We had a great turnout at this past Saturday's Open House #2 for the former Bank of America site located at 70 Old County Rd (see a recap video here). Attendees learned more about the final three community visions for the site: mixed-use housing, a community center, or a small commercial center, and were encouraged to explore the site, with a self-guided walking tour focusing on how the site relates and connects to Bayshore Boulevard, the Brisbane Village Shopping Center, and the Community Park. This event concluded the public engagement portion of the project; Planning staff will now be working with consultants Good City Co. to present the public's feedback to the City Council, as well as a final preferred vision for the site, later this fall - stay tuned!
- Council Meeting Highlights from September 4th Meeting
- Spooktacular Streets Ahead! Halloween Night Road Closures
- Preparedness Month Opportunity - CERT Classes in Colma - Register by Sept. 15th
- Mayor Lentz' Office Hour Meeting During Fiesta in the Park, Sept. 16th!
- Apply to Serve on a City Commission/Commission or Volunteer as a Garden Steward
- 55+ Friendly Offerings at the Library: AARP Driver Safety Course & Fraud Prevention 101
- Ugly Sweater Design Contest: Taking Your Submissions Through October 3rd!
- This is your Derby Registration Reminder
- NAMIWalks San Mateo County Event, October 4th
- First Service Doubles Event, October 5th
Council Meeting Highlights from September 4th Meeting
At their September 4, 2025 meeting, the City Council:
- Celebrated National Preparedness Month with a proclamation received by North County Fire Safety Inspector Jeff Higgins. Inspector Higgins invited the public to join the department for an Open House on October 11, 2025 from 10 AM – 2 PM.
- Received a presentation on the Introduction of an Ordinance amending the City’s municipal code relating to Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units in order to comply with State law. Staff will bring additional, clarifying information to the September 18, 2025 City Council meeting prior to adoption.
- Approved the implementation of full street closures on select streets in Central Brisbane during the hours of 6 PM – 8 PM on October 31, 2025. The topics of safety, additional parking for impacted residents, ingress/egress, staffing, and volunteer opportunities were discussed at length. Staff will implement a robust communications plan to provide residents and the community with advance notice and information regarding affected streets and alternative parking areas.
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Spooktacular Streets Ahead! Halloween Night Road Closures
This Halloween, Brisbane will be piloting something new to improve safety for trick-or-treaters: hard street closures in select neighborhoods. This marks the first time the City has implemented this type of closure, and it comes thanks to the dedication and collaboration of the Complete Streets Safety Committee – especially Committee Chair Emily Wirowek – along with residents Jessica Aloft and Sarah Mills, who have been working closely with the City to enhance pedestrian safety on our streets.
The closures will be in effect for a limited two-hour window, 6 – 8 PM on Halloween night, to allow those commuting home from work time to return before the streets close.
What to Expect
- Streets marked in red on the map will be closed to vehicle traffic during the closure period.
- Public Works will set up barricades at the designated intersections beginning at 6 PM.
- Parking will be made available that evening at several locations, including: the Brisbane Post Office, Park Lane, City Hall, City Hall Annex, the Brisbane Village Shopping Center, and the former Bank of America parking lot
The City will also be using Changeable Message Signs, the electronic signboards, and SMC Alert to notify residents and visitors about the closures in advance.
Working Together for Safety
We appreciate the volunteers who will help ensure barricades stay in place and making announcements to trick-or-treaters before 8 PM that the streets will be re-opening, allowing the Brisbane Police Department to stay mobile and focused on keeping everyone safe. During the closure, cars parked on closed streets must remain in place to protect trick-or-treaters. We ask the community to support this effort as well: if you notice anything concerning, please call the 24/7 Dispatch Line at (415) 467-1212.
If you’d like to volunteer, please call, text, or email Jessica Aloft at j.aloft@gmail.com | 415-867-0112 by October 24th.
With your support, we can make this pilot program a success and ensure Halloween in Brisbane is a fun and safe night for all.
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Preparedness Month Opportunity - CERT Classes in Colma - Register by Sept. 15th
This is a great offering, and we are glad to see opportunities come up like this at neighboring jurisdictions. To sign up, please contact Colma Recreation Services at 650-985-5678 or recreation@colma.ca.gov. The deadline to reserve your spot is Friday, September 15th!
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Mayor Lentz' Office Hour Meeting During Fiesta in the Park, Sept. 16th!
The party starts at 5 PM, with Mayor Lentz' September Office Hours taking place from 6 - 7 PM! Join him along with your friends and neighbors under the Gazebo for what is expected to be a festive evening, thanks to the generous heart of Rafael Meza, who after accepting the Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation from the Council last September, decided he would contribute all the food for those that want to celebrate Mexican Independence Day, and the independence of other Central American countries, on September 16, 2025! Thank you, Rafael! We can't wait.
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Apply to Serve on a City Commission/Commission or Volunteer as a Garden Steward
The recruitment period for serving on a City Commission or Committee or volunteering as a Garden Steward at the Community Garden opened on September 1st and runs through November 5th. New this recruitment period is being able to apply via webform - making it easier than ever! Questions? Please reach out to Ingrid Padilla, City Clerk, at cityclerk@brisbaneca.org.
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55+ Friendly Offerings at the Library: AARP Driver Safety Course & Fraud Prevention 101
Two-Day AARP Driver Safety Course - REGISTRATION REQUIRED - Sept. 20 & 21, 11 AM - 3 PM (Event 1 of 2 | Event 2 of 2)
Fraud Prevention 101: Protecting Yourself From Scams - Friday, Oct. 3rd, 11 AM - 12:30 PM (registration not required)
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Ugly Sweater Design Contest: Taking Your Submissions Through October 3rd!
Get ready to show off your artistic flair! We're inviting community members of all ages to submit their original Brisbane-themed holiday sweater design for our 1st EVER Holiday Sweater Contest. The winning design will be featured on an official Brisbane sweater - sold just in time for the season on the City's Betsy page!
Design Guidelines:
- Must be an original sketch or digital artwork
- Design should be festive and non-denominational
- Incorporate elements that celebrate Brisbane’s community spirit
- Submit your design as a JPEG or PDF (max 10 MB)
- One entry per person
NOTE: Community voting will occur in October & the winning design will be announced early November.
Submit your designs by October 3rd to brisbanerec@brisbaneca.org
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This is your Derby Registration Reminder
Note: Derby practice day is on Saturday, Sept. 27th, from 10 AM - noon; join us first under the Gazebo before heading over to San Francisco Ave.
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NAMIWalks San Mateo County Event, October 4th
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) San Mateo County provides free mental health support, advocacy, and education to families, individuals, schools, and workplaces in the County. On Saturday, October 4th, they'll be hosting their biggest annual mental health awareness walk, NAMIWalks, at Seal Point Park in San Mateo. For more information or to get involved, please visit namiwalks.org/sanmateo. Note: 100% of funds raised go directly back into the free mental health advocacy, support, and education that NAMI SMC provides to families, individuals, workplaces, and schools across the community.
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First Service Doubles Event, October 5th
First Service Doubles (FSD) is a tennis game played by athletes and their support dogs. FSD is designed for Veterans, First Responders, and anyone 15+ with physical disabilities or invisible injuries and their support dog. Service, Therapy, Emotional Support, Working, Sporting, or any well-trained dog is welcome.
Participants will learn the rules of FSD and compete alongside their canine companion.
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This concludes my City Manager's Weekly Update; if it was forwarded to you or you saw it on social media and would like to subscribe, sign up here. Find all of our subscription lists at brisbaneca.org/subscribe, latest news at brisbaneca.org/news, and upcoming meetings, Council Subcommittee meetings, and events at brisbaneca.org/meetings. As always, feel free to let me know your thoughts on the Blast. Thanks for reading and staying engaged!