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2026-06-30 - City Council (regular)

Summary

Built from the official approved minutes of the June 30, 2026 regular meeting (posted in the City Council minutes-for-approval batch). No video or transcript is posted, so there is no timing.

  • Roll call 6:05 p.m.; Bartlett absent all evening; Kesarwani arrived 6:09 p.m. Adjourned 9:43 p.m. on a motion by Kesarwani, seconded by Tregub, 8-0.
  • Ceremonial: adjourned in memory of Flora Russ, longtime BUSD employee; recognition of Dr. Michael S. Witherell, retiring Director of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab; National Breastfeeding Month; and Sara Cerami, Chief of Staff for Council District 7. City Manager comments: none. The City Auditor highlighted the FY 2027 Audit Plan and the Whistleblower Report.
  • Public comment: 7 speakers on non-agenda matters at the start, 35 on the Consent Calendar and information items, 4 on non-agenda matters at the end.
  • Consent Calendar adopted (Taplin/Humbert), 8 ayes, Bartlett absent, with 51-item agenda including the second readings of 14 FY 2027 tax rate ordinances.
  • Rent Stabilization initiative (item 45) continued to July 7 after 11 speakers, 8-0.
  • Community Video Streams and Investigative Software surveillance policies approved 6-1-1 after 17 speakers.
  • $85,000,000 in TRANs and $20,000,000 in Measure T1 bonds authorized, 8-0.
  • Five council grants from discretionary budgets and a position supporting SB 1383 adopted on consent.

Parking Meter Program Changes

  • Consent item 1: second reading of Ordinance No. 8,012-N.S. (Chapter 14.52): meters to 8 p.m. citywide, Sunday operation and enforcement, new meter zones, future cashless meters. First reading had been 8-1 (Bartlett no).

Sales Tax Ballot Measure

  • Consent item 17: second reading of Ordinance No. 8,028-N.S. placing a 0.5% general transactions and use tax on the November 3, 2026 ballot (aggregate rate 10.75%).

North Berkeley BART Housing Funding

  • Consent item 29, Resolution No. 72,352-N.S.: ownership change from BRIDGE Housing to EBALDC and Insight Housing; reservations of $9,010,000 (Lot A), $11,563,636 (Lot B) and $5,926,364 (Lot D); predevelopment advances up $3,358,072 to $8,358,072.

Council Discretionary Fund Grants

  • Items 37, 38, 39, 41, 42 (Resolutions 72,362 to 72,366): Business Damage Mitigation Fund (Ishii $10,000), Nikkei Senior Center (Ishii $2,500), Little Free Store party (Bartlett $500), Zero Empty Spaces downtown (Tregub $300, Ishii $2,500), Solano Stroll on September 13 (O'Keefe $24,000, Ishii $5,000, Blackaby $15,000; Kesarwani added $4,000), each with other members adding smaller amounts.

Density Bonus Labor Standards Bill

  • Item 40: support for SB 1383 approved 7-0-1 (Kesarwani abstaining, Bartlett absent) as recommended by the Land Use, Housing and Economic Development Committee, with a letter of support instead of a resolution.

Municipal Borrowing Authorization

  • Item 43 (Tregub/Humbert): Resolution No. 72,367-N.S., TRANs not to exceed $85,000,000, 8-0. Item 44 (Tregub/Blackaby): Resolution No. 72,368-N.S., $20,000,000 Measure T1 general obligation bonds Series C, 8-0.

Rent Stabilization Ballot Measure

  • Item 45 (author Lunaparra, co-sponsor Tregub): motion (Lunaparra/Tregub) to continue to the July 7 regular meeting with revised material from Lunaparra (Supplemental Communications Packet 2). Ayes - Kesarwani, Taplin, Tregub, O'Keefe, Blackaby, Lunaparra, Humbert, Ishii; Absent - Bartlett.

Surveillance Use Policy Approvals

  • Item 46: motion (Blackaby/Humbert) to adopt Resolution No. 72,369-N.S. approving BPD Policy 1306 (Community Video Streams) and Policy 1307 (Investigative Software) as presented by the City Manager. Ayes - Kesarwani, Taplin, O'Keefe, Blackaby, Humbert, Ishii; Noes - Lunaparra; Abstain - Tregub; Absent - Bartlett.

Biennial Budget Adoption

  • Information item 47: the Voluntary Time Off Program for FY 2027 was received and filed with revised material adding 11 VTO days following the June 23 budget action. See also 2026-06-23 - City Council (special).
  • FY 2027 tax rates (second readings, Ordinances 8,013 to 8,026-N.S., all adopted): Library Relief Act (Measure X) $0.06297 per square foot for dwellings and $0.09446 for other buildings; Library Services $0.3128 and $0.4729; large non-profit business license tax $0.9168; 2015 refunding bonds (Measures G, S and I) 0.0075%; Measure O housing bonds 0.0200%; Measure E disabled services $0.02339; Measure GG fire $0.07026 (dwellings) and $0.10634 (other); Measure FF firefighting $0.13633; paramedic tax $0.0492; Measure T1 0.0140%; parks, trees and landscaping $0.2783; 2008 branch library bonds 0.0035%; SAFE STREETS $0.17842 (dwellings) and $0.26238 (other); Measure M 0.0040%.
  • Item 16: second reading of Ordinance No. 8,027-N.S., EBMUD utility easements for water meters at Aquatic Park buildings.
  • Item 18: minutes of May 4, 7, 11, 12 and 19, 2026 approved as submitted. Item 19: bid solicitations and requests for proposals, General Fund $2,408,500, approved. Item 20: first reading of Ordinance No. 8,030-N.S., 2027 transportation network company user tax (65.1005 cents per trip, 31.7889 cents per pooled trip, effective January 1, 2027); second reading July 14.
  • Resolutions: appropriations limit $420,156,522 (72,341); investment policy (72,342); GovPath contract plus $180,000 to $1,657,200 (72,343); $2,000 fire department donation (72,344); EMS agreements with Alameda County extended up to three years (72,345); senior services revenue contracts of $79,046 and $149,994 a year (72,346 and 72,347); nutrition and caregiver contracts of $70,500, $88,096 and $49,764 (72,348 to 72,350); City Data Services amendment, new total $188,540 (72,351); six-month extension of the Community Workforce Agreement to December 31, 2026 (72,353); Firefighter EMT classification, promotion rules and probation MOU change (72,354 to 72,356); YMCA fitness memberships $174,528 (72,357); historical pay schedules (72,358); Cedar Rose Park playground renovation with Redwood Engineering Construction, up to $1,715,866 (72,359); AE3 Partners African American Holistic Resources Center amendment, plus $700,000 to $1,600,000, term to June 30, 2029 (72,360); license for Roaming Bean Coffee at the waterfront through February 28, 2035 (72,361).
  • Information reports received and filed: Open Doors Initiative referral response, 2026 health plan changes, City Auditor FY 2027 Audit Plan, 2025 Whistleblower Annual Report.

Sources

  • Approved minutes, City Council regular meeting, June 30, 2026: https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas
  • Communications: about 190 items listed, with dominant topics being the surveillance policies, the rent stabilization measure, large RV concerns, the Solano Stroll and a form-letter campaign on 911 (3,481 similar letters). Written comments came from public commenters including Stephen Alpert. Certified by City Clerk Numainville.