Mayor and Members of the City Council:

This is the weekly report for the week ending October 2, 2015.

1.    Meeting Notes

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 6th beginning with a Closed Session at 5:00 PM, followed by the regular agenda at 6:30 PM.  The agenda packet may be found by clicking this link. 

2.    Update 2015 Community Survey Results

Every two years since 2007, the City of Richmond has conducted a community survey to help city officials evaluate services, measure resident satisfaction/use of current services, benchmark ratings for services provided by the City, and help plan for Richmond’s future. In 2015, surveys were mailed out to 3,000 randomly selected and geographically dispersed Richmond households. A total of 422 completed surveys were obtained, providing an overall response rate of 14% with a margin error of plus or minus five percentage points.

To review the survey reports, please use the following link: 2015 Richmond Community Survey.

3.    The 2015 Community Survey Available to All Richmond Residents to Complete

If your household was not one of the 3,000 households selected to receive the survey, but you would like to provide feedback to the City, now is your chance to do so. The 2015 Richmond Community Survey can now be completed by ALL Richmond residents in English or Spanish by accessing the following link: www.n-r-c.com/survey/richmondncs.htm.

Feel free to contact LaShonda White in the City Manager’s Office at (510) 620-6828 with questions, comments, or to obtain a paper copy of the survey. Your input can help make the City of Richmond a better place to live, work, and play. We look forward to receiving your feedback.

4.    West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) Seeks Public Input on School Building Process – Facilities Master Plan

Parents, students and interested stakeholders are invited to attend community meetings where they can give input on school facilities, which will lead to the development of a document that will guide future construction decisions.

The resulting facilities master plan will include an extensive analysis of demographic data, a physical assessment of several schools sites, prioritization and sequencing of remaining projects in the construction program, and overall recommendations relating to WCCUSD facilities.

One meeting will be held in each of the six high school attendance areas. All meetings are scheduled to run from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM in the respective school cafeterias on the following dates:

District voters have authorized six bond measures totaling $1.6 billion in revenues that are supplemented by $163 million in State funds; these State funds would not be available without the local approved bonds. After current projects are taken into consideration, the District has an estimated $200 million in bond authority available for future construction.

5.    Draft Richmond Bay Specific Plan (RBSP)

The draft Richmond Bay Specific Plan (RBSP), formerly known as the South Shoreline Specific Plan, is now available for public review and comment.  Written comments on the draft RBSP are due by November 16, 2015. 

The draft RBSP will be presented at the Planning Commission meeting on October 15, 2015 at 6:30 PM or soon after and at the City Council meeting on October 27, 2015 at 6:30 PM or soon after.  Both meetings will be held at the City Council Chambers, 440 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, 94804. 

The RBSP will facilitate the implementation of Richmond's new General Plan by establishing specific planning policies, regulations, and urban design guidelines for an approximately 220-acre area located in the City of Richmond, south of Interstate Highway 580. The RBSP will focus on ways Richmond can take advantage of the planned Berkeley Global Campus at Richmond Bay, future ferry service, and other area assets to create a sustainable shoreline district providing jobs, housing, transportation options, and opportunities for entertainment and recreation. This planning effort is being funded in part by a Priority Development Area (PDA) Planning Grant from the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).

Comments on the draft RBSP must be in writing and received no later than November 16, 2015.  Please send comments to:

Lina Velasco, Project Manager
Planning and Building Services
450 Civic Center Plaza
P.O. Box 4046
Richmond, CA 94804-1630

Comments may also be sent electronically to rbsp@ci.richmond.ca.us
Start of Public Review: October 1, 2015               
End of Public Review: November 16, 2015

Plan Availability: A copy of the draft RBSP is available for review online at www.ci.richmond.ca.us/rbsp.  Copies are also available for review at the following locations: Richmond Public Libraries: Main Branch, 325 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA 94804; Bayview Branch Library, 5100 Hartnett Avenue, Richmond, CA, 94804; West Side Branch, 135 Washington Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801; and City of Richmond, Planning and Building Services Department, City Hall, 450 Civic Center Plaza, 2nd Floor, Richmond, CA, 94804. 

6.    Getting Ready for College Conference
Approximately 500 students, parents, and volunteers participated at this year’s Getting Ready for College Conference on Saturday, September 26th at the Richmond Memorial Convention. Multiple diverse workshops enabled participants to learn about making college a reality. The topics that were covered included personal statement writing for college applications, how to be competitive for college, choosing a college that’s your best fit, how to pay for college and the Richmond Promise, learning from a panel on college life with former WCCUSD students and getting a feel for college life outside the classroom with different college organizations.

Two $500 scholarships were raffled off to graduating WCCUSD seniors. Congratulations to the winners!

The event is hosted jointly by the Ed Fund, City of Richmond, Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP), West Contra Costa Unified School District, Writer Coach Connection, and the West County College Access Network (WCCAN), a consortium of 25+ organizations dedicated to increasing the number of college-bound students in the district.

For more information, Getting Ready for College Conference Information and Materials can be accessed online. If you want to contact someone directly, please call (510) 233-1464.

7.    Solarthon 2015

On Saturday, September 26, Richmond hosted Grid Alternatives 10th annual Bay Area Solarthon! The event was a huge success with community volunteers, executives from the solar industry, homeowners and job trainees all coming together to successfully install five solar systems in one day and take part in a celebration of our families and Richmond’s bright future!

The five systems we installed at Solarthon will save over $78,000 for the families while preventing over 241 tons of carbon emissions. This is the carbon offset equivalent of planting over 5,600 trees! 

The photos from Solarthon are up on Flickr: Click here for an album of the best photos from around the event and here for all the photo albums from the different houses.

8.    Hacienda Tenant Relocation Update

In January 2015, the Richmond Housing Authority received approval from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for the disposition of the Hacienda public housing development and approval of Tenant Protection Section 8 Vouchers to assist in the relocation of the residents. The Housing Authority has retained the professional firm of Autotemp to provide relocation assistance for the residents. As of the Week ending October 2, 2015 the following relocation activity has occurred:

Autotemp consultants are actively providing ongoing advisory assistance, rental referrals and transportation to view rentals; in addition to the completed relocations thirty-two (32) Hacienda households have been accepted or have applications pending at the newly constructed Harbor View Apartments, with an additional twenty-two (22) other households that have ported out to other jurisdictions, all but six (6) in the in the Bay area. The Hacienda Relocation Plan was adopted on June 16, 2015, by the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.    
9.    Fire Prevention Week

The theme for the 2015 Fire Prevention Week reminds us that "Every bedroom needs a working smoke alarm."

• Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries, followed by heating equipment.

• Falling asleep is a factor in almost one in five of cooking fire deaths.

• Only one-third of Americans have both developed and practiced a home fire escape plan.

• One-third of survey respondents thought that they would have at least six minutes before a fire in their home would become life threatening. The time available is often less.

• In half of the fires in which smoke alarms did not operate, the batteries had been removed or disconnected.

• Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half (statistics shown courtesy of NFPA.org).

10. Richmond Main Street Farmers’ Market Every Wednesday!
The Richmond Main Street Farmers’ Market is in full swing! Come Downtown on Wednesdays, now through November 18th, from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the Nevin Plaza (Nevin Ave at 13th Street) for a fantastic selection of fresh seasonal fruits and veggies, artisan vendors, baked goods and treats, food booths, and more!

The market proudly offers the Market Match program which allows any CalFresh recipient who shops using their EBT card to get extra money to buy fruits and veggies! For example, spend $10 and get another $10 to spend. Visit the information booth for details.

For more information on the market, visit the Farmers' Market webpage, like our Facebook page, or call (510) 236-4049.

11. Job and Career Expo hosted by RichmondWORKS draws over 700 job seekers

Assembly member Tony Thurmond provided the welcoming remarks to kick off the Job & Career Expo held at the Richmond Convention Center and hosted by RichmondWORKS and the Mayor’s Office.  Over 50 employers and exhibitors participated in the event that drew over 700 attendees.  Many employers, including Kaiser Permanente, Chevron, and Blue Apron, attracted large crowds of job seekers eager to drop off their resumes and to apply for the plethora of job openings.  Attendees also learned about training and career opportunities available with local schools and businesses.  Many thanks to the businesses and partners that participated in this very successful event.

12. Richmond Chamber of Commerce Economic Summit

13. Richmond’s Minimum Wage Ordinance

The City of Richmond’s Minimum Wage increase goes into effect January 1, 2016.  The increase set forth in the Ordinance will be $11.52 an hour (compared to $9.00/hour for the State of California and the initial $9.60/hour wage initially established in the City on January 1, 2015. ) and it applies to any employee who works two (2) or more hours a week.

The Employment & Training Staff has posted notices announcing the increase on KCRT, and the City’s website. Packets will be mailed to over 3,000 businesses and the Richmond Chamber of Commerce members to inform them of the change.  The information packet includes English and Spanish versions of the official notice that must be posted in all workplaces along with a list of employer and employee rights under the Ordinance.  Employers  who pay for less than 800 hours of employee labor in a given 2-week period need not pay the City’s minimum wage until they pay over 800 hours or more of employee labor in a 2-week period. This is the first of three annual increases that will max out at $13.00/hour on January 1, 2018.

For questions and concerns please contact Gina Baker at (510) 307-8011.

14. R-Transit

R-Transit provides door-to-door transportation service to persons with disabilities and seniors (age 55 and older) living in the Cities of Richmond, Kensington, El Sobrante, and the unincorporated communities of East Richmond Heights, Hasford Heights, Rollingwood, and North Richmond. Register for services and reserve a free round trip ride to Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historic Park. See the flyer below for additional details.

15. Nevin Avenue Improvement Project

The Nevin Avenue Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements Project is a reconstruction of Nevin Avenue between 19th Street and 27th Street that will improve aesthetics and safety for travel between the Civic Center and Richmond BART Station areas. The project involves new sidewalks, curb and gutter, streetlights, landscaping and stormwater drainage improvements. 

As noted in prior updates, one way traffic control is in place and no on-street parking will be permitted, 24 hours a day on Nevin Avenue between 19th and 23rd Street.  Portions of 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd streets near Nevin Avenue are signed for resident parking only. Non-residents that may have been parking in this neighborhood are advised that parking is available west of the Richmond BART station at: 1) the BART parking structure at 16th and Macdonald Avenue, 2) the City-owned lot at 13th and Nevin Avenue, and 3) the City-owned garage at 12th and Nevin Avenue. Parking is also available east of the impacted area at the Richmond Civic Center. The parking restrictions will be in place for the duration of work on this phase, estimated to be approximately five months.

During the week of 21st, Nevin Avenue itself was fully closed between 22nd and 23rd Streets, to allow those cross streets to remain open continuously through construction.  Excavation for storm drains between 19th Street and 23rd street continued, while EBMUD continued relocation work related to the project.  This work will continue into the week of September 28th.

For additional information or to be added to the project update contact list, please contact the project’s Public Outreach Coordinator Jacqueline Majors at (925) 949-6196.  You can also follow the project on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NevinAvenueProject. 

Nevin Avenue at 23rd and 22nd

16. Officer Bradley A. Moody Memorial Underpass Project

The Bradley A. Moody Memorial Underpass Project involves the construction of a roadway underpass on Marina Bay Parkway between Meeker Avenue and Regatta Boulevard. The project is intended to resolve long-standing access limitations to the Marina Bay area caused by frequent train crossings. Project completion is scheduled for late 2015. 

During the week of September 28th, the second of four bridge towers was installed while installation of decorative metal on the bridge continued.  Additionally, doors for the generator building were installed and modification of the driveway and parking areas at the Crossings commercial complex continued. 

For the week of October 5th, installation of decorative metal will continue, generator building siding will be completed, and pump station startup activities will be completed.  Work on the Crossings commercial complex will continue, as will installation of irrigation materials. 

For additional information or to be added to the project update contact list, please see the project website at www.moodyup.com.  You can also follow the project on twitter: @moodyunderpass, or contact the project’s Public Outreach Coordinator Jacqueline Majors at (925) 949-6196.

Bridge decorative metal

17. Cutting/Carlson Grade Crossing Improvements Phase I Project – Night Work and Detour Information

The Cutting/Carlson Boulevard Grade Crossing Improvement Phase I Project includes safety improvements at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing of Cutting Boulevard near Carlson Boulevard.  The Project includes a new sidewalk along the north side of Cutting Boulevard, improvement of pavement conditions, and construction of medians.  During construction, the community can expect periodic lane closures to allow for the placement of the medians and sidewalk. 

Roadway grinding and paving operations will require the Cutting/Carlson Boulevard intersection to be fully closed to traffic, and this work is proposed to be performed at night to reduce traffic impacts.  The road closures are scheduled to occur the evenings of October 5th and October 6th, from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am.  Emergency vehicle access will be maintained at all times during construction. 

Detour signage will be placed to direct westbound traffic from Cutting Boulevard north on 37th Street to Macdonald Avenue, then west to 22nd Street, then south to 23rd Street returning to Cutting.  The eastbound traffic will use the same route, in reverse. Northbound Carlson Boulevard traffic will likewise be routed north on South 37th Street from Carlson Boulevard to Macdonald Avenue.  Detour maps are available online at http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/35977 (Carlson detour) and http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/35978 (Cutting detour).

The project is anticipated to be fully complete in early October 2015.  For additional project information, please contact Steven Tam, Senior Civil Engineer, at 510-307-8112.

18. Information Technology

Website Stats      
Top 10 Webpage visits for the week ending 10/02/2015

Facebook Statistics

Post Reached         increased by 351.2%
Engagement           increased by 248.4%   

KCRT
DATANET SCREENS OF THE WEEK

Fab Lab Richmond is part of the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD). WCCUSD serves over 30,000 students with 36 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 6 comprehensive high schools, and alternative programs.

To learn more you may go to: https://www.fablabs.io/fablabrichmondcalifornia

City of Richmond Website and Mobile APP UPDATE

The City recently upgraded its website which now incorporates responsive design that allows the content on the City’s website to automatically adjust to the screen size of any device. Forget about using the pinch-zoom to see something. This responsive design makes content easy to view and easy to navigate on tablets and smartphones providing a great user experience no matter how the content is accessed.

Great News!! The City of Richmond mobile app is now available. It provides Richmond’s community members with one-stop access to City services and information.  You may watch the informational video  for an overview of the app available for free at Apple App Store for IOS devices and at Google Play for Android phones. 

The City of Richmond is looking forward to feedback from the community on this new Mobile APP. We welcome your comments at webservices@ci.richmond.ca.us

19. Recreation Highlights

Commission on Aging
The Commission on Aging invites one and all to an evening of Zydeco Magic, featuring renowned artist, Andre Thierry.  This Saturday, October 3rd, from 6:30 to 10: 00 pm, at the Richmond Auditorium, dancing, dancing, dancing will be enjoyed by everyone.

20. Public Works Updates

Facilities Maintenance Division:
Carpenters continue building and replacing cabinets at the Senior Center for the Coffee Shop area.

Painters completed the apparatus doors at Fire Station #64 and painted eight sets of doors at the Police Department.

Stationary Engineers repaired the Nederman exhaust system at Fire Station #67, unclogged the sewer line at Nicholl Park restrooms and unclogged a sewer line in Police Department.

Utility Workers cleaned carpets and floors at the Police Department, replaced bulbs at Booker T. Anderson Community Center and serviced 29 City owned facilities.

Bulb Replacement at Booker T. Anderson Community Center

Electricians completed the replacing of traffic controllers at the corner of Castro Street and the Chevron gate #91, repaired the knockdown at South 47th Street and Carlson Boulevard, repaired the Suit Mate at the Plunge, finished the west side pedestrian beacon upgrades at 23rd Street and Clinton Avenue, relamped Civic Center Plaza and repaired street lights on Richmond Parkway at San Pablo Avenue.

Traffic Controller Replacement on Castro Street

Parks and Landscaping Division:  
General maintenance crews weed whipped the Solano Play Lot and around the Police Activities League building, delivered mulch to various locations, prepared Burg and Nicholl Parks for festivities, installed windscreens at the Nicholl Park tennis courts, irrigation repairs and removed 2 dead oak trees.

Windscreen Installation at Nicholl Park

Tree Clearing

Hilltop Districtcrews continued work on the landscaping project near AM/PM on the Richmond Parkway, weed abatement and trash clean up near Hilltop Mall Road, move materials and equipment to Hilltop Parks Yard and continue with general maintenance on the Richmond Parkway.

Marina District crews conducted fencing repairs.

Fence Repairs

Tree crews cut or trimmed trees on or around: Roosevelt Avenue, Marina Way South, 28th Street, Dunn Avenue, McLaughlin Street and Clinton Avenue. Crews also mowed and edged the Civic Center Plaza lawns.

Streets Division: 
Paving staff grind and paved on Buckboard Way in the 5000 to 5100 blocks, installed speed tables on Moyers Drive and worked on potholes and sidewalks from the outstanding lists.

Paving on Buckboard Way

Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the fourth Monday, fifth Tuesday and Wednesday and first Thursday and Friday in the; Santa Fe, Point Richmond, Marina Way, Coronado, Carriage Hills North Side, El Sobrante Hills, Greenbriar, Hansford Heights, Via Verda, San Pablo Dam Road, Bristole Cone, May Valley, Vista View and Clinton Hill I  neighborhood council areas.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments about these or any other items of interest to you.

Have a great week!

Bill Lindsay
City Manager
City of Richmond
450 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, California 94804
(510) 620-6512
Bill_lindsay@ci.richmond.ca.us

You can sign up to receive the City Manager’s weekly report and other information from the City of Richmond by visiting: www.ci.richmond.ca.us/list.aspx

Sue Kadlec on behalf of City Manager Bill Lindsay
Executive Assistant
City Manager's Office
450 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 300
Richmond, CA 94804
sue_kadlec@ci.richmond.ca.us
510-621-1264 direct line
510-620-6542 fax