City of Orinda est 1985

Orinda Outlook

For the week of August 4, 2014

By City Manager

Janet S. Keeter

Summer Concerts in the Park

Don't miss the two remaining FREE summer concerts at the park for 2014! Sponsored by the Orinda Community Center Auxiliary (OCCA) Supported by the Orinda Parks and Recreation Foundation, Orinda Community Foundation, and City of Orinda.

Littledog2 headlines Concert in the Park on August 5

The Tuesday concert will showcase Littledog2 beginning at 6:30 pm.

Food Truck Mafia will have trucks from Tacos de los Altos, Street Dogs

and Grab and Go Kebabs at the event.

6:30-8:30pm at the Orinda Community Center Park, 28 Orinda Way

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"

Miner Road Underground Utility District

The proposed Miner Road Underground Utility District will be discussed at the City Council meeting on August 5, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in the

Library Auditorium at 26 Orinda Way.

For additional information about the Rule 20A Program, please visit PG&E's website at: http://www.pge.com/myhome/addservices/electricundergrounding/

To view past City Council staff reports for more information,

click here, here and here.

If you have further questions, please contact Larry Theis, Senior Civil Engineer at ltheis@cityoforinda.org.

A flyer with additional information and a map can be found here.

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"

5th Cycle Housing Element

The Orinda City Council received and discussed an update on the 5th Cycle of the Housing Element on Tuesday, July 15, 2014.

The Council will continue the discussion on Tuesday, August 5, 2014, at 7:00pm in the Library Auditorium.

Members of the community have had three opportunities to participate in the Housing Element update process, identifying specific needs and opportunities and provide ideas on how the City can improve housing opportunities in the future. There will be additional opportunity for input at Planning Commission and City Council hearings in the upcoming months. Keep an eye on our web site for future meeting dates.

For more information and documents relating to the Housing Element Update, click here.

Please send any comments on the Housing Element Update to Christina Ratcliffe, AICP, Senior Planner at: cratcliffe@cityoforinda.org.

On Tuesday, August 5th, from 5 - 8 p.m., Orinda is celebrating our 7th Orinda Night Out. Last year multiple Orindans enjoyed events all around town. You still have time to plan an event in your neighborhood.

Some Orinda neighborhoods have a potluck, others party around the pool and still others bring in bouncy houses for the children and have an ice-cream party. There are so many ways to enjoy your neighbors, meet those you don't know and share information to make our town safe.

Orinda Police Department, MOFD fire personnel, Orinda Citizen Corps Council members and CERT are available to attend your event.

Additional information can be found here.

To schedule visits, please contact Patti Young, pattiyoung1@comcast.net or phone 510-910-0311.

Parks and Recreation

Sign up for Flag Football Starting Next Week

The Orinda Flag Football Instructional League offers an exciting, positive and safe introduction to league play. Teams are coached by Skyhawks trained and enthusiastic staff to ensure that all participants learn the essential skills, rules, play-calls and strategies to the game. Our non-contact recreational league emphasizes individual skill development, game strategy, teamwork, character building and most importantly...Fun!

Participants will be placed on teams based on age and ability and play in 1 of 2 time-slots: 2:00-3:30pm or 3:30 - 5:00pm. All sessions are on Sunday at Pine Grove Park. The first two weeks consist of 1.5 hours skill development circuits and evaluations. The next six weeks include 45 minutes of practice, followed by a 45 minute game. Program runs September 14 through November 2.

Board Games needed for new program this fall

We are still accepting game board donations for our new Thursdays Together: Games Galore! drop-in program that begins September 11, 10:00am-12:00pm, for adults who want to spend some time playing games with friends and meeting new people! Donations can be dropped off at the Orinda Community Center, 28 Orinda Way or Orinda City Hall, 22 Orinda Way. No registration is required, drop-in fee is $3 for Orinda residents and $4 for non-residents.

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"

From the Office of the City Clerk

November 2014 City Council Election Update

This week was the third week of the Nomination period. As of Friday, August 1st, 9 candidates have pulled nomination papers to run for City Council and 5 candidates have filed nomination papers. The deadline to file nomination papers is Friday, August 8th. If one or more incumbents does not file nomination papers, the deadline is extended for non-incumbents until Wednesday, August 13th. Any election related inquiries should be directed to Michele Olsen, City Clerk, molsen@cityoforinda.org or 925-253-4221.

Commission Recruitment

The City Clerk's office has opened the recruitment for the following vacant Commission positions:

Historic Landmark Committee (1)

Public Works Aesthetic Review Committee (1)

Liaison to CCC Library Commission (2)

Statement of Interest Forms will be accepted until Friday, August 29th.

Special City Council Meetings Scheduled

The following Special meetings have been scheduled for the

Orinda City Council:

Wednesday, August 6, 2014, 8:30am - Sarge Littlehale Community Room

Study Session to discuss the Art & Garden Center in the Wilder Development

Tuesday, September 30, 2014 7:00pm - Library Auditorium

Special City Council Meeting scheduled to focus on the Housing Element

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"

Caltrans will temporarily close Bore #2, the leftmost eastbound bore, of the Caldecott Tunnel overnight on Friday, Saturday, and possibly Sunday nights two weekends in August.

The eastbound Tunnel Road on-ramp will also be closed at these times. The purpose of the closure is to complete the realignment of the eastbound approach to the tunnel's second bore. During the Bore #2 closures, eastbound traffic will be able to continue to use Bore #1. Westbound traffic on SR-24 will not be impacted by this closure.

Five- to twenty-minute delays for traffic traveling in the eastbound direction on State Route 24 are anticipated during the closures.

Pending favorable weather conditions and the completion of preparatory work, the following closures are planned:

Additional information can be found here

Friday, August 8, 8 p.m. - Saturday, August 9, 12 p.m. (Noon):

The eastbound Bore #2 will be closed to traffic. Eastbound motorists may use Bore #1

Saturday, August 9, 8 p.m. - Sunday, August 10, 12 p.m. (Noon):

The eastbound Bore #2 will be closed. Eastbound motorists may use Bore #1

Sunday, August 10, 8 p.m. - Monday, August 11, 7 a.m.:

The eastbound Bore #2 will be closed. Eastbound motorists may use Bore #1

The Fourth Annual Orinda Jazz Festival comes to the
Orinda Library Auditorium

on Sunday, August, 17, 2014 from 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM.

This one-day event benefits The Orinda Arts Council ~ Community Programs, and features well-acclaimed international, regional, and local musicians and artists.

This year's featured artist is Amikaeyla Gaston, a multi-award winning jazz vocalist, proclaimed by NPR as one of the "purest contemporary voices." MTV also describes her sultry sound "like listening to velvet waterfalls." Other headliners scheduled to appear will be two-time Grammy Award recipient, Mads Tolling, an internationally renowned violinist and soloist for Grammy Award Winning Turtle Island Quartet; popular Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center flutist/vocalist, Carol Alban ; bass performer Marc Levine, who has performed with Barry Manilow and Dionne Warwick; Jazz pianist and educator, Ben Flint, who toured with Grammy Winner Isaac Hayes; and other celebrated performers.

Open to all ages, this is an event where people come to see, to be seen, and most importantly, to enjoy the company of friends and relatives while enjoying great music. Learn More

Brown Bag Lunch with the Mayor

Mayor Severson will host a second "Brown Bag Lunch" lunch session on Wednesday, August 20, 2014 at 12:00 noon in the Sarge Littlehale Community Room located at 22 Orinda Way. If you would like to have "Lunch with the Mayor, please meet at City Hall where there will be a brief tour of City Hall and then a walk up the hill to the new Orinda Union School District (OUSD) building. No RSVP is necessary - just pack a lunch and join Mayor Severson for an informal lunchtime talk and tour of City Hall and the new OUSD building.

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"

Norcal Kids Triathlon

2014 Norcal Kids Triathlon

Saturday, August 30, 2014 @ 9:00am

Miramonte High School, Orinda, CA.

This race is dedicated to children from ages 6 through to High School.

Norcal Kids Triathlon is a Super Sprint Triathlon dedicated to encouraging High School students and younger kids to try a new activity,

remain active and remain healthy.

Registration is now open, make sure you don't wait. Click Here to register today.

The "Community Emergency Response Team" has scheduled all-hazard training courses. The courses are part of FEMA's Citizen Corps program. This valuable course is designed to help you take care of yourself, your family, your neighbors and your neighborhood in an emergency situation.

CERT is a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster preparedness where citizens learn to take independent actions that are critical to their safety. Many people will respond to others in need without training but the CERT course is designed to help them do so safely and effectively.

You can take CERT training at the Orinda Library beginning

Thursday, September 11, 2014

from 6:30 -9:30 pm

the 6 classes and a drill

are presented by Lamorinda CERT,

a FEMA accredited program.

Planning Department

Pulte Below Market Rate Housing update

An informational flyer and letter were mailed to Orinda businesses this week to inform them that the last four Orinda Grove Below Market Rate Homes are available for purchase and qualifying families with a member employed in Orinda for at least one year will have priority for an opportunity to purchase one of these homes. In the letter employers were asked to post the flyer so that employees are aware of this opportunity.

Taylor Morrison at Wilder

Planning staff met with representatives of Taylor Morrison and their civil engineer and architect to discuss the conceptual grading plans prepared for 23 lots along Wilder Road which Taylor Morrison acquired in April 2014. According to the project representative, they intend to submit design review applications for the 23 homes in four groups with the first set of plans to be delivered to the City by August 11, 2014. It is the builder's goal to break ground on house construction by December 2014.

Planning Commission

August 12, 2014

72 La Cuesta - Design review and elevated deck permit for a 441 square foot addition - Continued from July 8 meeting to allow applicant to propose changes to address design concerns raised by Commission and neighbors.
84 Mossbridge - Design review and tree removal permit for a 4,925 square footsingle family residence - Continued from July 22
19 Bigleaf Way - Modification of approvals for a new residence to include an elevated deck.
6 Great Oaks Circle - Temporary event permit for application to allow a fundraiser at 6 Great Oak Circle - Temporary event permit for a fundraiser hosted by the Friends of the Joaquin Moraga Adobe to be held on September 13, 2014. The project site is the former home of Maynard Buehler and was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. A public hearing is being held at the request of adjacent property owners.

Zoning Administrator - Projects Posted

29 Knickerbocker Lane - Elevated deck permit for the reconfiguration of an existing elevated deck at the rear of the home.

New Projects

44 Orinda View - Exception application for an accessory structure to be built within the front setback.
19 Big Leaf Way - Modification of approvals for a new residence to include an elevated deck.

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"