Sending a Few more "Tidbits of the City" Your Way

In efforts to continually provide Brisbane residents and employees with exceptional quality services, the Brisbane Police Department has created a Police Blotter, made viewable through its webpage. Each month's Police Blotter will provide a brief account of the significant events that officers were engaged in during the previous month. Of course this is not nearly a full listing of the calls our officers responded to, but consists of those incidents which would be of most interest to the general public. You may always contact the Records Division at 415-508-2179 to view the complete police log, located at the station.

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The City will for the first time be adopting a two-year budget (FY 2007-2009). Come down to the Community Center this Tuesday, May 29th to join in this exciting process as the City Manager and Admistrative Services Director present a Budget Overview to City Council. Once there, you'll not only get a glimpse as to how the City operates, but also be able to see how the City is able to finance those operations. Click here to view the agenda for the night.

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Lastly, whether you spend this weekend in remembrance, at a family gathering, picnic, or sporting event, we hope you have a safe and memorable Memorial Day weekend!

"Tidbits of the City"

The following comprises a few special events and announcements we’d like to bring to your attention:

For all of next week, May 20-26, cities and various agencies across the nation will be celebrating National Public Works Week 2007. Instituted as a public education campaign by the American Public Works Association in 1960, National Public Works Week calls attention to the importance of public works in community life. Without clean running water, effective storm drains and sewers, sturdy roads and bridges, safe building codes, etc. – there wouldn’t be a foundation upon which to build our communities. Therefore, make sure to stop and take a moment to recognize the contributions which public works officials make every day for our health, safety, comfort, and quality of life, and then make an effort to show some appreciation to your Public Works crew!

Brisbane is facing the challenge of maintaining its small-town character while surrounding cities and suburbs are undergoing extreme levels of growth, but we are fortunate to have an ally that can be of assistance during this process. State Senator Leland Yee will be in attendance at this Monday’s Council meeting (5/21), so plan to be present as well!

One of the items on the agenda for Monday’s City Council meeting is in regards to an urgency ordinance for moratorium on formula retail stores in downtown Brisbane. This ordinance, which Council instructed staff to prepare during the 4/16 Council meeting in order to develop a long-term solution for retail within Brisbane, covers Visitacion Ave., parts of San Bruno Ave., and the Brisbane Village shopping center districts. The passage of this ordinance would not allow for any formula, or chain, stores to be established during the period of moratorium (45 days). Staff has already prepared an ordinance providing for an extension, which will be presented at the 6/18 Council meeting. If adopted with a 4/5ths vote, this ordinance would allow the extension to be effective for one year.

And lastly, Bike to Work Day proved to be a huge success, with an estimated 100,000 cyclists participating in this 13^th annual event! Kudos to all you bikers out there!

Join the fun this Thursday on Bike to Work Day!

The San Francisco Bay Area’s 13th annual Bike to Work Day will take place on Thursday, May 17, 2007 with all nine Bay Area counties participating in the celebration. The event is part of National Bike Month. “Energizer Stations” will be located along Bay Area county commute routes where bicyclists can stop for refreshments, giveaways, and bicycling information or simply to be ‘cheered on’ by fellow participants. Brisbane’s Energizer Station will be located on Lagoon Rd. @ Tunnel Ave., and open during the morning commute hours of 6:15-9:30 AM.

More than one million Bay Area residents live within five miles of their workplace, an ideal distance for bicycling. The work commute only represents 23% of all trips, so consider how you also may be able to bike to shop, to school, for errands, and for social events. In a world concerned with climate change, pollution, congestion and wasted time, the question should really be: Why not bike to work?

Next up for General Plan Update: Land Use Element

As one of the seven mandated elements of the General Plan, the Land Use Element plays an important role in unifying the other elements of the plan by providing an overall policy context. It deals with the central issues of growth and the quality of life in the community by striking a balance among the social, economic, and environmental costs and benefits associated with growth.

Beginning this Monday, May 7th, and scheduled to continue during subsequent City Council meetings (5/14 and 6/4), discussions will be held as staff provides Council with recommendations and receives direction on the following six organizing themes of the Land Use Element: General Principles, Bay and Mountain Setting, Nature and Character of Development, Open Space and Open Areas, Streets, and Subdivision Patterns. So if you've ever been curious or wanted to gain more information about any of the above areas, come on down to the Community Center this coming Monday, at 7:30 p.m.!