City Council Special Meeting eAgenda April 15, 2025

PROCLAMATION

CALLING A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE

BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL

In accordance with the authority in me vested, I do hereby call the Berkeley City Council in special session as follows:

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

4:00 PM

SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD ROOM - 1231 ADDISON STREET, BERKELEY, CA 94702

Adena Ishii, Mayor

Councilmembers:

This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid model with both in-person attendance and virtual participation. Live captioned broadcasts of Council meetings are available on B-TV (Channel 33) and via internet video stream at http://berkeley.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=1244. All Council meetings are recorded.

To access the meeting remotely use this URL: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1617330038. 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: 161 733 0038. 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.

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: 

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 – New Business

1.-Adoption of CALFIRE Map and Additional Areas Designated as the City of Berkeley Fire Hazard Severity Zones (Reviewed by the Public Safety Committee)
Revised Material (Supp 3)
From: City Manager
Recommendation: 
1. Adopt first reading of an Ordinance to designate Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) within the Local Responsibility Area as recommended by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) pursuant to Government Code Section 51178, and 
2. Designate areas not identified as Very High and High Fire Hazard Severity Zones by the State Fire Marshal, as Very High, and High Fire Hazard Severity Zones following a finding supported by substantial evidence in the record that the requirements of Government Code Section 51182 are necessary for effective fire protection within the area.
Policy Committee Recommendation: To send the item to City Council with a positive recommendation. 
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: David Sprague, Fire, (510) 981-3473

2.-Modification and Adoption of Berkeley Fire Code Local Amendments (Reviewed by the Public Safety Committee)
Revised Material (Supp 3)
From: City Manager
Recommendation: 
1. Adopt the first reading of an Ordinance which proposes to amend certain portions of Section 19.48.020 of the Berkeley Municipal Code (“Amendments to the California Fire Code”);
2. Adopt a Resolution setting forth findings as to local conditions applicable to the revised portions of Section 19.48.020 that require more stringent standards than those provided by the 2022 California Fire Code (“CFC”) and amending Resolution No. 70,611–N.S.;
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 May 6, 2025. 
Policy Committee Recommendation: To send the item to City Council with a positive recommendation.
Financial Implications: Staff time
Contact: David Sprague, Fire, (510) 981-3473