Orinda City Council
July 7, 2026

CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
Tuesday, July 07, 2026
07:00 PM
Orinda Library Auditorium
26 Orinda Way, Orinda, CA
Zoom Webinar Link: https://www.tinyurl.com/OrindaCityCouncil By Phone: +1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 810 2271 2723
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cityoforinda9535/streams HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING:

Public comment is generally limited to 3 minutes per speaker per agenda item. For additional information, please refer to the Council’s Policies and Procedures Manual.

In-Person Comments: In-person speakers are invited to submit a speaker card to the City Clerk. You will be permitted to speak even if you choose not to submit a speaker card or decline to provide the requested information on the card. After the City Council has heard from everyone who submitted a speaker card, anyone present in person who has not submitted a speaker card may form a line at the lectern.

Remote Comments: Speakers who are participating via Zoom should use the “raise hand” function or the *9 function to indicate they wish to comment.  You will be called upon and unmuted when it is your time to speak, which will generally be after the City Council hears from in-person speakers.    Persons wishing to comment should use the Zoom link to participate in the meeting, not the YouTube link. The YouTube link is a livestream provided as a courtesy and does not allow for public comment.

Written Comments: In advance of the meeting, you may submit written public comment for the Council to read by following the instructions below:

Deliver to City Hall at 22 Orinda Way or send an e-mail to [email protected] by 3 pm on the day of the meeting. Those comments will be forwarded to the City Council. They will also be part of the public record and available for viewing in the public review binder at Orinda City Hall, located at 22 Orinda Way.

In addition, they will be available electronically by 5 pm on the City’s Website Meetings Calendar, by selecting the date of the meeting, and “Communications from Public”.

Assisted Listening Devices: Assisted listening devices are available on the table in the rear of the Auditorium.

A. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Councilmembers: Cara Hoxie, Latika Malkani, Janet Riley Vice Mayor Darlene Gee, Mayor Brandyn Iverson
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
CLOSED SESSION REPORT (when applicable)
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
The City Council may take action on any item listed on the agenda.

ITEMS FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY
Proclamation Declaring July, 2026 as "Parks Make Life Better" Month

PUBLIC FORUM
The public forum provides an opportunity for members of the public to speak on any item within the jurisdiction of the City Council that is not on the agenda. Additionally, a speaker has the option of addressing the Council on an item listed on the agenda, if the speaker will not be present when that agenda item is taken up. When an item is not listed on the agenda, State law prohibits Council discussion or action. Councilmembers may only “briefly respond” to statements made and questions posed. For example, State law allows Councilmembers to ask questions for clarification and provide a reference to staff or other resources for factual information. Additionally, consistent with the “Matters Initiated” rule contained in its Policies and Procedures Manual, the Council may also direct staff to report back and/or place a matter on a future agenda for discussion.

COUNCIL REPORTS
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
Approval of City Council Minutes Page 8
The City Council will consider approval of the Meeting Minutes of:

1. June 9, 2026, Regular Meeting

2. June 16, 2026, Regular Meeting
RECOMMENDATION:

Approve City Council Minutes of
B.

C.

D.

E.

E.1
F.

G.

H.

I.

I.1
Packet Page 2

1. June 9, 2026, Regular Meeting

2. June 16, 2026, Regular Meeting
Approval of an Urban Lot Split Parcel Map at 10 Tara Road Page 46 The City Council will consider approving the Parcel Map for SBL 2024-002, which has been reviewed by the Planning and Public Works departments in accordance with the Subdivision Map Act, Title 16 of the City of Orinda Municipal Code (OMC), the Conditions of Approval, and in accordance with SB9 legislation.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution No. 51-26, Approving Parcel Map for Subdivision SBL 2024-002 Urban Lot Split at 10 Tara Road.

Award of Construction Contract for the 2025–2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (CIP Nos. 4183 and 4190) and Approval of Plans

The City Council will consider approving the plans for the 2025 and 2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (CIP Nos. 4183 and 4190), awarding a construction contract to Radius Earthwork, Inc. in the amount of $2,845,193.95, and authorizing the City Manager to increase contract value within the approved contingency amount.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution 53-26 Approving the Plans, Awarding a Construction Contract to Radius Earthwork, Inc., and Authorizing a Contingency for the 2025–2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (CIP Nos. 4183 And 4190). 2026 Safety Element Update Page 67
The City of Orinda continues to implement the policies and actions contained within the Safety Element of the General Plan as well as associated Wildfire Mitigation Measures, and Evacuation Analysis Recommendations. The attached documents provide a status update on these items, according to the terms of the settlement agreement with Orindians for Safe Emergency Evacuation (OSEE). This report summarizes recent progress, ongoing initiatives, and upcoming efforts related to emergency preparedness, hazard mitigation, evacuation planning, wildfire resilience, infrastructure improvements, and community education.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution No. 55-26 Accepting the 2026 Safety Element Update.

PUBLIC HEARING
Proposed Amendments to Title 16 (Subdivisions) and Title 17 Page 148 I.2
I.3
I.4
J.

J.1
Packet Page 3
(Zoning) of the Orinda Municipal Code to establish limitations on parcels created pursuant to Senate Bill 1123, California Government Code Section 66499.41 (the Starter Home
Revitalization Act)
The State of California’s Starter Home Revitalization Act mandates ministerial (nondiscretionary) approval for subdividing eligible single-family lots into up to 10 parcels for the development of up to 10 residential units. While the state heavily preempts local development standards to facilitate these subdivisions, the law explicitly grants local agencies the discretion to regulate specific aspects: the allowance of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), subsequent ministerial lot splits under Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), and the waiver of property sale restrictions.

Following a March 3, 2026, study session, the City Council directed Staff to draft an ordinance exercising the City's maximum local discretion to prohibit compounding density. The proposed ordinance amends the Orinda Municipal Code (OMC) to prohibit ADUs and subsequent SB 9 lot splits on these newly created parcels, strictly enforces the state's restrictions on the separate sale of unimproved lots, and establishes a unit cap deed restriction to prevent circumvention of statutory limits.

RECOMMENDATION:

Hold the public hearing, waive the first reading and introduce Ordinance 26-05, amending Title 16 (Subdivisions) and Title 17 (Zoning) of the Orinda Municipal Code to establish local limitations on parcels created pursuant to California Government Code Section 66499.41.

POLICY MATTERS
Overview of Proclamation Practices Page 171
At its April 21, 2026 meeting, the City Council directed Staff to research how other municipalities administer proclamation requests and approvals. Staff found that local governments utilize a variety of approaches, including City Council approval, mayoral approval, shared authority models, annual proclamation calendars, public request processes, and differing eligibility and presentation practices. This report summarizes the range of approaches used by municipalities.

RECOMMENDATION:

Receive the report on proclamation practices and determine whether to consider amendments to the City Council’s Rules and Procedures at a future meeting.

MATTERS INITIATED
K.

K.1
L.

Packet Page 4
CLOSED SESSION

1. OPEN SESSION IDENTIFICATION of Closed Session Matters

2. PUBLIC COMMENTS of Closed Session Matters

3. CLOSED SESSION

4. OPEN SESSION REPORT regarding Closed Session
CITY ATTORNEY PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Pursuant to
Government Code Section 54957, performance evaluation of City Attorney Osa Wolff
OPEN SESSION REPORT REGARDING CLOSED SESSION

ADJOURNMENT
Please visit the City's website at www.cityoforinda.gov to view the City Council Meeting Calendar.

I, Sheri Marie Smith, City Clerk, declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that this special meeting agenda has been posted at least 24 hours in advance at the Orinda City Hall, 22 Orinda Way and the Orinda Library, 26 Orinda Way. Additional copies are available at the Orinda Library, 26 Orinda Way, and at the City's website at www.cityoforinda.org. At Least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, this agenda was also delivered to and received by each member of the City Council as well as each local newspaper, radio station and television station requesting written notice of special meetings.

I, Sheri Marie Smith, City Clerk, declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that this regular meeting agenda has been posted at least 72 hours in advance at the Orinda City Hall, 22 Orinda Way and the Orinda Library, 26 Orinda Way. Additional copies are available at the Orinda Library, 26 Orinda Way, and at the City's website at www.cityoforinda.gov. ~Notices~
There is a 90-day limit for the filing of a challenge in Court to certain City decisions that require a hearing by law, the receipt of evidence, and the exercise of discretion. The 90-day limit begins on the date the decision is final (Code of Civil Procedure 1094.6). Further, if you file a challenge in Court, you may be limited by California law, including but not limited to Government Code 65009, to those issues raised in connection with the public hearing. The City Council may be requested to reconsider a decision if the request is made prior to the next City Council meeting. For information on the next City Council meeting, please call 925.253.4221 or visit the website at www.cityoforinda.org. Unless otherwise noted, City Council actions include a determination that the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) does not apply.

M.

M.1
M.2
N.

Packet Page 5
~Accessible Public Meetings~
The City of Orinda will provide special assistance for disabled citizens to participate in public meetings upon advance notice. If you need auxiliary hearing aid or sign language assistance at least two (2) working days advanced notice is necessary. Please contact the City Clerk's Office, 22 Orinda way, Orinda, CA 94563 or 925.253.4221 or [email protected] with the following information: name, mailing address, phone number and type of assistance requested.

Packet Page 6
Item E.1
Packet Page 7

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Department: Administration
Meeting Date: July 7, 2026
SUBJECT:

Approval of City Council Minutes
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The City Council will consider approval of the Meeting Minutes of:

1. June 9, 2026, Regular Meeting

2. June 16, 2026, Regular Meeting
RECOMMENDATION:

Approve City Council Minutes of

1. June 9, 2026, Regular Meeting

2. June 16, 2026, Regular Meeting
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:

Not applicable.

ATTACHMENTS:

A. City Council Minutes of June 9, 2026, Regular Meeting B. City Council Minutes of June 16, 2026, Regular Meeting

Respectfully Submitted by,
Sheri Smith, City Clerk
Approved By:

Linda Smith, City Manager
Item I.1
Packet Page 8
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 1 of 24 06.09.26
JUNE 9, 2026

CITY OF ORINDA

CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Note: Written communications received from the public prior to the start of this meeting can be viewed on the City’s website meeting calendar. They are also kept in the City Clerk’s Office as part of the public record and available upon request ([email protected]). 7:00 P.M. – REGULAR MEETING– ORINDA LIBRARY AUDITORIUM
A. CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL:

Mayor Iverson called the Regular Meeting to order at approximately 7:00 p.m.

COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Cara Hoxie, Latika Malkani, Janet Riley Mayor Brandyn Iverson, Vice Mayor Darlene Gee
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: None.

B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Led by Mayor Iverson.

C. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
City Manager Smith requested moving up Item H.8 off of the Consent Calendar to Items for the Good of the City in order to formally recognize the Garden Club with a certificate of appreciation. Mayor Iverson confirmed and said this item will become Item. D.5.

MOTION by Mayor Iverson, and seconded by Councilmember Hoxie, to adopt the agenda, as amended. Said motion carried by unanimous (5-0) vote.

D. ITEMS FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY
D.1 Introduction of New Assistant Engineer - Nazmieh Huebner Public Works Director Scott Christie introduced new Assistant Engineer, Nazmieh Huebner, aka “Mia Huebner” who comes with a lot of experience in engineering having worked for the cities of Pinole and San Rafael.

Ms. Huebner thanked the City Council and staff, appreciates the opportunity, and looks forward to learning new things with the City of Orinda.

Mayor Iverson and Councilmembers welcomed Ms. Huebner to the City.

D.2 Proclamation Declaring the Month of June, 2026 as LGBTQ Pride Month in the City of Orinda
Mayor Iverson reported having presented the Proclamation at the Pride Flag Raising on June 1st, declaring the month of June, 2026 as LGBTQ Pride Month in the City of Orinda, which brings the community together for a great chance to celebrate the diversity and all talents of the community.

Item I.1
Packet Page 9
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 2 of 24 06.09.26
Councilmembers recognized the event as incredible and significant in sending a message of inclusiveness.

D.3 Orinda Teen Advisory Council - Annual Report
Parks and Recreation Director Todd Trimble introduced the item.

Recreation Coordinator Spencer Beattie thanked the Teen Advisory Council for their volunteerism and creation of events for the community and introduced Emma Wang who will present the Annual Report.

Emma Wang, OTAC Chair, said she recently graduated Miramonte High School and served as the Chair of OTAC this year. She introduced members of the Council, said they hosted members this year and growing their membership, reported on the accomplishment of many community events, continuation of traditional programs, and presented photographs of events.

Regarding future goals, they hope to continue discussion of OTAC topics such as fire and pedestrian safety every two years to allow them to have more focus on it. They hope to continue hosting their local OTAC events, collaborate with Moraga Youth Council next year for their pickleball tournament, and continue collaboration with local youth serving groups.

Councilmembers thanked OTAC for their service, confirmed they have engagement with Tabor exchange students, and to provide outreach on the need for a host family for the new student, and recognized and highlighted the work on fire safety.

Director Trimble recognized Mindful Littles who OTAC worked with on both Orinda Action Day and the Winter Fest. They helped a number of younger residents create a number of care kits which include recycled products, bookmarks, flower pots, and other items.

D.4 Orinda Historical Society - Annual Report
Alison Burns, President of the Orinda Historical Society, presented the organization’s annual report and summarized a busy year of preservation and outreach work. She noted ongoing efforts to digitize historical documents, photographs, and local histories, much of which is now accessible through the Society’s website.

She highlighted educational programming as a key focus, including annual third-grade school visits in May where students learn about local history, as well as guided walking tours of historical sites accompanied by parent chaperones. She also emphasized the value of teen volunteer participation in supporting preservation efforts and community engagement, and concluded by thanking the City Council for providing meeting space in the library and for its continued support of the Orinda Historical Society’s programs and activities.

Councilmembers thanked OHS for their contributions, recognized the special work of the teens and Laurie Smith, likened OHS as a lasting treasure, commented on how fun the historical walk could be for the Council and staff which is led by Kay Norman, and thanked Ms. Burns for her presentation.

Item I.1
Packet Page 10
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 3 of 24 06.09.26
D.5 Accept Work and Contract with Marina Landscape, Inc. as Complete for the Camino Pablo Median Landscape Improvements (City Project No. 5019) and Accept Donation from the Orinda Garden Club
The City Council will consider adopting Resolution No. 42-26 to accept the work for the Camino Pablo Median Landscape Improvements (Project No. 5019). The project included the installation of two median openings in the event they are necessary for an evacuation, along with new landscaping, irrigation upgrades and paving improvements. In addition, the City Council will accept the donation of $80,000 from the Orinda Garden Club to offset a portion of the project cost.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution No. 42-26 Accepting the Work and Contract with Marina Landscape, Inc. as Complete for the Camino Pablo Median Landscape Improvements Project, City Project No. 5019 and Accept the donation from the Orinda Garden Club.

Mayor Iverson said this Consent Calendar Item H.8 was to accept the work and contract with Marina Landscape for the Camino Pablo Median Landscape Improvements project and accept a donation from the Orinda Garden Club (OGC). She said this donation was exceptional and appreciated and she wanted to pull the item to thank the OGC in person.

Lisa Kavalag, Co-President, OGC, described their organization that supports beautification of Orinda, education and conservation, and they have done some fundraising as well as taken donations. Several members are passionate about OGC and they were able to provide a check to support the work on the medians. They are grateful for the city’s work and are proud to support the project.

Mayor Iverson and Councilmembers thanked the OGC and its donors for their $80,000 donation to the City to support the medians. Ms. Kavalag was then presented with a certificate of recognition and photographs followed.

City Manager Smith stated she was able to accept the check at a recent Garden Club event and voiced appreciation for the support of the OGC and staff. She then briefly described the project.

MOTION by Mayor Iverson moved, and seconded by Councilmember Riley to adopt Resolution No. 42-26 Accepting the Work and Contract with Marina Landscape, Inc. as Complete for the Camino Pablo Median Landscape Improvements Project, City Project No. 5019 and Accept the donation from the Orinda Garden Club. Said motion carried by unanimous (5-0) vote.

E. PUBLIC FORUM
Mayor Iverson provided remarks about the several letters received and protocols on the Council not responding to comments.

Item I.1
Packet Page 11
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 4 of 24 06.09.26
Lewis Lopez, a TOPS parent and advocate, expressed concern about project changes affecting the preschool’s outdoor classroom, including a retaining wall and tree removal.

He questioned whether these modifications were appropriately reviewed and emphasized potential impacts on child safety, privacy, and school operations. He requested construction mitigation measures, including scheduling major concrete work on weekends, improving emergency access and traffic circulation, and reviewing whether project permit extensions were processed correctly.

Morea said she went to TOPS and wants her little brother to have the same experience she had at TOPS. She asked to make sure TOPS stays safe and a fun place for kids to learn and play.

Layla Alami said she is a good friend of Morea and hopes many other kids have the same experience as she has had at TOPS. It is very nice knowing that the preschool was a good experience for her.

Kia said she went to TOPS.

Tawny Martinez, TOPS Board President and parent, said the preschool supports affordable senior housing but is concerned that the Vista Verde project's impacts on TOPS were not fully considered during project review. She noted that portions of the outdoor classroom may be affected during construction and by permanent project features, despite earlier representations that the playground would not be impacted. She questioned whether additional review or mitigation would have been required had these impacts been fully disclosed and expressed concern about potential effects on enrollment, staffing, and the long-term operation of TOPS.

Ann Gordon, a TOPS parent and educator, supported the Vista Verde project but expressed concern about construction impacts on preschool children. She emphasized the importance of TOPS’ outdoor classroom and urged the City to ensure that mitigation measures are actively monitored and enforced. She requested scheduling disruptive construction activities outside school hours when possible, appointing an independent safety monitor, and maintaining direct communication with TOPS to address concerns promptly.

Anthony Valdioseva, a former TOPS student and parent, supports affordable senior housing but expressed concern that TOPS was not adequately recognized as a directly affected neighbor during project review. He noted that earlier statements indicated the preschool playground would not be impacted, yet current plans show work extending into the preschool play area. He raised concerns about child safety, construction impacts, and the lack of detailed construction information provided to TOPS. He urged the Council to visit the site and facilitate collaboration among TOPS, the City, the church, and the developer to protect the preschool while allowing the project to proceed.

William Hudson said TOPS has positively impacted multiple generations of his family. He described the school’s outdoor learning environment as a valuable community asset and urged the Council to protect and preserve TOPS as an important Orinda institution.

Item I.1
Packet Page 12
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 5 of 24 06.09.26
Jamey Volker, a parent of two former TOPS students and a land use attorney, acknowledged that the project has been entitled for several years. However, he suggested that if current construction plans differ from those originally approved, the City may have an opportunity to facilitate further review and discussion. He encouraged the City to help bring the developer and TOPS together, stating that improved communication and collaboration could lead to a reasonable solution that addresses concerns raised by both parties.

Tina Arantes, a TOPS parent, supports the senior housing project but expressed concerns about construction impacts on preschool children and the outdoor classroom.

She cited potential issues related to dust, noise, traffic, parking lot safety, and changes to the play environment. She urged the Council to work with TOPS families to implement protections such as independent air quality and noise monitoring, debris cleanup, and other safety measures to minimize impacts during construction.

Lux Ingleby, a former TOPS student, said she supports affordable senior housing but hopes a solution can be found that preserves the TOPS experience for future children.

She shared fond memories of playing and learning in the outdoor classroom and expressed hope that future students will have the same opportunities she enjoyed.

Tom Schneider, a TOPS parent and former Parks and Recreation Commissioner, supports affordable housing but expressed concern that TOPS was not adequately considered during the project's review process. He stated that the preschool, which operates primarily outdoors, could be significantly affected by construction activities and project revisions impacting the play area.

He questioned the approval of project elements affecting land leased by TOPS without notification to the preschool and noted concerns about declining enrollment. He urged the Council to ensure enforceable construction protections, improve communication with TOPS, and provide the preschool a meaningful role in future project discussions.

Val Ingleby echoed prior speakers and described TOPS’ outdoor classroom as a key reason her family chose the preschool after moving to Orinda. She said the program’s child-led, outdoor learning environment had a lasting positive impact on her children. She expressed concern that the outdoor classroom may be impacted by the Vista Verde project and urged the Council to consider protections that preserve the integrity of TOPS’ educational environment for future children.

Aksel Ingleby, a former TOPS student, said he values his experience at the preschool and expressed concern about the impact of nearby construction on the outdoor play environment. He urged consideration of how the project could affect children’s ability to safely and freely use the outdoor classroom.

Steve Austenfeld, an Orinda resident, TOPS alumnus parent, and Board of Trustees member, said TOPS was surprised by details of the Vista Verde project, including retaining wall markers within areas long used and leased by the preschool. He questioned how the project was reviewed and approved without fully accounting for its proximity to young children.

Item I.1
Packet Page 13
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 6 of 24 06.09.26
He raised concerns about construction impacts and reported that some families have unenrolled or chosen not to enroll, affecting the school’s financial stability. He urged the Council to support mitigation measures, address health and safety concerns, and consider financial assistance to help preserve TOPS during construction.

Harmony Anderson, an Orinda resident, Arts in Public Places Committee member, and TOPS alumna parent, highlighted TOPS’ long-standing role in the community and noted that many alumni now enroll their own children there. She expressed concern about potential impacts from the Vista Verde project on enrollment and the school’s long-term viability. She urged the Council to ensure protections for TOPS during construction, improve engagement between developers and City decision-makers, and encouraged Councilmembers to visit the site to better understand its proximity to the preschool play area.

Allison Windhurst, a mother of four TOPS graduates, described the school’s outdoor classroom as central to its program and a key reason families choose TOPS. She expressed concern that construction and nearby residential development could permanently change this environment. She said prolonged construction impacts such as noise, dust, and heavy equipment activity may affect the school’s operations and urged the Council to explore solutions that protect TOPS’ educational setting and long-term viability.

Kristin Armanini, Director of TOPS, said the preschool has served Orinda since 1938 and has partnered with Orinda Community Church since 1944. With over 32 years in various roles at TOPS, she described it as a long-standing institution connecting generations of local families.

Ms. Armanini said TOPS supports the senior housing project but is concerned it was not meaningfully consulted during planning. She noted that the outdoor classroom is central to the program, with children spending much of their day outdoors, and expressed concern that tree removal and the scale and proximity of the new building would permanently alter that environment. She urged the Council to ensure greater engagement with TOPS and provide support to help the school continue operating during and after construction.

Eugene Lin, an Orinda resident and parent of a recent TOPS graduate, described TOPS as a valued community institution centered on outdoor learning and child development.

He said TOPS was not meaningfully included in planning for the Vista Verde project despite its proximity and urged the Council to ensure the school has a formal role in future discussions to help protect its long-term viability.

Kathy Barrett, a retired teacher and former TOPS parent, said she became involved with TOPS more than 30 years ago when her daughter attended the preschool. She described the site as a meaningful learning environment where children interact closely with nature.

She said the TOPS community was unaware of the Vista Verde project until recently and urged the Council to consider mitigation options. While supporting senior housing, she expressed concern about potential impacts to TOPS and noted that even nearby residents share concern for the preschool’s future.

Item I.1
Packet Page 14
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 7 of 24 06.09.26
Stan White, a 30-year Orinda resident, said his family spans three generations connected to TOPS, including a granddaughter currently enrolled and a daughter who teaches there.

He described TOPS as a unique community institution with a long history and emphasized its outdoor, play-based model. He expressed concern that the Vista Verde project encroaches on land leased by TOPS and said he was surprised the project was approved without input from the preschool. He noted concerns about potential impacts to enrollment, child safety, tree removal, and the outdoor classroom environment.

Mr. White urged the Council to ensure TOPS has a role in discussions with the developer and to revise the project to better protect the preschool’s leased space, outdoor learning areas, and the health, safety, and privacy of children.

Jillian White, a TOPS parent, teacher, and Orinda resident, supported thoughtful development but raised concerns about impacts to TOPS’ outdoor preschool environment. She described the school’s play-based, outdoor learning model for children ages 2–5 and noted that daily activities often include water play and other hands-on exploration.

Ms. White expressed concern that the proposed project could create direct sightlines into the outdoor classroom from nearby elevated areas, raising privacy and safety issues. She questioned whether these impacts were fully evaluated during review and urged the Council to implement mitigation measures such as screening, landscaping, and redesign of viewing areas. She also requested that TOPS be included in ongoing discussions to help protect the preschool environment.

A speaker read a statement from Brook Goff Anderson, a lead teacher at TOPS, expressing appreciation for the school’s outdoor classrooms, natural landscape, and educational philosophy. Ms. Anderson raised concerns that the proposed construction could significantly impact TOPS’ educational environment and urged all parties to collaborate on a solution that prioritizes safety, communication, and respect for the preschool community, ensuring TOPS can continue serving families for years to come.

Heather Barrett, a former TOPS student with family ties to Orinda, said she supports affordable senior housing but raised concerns about how the adjacent preschool was considered during project approval. She noted that TOPS has long operated on the site but was not meaningfully engaged during the planning process.

Ms. Barrett referenced concerns raised at a Planning Commission meeting about limited awareness of TOPS and questioned how a five-story project next to a preschool was not central to review. She also raised concerns about potential encroachment into leased preschool areas and broader impacts on child safety, traffic, air quality, and emergency access. She urged the Council to re-evaluate the project in light of these concerns and work with TOPS to ensure its educational environment and safety are fully addressed before construction proceeds.

F. Marchau, a TOPS parent, said her family moved to Orinda a year ago to be near the preschool. She expressed concern about how the City is addressing impacts to schools and children, and said the situation has affected her confidence in the community. She urged the Council to consider protections for TOPS students and the broader implications for families choosing to live in Orinda.

Item I.1
Packet Page 15
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 8 of 24 06.09.26
Johnny Windhurst, a former TOPS student, said the preschool’s outdoor classroom was a defining part of his early childhood experience. He recalled playing in the outdoor spaces and described TOPS as a formative and meaningful part of his life. He expressed hope that future children will have the same opportunity.

Paige Stocker, a former TOPS student, parent, and former Vice President of Community on the Executive Board, said TOPS played a foundational role in her family’s experience in Orinda. She described the preschool as a key part of the local education system and emphasized its benefits for children’s social and emotional development. She said her daughter developed confidence, independence, and self-advocacy skills through TOPS’ self-directed, play-based approach, and expressed appreciation for the program’s impact on her child’s growth.

Zuleika Godinez, parent of a recent TOPS graduate, said the school’s outdoor environment was a key reason her family chose it, describing it as a place where children learn through nature-based exploration. She noted her son’s lasting connection to TOPS and her hope that her younger daughter will have a similar experience.

Ms. Godinez expressed concern about potential impacts from the Vista Verde development while supporting both affordable senior housing and early childhood education. She emphasized that TOPS is a long-standing community institution whose outdoor classroom serves as an active learning environment. She urged the City to recognize TOPS as a directly affected institution and implement protections such as air quality and noise monitoring, traffic safety measures, and ongoing communication with school leadership. She also requested that TOPS be included as a partner in future planning discussions.

Marcella Larosa-Wilson, a TOPS parent and Vice President of Community on the Executive Board, said she supports affordable housing but is concerned about impacts to TOPS’ safety, privacy, and educational environment. She noted her family’s connection to the school and its play-based learning model.

Ms. Larosa-Wilson emphasized the importance of the outdoor classroom and expressed concern about potential loss or alteration of key features such as the hillside, gazebo, and redwood trees. She urged the Council to consider privacy screening, project modifications, and independent air quality monitoring to protect students during construction.

Erin Daly, Vice President of Finance for TOPS Preschool, said the Vista Verde project is already affecting enrollment and could threaten the school’s long-term viability. She noted staff and enrollment reductions, along with lost prospective and returning families attributed to project-related concerns.

Ms. Daly explained that TOPS relies heavily on enrollment revenue and warned that continued declines could create significant financial strain despite existing reserves. She described the situation as a serious risk to the preschool’s stability and urged the Council to pause and re-evaluate the project while considering mitigation measures to support both senior housing and TOPS’ continued operation.

Item I.1
Packet Page 16
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 9 of 24 06.09.26
Claire Peterson, an early childhood educator and former TOPS parent, spoke in support of TOPS and its leadership. She noted that both of her children attended TOPS and that her experience there led to a long career in early childhood education.

Ms. Peterson highlighted a broader shortage of childcare and preschool capacity locally and said the potential loss of approximately 70 spaces at TOPS would significantly affect Orinda families. She also noted that regulatory and licensing changes to preschool operations can take substantial time to implement, even for modest adjustments. She urged the Council to consider these constraints and to prioritize preserving TOPS as a long-standing community childcare and education provider.

Molly MacFadden, a former TOPS student, parent, and educator, described the school’s outdoor classroom as a defining part of the TOPS experience. She said her daughters continue to recall the freedom, creativity, and discovery they experienced there.

She noted that, in her work at Sleepy Hollow Elementary School, TOPS graduates often stand out for their creativity, independence, and imagination, which she attributes to the outdoor learning environment. She also highlighted strong community engagement among TOPS families. She urged the Council to consider the long-term impacts of construction on the outdoor classroom, describing it as a valued community asset.

Mayor Iverson thanked the 31 speakers for their comments, noted that the Council could not respond to public comments, and confirmed that all remarks had been received and heard.

F. COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS
Councilmember Riley reported attending a John Muir Trust focus group with the Orinda Garden Club and a Municipal Finance webinar, and noted an upcoming Parks and Recreation facilities tour.

Vice Mayor Gee encouraged community participation in CCTA’s summer transportation input process via an online questionnaire, voicemail, or video submission, and asked staff to help promote it broadly.

Councilmember Malkani also attended the Municipal Finance webinar, the Orinda Chamber of Commerce mixer, Siesta Valley Bowl events, and a Meals on Wheels gala, highlighting community engagement and food insecurity concerns following the County tax measure outcome.

Councilmember Hoxie reported on the Lamorinda Spirit Van 20th anniversary celebration, presented a proclamation to a retiring Orinda Intermediate School teacher, attended a Chamber meeting, and encouraged residents to host an international student from Tabor Academy, noting the value of the exchange program.

Mayor Iverson highlighted Memorial Day observances, Pride Month events including a flag raising, an Eagle Scout ceremony recognizing six new Eagle Scouts, relocation of the Friends of the Nature Area to Siesta Valley Bowl, and a presentation from White Pony Express on food recovery and distribution programs.

Item I.1
Packet Page 17
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 10 of 24 06.09.26
Mayor Iverson opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.

G. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Smith gave the following report:
• A Red-Flag Day warning notice has been posted from the National Weather Service which starts tomorrow evening at 11:00 p.m. They have been pushing out information about this and it will last until 9:00 a.m. the next morning. She advised members of the community to keep phones off of sleep mode for one night. • Thursday Nights in Orinda will kick off this week with Movie in the Park, the Lion King and food trucks will be back. Dogs are allowed on leash. • She would be remiss if she did not plug how Orinda works. The Citizens Academy is now accepting signups and it is available on the City’s website. It will start at the middle of August.
• They also have been approached about hosting a Watch Party this Friday for the soccer match between the USA and Paraguay so they are opening up the Founder’s Room in case members of the community want to come and watch together. It is a BYO food and beverage type of event and non-alcoholic. • Focus groups for wildfire preparedness will occur next week on June 16th. Visit the City’s website to find out more information.
• She reminded residents that they have changed their notification process for meetings and if someone has previously subscribed to receive meeting notices, go to their website and re-subscribe for the new system.

Mayor Iverson opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.

H. CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Iverson asked if Councilmembers or the public wished to remove any items, noting Item 8 was removed earlier in the meeting. There were no requests and no public comments.

H.1 Approval of City Council Minutes
The City Council will consider approval of the Meeting Minutes of:

1. May 19, 2026, Closed Session

2. May 19, 2026, Regular Meeting
RECOMMENDATION:

Approve City Council Minutes of

1. May 19, 2026, Closed Session

2. May 19, 2026, Regular Meeting
H.2 Approve Agreement with TJKM Transportation Consultants for the Bicycle, Trails, Walkways Master Plan Update
Item I.1
Packet Page 18
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 11 of 24 06.09.26
The City Council will consider adopting a Resolution, approving an agreement with TJKM Transportation Consultants (TJKM) for planning, engineering and professional design services to prepare the 2026 Bicycle, Trails, Walkways Master Plan Update. The proposed contract amount is $205,890. The master plan update will review and incorporate relevant projects from the 2011 Bicycle, Trails and Walkways Master Plan and provide new analysis that examines bicycle and pedestrian safety and needs, creating a comprehensive document that prioritizes multi-modal school commuter safety, safety in school zones and multi-modal transportation throughout the City.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution 32-26 to Award a contract to TJKM for the 2026 Bicycle, Trails, Walkways Master Plan Update professional services in the amount of $205,890, and authorize the City Manager to increase contract value by amendment, up to 15% ($31,000).

H.3 Accept Work and Contract with Eric F. Anderson Inc. for the Library Exterior Accent Tile Replacement Project, CIP No. 4179 The City Council will consider adopting Resolution No. 46-26 Accepting the Work and Contract with Eric F. Anderson Inc. (EFA) for the Library Exterior Accent Tile Replacement Project, CIP No. 4179.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution No. 46-26 Accepting the Work and Contract with Eric F.

Anderson, Inc. (EFA) for the Library Exterior Accent Tile Replacement Project, CIP No. 4179.

Adoption of the Appropriation Limit for the Fiscal Year 2026-27 The City Council will consider setting the Fiscal Year 2026-27 appropriation limit at
$29,986,057. It is a requirement under Article XIII of the State Constitution to adopt an annual appropriations limit which sets the amount of tax revenue a government can legally spend. Charges for services, regulatory fees, grants, donations, and other non-tax proceeds are not subject to the limit.

Exemptions are also made for voter-approved debt, qualified capital expenditures, and for the cost of compliance with court or Federal government mandates. The limit is allowed to increase annually based on inflation factors. This limit is calculated by multiplying the preceding year's appropriations limit by the percentage change in population of the City or County and the percentage change in the California Per Capita Personal Income.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution 36-26 Establishing the Annual Appropriations Limit for Fiscal Year 2026-27.

H.5 Agreements for the Contra Costa Clean Water Program (CCCWP) and the Group Program Inspection Agreement
Item I.1
Packet Page 19
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 12 of 24 06.09.26
The City Council will consider approval of two agreements, one for the Contra Costa Clean Water Program (CCCWP) and one for the Group Program Inspection, which supports compliance with stormwater permit requirements. The CCCWP Agreement is an amended and restated agreement that will extend for a 15-year period.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution 37-26 Approving the Contra Costa Clean Water Program (CCCWP) Agreement and Adopt Resolution 38-26 Approving the Group Program Inspection Agreement between City of Orinda and the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District.

H.6 Public Hearing - Confirm the Diagram and Assessment and Order the Levy and Collection of Assessments for the Orinda Street Lighting and Landscape Assessment District No. 1986-1, Zones L-42, M-9, and M-11 for Fiscal Year 2026-27
The City Council will hold a public hearing and consider confirming the diagram and assessment and ordering the levy and collection of assessments for the for Orinda Street Lighting and Landscaping Assessment District No. 1986-1, Zones L-42, M-9, and M-11, for Fiscal Year 2026-27. The proposed assessments will allow the City to continue providing street lighting, landscape maintenance, and related services within the District.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution No. 45-26 Confirming the Diagram and Assessment and Ordering the Levy and Collection of Assessments for the Orinda Street Lighting and Landscape Assessment District No. 1986-1 Zones L-42, M-9 and M-11 for Fiscal Year 2026-27.

H.7 Public Hearing - Approval of the City of Orinda Fiscal Year 2026- 27 Proposed Master Fee Schedule
The City Council will hold a public hearing (scheduled on the consent calendar) and consider adoption of its annual Master Fee Schedule. Fees included address the costs of providing services and the costs to mitigate development impacts. Where appropriate, user fees will be increased by

1.7% to reflect the change (increase) in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all urban workers for the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose metropolitan area from February 2025 to February 2026. Fees for the Lamorinda Fee and Finance Authority (LFFA) are adjusted based on the increase in the Engineering News-Record Construction Cost Index (CCI) for the San Francisco Bay Area for the period ending September 30.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution 28-26 Modifying Fees for Services Rendered by the City for Administrative, Planning, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety Services, and Development Impact Fees.

MOTION by Councilmember Hoxie moved, and seconded by Vice Mayor Gee to approve Consent Calendar Items H.1, H.2, H.3, H.4, H.5, H.6, and H.7. Said motion carried by unanimous (5-0)vote.

Item I.1
Packet Page 20
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 13 of 24 06.09.26
I. PUBLIC HEARING – None.

J. POLICY MATTERS
J.1 Discussion and Update on Ladris Software for Evacuation and Wildfire Modeling
The City Council will receive a presentation from Ladris CEO Leo Zlimen on the Ladris software program. Further, the City Council will discuss and provide direction to Staff extending the use of the software for its disaster planning and community education purposes. The existing one-year agreement is set to expire at the end of August 2026. Staff is proposing to enter into two-year extension with an annual fixed cost of $252,700, ensuring continuity of service as the City continues to refine its evacuation modeling and public education efforts.

RECOMMENDATION:

Receive the presentation and discuss the Staff recommendation to continue working with Ladris for two additional years at a fixed annual cost of $252,700.

City Manager Smith said this was an opportunity for the Council to have a more detailed discussion regarding the Ladris software, used less than a year where the City has a oneyear agreement as a result of the settlement agreement with OC. City staff is recommending they continue the arrangement with Ladris for at least two more years and they wanted to talk with the Council about the value they believe they are getting from the services and software provided by Ladris, and discuss working more collaboratively over the next couple of years. She introduced Leo.

Leo Zlimen, CEO of Ladris Technologies, stated that the company is honored to provide wildfire evacuation modeling services to the City of Orinda and other U.S. communities.

He commended Orinda for its transparency and proactive approach to wildfire risk and mitigation, noting that such openness is uncommon and commendable. He indicated he would first outline Ladris’ business operations before addressing Council questions.

He presented an overview of Ladris as a risk management company focused on helping communities measure and reduce risk using software, data, personnel, and artificial intelligence. He described the company’s service tiers, noting that Orinda is currently at the Enterprise level and is already exceeding typical usage for that tier, reflecting strong engagement with the platform.

He reported that Ladris has invested approximately $440,000 in support of Orinda over the past year, equating to roughly $1.65 in platform investment for every $1.00 of contract value, and stated the company’s continued commitment to public education efforts intended to reduce the City’s risk exposure.

He further outlined key wildfire planning priorities for the next two years, including contraflow analysis, protection of vulnerable populations, Red Flag Day street planning, and Safety Element and emergency vehicle access analysis.

Item I.1
Packet Page 21
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 14 of 24 06.09.26
He concluded by praising the City’s leadership and community engagement, emphasizing that Orinda stands out among clients for its high level of transparency and effective use of evacuation modeling, and expressed appreciation to the Council before opening the floor for questions.

Mayor Iverson opened the public comment period.

Jud Hammon, a resident and SSTOC member, expressed ongoing concern about wildfire mitigation and the City’s overall risk. He said that his initial impression of the Ladris proposal was positive, viewing it as having strong potential to help address complex wildfire-related challenges, particularly the central question of how to reduce risk to life and property in Orinda. However, he noted a key limitation in his perspective of the current approach, stating that the emphasis appears to be primarily on evacuation modeling rather than on reducing total wildfire risk. He suggested that this focus does not fully address broader mitigation needs.

Mr. Hammon also raised concerns about aspects of the wildfire spread modeling, stating that certain simulated fire front behaviors did not appear fully accurate to him. He referenced prior comments he had shared via email and indicated he may follow up further on those technical questions. Despite these concerns, he acknowledged that if the model can continuously update based on real-time fire behavior, then initial inaccuracies in long-range projections may be corrected as new data becomes available. On that basis, he said he remains optimistic about the tool’s value for evacuation planning.

He concluded by asking where the City should prioritize fuel reduction efforts, noting this remains an unresolved question. He suggested that either a different modeling approach or further development of the current system may be needed to better address long-term risk reduction strategies.

Councilmember Malkani asked whether Ladris can incorporate near real-time wildfire data—such as updated fire front locations and changing wind conditions—into its model during an active incident to improve evacuation guidance when initial predictions change.

Mr. Zlimen responded that the company is developing a system called “Prime,” scheduled for announcement around August, which is designed to operationalize real-time updates, including fire perimeter changes and traffic data, to continuously reproject wildfire behavior. He noted that while this capability is already functioning internally, it has not yet been publicly released and was not part of the original scope of the City’s engagement, though it is technically available.

Councilmember Malkani referenced public correspondence raising questions about the reliability and scope of the wildfire modeling.

Item I.1
Packet Page 22
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 15 of 24 06.09.26
Mr. Zlimen replied that the discussion should distinguish between evacuation modeling and strategies for property protection. He stated that the system already includes capabilities to simulate fuel breaks and other interventions intended to slow fire spread using available fuel data. He added that these features have been active within the system for most of the contract period and that City staff have received training on them, though he acknowledged they have not been fully implemented due to competing priorities. He further suggested that such capabilities could support vegetation management planning and potential grant applications.

City Manager Smith stated that staff have been evaluating multiple aspects of the system and are particularly focused on whether investments improve evacuation timing. She emphasized that their primary priorities are life safety, followed by evacuation effectiveness, and then property protection.

Mayor Iverson noted that wildfire management has traditionally been split between two domains: fire behavior modeling used by fire agencies for suppression planning, and evacuation/traffic modeling systems like those used by Ladris. She asked whether these two approaches are converging and how the City should conceptualize their relationship.

Mr. Zlimen responded that Ladris has been working to integrate these capabilities over the past year, combining wildfire, flood, and evacuation tools into a unified platform called “Core.” He said the system now allows users to evaluate both life safety and economic impacts, and can incorporate parcel-level data to compare outcomes with and without mitigation measures, including modeled effects of suppression. He described these features as newly enhanced and evolving rapidly.

He added that the platform has advanced significantly over the past year and now aligns more closely with leading wildfire suppression modeling tools used in California, drawing on similar fire science and high-resolution (5-meter) data. However, he emphasized that limitations remain in fire modeling, particularly in predicting structure-to-structure fire spread due to unknown conditions within individual homes. While vegetation-driven fire behavior can be modeled with increasing accuracy, the variability of building contents prevents precise prediction of how structures ignite and propagate fire.

Mayor Iverson then asked how Orinda, despite its small size, has become such an intensive user of the system, and whether this level of investment is realistic or scalable, especially given limited participation from neighboring jurisdictions and budget constraints.

Mr. Zlimen replied that wildfire risk often lacks a clearly defined owner within government structures, unlike areas such as cybersecurity or finance. He argued that some jurisdictions have chosen to explicitly take ownership of wildfire risk as a managed responsibility and are investing accordingly, despite cost and complexity. He said adoption varies widely, and while change is slow, more jurisdictions are beginning to treat wildfire risk as a core function of government.

Item I.1
Packet Page 23
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 16 of 24 06.09.26
He stated that Orinda is not unique in making such investments, but is notable for its level of engagement and transparency. He added that broader adoption will likely require time and coordination across county and regional levels, and referenced examples where similar “federated” approaches have emerged over multi-year timelines. He concluded that while Orinda’s adoption is still relatively recent, the City is ahead of many peers in its willingness to invest and share its approach.

Councilmember Hoxie noted concerns about vulnerable residents, including students, schools, and especially isolated seniors who live alone, may not drive, and may live in difficult-to-access areas. She asked how the software could help identify and support these individuals during an emergency.

Mr. Zlimen responded that the issue involves two distinct challenges. First is identification:
determining who needs assistance. He said this is largely a manual and opt-in process supported by community reporting tools and disaster registry systems, but noted that participation is typically low and requires active outreach, including door-to-door engagement and coordination with City departments.

Second is response: once vulnerable individuals are identified, ensuring they can safely evacuate. He said the platform is better suited to this phase by helping planners incorporate known vulnerable locations into evacuation strategies, including flagging high-risk properties and prioritizing them for targeted response. He added that effective use of this capability requires coordination with police, fire, and emergency management to integrate those locations into operational planning.

He concluded that improving disaster registries and better integrating community participation tools is an ongoing area of development, and indicated that Ladris is working with City staff on approaches to strengthen these systems over time.

Vice Mayor Gee asked whether local fire and police professionals, including MOFD, support and find value in the software, noting concern that the system can appear like a “black box.” She emphasized that while public-facing tools may be useful for awareness, the key measure is whether they effectively support City staff and emergency responders, who ultimately make operational decisions during disasters.

City Manager Smith agreed and stated that MOFD Chief Isaacs has been actively involved in the development and refinement of the system, including recent work on ember casting assumptions. She explained that initial modeling approaches were adjusted after direct feedback from the Chief, who clarified operational realities and helped guide more appropriate assumptions for Orinda-specific conditions. She added that staff also consulted with Cal Fire and other fire professionals to refine the model and ensure it reflects field experience.

She further noted that multiple departments have been engaged, including emergency services leadership and the City Engineer, to review evacuation modeling, parcel data accuracy, and operational constraints. This collaboration has led to updates in the system and improved alignment with real-world response planning.

Item I.1
Packet Page 24
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 17 of 24 06.09.26
City Manager Smith said that this work has already informed upcoming multi-agency tabletop exercises, including scenarios such as the Orinda Oaks area, anticipated road closures (e.g., Moraga Way), and limited real-time decision-making during fast-moving wildfire conditions. She emphasized that the modeling is now being used to support coordinated planning among agencies rather than public exploration alone.

Vice Mayor Gee also asked whether the City could use the modeling and outputs to advocate for increased mitigation funding from agencies such as EBMUD and state legislators. City Manager Smith responded affirmatively, noting that City representatives have already presented the work to state officials, including Senator Grayson and an Assemblymember, who expressed interest in broader statewide application. She added that there is growing discussion with Cal Fire and neighboring jurisdictions about expanding the approach regionally.

City Manager Smith concluded that while regional collaboration is being pursued, the City still has outstanding internal planning needs—such as evacuation analysis, contraflow planning, and other Safety Element commitments—and emphasized the importance of continuing to develop these tools with support from partners like Ladris.

Vice Mayor Gee closed by encouraging continued public education efforts and additional community forums to help residents understand the importance of the modeling and preparedness work.

Councilmember Riley suggested that if the City proceeds with a two-year contract, it should consider a structured reduction in services afterward, noting that it can be difficult to scale back once the City becomes accustomed to receiving detailed modeling outputs.

She asked whether the contract could be framed in a way that anticipates a planned “weaning” from the service over time.

City Manager Smith responded that this is ultimately a policy decision. She explained that the current use of the system serves two main purposes: public education through a portal that allows residents to explore evacuation scenarios, and operational planning to support City decision-making. She noted that the City is still in the early stages of using the platform to fully answer key planning questions. After the two-year period, the City may have developed sufficient knowledge to transition to a reduced level of service or potentially rely on more regionalized capabilities, depending on outcomes.

She added that continuity of institutional knowledge is a consideration, with documentation being created to preserve learnings as staff and leadership continue to engage with the system. She also noted that fire leadership, including the Chief, is sharing insights with Battalion Chiefs to support operational use.

Mayor Iverson suggested in addition to asking for more time, she will suggest take a break between this matter and two matters. She asked how much more time they should vote to extend the meeting.

EXTEND MEETING
MOTION by Mayor Iverson, and seconded by Councilmember Riley, to extend the meeting at 9:50 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Said motion carried by unanimous (5-0) vote.

Item I.1
Packet Page 25
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 18 of 24 06.09.26
Councilmember Malkani asked whether the modeling system can be used to evaluate how fuel reduction efforts—particularly on non-city lands such as EBMUD and East Bay Regional Park District properties—might reduce overall wildfire risk and improve evacuation conditions. She referenced longstanding concerns that even with local mitigation, broader landscape-level risk remains, and asked whether the model can demonstrate the impact of treating those larger areas.

Mr. Zlimen responded that the system can model the effects of fuel treatments, including estimating reductions in potential economic loss by comparing scenarios with and without mitigation. He noted that for large-scale wildfire behavior, they also have access to advanced atmospheric fire modeling tools, including work associated with Dr. Cohen’s fire behavior research, which can help simulate how fire spreads under complex weather conditions.

He added that the system can also assess evacuation-relevant impacts, such as changes in heat intensity along roadways to determine whether routes remain safely passable under different fire scenarios. However, he noted that applying these analyses across multiple jurisdictions and landowners can be challenging, since responsibilities for mitigation, evacuation, and land management are distributed among different agencies.

He emphasized that wildfire risk management is inherently a fragmented, multi-agency problem involving overlapping responsibilities across utilities, land managers, fire agencies, and law enforcement, which can complicate coordinated action. Despite these challenges, he said that scenario modeling can help quantify potential benefits of mitigation, particularly in terms of avoided property loss.

He concluded that while risk levels fluctuate over time, the value of such modeling lies in identifying high-impact opportunities where targeted fuel treatments could meaningfully reduce losses in major fire events.

Mayor Iverson asked about the return on investment for the proposed two-year extension and how Mr. Zlimen views the value of continued higher-level service in years two and three, particularly in comparison to alternative uses of funds such as reserves or infrastructure projects like roads and storm drains.

Assistant City Manager Alessio responded that the value of the system is significant from both a financial oversight and risk management perspective. He noted that while the direct financial return is difficult to quantify in the absence of a disaster, the tool has the potential to reduce exposure to substantial wildfire-related claims and improve overall City preparedness and performance.

Mayor Iverson pressed further on opportunity cost, asking why continued investment in the platform would be preferable to other municipal priorities. Mr. Alessio replied that the greatest value lies in the potential to influence broader regional behavior around wildfire mitigation. He explained that wildfire risk is highly interconnected across jurisdictions, and that the modeling could help visualize and communicate that shared risk in a way that encourages neighboring communities to take action. He said such influence and coordination would be difficult to achieve without the data and visual outputs provided by the system.

Item I.1
Packet Page 26
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 19 of 24 06.09.26
Mayor Iverson then asked what guidance should be given to the City Manager ahead of further discussions and decisions in August.

City Manager Smith said staff had already identified four key focus areas for the next two years, primarily centered on evacuation planning and operational readiness. She noted that Council interest also appears to include expanded wildfire modeling applications, particularly in support of grant funding, fuel mitigation planning, and coordination with regional agencies. She clarified that staff’s primary mandate remains evacuation and life safety, while acknowledging that fuel breaks and broader fire behavior modeling are typically handled by fire agencies. She indicated that if Council wishes to expand the scope to include these additional areas, staff could incorporate that work into the next phase of engagement with the vendor.

Councilmember Malkani emphasized that while evacuation planning must remain the City’s top priority, she sees a strong opportunity to use the modeling platform to advance regional wildfire mitigation efforts. She noted improving coordination with MOFD, the East Bay Regional Park District, and EBMUD, and said the City may be able to use the tool to help highlight large-scale “unmitigated risk areas” that extend beyond City boundaries.

She added that this could support efforts to secure additional grant funding for fuel reduction projects, particularly given that funding is currently available for such work, and expressed interest in using the model to strengthen regional investment and collaboration.

City Manager Smith responded that pursuing this direction would require close coordination with fire agencies to ensure alignment on priorities and responsibilities. She noted that a key first step would be confirming whether existing fuel breaks are sufficient and identifying where additional mitigation is needed. She referenced recent work, including mapping of existing fuel breaks by Contra Costa Fire Protection District and integration of GIS data, which allows the City to better assess how these features affect fire behavior and risk.

She added that understanding the effectiveness and maintenance needs of existing fuel breaks—such as those in North Orinda and the Happy Valley area—could help quantify their value and inform funding requests for ongoing maintenance and new projects. This type of analysis could support both local decision-making and regional advocacy by demonstrating where fuel treatments provide measurable risk reduction benefits.

Vice Mayor Gee expressed support for proceeding with the proposed contract extension, acknowledging the significant cost but noting her belief that additional funding sources may emerge over time, reducing the financial burden on Orinda alone. She suggested that regional funding opportunities, including potential enhancements to Contra Costa County tax measures such as Measure R, could help support continued investment in wildfire preparedness tools. She stated that, despite the expense, she supports continuing the program given its alignment with Measure R priorities.

Item I.1
Packet Page 27
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 20 of 24 06.09.26
Councilmember Riley said she felt the weight of the decision but ultimately could not oppose the proposal, while expressing concern about long-term dependency on the system. She supported a two-year term but emphasized the importance of planning for a future reduction in reliance on the service and maintaining internal City capacity. She questioned the prioritization of Red Flag Day analysis within the proposed focus areas, suggesting it may be less critical than regional coordination and mitigation efforts. City Manager Smith clarified that Red-Flag Day work primarily involves evaluating parking restrictions and street access adjustments, and is relatively straightforward compared to other modeling tasks.

Councilmember Riley reiterated that regional collaboration should be more central to the plan and suggested revisiting the priority structure of the four focus areas.

Councilmember Hoxie highlighted concerns regarding isolated seniors and the challenges of maintaining accurate disaster registries, particularly as residents move, age, or pass away. She emphasized the importance of integrating community-based systems, such as Senior outreach programs, to improve identification and evacuation planning for vulnerable individuals. She also supported continued attention to schoolrelated evacuation planning and Red-Flag Day considerations, reaffirming that life safety must remain the City’s top priority, followed by property protection. She expressed strong support for continued use of the software and deeper regional coordination.

Mayor Iverson concluded by emphasizing the City’s leadership role in wildfire preparedness and expressed frustration that other jurisdictions and agencies, including the fire district, are not contributing at a comparable level. She praised the collaboration between City staff and Ladris, noting the significant effort required to develop and refine the system. She stated that she trusts the judgment of staff and subject-matter experts who recommend continuing the program and expressed her support for approving the extension.

City Manager Smith confirmed she had direction and she and Councilmembers thanked Mr. Zlimen.

BREAK
Mayor Iverson called for a break at 10:12 p.m. and, thereafter, reconvened the meeting at 10:15 p.m.

J.2 Pilot Facade Improvement Program
The City Council will consider adoption of a pilot Facade Improvement Program, following a presentation to and recommendation from the Downtown Planning and Revitalization Subcommittee, composed of Mayor Iverson and Councilmember Hoxie.

The proposed program includes a two-tier grant structure, a $75,000 budget, and an administrative review process intended to reduce project timelines and uncertainty. Eligible improvements would focus on permanent exterior upgrades, including signage, lighting, storefront improvements, landscaping, outdoor dining enhancements, and ADA accessibility improvements.

RECOMMENDATION:

Item I.1
Packet Page 28
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 21 of 24 06.09.26
Adopt Resolution No. 35-26 directing implementation of the Facade Improvement Program, including exemptions from Planning Commission discretionary review, sign permit, tree removal permit, and outdoor dining permit requirements, and waiving applicable City building permit review and encroachment permit fees for approved projects.

Cole Haselip, Assistant to the City Manager, presented the staff report and accompanying PowerPoint on the proposed Façade Improvement Program (FIP). He explained that the program is identified as a strategic priority (3.e) and is intended to support exterior building improvements that enhance commercial areas and community aesthetics.

His presentation outlined the purpose and benefits of façade improvement programs, provided examples of similar initiatives in other jurisdictions, and summarized a proposed program structure. The proposal includes a one-year pilot program running from July through June 2027 with a total budget of $75,000. Under the program design, projects exceeding $10,000 would require applicant matching funds, with the City contributing up to $30,000 per project.

He also described streamlined administrative procedures, including staff-level review of applications in place of Planning Commission discretionary review. The program would exempt qualifying projects from certain permitting requirements, including sign permits, tree removal permits, and outdoor dining permits, and would waive associated building and encroachment permit fees for approved projects.

Staff recommends adoption of Resolution No. 35-26 to implement the pilot program and authorize the proposed exemptions and fee waivers. He added that staff would later return to Council with an ordinance formalizing the streamlined permitting approach, including adjustments to discretionary review processes needed to support program implementation.

Mayor Iverson asked whether the ordinance would require two readings. Mr. Haselip responded that staff would first take the item to the Planning Commission and noted that, although the program is intended to begin in July, the first applications are not expected immediately, so the approval process would not significantly delay implementation.

Councilmember Malkani asked whether there would be internal discretionary review of applications, clarifying that eligibility for funding would not be automatic even if an application falls under a certain dollar threshold. Mr. Haselip confirmed that applications would be evaluated against established criteria outlined in the staff report and would need to meet a minimum threshold to be considered. He added that proposals would also be reviewed in comparison to other submitted applications.

Vice Mayor Gee asked how the program would be publicized. Mr. Haselip said staff would use multiple outreach methods, including social media, newsletters, press outreach, Chamber of Commerce coordination, regional meetings, and direct engagement with property owners through existing business outreach staff.

Item I.1
Packet Page 29
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 22 of 24 06.09.26
Councilmember Riley questioned whether the proposed funding levels were sufficient, noting they appeared low. Mr. Haselip responded that the amounts were based on comparable programs in other jurisdictions and were intended to support a pilot approach, with flexibility to adjust funding levels in future Council action.

City Manager Smith added that the inclusion of a no-match tier was based on feedback from the local business community, particularly interest in smaller-scale improvements such as awnings or minor façade upgrades that might not warrant a matching investment.

She explained that the structure was designed to encourage broader participation while allowing the program to be adjusted after the pilot phase.

Mayor Iverson opened the public comments, and there were no speakers.

Mayor Iverson noted that in subcommittee discussions she had previously raised questions about whether items such as sidewalk dining, planters, and similar streetscape enhancements could be eligible for funding. She explained that staff clarified City funds are intended for permanent, taxable improvements to private property, rather than movable or non-fixed items. As a result, eligible improvements must be physically attached to buildings or structures, while items like planters and furniture are excluded.

She also referenced signage review, noting that while signage typically goes through the Planning process, she appreciated having input through the program’s structure to help shape outcomes and ensure quality improvements. She emphasized the importance of streamlining the process, while still maintaining a high standard of design review through dedicated staff oversight, particularly for signage, rather than relying on a full commissionlevel review.

Councilmember Malkani expressed support for the proposal and thanked both the subcommittee and staff for their work in bringing the program forward for Council consideration.

MOTION by Councilmember Malkani, and seconded by Vice Mayor Gee, to adopt Resolution No. 35-26 directing implementation of the Facade Improvement Program, including exemptions from Planning Commission discretionary review, sign permit, tree removal permit, and outdoor dining permit requirements, and waiving applicable City building permit review and encroachment permit fees for approved projects. Said motion carried by unanimous (5-0) vote.

J.3 Fiscal Year 2026-27 Mid-Cycle Budget Update, Including CIP Changes, Approval of New Job Classifications, and Annual Consolidated Salary Schedule Update
On June 3, 2025, the City Council adopted a two-year budget covering Fiscal Year 2025-26 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) and Fiscal Year 2026- 27 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027). Since the budget relies on estimates and projections, it is appropriate to periodically review the financial plan and make adjustments as necessary, which includes changes to the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

Item I.1
Packet Page 30
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 23 of 24 06.09.26
In addition, Staff is recommending the creation of three new job classifications as part of the staffing plan for Fiscal Year 2026-27 along with the annual update to the Consolidate Salary Schedule which incorporates adjustments for both Unrepresented Employees and the General Employees unit, ensuring alignment and consistency across all classifications.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt the following resolutions: 1) Resolution 48-26 Approving the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Mid-Cycle Budget Adjustment, 2) Resolution 43-26 Approving New Job Classifications, and 3) Resolution 44-26 Approving the Amended Consolidated Salary Schedule.

Assistant City Manager Doug Alessio said this item is the FY 2026/27 mid-cycle budget update, including CIP changes. It is approval of three new job classifications and approval of the annual consolidated salary schedule update. He then presented the staff report and overview of the budget, with minor changes which he described. Staff incorporated the changes proposed at the May 5th meeting which he highlighted.

EXTEND MEETING
MOTION by Councilmember Malkani, and seconded by Vice Mayor Gee, to extend the meeting at 10:30 p.m. to 10:35 p.m. Said motion carried by unanimous (5-0) vote.

Human Resources Manager Ginger Staton said to ensure transparency, she read the monthly salary ranges for the Director level positions into the public record.

Staff recommends the Council adopt the following resolutions: 1) Resolution 48-26 Approving the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Mid-Cycle Budget Adjustment, 2) Resolution 43-26 Approving New Job Classifications, and 3) Resolution 44-26 Approving the Amended Consolidated Salary Schedule.

There were no questions on the Operating Budget, and Mayor Iverson called on Public Works Director Scott Christie, who briefly summarized changes made based on the Council’s input from the May 5th meeting and a recap of what the CIP is.

Mayor Iverson referenced the Altarinda sidewalk, noting that while there are popular walking areas on either side, she was not aware of significant pedestrian movement between them. She stated that the area appears to have a demonstrated need for a sidewalk, but it is not currently scheduled in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for approximately three years. She suggested that the Bicycle Master Plan could evaluate the corridor sooner to better inform prioritization.

Mr. Christie responded that the project has been included in long-range planning documents, including the Bike, Trails, and Walkways Plan, and has moved into a higher priority tier in recent updates. He acknowledged that pedestrians do use the area, but noted that existing conditions are constrained and unsafe due to narrow roadway conditions and the absence of a sidewalk. He added that the updated planning effort would consider the corridor’s needs and help reassess its timing and prioritization.

Mayor Iverson asked to make that a question in the plan versus a given in the plan.

Item I.1
Packet Page 31
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 24 of 24 06.09.26
Councilmember Hoxie supported the need for improvements along the Altarinda corridor, noting firsthand familiarity with the area through a friend who lives nearby. She explained that pedestrians do use the roadway, particularly around a curved section with limited visibility due to vegetation and traffic conditions, which creates safety concerns.

She added that some residents walk along the route toward the freeway crossing and that access to the nearby bus stop at Altarinda and St. Stephens currently requires walking in the street. Given these conditions, she stated that she believes the location is a strong candidate for a sidewalk improvement and would benefit from prioritization.

EXTEND MEETING
MOTION by Councilmember Malkani, and seconded by Vice Mayor Gee, to extend the meeting at 10:30 p.m. to 10:55 p.m. Said motion carried by unanimous (5-0) vote.

Mayor Iverson thanked staff for such great listening, noting she is excited about for projects in the CIP and likes some of the new changes, as well as sidewalks which will be very appreciated.

Councilmembers thanked staff for their excellent report.

MOTION by Councilmember Hoxie, and seconded by Vice Mayor Gee, to adopt the following resolutions: 1) Resolution 48-26 Approving the Fiscal Year 2026-27 MidCycle Budget Adjustment, 2) Resolution 43-26 Approving New Job Classifications, and 3) Resolution 44-26 Approving the Amended Consolidated Salary Schedule.

Said motion carried by unanimous (5-0) vote.

K. MATTERS INITIATED – None.

L. ADJOURNMENT
The Regular Meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:55 p.m. to the next Regular City Council Meeting on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
______________________________
Sheri Marie Smith, City Clerk
Item I.1
Packet Page 32
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 1 of 13 06.16.26
JUNE 16, 2026

CITY OF ORINDA

CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Note: Written communications received from the public prior to the start of this meeting can be viewed on the City’s website meeting calendar. They are also kept in the City Clerk’s Office as part of the public record and available upon request ([email protected]). 7:00 P.M. – REGULAR MEETING– ORINDA LIBRARY AUDITORIUM
A. CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL:

Mayor Iverson called the Regular Meeting to order at approximately 7:00 p.m.

COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Cara Hoxie, Latika Malkani, Janet Riley Mayor Brandyn Iverson
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: Vice Mayor Darlene Gee
B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Led by Mayor Iverson.

C. CLOSED SESSION REPORT (when applicable)
D. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
MOTION by Mayor Iverson, and seconded by Councilmember Hoxie, to adopt the agenda. Said motion carried by unanimous (4-0-1; Gee absent) vote.

E. ITEMS FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY
E.1 Proclamation Honoring America’s 250th Anniversary
Mayor Iverson read a proclamation honoring America’s 250th Anniversary into the record.

Vanessa Cruz stated on behalf of the Acalanes Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, she thanked the Council for this proclamation recognizing the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence as well as efforts throughout Orinda. She recognized the extraordinary courage of the men and women who supported the cause of the American independence.

In 1776, no one knew how the struggle would end. Those who signed the Declaration served in the milia, provided provisions, or pledged their loyalty. The nation took real risks in support of liberty and self-government. America 250 provides an opportunity not only to reflect on our nation’s founding but also to celebrate the enduring ideals of freedom, civic engagement and service that continue to unite our communities today.

Ms. Cruz then briefly remarked on various events and activities they are holding and noted they will be back in October to celebrate the anniversary for the Statue of Liberty.

Mayor Iverson opened the Public Forum, and there were no speakers.

Item I.1
Packet Page 33
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 2 of 13 06.16.26
Councilmembers thanked Ms. Cruz for her commitment, leadership, and focus on America’s 250th celebration.

F. PUBLIC FORUM - None
G. COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmember Hoxie reported meeting with Suzy Pak of Lamorinda Senior Village regarding their work supporting seniors and their existing partnership with the City of Lafayette, as well as potential opportunities for expansion. She also attended the Historical Landmarks Commission meeting on June 10, where two properties were initiated into the historical designation process. She noted that the yellow house on Moraga Way, previously believed to be designated, is being reviewed to confirm its status and determine whether formal designation is required.

Councilmember Malkani reported attending the SSTOC meeting, where the Safety Element update was discussed. She also noted a discussion regarding Ladris and encouraged the Council to review the previous meeting for additional context.

Councilmember Riley reported attending the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting and receiving a tour of City recreational facilities and playing fields, encouraging other Councilmembers to do the same. She also highlighted a tour of Wilder Park and the dog park near Pine Grove. Regarding upcoming community events, she noted that the traditional 4th of July run will not be held this year, but the pancake breakfast will continue.

She also reported attending the Art in Public Places meeting, where a new sculpture titled “Poised” was introduced. She further noted a new installation near the Plaza fountain, described as a large “baby spider” sculpture.

Mayor Iverson reminded the Council that Juneteenth is formally recognized as a City and national holiday in Orinda. She announced the upcoming Sabrina Ionescu Gym Dedication scheduled for Friday, June 26, from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m., with the formal ceremony at 5:30 p.m., followed by a ticketed fundraising event at 7:00 p.m., and encouraged community attendance.

She also reported attending the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District 80th anniversary event, noting the organization’s wastewater treatment and resource recovery operations.

In addition, she shared library usage statistics from the most recent Mayors’ Meeting, reporting approximately 225,000 items checked out by Orinda residents year-to-date and approximately 124,000 library visits in the first five months of the year.

Mayor Iverson opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.

H. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Smith gave the following report:
• This Thursday night is Thursday Nights in Orinda. The Good Time Collective will be the band and they are excellent.

Item I.1
Packet Page 34
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 3 of 13 06.16.26
• How Orinda Works is still looking for members of the community who wish to learn more, which starts in August. It is their new Citizens Academy and signup is available on the City’s website.
• Focus groups for wildfire preparedness are happening now in the City buildings.

Staff will have some information to share with the Council and the SSTOC as a result of the feedback received from the focus groups.
• She reminded that notifications for residents to get meeting notices has changed.

If residents want to continue to receive notices, she asked them to subscribe to the new system on the City’s website.

Mayor Iverson opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.

City Clerk Smith reminded the Council at the July 7th meeting the City will restart receiving Zoom public comments at Council meetings.

I. CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Iverson asked if Councilmembers or the public wished to remove any items, and there were no requests and no public comments.

I.1 General Municipal Election - November 3, 2026
The City Council will consider adoption of Resolution No. 20-26 to call the November 3, 2026, General Municipal Election for three Orinda City Council seats and to request consolidation with the County to administer the election and canvass results. It also establishes key election parameters, including a 250-word limit for candidate statements and a provision for the conduct of the election resulting in a tie vote.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution No. 20-26 calling for the General Municipal Election and requesting and consenting to the Consolidation of Elections on November 3, 2026, and Setting Specifications of the Election Order.

I.2 Approval of Investment Policy for Fiscal Year 2026-27 The City Council adopted the current investment policy on June 17, 2025, following a review and recommendation from the Finance Advisory Committee (FAC). The policy follows recommended guidelines for the prudent management of public funds. Section XIX of the policy provides that an annual review shall be performed by the Finance Advisory Committee.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution 50-26 approving the Investment Policy for Fiscal Year 2026-27 and delegating authority to make investments.

I.3 Designate Local Agency Officials Required to Complete Ethics Training and Fiscal & Financial Training Pursuant to State Law Item I.1
Packet Page 35
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 4 of 13 06.16.26
The City Council will consider Resolution No. 41-26 which would update and supersede Resolution No. 32-21 to reflect changes in California law resulting from Senate Bill (SB) 827, effective January 1, 2026. SB 827 revises mandatory ethics training requirements for local agency officials and establishes new fiscal and financial training requirements. The proposed Resolution identifies the local agency officials subject to these requirements, establishes compliance timelines, and directs the maintenance and public availability of training records as required by law.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution No. 41-26 Designating Local Agency Officials Required to Complete Ethics Training and Fiscal & Financial Training Pursuant to and directing the maintenance and public availability of training records as required by law.

I.4 Acceptance of the Library Parcel Tax Independent Review Annual Report for the Period Ending June 30, 2025
The City Council will consider acceptance of the Library Parcel Tax Independent Review Annual Report. The Library Parcel Tax measure approved by Orinda voters on June 5, 2018, provided for an annual review of parcel tax revenue and expenditures by an Independent Library Parcel Tax Review Committee (Committee). The Committee reviewed a draft of the report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, at their meeting May 28, 2026.

RECOMMENDATION:

Accept the Report for the period ending June 30, 2025.

I.5 Contract with Alpha CM, Inc. for the 2025–2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Project (Project Nos. 4183 and 4190) and Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement with Harris & Associates, Inc.

The City Council will consider adopting Resolution No. 52-26 to approve a Professional Services Agreement to Alpha CM, Inc. for construction management and inspection services for the 2025 and 2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects, as well as approve an amendment to the Agreement with Harris & Associates for said Projects.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution 52-26 to Approve a Professional Services Agreement to Alpha CM, Inc. for construction management and inspection services for the 2025 and 2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (Project Nos. 4183 and 4190) in the amount of $235,852, and authorize the City Manager to increase contract value by amendment, up to 15% ($35,400); and (2) Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement with Harris & Associates, Inc. for the 2025 and 2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects, increasing the contract amount from $294,350 to $361,350.

I.6 California Consulting, Townsend Public Affairs, and Tripepi Smith Agreements
Item I.1
Packet Page 36
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 5 of 13 06.16.26
The City Council will consider amending agreements with California Consulting, Townsend Public Affairs, and Tripepi Smith for grant-writing, legislative advocacy, and communications services, respectively. These firms provide specialized support that advances a variety of City priorities, including securing external funding, monitoring and influencing state and federal legislation, supporting community outreach efforts, and promoting economic development initiatives and wildfire preparedness. The proposed amendments would extend these services through June 30, 2027.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution No. 39-26 Approving Amendment No. 2 to the Professional Services Agreement with California Consulting, Resolution No. 54-26 Approving Amendment No. 2 to the Professional Services Agreement with Townsend Public Affairs., and Resolution No. 34-26 Approving Amendment No. 2 to the Professional Services Agreement with Tripepi Smith and Associates, Inc.

MOTION by Councilmember Hoxie moved, and seconded by Councilmember Riley to approve Consent Calendar Items I.1, I.2, I.3, I.4, I.5, and I.6. Said motion carried by unanimous (4-0-1; Gee absent) vote.

J. PUBLIC HEARING – None.

K. POLICY MATTERS
K.1 Legislative Update from Townsend Public Affairs
The City Council will receive a legislative update from Townsend Public Affairs and discuss recent activities in Sacramento and Washington DC.

RECOMMENDATION:

Receive the update on legislative advocacy and government affairs.

Casey Elliott, Vice President, Townsend Public Affairs, provided an update on state and federal legislative activities, focusing on the State budget, priority legislation, and the federal appropriations process.

State Budget
Mr. Elliott reported that the State budget process is entering its final stages following the Governor’s January budget proposal and May Revision. The May Revision reflects updated revenue projections, including approximately $16 billion in additional revenue over the three-year budget outlook, largely attributable to strong stock market performance.

The Governor’s proposal focuses primarily on maintaining existing programs and addressing impacts from recent federal legislation affecting Health and Human Services programs. Additional funding is directed toward mitigating increased administrative requirements and service impacts resulting from federal changes. Consistent with Proposition 98 requirements, roughly half of new revenues are allocated to TK–12 and community college education.

Item I.1
Packet Page 37
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 6 of 13 06.16.26
The Governor’s May Revision includes approximately $14 billion in budget solutions to eliminate projected deficits in the current and upcoming fiscal years. These solutions rely largely on borrowing, payment deferrals, reserve adjustments, and special fund transfers rather than significant program reductions. While deficits for FY 2026–27 and FY 2027– 28 are addressed, projected out-year deficits of approximately $10 billion remain.

The Legislature approved AB 109 on June 15, meeting the constitutional deadline for budget passage. The legislative budget closely mirrors the Governor’s proposal, with a General Fund budget of approximately $253 billion, but allocates roughly $5 billion more in current-year spending. The Legislature also proposes increasing reserve balances to approximately $36.5 billion across the State’s major reserve accounts.

Key legislative budget priorities include:
• $400 million for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Program.
• Approximately $700 million for housing-related programs. • Additional funding for Health and Human Services programs, including delaying certain service reductions and fee increases proposed by the Administration. • Approximately $375 million for public safety programs, including $50 million for Proposition 36 implementation, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, and county probation workload adjustments.

The Governor has until June 29 to sign or modify the budget. Negotiations between the Administration and Legislature are expected to continue through the end of June, followed by consideration of budget trailer bills and related amendments. Major outstanding issues, including Cap-and-Trade revenues and implementation of Proposition 4 (Natural Resources Bond), are expected to be addressed later in the summer.

Legislative Update
Mr. Elliott noted that the Legislature has entered the second half of the legislative session, with all active bills now under consideration in their second house.

Key legislation supported by the City includes:

Wildfire Preparedness
• Legislation by Assemblymember Bennett establishing a statewide homehardening certification program, with implementation targeted for 2028. • Legislation by Assemblymember Papan supporting regional wildfire preparedness grant applications, allowing collaborative efforts among multiple jurisdictions.

Property Insurance
• Legislation by Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan requiring annual review of distressed insurance markets and expanding eligibility criteria for areas seeking relief from reliance on the FAIR Plan.
• Legislation by Senator Allen increasing transparency and notice requirements for homeowners facing insurance policy non-renewals.

Public Safety
• Assemblymember Grayson’s Red Flag Warning bill, which would allow school districts to close schools during severe fire weather events without losing Average Daily Attendance funding.

Item I.1
Packet Page 38
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 7 of 13 06.16.26
E-Bikes
• Legislation by Assemblymember Davies establishing educational and safety training programs for student e-bike riders.
• Legislation by Assemblymember Wilson implementing recommendations from the Mineta Transportation Institute regarding speed limits, manufacturing standards, and safety requirements.
• Several other e-bike bills, including proposals related to registration and power limits, did not advance but remain areas of legislative interest.

Transportation Funding
• SB 922 would preserve the use of franchise fee revenues for local road maintenance.
• Additional legislation would allow the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) to place a revenue extension measure on the ballot without affecting the county sales tax cap.

Recycling
• The City has supported AB 2253 by Assemblymember Boerner, which strengthens requirements related to recycled-content claims and product labeling.

Federal Appropriations
Mr. Elliott reported that both federal funding requests submitted by the City through Congressman DeSaulnier were selected for inclusion in House appropriations bills:
• Camino Pablo Pathway Rehabilitation Project – included in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) bill, with funding reduced to $250,000. • North Orinda Shaded Fuel Break Project – included in the Agriculture appropriations bill and fully funded at the requested amount.

In addition, a regional emergency communications radio project submitted by the Town of Moraga on behalf of the Lamorinda communities was included in the T-HUD bill with $775,000 in funding.

Mr. Elliott noted that, due to the federal election cycle, final appropriations bills are unlikely to be approved before the October 1 federal fiscal year deadline. Action is more likely during a post-election lame-duck session or in early 2026. Inclusion of these projects in House committee markups significantly improves their prospects for final funding. He concluded and said he was available to answer questions.

Councilmember Malkani noted that Assemblymember Bennett’s home hardening certification bill is voluntary and asked whether insurance companies have expressed support for the proposed certification process.

Mr. Elliott responded that the bill is intended, in part, to increase insurer confidence in homes that have completed wildfire mitigation improvements. While insurance carriers and their statewide association are not currently opposing the measure, they have not formally supported it either. He noted that the bill also includes a consumer protection component by establishing standards for contractors performing home hardening work, ensuring homeowners receive consistent and reliable services.

Item I.1
Packet Page 39
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 8 of 13 06.16.26
He added that other legislation introduced this session sought to require insurers to provide greater consideration to homeowners who completed hardening improvements, but those measures did not advance. The home hardening certification bill, however, continues to move forward.

Councilmember Malkani further asked whether the certification framework would likely align with existing wildfire mitigation guidelines used by the insurance industry, such as the IBHS standards.

Mr. Elliott explained that the bill establishes broad parameters and directs state agencies to develop the certification program rather than prescribing specific standards. Given the limited timeframe for implementation, he expects the State Fire Marshal and other agencies to rely heavily on existing models and industry-recognized standards when developing the program.

Mayor Iverson asked for clarification regarding Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan’s bill and the definition of a “distressed” area for insurance purposes.

Mr. Elliott explained that the California Department of Insurance’s Sustainable Insurance Strategy allows insurers to use catastrophe modeling when setting rates. In exchange, insurers must increase coverage in distressed areas, defined as communities where at least 15% of properties are insured through the FAIR Plan or are otherwise at risk of moving to the FAIR Plan.

Eligibility is determined at both the county and ZIP code levels. While Contra Costa County does not currently meet the countywide threshold, certain ZIP codes may qualify.

The existing regulations established eligible ZIP codes on a one-time basis and do not require periodic review. Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan’s bill would require annual reevaluation of eligible areas to ensure communities experiencing increased insurance market challenges can qualify for incentives designed to attract private insurers and reduce reliance on the FAIR Plan.

Mayor Iverson confirmed her understanding that insurers are permitted to use catastrophe modeling only if they expand coverage in distressed areas and help move policyholders off the FAIR Plan. Mr. Elliott agreed, noting that the intent is to create incentives for private insurers to re-enter higher-risk markets and expand coverage opportunities for communities such as Orinda.

Councilmember Hoxie asked whether SB 1301 would require insurers to provide homeowners an opportunity to address identified deficiencies before a policy is nonrenewed. Specifically, she asked whether an insurer would be required to maintain coverage if a homeowner corrected the conditions cited as the basis for non-renewal.

Mr. Elliott stated that he was not certain of the bill’s specific requirements and did not believe it included such a provision. He indicated that he would review the legislation and provide a follow-up response through City staff.

Item I.1
Packet Page 40
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 9 of 13 06.16.26
Councilmember Hoxie expressed concern regarding the pace of state action on e-bike regulation, noting that unsafe riding behavior by minors remains a visible and growing issue in the community. She described observing a group of young riders traveling along Orinda Way, including one performing a wheelie in traffic, and questioned whether the State’s current focus on education is sufficient to address public safety concerns.

Mr. Elliott acknowledged the frustration shared by many communities and noted that, despite the slow pace of legislative action, this has been the most active year to date for e-bike legislation. He highlighted recent amendments to AB 2436, which would provide local jurisdictions greater authority to establish e-bike speed limits of 10, 15, or 20 miles per hour depending on the roadway or pathway.

He also noted that county-specific legislation has been introduced to allow jurisdictions in San Diego and San Mateo Counties to adopt local regulations restricting younger riders on certain types of e-bikes. Mr. Elliott stated that he recently requested consideration of similar authority for Contra Costa County but was informed that such an expansion would not be included at this time. However, discussions remain ongoing.

Mr. Elliott added that there appears to be growing statewide recognition of e-bike safety concerns. Legislative committees that previously declined to hold informational hearings on the issue are now committing to further review, suggesting continued legislative activity and additional policy proposals in the coming year.

Councilmember Malkani noted that recent policy discussions, including League of California Cities briefings, highlighted proposed legislation that would regulate e-bikes at the manufacturing and point-of-sale level. She understood that several of those measures did not advance and asked Mr. Elliott to share his perspective on the challenges surrounding e-bike regulation and what future legislative efforts may entail. She observed that the Legislature now appears to be taking the issue more seriously, while also recognizing the complexity of finding effective solutions.

Mr. Elliott agreed that lawmakers are increasingly engaged on the issue but noted that the policy discussion has become significantly more nuanced. Over the past several years, conversations have expanded beyond traditional e-bikes to include pedal-assist bicycles, throttle-controlled vehicles, mopeds, and electric motorcycles marketed as bicycles. As policymakers have gained a better understanding of these distinctions, crafting legislation has become more challenging.

He explained that manufacturers and retailers have raised concerns about potential liability and product classification requirements, while bicycle advocates continue to emphasize the benefits of e-bikes as a transportation alternative that can reduce automobile dependence and improve access to public transit. As a result, legislators are working to balance safety concerns with mobility and transportation goals.

Mr. Elliott noted that the issue is no longer viewed as a localized concern but rather as a statewide challenge requiring a comprehensive approach. Policymakers are increasingly focused on developing regulations that address specific safety issues and vehicle classifications rather than applying broad restrictions. He added that future legislative potentially involving registration or identification systems that would assist law enforcement and facilitate communication with parents when safety concerns arise.

Item I.1
Packet Page 41
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 10 of 13 06.16.26
While progress has been slower than many communities would prefer, Mr. Elliott stated that the Legislature appears committed to a more holistic review of the issue and is likely to continue advancing e-bike-related legislation in future sessions.

In response to Councilmember Hoxie, the one in San Mateo and San Diego pilot would allow local jurisdictions to prohibit anyone under 12 from riding. Once you get into that murky high school age, it becomes more difficult. Once you talk about adults riding bikes it becomes helmets, lights, safety devices, etc. So, it is that middle school to high school age.

Mayor Iverson stated that SB 1408 was somewhat confusing and asked for clarification regarding the State sales tax cap and how the proposed legislation would affect the CCTA.

Mr. Elliott explained that California law limits the total amount of local add-on sales taxes that may be imposed above the statewide sales tax rate. In many counties, including Contra Costa County, existing transportation, transit, housing, health, and local revenue measures have caused local sales tax rates to approach or reach the statutory cap.

He noted that when local agencies seek to extend or adopt additional voter-approved sales tax measures, they may require state legislation authorizing an exemption from the cap. SB 1408 would provide such an exemption for a future CCTA revenue measure, allowing it to be placed before voters and collected if approved, even if doing so would exceed the existing state limit.

Mr. Elliott emphasized that the legislation does not impose a new tax or automatically extend an existing measure. Any proposed tax measure would still require approval by both the CCTA Board and county voters. The bill simply provides the legal authority necessary for CCTA to pursue a future revenue measure despite the county’s proximity to the State sales tax cap, and this is why Sacramento gets involved in these.

Councilmember Malkani commended the City Manager and staff for their efforts in securing federal appropriations and asked whether the City should consider participating in the National League of Cities (NLC) as part of its legislative advocacy strategy.

Mr. Elliott explained that the National League of Cities serves a role at the federal level similar to that of the League of California Cities at the state level. NLC organizes advocacy efforts, including Capitol Hill visits and meetings with federal policymakers, and can be particularly effective in building coalitions among local governments across multiple states to advance issues of national significance.

He noted that NLC has proven valuable when local government concerns move beyond state legislatures and into federal agencies or Congress. For example, advocacy efforts on telecommunications and small-cell infrastructure issues were strengthened by coordinating local government voices from multiple states before the Federal Communications Commission.

Item I.1
Packet Page 42
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 11 of 13 06.16.26
He added that the value of NLC participation often depends on the federal policy environment and the issues under consideration at a given time. Over the past several years, congressional gridlock has limited the amount of significant legislation moving through Congress, resulting in fewer opportunities for direct local government engagement. However, NLC continues to play an important role in major federal policy discussions, including transportation reauthorization, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, housing and urban development programs, and other federal funding initiatives affecting local governments.

He concluded that NLC can be a valuable advocacy and networking resource, particularly when significant federal policy or funding issues affecting cities are under consideration.

Mayor Iverson said in the “dare to dream” category regarding RHNA 7th cycle numbers, she has been asking who set the numbers to begin with. She has been told that HCD sets the numbers and she asked how they get a conversation with HCD and how can the City influence that process.

Mr. Elliott said HCD will set the number with input from the Department of Finance and their demographics folks. He noted on the SCAG side, that is starting now as they are a year ahead. David Zsisser heads up a lot of the housing and oversees a lot of the RHNA and Housing Elements. He is where conversations would start. If you ask how does that position look next year after an administration change, he does not know. This is one of those positions at the pleasure of the Governor, so they could be seeing some changes in HCD after November regardless of the outcome. So, it makes sense to begin conversations sooner rather than later in the Executive Office of HCD but also with the understanding that the conversation may need to be revisited in February/March next year.

Mayor Iverson asked if that is only a mathematical exercise or she asked if there is also a political element. Mr. Elliott nodded his head.

Mayor Iverson referenced the recent failure of the County sales tax measure and noted subsequent discussion regarding the State budget and increased funding for Health and Human Services programs. She asked whether the State’s current actions indicate that funding pressures in these areas have been resolved or whether significant unmet needs remain. She also asked for clarification on how additional funding for schools is being generated under the May Revision.

Mr. Elliott responded that significant unmet needs remain in the Health and Human Services system. He explained that the State is relying heavily on one-time revenue sources—primarily increased capital gains tax receipts driven by strong financial markets—to avoid deeper program reductions. He cautioned that these revenues are cyclical and may not be sustained long-term, meaning the State is effectively using onetime funding to support ongoing programs.

He added that while additional capital gains revenue may continue in the near term due to strong performance in sectors such as technology and artificial intelligence, structural funding challenges remain. Over time, the State will likely need to consider program reductions, increased fees for service recipients, or reallocation of General Fund resources to maintain these programs.

Item I.1
Packet Page 43
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 12 of 13 06.16.26
Mr. Elliott also noted the inclusion of an extension of the managed care organization tax, which provides additional funding for Health and Human Services programs. He further stated that legislative discussions include broader proposals aimed at increasing contributions from large employers whose workers rely on public assistance programs.

Regarding education funding, Mr. Elliott explained that increases are largely driven by Proposition 98, which requires that approximately half of certain General Fund revenues be allocated to TK–14 education. As revenues increase, education funding correspondingly rises. However, he noted that both the Administration and Legislature are also proposing a deferral of approximately $4 billion in payments owed to schools, which shifts obligations into future years. While this allows the State to balance the current budget, it effectively delays rather than eliminates certain education payments.

Councilmember Malkani asked whether elements of the State budget agreement would help offset fiscal pressures at the county level, particularly given concerns about reductions in programs affecting rural communities, food insecurity, and other services.

Mr. Elliott responded that the impact of State budget actions varies by program. Some funding is directed toward administrative support or caseload relief, which may help counties manage increased workloads. Other funding flows directly to service delivery programs accessed by residents, which may not directly pass through county budgets but still affect local service availability. He emphasized that while these investments may not always provide direct fiscal relief to counties, they are intended to preserve or maintain access to critical services for residents.

Mayor Iverson referred to $50 million for Prop 36. Cal Cities people complain about how that was an unfunded initiative. She asked if that “does the trick” or she asked and confirmed with Mr. Elliott it is just a drop in the bucket Mayor Iverson noted uncertainty about whether another forum would occur before November and asked Mr. Elliott for potential talking points regarding anticipated ballot measures, including BART-related funding and a proposed “billionaire tax.” Mr. Elliott explained that the State must finalize measures for the November ballot by June 25, and additional activity is expected within the next two weeks. He noted that several significant statewide measures are likely under consideration.

He stated that a proposed statewide housing bond, estimated at approximately $10 billion, is expected to appear on the ballot. He also referenced the “Taxpayer Protection” initiative, which would increase voting thresholds for local revenue measures to two-thirds approval. He indicated that negotiations are ongoing between the Legislature, Administration, and proponents, and the measure may ultimately be removed from the ballot depending on those discussions. If it proceeds, he noted it would likely become a major focal point for local government organizations and labor groups, with significant campaign activity expected.

Item I.1
Packet Page 44
Orinda City Council Minutes Page 13 of 13 06.16.26
Mr. Elliott also referenced a proposed business-sponsored CEQA reform initiative, which is likely to qualify for the ballot. He noted that the measure would establish streamlined permitting timelines for certain projects. He stated that the impacts would vary depending on whether a jurisdiction is the lead agency on project approvals, with potential implications for local environmental review timelines.

He added that additional tax and revenue-related measures may appear on the ballot, reflecting broader statewide debates on funding priorities. He noted that the November ballot could include a significant number of fiscal measures, including taxes, bonds, and regulatory proposals, making it a potentially consequential election from a local government perspective.

Mayor Iverson and Councilmembers thanked Mr. Elliott for his extensive presentation and City Manager Smith and her staff for all of the work that has gone on behind the scenes over the last couple of years which is paying off.

Councilmember Malkani noted Senator Grayon’s bill was a brainchild of the City Manager to try and keep kids safe and to ensure we could evacuate them, particularly from Sleepy Hollow. She is crossing her fingers on the appropriation bills inching forward through the process which are as a result of a lot of advocacy. For years in Orinda, they have been asking for this, and she wished Vice Mayor Gee was here because this was something she brought up 3 or 4 years ago, and she pushed for the City to have their own legislative advocacy and they are seeing the results.

Mayor Iverson opened the Public Forum, and there were no speakers.

L. MATTERS INITIATED – None.

M. ADJOURNMENT
The Regular Meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:15 p.m. to the next Regular City Council Meeting on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. The Orinda GHAD Meeting immediately followed.
______________________________
Sheri Marie Smith, City Clerk
Item I.1
Packet Page 45

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Department: Public Works/Engineering
Meeting Date: July 7, 2026
SUBJECT:

Approval of an Urban Lot Split Parcel Map at 10 Tara Road EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The City Council will consider approving the Parcel Map for SBL 2024-002, which has been reviewed by the Planning and Public Works departments in accordance with the Subdivision Map Act, Title 16 of the City of Orinda Municipal Code (OMC), the Conditions of Approval, and in accordance with SB9 legislation.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution No. 51-26, Approving Parcel Map for Subdivision SBL 2024-002 Urban Lot Split at 10 Tara Road

BACKGROUND:

Under SB9 legislation, which was effective January 1, 2022, the subject property owners, Steven Joseph Rhodes and Ann Marie Rhodes, and trustee Conselg Travis, Trustee of the Clear Recon Corporation dated March 8, 2021, submitted an application for a lot split for 10 Tara Road. The application was deemed complete, and the Tentative Parcel Map was approved on August 26, 2025 (Attachment B); no discretionary approvals are required/allowed under SB9.

DISCUSSION:

The owners have submitted the Parcel Map (Attachment C) for SBL 2024-002 with all supplementary documents and fees, to the Planning and Public Works departments for filing in accordance with the Subdivision Map Act, Title 16 of the City of Orinda Municipal Code (OMC), and the Conditions of Approval. The required signatures are in the process of being acquired.

Public Works reviewed the Parcel Map for the 10 Tara Road Minor Subdivision (SBL 2024-002 Urban Lot Split) and found it to be in conformance with the Tentative Parcel Map and Conditions of Approval. Planning determined that all applicable requirements, including the Conditions of Approval, have been satisfied for the 10 Tara Road Minor Subdivision (SBL 2024-002 Urban Lot Split).

According to the Subdivision Map Act section 66458(a), and the provisions of Chapter 16 of the OMC, the City Council must approve the Parcel Map for 10 Tara Road Minor Item I.2
Packet Page 46
Subdivision (SBL 2024-002 Urban Lot Split) if it substantially conforms to all the requirements. Resolution No. 51-26 (Attachment A) formalizes the City Council’s action with related findings, including approving the Parcel Map.

Public Works prepared an exhibit of the Parcel Map for 10 Tara Road Minor Subdivision (SBL 2024-002 Urban Lot Split) overlaid on an aerial for reference (Attachment D).

Moraga-Orinda Fire District (MOFD) Plan Approval Letter and MOFD and utility “Will Serve” stamped plan approval are provided in Attachments E.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The owners of 10 Tara Road Minor Subdivision (SBL 2024-002 Urban Lot Split) have paid the required fees and reimbursed City for Staff and consultant review costs.

STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:

None
ATTACHMENTS:

A. Resolution 51-26
B. Approval SBL-2024-002 Tentative Parcel Map
C. SBL-2024-002 Parcel Map
D. 10 Tara Road Overlay
E. MOFD Letter
Prepared by: T. Ryan O’Kane, Senior Engineer
Respectfully Submitted by,
Scott Christie,
Director of Public Works & Engineering
Approved By:

Linda Smith, City Manager
Item I.2
Packet Page 47
RESOLUTION NO. 51-26

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ORINDA
APPROVING A PARCEL MAP FOR SUBDIVISION SBL 2024-002 URBAN LOT SPLIT AT 10 TARA ROAD
WHEREAS, an application for a SB9 Urban Lot Split subdivision Tentative Map of property at 10 Tara Road, Orinda California was deemed complete by the Orinda Planning Department on August 26, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the owners have submitted the Final Map for Subdivision SBL 2024- 002 and it is in the process of being signed by all parties required to execute the certificates on the map (owner and surveyor), together with all supplementary documents and fees, to the Public Works Department for filing in accordance with the Subdivision Map Act and Title 16 of the Orinda Municipal Code and the tentative map conditions of approval; and
WHEREAS, the Public Works Department has determined that the Parcel Map, all associated documents and fees are satisfactory in accordance with the Subdivision Map Act and Title 16 of the Orinda Municipal Code and the tentative map conditions of approval; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Orinda finds that the Parcel Map for Subdivision SBL 2024-002 substantially conforms with the previously approved Tentative Parcel Map and must now be approved pursuant to State law.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Orinda does hereby approve the Parcel Map for Subdivision SBL 2024-002 with all supplementary documents.

Approved by the City Council of the City of Orinda at a regular meeting on July 7, 2026, by the following vote:

AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS:

______________________
Brandyn Iverson, Mayor
ATTEST:

Sheri Marie Smith, City Clerk
Item I.2
Packet Page 48
From: Darin Hughes
To: Steven Rhodes; [email protected]
Cc: Ryan O"Kane
Subject: Approval SBL-2024-002 Tentative Parcel Map at 10 Tara Rd Date: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 12:35:31 PM
Attachments: image001.png
Outlook-vzpkwb2i.png
Outlook-3eun403t.png
Outlook-1ilr2p1x.png
Outlook-eqsofemq.png
image.png
Outlook-il0rkvdz.png
Outlook-ar4nd0fr.png
Outlook-j4lxtaiy.png
Outlook-hz2plytf.png
Outlook-gdqbspuf.png
SBL-2024-002 - 10 Tara Rd Tentative Parcel Map approval.pdf Good afternoon,
With this email, effective today, I am memorializing City of Orinda staff’s ministerial approval of the attached Tentative Parcel Map for 181 Camino Pablo. This Tentative Parcel Map is being approved ministerially in compliance with Senate Bill (SB) 9 as well as the Subdivision Map Act, the City of Orinda Municipal Code, and all applicable objective standards. Because all applicable standards were met, City staff determined they have no discretion under State Law to deny this SB9 lot split.

The Tentative Parcel Map is subject to the following conditions of approval:

The applicant shall provide a final parcel map including closure calculations, supporting documents and title report as listed in the SB 9 Lot Split application.

The applicant shall provide any public or private agreements required (i.e. drainage, easements, utilities).

The applicant shall provide a tax letter stating all liens have been paid.

This approval is limited to the SB9 lot split and does not include approval of any proposed structures. The applicant shall obtain the required permits for any proposed structures if and when applicable.

The next step in the lot split process is for the City to review, and for you to obtain an approval of, the (final) Parcel Map. The Parcel Map is reviewed and processed by the Public Works Department and typically appears on the City Council consent calendar. Per the State of California Subdivision Map Act, the Council’s role is limited (e.g., confirming consistency with the approved Tentative Parcel Map and compliance with any associated conditions). The Final Parcel Map needs to be approved prior to the expiration of the Tentative Parcel Map. The expiration of the Tentative Parcel Map is governed by the State of California Subdivision Map Act.

This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Item I.2
Packet Page 49
Please let me know if you have any questions. Have an excellent week! Regards,
Darin Hughes he/him
Associate Planner
22 Orinda Way, Orinda, CA 94563
925.253.4269
[email protected]
www.cityoforinda.org
Item I.2
Packet Page 50
Item I.2
Packet Page 51
Item I.2
Packet Page 52
Item I.2
Packet Page 53
Item I.2
Packet Page 54

TARA ROAD SOUTHWOOD DRIVE

DAVIS ROAD

EVERGREEN TERRACE
10 TARA ROAD SBL 2024-002
Item I.2
Packet Page 55
Item I.2
Packet Page 56
Item I.2
Packet Page 57
Item I.2
Packet Page 58
Item I.2
Packet Page 59
Item I.2
Packet Page 60

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Department: Public Works/Engineering
Meeting Date: July 7, 2026
SUBJECT:

Award of Construction Contract for the 2025–2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (CIP Nos. 4183 and 4190) and Approval of Plans EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The City Council will consider approving the plans for the 2025 and 2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (CIP Nos. 4183 and 4190), awarding a construction contract to Radius Earthwork, Inc. in the amount of $2,845,193.95, and authorizing the City Manager to increase contract value within the approved contingency amount.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution 53-26 Approving the Plans, Awarding a Construction Contract to Radius Earthwork, Inc., and Authorizing a Contingency for the 2025–2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (CIP Nos. 4183 And 4190).

BACKGROUND:

The City of Orinda maintains approximately 92 miles of public streets and annually implements pavement preservation and rehabilitation projects to maintain roadway conditions, extend pavement service life, improve traffic safety, and enhance accessibility throughout the City's transportation network.

On May 6, 2025, the City Council approved the street list for the 2025 and 2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (CIP Nos. 4183 and 4190). Based on recommendations from the City's Pavement Management Program, the projects include improvements on 91 street segments totaling approximately 91,100 linear feet and 2.4 million square feet of pavement area.

The projects include pavement rehabilitation, preventive maintenance treatments, localized pavement repairs, accessibility improvements, and associated pavement markings and striping. Planned treatments include base failure repairs, crack sealing, microsurfacing, cape seal, and mill-and-overlay improvements.

Item I.3
Packet Page 61
The Engineer's Estimate for construction is approximately $3.5 million.

DISCUSSION:

The project was advertised for bids on April 27, 2026, and bids were opened on June 2, 2026. Seven bids were received. Following the bid opening, Staff conducted a detailed review of the bid documents to verify responsiveness and confirm the accuracy of bid calculations.

Zara Construction was initially identified as the apparent low bidder based on the bid amount of $2,841,960 entered on its Proposal Form. However, Staff's review identified a discrepancy between the amount listed on the Proposal Form and the total of the Bid Item List. While the individual bid items and extensions were mathematically correct, the total of the Bid Item List on Pages 6 and 7 was $2,998,270, which differed from the amount entered on the Proposal Form on Page 5. This discrepancy created a material inconsistency regarding the total bid amount.

Staff also reviewed Zara Construction's Subcontractor List for compliance with the subcontracting requirements of the Caltrans Standard Specifications. Section 5-1.13, "Subcontracting," requires contractors to perform work equal to at least 30 percent of the value of the original total bid using their own employees and equipment.

Based on the Subcontractor List submitted with the bid, Zara Construction proposed subcontracted work totaling $2,481,032. Using the submitted bid amount, the identified subcontracted work represents approximately 83 percent of the total contract value, leaving approximately 17 percent of the work to be self-performed. Accordingly, the bid does not appear to satisfy the minimum self-performance requirement established in Section 5-1.13.

Based on the material discrepancy in the bid documents and the apparent failure to comply with the subcontracting requirements, Staff determined that Zara Construction's bid is non-responsive. As a result, Radius Earthwork, Inc. is the lowest responsive and responsible bidder with a bid amount of $2,845,193.95.

The bids received are summarized below:

Bidders Bid
Radius Earthwork Inc. $2,845,193.95
Zara Construction – non-responsive $2,998,270.00
De Silva Gate Construction $2,999,999.00
Bay Cities Paving & Grading, Inc. $3,418,481.70
Rapid Grading Services $3,457,483.53
Item I.3
Packet Page 62
Pavement Coating Co $3,505,676.50
McGuire & Hester $3,849,700.50
Approval of Plans for the Project
City Council approval of the construction plans (Attachment B) is recommended, in accordance with design immunity defense requirements listed under California Government Code Section 830.6.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The proposed construction contract with Radius Earthwork, Inc. in the amount of $2,845,193.95, together with the recommended contingency of $426,780, will be funded through the approved budgets for the 2025 and 2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (CIP Nos. 4183 and 4190).

Sufficient funding is available within the adopted Capital Improvement Program budgets for these projects. Funding sources include Gas Tax (Fund 200), Road Maintenance Fee (Fund 335), Measure R Local Sales Tax revenues, Capital Improvement Funds (Fund 700), and Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) Return-to-Source Local Share Funds (Fund 330).

STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:

2. Infrastructure Strategy and Improvement
2d. Focus on capital projects that enhance circulation, mobility, and transportation and improve road safety overall.

ATTACHMENTS:

A. Resolution 53-26
WEBLINK:

B. 2025 and 2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Project Plans Prepared by: Ha Nguyen, Senior Engineer
Respectfully Submitted by,
Scott Christie
Public Works Director
Approved By:

Linda Smith, City Manager
Item I.3
Packet Page 63
RESOLUTION NO. 53-26

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ORINDA

APPROVING THE PLANS, AWARDING A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO RADIUS EARTHWORK, INC., AND AUTHORIZING A CONTINGENCY FOR THE 2025–2026 ANNUAL PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECTS (CIP NOS. 4183 AND 4190)
WHEREAS, the City of Orinda maintains approximately 92 miles of public streets and implements annual pavement rehabilitation projects to preserve roadway conditions, improve safety, and extend pavement life; and WHEREAS, on May 6, 2025, the City Council approved the project street list for the 2025–2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (CIP Nos. 4183 and 4190); and
WHEREAS, the projects include rehabilitation and maintenance of 91 street segments totaling approximately 2.4 million square feet of pavement, including repairs, crack sealing, microsurfacing, cape seal, mill-and-overlay, accessibility upgrades, and striping; and
WHEREAS, the Engineer's Estimate for construction was approximately $3.5 million; and
WHEREAS, bids were opened on June 2, 2026, and seven bids were received and evaluated; and
WHEREAS, seven bids were received and the apparent low bid was deemed non-responsive due to bid form discrepancies and subcontracting noncompliance; and
WHEREAS, Radius Earthwork, Inc. is the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, with a bid of $2,845,193.95; and
WHEREAS, sufficient funding is available within the adopted Capital Improvement Program budgets for the 2025 and 2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (CIP Nos. 4183 and 4190), including funding from Gas Tax (Fund 200), Road Maintenance Fee (Fund 335), Measure R Local Sales Tax revenues, Capital Improvement Funds (Fund 700), and Contra Costa Transportation Authority Return-toSource Local Share Funds (Fund 330).

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Orinda does hereby:

Item I.3
Packet Page 64
Resolution 53-26
2 1. Approve the plans for the 2025–2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (CIP Nos. 4183 and 4190);

2. Award a construction contract to Radius Earthwork, Inc., of Campbell, California, in the amount of $2,845,193.95; and

3. Authorize the City Manager to approve change orders up to the amount to complete the project, provided the total project budget does not exceed $3,271,974.

Adopted by the City Council of the City of Orinda at a regular meeting on July 7, 2026 by the following vote:

AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS:

________________________
Brandyn Iverson, Mayor
ATTEST:
__________________________
Sheri Marie Smith, City Clerk

Item I.3
Packet Page 65
Resolution 53-26
3 Item I.3
Packet Page 66

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Department: Administration
Meeting Date: July 7, 2026
SUBJECT:
2026 Safety Element Update
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The City of Orinda continues to implement the policies and actions contained within the Safety Element of the General Plan as well as associated Wildfire Mitigation Measures, and Evacuation Analysis Recommendations. The attached documents provide a status update on these items, according to the terms of the settlement agreement with Orindians for Safe Emergency Evacuation (OSEE). This report summarizes recent progress, ongoing initiatives, and upcoming efforts related to emergency preparedness, hazard mitigation, evacuation planning, wildfire resilience, infrastructure improvements, and community education.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution No. 55-26 Accepting the 2026 Safety Element Update

BACKGROUND:

In January 2023, the City Council adopted the Orinda Safety Element as part of the City's General Plan. The Safety Element establishes goals, policies, and implementation actions intended to reduce risks associated with natural and human-caused hazards, improve emergency preparedness and response capabilities, and enhance community resilience.

Following adoption of the Safety Element, Staff developed an implementation tracking matrix to monitor progress on the document’s 60 policies and associated implementation actions (Attachment 3). The matrix identifies the hazards addressed, responsible departments and partner agencies, implementation status, and key accomplishments.

For ease of review, Attachment 2 provides a condensed summary highlighting implementation progress and notable updates through June 2026.

In addition, pursuant to the OSEE settlement agreement associated with the Plan Orinda Environmental Impact Report, Staff track implementation of 14 additional wildfire mitigation measures. These measures are incorporated into the matrix to provide a comprehensive overview of the City's ongoing wildfire resilience efforts.

Item I.4
Packet Page 67
Staff intends to update the matrix on a semi-annual basis for review by the Supplemental Sales Tax Oversight Commission (SSTOC) and provide an annual progress report to the City Council. This report represents the first Safety Element implementation update presented to the City Council. It also includes progress on associated implementation actions to provide a more comprehensive picture of implementation efforts (Attachment 4) and includes updates on the City's 2022 Evacuation Analysis recommendations (Attachment 5), which are referenced throughout the Safety Element.

FISCAL IMPACT:

None.

STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:

1. Wildfire Resilience and Emergency Preparedness
a. Continue evacuation planning, preparation, and training (tabletop and simulated exercises) with local and regional partners, including MOFD, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Contra Costa OES, Town of Moraga, City of Lafayette, School Districts, EBMUD, PG&E, and EBRPD.

ATTACHMENTS:

A. Resolution No. 55-26
B. Safety Element Report
C. Safety Element Matrix
D. Safety Element Implementation Actions
E. Evacuation Analysis Recommendations
Respectfully Submitted by,
Cole Haselip, Assistant to the City Manager
Approved By:

Linda Smith, City Manager
Item I.4
Packet Page 68
RESOLUTION NO. 55-26

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ORINDA
ACCEPTING THE 2026 SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
WHEREAS, the City Council adopted the Safety Element of the Orinda General Plan in January 2023 to establish goals, policies, and implementation actions intended to reduce risks associated with natural and human-caused hazards, improve emergency preparedness and response capabilities, and enhance community resilience; and WHEREAS, following adoption of the Safety Element, City staff developed an implementation tracking matrix to monitor progress on the Safety Element's policies, implementation actions, and associated wildfire mitigation measures; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the settlement agreement with Orindians for Safe Emergency Evacuation (OSEE), the City also tracks implementation of additional wildfire mitigation measures associated with the Plan Orinda Environmental Impact Report; and
WHEREAS, the attached 2026 Safety Element Update provides the first annual report to the City Council regarding implementation of the Safety Element, including progress on Safety Element policies, implementation actions, wildfire mitigation measures, and the City's 2022 Evacuation Analysis recommendations; and WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the 2026 Safety Element Update and desires to acknowledge the progress made toward implementation of the Safety Element and continued efforts to enhance community safety and resilience.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Orinda hereby accepts the 2026 Safety Element Update, including the implementation status reports and associated materials.

Adopted by the City Council of the City of Orinda at a regular meeting on July 7, 2026 by the following vote:

AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS:

Item I.4
Packet Page 69

________________________

Brandyn Iverson, Mayor
ATTEST:
__________________________
Sheri Marie Smith, City Clerk
Item I.4
Packet Page 70
Safety Element Report – Current Report
Policy Current Report (June 2026)
S-1 The City maintains a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan as an annex to the Contra Costa County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and regularly coordinates with mutual aid partners through countywide emergency management meetings; the County's current plan was approved by FEMA on September 18, 2024, and remains valid through September 18, 2029, unless updated and resubmitted earlier.

S-2 The City has established a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan implementation matrix to track progress on mitigation actions.

The Contra Costa County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and Orinda annex have been approved by FEMA and Cal OES, with City Council adoption completed in March 2025. Ongoing implementation efforts include roadway maintenance and hazard removal by Public Works, as well as coordination with MOFD to identify and clear hazardous vegetation along roadways and evacuation routes.

S-3 The City has retained Navigating Preparedness Associates to update its Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and has received a draft Base Plan for review. Staff are actively advancing implementation efforts, including the development of a training program and a tabletop exercise scheduled for June 17. To date, all City staff have completed training on the EOP Base Plan and their respective section-specific roles and responsibilities.

S-4 While this is not a City-led initiative and is coordinated primarily through MOFD, the City remains actively engaged by participating in monthly Mutual Aid Coordinator (MAC) calls hosted by the Contra Costa County Office of Emergency Services and attending regular coordination meetings with MOFD, which also include the Police Chief.

S-5 The City and MOFD regularly meet and coordinate on emergency preparedness, resilience, and public safety initiatives.

Orinda Police Department is contracted through the Contra Costa Sherrif’s Department so resources can be called in from other contract departments as well as from the Sherrif’s office without relaying information through an automatic or mutual aid system. To the outside viewer, it would appear that responding officers from Lafayette were coming through automatic or mutual aid agreements, however in effect they are part of the same system.

S-6 County controls dispatch for PD, MOFD, etc. and the county alert system. The City also has access to other systems such as Nixle. The City's website platform has the ability to translate HTML content into multiple languages and address accessibility needs. Staff must still review hard copy material/disaster preparedness information and have key topics and materials translated on an as needed basis.

S-7 Vehicle radio units in both Police and Public Works vehicles were updated to be interoperable with MOFD and other emergency service agencies. The City's PD will receive new radios in 2026, existing radios will be distributed to staff and with the EOC for an emergency situation..

S-8 The City and MOFD regularly meet and coordinate on emergency preparedness, resilience, and public safety initiatives.

Navigating Preparedness Associates was selected through the RFP bidding process to update the Orinda Emergency Operations Plan, and to provide training and exercises. To date, all City staff have completed training on the EOP Base Plan and their respective section-specific roles and responsibilities and are scheduled for a tabletop exercise June 17.

S-9 Done as part of submission review for private property. The City is proactively implementing the “Zone 0” vegetation management standard at key facilities, including Orinda City Hall/Police Department, the Orinda Community Center, and Item I.4
Packet Page 71
Safety Element Report – Current Report
the Library Complex. This work is overseen by the Public Works Supervisor, with staff evaluating long-term maintenance options through adjustments to existing landscaping contracts.

Public Works and Engineering has engaged a contractor to survey and map stormwater infrastructure located on private property that affects the public system. This data will enhance the City’s ability to anticipate and mitigate damage from severe weather events.

The 2018 Wildland Fire Evacuation Plan annex of the Orinda Emergency Operations Plan identifies critical facilities by evacuation zone. Orinda supports partner efforts to strengthen resilience at these sites, including schools, EBMUD’s treatment plant, PG&E’s substation, and healthcare and long-term care facilities.

S-10 City Staff are working toward a self-serve strategy for addressing vulnerable populations. Police and City staff have met with the Seniors Around Town (SAT) program administrator to talk about potential collaborations, there was interest in working together, but exactly what role they would play was uncertain. The City would envision a role where SAT would assist in the outreach and communications to these vulnerable populations to encourage them to work with neighbors and families on an evacuation plan. Collaboration with PG&E for wildfire preparedness/awareness of those with healthcritical power-needs is still a potential avenue.

S-11 The City is working on a GIS map to show these evaciation routes. The City also finished its improvements for the median cuts for evacuation use on Camino Pablo at Hwy 24. and maintains a subscription to Ladris Evac to utilize Ai modeling to explore the effectiveness of new mitigations and traffic control features to improve evacuation times.

S-12 The City is utilizing Ladris to evaluate the feasibility and potential effectiveness of contraflow as an evacuation strategy.

Staff research indicates that California communities approach contraflow differently, some incorporate it as a primary evacuation tool, others reserve it for last-resort scenarios, and some have determined that it provides limited or no benefit. The City's ongoing analysis will help determine where contraflow may be appropriate within Orinda's evacuation framework.

S-13 The City worked closely with local schools throughout 2025 and remains committed to identifying and pursuing opportunities for continued collaboration. Additionally, the City was a lead supporter of Senator Grayson's legislation, SB 959, which would amend the Education Code and allow schools/districts to close on certain Red Flag Days with the recommendation of law enforcement. The bill has received no formal opposition and will be likely reaching the governor's desk later this summer.

S-14 The City is continuously using Ladris to run evacuation scenarios, analyze, and plan accordingly.

S-15 MOFD has been, and is expected to remain, a willing partner in preparedness training and drills, as demonstrated by the October 17, 2024, earthquake radio response drill and the March 14, 2025, Police and Fire communication tabletop exercise. Orinda also participated in the Great Shakeout in October 2025. There is also an EOP Tabletop exercise Item I.4
Packet Page 72
Safety Element Report – Current Report
planned for June 17.

S-16 As part of the development review process, the City’s Planning Department coordinates with Public Works and Engineering to evaluate potential impacts to waterways, riparian corridors, and stormwater systems. When warranted, additional studies may be required and reviewed by qualified subject matter experts. Any necessary mitigation measures are incorporated into project conditions of approval to reduce impacts and protect environmental resources.

S-17 Project submission and review determines if necessary. City Planning utilizes recently updated hazard zone mapping to determine if projects need to undergo further review. This process is collaborative with Orinda Public Works and Engineering; Muni code 18.05.050 cites FEMA and FIRM (maps) and subsequent amendments.

S-18 As part of the development review process, the City evaluates projects for potential flooding and drainage impacts. The Contra Costa County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and Orinda annex were approved by FEMA and Cal OES and adopted by the City Council in March 2025. Flooding was identified as a key hazard, and the City is actively implementing the mitigation measures identified in the plan to reduce flood risk and improve community resilience.

S-19 The City implements an annual storm drain rehabilitation program to repair and replace aging infrastructure. In addition, Public Works and Engineering is working with Nichols Consulting Engineers to inventory, map, and survey storm drain facilities located on private property that affect the public system, improving the City's understanding of its drainage network and helping to prioritize future maintenance and capital improvement projects.

S-20 As part of the development review process, the City applies the requirements of the Contra Costa Clean Water Program and the Regional Municipal Stormwater Permit (Provision C.3) to reduce stormwater runoff impacts from new development and redevelopment projects. These requirements promote site designs that minimize impervious surfaces, encourage infiltration and bioretention, and manage runoff rates and volumes to protect water quality, reduce flooding risks, and support watershed health. In 2026, the City joined the Contra Costa County Regional Alternative Compliance (RAC) Joint Powers Authority, providing an additional, regionally coordinated compliance option for stormwater treatment requirements through certified off-site green stormwater infrastructure projects.

S-21 The City actively pursues grant funding opportunities through its ongoing partnership with California Consulting and recently collaborated with Contra Costa County on the update of the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, which identified flooding as a key hazard. As part of the development review process, Planning, Public Works, and Engineering evaluate projects for potential drainage and flood-control impacts and coordinate with the County's Clean Water Program when specialized expertise is needed. The City has also identified priority drainage and flood mitigation improvements through its Capital Improvement Program and maintains on-call Public Works staff to respond to severe weather events and flooding concerns.

S-22 The City relies on the California Division of Safety of Dams for oversight of dam safety and inundation risk. State inundation mapping indicates that a failure of Lake Cascade or Briones Reservoir could affect portions of Orinda, although impacts are expected to be largely limited to the San Pablo Creek, Lauterwasser Creek, and Bear Creek corridors. In addition, the State has required the Orinda Country Club to maintain reduced water levels in its lake to enhance public safety and reduce potential flood risks.

Item I.4
Packet Page 73
Safety Element Report – Current Report
S-23 As part of the development review process, the City applies current building code requirements and uses the State’s 2024 Seismic Hazard Zone maps to identify sites that may require additional geotechnical investigation. When a proposed project is located within an Earthquake Zone of Required Investigation (EZRI), applicants must prepare a geotechnical report, which is then subject to State review to ensure that seismic hazards are adequately evaluated and addressed.

S-24 The City applies the most current building code standards and, where geologic hazards are present, requires sitespecific studies and mitigation measures recommended by qualified geotechnical and subject matter experts as part of the development review process.

S-25 As part of the development review process, the City applies the most current building code standards to all eligible projects. In areas with potential geologic hazards or instability, the City requires site-specific investigations and incorporates mitigation measures recommended by qualified geotechnical and subject matter experts to reduce risk and protect public safety.

S-26 As part of the development review process and ongoing infrastructure planning efforts, Public Works and Engineering have identified priority locations for retaining walls and slope stabilization improvements within the Capital Improvement Program. Several projects are already underway, including roadway stabilization work along Moraga Way and Glorietta Boulevard, to reduce erosion risks and improve long-term roadway resilience.

S-27 As part of the development review process, the City applies the requirements of the Contra Costa Clean Water Program and the Regional Municipal Stormwater Permit, including Provision C.3, to reduce stormwater runoff impacts from new development and redevelopment projects. These standards encourage site designs that minimize impervious surfaces, promote infiltration and bioretention, and manage runoff rates and volumes to protect water quality, reduce flooding risks, and improve watershed health.

S-28 As part of the development review process, the City applies the most current building code standards, including requirements associated with Earthquake Zones of Required Investigation (EZRI). In areas with potential geologic hazards or instability, the City requires site-specific investigations and incorporates mitigation measures recommended by qualified geotechnical and subject matter experts to reduce risk and protect public safety. For existing homes that are not subject to development review, the City promotes earthquake preparedness and resilience through public outreach, educational materials, and emergency preparedness resources.

S-29 The City regularly coordinates with MOFD on wildfire preparedness and vegetation management initiatives. Both agencies are actively monitoring the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Zone Zero rulemaking process.

The City has also participated in the rulemaking process by submitting public comments to help inform the development of the statewide standards. Draft regulations have been posted.

S-30 The City reviews wildfire safety and land use considerations when substantial land use plans are amended or when individual development projects are submitted. As part of these efforts, the City coordinates with MOFD on land use planning, fire safety initiatives, and funding opportunities. The City successfully partnered with the office of Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan to secure funding for additional MOFD inspectors and continues to support wildfire risk Item I.4
Packet Page 74
Safety Element Report – Current Report
reduction through annual fuel break maintenance at Orinda Oaks Park and Open Space, the City's largest open space preserve. The City is currently coordinating with MOFD on SB1123 applications and determining any restrictions for their implementation.

S-31 The City is anticipated to receive $1 million in funding in 2027 to complete the North Orinda Shaded Fuel Break Project.

In addition, the City and MOFD are actively monitoring the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection's Zone Zero rulemaking process. A draft set of rules has been published. Staff is in the process of reviewing those rules and will provide an update at an upcoming meeting.

S-32 As part of the development review process, MOFD evaluates proposed projects for wildfire safety and emergency access. For developments other than single-family homes and minor additions, applicants must submit an aerial preplan identifying potential hazards and proposed mitigation measures. For single-family homes and ADUs, project plans must demonstrate compliance with applicable fire safety requirements, including ignition-resistant construction materials, fire sprinklers, and landscaping standards established by MOFD Ordinance 23-03.

MOFD's wildfire prevention efforts have received statewide recognition, including commendation from the California Insurance Commissioner for its enhanced fire code requirements. In addition, MOFD requires properties to demonstrate compliance with exterior hazard abatement standards prior to the transfer of ownership, helping to reduce wildfire risk throughout the community.

S-33 The City is currently updating its Emergency Operations Plan and implementing a corresponding training program for staff. The updated plan will include several annexes addressing specific hazards and operational functions, including a wildfire annex focused on preparedness, response, and post-disaster recovery. Additional sections will address broader recovery and continuity planning to support the community's long-term resilience following emergencies.

S-34 As part of the development review process, the City works closely with MOFD to evaluate proposed projects for compliance with fire safety and emergency access requirements. Development applications are first submitted to the City and then routed to MOFD for review and comment, ensuring that potential fire hazards and necessary mitigation measures are identified and addressed early in the planning process.

S-35 As part of the development review process, the City and MOFD apply the most current fire safety standards and code requirements. Following MOFD's adoption of local amendments to the California Fire Code, the City ratified those amendments to ensure consistent implementation throughout the community.

In addition, City staff began expanding the defensible space standard around City facilities from the existing two-foot noncombustible zone to a five-foot "Zone Zero" area in February 2025. This effort supports emerging wildfire resilience best practices and helps reduce structure ignition risk from embers and nearby combustible materials.

S-36 As part of the development review process, the City coordinates with EBMUD and MOFD to ensure that proposed projects have adequate fire-flow water supply and pressure to meet applicable fire protection standards. These agencies provide technical expertise during project review and work with applicants to identify appropriate mitigation measures Item I.4
Packet Page 75
Safety Element Report – Current Report
when deficiencies are identified, helping to ensure the safety and resilience of new development.

S-37 The City replaces traffic and roadway signs as needed to ensure compliance with current retroreflectivity and visibility standards. As part of this ongoing effort, Public Works and Engineering has replaced approximately half of Orinda's older signs with higher-visibility signage designed to improve safety under nighttime and low-light conditions. The remaining sign replacements are expected to be completed over the next five years.

S-38 The City supports community wildfire preparedness through public education and outreach initiatives. With assistance from volunteer expert Sue Andersen-Berger, City staff completed an updated second edition of Plants for a Fire-Savvy Landscape, which provides guidance on fire-resistant landscaping practices. An electronic version is available online, and the City is working to make printed copies available to residents.

S-39 As part of the development review process, the City works closely with MOFD to evaluate proposed projects for compliance with fire safety requirements. Development applications are submitted to the City and then referred to MOFD for review and comment to ensure that potential fire hazards and necessary mitigation measures are identified early in the process.

Following project approval, compliance is verified through construction inspections conducted by both County building inspectors and MOFD personnel, helping to ensure that approved plans and fire safety requirements are properly implemented.

S-40 To maintain safe roadway clearances, the City issues notices to property owners when trees or vegetation encroach into the public right-of-way. In coordination with MOFD, Public Works evaluated evacuation routes and identified locations where additional fuel reduction measures could enhance public safety. While vegetation maintenance within the public right-of-way is generally the responsibility of adjacent property owners, the City undertook targeted fuel mitigation efforts to establish best practices and improve wildfire resilience along key evacuation corridors.

S-41 The California Public Utilities Commission's Rule 20 program is no longer allocating Rule 20A credits, which historically funded 100 percent of undergrounding costs. Unassigned Rule 20A credits are being redirected by PG&E to areas it identifies as having the highest wildfire risk.

The City has not yet estimated the cost of undergrounding all remaining overhead utilities within Orinda. According to PG&E's community representative, the remaining Rule 20A credits previously allocated to Orinda are being utilized for improvements associated with the transformer facility located near Camino Pablo and El Toyonal.

S-42 To maintain safe roadway clearances, the City issues notices to property owners when trees or vegetation encroach into the public right-of-way. In advance of the June 1, 2025, grass and weed abatement deadline, Public Works, under the direction of the Facilities Supervisor, worked with MOFD to identify City-owned properties and public right-of-way areas that could benefit from additional fuel reduction measures. Staff sought to implement vegetation management practices that exceed minimum requirements, helping to establish best practices and further improve wildfire resilience throughout the community.

S-43 Measure R supports ongoing community education, wildfire preparedness, and fuel reduction efforts throughout Orinda.

Item I.4
Packet Page 76
Safety Element Report – Current Report
The City is currently pursuing a professional services agreement with FSMO to expand community education and outreach efforts, along with other wildfire resilience initiatives. In addition, the City and the Supplemental Sales Tax Oversight Commission (SSTOC) continue to explore opportunities to further strengthen community-based wildfire preparedness and resilience programs.

S-44 Recycle Smart, the City's JPA for solid waste and refuse, regularly participates in City Council meetings and community events, including the Fourth of July Parade and the Orinda Wildfire Prevention and Safety Fair, to educate residents about proper disposal and recycling options for household, hazardous, and other waste materials.

S-45 City will coordinate with MOFD to identify their operating practices regarding hazardous material locations.. In the event of a large scale disaster the City of Orinda will stand-up the Emergency Operations Center to manage the incident. This is one of the focus' of the upcoming 2025 Orinda Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).

S-46 Project submission and review determines if necessary. If a site has a known history of contamination, then planning will act as the hub of the project, notifying the appropriate agencies and receiving the necessary sign-offs before a planning permit is allowed to move forward.

If a site gets contaminated by a hazardous material spill after construction begins, then Public Works and Engineering will be the agency in Orinda tasked with ensuring that appropriate remediation is accomplished.

S-47 Project submission and review determines if necessary. During the plan review phase, Public Works and Engineering will ask for the addition of retention basins or bio-swales to help with storm water drainage and to keep pollutants from roadways from entering the waterways.

S-48 The City is currently updating its Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). Navigating Preparedness Associates has been retained to assist with development of the updated plan, which is anticipated to be presented to the City Council by the end of 2025. The project also includes a comprehensive staff training program. To date, all staff have been given EOP and Section-Specific Training and are scheduled for a tabletop exercise on June 17th.

S-49 The City utilizes the Orinda Community Center as a resilience hub and has activated the facility during past Public Safety Power Shutoff events to provide community support. Recent improvements, including the installation of solar panels and a backup generator system, have strengthened the facility's ability to serve this role during emergencies. As part of the ongoing Emergency Operations Plan update, the City will continue to evaluate opportunities to enhance care and shelter capabilities. In October 2025, Contra Costa County identified care and shelter operations as a priority area for local Emergency Operations Plan reviews, and this topic will receive significant attention during the City's EOP update process.

S-50 The City is evaluating how best to implement this strategy as part of its broader emergency preparedness efforts.

Although implementation has not yet begun, the ongoing update of the City's Emergency Operations Plan has incorporated these documents and best practices as reference materials to help guide future planning and operational improvements.

S-51 The City considers water conservation, climate resilience, and heat mitigation measures when substantial land use plans Item I.4
Packet Page 77
Safety Element Report – Current Report
are amended or development projects are reviewed. To support these goals, the City has adopted the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) and coordinates with EBMUD on implementation and related water efficiency initiatives.

S-52 The City incorporates sustainability, energy efficiency, and climate resilience considerations into its facilities planning and capital improvement efforts. Orinda City Hall was designed by Siegel & Strain Architects and achieved LEED Gold certification, exceeding California energy efficiency standards by more than 72 percent. In addition, City facilities utilize smart irrigation systems that adjust watering schedules based on environmental conditions to conserve water and improve operational efficiency.

The City has been investing in its buildings, including new energy efficient HVAC systems, as well as receiving support for the installation of SmartSignals to improve evacuation operations. Staff continue to evaluate emerging technologies that may enhance emergency response capabilities and improve the identification of vulnerable populations and highrisk areas during disasters.

S-53 The City continues to evaluate opportunities to expand the use of renewable energy at municipal facilities as part of its facilities planning and capital improvement efforts. Existing solar installations at the Library, Community Center, and Wilder Sports Fields help offset energy consumption and reduce reliance on fossil fuel-based power generation. The City will continue to assess additional opportunities to improve energy efficiency, increase renewable energy production, and enhance the long-term sustainability and resilience of its facilities.

S-54 As part of the development review process and ongoing urban forestry efforts, the City evaluates opportunities to preserve and enhance tree canopy coverage. The City successfully advocated for the retention of several street trees that had been proposed for removal by PG&E, allowing those trees to remain in place through alternative management measures. These efforts help maintain shade, improve community resilience to extreme heat, and enhance comfort for pedestrians and transit users, including at public bus stops and near assisted living facilities.

S-55 As part of the development review process, the City applies the requirements of the Contra Costa Clean Water Program and the Regional Municipal Stormwater Permit, including Provision C.3, to reduce stormwater runoff impacts from new development and redevelopment projects. Public Works, Engineering, and Planning staff work together to ensure that projects incorporate appropriate stormwater management measures.

These requirements promote site designs that minimize impervious surfaces, encourage the use of landscaping and permeable materials to increase infiltration, and require treatment of runoff through bioretention and other best management practices. Where appropriate, projects must also manage the rate and duration of stormwater runoff to protect water quality, reduce flooding risks, and improve watershed health.

S-56 The City promotes wildfire-resilient landscaping through its development standards, public education efforts, and the Plants for a Fire-Savvy Landscape guide. With assistance from volunteer expert Sue Andersen-Berger, City staff completed an updated second edition of the guide, which provides residents with information on selecting and Item I.4
Packet Page 78
Safety Element Report – Current Report
maintaining fire-resistant landscaping. An electronic version is available online, and the City is working to make printed copies available to the public.

S-57 The City incorporates stormwater management and water quality considerations into municipal facility projects and capital improvements. Public Works, Engineering, and Planning staff apply the requirements of the Contra Costa Clean Water Program and the Regional Municipal Stormwater Permit, including Provision C.3, when designing and implementing eligible projects.

These requirements encourage site designs that minimize impervious surfaces, promote infiltration through landscaping and permeable materials, and require treatment of stormwater runoff through bioretention and other best management practices. Where appropriate, projects must also manage the rate and duration of runoff to protect water quality, reduce flooding risks, and improve watershed health.

S-58 The City coordinates with Contra Costa County and neighboring jurisdictions to prepare for extreme heat events and follows guidance from the National Weather Service and other emergency management agencies. During periods of excessive heat, the City shares public health information, promotes heat safety and preparedness measures, and directs residents to available cooling facilities, including the Orinda Community Center and Library.

The City's Local Hazard Mitigation Plan also identifies strategies to improve resilience during extreme heat events, including investments in backup power systems and renewable energy infrastructure to help ensure that critical community facilities remain operational during Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events and other emergencies.

S-59 The City is including references to the County's Public Health Department into its ongoing Emergency Operations Plan update. As part of its preparedness efforts, the Parks and Recreation Department maintains a limited cache of emergency supplies, including face masks, hand sanitizer, potable water, and shelf-stable food, to support response operations during public health emergencies and other community incidents.

S-60 The City has undertaken a variety of initiatives to improve community resilience to extreme weather, wildfires, and other emergencies. Recent efforts include HVAC upgrades at City facilities to improve reliability and occupant comfort during extreme temperature events. In February 2025, City staff began expanding the noncombustible area around City buildings from the existing two-foot standard to a five-foot "Zone Zero" area, consistent with emerging wildfire resilience best practices.

The City also conducts ongoing public outreach to encourage residents to create defensible space, harden homes against wildfire risks, and prepare for emergencies. These efforts are supported by Measure R-funded programs, including the Chipper Program, which helps residents safely dispose of hazardous vegetation, and a wildfire mitigation incentive program that assists property owners in reducing the cost of major fuel reduction projects.

WFR-1 The City works closely with MOFD to incorporate wildfire safety considerations into land use planning and development review. While wildfire risk assessments are not required for all development projects, new development within Item I.4
Packet Page 79
Safety Element Report – Current Report
designated Wildfire Hazard Areas and certain Housing Element sites must prepare a Wildfire Hazard Assessment and implement appropriate mitigation measures. The City's Objective Design Standards and Downtown Precise Plan were developed with MOFD input to help ensure that new development incorporates fire-safe design principles and supports community wildfire resilience. With the rezonings in 2025 to comply with the Housing Element, development applications may proceed under the updated planning and design framework.

WFR-2 Implementation of this strategy is primarily supported through MOFD, the County Building Division, and the City's development review and code enforcement processes. The City and MOFD regularly update local fire safety requirements through adoption of the California Fire Code, while building standards are updated through the California Building Code cycle, which occurs every three years. Construction sites are monitored through County building inspections, MOFD oversight, and City code enforcement activities, as appropriate. To improve awareness of these requirements, language from this section is being incorporated into the City's development application materials and plan submittal forms so that applicants receive clear guidance early in the review process.

WFR-3 The City supports wildfire-resilient landscaping through its development standards, public education efforts, and coordination with MOFD. The recently updated Plants for a Fire-Savvy Landscape guide provides residents and developers with information on selecting and maintaining fire-resistant landscaping, while the City's Objective Design Standards incorporate MOFD-recommended plant lists and reference the guide as a resource. The policy framework is in place and will be applied as qualifying development applications are submitted and reviewed.

WFR-4 The City provides hazard mitigation and preparedness information to residents, businesses, and community partners through public outreach, educational materials, planning documents, and emergency preparedness programs. This document serves as one of the City's tools for communicating mitigation strategies, tracking implementation progress, and increasing awareness of actions that can reduce risk and improve community resilience.

WFR-5 These updates are included in every agenda packet to the SSTOC as the "Monthly Report," and to a smaller degree in the "At-a-Glance" one-pager.

WFR-6 Improving evacuation routes and access to Highway 24 remains an ongoing priority for the City. Transportation and roadway improvement projects, including enhancements to corridors such as Camino Pablo, are evaluated in part for their ability to support emergency evacuations, improve traffic flow, and strengthen overall community resilience during disasters. The City also partnered with the Town of Moraga and received a planning grant to study the Moraga Way auxillary/bike lane improvements.

WFR-7 The City has identified this project as a long-term priority and estimates its total cost at more than $20 million. Efforts to secure funding remain ongoing, and the City continues to pursue state, federal, and regional grant opportunities to advance the project and improve community resilience.

WFR-8 The City is establishing a regular process for reporting on the implementation of hazard mitigation and resilience initiatives. This update is being prepared for presentation to the City Council and is intended to serve as a framework for providing periodic updates on the City's progress toward implementing Safety Element and hazard mitigation actions.

WFR-9 The City does not currently collect local impact fees for this purpose, nor does it have a program in place to begin Item I.4
Packet Page 80
Safety Element Report – Current Report
collecting them. However, traffic impact fees are collected through regional programs and are used to fund transportation improvements that enhance roadway capacity, improve evacuation routes, and support overall community resilience.

WFR-10 The City regularly coordinates with MOFD on emergency preparedness, wildfire resilience, and public safety initiatives.

In addition to the MOFD/City of Orinda 2x2 Committee, City and MOFD staff hold standing monthly meetings to discuss joint priorities, coordinate efforts, and address emergency response issues. The City Manager and Fire Chief also maintain regular communication on public safety and emergency management matters.

The City and MOFD also collaborate on community education and outreach. In 2025, City and public safety leaders hosted public preparedness presentations to educate residents on the roles of local agencies and actions individuals can take to improve their safety and readiness. These events included participation from City leadership, MOFD, the Police Department, and t
WFR-11 Measure R pays for the staffing of the Sr. Management Analyst for the distribution of wildfire prevention and preparedness information, engaging local stakeholders, and serving as liaisons to various groups like the County Emergency Operations Center, Lamorinda CERT, Fire Safe Moraga-Orinda, the Diablo Fire Safe Council and others.

WFR-12 The City continues to advance emergency preparedness and community engagement efforts through its Emergency Operations Plan update and ongoing public outreach programs, including an annual postcard mailer to every household showing the City's evacuation routes. The last postcard was mailed in early May 2026. Additionally, the OrindaReady.com platform provides a venue for residents to easily access information on evacuation planning. This is also the website where the public can access the Ladris Public Evacuation Tool. To further strengthen evacuation planning, the City maintains an agreement with Ladris, an evacuation modeling and simulation platform. The City uses this technology to evaluate evacuation scenarios, improve emergency planning, and provide residents with access to tools that can help them better understand and prepare for potential evacuation events.

WFR-13 The City is currently updating its Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) with assistance from Navigating Preparedness Associates. As part of this effort, the City is developing an updated Wildfire Evacuation Annex that will establish procedures, roles, and strategies for evacuation planning, public communication, and emergency response during wildfire incidents.

WFR-14 The City currently maintains a subscription to Ladris, an evacuation modeling and planning platform, to enhance emergency preparedness and evacuation planning efforts. City staff receive ongoing training on the system and using it to evaluate evacuation scenarios, identify potential constraints, and improve emergency response strategies. The City continues to monitor and evaluate other emerging technologies and planning tools that may further strengthen evacuation planning and community resilience.

Item I.4
Packet Page 81
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
Note: All instances of "Current" have been revised to "In Progress" to more accurately reflect the status of these implementation measures. "In Progress" indicates that work is actively underway, while "Ongoing" is used for actions, programs, or initiatives that are continuing as part of normal operations.

Policy Hazard Lead Key Action December
2025
Update
June
2026
Update
December 2025
Report
Current Report (June 2026)
S-1 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
EM Team In coordination with the
County of Contra Costa,
implement and update the
Contra Costa County Local
Hazard Mitigation Plan, as
directed by the California
Governor’s Office of
Emergency Services and
the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, and
maintain mutual-aid
agreements with federal,
state, and local agencies as
well as the private sector, to
assist in:

1.Clearance of debris in the
event of seismic hazards,
collapsed buildings or
structures, or other
circumstances that could
result in blocking
emergency access or
egress

2.Heavy search and rescue

3.Fire suppression

4.Hazardous materials
response

5.Temporary shelter

6.Geologic and engineering
2024-09-
01 00:00:00
Ongoing FEMA issued the
Contra Costa
County Hazard
Mitigation Plan
Update an official
approval date of
September 18,
2024. The plan is
valid until an
update is
resubmitted or
until September
18, 2029.

The City maintains a Local
Hazard Mitigation Plan as an
annex to the Contra Costa
County Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan and regularly
coordinates with mutual aid
partners through countywide
emergency management
meetings; the County's current
plan was approved by FEMA
on September 18, 2024, and
remains valid through
September 18, 2029, unless
updated and resubmitted
earlier.

Item I.4
Packet Page 82
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
needs

7.Traffic and crowd control

8.Building inspection
S-2 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
Planning/EM Incorporate the Contra
Costa County Hazard
Mitigation Plan and the City
of Orinda Annex, approved
by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency in
2018, into this Safety
Element by reference, as
permitted by California
Government Code Section
65302.6, to ensure that
emergency response and
evacuation routes are
accessible throughout the
city.
2025 Ongoing The City has established a
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
implementation matrix to track
progress on mitigation actions.

The Contra Costa County
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
and Orinda annex have been
approved by FEMA and Cal
OES, with City Council
adoption completed in March
2025. Ongoing implementation
efforts include roadway
maintenance and hazard
removal by Public Works, as
well as coordination with
MOFD to identify and clear
hazardous vegetation along
roadways and evacuation
routes.

S-3 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
EM Team Coordinate with local and
State Emergency
Management agencies
using the Standardized
Emergency Management
System (S.E.M.S.) and
National Incident
Management System
(N.I.M.S.) to facilitate
multiagency emergency
response.

Current Ongoing The City utilizes

SEMS/NIMS
training. The City
is working with
its selected
consultant,
Navigating
Preparedness
Associates, to
provide traning
services to staff
and to better
coordinate with
The City has retained
Navigating Preparedness
Associates to update its
Emergency Operations Plan
(EOP) and has received a
draft Base Plan for review.

Staff are actively advancing
implementation efforts,
including the development of a
training program and a
tabletop exercise scheduled
for June 17. To date, all City
staff have completed training
Item I.4
Packet Page 83
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
local and state
agencies.
on the EOP Base Plan and
their respective sectionspecific roles and
responsibilities.

S-4 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
EM Team Continue to cooperate with
other public agencies to
ensure adequate medical
and other emergency
services, including
assessing and projecting
future emergency service
needs.

Ongoing Ongoing While this is not a City-led
initiative and is coordinated
primarily through MOFD, the
City remains actively engaged
by participating in monthly
Mutual Aid Coordinator (MAC)
calls hosted by the Contra
Costa County Office of
Emergency Services and
attending regular coordination
meetings with MOFD, which
also include the Police Chief.

S-5 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
EM Team Maintain inter-jurisdictional
cooperation and
coordination, including
automatic aid agreements,
with fire protection and
suppression agencies in
Contra Costa County.

Ongoing Ongoing The City and MOFD regularly
meet and coordinate on
emergency preparedness,
resilience, and public safety
initiatives. Orinda Police
Department is contracted
through the Contra Costa
Sherrif’s Department so
resources can be called in
from other contract
departments as well as from
the Sherrif’s office without
relaying information through
an automatic or mutual aid
system. To the outside viewer,
it would appear that
responding officers from
Lafayette were coming
through automatic or mutual
Item I.4
Packet Page 84
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
aid agreements, however in
effect they are part of the
same system.

S-6 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
EM Team Ensure that communication,
educational and
informational materials,
assistance in preparedness
activities, and evacuation
and short-term recovery
activities are available in
multiple languages and
formats appropriate for
people with access and
functional needs.

Current In
Progress
County controls dispatch for
PD, MOFD, etc. and the
county alert system. The City
also has access to other
systems such as Nixle. The
City's website platform has the
ability to translate HTML
content into multiple
languages and address
accessibility needs. Staff
must still review hard copy
material/disaster
preparedness information and
have key topics and materials
translated on an as needed
basis.

S-7 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
EM Team Ensure that communication
systems used by
emergency responders and
key City staff have sufficient
redundancy and resiliency
to meet City needs during
and after a hazard event.

Recent Ongoing Vehicle radio units in both
Police and Public Works
vehicles were updated to be
interoperable with MOFD and
other emergency service
agencies. The City's PD will
receive new radios in 2026,
existing radios will be
distributed to staff and with the
EOC for an emergency
situation..

S-8 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
EM Team Ensure that the City is able
to prepare for and respond
to large-scale disasters
through coordination and
sharing data, experience,
Current Ongoing Navigating
Preparedness
Associates was
selected through
the RFP bidding
The City and MOFD regularly
meet and coordinate on
emergency preparedness,
resilience, and public safety
initiatives. Navigating
Item I.4
Packet Page 85
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
and strategies with other
emergency management
agencies in state or regional
efforts on disaster planning.
process to
update the
Orinda
Emergency
Operations Plan,
and to provide
training and
exercises,
including basic
S.E.M.S. and
Incident
Command
System training
as well as
tabletop
exercises and
incident
simulations to
drill skills
learned.

Preparedness Associates was
selected through the RFP
bidding process to update the
Orinda Emergency Operations
Plan, and to provide training
and exercises. To date, all
City staff have completed
training on the EOP Base Plan
and their respective sectionspecific roles and
responsibilities and are
scheduled for a tabletop
exercise June 17.

S-9 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
Planning Locate critical facilities
outside of known hazard
zones, including 100-year
and 500-year flood hazard
zones, dam inundation
zones, very high fire hazard
severity zones, and
Wildland-Urban Interface
zones. If facilities must be
located in these zones,
design and site them to
minimize potential damage
and increase their ability to
remain operational during
and after hazard events.

Current In
Progress
Done as part of submission
review for private property.

The City is proactively
implementing the “Zone 0”
vegetation management
standard at key facilities,
including Orinda City
Hall/Police Department, the
Orinda Community Center,
and the Library Complex. This
work is overseen by the Public
Works Supervisor, with staff
evaluating long-term
maintenance options through
adjustments to existing
Item I.4
Packet Page 86
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
landscaping contracts.

Public Works and Engineering
has engaged a contractor to
survey and map stormwater
infrastructure located on
private property that affects
the public system. This data
will enhance the City’s ability
to anticipate and mitigate
damage from severe weather
events.

The 2018 Wildland Fire
Evacuation Plan annex of the
Orinda Emergency Operations
Plan identifies critical facilities
by evacuation zone. Orinda
supports partner efforts to
strengthen resilience at these
sites, including schools,
EBMUD’s treatment plant,
PG&E’s substation, and
healthcare and long-term care
facilities.

S-10 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
Police Develop and implement an
evacuation assistance
program, in coordination
with Contra Costa County
Transportation Authority,
Seniors Around Town, and
paratransit and dial-a-ride
agencies to help those with
limited mobility, lack of
access to a vehicle, and
Current In
Progress
City Staff are working toward a
self-serve strategy for
addressing vulnerable
populations. Police and City
staff have met with the
Seniors Around Town (SAT)
program administrator to talk
about potential collaborations,
there was interest in working
together, but exactly what role
Item I.4
Packet Page 87
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
other at-risk populations
evacuate safely.
they would play was uncertain.

The City would envision a role
where SAT would assist in the
outreach and communications
to these vulnerable
populations to encourage
them to work with neighbors
and families on an evacuation
plan. Collaboration with
PG&E for wildfire
preparedness/awareness of
those with health-critical
power-needs is still a potential
avenue.

S-11 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
Public Works Coordinate with emergency
responders, engineers, and
Caltrans to identify and
maintain additional potential
evacuation routes to ensure
adequate capacity, safety,
and viability of those routes
in the event of an
emergency, including
making improvements to
existing roads to support
safe evacuations as
needed.

Current In
Progress
The City
purchased a
one-year
subscription to
Ladris AI to
utilize modeling
evacuation
timing and
related wildfire
simulations. This
modeling can
help identify
changes
necessary to
improve
evacuation
timing.

The City
received
approval from
The City is working on a GIS
map to show these evaciation
routes. The City also finished
its improvements for the
median cuts for evacuation
use on Camino Pablo at Hwy

24. and maintains a
subscription to Ladris Evac to
utilize Ai modeling to explore
the effectiveness of new
mitigations and traffic control
features to improve
evacuation times.

Item I.4
Packet Page 88
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
CalTrans to
make median
cuts at the onramps for
Highway 24 to
facilitate
emergency
evacuation traffic
routing. The
project should be
reviewed and
approved by the
City Council by
early 2026.

S-12 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
Public Works Explore expanding contraflow lanes and red flag parking restrictions to
support safe evacuations on
critical roadways.

Current In
Progress
The City
purchased a
one-year
subscription to
Ladris AI to
utilize modeling
evacuation
timing and
related wildfire
simulations. This
modeling can
help identify
changes
necessary to
improve
evacuation
timing.

The City is utilizing Ladris to
evaluate the feasibility and
potential effectiveness of
contraflow as an evacuation
strategy. Staff research
indicates that California
communities approach
contraflow differently, some
incorporate it as a primary
evacuation tool, others
reserve it for last-resort
scenarios, and some have
determined that it provides
limited or no benefit. The
City's ongoing analysis will
help determine where
contraflow may be appropriate
within Orinda's evacuation
framework.

S-13 Emergency
Preparedness
EM Team Continue to work with
schools, senior care
2025 In
Progress
In April 2025, the
City held a
The City worked closely with
local schools throughout 2025
Item I.4
Packet Page 89
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
& Response centers, and similar facilities
to improve evacuation
planning and preparation.
"Community
Education Night,"
drawing many
community
members to
learn about the
roles and
responsibilities of
the City, MOFD,
and residents.

Another event
was held at end
of October 2025,
at Miramonte
High School
Theater and
included the
those who were
at the April event
as well as
Superintendent
of OUSD. The
event was
advertised as a
Parent Education
Night regarding
evacuation. That
event received
low turnout.
and remains committed to
identifying and pursuing
opportunities for continued
collaboration. Additionally, the
City was a lead supporter of
Senator Grayson's legislation,
SB 959, which would amend
the Education Code and allow
schools/districts to close on
certain Red Flag Days with the
recommendation of law
enforcement. The bill has
received no formal opposition
and will be likely reaching the
governor's desk later this
summer.

S-14 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
EM Team Continue to revise and
improve the Evacuation
Analysis and its
recommendations as
appropriate during future
updates to the Safety
Current Ongoing The City
purchased a
one-year
subscription to
Ladris AI to
utilize modeling
The City is continuously using
Ladris to run evacuation
scenarios, analyze, and plan
accordingly.

Item I.4
Packet Page 90
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
Element and Hazard
Mitigation Plan, including in
coordination with
surrounding jurisdictions.
evacuation
timing and
related wildfire
simulations. This
modeling can
help identify
changes
necessary to
improve
evacuation
timing.

S-15 Emergency
Preparedness
& Response
EM Team Continue to coordinate with
MOFD to conduct
emergency services training
in support of appropriate
goals and standards for
training efforts.
2025 In
Progress
The City
participated with
MOFD staff in
the Great
Shakeout in
October 2025.

Orinda Police
continue to work
closely with
MOFD staff on
training
opportunities.

MOFD has been, and is
expected to remain, a willing
partner in preparedness
training and drills, as
demonstrated by the October
17, 2024, earthquake radio
response drill and the March
14, 2025, Police and Fire
communication tabletop
exercise. Orinda also
participated in the Great
Shakeout in October 2025.

There is also an EOP
Tabletop exercise planned for
June 17.

S-16 Flood &
Inundation
Planning Land development shall be
consistent with the natural
carrying capacity of nearby
creeks, streams, and other
waterways to address
potential hazards
associated with
development near sensitive
Ongoing Ongoing As part of the development
review process, the City’s
Planning Department
coordinates with Public Works
and Engineering to evaluate
potential impacts to
waterways, riparian corridors,
and stormwater systems.

Item I.4
Packet Page 91
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
riparian areas, such as
erosion and flooding.

When warranted, additional
studies may be required and
reviewed by qualified subject
matter experts. Any necessary
mitigation measures are
incorporated into project
conditions of approval to
reduce impacts and protect
environmental resources.

S-17 Flood &
Inundation
Planning For new construction and
proposals for substantial
improvements to residential
and nonresidential
development within 100-
year floodplains, as mapped
by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency
(FEMA) or as determined by
site-specific hydrologic
studies for areas not
mapped by FEMA, the City
of Orinda shall apply a
minimum level of
acceptable risk and
disapprove projects that
cannot mitigate the hazard
to the satisfaction of the
Building Official or other
responsible agency. Areas
outside of the 100-year
floodplains should be
considered for future risk
because climate change
may expand areas of the
city that are currently
Current Ongoing Project submission and review
determines if necessary. City
Planning utilizes recently
updated hazard zone mapping
to determine if projects need
to undergo further review. This
process is collaborative with
Orinda Public Works and
Engineering; Muni code

18.05.050 cites FEMA and
FIRM (maps) and subsequent
amendments.

Item I.4
Packet Page 92
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
considered flood prone.

S-18 Flood &
Inundation
Planning Development on parcels
containing or bordering the
floodway shall only be
allowed if the proposed
structures can be
adequately floodproofed
and will not contribute to
property damage or risks to
public safety. Such
developments shall be
required to be capable of
withstanding flooding and
minimize the use of fill.

Compatible uses shall not,
however, obstruct flows or
adversely affect upstream
or downstream properties
with increased velocities,
erosion backwater effects,
or concentrations of flows.

Current Ongoing As part of the development
review process, the City
evaluates projects for potential
flooding and drainage impacts.

The Contra Costa County
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
and Orinda annex were
approved by FEMA and Cal
OES and adopted by the City
Council in March 2025.

Flooding was identified as a
key hazard, and the City is
actively implementing the
mitigation measures identified
in the plan to reduce flood risk
and improve community
resilience.

S-19 Flood &
Inundation
Public Works Update stormwater
infrastructure design
requirements and retrofit
storm drainage systems as
needed, subject to funding
availability, to maintain
consistency with federal,
state, and local regulatory
requirements and to convey
runoff for more intense
storms resulting from
climate change.

Current Ongoing Public Works
and Engineering
is working with
the consulting
Firm Nichols
Consulting
Engineers to
map and survey
Orinda's storm
drain
infrastructure
that exists on
private property
to add to the
The City implements an
annual storm drain
rehabilitation program to repair
and replace aging
infrastructure. In addition,
Public Works and Engineering
is working with Nichols
Consulting Engineers to
inventory, map, and survey
storm drain facilities located
on private property that affect
the public system, improving
the City's understanding of its
drainage network and helping
Item I.4
Packet Page 93
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
city's storm drain
dataset.
to prioritize future
maintenance and capital
improvement projects.

S-20 Flood &
Inundation
Planning Condition new development
to maintain or minimize
post-development peak
runoff rate and average
volume similar to
predevelopment conditions,
to the maximum extent
feasible. Consider use of
green infrastructure and low
impact development that
use on-site infiltration to
slow runoff during peak
periods. Where this is not
feasible, the increase shall
be mitigated.

Ongoing Ongoing As part of the development
review process, the City
applies the requirements of
the Contra Costa Clean Water
Program and the Regional
Municipal Stormwater Permit
(Provision C.3) to reduce
stormwater runoff impacts
from new development and
redevelopment projects.

These requirements promote
site designs that minimize
impervious surfaces,
encourage infiltration and
bioretention, and manage
runoff rates and volumes to
protect water quality, reduce
flooding risks, and support
watershed health. In 2026, the
City joined the Contra Costa
County Regional Alternative
Compliance (RAC) Joint
Powers Authority, providing an
additional, regionally
coordinated compliance option
for stormwater treatment
requirements through certified
off-site green stormwater
infrastructure projects.

S-21 Flood &
Inundation
PW/Engineering Cooperate with the Contra
Costa County Flood Control
and Water Conservation
Current Ongoing The City actively pursues
grant funding opportunities
through its ongoing
Item I.4
Packet Page 94
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
District and other
jurisdictions to pursue
funding to finance
improvements to storm
drainage and flood control
facilities.
partnership with California
Consulting and recently
collaborated with Contra
Costa County on the update of
the Local Hazard Mitigation
Plan, which identified flooding
as a key hazard. As part of the
development review process,
Planning, Public Works, and
Engineering evaluate projects
for potential drainage and
flood-control impacts and
coordinate with the County's
Clean Water Program when
specialized expertise is
needed. The City has also
identified priority drainage and
flood mitigation improvements
through its Capital
Improvement Program and
maintains on-call Public Works
staff to respond to severe
weather events and flooding
concerns.

S-22 Flood &
Inundation
PW/Engineering Continue to coordinate with
the East Bay Municipal
Utilities District and the
Orinda Country Club to
assess the dam inundation
risk in Orinda and upgrade
facilities and infrastructure
at risk.

Current Ongoing The City relies on the
California Division of Safety of
Dams for oversight of dam
safety and inundation risk.

State inundation mapping
indicates that a failure of Lake
Cascade or Briones Reservoir
could affect portions of Orinda,
although impacts are expected
to be largely limited to the San
Pablo Creek, Lauterwasser
Item I.4
Packet Page 95
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
Creek, and Bear Creek
corridors. In addition, the State
has required the Orinda
Country Club to maintain
reduced water levels in its lake
to enhance public safety and
reduce potential flood risks.

S-23 Seismic &
Geologic
Hazards
Planning Minimize fault rupture
hazards through
enforcement of the following
policies:

1. Require geologic
studies or analyses for
critical, lifeline, and highoccupancy structures and
high-risk structures within

0.5 miles of all Quaternary
faults shown on the
Earthquake Fault Studies
Zones map (see Figure 8:

Regional Fault Lines).

2. Require geologic
trenching studies within all
designated Earthquake
Fault Studies Zones unless
adequate evidence is
presented, as determined
and accepted by an
approved Geotechnical
Engineer or Engineering
Geologist. The City of
Orinda may require geologic
trenching of nonzoned faults
for especially critical,
vulnerable, or lifeline
Current Ongoing As part of the development
review process, the City
applies current building code
requirements and uses the
State’s 2024 Seismic Hazard
Zone maps to identify sites
that may require additional
geotechnical investigation.

When a proposed project is
located within an Earthquake
Zone of Required Investigation
(EZRI), applicants must
prepare a geotechnical report,
which is then subject to State
review to ensure that seismic
hazards are adequately
evaluated and addressed.

Item I.4
Packet Page 96
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
structures

3. Require
infrastructure systems, such
as energy, communications,
and transportation
infrastructure, that cross a
fault be designed to resist
fault rupture for the
maximum plausible
earthquake scenario.

4. Support efforts by
the California Department of
Conservation, California
Geological Survey, to
develop geologic and
engineering solutions in
areas of ground deformation
due to faulting and seismic
activity but where a fault
cannot be reliably located.

5. Encourage and
support efforts by the
geologic research
community to better define
the locations and risks of
faults in and around the City
of Orinda. Such efforts
could include data sharing
and database development
with regional entities, other
local governments, private
organizations, utility
agencies or companies, and
local universities.

S-24 Seismic & Planning New development, including Ongoing Ongoing The City applies the most Item I.4
Packet Page 97
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
Geologic
Hazards
subdivisions, new
construction, and remodels
or expansions of existing
structures, shall minimize
exposure to seismic
hazards through site
planning and building
design.
current building code
standards and, where geologic
hazards are present, requires
site-specific studies and
mitigation measures
recommended by qualified
geotechnical and subject
matter experts as part of the
development review process.

S-25 Seismic &
Geologic
Hazards
County Building A geotechnical investigation
and report shall be required
for all new development in
landslide and liquefaction
zones. Any other facility that
could create a geologic
hazard, such as a road on
hillside terrain, must also
conduct such an
investigation. Evidence of
probable geologic hazard
shall require a geotechnical
study by a registered soil
engineer or registered
geologist that shall be
reviewed by geotechnical
consultants selected by the
City.

Ongoing Ongoing As part of the development
review process, the City
applies the most current
building code standards to all
eligible projects. In areas with
potential geologic hazards or
instability, the City requires
site-specific investigations and
incorporates mitigation
measures recommended by
qualified geotechnical and
subject matter experts to
reduce risk and protect public
safety.

S-26 Seismic &
Geologic
Hazards
Planning Require new development
in areas prone to geologic
hazards (e.g., landslides,
steep topography, slope
instability), including the
Orinda Geologic Hazard
Abatement District, to be
designed to adequately
Current Ongoing As part of the development
review process and ongoing
infrastructure planning efforts,
Public Works and Engineering
have identified priority
locations for retaining walls
and slope stabilization
improvements within the
Item I.4
Packet Page 98
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
reduce these hazards,
including minimizing the
loss of native vegetation.

Grading plans;
environmental
assessments; engineering
and geologic technical
reports; and irrigation and
landscaping plans, including
ecological restoration and
revegetation plans, shall be
required as appropriate to
ensure the adequate
demonstration of a project’s
ability to mitigate these
potential impacts.

Capital Improvement Program.

Several projects are already
underway, including roadway
stabilization work along
Moraga Way and Glorietta
Boulevard, to reduce erosion
risks and improve long-term
roadway resilience.

S-27 Seismic &
Geologic
Hazards
Planning Require new development
in hillside areas to prepare
drainage plans to direct
runoff and drainage away
from potentially unstable
slopes.

Ongoing Ongoing As part of the development
review process, the City
applies the requirements of
the Contra Costa Clean Water
Program and the Regional
Municipal Stormwater Permit,
including Provision C.3, to
reduce stormwater runoff
impacts from new
development and
redevelopment projects.

These standards encourage
site designs that minimize
impervious surfaces, promote
infiltration and bioretention,
and manage runoff rates and
volumes to protect water
quality, reduce flooding risks,
and improve watershed
Item I.4
Packet Page 99
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
health.

S-28 Seismic &
Geologic
Hazards
Planning Encourage retrofits to
existing buildings and
critical infrastructure,
including key roadways, that
improve resiliency to
geologic and seismic
hazards.

Ongoing Ongoing As part of the development
review process, the City
applies the most current
building code standards,
including requirements
associated with Earthquake
Zones of Required
Investigation (EZRI). In areas
with potential geologic
hazards or instability, the City
requires site-specific
investigations and
incorporates mitigation
measures recommended by
qualified geotechnical and
subject matter experts to
reduce risk and protect public
safety. For existing homes that
are not subject to
development review, the City
promotes earthquake
preparedness and resilience
through public outreach,
educational materials, and
emergency preparedness
resources.

S-29 Fire Hazards City Manager Cooperate with the MoragaOrinda Fire District (MOFD) in developing additional
standards, guidelines, and
local ordinances to ensure
provision of adequate fire
protection and emergency
medical service for all
2025 Ongoing Currently both
MOFD and the
City of Orinda
are following the
rule setting
process from the
Board of Forestry
and Fire on Zone
The City regularly coordinates
with MOFD on wildfire
preparedness and vegetation
management initiatives. Both
agencies are actively
monitoring the California
Board of Forestry and Fire
Protection’s Zone Zero
Item I.4
Packet Page 100
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
persons and property in the
community.

Zero. The
deadline is set
for the end of the
year 2025.

These upcoming
rules will greatly
affect both Policy
26, and
Implementation
Action 15 of the
2023 Safety
Element. The
City of Orinda
sent a letter for
public comment
to the rule
making
committee earlier
in the year.
rulemaking process. The City
has also participated in the
rulemaking process by
submitting public comments to
help inform the development
of the statewide standards.

Draft regulations have been
posted.

S-30 Fire Hazards City Manager Continue coordination with MOFD to ensure a high
level of fire protection to
residential and commercial
development to avoid or
minimize wildfire hazards
associated with new land
uses, consistent with MOFD
standards, including
encouraging the location of
new development outside of
the Very High Fire Hazard
Severity Zones (see Figure
11: Wildfire Hazard Severity
Zones).

Current Ongoing The City reviews wildfire
safety and land use
considerations when
substantial land use plans are
amended or when individual
development projects are
submitted. As part of these
efforts, the City coordinates
with MOFD on land use
planning, fire safety initiatives,
and funding opportunities. The
City successfully partnered
with the office of
Assemblymember BauerKahan to secure funding for
additional MOFD inspectors
Item I.4
Packet Page 101
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
and continues to support
wildfire risk reduction through
annual fuel break
maintenance at Orinda Oaks
Park and Open Space, the
City's largest open space
preserve. The City is currently
coordinating with MOFD on
SB1123 applications and
determining any restrictions
for their implementation.

S-31 Fire Hazards Facilities Coordinate with MOFD and
landowners to develop and
maintain fuel breaks in
dedicated open space and
fire-access easements.

Current Ongoing Currently both
MOFD and the
City of Orinda
are tracking the
Zone Zero rule
making process
from the
California board
of Forestry and
Fire. Gov.

Newsom, by
executive order
gave the board a
deadline of the
end of the year,
2025 to finalize
the rule setting
process.

The City is anticipated to
receive $1 million in funding in
2027 to complete the North
Orinda Shaded Fuel Break
Project. In addition, the City
and MOFD are actively
monitoring the California
Board of Forestry and Fire
Protection's Zone Zero
rulemaking process. A draft
set of rules has been
published. Staff is in the
process of reviewing those
rules and will provide an
update at an upcoming
meeting.

S-32 Fire Hazards MOFD Encourage new
development to occur
outside of Very High Fire
Hazard Severity Zones. Any
development that does
occur in the Very High Fire
Current Ongoing As part of the development
review process, MOFD
evaluates proposed projects
for wildfire safety and
emergency access. For
developments other than
Item I.4
Packet Page 102
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
Hazard Severity Zones or
Wildland-Urban Interface
Zones (see Figure 11:

Wildfire Hazard Severity
Zones and Figure 12:

Wildland-Urban Interface
Zones) must prepare
project-specific fire
protection plans, in addition
to complying with all
applicable state and local
building and fire code
regulations. Fire protection
plans shall include a risk
analysis, discussion of fire
response capabilities,
compliance with fire safety
requirements (defensible
space, fire protection
infrastructure, building
ignition resistance, etc.),
appropriate mitigation
measures and design
considerations for any nonconforming fuel
modification, maintenance,
and education for residents.
single-family homes and minor
additions, applicants must
submit an aerial pre-plan
identifying potential hazards
and proposed mitigation
measures. For single-family
homes and ADUs, project
plans must demonstrate
compliance with applicable fire
safety requirements, including
ignition-resistant construction
materials, fire sprinklers, and
landscaping standards
established by MOFD
Ordinance 23-03.

MOFD's wildfire prevention
efforts have received
statewide recognition,
including commendation from
the California Insurance
Commissioner for its
enhanced fire code
requirements. In addition,
MOFD requires properties to
demonstrate compliance with
exterior hazard abatement
standards prior to the transfer
of ownership, helping to
reduce wildfire risk throughout
the community.

S-33 Fire Hazards City Manager Develop and update
programs as needed that
ensure recovery and
redevelopment after a large
Current Ongoing With the
development of
the Emergency
Operations Plan
The City is currently updating
its Emergency Operations
Plan and implementing a
corresponding training
Item I.4
Packet Page 103
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
fire and that reduce future
vulnerabilities to fire hazard
risks through site
preparation, redevelopment
layout design, fire-resistant
landscape planning, and
fire-retarding building
design and materials.

Update, the
document will
include a number
of annexes, one
of those will be
focused on
wildfire and the
post-event
recovery.

Another section
will address
recovery
processes more
broadly.
program for staff. The updated
plan will include several
annexes addressing specific
hazards and operational
functions, including a wildfire
annex focused on
preparedness, response, and
post-disaster recovery.

Additional sections will
address broader recovery and
continuity planning to support
the community's long-term
resilience following
emergencies.

S-34 Fire Hazards Planning Support and coordinate with
MOFD in reviewing
development proposals to
ensure that new
development be located
where fire and emergency
services have sufficient
capacity to meet project
needs or require that they
be upgraded to provide
necessary capacity as part
of the proposed
development activities.

Ongoing Ongoing As part of the development
review process, the City works
closely with MOFD to evaluate
proposed projects for
compliance with fire safety
and emergency access
requirements. Development
applications are first submitted
to the City and then routed to
MOFD for review and
comment, ensuring that
potential fire hazards and
necessary mitigation
measures are identified and
addressed early in the
planning process.

S-35 Fire Hazards Planning Continue to require review
by the Planning Department
and Moraga-Orinda Fire
District prior to the issuance
of development permits for
Current Ongoing As part of the development
review process, the City and
MOFD apply the most current
fire safety standards and code
requirements. Following
Item I.4
Packet Page 104
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
proposed construction
projects and conceptual
landscaping plans in Very
Fire Hazard Severity Zones
identified by CAL FIRE and
Wildland-Urban Interface
Zones (see Figure 11:

Wildfire Hazard Severity
Zones and Figure 12:

Wildland-Urban Interface
Zones). Plans for proposed
development in such areas
shall include, at a minimum:

1. Site plan, planting
plan, planting palette, and
irrigation plan to reduce the
risk of fire hazards and with
consideration to site
conditions, including slope,
structures, and adjacencies.

2. Development and
maintenance of defensible
space.

3. Multiple points of
ingress and egress to
improve evacuation,
emergency response, and
fire equipment access, and
adequate water
infrastructure for water
supply and fire flow that
meets or exceeds the
standards in the California
Fire Safe Regulations
(Section 1273 and 1274 of
MOFD's adoption of local
amendments to the California
Fire Code, the City ratified
those amendments to ensure
consistent implementation
throughout the community.

In addition, City staff began
expanding the defensible
space standard around City
facilities from the existing twofoot noncombustible zone to a five-foot "Zone Zero" area in
February 2025. This effort
supports emerging wildfire
resilience best practices and
helps reduce structure ignition
risk from embers and nearby
combustible materials.

Item I.4
Packet Page 105
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
the California Code of
Regulations – Title 24,
Division 1.5, Chapter 7,
Articles 2 and 3).

4. Class A roof
materials for new and
replacement roofs.

5. Location and source
of anticipated water supply
S-36 Fire Hazards Planning Coordinate with the East
Bay Municipal Utilities
District (EBMUD) to
maintain an adequate, longterm water supply for fire
suppression needs for the
community.

Ongoing Ongoing As part of the development
review process, the City
coordinates with EBMUD and
MOFD to ensure that
proposed projects have
adequate fire-flow water
supply and pressure to meet
applicable fire protection
standards. These agencies
provide technical expertise
during project review and work
with applicants to identify
appropriate mitigation
measures when deficiencies
are identified, helping to
ensure the safety and
resilience of new
development.

S-37 Fire Hazards Public Works Support measures that help firefighting crews and
emergency response teams
respond to fire hazards or
work under low-visibility
conditions, such as highvisibility signage for streets and building addresses that
Ongoing Ongoing The City replaces traffic and
roadway signs as needed to
ensure compliance with
current retroreflectivity and
visibility standards. As part of
this ongoing effort, Public
Works and Engineering has
replaced approximately half of
Item I.4
Packet Page 106
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
meet or exceed the
standards in the California
Fire Safe Regulations
(Sections 1273 and 1274 of
the California Code of
Regulations – Title 24,
Division 1.5, Chapter 7,
Articles 2 and 3).

Orinda's older signs with
higher-visibility signage
designed to improve safety
under nighttime and low-light
conditions. The remaining sign
replacements are expected to
be completed over the next
five years.

S-38 Fire Hazards City Manager Continue to uphold fireresistant landscaping and defensible space
requirements for new
residential and commercial
development. All new
residential development
must comply with MOFD
and California Fire Safe
Regulations (Section 1276
of the California Code of
Regulations – Title 24,
Division 1.5, Chapter 7,
Article 5), as well as
Chapter 17.17
(Landscaping) of the
Municipal Code, which
requires all planted material
to conform to the fire-safe
vegetation list in the City of
Orinda Landscape
Guidelines.

Current In
Progress
City staff, with
the aid of
volunteer expert
Sue AndersenBerger, have
finished the
update for the
Second Edition
of the 'Plants for
a Fire-Savvy
Landscape'. An
electronic
version is
available online
and the City is
working on
making hard
copies available
to the public.

The City supports community
wildfire preparedness through
public education and outreach
initiatives. With assistance
from volunteer expert Sue
Andersen-Berger, City staff
completed an updated second
edition of Plants for a FireSavvy Landscape, which
provides guidance on fireresistant landscaping
practices. An electronic
version is available online, and
the City is working to make
printed copies available to
residents.

S-39 Fire Hazards Planning Require proposed
development to provide
adequate access for fire
and emergency vehicles
and equipment that meets
Ongoing Ongoing As part of the development
review process, the City works
closely with MOFD to evaluate
proposed projects for
compliance with fire safety
Item I.4
Packet Page 107
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
or exceeds the standards in
the California Fire Safe
Regulations (Sections 1273
and 1274 of the California
Code of Regulations – Title
24, Division 1.5, Chapter 7,
Articles 2 and 3).
requirements. Development
applications are submitted to
the City and then referred to
MOFD for review and
comment to ensure that
potential fire hazards and
necessary mitigation
measures are identified early
in the process.

Following project approval,
compliance is verified through
construction inspections
conducted by both County
building inspectors and MOFD
personnel, helping to ensure
that approved plans and fire
safety requirements are
properly implemented.

S-40 Fire Hazards Public Works Identify existing public and private roadways in fire
hazard severity zones and
the wildland-urban interface
(WUI) that are not in
compliance with current fire
safety regulations, including
road standards for
evacuation and emergency
vehicle access, vegetation
clearance, and other
requirements of the
California Fire Safe
Regulations (Sections 1273
and 1274 of the California
Code of Regulations - Title
Current In
Progress
Public Works
worked with
MOFD to
determine any
areas that would
benefit from
additional fuel
mitigation along
evacuation
routes in the
public Right-ofWay easement.

Staff asked
MOFD to provide
a template for
what could be
To maintain safe roadway
clearances, the City issues
notices to property owners
when trees or vegetation
encroach into the public rightof-way. In coordination with MOFD, Public Works
evaluated evacuation routes
and identified locations where
additional fuel reduction
measures could enhance
public safety. While vegetation
maintenance within the public
right-of-way is generally the
responsibility of adjacent
property owners, the City
Item I.4
Packet Page 108
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
14, Division 1.5, Chapter 7,
Articles 2 and 3), to the
extent resources are
available. Work at
retrofitting City-owned
roadways as needed to
meet current standards and
require private property
owners to do the same, to
the extent feasible and
given the absence of other
site constraints.
done, not just to
meet minimum
requirements,
but go "above
and beyond."
Although
maintenance of
the public right of
way is
considered the
responsibility of
the adjacent
property owner,
in order to help
set a baseline of
what would be
best practice,
Public Works
addressed this
issue directly.
undertook targeted fuel
mitigation efforts to establish
best practices and improve
wildfire resilience along key
evacuation corridors.

S-41 Fire Hazards City Manager Continue to coordinate with PG&E to underground
power lines throughout the
community, especially in the
wildland-urban interface and
fire hazard severity zone
areas where wildfire risk is
greatest.

Current In
Progress
The California Public Utilities
Commission's Rule 20
program is no longer
allocating Rule 20A credits,
which historically funded 100
percent of undergrounding
costs. Unassigned Rule 20A
credits are being redirected by
PG&E to areas it identifies as
having the highest wildfire risk.

The City has not yet estimated
the cost of undergrounding all
remaining overhead utilities
within Orinda. According to
PG&E's community
Item I.4
Packet Page 109
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
representative, the remaining
Rule 20A credits previously
allocated to Orinda are being
utilized for improvements
associated with the
transformer facility located
near Camino Pablo and El
Toyonal.

S-42 Fire Hazards City Manager Collaborate with MOFD to provide roadside fuel
reduction, defensible space,
and vegetation
management, particularly
along evacuation routes.

Current In
Progress
Public Works
worked with
MOFD to
determine any
areas that might
need additional
fuel mitigation
before the grass
and weed
abatement
deadline of June
1, 2025. Staff
asked MOFD to
provide a
template for what
could be done,
not just to meet
minimum
requirements,
but go "above
and beyond," on
city owned
parcels and
public right-ofway."
To maintain safe roadway
clearances, the City issues
notices to property owners
when trees or vegetation
encroach into the public rightof-way. In advance of the June 1, 2025, grass and weed
abatement deadline, Public
Works, under the direction of
the Facilities Supervisor,
worked with MOFD to identify
City-owned properties and
public right-of-way areas that
could benefit from additional
fuel reduction measures. Staff
sought to implement
vegetation management
practices that exceed
minimum requirements,
helping to establish best
practices and further improve
wildfire resilience throughout
the community.

S-43 Fire Hazards City Manager Support efforts by MOFD
and other regional partners
Current In
Progress
City staff
continue to
Measure R supports ongoing
community education, wildfire
Item I.4
Packet Page 110
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
to establish an extensive
community education and
motivational program
regarding Wildfire Risk
Reduction, Home
Hardening, and Emergency
Preparedness, including
development and
maintenance of defensible
space. The City also
amplifies the social media
messaging put out by
MOFD.
support the work
of Fire Safe
Moraga-Orinda
(FSMO). During
this reporting
period, FSMO
requested
funding from the
City to assist in
expanding their
efforts. The City
Council
remanded the
discussion to the
Supplemental
Sales Tax
Oversight
Commission
(SSTOC) for
review and
recommendation.

That work is
ongoing.
preparedness, and fuel
reduction efforts throughout
Orinda. The City is currently
pursuing a professional
services agreement with
FSMO to expand community
education and outreach
efforts, along with other
wildfire resilience initiatives. In
addition, the City and the
Supplemental Sales Tax
Oversight Commission
(SSTOC) continue to explore
opportunities to further
strengthen community-based
wildfire preparedness and
resilience programs.

S-44 Hazardous
Materials
City Manager Coordinate with the Contra
Costa County Emergency
Services Division, Contra
Costa County Division of
Environmental Health, and
MOFD and support efforts
to reduce the level of risk
from toxic and hazardous
materials in Orinda by
regulating the transportation
and storage of these
materials in the community,
Current In
Progress
Recycle Smart, the City's JPA
for solid waste and refuse,
regularly participates in City
Council meetings and
community events, including
the Fourth of July Parade and
the Orinda Wildfire Prevention
and Safety Fair, to educate
residents about proper
disposal and recycling options
for household, hazardous, and
other waste materials.

Item I.4
Packet Page 111
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
and through an educational
program on the proper
disposal methods for
hazardous, toxic, and
polluting materials.

S-45 Hazardous
Materials
City/MOFD Require public disclosure of
all companies, facilities,
buildings, and properties
that use, store, produce,
and/or import/export any
hazardous materials and
wastes in the city. The City
will maintain and share its
inventory with the Contra
Costa County
Environmental Health
Department.

Current In
Progress
City will coordinate with MOFD
to identify their operating
practices regarding hazardous
material locations.. In the
event of a large scale disaster
the City of Orinda will stand-up
the Emergency Operations
Center to manage the
incident. This is one of the
focus' of the upcoming 2025
Orinda Emergency Operations
Plan (EOP).

S-46 Hazardous
Materials
Planning Ensure that the use and
disposal of hazardous
materials in the city
complies with local, state,
and federal safety
standards.

Ongoing Ongoing Project submission and review
determines if necessary. If a
site has a known history of
contamination, then planning
will act as the hub of the
project, notifying the
appropriate agencies and
receiving the necessary signoffs before a planning permit is allowed to move forward.

If a site gets contaminated by
a hazardous material spill after
construction begins, then
Public Works and Engineering
will be the agency in Orinda
tasked with ensuring that
appropriate remediation is
Item I.4
Packet Page 112
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
accomplished.

S-47 Hazardous
Materials
Planning Encourage use of on-site
green infrastructure to
protect and enhance
community water quality
and use of landscape
design (e.g., berms,
grasslands, plantings) to
either contain released
hazardous materials or to
process and/or absorb
pollutants to prevent them
from infiltrating the soil or
watershed.

Ongoing Ongoing Project submission and review
determines if necessary.

During the plan review phase,
Public Works and Engineering
will ask for the addition of
retention basins or bio-swales
to help with storm water
drainage and to keep
pollutants from roadways from
entering the waterways.

S-48 Hazardous
Materials
City Manager Maintain the organizational
framework for
implementation of the
California Standardized
Emergency Management
System (SEMS) and the
National Incident
Management System
(NIMS).

Current In
Progress
Navigating
Preparedness
Associates were
selected to assist
Orinda in
developing an
updated EOP to
the City Council
by year-end
2025; and offer
staff trainings
(including
training in NIMS
and SEMS) in
the following
spring.

The City is currently updating
its Emergency Operations
Plan (EOP). Navigating
Preparedness Associates has
been retained to assist with
development of the updated
plan, which is anticipated to be
presented to the City Council
by the end of 2025. The
project also includes a
comprehensive staff training
program. To date, all staff
have been given EOP and
Section-Specific Training and
are scheduled for a tabletop
exercise on June 17th.

S-49 Climate &
Other
Hazards
Planning/Parks Establish one or more
equitably-located resilience
hubs in Orinda. Ensure that
resilience hubs are not in
areas at risk from hazard
Current In
Progress
The City utilizes the Orinda
Community Center as a
resilience hub and has
activated the facility during
past Public Safety Power
Item I.4
Packet Page 113
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
impacts, to the extent
possible; offer refuge from
extreme heat and extreme
weather events as well as
poor air quality and
disasters; and are equipped
with renewable energy
generation and backup
power supplies. Such
facilities should be in easily
accessible locations and
available to all community
members. Resilience hubs
consist of new well‐used,
existing, community‐serving
facilities that are upgraded
to provide local
communities with shelter,
water, and electricity during
these events or disasters.

Shutoff events to provide
community support. Recent
improvements, including the
installation of solar panels and
a backup generator system,
have strengthened the
facility's ability to serve this
role during emergencies. As
part of the ongoing
Emergency Operations Plan
update, the City will continue
to evaluate opportunities to
enhance care and shelter
capabilities. In October 2025,
Contra Costa County identified
care and shelter operations as
a priority area for local
Emergency Operations Plan
reviews, and this topic will
receive significant attention
during the City's EOP update
process.

S-50 Climate &
Other
Hazards
Planning Use the reported data and
findings of applicable local,
regional, or state
documents or plans
pertaining to climate-related
hazards that could impact
the City of Orinda, including
the California Climate
Change Assessment, the
California Adaptation
Planning Guide, and the
Safeguarding California
Plan to inform decisionCurrent In
Progress
The update of
the Orinda EOP
in 2025 has
utilized these
documents as
resources for its
development.

The City is evaluating how
best to implement this strategy
as part of its broader
emergency preparedness
efforts. Although
implementation has not yet
begun, the ongoing update of
the City's Emergency
Operations Plan has
incorporated these documents
and best practices as
reference materials to help
guide future planning and
Item I.4
Packet Page 114
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
making and foster increased
community resilience to
climate-related hazards.
operational improvements.

S-51 Climate &
Other
Hazards
Planning/EBMUD Prepare for a reduced longterm water supply resulting from more frequent and
severe drought events,
including working with
regional water providers to
implement extensive water
conservation measures and
ensure sustainable water
supplies, including for fire
suppression needs.

Current In
Progress
The City considers water
conservation, climate
resilience, and heat mitigation
measures when substantial
land use plans are amended
or development projects are
reviewed. To support these
goals, the City has adopted
the Model Water Efficient
Landscape Ordinance
(MWELO) and coordinates
with EBMUD on
implementation and related
water efficiency initiatives.

S-52 Climate &
Other
Hazards
PW/Planning Renovate existing Cityowned assets and design future facilities to
incorporate renewable
energy generation systems,
battery storage systems,
and energy-efficient design
and features, as feasible.

Ongoing Ongoing The City incorporates
sustainability, energy
efficiency, and climate
resilience considerations into
its facilities planning and
capital improvement efforts.

Orinda City Hall was designed
by Siegel & Strain Architects
and achieved LEED Gold
certification, exceeding
California energy efficiency
standards by more than 72
percent. In addition, City
facilities utilize smart irrigation
systems that adjust watering
schedules based on
environmental conditions to
conserve water and improve
Item I.4
Packet Page 115
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
operational efficiency.

The City has been investing in
its buildings, including new
energy efficient HVAC
systems, as well as receiving
support for the installation of
SmartSignals to improve
evacuation operations. Staff
continue to evaluate emerging
technologies that may
enhance emergency response
capabilities and improve the
identification of vulnerable
populations and high-risk
areas during disasters.

S-53 Climate &
Other
Hazards
City Manager Coordinate with PG&E to
explore ways to improve
and increase energy
storage capacity and
generation efficiency.

Ongoing Ongoing The City continues to evaluate
opportunities to expand the
use of renewable energy at
municipal facilities as part of
its facilities planning and
capital improvement efforts.

Existing solar installations at
the Library, Community
Center, and Wilder Sports
Fields help offset energy
consumption and reduce
reliance on fossil fuel-based
power generation. The City
will continue to assess
additional opportunities to
improve energy efficiency,
increase renewable energy
production, and enhance the
long-term sustainability and
Item I.4
Packet Page 116
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
resilience of its facilities.

S-54 Climate &
Other
Hazards
Planning Coordinate with the Contra
Costa County
Transportation Authority to
increase shading and heatmitigating materials on
pedestrian walkways and at
transit stops.

Current In
Progress
As part of the development
review process and ongoing
urban forestry efforts, the City
evaluates opportunities to
preserve and enhance tree
canopy coverage. The City
successfully advocated for the
retention of several street
trees that had been proposed
for removal by PG&E, allowing
those trees to remain in place
through alternative
management measures.

These efforts help maintain
shade, improve community
resilience to extreme heat,
and enhance comfort for
pedestrians and transit users,
including at public bus stops
and near assisted living
facilities.

S-55 Climate &
Other
Hazards
Planning Encourage new
developments and existing
property owners to
incorporate sustainable,
energy-efficient, and
environmentally
regenerative features into
their facilities, landscapes,
and structures to reduce
energy demands and
improve on-site resilience.

Support financing efforts to
increase community access
Ongoing Ongoing As part of the development
review process, the City
applies the requirements of
the Contra Costa Clean Water
Program and the Regional
Municipal Stormwater Permit,
including Provision C.3, to
reduce stormwater runoff
impacts from new
development and
redevelopment projects.

Public Works, Engineering,
and Planning staff work
Item I.4
Packet Page 117
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
to these features. together to ensure that
projects incorporate
appropriate stormwater
management measures.

These requirements promote
site designs that minimize
impervious surfaces,
encourage the use of
landscaping and permeable
materials to increase
infiltration, and require
treatment of runoff through
bioretention and other best
management practices. Where
appropriate, projects must
also manage the rate and
duration of stormwater runoff
to protect water quality,
reduce flooding risks, and
improve watershed health.

S-56 Climate &
Other
Hazards
Planning Promote the use of
drought‐tolerant green
infrastructure, including
landscaped areas, as part
of cooling strategies in
public and private spaces.

Current In
Progress
City of Orinda
staff with the aid
of volunteer
expert Sue
AndersenBerger, have
finished the
update for the
Second Edition
of the 'Plants for
a Fire-Savvy
Landscape'. An
electronic
version is
The City promotes wildfireresilient landscaping through its development standards,
public education efforts, and
the Plants for a Fire-Savvy
Landscape guide. With
assistance from volunteer
expert Sue Andersen-Berger,
City staff completed an
updated second edition of the
guide, which provides
residents with information on
selecting and maintaining fireresistant landscaping. An Item I.4
Packet Page 118
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
available online
and the City is
working on
making hard
copies available
to the public.
electronic version is available
online, and the City is working
to make printed copies
available to the public.

S-57 Climate &
Other
Hazards
Facilities Use natural resources and
infrastructure to absorb the
impacts of climate-related
hazards and associated
natural hazards, as feasible.

Ongoing Ongoing The City incorporates
stormwater management and
water quality considerations
into municipal facility projects
and capital improvements.

Public Works, Engineering,
and Planning staff apply the
requirements of the Contra
Costa Clean Water Program
and the Regional Municipal
Stormwater Permit, including
Provision C.3, when designing
and implementing eligible
projects.

These requirements
encourage site designs that
minimize impervious surfaces,
promote infiltration through
landscaping and permeable
materials, and require
treatment of stormwater runoff
through bioretention and other
best management practices.

Where appropriate, projects
must also manage the rate
and duration of runoff to
protect water quality, reduce
flooding risks, and improve
Item I.4
Packet Page 119
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
watershed health.

S-58 Climate &
Other
Hazards
City Manager Coordinate with neighboring
communities to develop an
extreme heat response plan
that designates cooling
centers and establishes a
temperature threshold
triggering citywide
notification and coordination
for opening designated
cooling centers to the
public.

Current In
Progress
The City coordinates with
Contra Costa County and
neighboring jurisdictions to
prepare for extreme heat
events and follows guidance
from the National Weather
Service and other emergency
management agencies. During
periods of excessive heat, the
City shares public health
information, promotes heat
safety and preparedness
measures, and directs
residents to available cooling
facilities, including the Orinda
Community Center and
Library.

The City's Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan also identifies
strategies to improve
resilience during extreme heat
events, including investments
in backup power systems and
renewable energy
infrastructure to help ensure
that critical community
facilities remain operational
during Public Safety Power
Shutoff (PSPS) events and
other emergencies.

S-59 Climate &
Other
Hazards
City Manager Collaborate with the Contra
Costa County Department
of Public Health and
Ongoing Ongoing The City is including
references to the County's
Public Health Department into
Item I.4
Packet Page 120
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
healthcare providers to
minimize medical-supplychain disruptions for
facilities in Orinda.
its ongoing Emergency
Operations Plan update. As
part of its preparedness
efforts, the Parks and
Recreation Department
maintains a limited cache of
emergency supplies, including
face masks, hand sanitizer,
potable water, and shelf-stable
food, to support response
operations during public health
emergencies and other
community incidents.

S-60 Climate &
Other
Hazards
City Manager Increase the resiliency of
City-owned structures to
severe weather events and
support homeowners and
business owners to
increase the resilience of
their buildings and
properties through retrofits,
weatherization, and other
improvements.

Current In
Progress
The City has undertaken a
variety of initiatives to improve
community resilience to
extreme weather, wildfires,
and other emergencies.

Recent efforts include HVAC
upgrades at City facilities to
improve reliability and
occupant comfort during
extreme temperature events.

In February 2025, City staff
began expanding the
noncombustible area around
City buildings from the existing
two-foot standard to a five-foot
"Zone Zero" area, consistent
with emerging wildfire
resilience best practices.

The City also conducts
ongoing public outreach to
encourage residents to create
Item I.4
Packet Page 121
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
defensible space, harden
homes against wildfire risks,
and prepare for emergencies.

These efforts are supported by
Measure R-funded programs,
including the Chipper
Program, which helps
residents safely dispose of
hazardous vegetation, and a
wildfire mitigation incentive
program that assists property
owners in reducing the cost of
major fuel reduction projects.

WFR1Wildfire EIR
Measures
City/MOFD Develop Wildfire Hazard
Assessment and Plan and
Sites Subject to Shelter-InPlace Guidelines
The City shall require the
following measures prior to
approval of projects on any
new development at the
Housing Element Sites or in
the DPP:

1. A Wildfire Hazard
Assessment and Plan shall
be developed for the project
site.

2. Shelter-in-place design
guidelines shall be required
for project site development.

Guidelines include the
following:
- Well-maintained, fire
district approved landscape
and vegetation
Current In
Progress
As of this
reporting period,
the DPP has
been rescinded
and will be
considered at a
later date. No
projects for
development
have been
received during
this reporting
period.

The City works closely with
MOFD to incorporate wildfire
safety considerations into land
use planning and development
review. While wildfire risk
assessments are not required
for all development projects,
new development within
designated Wildfire Hazard
Areas and certain Housing
Element sites must prepare a
Wildfire Hazard Assessment
and implement appropriate
mitigation measures. The
City's Objective Design
Standards and Downtown
Precise Plan were developed
with MOFD input to help
ensure that new development
incorporates fire-safe design
principles and supports
community wildfire resilience.

Item I.4
Packet Page 122
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
management plan
- Adequate roadway and
driveway widths, designed
to accommodate two-way
traffic and large firefighting
apparatus
- Adequate water supply
and water flow for
firefighting efforts.
- Vegetation modification
zones surrounding the
community
- Homes in the community
are built with heavy timber,
ignition-resistant eaves,
residential fire sprinklers, a
Class A ignition resistant
roof, dual pane (one being
tempered) glass windows,
and chimneys with spark
arrestors containing a
minimum of

0.5-inch screen.

3. Wildfire Hazard
Assessment and Plan and
site design applying shelterin-place guidelines must be approved by MOFD.

With the rezonings in 2025 to
comply with the Housing
Element, development
applications may proceed
under the updated planning
and design framework.

WFR2Wildfire EIR
Measures
City Construction Wildfire Risk
Reduction
The City shall require the
following measures during
project construction:

1. Construction activities
with potential to ignite
Current In
Progress
Language from
this section is
being
incorporated into
the City's
Planning
Submission
Implementation of this strategy
is primarily supported through
MOFD, the County Building
Division, and the City's
development review and code
enforcement processes. The
City and MOFD regularly
Item I.4
Packet Page 123
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
wildfires shall be prohibited
during red-flag warnings
issued by the National
Weather Service for the
site. Example activities
include welding and
grinding outside of enclosed
buildings.

2. Fire extinguishers shall
be available onsite during
project construction. Fire
extinguishers shall be
maintained to function
according to manufacturer
specifications. Construction
personnel shall receive
training on the proper
methods of using a fire
extinguisher.

3. Construction equipment
powered by internal
combustion engines shall
be equipped with spark
arresters. The spark
arresters shall be
maintained pursuant to
manufacturer
recommendations to ensure
adequate performance. At
the City’s discretion,
additional wildfire risk
reduction requirements may
be required during
construction. The City shall
review and approve the
Form to provide
applicants
additional
awareness of the
new
requirements.
update local fire safety
requirements through adoption
of the California Fire Code,
while building standards are
updated through the California
Building Code cycle, which
occurs every three years.

Construction sites are
monitored through County
building inspections, MOFD
oversight, and City code
enforcement activities, as
appropriate. To improve
awareness of these
requirements, language from
this section is being
incorporated into the City's
development application
materials and plan submittal
forms so that applicants
receive clear guidance early in
the review process.

Item I.4
Packet Page 124
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
project-specific methods to
be employed prior to
building permit approval.

WFR3Wildfire EIR
Measures
City Develop Wildfire Hazard
Assessment and Plan and
Sites Subject to Shelter-InPlace Guidelines
Project landscape plans
shall include fire-resistant
vegetation native to Contra
Costa County and/or the
local microclimate of the site
and prohibit the use of fireprone species especially
non-native, invasive
species. If the project site is
within a known landslide
area (see Figure 4.5-2 in
Section 4.5, Geology and
Soils), the site shall be
subject to geotechnical
review regarding potential
post-fire slope instability.

Structural engineering
features incorporated into
the design of the structure
to reduce the risk of
damage to the structure
from post-fire slope
instability shall be
recommended by a qualified
engineer and approved by
the City prior to the building
permit approval
Pending
Use
In
Progress
Policy in place,
but not yet put
into practice due
to not having any
applicable
submissions.

The City supports wildfireresilient landscaping through its development standards,
public education efforts, and
coordination with MOFD. The
recently updated Plants for a
Fire-Savvy Landscape guide
provides residents and
developers with information on
selecting and maintaining fireresistant landscaping, while the City's Objective Design
Standards incorporate MOFDrecommended plant lists and
reference the guide as a
resource. The policy
framework is in place and will
be applied as qualifying
development applications are
submitted and reviewed.

WFR- Wildfire EIR City Transparency and Tracking Current In This document is The City provides hazard Item I.4
Packet Page 125
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
4 Measures for Wildfire Evacuation
Improvement Measures
The City shall publish a
spreadsheet listing: adopted
wildfire evacuation
mitigation measures, Safety
Element policies regarding
wildfire evacuation, and the
recommendations related to
wildfire evacuation
contained in the Evacuation
Analysis and/or
Supplemental Evacuation
Analysis. This spreadsheet
shall indicate the
department(s) and
individual(s) responsible for
implementing each, any
relevant deadlines for
implementation, status of
implementation, any known
impediments to
implementation (e.g., lack of
funding), and proposed next
steps. This spreadsheet
shall be updated and made
available on the City’s
website.

Progress intended to meet
this mitigation
measure to
publish a
worksheet with
the relevant
information,
updated on a
regular cadence.
mitigation and preparedness
information to residents,
businesses, and community
partners through public
outreach, educational
materials, planning
documents, and emergency
preparedness programs. This
document serves as one of
the City's tools for
communicating mitigation
strategies, tracking
implementation progress, and
increasing awareness of
actions that can reduce risk
and improve community
resilience.

WFR5Wildfire EIR
Measures
City Regular SSTOC Updates
on Wildfire Evacuation
Improvement Measures
For the duration of the
2023-2031 Housing
Element cycle, the City’s
Supplemental Sales Tax
Ongoing Ongoing Staff intends on
updating the
SSTOC on these
WFR measures
at the same time
as the Safety
Element items at
These updates are included in
every agenda packet to the
SSTOC as the "Monthly
Report," and to a smaller
degree in the "At-a-Glance"
one-pager.

Item I.4
Packet Page 126
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
Oversight Commission
(SSTOC) shall receive
regular updates from City
Staff, including the City
Manager, City Engineer,
and the Education and
Outreach Coordinator, on
the City’s progress with
regard to the items included
in the spreadsheet
described in WFR-4. City
staff shall also provide the
SSTOC with information
and analysis regarding
projects that are or may be
included in the City’s Capital
Improvement Plan (CIP) to
improve wildfire evacuation.

The CIP shall include
information regarding the
relative importance and
priority of such projects.
least twice a
year, unless
there are no
meaningful
updates to
share. At that
point, Staff will
move to annual
updates. This will
be provided in
conjunction with
the SSTOC's
annual report
period.

WFR6Wildfire EIR
Measures
City Pursuit of Grant Funding for
Pedestrian, Bike, and
Emergency Vehicular
Improvements Between
Moraga and Orinda BART
The City shall continue to
pursue grant funding for a
pedestrian and bike
connection from Moraga to
Orinda BART that could
also beused for emergency
vehicular access in the
event of a wildfire or other
Ongoing Ongoing The City works
with a grants
consulting firm
and meets
monthly with
them to review
grant
opportunities that
can advance
improvements in
the City.

Improving evacuation routes
and access to Highway 24
remains an ongoing priority for
the City. Transportation and
roadway improvement
projects, including
enhancements to corridors
such as Camino Pablo, are
evaluated in part for their
ability to support emergency
evacuations, improve traffic
flow, and strengthen overall
community resilience during
Item I.4
Packet Page 127
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
emergency. disasters. The City also
partnered with the Town of
Moraga and received a
planning grant to study the
Moraga Way auxillary/bike
lane improvements.

WFR7Wildfire EIR
Measures
City Pursuit of Grant Funding for
Pedestrian and Bike
Improvements Between
Downtown Orinda and
Wilder
The City shall continue to
pursue grant funding for a
pedestrian and bike
connection from Wilder to
Downtown Orinda along
SR-24 that could potentially
be used in the event of a
wildfire or other emergency.

Ongoing Ongoing The City works
with a grants
consulting firm
and meets
monthly with
them to review
grant
opportunities that
can advance
improvements in
the City.

The City has identified this
project as a long-term priority
and estimates its total cost at
more than $20 million. Efforts
to secure funding remain
ongoing, and the City
continues to pursue state,
federal, and regional grant
opportunities to advance the
project and improve
community resilience.

WFR8Wildfire EIR
Measures
City Regular City Council
Updates on Wildfire
Evacuation Improvement
Measures
At least annually for the
duration of the 2023-2031
Housing Element cycle, City
Staff shall provide the City
Council with an update at a
public meeting on the City’s
progress with regard to the
items included in the
spreadsheet described in
WFR-4
Current In
Progress
The update to
the City Council
will follow the
updates to the
SSTOC.

The City is establishing a
regular process for reporting
on the implementation of
hazard mitigation and
resilience initiatives. This
update is being prepared for
presentation to the City
Council and is intended to
serve as a framework for
providing periodic updates on
the City's progress toward
implementing Safety Element
and hazard mitigation actions.

WFR9Wildfire EIR
Measures
City Pursuit of Development
Impact Fees to Improve
Current In
Progress
The regional
impact fee study
The City does not currently
collect local impact fees for
Item I.4
Packet Page 128
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
Wildfire Evacuation
During the next update to
the Lamorinda Fee and
Finance Authority’s
mitigation fee program,
which is expected to
commence in 2025 with an
updated nexus study, City
Staff shall work with fellow
member agencies Lafayette
and Moraga to pursue
collection of appropriate
development impact fees to
help fund potential
transportation system
improvements to address
the impact of potential new
development on emergency
evacuation.
is underway. this purpose, nor does it have
a program in place to begin
collecting them. However,
traffic impact fees are
collected through regional
programs and are used to
fund transportation
improvements that enhance
roadway capacity, improve
evacuation routes, and
support overall community
resilience.

WFR10Wildfire EIR
Measures
City/MOFD Coordination with MOFD
For the duration of the
2023-2031 Housing
Element cycle, the City
Manager and/or their
designee(s) shall continue
to meet with MOFD staff at
least two times a year to
coordinate on emergency
evacuation issues. Items for
future discussion would
include the
following:

1. Possible use of EVA
routes by the public for
evacuation.

Ongoing Ongoing The City meets
monthly with
MOFD staff to
cover a variety of
topics, including
discussions
around
evacuation.

These will
become standing
items on our
meeting agenda.

In addition to the
MOFD/City of
Orinda 2x2
subcommittee,
The City regularly coordinates
with MOFD on emergency
preparedness, wildfire
resilience, and public safety
initiatives. In addition to the
MOFD/City of Orinda 2x2
Committee, City and MOFD
staff hold standing monthly
meetings to discuss joint
priorities, coordinate efforts,
and address emergency
response issues. The City
Manager and Fire Chief also
maintain regular
communication on public
safety and emergency
Item I.4
Packet Page 129
Safety Element – July 2026 Update

2. Possible improvements to
EVA routes, including the
EVAs connecting Brookside
Road with Boeger Ranch
Road, Edgewood Road with
Wilder Road, and El
Toyonal with Wildcat
Canyon Road and potential
funding sources.

3. Any concerns MOFD may
have regarding emergency
vehicle use of City
roadways.

City Staff and
MOFD staff have
a standing
monthly meeting
to discuss joint
business. The
City Manager
and Fire Chief
also regularly
communicate
about emergency
response.
management matters.

The City and MOFD also
collaborate on community
education and outreach. In
2025, City and public safety
leaders hosted public
preparedness presentations to
educate residents on the roles
of local agencies and actions
individuals can take to
improve their safety and
readiness. These events
included participation from
City leadership, MOFD, the
Police Department, and t
WFR11Wildfire EIR
Measures
City Enhanced City Staffing for
Issues Related to Wildfire
For the duration of the
2023-2031 Housing
Element cycle, the City shall
maintain the equivalent of a
full-time staff person whose
primary responsibility is to
work with key stakeholders
inside and outside of the
City, including but not
limited to residents,
businesses, Moraga-Orinda
Fire District, Orinda Police
Department, Contra Costa
County Fire Protection
District, City of Lafayette,
Town of Moraga, Contra
Costa Office of Emergency
Current In
Progress
With the
Measure R add
on sales tax, the
City is able to
appropriately
invest in staffing
to conduct these
activities. This
staff focus on the
distribution of
wildfire
prevention and
preparedness
information,
engaging local
stakeholders,
and serving as
liaisons to
various groups
Measure R pays for the
staffing of the Sr.

Management Analyst for the
distribution of wildfire
prevention and preparedness
information, engaging local
stakeholders, and serving as
liaisons to various groups like
the County Emergency
Operations Center, Lamorinda
CERT, Fire Safe MoragaOrinda, the Diablo Fire Safe
Council and others.

Item I.4
Packet Page 130
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
Services, East Bay
Municipal Utility District,
East Bay Regional Park
District, on wildfire-related
risk reduction, wildfire
evacuation planning,
disaster preparedness
training, evacuation
capacity
expansion/maintenance,
and emergency response
capability.
like the County
Emergency
Operations
Center,
Lamorinda
CERT, Fire Safe
Moraga-Orinda,
the Diablo Fire
Safe Council and
others. The City
is participating
with Senator
Grayson's office
on a Wildfire
Working Group,
consisting of
major
stakeholders,
including all of
the public
agencies listed in
WFR-11. The
City is using this
Working Group
to address
issues between
agencies and
funding needs.

WFR12Wildfire EIR
Measures
City Enhanced City Evacuation
Planning and Education
At least annually for the
duration of the 2023-2031
Housing Element cycle, the
City Manager or their
designee shall review and
Current In
Progress
Most recently,
the City
distributed via
direct mail, a
map of the
primary
evacuation
The City continues to advance
emergency preparedness and
community engagement
efforts through its Emergency
Operations Plan update and
ongoing public outreach
programs, including an annual
Item I.4
Packet Page 131
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
update as needed the City’s
plans for emergency
evacuation, including public
education regarding
resources the public should
use in case of emergency to
determine when, where,
and how to evacuate.
routes, Genasys
ZoneHaven
Zones, helpful
contact
information, and
general tips for
evacuation
preparation in
late 2024 , and
then sent out
another post
card of the noparking-on-red
flag-days
enforcement
areas that also
contained the
evacuation
routes of North
Orinda.

Additionally, the
City's purchase
of Ladris'
software will
include public
access so that
residents can
better
understand the
issues of
evacuation
timing.
postcard mailer to every
household showing the City's
evacuation routes. The last
postcard was mailed in early
May 2026. Additionally, the
OrindaReady.com platform
provides a venue for residents
to easily access information
on evacuation planning. This
is also the website where the
public can access the Ladris
Public Evacuation Tool. To
further strengthen evacuation
planning, the City maintains
an agreement with Ladris, an
evacuation modeling and
simulation platform. The City
uses this technology to
evaluate evacuation
scenarios, improve emergency
planning, and provide
residents with access to tools
that can help them better
understand and prepare for
potential evacuation events.

WFR13Wildfire EIR
Measures
City Update to City Wildfire
Evacuation Plan
By February 1, 2026, the
Current In
Progress
Working with the
Consulting Firm
Navigating
The City is currently updating
its Emergency Operations
Plan (EOP) with assistance
Item I.4
Packet Page 132
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
City shall prepare a Wildfire
Evacuation Plan to update
and expand the 2018 Annex
included with the City’s
Emergency Operations Plan
Preparedness on
the Emergency
Operations Plan
(EOP). One of
the deliverables
will be an annex
to the EOP, a
City of Orinda
Wildfire
Evacuation Plan.
from Navigating Preparedness
Associates. As part of this
effort, the City is developing
an updated Wildfire
Evacuation Annex that will
establish procedures, roles,
and strategies for evacuation
planning, public
communication, and
emergency response during
wildfire incidents.

WFR14Wildfire EIR
Measures
City Use of Emerging
Technology to Study
Evacuation
The City will explore and
employ as appropriate
state-of-the-art options,
technologies, and
approaches prior to
undertaking the next Safety
Element update mandated
by the state. With significant
advancements currently
being made in the fields of
data collection, analysis,
artificial intelligence (AI) and
geographic information
system (GIS) technologies,
more robust and reliable
evacuation modeling tools
are expected to become
available soon. Although
some of these tools are
already becoming available,
there are reliability concerns
Current In
Progress
The City of
Orinda has
purchased a
subscription to
Ladris AI and is
holding training
sessions to get
City staff capable
of using the new
tool. Other
resources that
have been
investigated in a
similar vein are
XyloPlan, a
product created
by former MOFD
Fire Chief
Winnacker.

The City currently maintains a
subscription to Ladris, an
evacuation modeling and
planning platform, to enhance
emergency preparedness and
evacuation planning efforts.

City staff receive ongoing
training on the system and
using it to evaluate evacuation
scenarios, identify potential
constraints, and improve
emergency response
strategies. The City continues
to monitor and evaluate other
emerging technologies and
planning tools that may further
strengthen evacuation
planning and community
resilience.

Item I.4
Packet Page 133
Safety Element – July 2026 Update
due to the rapid
advancement of technology
in this field in a very short
time.

Item I.4
Packet Page 134
Safety Element Implementation Actions – July 2026 Update Implementation
Action Number
Applicable
Policy
Implementation Action Language Applicable
Hazard
Update
IA-1 S-1, S-6 The City shall continue to work with the
County to update the Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan upon its expiration to
ensure that Orinda maintains eligibility for
pre-disaster mitigation funding.

Emergency
Preparation
and
Response
The Contra Costa County
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
and Orinda annex were
approved by FEMA and Cal
OES and remain in effect
through 2029, maintaining the
City's eligibility for hazard
mitigation grant funding.

IA-2 S-1 The City shall continue to maintain
agreements with other local, state, and
federal agencies to ensure coordinated
disaster response.

Emergency
Preparation
and
Response
The City continues to
participate in mutual aid and
interagency emergency
response agreements through
Contra Costa County
emergency management and
public safety coordination
efforts.

IA-3 S-5 Maintain automatic aid agreements with
other fire protection/suppression
agencies in Contra Costa County.

Emergency
Preparation
and
Response
The City continues to maintain
emergency communication
and coordination protocols
with partner agencies through
Contra Costa County
emergency management and
public safety networks.

IA-4 S-11, S-12,
S-13
The City shall evaluate, and as feasible
enact, recommendations in the City of
Orinda 2022 Evacuation Analysis and
other pertinent analyses to improve safe
evacuations in Orinda.

Emergency
Preparation
and
Response
The City is considering
evacuation planning
recommendations in its
Emergency Operations Plan
update, public outreach efforts,
and continues the use of
evacuation modeling tools
such as Ladris.

IA-5 S-17 The City shall update the Municipal Code
as necessary to comply with state
requirements and projections of future
Flood and
Inundation
Hazards
Potential updates to Municipal
Code provisions related to
flood risk management are
Item I.4
Packet Page 135
Safety Element Implementation Actions – July 2026 Update flood risks for flood control. currently under internal review.

IA-6 S-18 The City will update its policies and
standards, if necessary, to remain
consistent with state and federal
standards for floodplains and urban
development in areas subject to flooding.

Flood and
Inundation
Hazards
The City continues to
implement flood management
policies through the General
Plan, Local Hazard Mitigation
Plan, and compliance with
applicable state and federal
regulations.

IA-7 S-19 Develop and implement minor repairs
and replacement of City-maintained
drainage facilities as problems are
identified through the ongoing storm
drain planning and inventory work, during
the storm season or through ongoing
inspections.

Flood and
Inundation
Hazards
Public Works conducts annual
storm drain maintenance and
infrastructure improvements,
including approximately
$350,000 in Category B storm
drain rehabilitation projects
each year.

IA-8 S-19, S-21 Consult with the Contra Costa County
Flood Control District as well as
upstream and downstream jurisdictions
regarding regional approaches for the
planning, construction, operation, and
maintenance of drainage and floodcontrol facilities. Include these entities in the referral of project applications as
appropriate.

Flood and
Inundation
Hazards
The City coordinates with
Contra Costa County and
regional agencies on flood
control and hydrology
planning, particularly during
storm events and emergency
response activities.

IA-9 S-21 The City shall conduct regular cleaning
and maintenance of storm drains along
key roadways, especially in advance of
the rainy season. The City shall address
potential ponding and the need for storm
drain improvements on major roadways
subject to funding availability.

Flood and
Inundation
Hazards
Public Works maintains storm
drainage facilities and
responds to roadway flooding
concerns during storm events
through on-call operations and
routine maintenance
programs.

IA-10 S-22 Coordinate with the State Division of
Safety of Dams to ensure that the City is
aware of the timeline for the maintenance
and inspection of dams whose failure
would impact their jurisdiction.

Flood and
Inundation
Hazards
Dam safety oversight is
primarily the responsibility of
the California Division of
Safety of Dams. The City
monitors relevant planning
Item I.4
Packet Page 136
Safety Element Implementation Actions – July 2026 Update efforts and coordinates with
partner agencies as
appropriate.

IA-11 S-24 Provide information to the public on ways
to reinforce buildings to reduce damage
from earthquakes and what to do in the
event of an earthquake.

Seismic and
Geologic
Hazards
The City promotes earthquake
preparedness through public
outreach, emergency
preparedness materials, and
coordination with regional
agencies. Additional
educational resources may be
developed in the future.

IA-12 S-24 Study building safety measures and
revise the building code to: (1) Include
building practices that minimize seismic
and geologic risks for new residential
buildings to the greatest feasible extent.
(2) Require any additional building
practices that minimize seismic risks for
paved areas and foundations of
buildings, as needed.

Seismic and
Geologic
Hazards
The California Fire Code and
California Building Code were
updated during the current
code cycle and are
implemented through the City's
development review and
permitting processes.

IA-13 S-25 The City will update and maintain
standards designed to avoid geologic
hazards, mitigate for soils-related
constraints, reduce impacts to
hydrological and drainage conditions,
and minimize erosion resulting from site
grading and preparation, construction,
and ongoing operations. Projects will be
conditioned to include measures to avoid
geologic- and soils-related impacts, as
necessary.

The City will require a geotechnical
evaluation prior to construction of
buildings intended for public occupancy
in areas with potential risk related to
geologic conditions or soil limitations, as
Seismic and
Geologic
Hazards
Geotechnical studies and
hazard mitigation measures
are required during project
review when warranted by site
conditions and applicable
regulations.

Item I.4
Packet Page 137
Safety Element Implementation Actions – July 2026 Update identified on maps maintained by the
City. The geotechnical evaluation shall
evaluate all relevant risks, which may
include but are not limited to erosion,
landslide, expansive soils, subsidence,
and seismic activity. Recommendations
from the geotechnical evaluation shall be
incorporated into the subject project or
plan in order to reduce risk to levels
acceptable to the City. The City will also
incorporate geotechnical evaluations and
recommendations into its own public
investments, as appropriate.

IA-14 S-26 Conduct slope stabilization practices on
existing public property and support
slope stabilization activities on private
property located on unstable hillside
areas, especially slopes with recurring
failures where City property or public
right-of-way is threatened from slope
instability, or where considered
appropriate and urgent by the City of
Orinda Engineer, or Moraga-Orinda Fire
District.

Seismic and
Geologic
Hazards
Public Works and Engineering
monitor roadway and slope
stability concerns and
implement stabilization
improvements as needed
through maintenance and
capital improvement projects.

IA-15 S-29 Coordinate with Moraga-Orinda Fire
District to continue implementing a longterm fire protection training program and continue public education efforts,
including to at-risk populations, to inform
the community of wildland and urban fire
hazards and ways to minimize damage
caused by fires.

Fire Hazards The City and MOFD continue
to conduct wildfire
preparedness, public
education, and community
outreach programs, including
Measure R-funded initiatives.

IA-16 S-30, S-31 The City shall work with CAL FIRE and
Moraga-Orinda Fire District to ensure
maintenance of existing fuel breaks,
vegetation clearance, and emergency
Fire Hazards Ongoing fuel reduction,
vegetation management, and
evacuation route maintenance
efforts are coordinated
Item I.4
Packet Page 138
Safety Element Implementation Actions – July 2026 Update access routes for effective fire
suppression on public and private roads.
between the City and MOFD.

IA-17 S-35 Continue to implement the City’s and the
Moraga-Orinda Fire District’s most
currently adopted Fire Codes to ensure
that development is constructed in a
structurally safe manner. To the extent
feasible, conduct periodic fire safety
inspections to ensure compliance with
adopted codes.

Fire Hazards Fire code compliance and
safety inspections continue
through MOFD, County
Building inspections, and the
City's development review
process.

IA-18 S-36 Identify and improve areas lacking
adequate water service for firefighting,
including capacity for peak load under a
reasonable worst-case wildland fire
scenario determined by Moraga-Orinda
Fire District. The City shall identify areas
lacking adequate water service, including
areas where future development may
occur.

Fire Hazards Fire-flow requirements are
evaluated during project
review in coordination with
MOFD and EBMUD to ensure
adequate firefighting capacity
for new development.

IA-19 S-41 Continue to consult and coordinate with
PG&E to acquire underground utility
funding for Orinda.

Fire Hazards Utility undergrounding efforts
are primarily coordinated
through PG&E and regional
programs. The City previously
participated in the Rule 20A
program and continues to
monitor related opportunities.

IA-20 S-45 Designate the Moraga-Orinda Fire
District as the keeper of a database of all
properties in Orinda engaging with
hazardous materials and include such
information as their address, their
owner’s contact information, and a list of
all the hazardous materials on site.

Hazardous
Waste and
Materials
Hazardous materials oversight
is primarily managed by
MOFD and Contra Costa
Environmental Health. The
City coordinates with partner
agencies as needed.

IA-21 S-46 Require that construction activities cease
if ground or water contamination is
discovered during construction until the
Hazardous
Waste and
Materials
Hazardous materials response
and remediation activities
continue through coordination
Item I.4
Packet Page 139
Safety Element Implementation Actions – July 2026 Update contamination is reported and the extent
of the contamination, as well as
necessary actions for remediation, have
been identified to the satisfaction of the
appropriate agency. Require that
remediation activities be completed to
the satisfaction of the appropriate
responsible agency (i.e., Contra Costa
County Environmental Health
Department, San Francisco Regional
Water Quality Control Board, Department
of Toxic Substances Control, or the City
of Orinda, depending upon the type of
contamination).
with MOFD, Contra Costa
Environmental Health, and
other responsible agencies.

IA-22 S-49 The City shall work with local schools
and community centers to create
resilience hubs that can serve as
gathering places during emergencies and
interruptions in service, and contain
access to water, electricity, and other
necessary services.

Additional
ClimateRelated
Hazards
The City utilizes the
Community Center as a
resilience hub and is
evaluating additional care,
shelter, and community
resilience capabilities through
the Emergency Operations
Plan update process.

IA-23 S-50 The City shall integrate the results of the
Climate Change Vulnerability
Assessment into other City planning
documents where feasible, including, the
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, Zoning
Ordinance, building code, and other
applicable codes.

Additional
ClimateRelated
Hazards
Climate vulnerability
considerations continue to be
incorporated into City planning
efforts, although the City has
not pursued a standalone
Climate Action Plan.

IA-24 S-51, S-52 The City shall review the climate
adaptation and resiliency strategies and
shall update them as needed to ensure
compliance with state laws and
community needs.

Additional
ClimateRelated
Hazards
Climate adaptation strategies
are incorporated into General
Plan implementation, hazard
mitigation planning,
emergency preparedness
efforts, and capital
improvement projects.

Item I.4
Packet Page 140
Safety Element Implementation Actions – July 2026 Update IA-25 S-51, S-52 The City shall review and as needed
update the Vulnerability Assessment to
incorporate new technology, programs,
and policies to improve adaptation to
climate-related hazards.

Additional
ClimateRelated
Hazards
The City's 2023 Vulnerability
Assessment remains the
current climate vulnerability
resource and will be updated
as new data and planning
efforts become available.

IA-26 S-54, S-55,
S-56, S-57
Where feasible, the City shall encourage
the use of existing natural features and
ecosystem processes, or the restoration
of, when considering alternatives and
adaptation projects through the
conservation, preservation, or
sustainable management of open space.

This includes, but is not limited to, the
conservation, preservation, or
sustainable management of any form of
aquatic or terrestrial vegetated open
space, such as parks, rain gardens, and
urban tree canopies. It also includes
systems and practices that use or mimic
natural processes, such as permeable
pavements, bioswales, and other
engineered systems, such as levees that
are combined with restored natural
systems, to provide clean water,
conserve ecosystem values and
functions, and provide a wide array of
benefits to people and wildlife.

Additional
ClimateRelated
Hazards
City projects incorporate green
infrastructure and stormwater
management requirements
through compliance with
Regional Municipal
Stormwater Permit Provision
C.3.

Item I.4
Packet Page 141
Evacuation Analysis Recommendations – July 2026 Update
Evacuation
Recommendations
Description Last
Update
Current Update
EV-1 Expand Red Flag Day parking restrictions
along key evacuation corridors, including
Moraga Way, Camino Pablo, Miner Road,
Honey Hill Road, St. Stephens Drive, and
other critical routes.

None Staff is evaluating opportunities to expand
Red Flag Day parking restrictions along
additional evacuation corridors. Coordination
with Public Works will be necessary before
any changes are proposed.

EV-2 Study and implement additional contra-flow
lanes on major evacuation routes, including:

Moraga Way toward SR24, Camino Pablo
northbound and southbound approaches to
SR24, St. Stephens Drive/Honey Hill Road
corridors, Overhill Rd. , San Pablo Dam
Road, SR24 Reversible Lanes.

None Evaluation of additional contraflow
opportunities has been included in the City's
work plan for the 2026-2027 Fiscal Year.

EV-3 Develop evacuation-specific traffic signal
timing plans that prioritize outbound
evacuation traffic on major arterials.

None Evacuation-specific signal timing
improvements are anticipated as part of the
City's Smart Signals program implementation.

EV-4 Deploy traffic control personnel or trained
volunteers at key intersections during
evacuation events.

None Traffic control personnel and mutual aid
resources would be deployed at key
intersections as part of emergency
evacuation operations when warranted.

EV-5 Use dynamic message signs and temporary
traffic control devices to direct evacuees
toward less congested routes.

None Dynamic message signs and temporary traffic
control devices are incorporated into the
City's emergency response procedures and
would be deployed as appropriate during an
evacuation.

EV-6 Evaluate Emergency Vehicle Access (EVA)
roads for potential public use during
evacuations, including: Brookside Road -
Boeger Ranch Road EVA, Edgewood Road
- Wilder Road EVA, El Toyonal - Wildcat
Canyon Road EVA
None Evaluation of Emergency Vehicle Access
(EVA) roads remains consistent with ongoing
S-11 and other Safety Element
implementation efforts.

EV-7 Coordinate with MOFD to identify necessary
improvements, gate removal procedures,
and emergency vehicle priority protocols for
EVA use.

None The City is coordinating with MOFD to
evaluate improvements to Emergency Vehicle
Access facilities, including modifications to
the Brookside Road access gate.

Item I.4
Packet Page 142
Evacuation Analysis Recommendations – July 2026 Update
EV-8 Improve roadway infrastructure where
needed to support emergency evacuation
access.

None Roadway infrastructure improvements that
enhance evacuation access continue to be
implemented through applicable Safety
Element (S-11) actions and the City's Capital
Improvement Program.

EV-9 Coodinate with Caltrans to study operational
and capital improvements at SR-24 onramps to reduce bottlenecks during evacuations.

None The completion of the SR-24 median break
project has improved evacuation capacity and
traffic operations at the freeway access
points.

EV-10 Evaluate modifications that improve access
to eastbound and westbound SR-24 ramps,
including alternative turning movements and
ramp closure measures.

None The completion of the SR-24 median break
project has improved evacuation capacity and
traffic operations at the freeway access
points.

EV-11 Investigate signalization and other traffic
flow improvements at freeway access
points.

None Staff has coordinated with Caltrans regarding
potential signal timing improvements at SR24 freeway ramps to improve traffic flow during emergency events.

EV-12 Coorindate with CCTA, CCC OES, Caltrans,
MOFD to discuss evacuation measures
None The City continues coordinating with MOFD,
CCTA, Contra Costa County OES, and
Caltrans on regional evacuation planning and
traffic management as well as implementing
relevant Safety Element actions like S-11.

EV-13 Develop intergovernmental agreements
necessary to implement regional traffic
management strategies and evacuation
operations
None Existing mutual aid agreements provide the
framework for regional coordination and
evacuation operations among partner
agencies.

EV-14 Educate residents on evacuation routes,
contra-flow operations, Red Flag Day
restrictions, and evacuation procedures.

None The City continues public education through
OrindaReady.com, Red Flag Day mailers,
and other outreach materials addressing
evacuation procedures and parking
restrictions.

EV-15 Encourage residents to evaluate both
eastbound and westbound SR-24
evacuation options using real-time traffic
information.

None The City's Ladris evacuation modeling
platform provides real-time routing
information to support evaluation of both
eastbound and westbound evacuation
options.

Item I.4
Packet Page 143
Evacuation Analysis Recommendations – July 2026 Update
EV-16 Expand public outreach through websites,
mailers, videos, dynamic signage, and
evacuation guides.

None Public outreach has expanded through
OrindaReady.com, printed mailers, and
additional emergency preparedness
communications.

EV-17 Provide advance information regarding
traffic control measures likely to be used
during emergencies.

None Information regarding anticipated traffic
control measures is communicated through
the City's emergency communications
channels, including OrindaReady.com and
social media.

EV-18 Develop coordinated evacuation plans with
Bay Area Rapid Transit for downtown
workers and residents.

None Coordination with BART regarding evacuation
planning has not yet begun.

EV-19 Identify opportunities to use BART parking
facilities and nearby commercial lots during
evacuations.

None Opportunities to utilize BART parking facilities
and nearby commercial parking areas
continue to be considered as part of
evacuation planning efforts.

EV-20 Coordinate deployment of buses and other
high-capacity vehicles for evacuations when
appropriate.

None Staff has reviewed options with First Student
and County Connection regarding the
availability of buses and other high-capacity
vehicles during emergencies.

EV-21 Encourage transit use as an alternative to
private vehicle evacuation when feasible.

None Transit options continue to be considered
where feasible as part of emergency
evacuation planning.

EV-22 Develop coordinated carpool, vanpool, and
bus evacuation plans for large multifamily
residential communities.

None Opportunities for coordinated carpool,
vanpool, and bus evacuations for multifamily
residential communities will continue to be
evaluated, including through Safety Element
implementation.

EV-23 Establish phased evacuation strategies that
prioritize the most constrained
neighborhoods and roadways.

None The City continues using the Ladris
evacuation modeling platform to evaluate
phased evacuation strategies and optimize
evacuation sequencing.

EV-24 Utilize evacuation zone management tools,
such as Zonehaven, to sequence
evacuations and reduce congestion.

None The City's Ladris evacuation modeling
platform supports evacuation zone
management and phased evacuation
planning.

Item I.4
Packet Page 144
Evacuation Analysis Recommendations – July 2026 Update
EV-25 Consider the Orinda Community Center as
an emergency refuge or temporary shelter
location when roadway congestion limits
evacuation options.

None The Orinda Community Center remains
designated as a potential emergency refuge
and temporary shelter location during
evacuation events.

EV-26 Coordinate with MOFD to establish fire-safe
development standards for new residential
projects in constrained evacuation areas.

None The City continues coordinating with MOFD
on wildfire-related development standards
through adoption of the Fire Code and
ongoing ordinance implementation efforts.

EV-27 Continue evaluating and supporting shelterin-place community design standards where evacuation may be difficult.

None Evaluation of shelter-in-place strategies
continues through ongoing Safety Element
implementation and emergency planning
efforts.

EV-28 Incorporate evacuation constraints into
future development review and emergency
planning efforts.

None Evacuation constraints continue to be
incorporated into development review and
emergency planning processes, as
appropriate.

EV-29 Continue coordinating with local schools to
strengthen emergency operations and
evacuation plans.

None The Police Department continues
coordinating with local schools on emergency
operations and evacuation planning. The
School Resource Officer will provide
additional leadership for school site
coordination.

EV-30 Develop transportation contingencies for
times when school buses are unavailable.

None The City continues pursuing legislative
solutions to provide greater flexibility for
school closures during Red Flag Days while
maintaining funding eligibility.

EV-31 Coordinate with regional transportation and
emergency management agencies to deploy
buses and other high-capacity vehicles for
student evacuations when necessary.

None The City continues coordinating with County
Connection on contingency transportation
planning for potential school evacuations.

Evacuating
Vulnerable
Populations
Recommendations
Description Last
Update
Current Update
Item I.4
Packet Page 145
Evacuation Analysis Recommendations – July 2026 Update
EVP-1 Prioritize in-person door knocking to
disseminate evacuation notices/orders to
residents within the tract where phone and/or
internet access is at or lower than the county
average.

None Door-to-door notifications remain
available through emergency response
operations when circumstances
warrant.

EVP-2 Develop an early evacuation plan for Orinda
Senior Village, Monteverde Senior
Apartments, the future Countryhouse Memory
Care facility at 1 Wilder Orad, and any future
assisted living facilities or senior living
communities. Plans for these locations should
include measures for deployinf school buses,
or paratransit vehicles, or maintaining
designated van or bus fleets located on-site
to evacuate multiple residents per vehcile.

None Development of evacuation plans for
senior housing and assisted living
facilities will continue as part of ongoing
evacuation planning efforts.

EVP-3 Study the feasibility of designating Orinda
Senior Village and Monteverde Senior
Apartments as Shelter in Place locations as
well as the nearby Orinda Community Center.

If Orinda Senior Village and Monteverde are
not feasible as shelter-in place locations, but
the nearby Orinda Community Center is, then
direct residents of these two residential
facilities to the Community Center in the
event that early evacuation is not feasible,
and develop a shelter plan for the Community
Center that accommodates the needs of
sheltering seniors, e.g., that includes
measures for procuring and maintaining
back-up generators which are capable of
powering medical equipment continuously.

None Shelter-in-place planning for vulnerable
populations continues through
implementation of the Safety Element
(S-13) and emergency planning efforts.

EVP-4 Implement Orinda General Plan Safety
Element Policy S-10 to develop and
implement an evacuation assistance
program, in coordination with Contra Costa
County Transportation Authority, Senrios
None This recommendation is addressed
through implementation of General Plan
Safety Element Policy S-10 regarding
evacuation assistance for residents with
limited mobility or transportation access.

Item I.4
Packet Page 146
Evacuation Analysis Recommendations – July 2026 Update
Around Town, and paratransit and dial-a-ride
agencies to help those with limited mobility or
lack of access to a vehicle evacuate safely.

Mailers with information aboutn this program
can be prioiritized for residents in Census
Tract 35640.02 (where the highest
percentage of residents in Orinda are that do
not have access to a vehicle and that do not
have phone and/or internet services), and
Census Tract 5522.02 in South Orinda.

EVP-5 The City will continue coordinating with local
schools to strengthen emergency operations
protocols and early evacuation planning
efforts. While school buses can be used to
evacuate students during school hours,
evacuation plans should also account for
periods when buses are unavailable due to
pickup and drop-off activities. To ensure
adequate transportation capacity during an
emergency, the City will work with the Contra
Costa Transportation Authority and the
Contra Costa County Office of Emergency
Services to coordinate the deployment of
buses and other high-capacity vehicles
capable of safely evacuating students when
needed.

None The City continues coordinating with
local schools, County Connection, and
emergency management partners to
strengthen school evacuation planning
in accordance with Safety Element Item
S-13. The School Resource Officer will
lead coordination efforts with school
sites, while the City continues pursuing
legislative solutions related to Red Flag
Day school operations.

Item I.4
Packet Page 147

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Department: Planning
Meeting Date: July 7, 2026
SUBJECT:

Proposed Amendments to Title 16 (Subdivisions) and Title 17 (Zoning) of the Orinda Municipal Code to establish limitations on parcels created pursuant to Senate Bill 1123, California Government Code Section 66499.41 (the Starter Home Revitalization Act) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The State of California’s Starter Home Revitalization Act mandates ministerial (nondiscretionary) approval for subdividing eligible single-family lots into up to 10 parcels for the development of up to 10 residential units. While the state heavily preempts local development standards to facilitate these subdivisions, the law explicitly grants local agencies the discretion to regulate specific aspects: the allowance of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), subsequent ministerial lot splits under Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), and the waiver of property sale restrictions.

Following a March 3, 2026, study session, the City Council directed staff to draft an ordinance exercising the City's maximum local discretion to prohibit compounding density. The proposed ordinance amends the Orinda Municipal Code (OMC) to prohibit ADUs and subsequent SB 9 lot splits on these newly created parcels, strictly enforces the state's restrictions on the separate sale of unimproved lots, and establishes a unit cap deed restriction to prevent circumvention of statutory limits.

RECOMMENDATION:

Hold the public hearing, waive the first reading and introduce Ordinance 26-05, amending Title 16 (Subdivisions) and Title 17 (Zoning) of the Orinda Municipal Code to establish local limitations on parcels created pursuant to California Government Code Section 66499.41.

BACKGROUND:

The Starter Home Revitalization Act (Government Code § 66499.41 and § 65852.28) requires local agencies to ministerially approve the subdivision of eligible vacant singlefamily zoned lots (up to 1.5 acres) to facilitate the construction of "starter homes" (units averaging no more than 1,750 square feet). Single-family residential parcels no more than

1.5 acres in size became eligible under this framework on July 1, 2025.

Because the state law requires the city to ministerially waive certain objective standards that would physically preclude the development of these projects at state-mandated Item J.1
Packet Page 148
densities (such as a minimum of 13.2 units per acre for sites not identified in the Housing Element), these subdivisions represent a significant intensification of land use. In a topographically constrained city like Orinda, maximizing this density on steep hillsides presents physical, circulation, and fire access challenges.

On March 3, 2026, the City Council held a study session to review the implications of the new law. The Council directed staff to draft an ordinance that would codify aspects of the law that allow for local control, specifically limiting the compounding of density through ADUs and subsequent lot splits (Weblink A). The City Council additionally directed staff to consider a policy that would prohibit development under the Starter Home Revitalization Act within 100 feet of evacuation routes, and to assess what policy may help the City make appropriate determinations regarding public health and safety.

On May 12, 2026, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing to review the draft ordinance (Weblink B). Following discussion, the Planning Commission voted unanimously (4-0, with three commissioners absent) to adopt Resolution 26-04, formally recommending that the City Council adopt the proposed ordinance (Attachment B).

Staff is currently reviewing policy options to support safety and welfare determinations related to evacuation constraints. Due to the recent resubmission of materials for a Starter Home Revitalization Act subdivision application at a vacant parcel on Lind Court, Staff has determined that proceeding with the ordinance amendments now is necessary to ensure the City's explicit statutory discretions are codified before the pending application is completed. Staff will return to the Council with a comprehensive review of the evacuation policy options at a near-future date.

DISCUSSION:

The proposed ordinance introduces amendments to both Title 16 (Subdivisions) and Title 17 (Zoning) to address the City Council's directives. The proposed amendments address the following three subjects:

1. Prohibition of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs or JADUs) on Subdivided Parcels Government Code § 66499.41(g) explicitly states that a local agency is not required to permit an Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) or Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADU) on a parcel created through this subdivision process. The proposed paragraph M of Section

17.3.4 (Accessory Dwelling Units) of OMC Title 17 (Zoning) would prohibit ADUs and JADUs on lots created pursuant to Government Code § 66499.41.

Without this local prohibition, a subdivision could theoretically yield 10 primary units plus 10 ADUs and 10 JADUs. Given the small size of the newly created parcels (which state law allows to be as small as 1,200 square feet) and the topography of Orinda, prohibiting ADUs prevents the compounding of density, parking impacts, and fire safety hazards on heavily constrained lots. (Note: This prohibition applies to the newly created starter-home parcels; any designated "remainder parcel" that retains its original base zoning size would remain subject to standard ADU laws).

Item J.1
Packet Page 149

2. Prohibition of Subsequent SB 9 Urban Lot Splits
Government Code § 66499.41(a)(2)(D) prohibits an applicant from using the Starter Home Revitalization Act to subdivide a parcel that was previously created pursuant to Government Code § 66499.41 or § 66411.7 (Senate Bill 9 lot split). Government Code § 66499.41(h)(1) grants local agencies the authority to prohibit the reverse scenario: using SB 9 to further subdivide a parcel that was created by the Starter Home Revitalization Act. The proposed Section 16.18.010(B) in Title 16 (Subdivisions) would prohibit parcels created under § 66499.41 from being further subdivided pursuant to SB 9.

This prevents compounding ministerial subdivisions. Without this restriction, an applicant could subdivide a property into 10 parcels, and individual homeowners living on the property could later apply to split those parcels again ministerially under SB 9, resulting in increasingly non-conforming, fragmented lots.

3. Enforcement of Sale and Lease Restrictions
Government Code § 66499.41(e) prohibits a developer from selling, leasing, or financing the subdivided parcels separately from each other unless the parcel contains a residential structure with at least one dwelling unit, is reserved for internal circulation, open space, or common area, or is the only remaining parcel within the subdivision that is not developed with a residential structure. The Government Code allows a local agency to authorize sale without compliance with these conditions.

Staff propose Section 16.18.010(A) to make clear the City is not opting to authorize sale absent compliance with these state requirements.

Fire evacuation policy options under review
Government Code § 66499.41(f) allows the City to deny a subdivision map if it makes a written finding, based on a preponderance of the evidence, that the project would have a specific, adverse impact upon public health and safety for which there is no feasible mitigation. After assessing the feasibility of the proposed approach of categorically prohibiting all development under the Starter Home Revitalization Act at parcels within 100 feet of evacuation routes, Staff reached the conclusion that such a policy would likely not be defensible. During a technical assistance meeting, with the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) staff verified that the intent of the law is to require jurisdictions to assess subdivision and development projects on a case-by-case basis. Any policy constituting a blanket prohibition carries litigation risk and could be challenged by HCD.

As an alternative, Staff is evaluating objective, citywide evacuation and access management standards that may serve as a defensible basis for determining the public health and safety impacts of proposed developments under this Act. This evaluation includes leveraging existing wildland-urban interface (WUI) development constraints, Item J.1
Packet Page 150
utilizing evacuation modeling software to establish objective constraint thresholds, and implementing new policies regarding access management. Staff will return to the Council at a future date with a comprehensive review of these potential policy options. At that time, Staff will also present a spatial analysis of the parcels that potentially qualify for subdivision under this Act and how the constraints of evacuation routes, single points of access, and potentially other factors inform policy considerations.

CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA):

The proposed ordinance is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

An ordinance adopted by a local agency to implement the provisions of Government Code Section 66499.41 shall not be considered a project under Division 13 of the Public Resources Code (Sections 21000-21189.7).

FISCAL IMPACT:

None.

STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:

None.

ATTACHMENTS:

A. Proposed Ordinance 26-05 Amending Title 16 (Subdivisions) and Title 17 (Zoning) of the Orinda Municipal Code to Establish Limitations on Parcels Created Pursuant to California Government Code Section 66499.41 B. Planning Commission Resolution 26-04 (Adopted May 12, 2026) C. Staff Presentation
WEBLINK(S):

A. March 3, 2026, City Council Study Session agenda item H.3 regarding SB 1123:
https://pub-orinda.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ashx?DocumentId=4815 B. May 12, 2026, Planning Commission agenda item G.1 recommending amendments: https://puborinda.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ashx?DocumentId=5350 Prepared by: Darin Hughes, Associate Planner
Respectfully Submitted by,
Lashun Cross, Planning Director
Approved By:

Linda Smith, City Manager
Item J.1
Packet Page 151