Contribute to the greening and bike friendliness of our neighbor to the north, El Cerrito!
Come explore a greener, more compact, bikeable and walkable El Cerrito at the upcoming Community Open House!
The City will be presenting the new regulatory framework proposed in the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan and Complete Streets Plan to encourage higher-density, mixed-use development with bicycle and pedestrian improvements and new public open space. Information on the City’s Urban Greening Plan key opportunity sites and Active Transportation Plan priority projects will be available.
The Open House will take place on Saturday, October 19th at the Community Center, from 9am to 1pm with repeated presentations at 9am and 11am. Come hear about the City’s planning efforts and provide your feedback on the proposed regulations, priority projects and opportunity sites.

For more info go here.

I’m sure you walk and ride around neighboring El Cerrito so here’s a chance to make that experience a little better.
El Cerrito will be completing a San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan in the coming months.  The Plan, which builds on the efforts of the draft Plan released in 2009, will provide new development regulations that encourage higher density residential and commercial development throughout the planning area.  The goal of the Plan is to create a more walkable, bikeable, transit-friendly community through providing clear, market-friendly guidance in the form of a Hybrid Form-Based Code for private residential, mixed-use and commercial development, a Complete Streets Plan and a Multimodal Capital Improvement Plan. The complete revised draft Plan and its programmatic Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be released for public review in early 2014.
Two upcoming public meetings are scheduled to present key components of the Plan:

San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan and Complete Streets City Council Study Session
City Council Chambers, El Cerrito City Hall, 10890 San Pablo Ave.
Tuesday, November 5^th, 7pm
The City Council agenda and draft PowerPoint are available at www.el-cerrito.org/CouncilMeetings

San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan – Form Based Code Planning Commission Study Session
City Council Chambers, El Cerrito City Hall, 10890 San Pablo Ave.
Wednesday, November 20^th, 7:30pm

An agenda for this meeting will be posted by Friday, November 15^th. Please check back here: www.el-cerrito.org/PlanningCommission for more information.

To learn more about the San Pablo Avenue Specific & Complete Streets Plan, please visit www.el-cerrito.org/SPASP or attend one of the upcoming meetings.  To submit questions and comments, please feel free to contact Emily Alter at EAlter@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us or 510.215.4385.

I’m sure you walk and ride around neighboring El Cerrito so here’s a chance to make that experience a little better.
El Cerrito will be completing a San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan in the coming months.  The Plan, which builds on the efforts of the draft Plan released in 2009, will provide new development regulations that encourage higher density residential and commercial development throughout the planning area.  The goal of the Plan is to create a more walkable, bikeable, transit-friendly community through providing clear, market-friendly guidance in the form of a Hybrid Form-Based Code for private residential, mixed-use and commercial development, a Complete Streets Plan and a Multimodal Capital Improvement Plan. The complete revised draft Plan and its programmatic Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be released for public review in early 2014.
This is the second of two recent public meetings to present key components of the Plan:

San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan – Form Based Code Planning Commission Study Session
An agenda for this meeting will be posted by Friday, November 15^th. Please check back here: www.el-cerrito.org/PlanningCommission for more information.

To learn more about the San Pablo Avenue Specific & Complete Streets Plan, please visit www.el-cerrito.org/SPASP or attend one of the upcoming meetings.  To submit questions and comments, please feel free to contact Emily Alter at EAlter@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us or 510.215.4385.

The monthly Traffic & Safety Commission Meeting, the Fourth Thursday of every month (other than holiday times so check exact date,) is a great place to make your ideas known, find out about the transportation issues and projects in Albany, and help improve things for cyclists and pedestrians in and around our town.

The agenda will be posted on the City website here.
Come on down!

The UC Village Mixed Use Project is on the agenda of tonight’s Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting.
This developers have created a top notch cycling and walking infrastructure to encourage safe walking and cycling to and from the development. The blocks are ringed with cycling paths as well as a path on Monroe down the center and a safer crossing of San Pablo Avenue. This infrastructure will be enjoyed by those using Sprouts and the retail at the development, the residents and visitors at the senior housing facility, those who live in UC Village and other Albany residents.
The full meeting agenda is here, as are links to supporting documents.

Join us for a happy hour at our new location at Grazzy Burgers/Albany Taproom – yes, they have plenty of bike parking! This is our every other month (even-numbered months) informal get-together to talk about all things bike and ped in Albany. It’s a good chance to ask about what the city is up to and what our stance on issues is, and to meet others who are interested in issues related to human-scale transit/active transit.

Everyone is welcome.

Note that this will usually take place right before a Traffic and Safety Commission meeting, and will also be a good chance to talk about anything coming up on their agenda.

The monthly Traffic & Safety Commission Meeting, the Fourth Thursday of every month (other than holiday times, so be sure to check date here,) is a great place to make your ideas known, find out about the transportation issues and projects in Albany, and help improve things for cyclists and pedestrians in and around our town.

The agenda will be posted on the City website here.
Come on down!

“Study Session on General Plan Transportation Goals & Policies” is one of the agenda items. This is the next in a series of Planning and Zoning Commission Study Sessions on the Albany 2035 General Plan Update. This Study Session will cover the first draft of the General Plan goals and policies for transportation. An opportunity for public comment will be provided.
The Planning & Zoning Commission is being review and provide feedback on the proposed goals and policies… so we hope some of you will review it and give your feedback.

The updated General Plan Transportation Element is at http://albanyca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=290&meta_id=76393

The full agenda is http://albanyca.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?event_id=2e45d59b-d656-405c-bbed-9017eef80205

Come join the fun on the Ohlone Greenway!
Photo courtesy Suzanne Iarla

The City of El Cerrito hosts its Ohlone Greenway Fun Day to celebrate the recent renovation of the Ohlone Greenway, the multi-use trail that runs the length of El Cerrito and through our city of Albany, as well as Richmond & Berkeley.
The event will encourage people of all ages to ride, jog, walk or roll along the Greenway and include activities like a “discovery passport” activity and bicycle obstacle course. The celebration will include music by DJ worldOnelove, informational tables about biking & walking (including AS&R’s table!,) basic bike safety checks, a bicycle obstacle course for kids, gardening and other tips for healthy living, and more!
The festival at the Greenway and Manila Avenue runs from 9:30am- 1pm.

There is also a fun-run and ride:
The course starts at the El Cerrito Plaza BART Station “Willow Street” parking lot and finish at the El Cerrito DMV Parking lot @ Manila Avenue. All routes are along the Ohlone Greenway in El Cerrito. Route distances are approximate. The 5k route has 18 road intersection crossings. The 1 mile route has 6 road intersection crossings. Participants should use caution at all crossings.
*Riders (approx 5km) will begin at 9:15am – All riders must wear a helmet.
*Runners (approx 5km route) will begin at 9:45am
*Walkers (approx 1mile route) will begin at 10:00 am
This is a fun event, not a race. All abilities welcome!
Register here now to ride, run or walk! Same-day registration begins at 8:45 am.
The first 50 people to register will receive a free t-shirt.

If you’re not going to do the fun run, walk or ride, just come on by the Festival between 9:30am – 1pm!

I could use a few VOLUNTEERS to help me at the table – if you’d like to help at our table (especially if you live or work in El Cerrito,) please contact me (Amy Smolens) – thanks so much!