ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
Virtual Meeting
Albany, CA 94706
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
1 SPECIAL MEETING – OPEN SESSION 7:00 PM
1. CALL TO
ORDER
Mayor Jordan read the Albany Land Acknowledgement Statement as adopted by the City Council per City of Albany Minute Action, November 15, 2021.
2. ROLL CALL
P
resent: Council Members Gary (arrived at 7:17 PM), McQuaid and Nason, Vice Mayor Tiedemann, Mayor Jordan
Absent: None
3. DISCUSSI
ON AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON MATTERS RELATED TO THE
FOLLOWING ITEMS:
3-1. Submi
ttal of Working Draft Housing Element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development
Staff r ec
ommendation: that the Council authorize submittal of Working Draft Housing Element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development following 30-day public review and comment period
Jeff B
ond, Community Development Director, announced that a recommendation is being revised to propose a modified schedule that gives the Council and the public more time to review the material before the Council authorizes sending the draft to the state for review.
Barry
Miller, Barry Miller Consulting, pr esented an overview of the Albany 2023- 2031 Housing Element and compared changes made from the previous version. All Bay Area cities and counties are required to update their General Plan Housing Elements every eight years. The Housing Element sets forth policies for housing conservation, housing production, and affordable housing. State law requires that each jurisdiction submit a Working Draft of their Housing Element to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for review prior to adoption. Every Housing Element is required to include an evaluation of the prior housing element, assessment of housing needs, inventory of sites to accommodate the City’s regional housing needs allocation, an evaluation of governmental and non-governmental constraints to housing production, and a “Housing Action Plan” comprised of goals, policies, programs, and objectives for the eight-year planning period. Miller also explained that affordable housing is housing geared toward lower income households. Chapter three of the Housing Element includes a county specific sliding scale.
A summar
y of public comment is as follows: a suggestion for a designated location for overnight parking; qu estions regarding low income accessory dwelling units (ADUs) , environmental documents prepared for the Housing Element; appreciation to the City for funding spent on housing; support for the housing coordinator; the effectiveness of the rent review system; equity can be improved by spreading the opportunities for Date approved: September 6, 2022
ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
Virtual Meeting
Albany, CA 94706
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
2 development around Albany; the height limit on Solano Avenue needs to be changed; the plan creates unnecessary disincentives to construction of housing; security for small landlords in the plan; support for excluding University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley); a suggestion to use more appropriate language when referencing individuals with disabilities; an inquiry regarding compliance and why only ten percent were certified.
A summary o f Council comment is as follows: suggestions to revise language in the Implementation Policy title to “persons with disability” or “persons who are differently abled”, including the same language as in Special Housing Needs Policy 3.6 into Policy
3.4, revising Goal 5 Fair Housing to “regardless of ability ”, and changing language to Attachment A of the Implementation Policy to “Albany Unified School District Affinity Groups”; support for transitional age youth in some projects; encouragement for very low- or extremely low-income units as density bonus amenities; support for partnerships with non-profits with the county housing authority in creating projects or purchasing units; a preference to exclude rent control or Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOP A) if it is unlikely to be accomplished; a preference to increase the floor area ratio (FAR) and height for Solano Avenue, have fourplexes by-right in residential zoning, and excluding the front setback in residential areas; support for pursuing credit for the planned graduate student apartments; a suggestion for the draft to include a box or sidebar explaining what Assembly Bill (AB) 1492 does or does not do; appreciation for the Code Enforcement item; a preference to replace “unit” and “family” with “residence” throughout.
MOTION:
Moved by Council Member Nason, seconded by Vice Mayor Tiedemann, to approve the release of the Draft Housing Element for the thirty-day public comment period.
Motion withdrawn. Item will return on 9/6/22 Council meeting.
3-2. Policing Commission Appointments Update
Staff recommendation: that the Council receive an update on applications received to date for appointment to the City’s Policing Commission and provide direction to staff on next steps.
City Clerk Anne Hsu presented the staff report. Applications for the Policing Commission were announced in early May, and a total of thirteen complete applications have been received to-date. Staff provided two main timelines for the appointment to the Policing Commission.
City Manager Nicole Almaguer advised that complaints should be submitted through the City Clerk's Office, and no complaints have been received to date.
A summary of public comment is as follows: police brutality is being conceal ed by the police.
ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
Virtual Meeting
Albany, CA 94706
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
3 A summary of Council comment is as follows: a preference for Option A; a preference for Option B; concern about the short timeline; a suggestion that a vote be taken regarding Options A and B.
MOTION:
Moved by Council Member McQuaid, seconded by Council Member Nason, that Council select Option B.
AYES: Council Members Gary, McQuaid and Nason, Mayor Jordan NOES: Vice Mayor Tiedemann
Motion carried and so ordered.
3-3. Storm Drain Improvements Related to Planned Housing Development Located at 540 San Pablo Avenue
Staff recommendation: For information and discussion only. No action required
Community Development Director Jeff Bond presented the staff report. The site is 2.2 acres, and on October 18, 2021, Council approved Design Review, Density Bonus, and street tree removal for the 207-unit mixed use apartment building. The project is currently in building permit review.
Mark Hurley, Public Works Director, provided a high- level overview of the project. The 1991 City of Albany Watershed Management Plan (WMP) describes the existing 48-, 42-, and 45-inch storm drainpipes below the property as undersized. Staff intends to realign and upsize the line. Realignment would follow Clay Street and along the western edge of the project site along Adams Street. The line is anticipated to be either 54- or 48-inches in diameter and will be increased incrementally to handle constraints identified in the modelling. Staff proposes constructing a new stormwater overflow relief line from the Adams Street culvert toward the north to Cerrito Creek to relieve the downstream constraint.
David Lam, Associate Engineer, explained that a comprehensive set of standards is followed, including observation of available meteorological data to determine the ten-year storm.
A summary of public comment is as follows: the storm drain travels to the creek, and filters are needed; and a question about whether the stormwater runoff is salvageable.
Mark Hurley, Public Works Director, advised that the water currently flows into a creek, and the only change is where it meets Cerrito Creek. Trash capture devices within storm drain inlets are used to trap large pollutants. Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been constructed to capture water and provide treatment to clean the water.
4. NEXT REGULAR MEETING: Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at 7:00 PM