City of Lafayette, CA
10/06/2022 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/06/2022 11:44
Almost Daily Briefing, October 6, 2022
The Almost Daily Briefing
Published news articles from local, regional, and national media on topics of interest to the #LoveLafayette Community
LOCAL NEWS
Lamorinda Commuters Can Take Local Buses For Free In October - County Connection is offering free bus and paratransit fares to all riders on all routes this month. (Patch)
Orinda's 76 Station to Feature County's Second Hydrogen Fueling Pump - On Aug. 9, Orinda Planning Commission voted to approve a project proposing the addition of an above ground hydrogen-fueling tank to the city's Union 76 Station, located at 67 Moraga Way. (Orinda News)
El Cerrito ending its state of emergency over COVID-19 by 2023 - The move will affect eviction protections and outdoor dining and retail programs by January. (East Bay Times)
This Bay Area city is the 4th 'greenest' in the U.S. - Fremont has taken the crown in the Bay Area for the greenest large city, according to a new study. WalletHub rated 100 of the largest cities in the U.S. in 28 environmentally-conscious categories. Fremont scored 4th overall, but the Bay Area was well-represented in the survey. Oakland ranked 6th overall, San Francisco, 8th, and San Jose, 10th. The overall top-rated city was San Diego with California taking six out of the top 10 spots in the study. Cities were judged on eco-friendly parameters such as greenhouse-gas emissions per capita, the number of smart-energy policies, and green job opportunities. (East Bay Times)
Bestselling High Stakes Heist Novel Announced As Library Countywide Read Winner - The annual Read Contra Costa event encourages residents and library users to share the experience of reading and discussing the same book. (Patch)
Indigenous Peoples Day Powwow is back live in downtown Berkeley on Saturday - The event marks the 30th anniversary of Indigenous Peoples Day, a holiday that originated in Berkeley as a counter-protest to Columbus Day. (Berkeleyside)
Jeff Heyman Comes Full Circle with his First Love of Photography - After a diverse career that spanned the globe and even included a stint at the United Nations, Orinda resident Jeff Heyman is getting back to the passion of his youth - photography. (Orinda News)
OTHER NEWS
California gas rebates are coming this month. How much will you get? - Gas rebate payments ranging from $200 to $1,050 will hit most bank accounts this month. But taxpayers who moved to California in 2021 and 2022 are left out. (Mercury News)
From bridge tolls to feral pigs, these 5 new California laws were inspired by the Bay Area - Capping fines for drivers who don't pay bridge tolls. Faster permit reviews for new transportation projects. Banning police from using rape victim DNA in unrelated investigations. Those bills are among the hundreds of new laws that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed last week and were inspired largely by an issue or problem in the Bay Area. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Employers must post salary ranges under new California law - California employers will soon have to post salary ranges in job listings, under a state law intended to address unequal pay for women and minority groups. (East Bay Times)
LOCAL HAPPENINGS
Indigenous Peoples' Day - City Administrative Offices will be closed
City Council Meeting - Note: meeting date is Tuesday, Oct. 11 due to Indigenous Peoples' Day Holiday on Monday
Lafayette Planning Applications Received
City of Lafayette Major Development Projects Map
Current Lafayette Construction Projects
Lafayette Community Information & Emergency Radio AM 1670
HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION AND CITY PLANNING
Mountain View's draft Housing Element doesn't meet state requirements yet, Sacramento says - "The draft element addresses many statutory requirements," the letter states. "However, revisions will be necessary to comply with State Housing Element Law. In particular, the element must clarify its use and definition of 'pending projects' in the sites inventory, and provide further analysis to demonstrate its local density bonus requirements are not in violation of State Law." (Mountain View Voice)
Rent control is coming to more Bay Area cities. It could mark a turning point for the housing crisis - With a narrow 3-2 vote, Antioch became the most recent California city to approve a 3% cap on many annual rent increases. It's part of a wave of jurisdictions, along with Oakland, Richmond, Concord, Alameda County, Petaluma and several Southern California communities, that have recently passed or are debating rent stabilization laws and related tenant protection measures. (San Francisco Chronicle)
City Council to reconsider controversial plan for Hopkins Street bike lanes - The City Council could slam the brakes on the most controversial piece of a plan to build upgraded bike lanes along Hopkins Street in North Berkeley. Many of the corridor's residents and merchants have fiercely opposed the project because it would require the removal of dozens of street parking spaces. But Councilmember Sophie Hahn, who represents the neighborhood, said that backlash is not what has prompted her to propose an item at next week's council meeting to reconsider the plans. Instead, Hahn said she wants to more extensively study the project after learning the bike lanes will require the removal of about twice as many parking spaces as had been previously estimated by staff in Berkeley's transportation division. (Berkeleyside)
East Bay Community Energy announces innovative EV charging partnership - 2030 is an important year for both East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) and Kazula, an innovative energy software program, a pair that joined forces October 4 to launch a landmark Vehicle-Grid Integration (VGI) program centered in smart charging. By that year, EBCE, a nonprofit clean energy provider based in Oakland and serving the East Bay, intends to provide 100% carbon-free electricity to its customers across the 11 cities it serves. (San Francisco Examiner)
California requires safe crossings for wildlife when roads are built through their habitat - In efforts to make roads safer for wildlife crossings, Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a law to require Caltrans to prioritize crossing structures and barriers when building roadways. Assembly Bill 2344, labeled the Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection Act, recognizes how building roads in the middle of habitats and animal migration patterns can make essential species like mountain lions, elk and deer roadkill. (Local News Matters)
MEANWHILE IN ANOTHER LAFAYETTE
Volunteers to plant 54 trees in Lafayette as part of the 2022 Fall Arbor Day Event
AND FINALLY…
Half Moon Bay Celebrates 50th Annual Art and Pumpkin Festival
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The Almost Daily Briefing (ADB) is an aggregation of links to news articles from local and regional newspapers, magazines, websites, and other news sources. Its purpose is to alert readers to current issues and affairs that may impact Lafayette. The ADB does not promote, favor, disfavor, support, reject, or endorse any position, candidate, campaign, or proposition, and nothing about the ADB, including the selection, presentation, arrangement, or content of the links presented should be construed as an advocacy position.
At times, the ADB features articles from sites that limit access for nonsubscribers. The Contra Costa Library offers access to multiple newspapers online for all cardholders. Visit their website to learn how to get a library card.
If you have questions about the ADB, please contact the City of Lafayette's Communications Analyst, Suzanne Iarla, at [email protected]. You can subscribe to the ADB and learn more about Lafayette's publications and social media sites here.