Lafayette City Council Goal Setting Workshop - February 20, 2026

The Lafayette City Council held a special goal-setting workshop on Friday, February 20, 2026, from 9:07 a.m. to approximately 2:30 p.m. at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center. The workshop was facilitated by consultant Nadine Levin and focused on reviewing current priorities, receiving staff updates, and setting priorities for FY 2026-27. The council discussed three main areas: wildfire prevention and preparedness, the Mt. Diablo Corridor multimodal mobility plan, and fiscal sustainability (later reframed as recreational needs). Key decisions included confirming the top three priorities, adding a new sub-priority on evacuation route hardening, and directing staff to return with a feasibility study for community center and recreational facilities.

Public Comments & Testimony

• One public comment was received during the third priority discussion on recreational needs. The speaker (Grace) urged the council to consider the "proximate principle" (multiple smaller facilities over one large one) and noted that only 5.6% of planned funds are allocated to downtown parks. She advocated for a downtown community center, citing high accessibility and potential for economic vibrancy, and suggested using vertical construction on smaller lots like the Oak Bridge parking lot. She also called for updated community surveys.

Discussion Items

Priority 1: Wildfire Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Utility Safety

• Emergency Services Coordinator Andy provided an update. The city saw a 76% year-over-year growth in Firewise communities, reaching nearly 2,800 homes (about a third of total). Community Warning System (CWS) signups reached 64 in November, well above the monthly average of 20-24. The city received two Red Cross partner recognitions for shelter operations. Ongoing efforts include town halls, defensible space training, insurance mitigation (through the Institute for Business and Home Safety), continued support for Firewise and CERT, auxiliary communications (amateur radio, GMRS), and all-hazards NOAA weather radios. The city completed a full functional earthquake exercise (Great ShakeOut) and continues internal staff training.
• The council reviewed the nine sub-tasks from the previous year. Key decisions:
  • Combined sub-tasks 1 (town halls) and 4 (public education) into a broader community outreach effort, directed to the Emergency Preparedness Commission and staff.
  • Sub-task 2 (wildfire risk in RHNA process) remains active; staff will coordinate with Moraga and Orinda and report back on the Plan Bay Area 2050 EIR concerns.
  • Sub-task 3 (Happy Valley Road capacity) was completed and removed.
  • Sub-tasks 5 (fuel reduction, early detection) and 7 (utility coordination) were combined and updated to include satellite detection and rapid response.
  • Sub-task 6 (evacuation study) remains pending; staff will share the CCTA scope with council and explore the need for a city-specific study.
  • Sub-task 8 (land use decisions) to be revisited after evacuation study is complete.
  • Sub-task 9 (utility partners) was removed as it is part of ongoing work.
• A new sub-priority was added: hardening evacuation routes. This includes pre-positioning traffic control devices (cones, barriers), vegetation clearing along evacuation corridors, and evaluating parking restrictions on high fire danger days (e.g., Spring Hill, Bacon Way, Moraga Road). The council also expressed interest in piloting sirens and NOAA radios, but deferred specifics to the Emergency Preparedness Commission.

Priority 2: Mt. Diablo Corridor Multi-Modal Mobility Planning

• Staff presented updates on six sub-tasks:
  1. Objective design standards for downtown: Ongoing, working group meeting scheduled for March, expected adoption this spring.
  2. 949 Moraga (Silva) affordable housing: Two items scheduled for March 2 (waiver request and DRC/Planning Commission joint meeting); DDA nearly finalized, could come to council soon.
  3. Plaza Way update: Staff recommended removing the consolidated parking lot vision due to state law constraints, but retaining design guidelines and restricted land uses. The Campana property sale is on a future agenda.
  4. Creeks, parks, pathways: Staff recommended removing from priority list as it is ongoing work.
  5. (Originally not numbered but addressed) Protected bikeways: Council discussed the goal of creating protected bike lanes from each quadrant to downtown. Given staff capacity, this will be kept as a council directive and inform future bike/walk master plan updates, not added as a formal sub-task.
  6. Mt. Diablo Boulevard multimodal mobility study (M3 study): RFP released, kickoff expected early summer 2026. This will serve as the parent study coordinating other efforts.
• Additional ongoing studies: BART station access and circulation study (funded by MTC, kickoff held), downtown parking management study (nearly complete), smart signals project (CCTA, construction summer 2026), and aqueduct pathway design (funding secured for design to Pleasant Hill Road, construction expected 2029).
• Council emphasized the need for evacuation route data to inform these studies. Staff will share the CCTA evacuation study scope and consider a more granular Lafayette-specific analysis.

Priority 3: Fiscal Sustainability (reframed as Planning for Recreational Needs)

• City Manager Tracy reported on fiscal status: Measure H is providing about $2.8 million annually, but it sunsets in ~6 years. Deferred maintenance needs are ~$855,000 annually. The capital assessment study was completed.
• Assistant City Manager Jonathan presented on the community center condition and options: The building is at end of useful life. Options include (A) renovate existing, (B) expand on-site (with structured parking), (C) relocate downtown, or hybrids. A downtown facility would address equity concerns but faces high cost and land availability challenges. Parks needs include fields (structural shortage), bike park, off-leash dog area, neighborhood parks, and downtown open space. The Hamlin Nature Park is progressing but delayed by geotechnical study.
• Council discussed the feasibility of a downtown community center. Some members expressed skepticism about land availability, while others supported exploring it given population growth and age-friendly goals. The group agreed to shift the third priority from "fiscal sustainability" to "planning for recreational needs" (including community center, fields, and other facilities).
• Staff was directed to return with a refined proposal for a feasibility study that includes needs assessment (using user data and possibly a scientific survey), financial analysis (including potential bonding, fundraising, and Measure H renewal), and evaluation of location options (existing site, hybrid, downtown). The recreation portfolio (fields, bike park, dog park) should also be considered, with attention to partnership opportunities (e.g., Olympic staging area with EBRPD).

Key Outcomes

1. Confirmed top three priorities for FY 2026-27 (in order discussed but not ranked):
   • Wildfire Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Utility Safety (with added sub-priority on evacuation route hardening)
   • Mt. Diablo Corridor Multi-Modal Mobility Planning
   • Planning for Recreational Needs (replacing Fiscal Sustainability)
2. For Wildfire: Staff will finalize updated sub-tasks and wording, including evacuation route hardening. Staff will share CCTA evacuation study scope and report back on need for a city-specific study. The council encouraged continued community engagement via Firewise, CERT, and EPC.
3. For Mt. Diablo Corridor: Plaza Way consolidated parking concept removed; design guidelines and restricted uses retained. Council directed that all multimodal studies coordinate with each other and with evacuation data. The goal of protected bikeways from quadrants to downtown is a council directive for future planning.
4. For Recreational Needs: Staff to develop a work plan and resource needs for a feasibility study on community center and recreational facilities, to be presented at a future council meeting (likely in advance of the FY 2026-27 budget). This will include needs assessment, financial options, and evaluation of location scenarios. Staff will also explore partnership opportunities for recreational space (e.g., Olympic staging area, school districts).
5. Additional: Council noted interest in revisiting commission appointment policies (adding interim review option) and strengthening legislative engagement, to be addressed through the Legislative Committee and future council agenda items.