxiliary (OCCA) was held on November 2, 2013.  Forty-five vendors participated in the 37th annual Orinda Holiday Bazaar.  $5000 was raised to support the Orinda Community Center, Concerts in the Park, Halloween Parade for Tots and equipment for the Orinda Community Center and Park. Holiday Bazaar attendees were treated to a flag raising by a local Cub Scout troop, a Hawaiian ukulele serenade from approximately 30 ukulele students, a Zumba demonstration and a Polynesian dance performance. Kid's Corner sponsored by the Orinda Teen Advisory Council (OTAC) created art projects, face painting and played games with children while their parents shopped at the Bazaar and Scooter the Clown entertained children with balloon animals and magic tricks!  Incredible music for the event was generously provided by Steve Harwood. A special thank you goes out to the members of the Orinda Community Center Auxiliary for the hours spent on preparing for the Holiday Bazaar and decorating the Orinda Community Center and grounds.

 

Upcoming Recreation Classes - Registrations for youths, teen, and adult classes starting November 7th - 16th include: Babysitting for Beginners, Carpentry, Gymnastics, and Kindergym.  Adults can register for  Digital Photo, Forgotten Movies (Film class with James Keller), Yoga, and the new Garden Mosaic Workshop where participants will create exterior mosaics that will last for decades. Lecture and demonstration covers use of tools, materials and technique. You are welcome to bring in personal tiles, broken plates, beads or trinkets to use. Wednesday, November 13th, 11:00am - 4:00pm: $120 (Orinda Resident)/$138 (Non-resident).

  

The Orinda Teen Advisory Council (OTAC)  will be hosting an Orinda Teen Movie Night, on Friday, November 15th, in the Orinda Library Auditorium. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone which is the first chapter of the Harry Potter Series is scheduled.  The doors open at 6:30pm. Teens are encouraged to dress up as their favorite character; with each person coming in costume being entered into a drawing for a Harry Potter themed prize.

 

This year, the Orinda Youth Association (OYA) and the Rotary Club of Orinda are partnering to donate used (or new) soccer uniforms to children throughout the world. Please drop-off clean soccer uniforms and equipment to either the Orinda Association office (26 Orinda Way) or the Parks and Recreation office (28 Orinda Way). Once collected, all donations will be sorted, sized into matching sets which will be delivered to soccer programs in Columbia by the Orinda Rotary Club. If you are interested in helping; either by setting up bins, helping to collect, sort, or ship uniforms, please call (925) 254-9353.

 

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"
Planning Department

J & J Ranch Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Scoping Meeting - A public meeting to solicit input on the scope of the EIR for the 13-lot subdivision  will be held on November 20, 2013 in Room 8 of the Community Center starting at   6:00 pm.

 

2014 - 2022 Housing Element -This week we received through the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's (MTC) updated schedule for adoption of the next cycle of the Housing Element.  In accordance with Government Code section 65588(e)(2), the fifth revision of the Housing Element must be adopted 18 months after the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is adopted.  MTC adopted the current RTP in July 2013 and the deadline to adopt the next Housing Element is January 31, 2015. 

 

Planning Commission -

  

November 12, 2013

  • 15 Risa Court - Moraga Swim and Tennis Club general use permit (continued from prior meeting)
  • 249 Hall Drive - Wireless communication facility permit
  • 17 Frog's Leap - Design review for a new single family home

City Council -

 

November 19, 2013

  • Adoption of the Housing Element and associated California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review and Land Use Element amendment and introduction of ordinance implementing policies of the new Housing Element.

New Projects Received as of 10/31/2013

  • 109 Lombardy Lane - Design review for a 1,458 square foot addition
  • 621 Miner Road - Conceptual Development Review for a renovation and addition to an existing one story residence
  • 138 Oak Road - Design review for a new single family residence
  • 18 Warford Terrace - Design review for a second story addition

   

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"  

Public Works

 

Southwest Area Transportation Committee (SWAT) - City Officials and staff attended the monthly SWAT meeting where updates on the I-680 Express Lanes Project, the Caldecott Tunnel 4th Bore project, an update to the Countywide Transportation Plan (CTP) and review of the Terraces of Lafayette project in Lafayette were discussed.

 

Lamorinda Program Management Committee (LPMC) - City Officials and staff also attended the LPMC meeting. The LPMC received a presentation of the update highlights to the Lamorinda Action Plan. The plan update will be included in the 2014 update of the Countywide Transportation Plan.

 

Manzanita Bridge - Work is continuing on the approach to each side of the new bridge. To complete the tie in to the existing Acacia/Manzanita intersection, the contractor has been detouring traffic to Miner Road from 9:00 am. to 3:00 pm. daily. This schedule should conclude Wednesday, November 13th,  when the new bridge will be opened to one-way traffic.  

 

Tarabrook Storm Drain - Filling of the hole for the pipe jacking is continuing and the contractor is installing the new intersection drainage.

 

  Photo by C. Swanson

 

Public Works crews have completed the installation of a radar speed sign on Glorietta 300 ft. from Rheem Boulevard. 

  Photo by C. Swanson 

 

 "The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"
Police Activity

Orinda Police Department arrests included an arrest for DUI, an arrest for violation of a domestic restraining order, a burglary arrest and a warrant arrest for parole violation.

The detectives filed several cases with the District Attorney and they continued to investigate a local subject who is suspected of furnishing drugs to citizens. Detective Dennison interviewed a subject who is being held at the Santa Rita Jail for possible involvement in crimes occurring in Orinda.

 

Officers Flack and Rosenbaum contacted two suspicious subjects in the parking lot of a local gas station. A consent search of one of the subjects uncovered stolen credit cards belonging to an Orinda citizen along with drug paraphernalia. The second subject was arrested for an outstanding warrant. The detectives will do a follow up investigation to determine if the subjects might be responsible for other crimes committed here in Orinda.

 

Orinda officers attended a mandatory training session on First Aid/CPR and driving skills. The officers are required by the State of California to attend a minimum of 24 hours of training each year.

 

Theft Statistics:

     

Petty Thefts:   0 Block of Camino Sobrante

                         Unknown address Orinda Way/Camino Sobrante

 

Grand Theft:   30 Block of Los Amigos

 

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City" 
Janet Keeter
City Manager
  
We would like to hear from you!
Send your comments or questions to:
or call 925-253-4291