City Council Regular Meeting eAgenda October 14, 2025

AGENDA

BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING

Tuesday, October 14, 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: 161 273 2497. 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.

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.

Recess Items

1.-Contract No. 32400122 Amendment: Buhler Commercial for Willard Park Clubhouse and Restroom Replacement Project
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution ratifying the action taken by the City Manager during the City Council recess to increase Contract No. 32400122 by $30,000 for a not to exceed amount of $6,861,067. 
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Scott Ferris, Parks, Recreation and Waterfront, (510) 981-6700

Consent Calendar

2.-2026 Tax Rate: Transportation Network Company User Tax
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt second reading of Ordinance No. 7,985–N.S

setting the 2026 tax rate (effective January 1, 2026) for the transportation network company at the following rates: 62 cents on the user for each prearranged trip that originates in the City that is not part of a pooled prearranged trip and 30 cents for each pooled prearranged trip on each user who arranges each prearranged trip that originates in the City and which comprises part of the pooled prearranged trip.

First Reading Vote: All Ayes.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Henry Oyekanmi, Finance, (510) 981-7300

3.-Adopt Revisions to the 2025 City Council Meeting Schedule
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution modifying the City Council regular meeting schedule for 2025, with starting times of 6:00 p.m., to reschedule the November 4, 2025, regular meeting to November 10, 2025. 
Financial Implications: See Report
Contact: Mark Numainville, City Clerk, (510) 981-6900

4.-Contract: Healthy Black Families for the African American Holistic Resource Center Project Sankofa
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract and any amendments with Healthy Black Families (HBF) for the African American Holistic Resource Center Project Sankofa, which will be funded through the State of California Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Community Services and Supports funds, for a not to exceed amount of $300,000, through June 30, 2026. 
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Paul Buddenhagen, City Manager, (510) 981-7000

5.-Revenue Grant: FEMA Seismic Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit a letter of commitment of matching funds for a seismic Hazard Mitigation Grant application for the City of Berkeley Civic Center Project-Seismic Retrofit of MSB and VMB to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and subject to its award, to accept the grant, execute any resultant revenue agreements and amendments, accept any additional funding allocations from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), and designate the City Manager as the applicant’s authorized agent. If awarded, the grant will underwrite the seismic retrofit of two historic and critical buildings in Berkeley’s Civic Center, the Maudelle Shirek Building (“MSB” or “Old City Hall”) and the Veterans Memorial Building (“VMB”). 
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Eleanor Hollander, Economic Development, (510) 981-7530

6.-Revenue Grant: FEMA Fire Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit a letter of commitment of matching funds for a Hazard Mitigation Grant application for the City of Berkeley Home Hardening and Defensible Space Grants Project to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and subject to its award, to accept the grant, execute any resultant revenue agreements and amendments, accept any additional funding allocations from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and designate the City Manager and Deputy City Manager as the applicant’s authorized agents. 
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Jordan Klein, Planning and Development, (510) 981-7400, David Sprague, Fire, (510) 981-3473

7.-Formal Bid Solicitations and Request for Proposals Scheduled for Possible Issuance After Council Approval on October 14, 2025
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Approve the request for proposals or invitation for bids (attached to staff report) 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

8.-Contract No. 10271 Amendment: Lease of 1521-1535 University Avenue
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute an amendment to Contract No. 10271 with Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA) through June 30, 2031, adding $1,200,000 for a total contract amount of $2,709,949.20, to fund lease payments for 1521-1535 University Avenue. 
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Scott Gilman, Health, Housing, and Community Services, (510) 981-5400

9.-Contract No. 31900009 Amendment: McKinley House (2111 McKinley Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703)
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute an amendment to Contract No. 31900009 with Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS) through June 30, 2026, adding $84,474 for a total contract amount not to exceed $911,133, to fund Mental Health clients living at 2111 McKinley Avenue in Berkeley. 
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Scott Gilman, Health, Housing, and Community Services, (510) 981-5400

10.-Contract: Preferred Alliance, Inc. for Drug and Alcohol Testing Services
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to increase the amount of the current contract and any amendments with Preferred Alliance Inc., to continue to provide third party administration of the City’s Random Drug and Alcohol Testing Program which expires at the end of 2025. An extension is necessary through June 30, 2027. A contract cap increase is required in an amount not to exceed $100,000 to continue services. 
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Janelle Rodrigues, Human Resources, (510) 981-6800

11.-Contract: ESI Group for IBM Hardware, Software, and related Services
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with ESI Group for IBM hardware, software and related services (AS400) for the FUND$ system for an amount not to exceed $225,000 for the period commencing on July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027. 
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Kevin Fong, Information Technology, (510) 981-6500

Council Consent Items

12.-Residents Oppose Broadcasting Obnoxious Cacophony Out in Public (ROBOCOP) (Reviewed by the Public Safety Committee)
From: Councilmember O'Keefe (Author)
Recommendation: Refer to the City Manager a request that the City Attorney draft amendments to Berkeley Municipal Code Chapter 13.40, Community Noise, to prohibit in certain circumstances the installation and use of motion-activated surveillance devices that emit artificial or pre-recorded sound—including alarms, sirens, or voice recordings—in response to the presence or motion of persons in the public right-of-way or on private property that is open to the public, with additional clarification regarding location parameters and permissible volume levels.

This prohibition shall apply to such devices when installed in the public right-of-way or on private property when triggered by motion in the public right-of-way, and when the sound emitted is audible in public areas. The prohibition shall not apply to conventional burglar alarms that activate only in response to unauthorized entry or tampering.

Policy Committee Recommendation: To send the item with a qualified positive recommendation to Council, requesting that the City Attorney draft ordinance language as outlined in the recommendation, with additional clarification regarding location parameters and permissible volume levels.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Shoshana O'Keefe, Councilmember, District 5, (510) 981-7150

13.-Urging Police Accountability Board Regulations Completion
Supplemental agenda material (Supp 1)
From: Councilmember Blackaby (Author), Mayor Ishii (Co-Sponsor)
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution urging the Police Accountability Board (PAB), Berkeley Police Association (BPA), the Berkeley Police Department (BPD) and the City of Berkeley to complete negotiations on final PAB Regulations. 
Financial Implications: None
Contact: Brent Blackaby, Councilmember, District 6, (510) 981-7160

Information Reports

14.-Changes to Special Events Permitting Fees and Requirements
From: City Manager
Contact: Peter Radu, City Manager's Office, (510) 981-7000

15.-Referral Response Alternative Housing Options for People Experiencing Homelessness
From: City Manager
Contact: Peter Radu, City Manager's Office, (510) 981-7000

16.-Staff Shortages: City Services Constrained by Staff Retention Challenges and Delayed Hiring Audit Status Report
From: City Manager
Contact: David White, City Manager's Office, (510) 981-7000

17.-Civic Arts Grant Awards: Fiscal Year 2026
From: City Manager
Contact: Eleanor Hollander, Economic Development, (510) 981-7530

18.-Update: HR Response: Audit Directive(s) for Comprehensive Domestic Violence Policy to Support City Employees
From: City Manager
Contact: Janelle Rodrigues, Human Resources, (510) 981-6800

19.-Landmark Preservation Ordinance Notice of Decision: 2000 Blake Street /#LMIN2025-0003
From: City Manager
Contact: Jordan Klein, Planning and Development, (510) 981-7400

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 2, 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.

        Road Repair

1. Gene Hendrix

   Spray Paint Concern

2. Phil Ardery

   Affordable Housing

3. Margot Smith

   Bicycle Accident Concern

4. Suzanne Sattergren

   Berkeley Bicycle Plan

5. Nathaniel Kane on behalf of parents of children ay Sylvia Mendez Elementary School
6. Kelly Hammargren
7. Evan Lovett-Harris
8. Megan R. Schwarzman
9. Cindi Goldberg
10. Save Hopkins
11. Marguerite Lee
12. Tom Lent
13. Margaret Leventhal
14. Ben Gerhardstein on behalf of Walk Bike Berkeley

15. Noah Budnick on behalf of the Transportation and Infrastructure Commission

    Railroad Quiet Zones

16.  Rod Richardson

    Transparency at Commission Meetings

17. Dorothea Dorenz

    RV Policy Proposal

18. Tony Boyle

       Bologna as Precedent

19.  John J. Parman

    CareBridge Program

20. Fran Haselsteiner

    Rose Street Concerns

21. Walk Bike Berkeley

    Ohlone Greenway Safety Improvements Project

22. Transition Berkeley Board Members

    Health Policy Change

23. Anson Chau

    Berkeley Cannabis Tax

24. Louise Booth

    Draft Berkeley Reparations Note

25. Phoebe Thomas Sorgen

    Upzoning

26. Vivian Pisano

27. Anne Boersma

    Berkeley Beef Concern

28. Cybersailor

    SB79

29. Margots999

    California Theater

30. Charlene M. Woodcock

    Transportation Services

31. Anastasia Gomes

    Research Collaboration

32. Neel Shetty

    Mr. Mopps Read-In Event

33. Jen Corn

    Berkeley High Safety Zone

34. Cassandra Tesch

    Sun Day Berkeley

35. Kera Binns

    Public Comment

36. Rose A. Davila

    Public School Athletic Trainings

37. Nicoletta Karam

    EMBER

38. Nenelle Bunnin

    Slice of Our Markets

39. Cynthia Murdough

    Children Safety Concerns

40. Angela Patterson Briscoe

    Downtown Berkeley Concerns

41. Ed Iskander

    8^th Street

42. Angela Beggs (2)
43. Marriane Riddle

44. Natasha Ravnik

    New Micro Mobility Study

45. Nicolas Nagle

46. Scott Artis

    Construction Settlement Repairs

47. Hector91 Phuentes

    Berkeley Marina

48. Beatriz Quinones

    Encampments

49. Jo Ann Driscoll

50. John Waters

    Mechanical Street Sweeping

51. Scott Stewart

    Kala Bagai Way Naming

52. Prabhjot Singh

53. Negeene Mosead

    PIN Request

54. Alexander Merenkov

    2020 Kittredge

55. Alexander Merenkov (6)
56. Manreet Gill
57. HCI

58. K Street Flats

    E-Scooters

59. Robert Borghese (8)
60. Devin Dollinger (2)
61. Nicolas Nagle (3)

62. Wahid Amiri

    Eid’s Television

63. Eid

    Elementary Reading Program Concerns

64. 2,989 Similarly worded form letters

    Newsletters

65. Richard Schwartz

66. Todd Jersey

    Forwards

67. Russbumper

    URL’s

68. Russbumper (2)

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.