El Cerrito Receives Operating Budget Excellence Award for Biennial Budget

El Cerrito has received a second award for our Fiscal Year 2024-25 and Fiscal Year 2025-26 Biennial Budget. The Operating Budget Excellence Award recognition from the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO) highlights the City’s dedication to financial transparency and to using industry best practices, processes, and procedures for municipal budgeting. Learn more about CSMFO and the award program here.

2025 EC STARS Internship Program with El Cerrito High School

Originally launched in 2013, the EC STARS Program (El Cerrito Students Training and Ready for Success) is a partnership between the City and the West Contra Costa Unified School District that provides paid summer internships for El Cerrito High School students. The program was paused in 2020 due to the pandemic and is now relaunching. The 2025 EC STARS Program will run for six weeks (tentatively scheduled for June 17 - August 1), offering students an opportunity of up to 20 hours per week to develop job skills and learn about local government operations.

The application process for the 2025 Program will run through March 31. This year, the program will offer seven internship opportunities across the following City Departments:

• City Clerk’s Office
• Community Development Department
• City Manager’s Office
• Fire Department
• Police Department
• Information Technology
• Recreation Department

The application and descriptions about the internships are on the City’s Human Resources job opportunities website at: el-cerrito.org/jobs. For more information, contact Alexandra Orologas, Assistant City Manager at (510) 215-4302 or aorologas@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us.

El Cerrito Hosts First East Bay Wildfire Coalition Meeting of the Year

On February 27, the City of El Cerrito hosted the first meeting of the year of the East Bay Wildfire Coalition of Governments. At the meeting, El Cerrito Councilmember Lisa Motoyama joined regional leaders to strategize on wildfire prevention and preparedness and to identify steps we as cities, counties, and fire districts can take to safeguard our communities in the East Bay. Together, our communities are working to mitigate the risk of wildfire in the East Bay Hills. Learn more at eastbaywildfire.org

Immigration Support & Resources from WCCUSD

The West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) has created a dedicated Immigration & Citizenship Resources webpage that provides information on legal aid, family rights, and community services. WCCUSD is committed to providing a safe and inclusive learning environment and notes that if students or their families are experiencing fear or anxiety related to immigration enforcement, they can seek help, assistance, and support from any District school or office. Learn more at wccusd.net/immigration-resources.

El Cerrito DMV Temporarily Closed For Building Repairs

Please be advised, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has closed the El Cerrito office at 6400 Manila Ave. to complete the replacement of the building’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. The office is scheduled to reopen at 8 a.m. on Monday, May 12.

Until the renovation is complete, customers can visit the following area offices:

• Oakland Claremont: 5300 Claremont Ave.
• Oakland Coliseum: 501 85th Ave.
• Vallejo: 200 Couch St.
• Concord: 2070 Diamond Blvd.

The DMV also encourages customers to use its online services and other service channels to complete transactions, including eligible driver’s license and vehicle registration renewals. Learn more at dmv.ca.gov/portal

CITY CLERK

Recent City Council Meeting Highlights 

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 (Regular Meeting) 

• Recognized Arbor Week, Women’s History Month, and American Red Cross Month
• Committee on Aging Re-appointments (Pamela Wagner, Carol Kehoe, Bruce Yow, Buddy Akacic and Linda Cain) and Appointments (Lisa Martinengo and Mark Watson)
• Received 2024-25 Mid-Year Budget Update and Approved Appropriation Increases

Tuesday March 18, 2025 (Regular Meeting)

• Recognized the Rosie the Riveter/WWII National Historical Park’s 25th Anniversary
• Began the Dissolution process for the El Cerrito Pension Fund Board
• Annual Parcel Assessment for the NPDES Program and Drainage Maintenance Activities

Upcoming City Council Agenda Items (Subject to Change)

• FY 2025-26 Budget and General Fund Balance Study Session
• Legislative Platform 
• Annual Review of Military Equipment Policy/Ordinance
• Public Hearings on the Assessment for Landscape and Lighting; Storm Drain Annual Report and Method of Collecting Storm Drain Fees; and Master Fee Schedule Revisions

Upcoming meeting dates, agenda materials and public comment instructions are available online at el-cerrito.org/CouncilMeetingMaterials as well as video archives. For questions or more information, please contact the City Clerk at cityclerk@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us or (510) 215-4305.

Housing Opportunities and Resources

March 2025 Affordable Housing Opportunities– All Bay Area Counties (Courtesy of openhousesf.org).

Earthquake Brace + Bolt Program Now through March 26, qualified California homeowners can register for a $3,000 Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) seismic retrofit grant through the California Residential Mitigation Program. Plus, income-qualifying households can register for additional grant funding that can pay for up to 100% of your retrofit! Click here to see if you qualify. 

Check out the Doorway Housing Portal to view affordable housing listings across the Bay Area here or visit housingbayarea.org 

Building Permits In February, 103 building permits were issued, 14 of which were solar permits and 1 was an ADU. Last year in February, 100 building permits were issued, which included 15 solar permits and 1 ADU. Currently, the application processing time for building permits requiring plan check is up to 15 days after the date a complete application is submitted. Over the counter permits are available in person during counter hours or can be submitted via email at buildingapplications@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us and will be issued within 1-2 business days. Please visit el-cerrito.org/PermitCounter for more information. 

ECHO Housing is hosting a virtual Regional Fair Housing Training on March 21 at 10AM. This training is for tenants, property owners/managers and other members of the housing industry including the general public. Click here to register.

If you’re thinking about homeownership in the Bay Area or are in the process of purchasing a home, this workshop is for you. Richmond Neighborhood Housing Services (RNHS) is excited to partner with you after the workshop to assist you in achieving your homeownership goals. Click for more information and to register.

Business News and Events

Momolicious, a new food truck located at 10192 San Pablo Avenue, is opening this week. Stop by to enjoy some Nepalese cuisine. There are a variety of food offerings including cuisines from around the world in downtown El Cerrito making it easy for everyone to find something they enjoy! 

AutoZone recently completed the renovation of their 33,000 square foot store located at 10650 San Pablo Avenue and received their Certificate of Occupancy. AutoZone purchased the property from CVS in 2024 and the location will serve as a retail store with the back of house functioning as a distribution/fulfillment mega hub. Shop local for all of your automotive needs. 

The City is partnering with the East Bay Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to host an information session on April 18 on the array of services available to El Cerrito businesses. Please join us to learn how to start, grow and make your business thrive.

More information is posted at el-cerrito.org/CommDevEvents.

Administration 

Cal Fire released their updated Hazard Severity maps for Contra Costa County on February 25. Government Code 51178 requires the state to identify moderate, high, and very high zones in local response areas (LRA) such as the City of El Cerrito that may be affected by fire that originates from a state response area (SRA) such as the East Bay Regional Parks. The City has 120 days to review the maps and adopt them via ordinance.  

1. Changes to the new model – Local weather application 

• The update includes a 2 km grid of local climate data covering the years 2003-2018. The previous model used averaged weather inputs across the state to calculate wildland fire intensity. The updated model adjusts fire intensity scores based on the most extreme fire weather at a given location, considering temperature, humidity, and wind speed. In addition, ember transport is being modeled based on locally observed wind speed and direction values instead of using a generic buffer distance for urban areas adjacent to wildlands. 

2. Hazard maps vs. Risk  

• “Hazard” is based on the physical conditions that give a likelihood that an area will burn over a 30 to 50-years without considering modifications, such as fuel reduction. “Risk” is the potential damage a fire can do to an area under existing conditions, including any modifications such as defensible space and ignition resistant building construction. Risk considers the vulnerability of what is being protected. 
• The Fire Department’s mission is to reduce Risk from all types of fire, while the Hazard maps only identify one type of threat. 

3. Map modifications 

• Government code does not allow local agencies to decrease the level of fire hazard severity zone or to remove areas from the recommended map. 
• However, a local agency can include additional areas with justification based on evidence and fuel models. 

The County's updated maps can be found here. A video describing the rollout of the maps can be found here.

Public comments can be submitted about the maps to fire@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us. Please include your name, email address, phone number, and comment in the body of the email.

Training

Fire crews conducted structural collapse training this month. The training prepares our firefighters to stabilize a building after an earthquake. This practice is important to ensure our skills are fresh for an infrequent event. Maintaining these types of proficiencies is critical to ensuring our residents and personnel are safe when working within the footprint of a compromised building. 

Members from El Cerrito, Richmond, and East Bay Regional Parks Fire also conducted a rescue drill in the Tilden Park area. Rescues in this area include steep terrain and limited access, which typically requires rope rigging and helicopters. Our crews' skills at setting up rope rescue systems and working with flight crews greatly increase the victim’s probability of survival. Our firefighters are an elite group of helicopter qualified rescue technicians that practice once a month to ensure they can get to a patient quickly and safely.  

Calls for Service  

The El Cerrito Police Department (ECPD) handled 1,879 calls for service in February. To read more about the types of calls the ECPD handles, check out our Nixle Feed at www.local.nixle.com/el-cerrito-police-department/.

Coffee With a Cop

The ECPD held a Coffee With a Cop event at the Plaza Starbucks. Community members were able to share coffee and stories, ask questions, and get some ECPD swag from our officers. Did you miss the event? Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for event updates! 

Community Meeting on Military Equipment Use 

On March 6, 2025, the El Cerrito Police Department published an annual report on the use of military equipment. The report is available on the El Cerrito Police Department website.

On Thursday, April 17, 2025, at 4:00 pm, the ECPD will host a community engagement meeting in compliance with Government Code Section 7072. Members of the public may discuss and ask questions regarding the Military Equipment Report and the Department’s funding, acquisition, or use of military equipment at this meeting. 

The meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, located at 10890 San Pablo Ave. in El Cerrito. 

Employment Opportunities with the ECPD 

Interested in Becoming a Police Officer? 

The ECPD is currently looking for candidates for Police Recruit and Police Officer. These jobs offer an unmatched ability to make positive change in our community and offer great benefits to boot! If you or someone you know is interested in joining the ECPD team, please have them check out our available positions at: el-cerrito.org/jobs.

PUBLIC WORKS

The City of El Cerrito was invited to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano in Fairfield to attend their Annual Partner Appreciation Event at the end of February. The El Cerrito Recycling & Environmental Resource Center (Recycling Center) hosts food collection barrels year-round collecting food on an ongoing basis, and community members may drop off non-perishable, unopened donations that are within 1 year of expiration to the food collection barrels located by the battery recycling kiosk.  

The Recycling Center has been a valued community barrel partner for over 10 years and has supported food collection making over 130,000 meals possible in that time. Last year alone, the Recycling Center led this program in food donations with 13,219 meals provided, proving to be an extremely valuable community resource! At the Partner Appreciation Event, City staff accepted an award for 2024 Meal Maker Champion for most food collected in the category for Food Drive, Year-Round Barrels at a single location. 

The food barrel program is a very important part of the food bank’s food distribution program and provides ¼ of the food distributed each year. It provides diversity, variety, and choice to our neighbors in need. It is distributed through the food bank’s partnership with over 260 agency partners including churches, schools, college campuses, shelters and other organizations. 

With community support, the Food Bank can continue ensuring our neighbors in Contra Costa and Solano Counties can put food on their tables. Thank you to the community for being part of our local hunger solution! 

Arbor Week presentation for Elementary School Students by the El Cerrito Urban Forest Committee 

Thirty-three students from the Harding Elementary after-school program learned about trees, tree benefits, forest ecology, and botanical anatomy from members of the El Cerrito Urban Forest Committee on Wednesday, March 12. Professor Emeritus Yan Linhart, PhD, and horticulturist Randi Jimenez gave presentations and shared a tree-based crafts time with interested first through sixth graders. This sort of childhood outreach program, as well as Arbor Day tree plantings, are all part of why El Cerrito qualifies as a Tree City USA.

Cerrito Vista Tennis Court Lighting Project  

The Cerrito Vista tennis courts are the only City courts that have lights for nighttime play. The El Cerrito Tennis Club (ECTC), which offers drop-in tennis there 3 nights a week, has been notifying the City about outages and dimming lights. The 8 lights have had various maintenance issues over the years which the City addressed. However, three of the lights were beyond repair and the rest had dimmed such that the lighting on the courts was below the recommended levels for recreational play.  

The City budgeted for a portion of the costs for replacement of the fixtures this year and ECTC provided the additional funding necessary to replace all of the fixtures. The ECTC received a US Tennis Association NorCal section grant for tennis facility improvement and generously earmarked it for this project. With the project complete, the lighting on the courts has vastly improved. 

Hillside Natural Area Fire Resilience and Forest Conservation Plan CEQA Comment Period Ends April 14

With a grant from the California Coastal Conservancy and following substantial input from the public, the City has developed a Draft Hillside Natural Area Fire Resilience and Forest Conservation Management Plan (Plan). The purpose of the Plan is to guide the City’s fire fuel reduction, native forest conservation, and maintenance activities.

The project team, comprised of City staff and LSA consultants, have prepared the State of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents which include a Draft Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration for the proposed implementation actions detailed in the Plan.

The documents may be reviewed online at

el-cerrito.org/hillside, or in person during normal business hours at the City of El Cerrito Community Development Department, located at 10890 San Pablo Avenue. The City welcomes written comments submitted by 4 pm on April 14, 2025. Please send comments to Karineh Samkian at the address noted above or by email at KSamkian@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us   

New Red Curbs Around the City 

The Engineering team has been evaluating and addressing requests from residents to improve traffic safety in their neighborhoods. As part of these traffic safety improvements, the Maintenance team recently installed red curbs at various locations throughout the city. These locations include the Ashbury Ave. and Fairmount Ave. intersection, the Barrett Ave. and Tamalpais Ave. intersection, and the San Pablo Ave. and Schmidt Ln. intersection. The installation of these red curbs are meant to improve visibility and safety at various intersections. 

Safety Corner – Driving in Wet Conditions 

As the latest "atmospheric river" bears down on the Bay Area, please remember to drive safely and take appropriate measures. This can include checking your tires to ensure the tread is still good, reducing driving speeds, making extra space between other vehicles when driving, and reducing vehicle trips when possible.  

The Richmond Street Complete Streets Improvements Project aims to enhance safety and mobility along Richmond Street between Elm Street and Fairmount Avenue. Five project strategies have emerged from citywide plans and public input received, including striving for: A Balanced Use of Public Space, Safe Speeds, Safe Walking, Safe Bicycling, and Green Infrastructure.  

Refinement of the project’s design continues! City staff have conducted focused conversations with Richmond Street residents, as well as community members who use Richmond Street to move about by bicycle. On-going community comments identify a range of perspectives and questions about how the project can balance the needs of all users. The design team is currently working on responsive design refinements and a strategy for bringing these updates back to the community. Watch the project website for more information and updates. 

El Cerrito del Norte Complete Streets Project – Construction Continues! 

Progress on the El Cerrito Del Norte Complete Streets project continues with the installation of sidewalk, buffer islands, irrigation lines, and streetlight foundations. The new buffer islands (shown below) will separate the bike lane from the general traffic lanes.

Beginning in the week of March 10th, the contractor began mobilizing on the west side of San Pablo Avenue as well. This means that construction activities will be performed on both sides of San Pablo Avenue at the same time to help complete the project sooner.  

This is an exciting time in the consturciton of the project! We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to complete this important project to bring improvements for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit user. Please exercise caution in this area, for the safety of other drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and the construction crews.  

For questions or comments about this project reach out to: transformingdelnorte@gmail.com or the project hotline: (800) 930-3720. For more information, visit: el-cerrito.org/TransformingDelNorte. 

Encroachment Permits

For February, 56 encroachment permits were issued. Currently, the application processing time for encroachment permits is no more than 7 days after the date a complete application is submitted. Permits can be submitted via email to encroachmentpermit@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us. Please visit el-cerrito.org/EncroachmentPermit for more info.

Lead or Join a Work Party this Earth Day in El Cerrito! - Saturday, April 19, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

Celebrate Earth Day with a morning of volunteerism! We invite you to join or organize an Earth Day work party!  

Work parties will take place citywide from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. where volunteers can help tidy parks and public spaces, remove invasive plants, and pick-up litter. 

The City encourages individuals, families and groups to register their work parties by submitting an online registration form or emailing earthday@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us with details on site location, number of expected volunteers and type of work that will be performed by April 13, 2025.  

Interested individuals may also select a work party to join on April 19 from a list on our website. Volunteers will be provided with snacks, refreshments and are invited to pick-up seeds and plants provided by the El Cerrito Community Garden Network! Please visit el-cerrito.org/EarthDay for more details. 

Go Green! Mobility Fair – Saturday, April 26, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. 

Join the City of El Cerrito, El Cerrito Environmental Quality Committee, City of Berkeley, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), ECRA Walk & Roll & Bike East Bay for a GO GREEN! Mobility Fair at the El Cerrito Plaza BART north parking lot from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 26. There will be games, music, food, a free Bike East Bay Family Cycling workshop, and much more! 

Learn about how our region is transforming streets into safe spaces that bring neighbors together, improve our air quality, fight climate change and connect our Bay Area communities. A range of electric mobility devices will be on display including e-bikes, e-scooters, and neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs). Meet your neighbors, share your vision for mobility and engage with City and community representatives and planners. Every voice and journey matters as we move forward together! 

For more information on this event, please visit

el-cerrito.org/MobilityFair. 

Registration is Now Open for the Spring Citywide Garage Sale – Saturday, May 17, 2025 

The City of El Cerrito coordinates the Citywide Garage Sale in the Spring and Fall to promote reuse, so that one person's unwanted items can become another’s treasure! Consider hosting a garage sale at your home, school, or place of worship!  

If you are interested in hosting a garage sale during this Spring’s event, registration forms must be turned in by Sunday, April 20, 2025, to be included on our print and digital maps. Printed maps will be available online one week prior to the event at El Cerrito City Hall, the Recycling Center, and Community Center.  

For more information or to register your garage sale, please visit El-cerrito.org/GarageSale. 

AARP Tax-Aide Services 

AARP trained volunteers assist low- and moderate-income seniors with state and federal income tax forms. This FREE service is offered by appointment through AARP only. AARP Tax-Aide Services are available through Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Appointments can be made by calling AARP directly at (510) 306-4892, please leave a message and AARP staff will return your call. Appointments are held at the Hana Gardens Senior Center located at 10870 San Pablo Ave, on Mondays and Tuesdays.

El Cerrito Recreation Department Crab Feed 

Thank you to everyone who attended, donated to, and volunteered at the El Cerrito Recreation Department's annual Crab Feed Fundraiser on Saturday, March 8th. This fun night, filled will delicious food and community, helped to raise over $7,000 in funds for the Recreation Department's David Hunter Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship helps provide youth and seniors better access to important recreational services including but not limited to fitness programs, swim lessons, afterschool programs, enrichment and socialization opportunities, and so much more. The fund is supported through fundraisers like the Crab Feed as well as ongoing donations which can be made online at el-cerrito.org/onlinereg. The El Cerrito Recreation Department would like to especially acknowledge the Richmond Youth Academy (a mentorship program lead by the Richmond Fire Department), who volunteered to help set-up, serve guests, and clean-up for the event. 

Spring Line Dance Event 

Saturday, March 29 at the El Cerrito Community Center from 6 - 8 p.m. 

Dust off your dancing shoes and join us for a fun-filled Spring Line Dance event for adults (18+)! Get ready to move, groove, and celebrate the season with lively music, guided instruction, and great company. No experience necessary. $10 per person. Dance instruction and light refreshments included. Register online at el-cerrito.org/onlinereg. 

Upcoming Spring Break Camps 

Classic Spring Break Camp for Grades K-6 

April 7-11 from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. at Harding Clubhouse 

Sign your child up for this delightful camp experience. We will fill the day with art, science, sports, outdoor games (weather permitting), songs, and so much more! 

Fees: $375 Residents / $469 Non-Residents 

Off the Block STEM with LEGO: Spring Break Camp 

April 7-11 at Arlington Clubhouse 

9 a.m. - 12 p.m. for Ages 5-7 

1-4 p.m. for Ages 7-12 

If you can think it, you can build it! Off the Block STEM camp will help your child explore fundamental STEM concepts using LEGO® as a part of a fun, engaging environment in which they learn as they play. Camp aims to provide a dynamic and interactive learning experience, combining hands-on building with the principles of STEM education. Every build is accompanied by a sense of accomplishment that directly fuels your child’s imagination. 

Fees: $337 Residents / $419 Non-Residents 

Junior Guard Camp: Ages 11-14 

April 7-11 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Swim Center 

This training prepares future lifeguards to meet the prerequisites of the American Red Cross Lifeguard Training program. Learn all the skills of the Lifeguarding class in a fun environment. Prerequisites: Swim 200 yards in deep water in freestyle and breaststroke, tread water for two minutes. 

Fees: $180 Residents / $225 Non-Residents 

Egg Splash 

Saturday, April 19 at the Swim Center Splash Park 

The Annual Spring Egg Splash is back! Join us for three egg hunt timeslots beginning at 10 a.m. in the Splash Park (7007 Moeser Lane). Tickets are $12 per child per timeslot and include entry to the Egg Hunt at your registered time as well as rECswim entry at the Swim Center between 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. with two adults for free! A max of 2 parents can accompany every child, including in the Egg Hunt and the pool to enjoy some swimming! Sign up at el-cerrito.org/onlinereg.  

Egg Hunt timeslots: 10 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 11:30 a.m. 

Afterschool Childcare Registration for School Year 2025-26 

Save the date! 

Priority Registration for Currently Enrolled Families: Tuesday, 4/1 at 9 a.m. 

General Registration: Wednesday, 4/2 at 9 a.m. 

Details will be posted soon at el-cerrito.org/childcare.  

We Want Your Feedback! 

Did you know that you can provide feedback, suggest new programs, compliment instructors, or let us know where there is room for improvement using our feedback survey? Now available is an online survey that allows the public to share their thoughts on all recreation experiences. To provide your feedback on the Recreation Department, click here. Your comments help shape our future programs and planning! 

ATTACHMENTS/FLYERS

• Hillside Fest Final Flyer May 3-4, 2025
• Contra Costa Library Commissioner Office Hours