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2026-07-28 - City Council (regular)

Summary

Built from the official approved minutes (approved on the Consent Calendar at the September 29, 2026 meeting). No video or transcript is posted, so there is no timing.

  • Roll call 6:03 p.m.; Kesarwani and Bartlett absent at first, arriving 6:17 and 6:16 p.m. Adjourned 12:56 a.m.
  • Urgency item accepted (Lunaparra/Tregub, all ayes): a resolution supporting workers at the Graduate by Hilton, Berkeley forming a union; adopted on consent.
  • Consent Calendar adopted all ayes (Humbert/Tregub) after 12 speakers; 19 City Manager items, 6 Council items.
  • The headline item: the Hopkins Street bikeway referral, approved 7-2 after 160 speakers and two failed supplemental motions.
  • Inclusionary Housing in-lieu fee: 2,500 square foot deduction for detached single-family units adopted, all ayes.
  • Commercial vacancy blight referral (RENAISSANCE Part 1) approved on consent.
  • Three Council discretionary fund grants: two adopted as revised, one withdrawn.
  • Adult-oriented business definition referral sent to the Land Use, Housing & Economic Development Committee.
  • Public comment on non-agenda matters: 10 speakers at the start, 6 at the end. Stephen Alpert was given two minutes to restate comments first delivered May 19, 2026.

Hopkins Street Bikeway Referral

  • Item 27, by Kesarwani with Humbert and Ishii: repave Hopkins Street with Class IV separated bikeways, curb management and intersection upgrades.
  • Rules suspended for a three-hour public comment period (Ishii/Tregub, all ayes); meeting extended to 12:30 a.m. (Tregub/Taplin, 8-0 with Kesarwani absent) and to 1:00 a.m. (Humbert/Taplin, all ayes).
  • Failed 3-6: O'Keefe's supplemental item (O'Keefe/Blackaby). Failed 4-5: Blackaby's supplemental item (Blackaby/O'Keefe).
  • Carried 7-2 (Kesarwani/Humbert) as amended (arborist tree assessment, placemaking if funds allow, supersedes prior Council action). Noes: O'Keefe, Blackaby.

Inclusionary Housing In-Lieu Fee Update

  • Item 26 public hearing, 6 speakers; hearing closed and Resolution No. 72,418-N.S. adopted, both Lunaparra/Tregub, all ayes.

Commercial Vacancy Blight Standards

  • Item 24, Tregub with Ishii, Blackaby and O'Keefe: referral for performance standards for stalled commercial sites, easier permit revocation and a "prolonged commercial vacancy" blight factor. Approved on consent.

Graduate Hotel Union Support Resolution

  • Urgency item by Lunaparra; adopted as Resolution No. 72,400-N.S.

Council Discretionary Fund Grants

  • Item 22 (school supply fair, Resolution No. 72,416-N.S.) and item 25 (Russell Street Halloween, up to $4,000 from Humbert, Resolution No. 72,417-N.S.) adopted as revised with added contributions from other members. Item 23 (Downtown Berkeley Association outreach position) withdrawn by Tregub.

Adult-Oriented Business Definition Review

  • Item 28 moved to consent and referred to the Land Use, Housing & Economic Development Committee.

Police Accountability Director Hiring

  • Consent item 3, Resolution No. 72,401-N.S.: appointed a new Police Accountability Board member nominated by Taplin.
  • Item 1: second reading of Ordinance No. 8,031-N.S., a five-year lease (September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2031) of second-floor office space at 125-127 University Avenue to the International Child Resource Institute.
  • Item 2: minutes of June 5, 8, 9, 16, 22, 23 and 30, 2026 approved.
  • Item 4: Lunaparra voting delegate and Humbert alternate for the League of California Cities General Assembly, September 25, 2026, in Anaheim.
  • Animal care: veterinary contract with Dr. Orsolya Kuti raised by $103,000 to no more than $376,000 (No. 72,402); $60,000 grant from Friends of Berkeley Animal Care Services accepted (No. 72,403).
  • Item 7: bid solicitations and requests for proposals approved.
  • Finance: DataProse printing and mailing contract raised by $150,000 to no more than $200,000, extended to December 31, 2028 (No. 72,404).
  • Fire: Swifthawk Consulting as Alameda County Coordinator, up to $1 million, August 1, 2026 to December 30, 2029 (No. 72,405); Life-Assist emergency medical supplies up to $1,552,000 (No. 72,406); Bound Tree Medical up to $25,000 (No. 72,407); application for up to $1,200,000 in FEMA Port Security Grant funds with a $300,000 local match for a new fire and rescue boat (No. 72,408).
  • Berkeley Food Network HOME-ARP food services contract up to $372,901, ending June 30, 2028 (No. 72,409).
  • Parks: CivicPlus recreation software up to $200,905 for five years from December 1, 2026 (No. 72,410); One Workplace furniture for the MLK Jr. Youth Services Center and other community centers up to $300,000 (No. 72,411); QLM-Inc. contract up to $3,355,202 for the Santa Fe Trackbed community gardens, dog park and playground project, total funding $3,690,722 (No. 72,412); The Dutra Group Berkeley Marina Docks D and E contract raised by $300,000 to no more than $8,893,200 (No. 72,413); extra Civic Arts Commission meeting on August 26, 2026 (No. 72,414).
  • Item 19, naming the public plaza at Adeline and Fairview Streets for Dolores Cooper, was removed by the City Manager.
  • Item 20: Bartlett's June 30 absence excused for illness. Item 21: Council joined an amicus brief supporting review of the EPA's rescission of the greenhouse gas endangerment finding; Blackaby added as co-sponsor (No. 72,415).
  • Information reports received and filed: landmark notices of decision for 2455 Telegraph Avenue and the Elmwood Commercial Historic District, the Civic Arts Commission FY27 work plan, and the annual Landmarks Preservation Commission report.

Attendance and adjournment

  • Present at roll call: Taplin, Tregub, O'Keefe, Blackaby, Lunaparra, Humbert, Ishii; Bartlett and Kesarwani joined later.
  • Adjourned at 12:56 a.m. (Taplin/Tregub, all ayes). Clerk: Mark Numainville.
  • Written communications listed in the minutes covered many other topics, including encampments, e-scooters, the UA Theater and school crossing guards.

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