Baylands Alternatives before City Council this Monday

Community-wide workshops have been held at several points in the planning process to provide information to, and receive feedback from the public. A visioning workshop was held on May 12, 2007. A second workshop on June 23, 2007 helped to further define the direction of the Preferred Community Alternative. Both workshops were summarized in reports available on the City website (see last two links under “Documents”). After three alternatives reflecting the community’s input were prepared, two Community Open Houses on Alternatives were held on June 7 and July 12, to present the alternatives.

As you can see, in addition to alternatives that will satisfy CEQA requirements for minimizing impacts of the proposed project, the City’s preparation of a Preferred Community Alternative is one that is taken in the highest regard. This is a process unique to Brisbane, as it presents the opportunity for the community to be involved in a systematic way in shaping the future for the Baylands. This is the heart and soul of the town, with public participation having been an integral aspect of Brisbane’s history since its incorporation as a city in 1961.

This coming Monday, the City Council will be hearing feedback on the three alternatives, as it seeks to develop a community-based alternative for study which will be subject to full analysis in the forthcoming EIR. Designating an alternative for study in the EIR does not guarantee or imply that such an alternative will be approved without change…but such decisions would be made once the EIR analysis is completed and all pertinent information is disclosed as part of the alternatives review process.

So plan on being at the Community Center at 7:30 PM this coming Monday the 28th…as an aside, this will also be the last Council meeting until the next one takes place Sept. 15th. Also, if you would like to receive City Council agendas with direct links to reports that will be discussed at the meeting, send City Clerk Sheri Spediacci an email at cityhall@ci.brisbane.ca.us and she will make sure you're added onto the list!

A reminder tonight about Concerts in the Park…put on your dancing shoes and get ready for DOUBLE FUNK CRUNCH, jamming away TONIGHT at the Community Park from 6:00 – 9:00 PM!

Concerts in the Park Schedule

There will be a variety of tunes wafting through the crisp Brisbane air, starting tonight and continuing every Friday night, through 9/5.
The weekly line-up is as follows:


Local businesses help to sponsor* Concerts in the Park each year, realizing the importance of community and how a night spent listening and grooving to great music can do just that! So, bring a lawn chair, some snacks, a friend, and HAVE FUN TOGETHER as a COMMUNITY! Oh, and don't forget that jacket. Concerts start at 6:00 PM sharp and go until approximately 9:00 PM.

* If you're interested in becoming a sponsor for next year's Concerts in the Park series, contact Recreation Supervisor Julie Potashnick at 657-4320 or jpostashnick@ci.brisbane.ca.us. But if you'd rather not wait a year before your business' name gets noticed by the Brisbane community, contact Recreation Supervisor Russ Carmick at 508-2143 or rcarmick@ci.brisbane.ca.us as he is currently taking sponsor sign-up's for the Second Annual Brisbane Derby. The race to the finish line takes place October 4th, the same day as the Community Festival.

Make a Note...and Get Ready to Hear Some, Too

A reminder about the Baylands Alternatives Community Workshop taking place tomorrow from 10:00 - 11:30 AM at the Community Center. You may recall that the purpose of the workshop is to provide the community with feedback on the development alternatives for the Baylands. This is THE last scheduled community workshop before the City Council reviews the alternatives in July, so make it a point to be there and make your desires for the Baylands known.


Also an item from this past Monday's Council meeting, staff was given direction to tap into the wealth of creativity that resides in Brisbane for the design of about 20 bird signs that will be put up along the newly-constructed Tunnel Ave. Bridge. If you are interested in partnering with the City on this project and would be willing to donate your time and talents to see it to completion, we'd love to hear from you. Call Steve Beaty at 508-2144 or e-mail him at sbeaty@ci.brisbane.ca.us to get more information.

Steve, as the Youth Advisory Committee advisor, is also seeking applicants for the YAC 2008-09 term! So, if you are a Brisbane resident between the ages of 13 & 18, and have ideas for the Parks & Rec. Dept., click here to download an application. Deadline for submittal to Steve is Aug. 15th. Good luck!

Summer's now in full-swing, and that of course means it's time for Concerts in the Park to be getting underway! Starting next Friday 7/18 and continuing on every Friday through Sept. 5th, witness the small-town charm of Brisbane as people gather at the Community Park to unwind to great tunes, dancing, and all things fun. Concerts begin promptly at 6:00 PM each Friday and go until around 9:00. So grab your lawn chair, some good eats, and enjoy!

Question Raised at Last City Council Meeting

The thought goes, if there is any information we feel would benefit the community to know, then it is deemed, "blogworthy". The below certainly falls in line with this same notion.

At this past Monday's City Council meeting, the comment was made of there being cancer clusters in Brisbane. The City contacted San Mateo County's Director of Public Health early this week, and were told that there have been no known cases ever filed with the County regarding this matter. The Public Health Director did recommend, however, that if there was any concern where an individual suspected there being a cancer cluster in Brisbane, then the immediate protocol would be for the Director's physicians to look into the issue, and that an epidemiologist would be sent out to investigate the matter further. So, if you perceive there to be a cancer cluster in our community, please take the next step and contact the Dept. of Public Health so that it can get the proper investigation it warrants. They can be reached by calling (650) 573-2346. An Officer of the Day routinely monitors this number and handles all Public and Environmental Health questions and concerns including cancer clusters. Click here for more information on basic facts about cancer clusters and several CDC investigations into specific cancer cluster reports.

Celebrating the 4th Sans Sparklers

Given the fact that fire season is upon us in the Bay Area, and especially given our recent encounter with a wildfire that came dangerously close to harming the homes and lives of our residents, it should be of no surprise then that the City does not allow or permit the use of fireworks. And we're not alone. Of the 20 cities and towns that make up San Mateo County, only two, Pacifica and San Bruno, will be allowing the use of "safe and sane" fireworks this year. "Safe and sane" fireworks refer to consumer fireworks that stay on the ground and may shoot sparks into the air but not projectiles.

The Brisbane community should be aware that fines and penalties for the distribution and/or use of any fireworks, which includes the "safe and sane" ones, will be strictly enforced. If you are aware of any fireworks being sold or used within your neighborhood, we encourage you to contact the Brisbane Police Dept. with the information at 467-1212.

As in previous years, the Fire Dept. will be augmenting staff tomorrow, in preparation of potential emergencies during the 4th of July celebrations, but they need the public's assistance in avoiding the use of illegal fireworks, which can cause fires, injury or even death and may exceed or overwhelm emergency response resources. So let's be sure we're safe this 4th of July...and do our part to ensure the same rings true for our community!

Baylands Alternatives Workshop Scheduled for 7/12

The Baylands Alternatives Workshop originally scheduled to take place on June 28th has been re-scheduled for Saturday July 12th from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM. The purpose of this public workshop is to provide feedback on the Brisbane Alternatives for the Baylands. This is a very exciting time in the City's history, and so we invite the entire community to come join the discussion! Your participation in these neighborhood workshops is paramount to what the Brisbane community is built upon and can make the difference as to where it is headed. With that, we look forward to seeing you at 10:00 at the Community Center on July 12th!

A Word on City Hall

Please note our special hours for this week, in observance of the 4th of July holiday:

Monday, June 30, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday, July 1, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday, July 2, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday, July 3, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday, July 4, CLOSED

We'll be reverting back to our normal hours of operation the following week - open until 8:00 PM on Wednesdays and 1:00 PM on Fridays.

And in case you haven't seen the recent construction taking place at our permanent location at 50 Park Place, the crews have made noticeable progress.

Thanks for working so hard, keeping on schedule, and keeping up a positive attitude!

We're still looking at the end of the year to be back in our former abode. In the meanwhile, we're right across Valley, sharing a parking lot with KTSF Ch. 26. Come and visit!