City of Lafayette, CA
05/16/2022 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/16/2022 12:01
Almost Daily Briefing, May 16, 2022
The Almost Daily Briefing
Published news articles from local, regional, and national media on topics of interest to the #LoveLafayette Community
LOCAL NEWS
EBMUD Customers To See 8% Drought Surcharge - Facing down a second consecutive dry year, the East Bay Municipal Utility District board decided this week to impose an 8 percent drought surcharge that customers will see on bills starting July 1. The estimated $30.8 million collected from the surcharge will cover about half the estimated $64.5 million needed to manage the drought this year, according to EBMUD. The rest of drought expenses will be funded by reserves. (Patch)
Berkeley City Council meetings now in-person, online - Berkeley citizens can now attend City Council meetings virtually or in-person - as long as they each wear a mask and provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a verified negative test. If you are feeling sick, public health guidelines strongly recommend that you stay home. The council asks that everyone follow those guidelines. When sick, you can still attend via computer or phone and participate in public comment. (East Bay Times)
Ex-San Jose worker sues over being fired for refusing to comply with vaccine mandate - A former San Jose city employee is suing the city, alleging he was fired from his job as an informational technology manager over his religion, which he claims prevented him from getting vaccinated. (Mercury News)
Alameda County needs $2.5 billion to end homelessness by 2026 - Alameda County supervisors approved a plan that would essentially end homelessness in five years. (Mercury News)
Another Bay Area community bans single-use plastic for takeout food - Marin County has approved a ban on single-use plastic foodware, including everything from to-go clamshells to straws. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Post-COVID jobs recovery in Bay Area, California lags other states - Even as other states surpass their pre-pandemic job levels, the Bay Area and California have recuperated from coronavirus-linked business shutdowns and closures at a mediocre pace. The feeble rebound means a full recovery from COVID-spawned job losses remains months away, and has prompted some experts to warn that the Golden State and Silicon Valley aren't guaranteed to always rule the economic roost. (East Bay Times)
COVID NEWS
Face Masks Recommended In 12 Bay Area Communities As U.S. Marks 1M COVID Deaths - Bay Area residents are asked to mask indoors in public settings as omicron subvariants fuel another rise in COVID-19 cases. (Patch) Related: With COVID cases surging, Bay Area health officers urge but don't mandate face masks (East Bay Times)
COVID killed 1 million Americans. Here's how many the Bay Area's approach could have saved. (Mercury News)
Look how low Bay Area's COVID death rates compare to the 140 largest U.S. counties (East Bay Times)
A million COVID deaths: Here's when the U.S. shot past the rest of the developing world. (Mercury News)
OTHER NEWS
California flush with cash amid unprecedented $97.5 billion surplus, Newsom says - State coffers are overflowing with an unprecedented budget surplus as Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday unveiled a massive $300.7 billion spending package that funnels billions in cash payments to vehicle owners and hospital workers while dramatically boosting spending on education, infrastructure and wildfire resilience. (Mercury News) Related: California's $100 billion surplus: What to know about Newsom's spending plan (Cal Matters)
Inflation forces increase in California minimum wage - California's minimum wage will increase to $15.50 per hour next year. That's an increase over the current minimum wage of $15 per hour for companies with 25 or more workers and $14 per hour for companies with 25 employees or less. State law says if inflation increases by more than 7%, the minimum wage must increase to $15.50 for everyone. (ABC17)
LOCAL HAPPENINGS
Planning's Virtual Counter via Zoom: Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. You now can also schedule an appointment to meet in-person with a planner at the counter.
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
Judge rejects lawsuit over California housing density bill - A California judge on Thursday rejected a petition by the nonprofit organization AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the Southern California city of Redondo Beach to block a new state law that makes it easier for cities to upzone certain neighborhoods. Signed into law in September, Senate Bill 10 gives cities the power to rezone certain areas, allowing up to 10 housing units per property. That action must be taken by a two-thirds majority vote of a city council, and is exempted from any lawsuits under the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, and can supersede any local ballot initiative. It was this last point that the plaintiffs seized upon in their lawsuit, which called SB 10 "an unprecedented assault against the power of citizens to enact effective local initiatives," and said the bill "allows local governments to disregard the provisions of duly-enacted initiative measures that affect planning and land use in local jurisdictions." (CourthouseNews.com)
Los Gatos staff breaks down proposed design requirements for developers - These proposed standards come in response to state laws like SB 35 that aim to streamline housing development. (Mercury News)
This wealthy Bay Area city wants to build townhomes for the first time in its history. Residents aren't happy - The town of Atherton will consider allowing the construction of townhomes for the first time in the 99-year history of the exclusive Peninsula commuter community as it struggles to meet a state mandate to add housing. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Most livable' small cities in the U.S. list includes only 2 in the Bay Area - Just three cities in California - two of them in the Bay Area - made it into the top 50 most livable small cities in the U.S., according to a new report. The 2022 analysis by financial technology company SmartAsset used data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics to measure "livability" in 286 cities with populations between 65,000 and 100,000 - rankings that take into account the soaring costs of living and widening income gaps seen in many parts of the U.S. (San Francisco Chronicle)
'Granny flats' construction up 123% as Sacramento combats housing affordability - The city announced construction of accessory dwelling units in the city was up 123% in 2021. (ABC)
Only 24% of Californians Can Afford to Buy House - As California's median home price set a new high in March and interest rates reached their highest levels in more than two years, the housing affordability outlook for Californians was diminished in the first quarter of 2022, according to the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.). (Silicon Valley Daily)
When Costs of Living Outpace Housing Costs - Even when they qualify for affordable rents, tenants in high-cost neighborhoods find themselves shut out of essential amenities and services. (Planetizen)
Transit Agencies Will Face Challenges in Getting Federal Dollars - While recent federal legislation allocates billions to transit projects, local leaders face difficult choices as they struggle to match federal funds while ridership remains below pre-pandemic numbers. (Planetizen)
MIXTAPE
BART piloting transit pass compatible with all Bay Area transit agencies
California court shortens probation periods for state workers
Over 30 California Fires Set Amid Peak Wildfire Conditions
Oregon Adopts Public Safety Power Shutoff Rules For Utilities
No exodus of California renters as 2022 starts
Just 8% of Manhattan office workers are back full time, survey shows
Mental health: 9-8-8 set to become national crisis hotline
Crisis lines and helplines are not the same, but experts say we need both
MEANWHILE IN ANOTHER LAFAYETTE
Louisiana ranks 21st for number of entrepreneurs; Lafayette ranks in top 15 cities - The Lafayette and New Orleans metropolitan areas are among the 15 nationwide with the highest percentage of entrepreneurs, according to a report from Commodity.com, a website that analyzes commodity trading trends.
AND FINALLY…
Some bats buzz. Researchers found that mouse-eared bats create a bee-like sound, most likely to ward off predators.
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Editor's Note: The Almost Daily Briefing (ADB) is not planned to be produced for the remainder of this week. See you again on Monday, May 23, 2022.
The 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.