September 23, 2025
Mayor's Office
DATE: September 23, 2025
TO: Members of the City Council
FROM:
Mayor Eduardo Martinez
Councilmember Robinson
Subject:
Establishment of the Macdonald Avenue Corridor Task
Force
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct new financial impact from the establishment of the Macdonald Avenue Corridor Task
Force. City staff time shall be required to support the Task Force.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
Mayor Eduardo Martinez and Councilmember Robinson
are requesting the establishment of a Macdonald Avenue
Corridor Task Force to convene direct stakeholders and
key decision-makers with influence over the corridor. The purpose of the Task Force is to create a dedicated forum where participants can collectively identify priorities, share perspectives, and coordinate efforts.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
DIRECT the city manager to work with the mayor to
establish a Macdonald Avenue Corridor Task Force (a
Brown Act body), which is for a limited duration,
composed of Mayor Eduardo Martinez, Councilmember
Doria Robinson, staff, and stakeholders – Mayor Eduardo Martinez (510-620-6503) and Councilmember Doria
Robinson (510-620-6565).
AGENDA
REPORT
September 23, 2025
DISCUSSION:
Councilmember Robinson and Mayor Martinez are requesting the establishment of a Macdonald Avenue Corridor Task Force to convene direct stakeholders and key decision-makers with influence over the corridor. The purpose of the Task Force is to create a dedicated forum where participants can collectively identify priorities, share perspectives, and coordinate efforts.
The defined goal of the Task Force is to deliver a comprehensive set of recommendations to the City Council for the revitalization of the Macdonald Avenue Corridor.
These recommendations will include:
Short-term actions to improve safety, cleanliness, and activation of the Corridor. Mid-term strategies to strengthen business attraction, housing, transportation, and community-serving amenities.
A concrete long-term vision for the built environment along Macdonald Avenue, developed with schematics supported by consultant research and analysis. This vision will serve as a tool to attract forward-looking developers to invest in the corridor.
The Task Force will sunset on December 31, 2026, or earlier upon meeting its objective to provide the City Council with recommendations for the revitalization of Macdonald Avenue Corridor.
City Membership:
Mayor Eduardo Martinez
D3 Councilmember Doria Robinson
Designated City staff shall be confirmed by the City Manager
Stakeholders:
Non-City stakeholders shall be appointed by the Mayor, and shall include the following:
Vernon Whitmore, ROC
Sarah Wally, Richmond Main Street Initiative (RMSI) (if this item is approved by City Council, Ms. Wally will resign from the Workforce Development Board) Macdonald Corridor business owners
Macdonald Corridor property owners
Macdonald Corridor residents
The Macdonald Corridor Task Force is comprised of two members of the City Council and several stakeholders. Because the task force is composed in part of stakeholders that are not members of the legislative body, it fails to meet the condition for ad hoc committees that requires that the committee is “solely” comprised of members of the legislative body. Accordingly, the Task Force is not an ad hoc committee and is instead a legislative body covered by the Brown Act.
September 23, 2025
SYNERGISTIC POLICIES:
City of Richmond. Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report – Recommendation 7: “Destination Downtown.” Adopted by City Council, June 17, 2024.
City of Richmond. City Council Goals & Priorities. Strategic Goal Area 2:
Increase Revenue and Improve Economic Development, Objective 2.3.c:
Development and Downtown Revitalization. Adopted by City Council, September 27, 2023.