ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
1000 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
Monday, December 02, 2024
1 REGULAR MEETING: 7:00 PM
1. CALL T
O ORDER / LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Vice Mayor López read the Albany Land Acknowledgement Statement as adopted by the City Council per City of Albany Minute Action, November 15, 2021.
Mayor Mi
ki read a statement reaffirming that Albany values our diverse community members, stands against hate, and information on support during a mental health crisis.
2. ROLL CALL
P
resent: Council Members Hansen-Romero and Jordan, Vice Mayor López, Mayor Miki
Absent: Council Member Tiedemann
3. REPORT ON ACT
ION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION, IF ANY
4. CEREMONIA
L MATTERS
5. CITY MANA
GER REPORT
City
Manager Nicole Almaguer reported initial investigation of the former landfill site on the Albany Waterfront is complete. Initial findings have not indicated any major concerns or direct risks to public health and safety. Information will be posted to albanyca.org/recreation/waterfront/ albany-bulb. Satellite Affordable Housing Associates' (SAHA) affordable housing project Verana Hill is almost complete, with residents expected to begin moving into units in early December 2024. City staff will reach out to the new residents regarding City services and programs. Streetlight replacement is underway and will continue for three weeks. An update of the Marin Avenue Pavement Rehabilitation Project – Phase 2 will be presented to the Transportation Commission (TC) during its December 5, 2024 meeting. Construction of the project is scheduled for 2025-
26. Also during the meeting, the TC will receive a presentation regarding development of the Active Transportation Plan (ATP). Information regarding the ATP update can be found at bit.ly/albanyatp. The 2025 Winter/Spring Activity Guide of classes, camps, special events, and program is out, and registration for classes begins December 10, 2024.
Fields and the dog park are currently closed for turf maintenance and facility improvements. The Albany Hill Field Guide to Native Plants & Animals is available. A Special Meeting of the City Council to swear in new ly elected Council Members is scheduled for December 9, 2024.
6. GOOD OF
THE CITY/PUBLIC COMMENT
Mayor Miki opened the Good of the City.
A summa ry
of public comment is as follows: concerns about the sunsetting of the Financial Advisory Committee (FAC); a request for an agenda item regarding notices for development projects; Friends of Albany Hill’s Day With Nature is December 8, 2024; an •
-.
.
.
Date approved: December 16, 2024
ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
1000 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
Monday, December 02, 2024
2 inquiry regarding the date to apply for advisory b odies; concern about flooding along Portland and Washington Avenues.
Mayor Miki reported a study of stormwater ma nagement is underway and will inform future investments. The FAC’s work has heavily influenced staff’s past and current work.
City Attorney Mala Subramanian noted parking requirements have changed, particularly for parking near major transit stops. The State Density Bonus Law determines the maximum number of parking spaces per unit that can be required for a development project that utilizes the law.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
7-1. Minutes – November 18, 2024
Staff Recommendation: Approve
7-2. Ratification of Payroll – Date Paid 11/15/2024: Net Amount $483,478.91, Taxes/Benefits/Deductions $498,665.86, Total Payroll $982,144.77
Staff Recommendati
on: Ratify
7-3. Ratification of Bills, Claims and Demands - Ratification of bills, claims and demands against the City of Albany in the amount of $249,486.20 (11/15/2024), $307,589.05 (11/22/2024)
Staff Recommendation: Ratify
7-4. Renew Body Camera and Storage System Contract for the Police Department
Staff Recommendation: That the Council adopt Resolution No. 2024-81 to:
1. Authorize a waiver of formal bids for the purchase of the body camera equipment; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to enter into a new contract with Axon which includes a camera replacement program and unlimited cloud storage, in an amount not to exceed $208,500.65; and
3. Appropriate a total of $208,500.65 from Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) grant funds, at a cost not to exceed $208,500.64 for this purchase
7-5. Pierce Street Path Segment II – Phase 3 (pierce-Cleveland Bikeway Connection) Authorization to Submit Application to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission Active Transportation Capital Design Technical Assistance Program
Staff Recommendation: That the Council adopt Resolution 2024- 82, authorizing the City Manager to submit a grant application for the Pierce- Cleveland Bikeway Connection project to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Active •
-.
.
.
ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
1000 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
Monday, December 02, 2024
3 Transportation Capital Design Technical Assistance Program, enter into a funding agreement with MTC upon award of grant, and authorize grant funds awarded for expenditure on the project
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
The Pierce-Cleveland Bikeway Connection project, a phase of the Pierce Street Path Segment II, is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15301 “Existing Facility” and Section 15333 “Minor Alterations to Land” of the CEQA Guidelines, which exempts the operation, repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing public facilities, involving negligible or no expansion of existing use.
Mayor Miki asked if anyone wished to remove items from the consent calendar. A member of the public removed Item 7-4.
A summary of public comment is as follows: questions regarding the waiver of bids, stored recordings, and the City’s recording policy.
Police Chief John Geissberger advised that the vendor provides software that interacts with software used by the District Attorney’s Office. V ideo recordings are reviewed as needed. The City receives a COPS grant each year to support frontline services. The Police Department’s policy for body camera usage is available on the website.
City Manager Almaguer read the City’s policy for sole-source contracts.
MOTION:
Moved by Council Member Jordan, seconded by Council Member Hansen- Romero, to approve the consent calendar.
AYES: Council Members Hansen-Romero and Jordan, Vice Mayor López, Mayor Miki NOES: None
ABSENT: Council Member Tiedemann
Motion carried and so ordered.
8. PRESENTATION
8-1. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Presentation – BART’s Role in the Region
Henry Symons, BART Principal Government and Community Relations Representative, reported BART’s investments to increase police officer presence, decrease crime, increase evening and weekend service, and increase deep cleaning of train cars. New, smart fare gates are being installed and will improve safety and security. BART connects riders to other transit services and offers discounts for transfers to another transit service, youth and low-income riders, seniors and disabled people, and commuters.
A summary of public comment is as follows: a suggestion for increased outreach regarding connections outside Alameda County.
•
-.
.
.
ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
1000 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
Monday, December 02, 2024
4 A summary of Council comment is as follows: appreciation for BART’s improvements and expansion over the years; full automation can reduce costs and increase frequency.
9. PUBLIC HEARING
10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
11. NEW BUSINESS
11-1. Letter of Support – San Francisco Estuary Partnership’s East Bay Crescent Community Engagement and Climate Adaptation Grant Application to the California Ocean Protection Council
Staff Recommendation: That the Council adopt Resolution No. 2024-83, authorizing the Mayor to submit a letter in support of the City of Albany’s participation in the San Francisco Estuary Partnership’s East Bay Crescent Community Engagement and Climate Adaptation grant application to the California Ocean Protection Council
Community Development Director Jeff Bond presented the staff report. The shoreline, a critical part of Albany, is changing and will continue to change in the coming decades due to climate change. The City has a unique opportunity to work with the San Francisco Estuary Partnership (Partnership) to lay the groundwork for the first phase of planning for the change.
Caitlin Sweeney, San Francisco Estuary Partnership Director, reported the Partnership is a place-based, non-regulatory program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that protects and restores estuaries of national significance. It is interested in supporting local governments as they try to meet the challenges of climate change.
Senate Bill (SB) 272, Sea Level Rise Adaptation and Planning, requires local governments along shorelines to prepare a Subregional Shoreline Adaptation Plan by 2034, which must be approved by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC).
The Partnership’s goal is to coordinate a multi -jurisdictional project focused on the East Bay, specifically the shorelines along Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, and a portion of Oakland. The grant covers planning efforts and has a two -year timeframe. The Partnership will act as the grant recipient and project manager. The cities will participate in the working group, facilitate community and tribal engagement, and coordinate review of project deliverables.
A summary of Council comment is as follows: a suggestion for the project to consider stormwater treatment facilities; appreciation for the proposal to assist the City.
•
-.
.
.
ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
1000 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
Monday, December 02, 2024
5 MOTION:
Moved by Vice Mayor López, seconded by Council Member Jordan, to adopt Resolution No. 2024-83, authorizing the Mayor to submit a letter in support of the City of Albany’s participation in the San Francisco Estuary Partnership’s East Bay Crescent Community Engagement and Climate Adaptation grant application to the California Ocean Protection Council.
AYES: Council Members Hansen-Romero and Jordan, Vice Mayor López, Mayor Miki NOES: None
ABSENT: Council Member Tiedemann
Motion carried and so ordered.
12. COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS, COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS ON
APPOINTED REPRESENTATION OF ALBANY, AND OTHER MEETINGS AND EVENTS
City Council Appointed Representation Bodies Appointee Alternate Alameda County Mayors’ Conference Miki López
Alameda County Transportation Commission Jordan Miki
Alameda County Waste Management Authority Hansen-Romero Jordan Association of Bay Area Government Tiedemann Jordan
Ava Community Energy JPA Board Tiedemann López
East Bay Sports Field Recreational Authority JPA Hansen-Romero Miki Housing Authority of Alameda County McQuaid N/A
League of California Cities (East Bay) Miki López
Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District López N/A
Alameda County Library Advisory Commission Jordan Tiedemann Rausser College of Natural Resources Dean’s
Advisory Committee on the Gill Tract (DAC) López N/A
Police & Fire Pension Fund Board Miki Tiedemann
Alameda County Paratransit Advisory & Planning
Committee (PAPCO) (vacant) N/A
12-1. Report for Housing Authority of County of Alameda (HACA)
Council Member Jordan attended a meeting of the Alameda County Transportation Commission’s (Alameda CTC) Planning, Policy and Legislation Committee.
Council Member Hansen- Romero advised that the Recycling Board and StopWaste’s Executive Committee held a joint meeting and received a presentation about SB 1383.
13. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Mayor Miki requested an agenda item regarding a community statement against hate.
14. ANNOUNCEMENT OF CITY MEETINGS AND EVENTS
•
-.
.
.
•
ALBANY CITY COUNCIL-MINUTES
1000 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
Monday, December02,2024
Upcoming City Meetings
1. Racial lnclusivity & Social Equity Commission Meeting, Tuesday, December 3, 7:00 PM, City Hall Council Chambers
2. Transportation Commission Special Meeting, Thursday, December 5, 7:00 PM, City Hall Council Chambers
3. City Council Special Meeting, Monday, December 9, 5:00 PM, City Hall Council Chambers
4. Arts Committee Meeting, Monday, December 9, 7:00 PM, City Hall Council Chambers
5. Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting, Wednesday, December 11, 7:00 PM, City Hall Council Chambers
6. Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commission Meeting, Thursday , December 12, 7:00 PM, City Hall Council Chambers
7. City Council Meeting , Monday, December 16, 7:00 PM, City Hall Council Chambers Council Member Hansen-Romero noted Santa on Solano is scheduled for three weekends in December .
15. ADJOURNMENT
9:03 PM There being no further business before the City Council , Mayor Miki adjourned the meeting .
Minutes submitted by Anne Hsu, City Clerk.
Mayor
Attest:
~nne Hsu, City Clerk
6