Berkeley City Council Regular Meeting – December 10, 2024
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Berkeley City Council Regular Meeting – December 10, 2024
The meeting was the first for newly sworn-in Mayor Adena Ishii and newly elected Councilmembers Shoshana O'Keefe (District 5) and Brent Blackaby (District 6), along with re-elected members. The council addressed routine consent items, an emergency bike giveaway, and held a discussion on restaurant inspection audit progress. Public comment was dominated by criticism of that morning's 4 a.m. sweep of the Old City Hall encampment.
Consent Calendar
- Approved second readings of ordinances for lease agreements with The Framer's Workshop LLC, We Wield The Hammer, and Dorothy Day House (Dorothy's Closet), and zoning amendments for "Keep Innovation in Berkeley."
- Approved contracts: CVL Economics ($119,300) for arts economic impact study; Kala Art Institute ($50,000) for framed artwork; Masako Miki ($87,000) for Aquatic Park ceramic tile mural; and various other contracts including fire life safety systems maintenance ($700,000), Sacramento Street Pedestrian Safety Project ($973,638), on-call electrical services ($725,000), hybrid police patrol vehicles ($400,000 – Item 14), ambulance chassis ($430,000), and railroad crossing cost allocation.
- Approved grant applications for MTC Housing Incentive Pool (Ashby/San Pablo intersection improvements up to $1.9M, Adeline Quick-Build up to $1.05M, 7th/Anthony intersections up to $2M), updated parking fines schedule including AB 413 daylighting law violations, and council committee appointments.
- Emergency Item (Lights of Tomorrow bike giveaway): Adopted resolution authorizing expenditure of council office budget funds. Contributions from councilmembers: Bartlett $600 (initial $500 plus additional $100), Kesarwani $500, Tregub $100, Humbert $300, Lunaparra $300, Blackaby $250, O'Keefe $250, Mayor Ishii $500 (total at least $2,450).
- Item E (Bicycle and Pedestrian Access on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge) was moved to consent and approved.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Numerous speakers condemned the 4 a.m. sweep of the Old City Hall encampment that day, calling it traumatizing and demanding accountability. Representatives from the Berkeley Homeless Union and community advocates urged the council to prioritize housing and mental health services over sweeps. One speaker alleged a broken promise and requested an investigation.
- Several speakers opposed Item 14 (hybrid police vehicles), arguing funds should instead be directed to homeless services, mental health crisis response, and affordable housing.
- A lifelong Richmond resident and policy associate from the Bay Area Council spoke against the bridge bike path resolution, citing low usage and negative impacts on minority communities who rely on car commuting. In contrast, supporters from Bike East Bay and Walk Bike Berkeley emphasized climate goals, equity, and safety.
- A business owner (Mr. Garland) opposed the Dorothy Day House lease, alleging corruption and delays, and threatened litigation. Others supported Dorothy Day House's services but called for better oversight and grievance tracking.
- Additional comments addressed fire alarm enforcement, pickleball court needs, the Costa-Hawkins Act (speaker urged local action despite state jurisdiction), and divestment from Israel.
Discussion Items
- Item 22 – Restaurant Inspection Audit Status Report (moved to Action): Environmental Health Director Scott Gilman provided updates: one inspector position filled, supervisor hiring in progress, contract with California Association of Environmental Health Administrators for temporary staff. A fee study is near completion and will inform staffing and quality levels. The division aims to complete all overdue 2023 high-risk facility inspections by December 31, 2024. Gilman met with Alameda County to explore backup contracts. Councilmembers asked about a public placard system (letter grades), better online data access, and cross-departmental coordination. Gilman reported a new IT system is scheduled for first quarter 2026. Council expressed strong support for core inspection services and encouraged faster public data availability. No formal action was taken.
- Item 18 – Parking Fines Update: Public Works Director Terrance Davis stated the city plans a 2–3 month education and warning period before enforcing fines for daylighting law violations (AB 413). High-risk intersections will be identified and community outreach conducted via social media and city websites.
Key Outcomes
- Consent calendar approved, including the emergency bicycle giveaway and bridge access resolution.
- Item 22 discussed; no vote needed or taken.
- Motion to adjourn passed unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
Hello. Good evening, everyone. I'd like to welcome you all to the December 10th meeting of the Berkeley City Council and call this meeting to order. Can we start with a roll call, please? Okay, thank you. Councilmember Kessarwani. Here. Taplan. Present. Bartlett. Here. Trago. O'Keefe. Here. Blackaby. Here. Luna Para. Here. Humbert. Present. And Mayor Ishi. Here. Okay. Quorum is present. Thank you. So typically we would read the land acknowledgement statement at the beginning of each monthly meeting, but since this is my first meeting, I'd like to ask that we do a land acknowledgement statement again. And from now on, we're going to be switching off and have different council members do the land acknowledgement. And we're going to start with Councilmember Kessarwani. Thank you very much, Mayor Ishi. The City of Berkeley recognizes that the community we live in was built on the territory of Huchiun, the ancestral and unceded land of the Chochenyo speaking Ohlone people, the ancestors and descendants of the sovereign Verona Band of Alameda County. This land was and continues to be of great importance to all of the Ohlone tribes and descendants of the Verona Band. As we begin our meeting tonight, we acknowledge and honor the original inhabitants of Berkeley, the documented 5,000 year history of a vibrant community at the West Berkeley Shell Mound, and the Ohlone people who continue to reside in the East Bay. We recognize that Berkeley's residents have and continue to benefit from the use and occupation of this unceded stolen land since the City of Berkeley's incorporation in 1878. As stewards of the laws regulating the city of Berkeley, it is not only vital that we recognize the history of this land, excuse me, but also recognize that the Aloney people are present members of Berkeley and other East Bay communities today. The City of Berkeley will continue to build relationships with the Luhan tribe and to create meaningful actions that uphold the intention of this land acknowledgement. Thank you so much, Councilmember. I'd like to move us on to ceremonial manner matters, and I'm going to pass it off to Mark, our city clerk. Okay, thank you, Mayor. So at this time we will uh administer the oath of office for uh newly elected and re-elected um members of the city council and mayor. Okay. Uh so at this time I'll have you stand, and if you turn on your microphone and point it up, it'll pick up some better audio. And raise your right hand and repeat after me. I state your name. I don't know Keefe. Do you solemnly swear or affirm? Do so. Do solemnly that I will support and defend that I've been able to do that. That I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California. And the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, foreigners. Foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance.
openpublica.com