City of Orinda est 1985
 Orinda Outlook
For the week of December 16, 2013

 By City Manager

Janet S. Keeter
Santa's Elves have been very busy in Orinda!

Santa's Elves - aka - Boy Scout Troop 237 have placed holiday wreaths prepared by the Orinda Garden Club throughout the City -
  
They are everywhere!
  
   And they are quite lovely!  

 I wonder how many there are?

 

  

 

The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City!
Parks and Recreation

The City of Orinda is excited to offer a variety of holiday break camps December 23 and 24 and January 2 and 3. Twenty-one camps are being offered including art, basketball, carpentry, Mad Science (My First Lab, Future Geniuses and the Inventor's Academy), Play-Well Jedi Engineering, and various multi-sport activities. Camps are offered at the Orinda Community Center and Wagner Ranch Gym. Information is available online at the City's website at www.cityoforinda.org.
   

The Orinda Teen Advisory Council (OTAC) participated in their first Tri-City teen meeting of the year, which included teens from the cities of Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda (Lamorinda). Potential projects were discussed including joint monthly donation drives, as a means to becoming active in the community. Teens agreed to host donation drives, participate in an environmental clean-up at the East Bay Regional Park Sibley Reserve, and to try and host a game of capture-the-flag for teens in May. Visit the City website or call the Orinda Parks and Recreation office at (925) 254-2445, for information about joining OTAC, or come to an OTAC meeting which is held the first Monday of the month, at 4:00pm at the Orinda Community Center.

 

Staff spoke at the monthly Orinda Senior Village's members meeting on Tuesday, December 10th  to promote senior programs offered by the City. The upcoming senior Lunch n' Learn, trips, and classes were highlighted. Informaton on senior activites can be found in the activity guide and on the City's website.

  

The Holiday Open House, co-hosted by the Orinda Senior Services Committee and the Seniors Around Town was a success with over 55 people in attendance. Entertainment was provided by the Orinda Parks and Recreation's ukulele class. Steve Harwood hosted the event and led a lively sing-a-long. This festive event was in appreciation of the Seniors Around Town riders and drivers and those on the Orinda Senior Services Committee.

 

PG&E set the new meter for Orinda Community Park and lights on the tennis courts have been restored!

 

 

 

 "The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"
City Office Holiday Closure

 

City Hall and the Community Center will be closed from

 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 24, 2013 through

Wednesday, January 1, 2014.

 

During this time, Police Service inquiries should be made to the     dispatch phone line at (925) 284-5010

 

City Offices will reopen on January 2, 2014

 

The Orinda Outlook will return during the week of

January 6, 2012

 

Have a Happy and Safe Holiday Season!
Planning Department

PG&E Line Clearance Program - Representatives of PG&E and its consultants provided the Planning Director with an update on PG&E's ongoing program to implement federal standards to ensure reliability of the electrical power transmission system. In addition to maintaining minimum clearances from vegetation, the stricter federal standards require greater clearances from street lights and other utility poles and from the ground than was previously allowed. To that end, PG&E is required to raise the height of many towers throughout Orinda. According to PG&E, by July of 2014, they plan to address clearance issues at seven towers with 12 additional towers to be addressed by the end of the year. Six of the seven towers will need to be raised 15 feet and one will be raised 11 feet.

Notice to property owners surrounding the towers will be provided by PG&E and encroachment permits from the City's Public Works and Engineering Department to stage equipment in the public right of way will also be required.

AT&T's Project LightSpeed - AT&T submitted the first three applications for Design Review for Encroachments in the Public Right of Way for its Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service in Orinda. To implement the new service, telecommunications equipment housed in utility boxes will be installed in approximately 20 locations on the side of the road throughout the community. Staff is working with AT&T to ensure the boxes are installed in a manner that is consistent with the municipal code standards which include the following design review criteria:
  1. Aesthetics: The encroachment is designed so that it blends into the existing streetscape, reflecting the dominant visual character of the natural and man-made context.
  2. Function: The design and location will not adversely affect the use and enjoyment of neighboring properties and structures. 
  3. Other code requirements: The encroachment meets all other applicable requirements of this Code. 
As a part of the review process, public notice is provided to all property owners within 300 feet of each proposed installation.
  
New Building and Fire Code Standards - The Planning Department is coordinating with both Moraga Orinda Fire District (MOFD) and Contra Costa County Building Division on implementation of the new fire and building/energy code standards which go into effect in the New Year. Activity at the permit counter is brisk as applicants are rushing plans in to avoid the pending building code standards that contain more stringent requirements.

 
"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City" 

Public Works

 

Citizens' Infrastructure Oversight Commission (CIOC) - The CIOC held their monthly meeting and approved urgent repair projects on Monte Vista Road and Del Mar Court.  They then discussed the coming 2014 telephone public opinion poll and received comments from the public on adding a question to the poll that would test support for the City implementing a real estate transfer tax to fund a program to repair the City's roads.  The Commission moved to support that the poll contain question(s) to test public support for this tax.  The final item was discussion of a revised list of paving projects for FY2015.  Staff was asked to investigate additional changes and bring a final recommendation to the next meeting for approval.  The Commission decided not to hold a meeting in January 2014.  The next CIOC meeting will be on February 12, 2014.

 
Manzanita Bridge - Completion of the bridge is on the horizon.  The temporary detour bridge was removed and work on the approaches to the new bridge is close to completion.  The contractor has scheduled the final paving for January 7, 2014 (weather permitting).

  
 
  

Tarabrook Storm Drain - The storm drain project is essentially completed and ready for winter. Restoration of the landscaping on the affected properties and final clean-up is underway.

 

Pulte/Orinda Grove - Pulte is getting closer to completing the off-site public improvements associated with the Orinda Grove development. Just before Thanksgiving  the section of Santa Maria/Altarinda from Orinda Way to the entrance to Orinda Grove was paved.

 

Public Works:

  • Started pavement repair in front of # 6 Ichabod Lane. Public Works crew discovered a water leak during repair and has turned the water line repair and pavement repair over to EBMUD. 
  • Removed and replaced an 18' x 8' section of road in front of # 10 Rustic Lane. Damage to road was caused by tree roots.
  • Filled potholes on Camino Pablo and St. Stephens Drive.
  • Cleaned leaves from downtown sidewalks.
  • Met with residents about Trim Notices.  

Camino Pablo/BART - Over the next several months BART is making earthquake upgrades to the Orinda station. To make these improvements it will be necessary to close the right lane of Camino Pablo from just south of the BART parking lot exit to just north of the eastbound SR24 on ramp.  

 

Questions regarding the improvements can be directed to the  

BART Project Information Line: 925-603-5342 or  

Email: earthquakesafety@bart.gov 

 "The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"
Orindans at work in the community
  
The Orinda Association has announced the recipients of the Volunteer of the Year and the William Penn Mott Environmental Awards for 2013!

Volunteers of the Year:

The Orinda Junior Women's Club

 

William Penn Mott Environmental Award:

Orinda Action Day Team

  

Save the Date for the  Volunteer of the Year dinner which will be held on

 Sunday, February 9, 2014 

 Contact the Orinda Association at

(925) 254-0800 for additional information. 

  

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

Orinda Police assisted the Lafayette Police Department on a report of a suspicious package that had radiation stickers on it. Chief Haggard was the incident commander until he was relieved by Chief Christensen. The device was proven to be a stolen underground surveillance device used to locate pipes and lines, and radiation levels were never a danger.
 

Detectives investigated two elder abuse cases forwarded by Adult Protective Services. Detectives followed up on a child molestation case that involved outside agencies including Santa Cruz County and Hood River in Oregon. They also packaged 3 DUI cases for the District Attorney. They are still following leads on residential burglary cases and have an arrest warrant in the system for one burglar.

Officer Gregory attended a neighborhood watch meeting in Orinda Downs. If you are interested in having a home burglary audit, call the Orinda Police Department at 925-254-6820 to schedule an audit for your home.

Theft Statistics:

 

Residential Burglary:

0  

 

Petty Theft:

100 block Sleepy Hollow (unlocked vehicle)
10 block of Sycamore Road (unlocked vehicle)
0 block Sycamore Road (unlocked vehicles)

Grand Theft:
600 block Miner Road (unlocked vehicle)
80 Block Muth Dr.

Auto Burglary:
Moraga Road/Ivy Drive

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City" 

 


The City of Orinda is seeking applications from  

resident volunteers to serve on the following   

City Commissions and Committees: 

 

Art in Public Places Committee (1)

Planning Commission (2)

Parks & Recreation Commission (3)

Citizens' Infrastructure Oversight Commission (2)

Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (3)

Finance Advisory Committee (4)

Public Works Aesthetic Review Committee (1)

Historic Landmark Committee (3)

 

The City of Orinda is also seeking applications from resident volunteers to serve as the City's Liaison to the following local agencies:

 

Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District Trustee (1)

Contra Costa County Advisory Council on Aging (1)

Representative on the Contra Costa County Library Commission (2)

County Connection Citizens Advisory Committee (1)

 

Statement of Interest forms are available from the Orinda City Clerk's Office located at 22 Orinda Way, Orinda, CA 94563. If you have any specific questions regarding the recruitment, please contact Michele Olsen, City Clerk at 925-253-4221 or molsen@cityoforinda.org. Application forms may also be downloaded from the City's website at www.cityoforinda.org.

 

Completed Statement of Interest forms must be submitted to the City Clerk's Office by Friday, January 3, 2014 at 5:00pm.

 

Qualified applicants for City Commission and Committee appointments will be invited to interview before the full City Council tentatively in January 2014.

 

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"

JOY

TO THE WORLD

 

PEACE

ON EARTH

 

CHEER

AND GOODWILL
Janet Keeter
City Manager
  
We would like to hear from you!
Send your comments or questions to:
or call 925-253-4291