City of Emeryville Page 1 of 6
Members:
Mayor Sukhdeep Kaur
Vice Mayor Matthew Solomon
Council Member David Mourra
Council Member Kalimah A. Priforce
Council Member Courtney Welch
CITY OF EMERYVILLE
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL
Emeryville City Hall
1333 Park Avenue
Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 596-4300 phone
(510) 450-7831 fax
www.emeryville.org
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 7:00 PM Council Chambers
1. CALL TO ORDER - STUDY SESSION 6:30 PM
The meeting was called to order at 6:34 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Sukhdeep Kaur, Vice Mayor Matthew Solomon, Council Member David Mourra, Council Member Kalimah Priforce, Council Member Courtney Welch
Absent: None
3. STUDY SESSION
3.1. REVENUE MEASURES UPDATE STUDY SESSION
Finance Director Sharon Friedrichsen made a presentation and answered Council Member questions.
1 speaker.
MOVED by Solomon and SECONDED by Welch to approve to place a business license tax reform measure on the ballot for the November 2026 general election.
RESULT: Passed [5 TO 0]
AYES: Kaur, Solomon, Mourra, Priforce, Welch
NOES: None
4. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:07 p.m.
City Council MINUTES May 19, 2026
City of Emeryville Page 2 of 6
1. CALL TO ORDER - REGULAR MEETING 7:00 PM
The meeting was called to order at 7:08 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Sukhdeep Kaur, Vice Mayor Matthew Solomon, Council Member David Mourra, Council Member Kalimah Priforce, Council Member Courtney Welch
Absent: None
3. APPROVAL OF FINAL AGENDA
MOVED by Welch and SECONDED by Solomon to approve the final agenda.
RESULT: Passed [4 TO 0]
AYES: Kaur, Solomon, Mourra, Welch
NOES: None
ABSENT: Priforce
Council Member Priforce was absent 7:08 p.m. to 7:10 p.m.
4. SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY
1 speaker.
4.1. PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE RECOGNIZING MAY 2026 AS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH
4.2. PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE RECOGNIZING MAY 2026 AS ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH
4.3. PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE RECOGNIZING MAY 17-23, 2026, AS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK
5. COUNCIL MEMBER SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS/REPORTS ON MEETING ATTENDANCE Council Member Priforce reported speaking at a District 2 event for Nate Adams in Oakland, and at a Peace & Freedom rally in Oakland.
6. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
7. EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS
No ex parte communications were reported.
8. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT AGENDA AND ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA 4 speakers.
9. CONSENT CALENDAR
Council Member Priforce asked to pull Items 9.5 and 9.6 from the Consent Calendar.
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MOVED by Solomon and SECONDED by Mourra to approve the Consent Calendar as amended.
RESULT: Passed [5 TO 0]
AYES: Kaur, Solomon, Mourra, Priforce, Welch
NOES: None
9.1. ALL ORDINANCES DEEMED READ BY TITLE ONLY AND ALL FURTHER READING WAIVED
9.2. WARRANTS
9.3. ACTION MINUTES OF THE MAY 5, 2026, CLOSED SESSION
9.4. ACTION MINUTES OF THE MAY 5, 2026, CITY COUNCIL MEETING
9.5. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE OPPOSING THE
IRAN WAR
Council Member Priforce commented on the Resolution.
0 speakers.
MOVED by Mourra and SECONDED by Solomon
RESULT: Passed [5 TO 0]
AYES: Kaur, Solomon, Mourra, Priforce, Welch
NOES: None
9.6. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE GRANT RECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH THE EMERYVILLE COMMERCE CONNECTION IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $30,663 FOR THE PRODUCTION OF EMERYVILLE RESTAURANT WEEK IN OCTOBER 2026 AND AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 OPERATING BUDGET TO APPROPRIATE $30,663 FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND (FUND 202) AND INCREASING THE FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 BUDGET FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES (202-80050) FROM $164,000 TO $194,663
Community Development Director Chadrick Smalley answered Council Member questions about the contract.
2 speakers.
MOVED by Mourra and SECONDED by Solomon
RESULT: Passed [5 TO 0]
AYES: Kaur, Solomon, Mourra, Priforce, Welch
NOES: None
10. PUBLIC HEARINGS
10.1. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE TO AMEND THE GENERAL PLAN AND TO AMEND TITLE 9 (PLANNING REGULATIONS) OF THE
EMERYVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAM LL OF THE APPROVED City Council MINUTES May 19, 2026
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2023-2031 HOUSING ELEMENT BY ELIMINATING THE BONUS FLOOR AREA RATIO IN THE LOWEST CATEGORY OF THE MAXIMUM FLOOR AREA RATIOS MAP (FIGURE 2-3) BY REPLACING "0.5/1.0" WITH "1.0/NO BONUS;" AND TO ELIMINATE THE BONUS
DENSITY IN THE LOWEST CATEGORY OF THE MAXIMUM RESIDENTIAL DENSITIES MAP (FIGURE 2-6) BY REPLACING "20/35" WITH "35/NO BONUS” (CEQA DETERMINATION: EXEMPT PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINES SECTIONS 15162 AND 15164 AND PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE SECTION 21080.085 BECAUSE THIS
ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTS THE SCHEDULE OF ACTIONS IN AN APPROVED HOUSING
ELEMENT)
Senior Planner Navarre Oaks made a presentation and answered Council Member questions.
The Public Hearing opened at 8:03 p.m.
1 speaker.
The Public Hearing closed at 8:13 p.m.
MOVED by Welch and SECONDED by Mourra
RESULT: Passed [5 TO 0]
AYES: Kaur, Solomon, Mourra, Priforce, Welch
NOES: None
11. ACTION ITEMS
11.1. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE TO SELECT
ARTISTS MILA MOLDENHAWER, JOEY ROSE, HEATHER HARDISON, PACKARD
JENNINGS, ELLIOT SURBER, ROBERTO GASTELUMENDI, CHRIS GRANILLO, CARRIE LEDERER, ERIN FONG, AND THOMAS JONES AS THE RECIPIENTS FOR THE 2026 VISUAL ARTS GRANT PROGRAM; APPROVING THE ARTWORKS PROPOSED BY THE RECIPIENTS; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE GRANT RECIPIENT
CONTRACTS WITH THE RECIPIENTS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE PROPOSED ARTWORKS; AND APPROPRIATING AN ADDITIONAL $750 FROM THE PUBLIC ART FUND (FUND 243) TO THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027 FOR THE 2026 VISUAL ARTS GRANT PROGRAM.
Economic Development & Housing Coordinator Amber Evans made a presentation and answered Council Member questions.
1 speaker.
MOVED by Solomon and SECONDED by Mourra
RESULT: Passed [5 TO 0]
AYES: Kaur, Solomon, Mourra, Priforce, Welch
NOES: None
11.2. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE AMENDING SECTION 2-8.01 (POSTING LOCATIONS) IN CHAPTER 8 (OFFICIAL NOTICES) OF TITLE 2
OF THE EMERYVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE TO DESIGNATE ONE PUBLIC POSTING
LOCATION FOR AGENDAS AND PUBLIC NOTICES AT THE CIVIC CENTER LOCATED AT 1333 PARK AVENUE, EMERYVILLE, CALIFORNIA
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City Council waived presentation. City Clerk April Foran answered Council Member questions. 0 speakers.
MOVED by Mourra and SECONDED by Welch
RESULT: Passed [5 TO 0]
AYES: Kaur, Solomon, Mourra, Priforce, Welch
NOES: None
11.3. DISCUSSION REGARDING AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE SECTION 4.1 - ORDER OF BUSINESS
City Clerk April Foran made a presentation and answered Council Member questions. 0 speakers.
MOVED by Solomon and SECONDED by Mourra to keep the Order of Business on the agenda as-is.
RESULT: Passed [5 TO 0]
AYES: Kaur, Solomon, Mourra, Priforce, Welch
NOES: None
11.4. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO COMMIT TO A PERMANENT FINANCING DEVELOPMENT LOAN IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $31,757,588 BETWEEN THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE AND EAH INC., A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT 4300 SAN PABLO AVENUE AND TO
AMEND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING EXPENDITURE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN (CEQA DETERMINATION: EXEMPT PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 8698.4(A)(4) AND STATE CEQA GUIDELINES SECTIONS 15268(A), 15269(C), 15332, AND 15061(B)(3))
Economic Development & Housing Manager Valerie Bernardo made a presentation and answered Council Member questions.
6 speakers.
MOVED by Solomon and SECONDED by Welch
RESULT: Passed [3 TO 2]
AYES: Solomon, Priforce, Welch
NOES: Kaur, Mourra
12. DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS
12.1. ANNOUNCEMENT OF COMMISSION/COMMITTEE VACANCIES
13. FUTURE AGENDA ITEM REQUESTS
Council Member Mourra requested and received majority support for a report to Council on the USPS mailbox key investigation and providing a letter of support to Congresswoman Simon’s office regarding electronic mailboxes.
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Council Member Priforce requested and received majority support to recognize May 18 as Haitian Flag Day.
14. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 10:16 p.m.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were adopted at a regular meeting of the Emeryville City Council.
/s/ Lorrayne Leong
Deputy City Clerk