City Council Regular Meeting eAgenda November 10, 2025
AGENDA
BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday, November 10, 2025
6:00 PM
SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD ROOM - 1231 ADDISON STREET, BERKELEY, CA 94702
Adena Ishii, Mayor
Councilmembers:
District 1 – Rashi Kesarwani
District 2 – Terry Taplin
District 3 – Ben Bartlett
District 4 – Igor Tregub
District 5 – Shoshana O’Keefe
District 6 – Brent Blackaby
District 7 – Cecilia Lunaparra
District 8 – Mark Humbert
This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid model with both in-person and virtual attendance. Attend this meeting remotely using Zoom. To request to speak, use the “raise hand” function in Zoom. To join by phone: Dial 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free) and enter Meeting ID: 160 112 3117. To provide public comment, Press *9 and wait to be recognized by the Chair. To submit a written communication for the public record, email council@berkeleyca.gov.
Live captioned broadcasts of Council meetings are available on B-TV (Channel 33) and via internet video stream. All Council meetings are recorded.
This meeting will be conducted in accordance with the Brown Act, Government Code Section 54953. Any member of the public may attend this meeting, however, if you are feeling sick, please do not attend the meeting in person. The City Council may take action related to any subject listed on the Agenda.
Pursuant to the City Council Rules of Procedure and State Law, the presiding officer may remove, or cause the removal of, an individual for disrupting the meeting. Prior to removing an individual, the presiding officer shall warn the individual that their behavior is disrupting the meeting and that their failure to cease their behavior may result in their removal. The presiding officer may then remove the individual if they do not promptly cease their disruptive behavior. “Disrupting” means engaging in behavior during a meeting of a legislative body that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting and includes, but is not limited to, a failure to comply with reasonable and lawful regulations adopted by a legislative body, or engaging in behavior that constitutes use of force or a true threat of force.
Government Code Section 84308 (Levine Act) - Parties to a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use are required to disclose if they made contributions over $500 within the prior 12 months to any City employee or officer. Parties and participants with a financial interest are prohibited from making more than $500 in contributions to a decisionmaker for the 12 months after the final decision is rendered on the proceeding. The above contribution disclosures and restrictions do not apply when the proceeding is competitively bid, or involves a personnel or labor contract. For more information, see Government Code Section 84308.
Preliminary Matters
Roll Call:
Land Acknowledgement Statement: The City of Berkeley recognizes that the community we live in was built on the territory of xučyun (Huchiun (Hooch-yoon)), the ancestral and unceded land of the Chochenyo (Cho-chen-yo)-speaking Ohlone (Oh-low-nee) 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 Shellmound, 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, but also recognize that the Ohlone people are present members of Berkeley and other East Bay communities today. The City of Berkeley will continue to build relationships with the Lisjan Tribe and to create meaningful actions that uphold the intention of this land acknowledgement.
Ceremonial Matters: In addition to those items listed on the agenda, the Mayor may add additional ceremonial matters.
- Evie Wozniak, Berkeley Resident
City Manager Comments: The City Manager may make announcements or provide information to the City Council in the form of an oral report. The Council will not take action on such items but may request the City Manager place a report on a future agenda for discussion.
Public Comment on Non-Agenda Matters: Up to ten persons will be selected to address matters not on the Council agenda. If five or fewer persons are identified to provide non-agenda comment, each person selected will be allotted two minutes each. If more than five persons are selected to address matters not on the Council agenda, each person selected will be allotted one minute each.
In-person attendees wishing to address the Council on matters not on the Council agenda during the initial ten-minute period for such comment, must submit a speaker card to the City Clerk in person at the meeting location and prior to the moment that the Presiding Officer calls for public comment on non-agenda items. Remote attendees must raise their hand in the videoconference application when the Presiding Officer calls for non-agenda speakers. The first five raised hands on the videoconference application will be selected to speak and the first five cards drawn at the meeting will be selected to speak. The number of in-person and remote speakers selected may be adjusted by the Presiding Officer if fewer than five speakers from either format are identified.
The remainder of the speakers wishing to address the Council on non-agenda items will be heard at the end of the agenda.
Public Comment by Employee Unions (first regular meeting of the month): This period of public comment is reserved for officially designated representatives of City of Berkeley employee unions, with five minutes allocated per union if representatives of three or fewer unions wish to speak and up to three minutes per union if representatives of four or more unions wish to speak.
Consent Calendar
-The Council will first determine whether to move items on the agenda for “Action” or “Information” to the “Consent Calendar”, or move “Consent Calendar” items to “Action.” Three members of the City Council must agree to pull an item from the Consent Calendar or Information Calendar for it to move to Action. Items that remain on the “Consent Calendar” are voted on in one motion as a group. “Information” items are not discussed or acted upon at the Council meeting unless they are moved to “Action” or “Consent”.
No additional items can be moved onto the Consent Calendar once public comment has commenced. At any time during, or immediately after, public comment on Information and Consent items, any Councilmember may move any Information or Consent item to “Action.” Following this, the Council will vote on the items remaining on the Consent Calendar in one motion.
For items moved to the Action Calendar from the Consent Calendar or Information Calendar, persons who spoke on the item during the Consent Calendar public comment period may speak again at the time the matter is taken up during the Action Calendar.
Public Comment on Consent Calendar and Information Items Only: The Council will take public comment on any items that are either on the amended Consent Calendar or the Information Calendar. If ten or fewer persons are interested in speaking on an individual agenda item, each speaker may speak for two minutes. If there are more than ten persons interested in speaking, the Presiding Officer may limit the public comment for all speakers to one minute per speaker. Speakers are permitted to yield their time to one other speaker, however no one speaker shall have more than four minutes. The Presiding Officer may, with the consent of persons representing both sides of an issue, allocate a block of time to each side to present their issue. A speaker may only speak once during the period for public comment on Consent Calendar and Information items.
Additional information regarding public comment by City of Berkeley employees and interns: Employees and interns of the City of Berkeley, although not required, are encouraged to identify themselves as such, the department in which they work and state whether they are speaking as an individual or in their official capacity when addressing the Council in open session or workshops.
Consent Calendar
1.-Formal Bid Solicitations and Request for Proposals Scheduled for Possible Issuance After Council Approval on November 10, 2025
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Approve the request for proposals or invitation for bids that will be, or are planned to be, issued upon final approval by the requesting department or division. All contracts over the City Manager’s threshold will be returned to Council for final approval.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Henry Oyekanmi, Finance, (510) 981-7300
2.-Contract: Tablet Command for Mobile CAD and Incident Command
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager or their designee to enter into a contract and any amendments with Tablet Command for Mobile CAD and Incident Command by piggybacking on a contract with the City of Long Beach. The Berkeley contract will be effective November 5, 2025, and end on September 21, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $135,000 which includes one-time startup costs. The contract may be extended for three additional one-year periods at a cost not to exceed $85,000 per year.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: David Sprague, Fire, (510) 981-3473
3.-Contract: Protiviti Government Services Inc (“Protiviti”): Using General Services Administration (“GSA”) Vehicle for Professional Services Purchase Orders
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager, or delegate, to issue purchase orders with Protiviti for professional services using GSA purchasing vehicle no. GS35F-0280X in support of the following City Departments: Fire, Public Works, and Information Technology, for an amount not to exceed $892,000 through June 30, 2026.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: David Sprague, Fire, (510) 981-3473, Terrance Davis, Public Works, (510) 981-6300, Kevin Fong, Information Technology, (510) 981-6500
4.-Amend Resolution No. 71,682-N.S for Joint Homekey+ Application for MLK House at 2942-44 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution amending Resolution No. 71,682-N.S authorizing the City Manager or his designee to increase the requested grant funds amount to the State of California Housing and Community Development (HCD) Department’s Homekey+ program for the MLK House project from $4,500,000 to $5,000,000.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Scott Gilman, Health, Housing, and Community Services, (510) 981-5400
5.-Grant Application: The 2025 Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) grant program of the California Division of Boating & Waterways
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager or designee to 1) Submit a grant application to the California Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) 2025 Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) grant program for the removal and disposal of anticipated abandoned vessels located at the Berkeley Marina; 2) Accept the grant; 3) Execute any amendments; and 4) Authorize a local match contribution of $1,000.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Scott Ferris, Parks, Recreation and Waterfront, (510) 981-6700
Council Consent Items
6.-Fifteenth Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration: City Sponsorship and Relinquishment of Council Office Budget Funds to General Fund and Grant of Such Fund
From: Mayor Ishii (Author), Councilmember Bartlett (Co-Sponsor), Councilmember Humbert (Co-Sponsor), Councilmember Lunaparra (Co-Sponsor)
Recommendation:
1. Adopt a Resolution co-sponsoring the 15th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on January 19, 2026.
2. Adopt a Resolution approving the expenditure of an amount not to exceed $500 per Councilmember including $500 from Mayor Ishii, to the Berkeley Rotary Endowment, the fiscal sponsor of the 15th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, with funds relinquished to the City’s general fund for this purpose from the discretionary Council Office Budgets of Mayor Ishii and any other Councilmembers who would like to contribute.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Adena Ishii, Mayor, (510) 981-7100
7.-Reappointment of Dr. P. Robert Beatty to the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District Board of Trustees
From: Mayor Ishii (Author)
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution reappointing Dr. P. Robert Beatty to the Board of Trustees of the Alameda County Abatement District for a four-year term ending on January 1, 2030.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Adena Ishii, Mayor, (510) 981-7100
8.-Resolution of the City of Berkeley Supporting the Bay Area Air District’s Zero Emission Building Appliance Rules
Revised agenda material (Supp 2)
From: Councilmember Tregub (Author), Councilmember Lunaparra (Co-Sponsor)
Recommendation: Adopt a resolution in support of the Bay Area Air District’s Zero-Emission Building Appliance Rules phasing out the sale of polluting gas-fired water heating and space heating equipment starting in 2027 for water heaters and 2029 for furnaces. The resolution also supports common-sense amendments to the rules to ensure flexibility for residents who have particular difficulty with compliance.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Igor Tregub, Councilmember, District 4, (510) 981-7140
Action Calendar
-The public may comment on each item listed on the agenda for action. For items moved to the Action Calendar from the Consent Calendar or Information Calendar, persons who spoke on the item during the Consent Calendar public comment period may speak again during the Action Calendar public comment period on the item
The Presiding Officer will request that persons wishing to speak line up at the podium, or use the "raise hand" function in Zoom, to determine the number of persons interested in speaking at that time. If ten or fewer persons are interested in speaking on an individual agenda item, each speaker may speak for two minutes. If there are more than ten persons interested in speaking, the Presiding Officer may limit the public comment for all speakers to one minute per speaker. Speakers are permitted to yield their time to one other speaker, however no one speaker shall have more than four minutes. The Presiding Officer may, with the consent of persons representing both sides of an issue, allocate a block of time to each side to present their issue.
Action items may be reordered at the discretion of the Chair with the consent of Council.
The Presiding Officer may open and close an additional comment period for Action items on this agenda (excluding any public hearings, appeals, and/or quasi-judicial matters), at the start of the Action Calendar. Those who speak on an item during this comment period may not speak a second time when the item is taken up by Council.
Action Calendar – Public Hearings
-Staff shall introduce the public hearing item and present their comments. For certain hearings, this is followed by five-minute presentations each by first the appellant and then the applicant. The Presiding Officer will request that persons wishing to speak line up at the podium, or use the "raise hand" function in Zoom, to be recognized and to determine the number of persons interested in speaking at that time.
If ten or fewer persons are interested in speaking during a public hearing, each speaker may speak for two minutes. If there are more than ten persons interested in speaking, the Presiding Officer may limit the public comment for all speakers to one minute per speaker. Speakers are permitted to yield their time to one other speaker, however no one speaker shall have more than four minutes. The Presiding Officer may with the consent of persons representing both sides of an issue allocate a block of time to each side to present their issue.
When applicable, each member of the City Council shall verbally disclose all ex parte contacts concerning the subject of the hearing. Councilmembers shall also submit a report of such contacts in writing prior to the commencement of the hearing. Written reports shall be available for public review in the office of the City Clerk.
9.-Adoption of the 2025 California Fire Code with Local Amendments
From: City Manager
Recommendation:
1. Adopt the first reading of an Ordinance repealing the Berkeley Fire Code (Berkeley Municipal Chapter 19.48) and reenacting BMC Chapter 19.48;
2. Adopt a Resolution setting forth findings of local conditions that require more stringent building standards than those provided by the 2025 California Fire Code (“CFC”) and rescinding Resolution number 71,710–N.S.;
3. Conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion, adopt a Resolution establishing annual permit fees, inspection and billing rates for inspection of property sites by the Berkeley Fire Department, and rescinding Resolution number 71,837–N.S. and all Resolutions amendatory thereof.
4. In compliance with state law on adopting such codes by reference, hold a public hearing following the first reading and before the second reading, and schedule the public hearing for December 2, 2025.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: David Sprague, Fire, (510) 981-3473
Action Calendar – New Business
10.-Adoption of and Amendments to the California Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Code
From: City Manager
Recommendation:
1. Adopt the first reading of an Ordinance creating a new Berkeley Municipal Code Chapter 19.49 and adopting the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Code, Title 24 Part 7, along with local amendments.
2. Adopt a Resolution setting forth findings of local climatic, geological, and topographical conditions that require more stringent standards than those in the State Code.
3. In compliance with state law on adopting such codes by reference, hold a public hearing following the first reading, and before the second reading, and schedule the second reading and public hearing for December 2, 2025.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: David Sprague, Fire, (510) 981-3473
11.-Annual Surveillance Technology Report for Body Worn Cameras, GPS Trackers, Fixed Surveillance Video Cameras, Parking Enforcement Officer Automated License Plate Readers, the Street Level Imagery Project, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and Fixed Automated License Plate Readers
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Pursuant to Chapter 2.99 of the Berkeley Municipal Code, adopt a Resolution accepting the Surveillance Technology Report for Body Worn Cameras, GPS Trackers, Fixed Surveillance Video Cameras, Automated License Plate Readers, the Street Level Imagery Project, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and Fixed Automated License Plate Readers.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Jennifer Louis, Police, (510) 981-5900
Council Action Items
12.-Referral to Amend Berkeley Municipal Codes 3.24.120 and 3.24.300 to Improve Procedure for Designating Landmarks, Historic Districts and Structures of Merit
Revised agenda material (Supp 1)
Revised agenda material (Supp 2)
From: Councilmember Kesarwani (Author), Councilmember Humbert (Co-Sponsor)
Recommendation: Refer to the City Manager and City Attorney to amend two related Berkeley Municipal Code (BMC) sections: 3.24.120, “Landmarks, Historic Districts and Structures of Merit-Designation-Initiation Procedures,” and its related BMC section 3.24.300, “Appeals-Procedures Required-City Council Authority.”
This referral recommends refinements to the procedure for designating landmarks, historic districts, and structures of merit to discourage frivolous designations, often of sites that are planned to be redeveloped to address our City’s housing shortage.
Proposed amendments include the following two changes to the BMC:
1) Raising the threshold for the number of residents needed to sign the verified application of initiation of designation from 50 to 200; and
2) For properties located in residential zoning districts, require 51 percent of the residents within a 300-foot radius of the subject building/structure to be among the applicants signing on to initiate the landmark / structure of merit designation, similar to the threshold used for other City procedures by the Planning and Public Works departments. We note that this second requirement may necessitate the collection of more than 200 signatures.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Rashi Kesarwani, Councilmember, District 1, (510) 981-7110
Public Comment – Items Not Listed on the Agenda
Adjournment
NOTICE CONCERNING YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS: If you object to a decision by the City Council to approve or deny a use permit or variance for a project the following requirements and restrictions apply: 1) No lawsuit challenging a City decision to deny (Code Civ. Proc. §1094.6(b)) or approve (Gov. Code 65009(c)(5)) a use permit or variance may be filed more than 90 days after the date the Notice of Decision of the action of the City Council is mailed. Any lawsuit not filed within that 90-day period will be barred. 2) In any lawsuit that may be filed against a City Council decision to approve or deny a use permit or variance, the issues and evidence will be limited to those raised by you or someone else, orally or in writing, at a public hearing or prior to the close of the last public hearing on the project.
Archived indexed video streams are available at: berkeleyca.gov/council-agendas.
Channel 33 rebroadcasts the following Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. and Sunday at 9:00 a.m.
Communications to the City Council are public record and will become part of the City’s electronic records, which are accessible through the City’s website. Please note: e-mail addresses, names, addresses, and other contact information are not required, but if included in any communication to the City Council, will become part of the public record. If you do not want your e-mail address or any other contact information to be made public, you may deliver communications via U.S. Postal Service to the City Clerk Department at 2180 Milvia Street. If you do not want your contact information included in the public record, please do not include that information in your communication. Please contact the City Clerk Department for further information.
Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection at the public counter at the City Clerk Department located on the first floor of City Hall located at 2180 Milvia Street, and through the City's online records portal: https://records.cityofberkeley.info/.
Agendas, agenda reports, and revised/supplemental material may be accessed via the online agenda for this meeting at: berkeleyca.gov/council-agendas
and may be accessed at reference desks at the following locations:
City Clerk Department - 2180 Milvia Street, First Floor
Tel: 510-981-6900, TDD: 510-981-6903, Fax: 510-981-6901
Email: clerk@berkeleyca.gov
Libraries: Main – 2090 Kittredge Street,
Claremont Branch – 2940 Benvenue, West Branch – 1125 University,
North Branch – 1170 The Alameda, Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch – 1901 Russell
COMMUNICATION ACCESS INFORMATION:
This meeting is being held in a wheelchair accessible location.
To request a disability-related accommodation(s) to participate in the meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact the Disability Services specialist at ada@berkeleyca.gov, (510) 981-6418 (V), or (510) 981-6347 (TDD) at least three business days before the meeting date.
Attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various scents, whether natural or manufactured, in products and materials. Please help the City respect these needs.
Captioning services are provided at the meeting, on B-TV, and on the Internet. In addition, assisted listening devices for the hearing impaired are available from the City Clerk prior to the meeting, and are to be returned before the end of the meeting.
Questions regarding public participation may be addressed to the City Clerk Department (510) 981-6900 or by email at clerk@berkeleyca.gov.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hereby certify that the agenda for this meeting of the Berkeley City Council was posted at the display case located near the walkway in front of the Maudelle Shirek Building, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, as well as on the City’s website, on October 23, 2025.
Mark Numainville, City Clerk
Communications
Council rules limit action on Communications to referral to the City Manager and/or Boards and Commissions for investigation and/or recommendations. All communications submitted to Council are public record. Copies of individual communications are available for viewing at the City Clerk Department and through Records Online.
Waterside Workshops
Erin Woodell
California Writers Club
Richard Schwartz (2)
My Town AI
John J. Parman
Dia de Los Muertos Event
Adriana Betti on behalf of the Muertos Committee
Strong Shoreline Initiative
Rigel Robinson
IKE Kiosks
Sylvia
Care for Homeless People
Diana Bohn
Housing Concerns
Benito Romero
Traffic Safety
Whytes
Business Rights
- Todd Andrew (2)
Beth Roessner
New CA State Legislation
Todd Andrew
Drone Proposal
Wendy Alfsen
Flock Concerns
Margots999
Elementary Reading Program
Marlene Cohen
Eid’s Television
Eid (3)
Newsletters
- Berkeley Art Center
Downtown Berkeley Association
Middle East Conflict
Rebecca Ayers Azran (3)
Forwards
Russbumper (3)
URL’s
Russbumper
E-Scooters
- Robert Borghese (6)
- Devin Dollinger (4)
- Wahid Amiri (3)
Supplemental Communications and Reports
Items received by the deadlines for submission will be compiled and distributed as follows. If no items are received by the deadline, no supplemental packet will be compiled for said deadline.
- Supplemental Communications and Reports 1
Available by 5:00 p.m. five days prior to the meeting. - Supplemental Communications and Reports 2
Available by 5:00 p.m. the day before the meeting. - Supplemental Communications and Reports 3
Available by 5:00 p.m. two days following the meeting.