It’s always a delight to host Peter Johnstone, CEO of The Clem Jones Group, and his wife Annabelle, who, on Monday were rounding out their stateside visit in none other than Brisbane, Calif., a place that Clem, before he became Lord Mayor of Brisbane, QLD in 1961, visited in 1955. On that visit he met Lion Bill Lawrence, who would himself join the Brisbane City Council in 1971, serve as Mayor from 1972-73, and again from 1982-83. Anja Miller would become the first female Mayor of Brisbane from 1974-75, where the sister-city relationship with Brisbane, QLD flourished under her care. We will be working towards that in the coming weeks & months ahead! Hopefully the next time Peter visits, he brings Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner with him!
- Oct. 16 Council Meeting Highlights
- Volunteer Pathways 101 & Commission-Committee Member Appreciation
- Community Engagement Kickoff for Lagoon Watershed Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan
- Striping on Old County Rd. 10/22, 9AM-4PM & After 8 PM
- Street Beat: Your Guide to Safer Streets // Crosswalk Safety Edition
- Report Illegal Discharge into City Storm Drains Immediately
- Sign up for SMC Alert to Receive Emergency Notifications from the City
- Congratulations YMCA Community Resource Center on 10 Years!
- Brisbane Ugly Holiday Sweater Competition - Voting Open!
- Save the Date: State of the City, November 19
Oct. 16 Council Meeting Highlights
At their October 16, 2025, City Council meeting, the City Council:
- Received a presentation on the Brisbane Library Annual Report from Cary Mossing, Library Manager. The Brisbane Library continues to serve the City and surrounding communities with special events like a trip to a Giants game, resources for youth and adults, and lunches during the summertime.
- Approved the Mothers of Brisbane MoB Shop Application for Event Co-Sponsorship.
- Approved the Silverspot Cooperative Nursery Preschool’s Pancake Breakfast and Movie Mixer Application for Event Co-sponsorship.
- Received a presentation from Lincoln Property Company regarding a potential residential project at 150 North Hill Drive. The presentation provided the Council an opportunity to learn about preliminary concepts for the site’s potential redevelopment.
- At the request of Mayor Pro Tem Mackin, approved the formation of a Parkside II Ad Hoc Subcommittee to further explore the visioning outlined in the Parkside at Brisbane Village Precise Plan. The Council selected Mayor Lentz and Mayor Pro Tem Mackin to sit on this subcommittee.
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Volunteer Pathways 101 & Commission-Committee Member Appreciation
We know it was a busy October Saturday this past weekend, so we are very thankful for those that made it to Volunteer Pathways 101 that morning, and for some, the Commission-Committee Member Appreciation that took place immediately following the morning event. We are grateful for the setup support of everyone's most inspiring volunteers, our Youth Advisory Committee members, two of whom stayed for the duration of the event, with one winning a raffle prize following the ice cream social!
At Volunteer Pathways, attendees got to hear directly from our current Commissioners and Committee members why they got involved, in the form of a panel discussion & watching following video put together by our Comms Team:
And at the appreciation event for current Commissioners, Committee members, and Trustees representing Brisbane in their respective advisory boards, many donned new Brisbane caps and heard from each of the City Council members how much their work helps them and that it does not go unnoticed.
If you’re looking to make a difference in your community, now’s your chance! Apply by 5PM on Wednesday, November 5th at brisbaneca.org/open-seats.
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Community Engagement Kickoff for Lagoon Watershed Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan
The Library's Community Room proved to be a great location for Tuesday night's kickoff for public engagement as Robin Lee of civil engineering firm Shaaf & Wheeler led attendees through a presentation on existing conditions analysis for the Brisbane Lagoon; they were also joined by landscape architectural firm, CMG. The decision to cater from Brisbane Lunch Truck was an equally fabulous one too on the part of The Civic Edge, the community engagement arm of the project, with the ultimate goal being to develop and adopt a Brisbane Lagoon Watershed Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan by the end of 2026.
Over the course of the next few months, Schaaf-Wheeler and CMG will be working on presenting alternatives for adaptation, potentially with nature-based habitat enhancements and other co-benefits such as erosion protection. They will present these at a second community meeting next Spring.
If you wanted to attend the kickoff engagement meeting but couldn't, you can watch back the presentation on the City's YouTube or Facebook page. (We apologize that the attendees' comments and questions can't be audibly heard as there was just one mic in the room and it was on the presenter.) Robin's slides along with the boards are also available.
There will be other opportunities to attend community meetings, currently scheduled for next Spring and Fall, 2026. If you would like to leave any feedback or comments on the project, you can do so by using the webform found at the bottom of the project's webpage, brisbaneca.org/lagoonplan.
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Striping on Old County Rd. 10/22, 9AM-4PM & After 8 PM
Green bike lanes are coming to Old County Road! Striping for the bike lanes on Old County Road begins Wednesday, 10/22, during regular work hours (9 AM–4 PM), with additional lane striping continuing into the evening starting around 8 PM. We thank you for your patience if traveling along the roadway as delays are expected. If you're able to, consider taking alternate routes in/out of town.
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Street Beat: Your Guide to Safer Streets // Crosswalk Safety Edition
The following was submitted by the Complete Streets Safety Committee - thank you!
Welcome to the inaugural edition of Street Beat, your new go-to section dedicated to making our streets safer! Each edition, we'll delve into important topics concerning traffic safety, pedestrian rights, and what we can do to make a safer community.
Crosswalk Safety: Pedestrians Have the Right of Way!
It's crucial to remember that pedestrians have the right-of-way when they are within a marked or unmarked crosswalk. According to the California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 21950 (a), The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing within any marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. For detailed information on pedestrian and driver laws in California, consult the oCalifornia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Driver Handbook, available online at dmv.ca.gov.
Tips for Drivers:
- Be Alert: Always be on the lookout for pedestrians, especially near schools, parks, and shopping areas.
- Yield to Pedestrians: If a pedestrian is in the crosswalk, stop and allow them to cross safely.
- Slow Down: Reduce your speed when approaching crosswalks, even if no pedestrians are visible.
- Avoid Distractions: Put away your phone and focus solely on driving.
Tips for Pedestrians:
- Use Crosswalks: Always use marked crosswalks when available.
- Make Eye Contact: Try to make eye contact with drivers to ensure they see you before stepping into the crosswalk.
- Be Visible: Wear bright clothing, especially at night, and consider carrying a flashlight.
- Stay Alert: Avoid distractions like cell phones while crossing the street.
Upcoming Street Beat Highlights:
In future editions of Street Beat, we'll be covering a range of important topics, including:
- City Initiatives for Safer Crossings: Discover what our city is doing to enhance pedestrian safety, such as the implementation of "See Me" flags and our ongoing efforts to repaint and maintain crosswalks.
- Tree and Bush Trimming for Visibility: A friendly reminder to residents to trim their trees and bushes, which helps improve visibility for both drivers and pedestrians at intersections and along sidewalks.
- Increased Police Enforcement: Learn about the increased police presence and enforcement during peak traffic hours to ensure compliance with traffic laws.
- Parking Rules Reminder: A refresher on important parking rules, including the prohibition of double parking and an explanation of daylighting laws to improve visibility at intersections.
- Safe Routes to School: An outline of the designated safe routes to school, ensuring our children can travel to and from school securely.
- No Texting and Driving: A vital reminder about the dangers and illegality of texting while driving.
Stay tuned for more essential street safety information in our next Street Beat!
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Report Illegal Discharge into City Storm Drains Immediately
It’s important to report illegal discharges - such as oil, paint, or other pollutants that's been dumped into storm drains - right away. Storm drains flow directly to local waterways without treatment, so quick reporting helps protect public health, wildlife, and the environment. Prompt notification also allows City staff to contain and clean up spills before they spread, identify responsible parties, and keep the City in compliance with state and federal clean water regulations.
Should you see evidence of illegal discharge, please
- call Public Works during business hours at (415) 508-2130
- call the non-emergency dispatch number if after-hours at (415) 467-1212
- use the free My Brisbane app, where you're able to snap a pic and indicate your location, making reporting issues to the City a breeze
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Sign up for SMC Alert to Receive Emergency Notifications from the City
SMC Alert is an opt-in emergency notification system that has the ability to notify you via text, email, and phone with any emergencies happening near your home, work, or child's school. When you enter an address such as your home, work, or child's school, the address is geocoded within the mapping system. If you don't include at least one address, you may miss an important alert or receive alerts from other parts of the County that don’t apply to you.
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Congratulations YMCA Community Resource Center on 10 Years!
Last Friday, several of our staff had the privilege of attending the YMCA Community Resource Center's 10 Year Anniversary Celebration at Orange Memorial Park in South San Francisco. The YMCA CRC is Brisbane‘s Core Service Agency (as well as the cities of South San Francisco and San Bruno), offering services such as rental assistance, utilities assistance, and public transportation benefits. They also partner with the Brisbane Police Department for their Annual Holiday Gift & Food distribution event at City Hall which supports deserving Brisbane families. Stay tuned for more on how you can donate this upcoming holiday season towards that effort!
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Brisbane Ugly Holiday Sweater Competition - Voting Open!
We invited community members of all ages to submit their original Brisbane-themed ugly holiday sweater designs for our 1st Holiday Sweater Contest. Thank you to all those who submitted. Now we are asking the community to help vote! The winning design will be featured on an official Brisbane sweater - sold just in time for the season on the City's Betsy page! Voting ends 11/3.
Save the Date: State of the City, November 19
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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!