Last week  the contractor completed the repairs to Charles Hill Road. 

 
This week work will move to Lost Valley Drive. At the beginning of the week, Ghilotti will be pulverizing the pavement then trimming off the top 6" prior to the mixing operation on Thursday. Then on Thursday and Friday the Full Depth Recycling operation is expected to occur.

Week of September 15th:

Lost Valley Drive between Don Gabriel Way to 20 Lost Valley Drive - full depth recycle

Week of September 22nd:

Lost Valley Drive between Don Gabriel Way to 20 Lost Valley Drive - paving       El Toyonal between Chapparal Place and Loma Vista Drive (west) - Slurry Seal

Orindawoods Drive between Altarinda Road and Graystone Terrace - Slurry Seal

Rheem Blvd between Glorietta Blvd. and Hall Drive - Slurry Seal

Week of October 6th:

Traffic striping on all streets

For additional information, please contact the construction manager

Steve Patterson, Park Engineering at (510) 701-0319

Orinda takes part in National Coastal Cleanup Day 2014 

Join Friends of Orinda Creeks in the annual beach and inland watershed cleanup right here in Orinda!

Trash accumulates along San Pablo creek in Downtown Orinda and flows downstream all the way to San Pablo Reservoir and beyond to San Francisco Bay. Help take care of our fragile marine environment by volunteering your time right here in Orinda.

Join Friends of Orinda Creeks on Saturday, September 20, at 9 a.m., in the parking lot next to Vintage House (25 Orinda Way). Bring sunscreen, gloves (if you have them) and wear long pants and sturdy shoes. All other equipment will be provided.  

For further information, contact: Jim Luini (925-254-6208)

The Orinda City Council cordially invites members of our community to participate in a community celebration and ribbon-cutting for the City's newest public park on September 30. Pine Grove Park has been under construction as part of the Pulte Orinda Grove project and is now open for sports play. The new park includes upgraded sports turf, restrooms, and a tot lot. Pine Grove Park is located on Altarinda Road adjacent to the new Orinda Union School District building.  

Public Works and Engineering Services

Lamorinda Program Management Committee (LPMC)/Southwest Area

Transportation Committee (SWAT) Meetings

Last week the Lamorinda Program Management Committee (LPMC) approved the Contra Costa County Transit Authority (CCCTA) County Connection Shuttle Service Plan study with Nelson Nygaard. The purpose of this study will be to investigate options for improving transit service to the Lamorinda downtowns and BART. The LPMC meeting was immediately followed by the Southwest Area Transportation Committee (SWAT) meeting. SWAT reviewed the approved the 2015 Transportation Demand Management (TDM) budget and discussed how the high school carpool program can be made more effective.

Ivy Drive Sidewalk and Improvement Projects  

On September 4th, the Public Works Department held a public meeting at Orinda Intermediate School (OIS) to inform the residents about upcoming projects within the Ivy and Coral Drive's neighborhoods. The Department mailed 650 letters to property owners to invite residents to the meeting. 31 people attended the meeting to hear the presentation, ask questions, and provide their input. The City currently has two federally funded projects; 1) Ivy and Coral Drive Sidewalks with Safe Routes to School Funds; and 2) Ivy Drive Pavement Rehabilitation with Transportation Improvement Program funds.

The Ivy and Coral Drive Sidewalks project is proposing to construct 5' sidewalk along the eastside of Ivy Drive between Risa Drive and Fiesta Circle; and along the north side of Coral Drive between Ardith Drive and Eastwood Drive. The sidewalk would be placed right behind the existing curb. These improvements will require the City to coordinate the relocation of private improvements such as landscaping, irrigation, and some hardscape that are within the City's right of way which extends approximately 12' behind the existing curb. City Staff met with the affected property owners previously in August to notify them of these encroachments.

At the recent meeting, Staff also asked for input for future sidewalk projects along Coral and Ivy Drives that would terminate at Moraga Way.  Staff presented a preferred alignment of placing sidewalk along Ivy Drive generally on the east side of the road because there is a higher proportion of residents living on the east side of Ivy Drive to avoid pedestrians crossing Ivy Drive except for a centralized location near the school. A sidewalk along the west side of Ivy Drive would likely lead to more pedestrian crossings at each side street intersection. The majority of those in attendance would prefer the sidewalk on the west side of Ivy Drive which is the same side OIS is located. Staff will continue to evaluate the location of future sidewalks based on this public input.

The Ivy Drive Pavement Rehabilitation project will reconstruct the roadway pavement from the northern Moraga Way intersection to Fiesta Circle (north). The project will involve rehabilitating the pavement surface and making minor roadway/drainage conform improvements.

Both projects are expected to start in the summer of 2015 after the school year ends. An additional public meeting will be held regarding these projects on Thursday September 25th at 6:00 p.m. at the Library Auditorium - 26 Orinda Way.

Public Works:

• Re-striped Stop Bars and Legends on the South side of the City of Orinda.
• Trimmed around no parking signs on Camino Encinas/Underhill Road
• Removed fallen pine tree that blocked Happy Valley Road @ Sundown Terrace.
• Ordered No Parking signs that will be installed within the next few weeks on Orinda Fields Lane to help improve safety at the Wilder Sports Fields.

On Saturday, September 27, 2014 the City of Orinda will be participating in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day sponsored by the DEA. From 9am to 2pm, the lobby at City Hall will be open for anyone wishing to properly dispose of unused or no longer needed prescription drugs.  Although the City of Orinda has a drug drop off bin in the lobby all year around, this event brings further attention and is intended to remind everyone of the problems with excess prescription drugs.  

Per the DEA, did you know...

Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose and abuse.

• Pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or a doctor's supervision.
• The non-medical use of prescription drugs ranks second only to marijuana as the most common form of drug abuse in America.
• The majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from family and friends - and the home medicine cabinet.
• Unused prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved and abused or illegally sold. Unused drugs that are flushed contaminate the water supply. Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment.
• Take-back programs are the best way to dispose of old drugs. But if a program is not available:

1. Take the meds out of their bottles;
2. Mix them with something unappealing like used kitty litter or coffee grounds;
3. Seal them in a bag or disposable container, and throw them away.

For more information on prescription drug abuse, go to:

•  www.dea.gov 
•  www.getsmartaboutdrugs.com 
• www.justthinktwice.com

Weekly Crime Statistics for 08-31-14 to 09-06-14

2 - Auto Burglary                           Orinda Starbucks,10 block Orchard Road

1 - Identity Theft                            400 block El Toyonal

1 - Trespass                                  10 block Frogs Leap Way

On Friday, September 12, 2014 Orinda PD were dispatched to an unknown problem on the 20 block of Muth Drive which subsequently was determined to be a residential burglary in progress. Homeowners arrived home to find an unfamiliar bicycle in their driveway and upon entering the house through the garage found the suspect standing next to a broken window. The suspect fled on foot down Muth towards Hwy 24. The homeowner and neighbors followed the suspect down Muth and were able to point responding officers in the direction of the fleeing suspect and a foot pursuit ensued. The suspect, later identified as Kyle Facchin, continued running on the bike trail adjacent to Hwy 24 and upon seeing officers, he jumped the fence and proceeded to cross E/B Hwy 24 lanes to the center median. An unmarked CHP car saw Facchin crossing lanes causing drivers to swerve and detained him. Orinda officers were able to stop traffic to cross Hwy 24 and placed Facchin into custody. Facchin was searched without incident and was found to be in possession of several items from multiple homes.

Thirty year old Facchin was arrested for residential burglary, possession of narcotics, identity theft, and obstructing a Peace Officer. In addition, Facchin was wanted by Contra Costa County for burglary and  by El Dorado County for robbery.

This arrest was successful in large part to citizens keeping an eye on the suspect as he was fleeing and providing updates to police as he moved. This is a very typical scenario of residential burglary and the vast criminal history of the suspects that commit these crimes.

The Orinda Association is hosting Candidate Forums in October!

The first forum is for the City Council candidates which 

will be held on Monday, October 6th.  

The second forum is for the Orinda Union School District Board candidates which  

is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 16th.

Both forums start at 7:00 PM, in the Library Auditorium, and will be moderated by the League of Women Voters.  

Audience members will be able to submit questions to the candidates.

Questions should be directed to Orinda Association

(925) 254-0800     Email:  oa@orindaassociation.org  

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OYA Soccer Kick Off  

On Saturday September 6 the City kicked off the yearly OYA Fall Soccer League. This year we have 71 teams comprised of 793 players ranging in age from 4-13. Divisions and rules were updated to match standards set by the US Soccer Association. Primary changes include separate divisions for each age, lowering the amount of players playing on the field at once and incorporating short sided games. We also incorporated a comprehensive coaches training to help better prepare our coaches for the season and give them the skills necessary to provide a better experience for our youth. Each parent volunteer was also given a coaching manual for them to refer to throughout the season.

In addition, the first ever games were played on the new Pine Grove Field. Players and coaches raved about the new field and were impressed by the natural grass surface and overall space the field possesses.

 "The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City" 

What's your transportation vision for Contra Costa? What programs should  the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) invest in? Should BART be extended, put more buses on the road, fix local streets, create more bike lanes, make our streets more pedestrian friendly, or improve our highways?

All these questions and more are part of an outreach effort by the CCTA and they'd like to hear your ideas to keep Contra Costa moving.  CCTA is responsible for maintaining and improving Contra Costa's transportation system by planning and funding key projects, like the Caldecott Tunnel Fourth Bore, Highway 4 widening, and BART system extensions. The agency also helps maintain local streets, reduce traffic congestion, and make Contra Costa safe for bicyclists and pedestrians. Their work helps you get where you need to go!

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority is updating the Countywide Transportation Plan (CTP) in collaboration with Contra Costa municipalities, local agencies, and input from the public. The CTP is a plan for the next 25 years of transportation investment in Contra Costa that outlines a vision, and establishes goals, strategies, and other actions to help make projects and programs a reality.

CCTA wants to know what transportation issues you think are important so we can prioritize where to spend valuable time and resources - BART? Buses? Highways? Local roads? Pedestrian paths? Bicycle routes? Do you have new ideas? You tell us. This is your chance to participate in setting the priorities for our transportation system and suggest your own bright ideas for new projects and programs in Contra Costa.

There are many ways you can participate:

• West County Public Workshop: Saturday, September 20, 2014, 1:30pm, Richmond Convention Center, Bermuda Room (enter from Nevin St.) 403 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond
• West County Public Workshop: Monday, September 22, 2014, 7pm, Hercules Community Center (Gym), 2001 Refugio Valley Road, Hercules
• Telephone Public Workshop: Tuesday, September 23, 2014, 6pm, Dial 877-229-8493 and pin# 1126642 when prompted.

2.  Participate in CCTA's online survey at: www.KeepContraCostaMoving.net, to tell us your priorities, share your bright ideas, and see what other ideas have been submitted.

3.  Call 925-256-4720 or email 2014CTP@ccta.net to have a copy of CCTA's survey mailed to you

We encourage you to use one of the ways listed above to participate in this important planning effort. Your opinions and ideas will help shape Contra Costa County's transportation planning for the next 25 years. Don't miss this opportunity!

Cal Swim Teams host an Event Benefiting  

Orinda Parks and Recreation

Last Chance to Dine with an Olympic Champion

Your last opportunity to purchase tickets for the Orinda Parks and Recreation Foundation luncheon with the UC Berkeley Swim Team is fast approaching. Do not miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity to meet current and future Olympic Champions and support Parks and Recreation related projects. Tickets are on sale now at http://oprfoundation.org.

PG&E Gas Line Hydrotesting

Questions about the project should be directed to Rosaline Brown, PG&E Customer Impact Specialist. Her phone number is (415) 744-4160.

The current project schedule is:

• September 4th, Clearing the line for cleaning and filling
• September 24th, Administering the hydro test
• October 8th, Tie the line back into service
• October 22nd, Complete demobilization and restoration