The Almost Daily Briefing
Published news articles from local, regional, and national media on topics of interest to the #LoveLafayette Community
LOCAL NEWS
BART to raise daily parking rates in new year - Bay Area commuters who rely on parking at BART stations will see daily rates increase by as much as $1.60 starting Jan. 1, 2026, the Bay Area Rapid Transit District announced Monday. Most BART stations will see daily parking fees increase by $0.40, which the agency said reflects inflation. Four of its most “high-demand” stations, which include Glen Park, MacArthur, Rockridge and Walnut Creek, will have daily parking rates increase by 30 percent. (KRON4)
Concord Police Take Public Safety To New Heights With Drone Program - Since 2021, the Concord Police Department has relied on drone technology to enhance community safety, assist officers in the field, and provide real-time support during critical incidents […] Under the new program, trained drone pilots will operate from strategically placed launch sites throughout the city. When certain 911 calls come in, drones can be deployed within seconds, streaming live aerial video to officers on the ground. (Claycord)
OTHER NEWS
Supreme Court extends order blocking full SNAP payments, with shutdown potentially near end (Associated Press)
LOCAL HAPPENINGS
City Council Legislation Committee
Parks, Trails & Recreation Commission
Environmental Task Force
The Weekly Roundup
Lafayette Planning Applications Received
Major Development Projects Map
Lafayette Community Information & Emergency Radio AM 1670
Shop, Dine & Gather in Lafayette
Contact the City
HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION AND CITY PLANNING
Tired of ‘frivolous’ landmark attempts, Berkeley council members want to raise bar for petitions - Critics say development opponents have used landmark applications to tie up housing projects. Preservationists say a proposed fix goes too far.
Plan to add housing in 3 wealthy Berkeley neighborhoods faces backlash, but City Council is undeterred (Berkeleyside)
‘From 25 mph to 100 mph’: How the Bay Area housing market changed in 2025 - It’s been a dizzying year for the Bay Area housing market. The red-hot South Bay went cool seemingly overnight, while lukewarm San Francisco came out of hibernation. Much of what happened in the Bay Area’s housing market this year reflects influences that are national in scale. Economic worries and affordability challenges, along with seismic changes to U.S. immigration policy, have convinced many would-be buyers that now is not the time to be making 30-year commitments. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Sausalito set to adopt greener building codes – The City Council gave preliminary approval in a 3-1 vote on Tuesday to ensure its code matches the latest state guidelines, a standard triennial update. Sausalito also endorsed code revisions to become Marin’s first municipality to require the use of low-carbon concrete. The county also has that requirement. The city will require home remodels that are larger than 500 square feet to meet “CALGreen Tier 1” measures. (Press Democrat)
Will the YIMBY ‘Holy Grail’ Deliver an LA Building Boom? - Supporters of the California zoning reform bill SB 79 say it will unleash a wave of multistory apartment buildings. In low-rise-loving Los Angeles, that could be a tall order.
State wants Half Moon Bay to update its rules on housing growth - Half Moon Bay has gone nearly two years without an approved housing element for the 2023-31 cycle — and in the latest round of edits, the state is asking the coastal city to bring a ballot measure to voters that would exempt accessory dwelling units from its population growth cap limits. (San Mateo Daily Journal)
New ballot measure push aims to overhaul California’s landmark environmental law - …the “Building an Affordable California Act” would impose a 365-day limit on environmental reviews for a wide range of projects, including new reservoirs, desalination plants, forest thinning to reduce wildfire risk, apartments, housing subdivisions, senior housing, student housing, roads, bridges, public transit, hospitals, medical centers, broadband internet, solar farms, wind farms and battery storage facilities. It would also require courts to rule within 270 days when CEQA lawsuits are filed challenging those projects. (Mercury News)
MIXTAPE
Atmospheric river storm approaching Bay Area with high winds, rain
Dog-Friendly East Bay
A Beacon Of Honor: Mount Diablo Shines For America’s Veterans
Photos: Veterans Day celebration in the East Bay
Former Danville town office site eyed for temporary fire station
Bay Area to be first market for Uber’s Lucid-based autonomous taxis, launching in 2026
Sonoma County farmers confront new avian flu wave and debate over vaccine
Californians reluctant to buy homes – or new cars
AND FINALLY…
WWII nurses who dodged bullets and saved lives deserve Congressional honor, lawmakers say
&
Where to see fall colors in the Bay Area now
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The Almost Daily Briefing (ADB) is an aggregation of links to news articles from local and regional newspapers, magazines, websites, and other news sources. Its purpose is to alert readers to current issues and affairs that may impact Lafayette. The ADB does not promote, favor, disfavor, support, reject, or endorse any position, candidate, campaign, or proposition, and nothing about the ADB, including the selection, presentation, arrangement, or content of the links presented should be construed as an advocacy position.
At times, the ADB features articles from sites that limit access for nonsubscribers. The Contra Costa Library offers access to multiple newspapers online for all cardholders, including the Los Angeles Times (via the ProQuest E-Library digital resource) and the New York Times Digital. Visit the library’s website to learn how to get a library card or access digital services.
If you have questions about the ADB, please contact the City of Lafayette's Communications Analyst, Suzanne Iarla, at siarla@ci.lafayette.ca.us. You can subscribe to the ADB and learn more about Lafayette’s publications and social media sites here.
