[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6582964,"mediaKeyId","3143355-db8a1eb0c8734b69f2e3022f87b1af8b","parentId",3143355,"title","Lafayette council hears broad public debate over protests outside elementary school, free-speech limits and safety","audioSeconds",1542,"startMs",1269000,"endMs",2811000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3143355-db8a1eb0c8734b69f2e3022f87b1af8b&start=1269&end=2811","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3143355-db8a1eb0c8734b69f2e3022f87b1af8b/thumbnail_1269000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6582964/Lafayette/Contra-Costa-County/California/Lafayette-council-hears-broad-public-debate-over-protests-outside-elementary-school-free-speech-limits-and-safety","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6582964-11303964668098a29d606b3fc594149c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165551&Signature=Dd7JWCOdEmInSE2y3Hp3dGCg5wAV-c0WcZz7uAY5DddLIN-wxbm8IDFV~Rbt4VH3sZ-xMRMFI9sN7bZuBhsywCHYRRA1W1chLTk-8d2~KnmFR2sUxQyHLn~GodW5p1tLvFRwhJbmLTf8r4xetrjxz-ZIfTpaunwBuK-oMKSWVyTqfuTxTbxzgRniF0EHd6PPeF7bAoO3tbC0-mfyPxvbskqQFQe6eK9DUh5ZcEXY-BH5-IXpiliVG7H17lr51j5Azni-CuAPH4UPwhwzA4GCwJNse9ywHbHfDSO3MYyEyZPMt3TOazigaW3OV-M1urWIgNw1FwdDw-8AX-cc2BtMYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lafayette","date","2025-04-29T04:04:58.3Z","article","Dozens of residents addressed the Lafayette City Council on April 28 over protests outside Lafayette Elementary School, with speakers divided between defending protesters’ First Amendment rights and raising safety and student-welfare concerns.

Supporters of the protesters, who have been holding signs near the school’s pick-up and drop-off times, told the council the demonstrations take place on a public sidewalk and do not obstruct movement. “Freedom of speech is the bedrock of our democracy and 1 of our most cherished rights under the constitution,” said Sheila Castilla, a resident, during the public-comment period. Joan Bellegarde (identified in comment as Jack Belgard) said protesters do not block sidewalks and that “good speech is how you combat bad speech.” Kristen Anderson urged local safety changes — including lowering the speed limit around the drop-off zone — as an alternative to restricting signs.

Other speakers framed the demonstrations as protests about school policies related to gender identity and so-called gender-affirming care for minors. Teacher Lisa Disbrow, who said she resigned from public school teaching over perceived violations of her rights, defended sidewalk protests and asked the council to host a town hall on the subject. Erin Friday, an attorney and president of the group Our Duty, thanked Lisa Disbrow for “peacefully educating parents” and said she views gender ideology as harmful to children.

Several speakers urged the council to avoid restricting protests. James Cook and others cited experience in other Bay Area cities where ordinances intended to curb protests did not stop speech and instead prompted court battles. “You can make all the ordinances you want, but it will not push people that want to protest the school out of the way,” Cook said.

At least one resident sought neutrality from elected officials, saying the mayor’s past public call for residents to protest national policies was inappropriate in a local context. David Bertie described comments he said the mayor made at a separate town hall, quoting the mayor as saying: “we have weekly protests right here in Lafayette every Tuesday night from 5 to 6. Clear your calendars, stop making excuses, and get down there and peaceably protest.” Bertie said he was concerned that the city appears to take sides.

Council members and staff repeatedly told speakers that school policies and personnel decisions fall outside the city’s legal authority. During the April 14 meeting summary and again on April 28, staff and the mayor said the city attorney had advised that time, place and manner restrictions cannot be used to bar protests at school drop-off zones if doing so would prevent protesters from reaching their intended audience. The council did not take any new regulatory action at the April 28 meeting.

Why it matters: The debate underscores a recurring local conflict between residents who view the protests as lawful public-speech activity and neighbors and parents who say signs near school pick-up times create safety hazards or inappropriately target children. City officials must balance public-safety concerns with constitutional protections, even where the subject of a protest is a school district policy over which the city has no jurisdiction.

What council said and did: Council members described the topic as primarily outside city purview; no ordinance or regulation was introduced or voted on at the meeting. The mayor and staff encouraged speakers to direct school-policy concerns to the school district while acknowledging residents’ safety worries around Moraga Road and Mount Diablo Boulevard.

Context and specifics: Speakers repeatedly referenced Lafayette Elementary School and Moraga Road, and several said they had submitted a petition titled “Petition to Keep Lafayette Students Safe from Traffic Distractions Caused by the protesters.” A petition described at the meeting said it was signed by residents, parents and educators; one speaker said opponents of the protests collected roughly 400 signatures. Multiple speakers characterized crowd interactions during protests differently; some described counterprotests and claims of drivers taking photos, others emphasized that sidewalks remained passable.

Looking ahead: Council members asked staff to continue monitoring safety complaints and reiterated that enforcement and policy options are constrained by constitutional protection of speech and the city's limited authority over school policies. Residents who oppose the protests urged further action at the school-district level; supporters urged the council not to enact local restrictions that could face First Amendment challenges.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lafayette City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Dozens of residents addressed the Lafayette City Council on April 28 over protests outside Lafayette Elementary School, with speakers divided between defending protesters’ First Amendment rights and raising safety and student-welfare concerns.","taxTitle","Lafayette, Contra Costa County, California","taxId",77659,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6582955,"Lafayette council proclaims April 2025 Parkinson’s Awareness Month",393,4688000,5081000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3143355-db8a1eb0c8734b69f2e3022f87b1af8b&start=4688&end=5081","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3143355-db8a1eb0c8734b69f2e3022f87b1af8b/thumbnail_4688000.jpg","/articles/6582955/Lafayette/Contra-Costa-County/California/Lafayette-council-proclaims-April-2025-Parkinsons-Awareness-Month","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6582955-2d9816bbc4bbc5fec95835e8ec11190c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165551&Signature=LjCaugXWaauUfYAmdCk7qJp7t4SIXvs-jChgIhJj4vPUuNM3VGR7E9fLA8ujOrQcD5SoHR8-s545ys6engNKuBoUEWv994zwKLJ8t50ifLmexlM4vnxVoAKPoeW8ufaK5bnadQu232QyGWWWASfMCYbr8mnZ90PGgF1PKqzYKIgH12SwSjLWilx7DcMi~FsL7M9lZOeOvwTX3LcQqbT7TGUuMb4sbxe63ZdSAmZng79aP53-fBct7ynxRExXY-yvTA7WxRrMn2k9lZdx0td-wsR3aD~T0Po4EHlO-PTQkigE7LGfn6-LLRsZGVO8QSPixwAeyXeOuVs5hdF0sXEx~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lafayette City Council voted unanimously on April 28 to proclaim April 2025 as Parkinson’s Awareness Month in Lafayette.

Councilmember motioned to adopt the proclamation and it carried with an affirmative voice vote. The mayor read the proclamation aloud before presentation to members of the public who had asked the council to adopt it.

The proclamation’s text cited national statistics and the local impact of the disease: it described Parkinson’s as the second-most-common neurodegenerative disease in the United States, noted an estimated U.S. prevalence and projected growth, and referenced an estimated annual national economic burden of about $52 billion. The proclamation also stated that there is currently no objective biomarker or cure for Parkinson’s disease and recognized the work of caregivers, researchers and organizations such as the Parkinson’s Foundation.

Cheryl, a local resident who asked the council for the proclamation, described living with a recent diagnosis and urged support for research and community resources. “There’s a lot of hope in the Parkinson’s world,” she said, and noted research at UCSF and Stanford.

Why it matters: The proclamation is a formal recognition by the city intended to raise awareness and encourage community support for individuals and families affected by Parkinson’s disease. It does not create a funding commitment or new municipal program.

Votes at a glance:
- Proclamation: April 2025 Parkinson’s Awareness Month — approved (voice vote, unanimous).
- Consent calendar (with exceptions 9A and 9C): adopted.
- Plaza Park Shops business approvals (consent item 9C, as amended to include two additional businesses): adopted.
- Legislative matrix (receive and file): accepted per staff recommendation.
- Approval of summer downtown programming/Princeton intern fundraising support (item 15b): approved.

","The Lafayette City Council unanimously adopted a proclamation declaring April 2025 as Parkinson’s Awareness Month in Lafayette, recognizing local residents affected by the disease and encouraging community support and awareness.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6582961,"Lafayette Environmental Task Force outlines 2024 accomplishments, seeks funding and enforcement guidance for leaf blower ordinance",858,3032000,3890000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3143355-db8a1eb0c8734b69f2e3022f87b1af8b&start=3032&end=3890","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3143355-db8a1eb0c8734b69f2e3022f87b1af8b/thumbnail_3032000.jpg","/articles/6582961/Lafayette/Contra-Costa-County/California/Lafayette-Environmental-Task-Force-outlines-2024-accomplishments-seeks-funding-and-enforcement-guidance-for-leaf-blower-ordinance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6582961-a3eb872d6ccd75f6ba51b28e3014fb4c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165551&Signature=a49zLuCWCXd2CUWdJQRMcZPJKrNBuaixA8sHns6rcG7nGBd75zEmV9bfrdjFCuVlfuj2~qAAzP2WlzElE8zxjfIm5zH6TZhkhlPk3BbOHA92QtPSzxhAMuD4F9K60YvxcYkqFZYoJUQlfK3QF9rWF8OvCzW3m7S5uytIMPo-lywYczHkFb~CAz0PWy0rPMtzxz8xcEyQ-PjczZer0GKjt8omT7tVple9HIDTIAR3YX~46iJNTCodVFDuVaCxfI~TFSGRO~xSFmyFOS3QbnuGX--SUxFC~kLWDqwOUH0fjrav7YsiXlPU3LpOB8guORCf5oJQgMdnOXTtir2dbEidvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lafayette Environmental Task Force (ETF) presented its 2024 accomplishments and 2025 priorities at the April 28 council meeting, highlighting community outreach on an electric leaf-blower ordinance, a planned lending program, and early work on a foodware (single-use plastics) proposal.

ETF co-chair Maria Gastelumendi and members described a year of outreach: a bilingual brochure mailed citywide, distribution at community events, short promotional videos hosted on the city’s online services, and 50 garden signs placed across the city to raise awareness of the leaf-blower ordinance. Gastelumendi said the ETF bought a portable induction cooktop and partnered with a local retailer, Cresco, which offered a 20% discount during the pilot period for commercial backpack electric blowers and rentals to let residents try the equipment.

“Education is very important,” Gastelumendi said, and the ETF asked the council for continued help promoting the ordinance, including four marquee postings per year on the Safeway sign and support during the city’s budget process for outreach funding.

The ETF reported data from related programs: 443 households had signed up for the Cleaner Contra Costa challenge in 2024 (up from 2023), and the city’s construction-and-demolition (C&D) diversion rate increased from about 80% to 86% in 2024, ETF members said.

ETF members asked for clearer code-enforcement guidance to address repeat violations at apartment complexes and business properties where absentee owners or property managers are not local and workers use gasoline blowers. Co-chair Gastelumendi said the current ordinance applies to property owners or managers, not individual workers, making enforcement “difficult to handle.” The group requested staff direction on how to notify and enforce against nonlocal owners.

On foodware, ETF members reported reviving a pre-pandemic draft ordinance that would encourage reusables for dine-in, consider a possible 25¢ fee for single-use to-go cups, and require compostable or recyclable materials for takeout where feasible. ETF members said they are tracking state efforts (including SB 54 and other statewide discussions), participating in a regional working group, and planning a business outreach survey before any ordinance would be drafted for council review.

Why it matters: The ETF’s work touches municipal enforcement, local businesses and household behavior, and may require funding for outreach and compliance. The proposed initiatives could affect restaurants, property managers, landscapers, and residents.

Council response: Councilmembers thanked the ETF and noted the item will be considered during the upcoming budget process. Staff and council asked ETF members to work with the city’s code-enforcement staff and to return with concrete budget requests and an enforcement plan.

","The Lafayette Environmental Task Force reported on 2024 work — including an electric leaf-blower lending program, bilingual outreach, partnerships with local vendors, and early planning on single-use foodware rules — and asked council for budget and code-enforcement guidance for violations at multi-unit properties.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lafayette council hears broad public debate over protests outside elementary school, free-speech limits and safety

Lafayette council proclaims April 2025 Parkinson’s Awareness Month

Lafayette Environmental Task Force outlines 2024 accomplishments, seeks funding and enforcement guidance for leaf blower ordinance