City Proclamation for Gold Coast Chamber Players!
Monday, February 27, 7pm, Lafayette Library & Learning Center 

In honor of the contribution of fine music and student mentoring that Pam Freund-Striplen and the Gold Coast Chamber Players has made to our community, our students and to the general cultural enrichment of our citizens the City of Lafayette will offer a proclamation to Pam at the regular City Council meeting on February 27 at 7pm. Gold Coast Chamber Players's new project titled, Threads, focuses on the unexplored music by women who have forged important roles in the field of music. The Lafayette performance on March 5 at 3pm includes complimentary champagne, a pre-concert talk at 2:30 p.m., and a reception with the musicians following the performance.  Tickets are available at www.gcplayers.org and by phone at (925) 283-3728.  Limited seating, please reserve early.

Welcome to our Newest Members!

The following businesses have joined the Lafayette Chamber the week of February 13-17, 2017.

Vote now for Diablo magazine's Best of the East Bay

It's time for you to vote for your East Bay favorites and the East Bay to vote for you!  By clicking here you can cast your ballot and use Diablo magazine's Voting Kit.  The Voting Kit is designed to help you reach customers through social media, digital advertising, email blasts, and in-store promotion.

The Best of the East Bay winners are determined by counting the number of unique votes each business receives within a category.  If your category is not represented, please write it in at the end of the ballot for consideration. Vote by March 5!

Exciting Chamber Events Ahead!

Dogtown Dowtown - Saturday, April 29

• New Parade Route: Starting this year at the Lafayette Library and marching up Golden Gate Way to the Lafayette Plaza.
• Adoptions services will be back onsite: ARF and Contra Costa County Animal Services.
• The Lafayette Police and Canine Companions will be back showcasing their dogs' talents.
• Thank you to our returning sponsors and commercial vendors: Lamorinda Animal Hospital (formerly Four Seasons Animal Hospital), Camp BowWow and Renewal by Anderson 

• Guests - buy your tickets early, we sold out last year!
• Restaurants - please sign up now online to participate. Let us start advertising your participation!
• Sponsors - don't miss the opportunity to secure your sponsorship with the right exposure. Click here for the sponsorship opportunities. 
• Thanks to Tom Stack, Coldwell Banker and Diablo Foods our returning sponsors.

• Festival, Corporate, Stage and other sponsorship opportunities are now available for online registration.
• All sponsorships offerings went out to our returning vendors. Thank you to the latest committers: Pacific Union Real Estate, DusonJones Homes, J. Rockcliff Realty  and our Art and Craft Partner Eckerstrom Productions
• Sign up early so you don't miss your chance.

EBMUD Diablo Vista Pumping Plant Construction Update February 2017

	Diablo Vista Rendering

EBMUD's contractor has been working diligently, despite the rain, to finish the above-ground wall structures of the Diablo Vista Pumping Plant located at the corner of Mount Diablo Blvd. and Mount Diablo Ct. in Lafayette. The pumping plant is almost ready to be roofed! Electrical and mechanical work will begin shortly within the pumping plant structure followed by piping which will eventually be tied in to operate the facility. Median work to create a curb over the new air vent for the 30-inch diameter pipeline on Mount Diablo Blvd., will take place in spring, 2017. The new curb will be approximately 50 foot long and 3.5 feet wide between the two medians to the west of Mt. Diablo Ct. in front of the cemetery. This median is being constructed to protect the air valve for the pipeline. Expect lane shifts during median work to accommodate construction activities.

Given the wet weather and other unforeseen conditions, EBMUD's contractor will be working on Saturdays through the summer to ensure the job is completed by the end of 2017. Saturday work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with louder activities starting after 8 a.m. Regular weekday work hours for the project are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
 
Construction will continue on the project through the fall of 2017. Once the new structure is complete, electrical and mechanical systems will be tested and the new Diablo Vista Pumping Plant will be placed online to pump water to your community. The old pumping plant on mount Diablo Blvd. near Carol Ln. will then be taken out of service and demolished and a new City parking lot will be constructed in its place.
 
About the Diablo Vista Pumping Plant: The existing Diablo Vista Pumping Plant, located at 3305 Mt. Diablo Boulevard in Lafayette, is a critical facility that serves the communities of Lafayette, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek. EBMUD is constructing a new pumping plant at the southwest corner of Mt. Diablo Boulevard and Mt. Diablo Court, next to the cemetery in order to maintain reliability of your water infrastructure.

If you have any questions about the Diablo Vista Pumping Plant replacement Project, please contact Sharla Sullivan, [email protected] or call (510) 287-7208. To learn more about the project, please visit www.ebmud.com/construction and scroll to Lafayette. If you have questions about the unrelated Lafayette Park Terrace development project that is taking place at the end of Mount Diablo Ct., Please contact Larry Babli, [email protected] or (408) 677-2977.

Changes you should know about where you gotta go....

As of March 1, California code no longer supports single stall bathrooms that are gender specific.  All bathrooms that allow just one occupant must now be identified as "All-Gender".  Larger bathrooms can still be "Women/Men" but not so for single stalls.  In California, the law specifically applies to the circle and triangle that you see on the door but, of course, this will require changes to the wall signs (federal requirement) as well.

ADA (American's with Disabilities Act) requirements can be hard to navigate if you don't know what you are looking for, but when you boil it down, the laws exist for good reason.  If you have a question about your signage, Sequoia Signs & Graphics, would be glad to help you understand the requirements.
You can find more information about ADA Signs here.

Vacant Circulation Commission Seat Open to Downtown Business Owners/Operators

The seventh seat on the Circulation Commission is currently vacant. Per the City's Municipal Code Section 2-403, this seat shall be reserved for persons who own or operate a business in Downtown Lafayette. It is not required that such individual be a Lafayette resident. The City seeks volunteers for this opportunity to contribute to crucial transportation policy and project decisions throughout the City. We strongly encourage any and all interested Downtown business owners or operators to apply! An application form is readily available here. (If applying for this seat, please indicate a check mark next to "Circulation Commission" on the form).  

For those who may not already be familiar, the Circulation Commission reviews matters that affect the City's right-of-way and administers the Circulation Element of the General Plan. The Commission engages in transportation-related policy review and advises the City Council on matters pertaining to traffic safety, on-street parking, pedestrian sidewalks, and bikeways. Each Circulation Commissioner serves as a neighborhood liaison to a particular area of the City regarding traffic concerns. The Commission typically meets on the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month at 7:00 PM in the Arts & Science Discovery Center at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center located at 3491 Mt. Diablo Boulevard.   More general information about commission and committee organization and member duties is also available here. Lafayette Transportation Planner, James Hinkamp, is the City staff liaison to the Commission and is also available for any inquiries about the open seat. He may be reached at 925.299.3229 and [email protected].

Member News & Announcements

Lunch with Ronnie Lott - Keep the Raiders in Oakland
Wednesday, February 22, 11:30am-1:30pm, Contra Costa Country Club, 801 Golf Club Rd., Pleasant Hill
You are invited to join the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce and football legend, author and businessman, Ronnie Lott, to learn about his efforts to keep the Raiders in Oakland.  Hear directly from Ronnie on what needs to happen now, in order to keep the Raiders in the Bay Area and what you can do to help. Learn more here.

In Memoriam - Renee Zeidan
Saturday, February 25, 3-5 pm, at the Lafayette Veterans Memorial, 3780 Mt Diablo Blvd
Renee Zeidan, co-owner of Nerd4Rent/Lamorinda Technology, and longtime Lafayette resident, passed away December 31, 2016. Renee was the beloved wife of Edward Zeidan, mother of three children and grandmother of three. Renee was a gentle, loving person, who lived for her family, and loved to care for and support them in every way. Renee was a volunteer at the schools and at St. Perpetua Church, in Lafayette. There will be a celebration of life, Saturday, February 25, 3-5 pm, at the Lafayette Veterans Memorial, 3780 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette. If you're planning to attend, please RSVP to [email protected]. In lieu of flowers, anyone who wishes, is encouraged to donate, in memory of Renee Zeidan, to The American Cancer Society, or John Muir Medical Center Oncology Department in Walnut Creek, CA 94598.

Contra Costa Camp & School Fair
Sunday, February 26, 11am-2pm, Acalanes High School
The 5th annual Contra Costa Camp & School Fair is a free event with booths for camps, schools, preschool, S.T.E.M. & S.T.E.A.M. programs, sports, cooking, enrichment, performing arts, scouts and YMCA. Free coding workshop plus bow and arrow, abacus and tennis exhibitions. Free Admission & Free Parking. Acalanes High School, 1200 Pleasant Hill Rd., Lafayette. www.ContraCostaCampFair.com

Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Workshops for February and March 2017
The Small Business Development Center has posted it's February and March workshops.  View workshop schedule here. For more information contact Kelly Kalfsbeek at [email protected].

LPIE Power Party Sponsorship Opportunities
The annual event - LPIE Power Party - A Red Carpet Affair -  is coming up on March 25.  Special thank you to the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, Dana Green, Julie Dudum, Village Associates and Cobain Orthodontics for not only being Business Partners but signing up to be Party Sponsors as well. If you are not a party sponsor, there are still ways you can support LPIE. Here is how:

• Donate an item that represents your business, a special experience or item sponsored by your business, or a cash donation to support the party.  Click here to donate. 

• Buy an ad in our program guide.  This guide will be distributed to the approximate 400 event attendees and be listed on our website.  Ad sizes vary from a full page (8"x10.5") to business card size.  Click here for more information. 

2017 Diablo Valley Mayors' Summit with Special Guest Assemblymember Tim Grayson
Thursday, April 27, 11:30am-1:30pm at the Concord Clarion Hotel, 1050 Burnett Ave, Concord
2017 Diablo Valley Mayors' Summit will be held on Thursday, April 27, 11:30am-1:30pm at the Concord Clarion Hotel, 1050 Burnett Ave, Concord. To reserve a seat or to sponsor this event, please contact Jay here at the chamber office at [email protected]. View Flyer

Chamber Member Benefits Offer
Chamber members can save 15% on JetsuiteX flights! Use code LAFAYETTECHAMBER. Click here to book your flight.