Here is the latest in what’s going on in Lafayette from City Manager Steve Falk. Steve does an informative weekly roundup on Friday’s that we follow closely. We found this blog extremely informative and thought we’d pass it along. If you would like to subscribe to the City Manager’s Blog, please visit the City of Lafayette website at www.ci.lafayette.ca.us and on the front page you will see a link for the City Manager’s Updates. Click on this and then look for the link to the City Manager’s Friday Summary. You tool will be better connected to this wonderful City!
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Saranap Village
Today, Contra Costa County Department of Conservation & Development issued the Draft Environmental Impact Report associated with the Saranap Village Mixed-Use Project, located in unincorporated Contra Costa County just east of Lafayette (many may know the neighborhood as home to Morucci’s famous delicatessen). The project includes redevelopment of an area surrounding the intersection of Boulevard Way and Saranap Avenue into a mixed-use village with up to 235 multi-family residential units, up to 30,000-square feet of street-level retail and restaurant uses, 14,200-square feet of amenities, and off-street structured parking. The buildings will range from 46-feet to 80-feet tall. The project also includes improvements to Boulevard Way and Saranap Avenue including reducing the vehicular lanes from four lanes to two lanes, a roundabout, and traffic calming elements. The Draft EIR identifies potentially significant environmental impacts in aesthetics, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, greenhouse gas emissions and energy, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, noise, transportation and traffic, and utilities and service systems. Comments on the Draft EIR are due to the County Department of Conservation & Development by November 17th at 5:00 p.m. A copy of the Draft EIR may be reviewed online atwww.cccounty.us/5195/Saranap-Village. Questions about the project should be directed to William Nelson at (925) 674-7791 or William.nelson@dcd.cccounty.us.
Business Brief
Back to the Table Cooking School & Production Kitchen is a local cooking (& baking) school started by Lafayette sisters, Leslie Pease and Lisa Evaristo, with a passion for food and entertaining. The school offers classes that range from sauces and sautéing, to Korean grill, to Oktoberfest, to a Downton Abbey Dinner Party. Classes are offered for children, teens, and adults. In addition to classes, the facility has a full production kitchen, with state-of-the-art equipment, that may be rented. Back to the Kitchen, located at 271 Lafayette Circle, may be reached at (925) 284-1120 or online athttp://backtothetablecookingschool.com/. Make sure you come by this weekend at the Art & Wine Festival to meet and purchase food from the amazing food vendors that work in the production kitchen.
Lafayette Maps
Would you like to know where Wireless Communication Facilities (WCF) are located in Lafayette? The City recently released an inventory of all known Wireless Communications Facilities. This inventory consists of a map depicting the physical locations of each facility accompanied with a photographic inventory of each site. In addition to this map, the City maintains a Map Room at Lovelafayette.org that contains a vast array of maps, from trails, to zoning designations, to a street sweeping schedule. They are available on your web browser, or you may download directly to your computer for quicker viewing. Additionally, there’s an interactive mapping service where you can simply enter in a location of interest into the search bar, and the interactive map will take you there and provide you with basic information such as, zoning, parcel size, etc. Check them out!
Notes from Chief Christensen: The Best Detective is ALWAYS Mom
Last week we had what seems to be a common occurrence as of late. A child rides their bike to school and forgets to lock the bike in the rack. Mom comes to pick the child up and leaves the bike in the rack, unlocked, overnight. The next morning, the bike is missing! Mom contacts the school and speaks with a wonderful administrator who locates video of the suspect riding away on the bike. Now, in most TV episodes, that’s when the case gets turned over to the police, but not in this episode. Mom, angry that someone took her kid’s bike from the rack, scours Craigslist for the bike – and ACTUALLY FINDS IT, offered for sale from a seller in Pittsburg. She reports the theft, provides a description of the bike and provides the officer with the Craigslist posting. A couple of texts from our secret drug phone. . . a meet is set-up to buy the bike. . .and soon officers are knocking on the door of the suspect. First question from the suspect is “Are you here to buy the bike?” “Well, kind of,” the officer replies. Twenty minutes later, after a full confession about the theft, the bike is loaded into the police cruiser and delivered back to the Chief of all Detectives, Mom. I’ve always said that Moms solve more cases than the police ever will – no rules, no civil rights, they just go rogue. While we’re happy to take the stat for another case solved, they’ll certainly be an asterisk next to this number – a tip of the hat to Mom.
Leeches! In Lafayette!
On Monday, September 15th the City of Lafayette participated in The American Red Cross City Challenge Blood Drive, and it was a huge success. Councilmember Mark Mitchell represented the City Council and donated, and we had two local business who donated as well. Susie Cakes came through with their very popular and delicious Red Velvet Mini-Cupcakes, and Powell’s Sweet Shoppe generously gave three gift cards that were used as raffle prizes. This event far exceeded the expectations of the Red Cross employees. While our final numbers are not known at this point, we were told we far exceeded their expectations. So a huge thank you to those who turned up and to our local businesses for their support. We are already looking forward to our 3rd Annual Blood Drive next year.
After School Pilot
An After School Enrichment Program, piloted by the City of Lafayette’s Parks, Trails & Recreation Department, offers an engaging variety of activities to our elementary school aged children. Our staff and the respective PTA’s/PFC/PC selected sixteen different classes from dance, music and chess to French, drama and technology. With 250 children enrolled at four elementary school sites, the program is off to a good start.
Plant a Seed. Literally.
Native wildflower seeds are now available at the Lafayette Community Center. Fall is the time to plant California wildflowers and seed packets are available at the Community Center thanks to summer seed collecting from all the native flowers that bloomed this year. These plants are very drought tolerant.
Free Money for Worthy Causes!
The Lafayette Community Foundation (LCF) is accepting grant applications from local non-profits for its Fall grant cycle. LCF invests in programs and projects that promote and enhance the civic, cultural, educational and environmental health of Lafayette and beyond. ALL Applications must be received through the online application form- please go the Lafayette Community Foundation Website and click on “apply for a grant.” Note: the deadline is September 30th!
Dr. Happy Inducted into Happiness Hall
We don’t make this stuff up. It turns out that Lafayette’s own own “Dr. Happy” –– Dr. Bob Nozik – is being inducted into Stanford’s Happiness Hall of Fame along with baseball
Hall Of Famer Reggie Jackson, NBA player and broadcaster Jim Barnett, three time Super Bowl winner and TV analyst Bubba Paris, and others. Dr. Nozik leads Lafayette Senior Services’ group Positive Living Forum, AKA the “Happiness Club”, and authored the book, “Happy 4 Life: Here’s How to Do It.”
Lafayette Creek Day
Do you want to learn about your local creeks? Or volunteer to help keep them healthy? Come join us at Lafayette Creek Day!
Sunday September 28th
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Lafayette Community Park Ball fields
(480 St. Mary’s Road, 1,500 feet south of the Community Center)
There will be talk about trash cleanup and invasive plant removal, informational displays, educational talks, creek tours, giveaways, and food and drinks for sale. Come have lunch and celebrate the beautiful creeks of Lafayette
Las Trampas 5th Annual Walk & Roll
Gather your family and/or friends and join in on the Las Trampas 5th Annual Walk n’ Roll on Saturday, September 27, 9am-12pm. Meet in the Las Trampas parking lot at 3460 Lana Lane to check in and pick up your T-shirt, then head out to the Lafayette-Moraga Trail. The 5k run stretches from Las Trampas to Stanley School, return past Las Trampas to Olympic Blvd, then back to campus. The 1-mile trail is to Hawthorne Drive and back. On campus, wander the exhibits to learn about Emergency Preparedness, talk with ham radio operators, win prizes with KKDV, and enjoy refreshments and snacks, carnival games and more in our courtyard. Registration is $25 to participate or to sponsor a client. Click here to register on line or call (925)310-2363. Or for more information:www.lastrampas.org
Date: 9/27/2014 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Cost: $25.00
Location: Las Trampas Campus Parking Lot
3460 Lana Lane
Lafayette, California