Priorities
From revitalizing downtown and prioritizing public safety to advancing community projects, navigating state laws on housing, and responsibly managing city finances — these priorities are focused on preserving what makes Orinda special while building a stronger, more vibrant future.
Implementing the Downtown Precise Plan
- Let’s find incentives to help the current landowners find feasible projects for downtown sites. Our retail, dining, and entertainment options are getting better all the time, but they're still short of their potential. The focus is there to help both existing and new businesses thrive. Plus, more and healthier retail downtown is a win for revenue, not just lifestyle.
- Let’s transition from the current sea of surface parking on the Village side to a more walkable and lively retail experience. We can reconfigure without pretending the cars will go away. Could we agree that there are higher and better uses for the vacant Rite Aid and Phair's retail sites than free parking in their empty lots?
Prioritizing Safety
- From fire preparedness, to traffic and roads, to low crime - safety is one of Orinda’s defining characteristics and is always top of mind.
Project Momentum
- I'm very proud that we completed both the new dog park at Orinda Oaks and the long-overdue Crossroads Plaza (Welcome sign) during my first term on the Council. We're just getting started on a major update to the community park, a possible conversion of the Kindergym to a meeting facility with tech enabled for virtual participation, and implementation of the facade improvement program. I also want to be part of the team that sees one or two high quality housing projects get started and finally filling a few of those long vacant spaces downtown. After these first four years, we feel like we're still just getting started.
Responding to State Housing Policies
- How can we use requirements to create more housing to advance our downtown vision and goals? We and our peer cities were effective in advocating for exemptions to SB79 (large scale housing by-right next to transit) and having evacuation and high fire severity areas expressly considered in the next RHNA cycle (housing state requirement). Starter housing and downsizer housing is important, and we need it, but we don't have any unmet demand for apartment towers, and we shouldn't be forced to add them.
Managing City Revenue and Expenses
- While you might hear about Orinda’s high per capita income, our sales tax and property tax collections are both low relative to our size. Our small but mighty City staff manages a small but mighty City budget, and we're incredibly thoughtful about all our spending decisions.
Strong Ties
- The City Council is more effective when we have close ties with the School Board, MOFD, regional agencies, and the County, and when we communicate regularly with the community so we're both sharing information and hearing your concerns first-hand. And please VOTE YES ON MEASURE W - OUR HIGH SCHOOLS NEED YOU!
