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The City of Burlingame is transitioning from at-large elections to district elections. Therefore, instead of voting for all five Council seats, the City will have five districts, and voters will be asked to vote only for the Council seat in their district. To learn more about this transition go to: www.burlingame.org/districtelections.

On November 1, 2021, the City will hold its third public hearing on the transition. This meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. and is scheduled for an hour and a half discussion.  At this meeting, the City’s consultant, Redistricting Partners, will review the three draft district maps that they created for the City. These maps were drawn utilizing the 2020 census data as well as the community of interest forms and citizen maps that community members submitted to the City Clerk.

While pictures of the draft maps are included in this article, additional detail about the maps and the data behind the maps can be found at: www.burlingame.org/districtelections.

The more feedback the City gets from the community on these maps, the more accurate the district lines will be. Therefore, email your comments on the maps to City Clerk Meaghan Hassel-Shearer at mhasselshearer@burlingame.org.

Additionally, attend the Council meeting on November 1, to ask questions about the maps, give feedback, and help shape the City’s future elections.  Below is the login information for the meeting:

To access the meeting by computer:

Go to: www.zoom.us/join

Meeting ID: 890 4128 4220

Passcode: 988315

To access the meeting by phone:

Dial 1-669-900-6833

Meeting ID: 890 4128 4220

Passcode: 988315

If you have any questions please contact City Clerk Meaghan Hassel-Shearer at mhasselshearer@burlingame.org or at (650) 558-7203.

Beginning January 1, 2022, all businesses in Burlingame must enroll in a composting program. SB 1383, a California state law, is requiring all businesses to participate in this statewide effort to drastically reduce emission from landfills by diverting organics that can be composted.

When compostable waste, such as food scraps and paper, go in the landfill, they break down and produce methane – a potent greenhouse gas emission. When compostable waste is composted instead, methane emissions are avoided, and compost - a valuable resource that supports our local agriculture and food cycle - is created.

In Burlingame, 579 businesses still need to comply with SB 1383. To sign up to compost, contact the City's local Recology representative at 650-598-8253.

Please share your composting story! If you would like your business highlighted in the eNews, let us know that you’ve been or started composting. Email smichael@burlingame.org with your information.

The Burlingame Parks & Recreation Department is renovating the ageing playground at Victoria Park. A committee including three neighborhood representatives and two Parks & Recreation Commissioners worked with City staff and Ross Recreation to complete the design for this exciting new play space. As part of the renovation, a picnic area will be added under the redwood trees as well as a new pathway with an entrance from Victoria Drive. This project was approved as part of the 2019-2020 Capital Improvement Project budget.

Work will commence on November 1, 2021, and the playground project should be completed (weather permitting) by the end of February 2022. Safety fencing will be placed around the construction site, and Victoria Park will be inaccessible to the public during construction. Several parking spaces on Howard Road and Humboldt Drive will also be inaccessible in order for the contractor to park, stage, and deliver equipment. Thank you for your patience as this well-used and beloved play area is upgraded. Hopefully, the new playground and picnic area will provide many hours of enjoyment for the Victoria Park neighborhood.

It was lovely to get our first rain of the season this week! This is the perfect time to consider getting a rain barrel to capture rainwater to water your plants on dry days. Burlingame residents can get a $200 rebate for a new rain barrel.

Rain barrels are large barrels installed near a roof’s downspout to capture rainwater. A typical rain barrel holds about 50 gallons of water. Rain barrels usually have a spout to withdraw water from the barrel for irrigation and other uses.

Even with this week’s rain, water conservation remains important. Make sure yard sprinklers and irrigation drippers are turned off on rainy days. Burlingame is offering a hefty discount ($100 versus the retail price of $230) on a smart irrigation controller to help prevent water waste. The irrigation controller can be controlled through a mobile app and adjusted to account for rain. Check out these rebates and other water conservation resources here.

The Public Works Department has been working to minimize flooding with the implementation of storm drain improvement projects. Listed below are some ways the City prepares to be storm ready:

Community members are encouraged to take precautions and prepare for the upcoming storm season. Here are some tips on how you and your neighbors can be storm ready:

For property owners with natural creek beds on their property, protect stored material in your yard from washing into the creek, and remove foreign objects/debris/tree limbs from the creek beds.

The City Council has authorized capital improvement funds to prepare plans to replace the aging Alpine Park playground equipment (pictured to the right) and provide ADA improvements. The plan will allow the City to formulate a construction budget in the event additional capital improvement funds or grants become available in the future.

The Parks & Recreation Department is seeking up to three neighborhood representatives to join the committee that will develop the Alpine Park playground renovation plan and consider playground equipment options. Committee members will be asked to attend several meetings via Zoom and a final presentation at a Parks & Recreation Commission meeting. This process is expected to take several months. Please note: this committee is for adults only; no children will be included in the meetings.

If you would like to be considered as a neighborhood representative for the Alpine Park playground committee, click here to complete an application. The first meeting will be in November.

Don't have time for the committee but interested in sharing your opinions about the elements in the park? Take the survey!

The survey and committee application will be available until Friday, October 29.

Thank you in advance for your assistance and participation! If you have any questions about this project, please call Senior Management Analyst Karen Hager at 650-558-7317, or email khager@burlingame.org.

During stormy weather, your home may temporarily lose electricity. If this happens, take the following actions to be fire safe:

 

At this time, the City is seeking to fill one vacant seat on the Traffic, Safety & Parking Commission. The incumbent Commissioner has elected not to reapply. The new application deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 22, 2021.

 

To learn more about the duties of a Traffic, Safety & Parking Commission member, click here. Click here to access the application and supplemental questionnaire.

 

Questions? Call Ana Silva in the City Manager's Office at 650-558-7204, or email asilva@burlingame.org.

Please continue to follow these important tips for shopping the Fresh Market:

For more information, visit burlingamechamber.org.

Via Zoom. Click here to register.

Interested in building a rain garden in your yard but don’t know where to start? Join Flows to Bay for this free workshop on the basics of rain garden design, implementation, and maintenance! Plus, one lucky attendee will win a $100 gift card to their choice of Home Depot, Hassett Ace Hardware, or Lyngso Garden Materials. Learn more and register here: https://bit.ly/Oct-rain-garden-webinar.

Via Zoom. Click here to register.

Prepare for the SAT exam by signing up to take a virtual practice test with StudyPoint on Zoom. You'll get personalized feedback on your results after the test with no commitments, and it's 100% free! (The Zoom link will be sent to you the day before the practice test from StudyPoint).

Click here to register. 

Have you ever been curious about building a second unit or Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)? From free building plans to state grants for second units, you won’t want to miss the information at this event!

This webinar will explain why people build second units, describe the rules and process for securing a second unit permit, and connect you with free tools and resources that can help you with your project. There will also be an opportunity to ask your second unit questions to a city planner. This is a free event.

St. Paul’s will premier a choral work by renowned Philadelphia composer Melissa Dunphy. Dunphy’s "Magnificat and Nunc dimittis" was commissioned by the Estate of Marcia McCowin Fund, established to highlight the work of women composers and poets.

Dr. McCowin was a Professor of Clinical Radiology at UCSF and a generous supporter of Music at St. Paul’s. The new piece will be part of an Evensong, a 45 minute service of exceptional choral music, sung prayer, and scripture readings in the Anglican tradition. A free-will offering will be taken. For more information, visit stpaulsburlingame.org.

Sustainable San Mateo County (SSMC) is now accepting nominations for its 2022 awards program, which honors those who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to sustainable practices.

Applications must be received by December 6. SSMC will celebrate the 2022 awardees at its 23rd annual Awards Celebration in the spring.

Sustainability Award nominations may be made in five categories: individuals, nonprofits, businesses, educational institutions, and government agencies. In addition, SSMC is accepting nominations for its 20th annual Green Building Award, which it co-sponsors with the San Mateo Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Application forms and criteria for the awards are available on SSMC’s website. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Peninsula Clean Energy is also announcing its 2022 All-Electric Awards program today, which recognizes builders, property owners, and design teams on the forefront of building electrification in San Mateo County. Winners will be honored during SSMC’s Awards Celebration. For more information, visit Peninsula Clean Energy’s website.

For more information about Sustainable San Mateo County, visit https://sustainablesanmateo.org, or email advocate@sustainablesanmateo.org.

Via Zoom. Click here to register.

Does your small business comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? How can you be better prepared to serve customers with disabilities? What resources are available to you?

Join the Silicon Valley Economic Development Alliance and its member agencies for a virtual discussion on complying with the ADA. Local businesses and ADA experts will offer their real-world perspectives to help you understand what it means to be ADA compliant. You will also have an opportunity to ask the experts questions and chat directly with local jurisdictions in a breakout session.

The public is cordially invited to the annual Holiday Boutique "Christmas at Kohl". The mansion, formerly known as The Oaks, will be decorated with thousands of twinkling lights, garlands, and Christmas trees.

More than 65 vendors will display unique holiday treasures, jewelry, clothing, and holiday decorations. This is a great place to start your Christmas shopping! There will be a docent presentation of the history of Kohl Mansion at 6:30 p.m.

Beverages and light holiday snacks will be sold. This event is sponsored by the Mercy High School Alumnae Association, and a $10.00 donation is appreciated.

Strict COVID protocols will be followed. All adult guests and vendors will need to wear a mask and show proof of full vaccination.* Children ages 24 months through 12 years must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the event. *Unvaccinated Mercy students will be allowed to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours.

All of the parking lots on the Mercy campus will be available this year as well as the parking lot at Our Lady of Angels Church, which will be used for overflow parking after 5:30 p.m. Shuttle service will be provided every 20 minutes.

Email cfraher@mercyhsb.com, or call 650-762-1192 with any questions.

If you have lost your pet, please visit the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA immediately at the Coyote Point Shelter at 12 Airport Blvd in San Mateo. Open hours are Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Once a lost report is completed, staff will take you through the kennels to see if your pet is in the shelter. Each year, the PHS & SPCA reunite thousands of stray pets with their human companions.

Click here for tips, advice, and other resources, along with images of current strays at the shelter.

The annual Great California ShakeOut will take place on Thursday, October 21. This is an opportunity for individuals, families, schools, and businesses to practice simple, but critical safety steps that can keep them safe during an earthquake, such as "drop, cover, and hold on".

Cal OES, the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, is urging Californians to join in the Great California ShakeOut and download the free MyShake App to receive earthquake warnings. The MyShake App is available for free from the Apple App and Google Play stores. To receive earthquake warnings, individuals and family members can download the app and make sure settings are adjusted to receive emergency alerts, including turning location settings to “always on” so that the app technology can connect with nearby ground sensors in the event of shaking.

Click here to register.

Hosted by State Controller Betty T. Yee and the City of San Jose, this free webinar will provide information about loan and grant programs from the State of California, and how to go about finding government contract work.

Agencies participating in the webinar include:

·    U.S. Small Business Association (SBA)

·    State Franchise Tax Board

·    California Department of General Services (DGS)

·    California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)

·    California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CALOSBA)

·    Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Silicon Valley

Come learn how your business can get help and ask questions!