REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CONCORD CITY COUNCIL/CITY COUNCIL
SITTING AS THE LOCAL REUSE AUTHORITY
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
1950 PARKSIDE DRIVE
CONCORD, CALIFORNIA AND VARIOUS
TELEPHONIC/ELECTRONIC LOCATIONS
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2025
The Concord City Council met in a regular meeting in the Council Chamber, located at 1950 Parkside Drive and via various telephonic/electronic locations at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, with Mayor Obringer presiding. The pledge of allegiance was led by Councilmember Hoffmeister. Minutes follow in abbreviated form per Resolution 3361 and Council Minutes of September 26, 1966.
ROLL CALL
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Dominic Aliano, Pablo Benavente, Laura Hoffmeister (6:04 p.m.), Laura Nakamura, Carlyn Obringer
STAFF PRESENT: Valerie Barone, City Manager; Susanne Brown, City Attorney; Justin Ezell, Assistant City Manager; Joelle Fockler, City Clerk; Mindy Gentry, Director of Community Development; Guy Bjerke, Director of Economic Development and Base Reuse; Mark
Bustillos, Chief of Police; Carlton Thompson, City Engineer; Ben Ulrey, Assistant Planner; Justine Gee, Associate Engineer
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WHO ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL: Kay Saeyang; Joey Flegel-Mishlove, East Bay Housing Organizations
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
Kay Saeyang spoke of divestment.
CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR
No public comment was received.
ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 25-425.1 – 1700 Willow Pass Road
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to adopt Ordinance No. 25- 425.1 entitled, “An Ordinance Amending the City of Concord Zoning Map by Rezoning 1700 Willow Pass Road to Include it in the Affordable Housing (AH) Overlay District in Accordance with State Law Requirements. (APN: 126-342-006).” Ordinance No. 25-425.1 was introduced on February 11, 2025, by reading of the title only and waiving further reading. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
AUTHORIZE INCREASE OF A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, AND APPROVE BUDGET TRANSFER – Downtown Sanitary Sewer Upgrade – Phase 4 (Project No. 2598) This item was pulled from consideration on the Consent Calendar by Concord resident Mitch Turrin.
A motion was made by Hoffmeister and seconded by Nakamura to authorize the following for the Downtown Sanitary Sewer Upgrade – Phase 4 (Project No. 2598) generally located in the Downtown Concord area:
City Council Minutes March 4, 2025
2 1. Authorize an increase to the contingency from 10% to a 17% contingency (an increase of $166,436) on the existing construction contract with Devaney Engineering, Inc. for the Downtown Sanitary Sewer Upgrade Phase 4 (Project No. 2598) to address repair of a storm drain line (Funded by Measure V, Fund 407); and
2. Approve a budget transfer in the amount of $166,436 to Downtown Sanitary Sewer Upgrade – Phase 4 (Project No. 2598) from Alberta Way Pavement Rehabilitation (Project No. 2615) (Funded by Measure V, Fund 407).
The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
LOCAL REUSE AUTHORITY CONSENT CALENDAR
AUTHORIZE AMENDMENTS TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENTS – Environmental Risk Services Corporation (ERS) and Environmental Science Associates (ESA) A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to authorize the amendment of two Professional Services Agreements (PSAs) for the combined amount of $70,000 for work related to the review and consideration of Navy site remediation (clean-up) with Environmental Risk Services Corporation (ERS) and creek restoration and stormwater management with Environmental Science Associates (ESA) in support of the redevelopment of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS) establishing a new combined not-to-exceed amount for those PSAs of $319,319 through March 31, 2025; and authorizing the Executive Director of the LRA to execute the amendments in a form acceptable to the City Attorney. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ITEMS
CONSIDER ACCEPTANCE OF THE 2024 GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT Assistant Planner Ben Ulrey presented the staff report.
Public comment was received from Joey Flegel-Mishlove, East Bay Housing Organizations.
A motion was made by Hoffmeister and seconded by Benavente to accept the 2024 General Plan Annual Progress Report, which includes an Annual Progress Report on the Housing Element and authorize submittal of the General Plan Annual Progress Report to the Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and the submittal of the Housing Element Annual Progress report to the California Department of Housing and Community Development. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
CONSIDERING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS, HOLDING INTERVIEWS, AND SELECTING APPOINTMENT BY BALLOT VOTE TO FILL THREE (3) POSITIONS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR FOUR- YEAR TERMS ENDING FEBRUARY 28, 2029
City Clerk Joelle Fockler presented the staff report.
A motion was made by Aliano and seconded by Hoffmeister to approve the staff proposed questions as amended by the City Council. The motion was unanimously approved by the Council.
The following applicants were interviewed:
Hope Johnson
Ray Barbour
Craig Mizutani
City Council Minutes March 4, 2025
3 Don Seta
Suresh Kamath
Dena Acosta-Beere
Darren Kelly
Joseph Piasecki
Jan Newbegin
Ajit Kaushal
May Patel
Darcy Kremin
Lance Goree
Mayor Obringer recessed the meeting at 9:35 p.m. The meeting resumed at 9:45 p.m.
Mayor Obringer opened a public comment period, and upon receiving no public comment, closed the public comment period.
Following a ballot vote, a motion was made by Obringer and seconded by Benavente to approve the appointments of Ray Barbour, Craig Mizutani, and May Patel for four-year terms on the Planning Commission ending February 28, 2029. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
CORRESPONDENCE
a. Agenda Item No. 4.a – Benched Correspondence
b. Agenda Item No. 4.a – Annual Progress Report & Housing Element Program Update – PowerPoint Presentation
c. Agenda Item No. 4.b – Benched Correspondence
COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmembers shared information on events and activities in which they had participated since the last meeting and commented on items of interest.
ADJOURNMENT
By order of the Mayor, the meeting was adjourned on March 4, 2025, at 9:54 p.m. /s/
CARLYN S. OBRINGER
MAYOR
/s/
JOELLE FOCKLER, MMC
CITY CLERK