THE WEEK OF APRIL 20-26
–OAKLAND– Regular council committee meetings, Tuesday, April 24, starts at 9:30 a.m.
➤Finance & Management Committee, 9 a.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
–BALLOT MEASURE TO TAX VACANT PROPERTIES– Oakland Councilmembers Rebecca Kaplan and Dan Kalb say the city is “experiencing significant vacancy of property, including residential and commercial land and buildings left unused for long periods of time; and there are a number of properties in the City that are being kept vacant, undeveloped, and unoccupied by any legal use; and properties that are vacant or undeveloped deprive the community of the economic opportunity and housing that could be provided if those properties were put into use, reducing the supply of units available to house people and businesses, thus making it more difficult for people to find space to live or operate businesses within the city…” To give landlords incentive to fill the vacant units, the councilmembers are proposing a special parcel tax be placed on the November ballot with the proceeds funding affordable housing. The item will also be heard at the 1:30 p.m. CED meeting.
➤Community & Economic Development Committee, 1:30 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
–CYPRESS MANDELA TRAINING CENTER– Councilmember Desley Brooks‘ controversial proposal to use funding derived from some voter-approved ballot measures to fund job training programs across Oakland returns to committee for the second time this month. Brooks proposes using these set-aside revenues to fund job training programs conducted by private entities. A Budget Advisory Commission last February raised serious doubts over the proposal’s legality and instead suggested the council use other streams of non-dedicated funding for job training .
➤Public Safety Committee, 6 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
–RULES FOR BUYING SURVEILLANCE– “Approval of this Ordinance will require all City entities to seek City Council approval before accepting grant funds for, or the purchase or use of any new surveillance technology or equipment. The approval process for acquiring and using such technology will include completing a Surveillance Technology Impact Report, a Surveillance Use Policy, and the City Council making a determination that the benefits of the technology outweigh the costs. The Ordinance will also require that current surveillance technology undergo a similar public review and approval process and that annual oversight of all surveillance uses be conducted by the
Privacy Advisory Commission and reported to the City Council.
–SHOTSPOTTER CONTRACT-– A proposed $88,200 increase in the contract for ShotSpotter, the tool used by police to pinpoint incidents of gunfire, heads for review at the public safety committee. But here’s some sobering statistics in the city staff report on the amount of gunfire in Oakland. The numbers include so-called celebratory days such as New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July. Furthermore, the numbers are actually down from five years ago:
–3,163 total gunfire incidents.
–13,618 total shots fired.
–Average of 4.31 shots fired per incident.
–Average of 8.67 gunfire incidents per day (365 days).
–Average of 37.3 shots fired per day.
–These data represent a 29% reduction in gunfire activity volume since 2012.
➤Life Enrichment Committee, 4 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
–WINTER BEDS EXTENSION– “Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Allocate Up To $50,000 In Previously Appropriated General Purpose Funds To Extend Winter Shelter Efforts Through June 30, 2018 And Amend The Grant Agreement With The Society Of Saint Vincent De Paul Of Alameda County In An Amount Not To Exceed $90,000 (Including County Funding).”
➤Public Works Committee, 11:30 a.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE] // City Hall security enhancements // Road maintenance schedule. NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, Tuesday, May 1.
–ALAMEDA COUNTY– Regular board meeting, Tuesday, April 24, 10:30 a.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
–A’S/COLISEUM CLOSED SESSION– Tuesday’s special board retreat begins with a noteworthy pair of closed session agenda items regarding negotiations for the county to sell its share of the Oakland Coliseum to the City of Oakland, and another with Oakland Athletics President Dave Kaval. The team is interested in buying the property as either the primary location for a new ballpark or protect it as a second choice after Howard Terminal. (Note: Port of Oakland agenda below.) NEXT MEETING, Tuesday, May 8.
–HAYWARD– Special City Council meeting, Tuesday, April 24, 6 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE] // Fire station improvements.
➤City Council work session, Tuesday, April 24, 7 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
–I-880 WHIPPLE INTERCHANGE– The freeway interchange at Whipple Boulevard is a crowded mess of traffic, poor roads and sidewalks made only worse by the fact northbound Interstate 880 travelers looking to exit at Industrial Boulevard must use the exit because none exists at their desired destination. Alameda County voters approved Measure BB to fix these types of transportation issues. The city is proposing five potential plans to alleviate traffic and improve the roadway. Measure BB budgets $104 million for the project that includes two proposals for Whipple and three for Industrial, ranging from $5-$13 million to $90-$107 million.
–DOWNTOWN PARKING PLAN– “The Downtown Parking Management Plan provides strategy recommendations to efficiently utilize the parking supply in Downtown Hayward… The key components of the draft plan reviewed by Council include parking time restrictions, permits for residents and employers/employees, and enforcement strategies… The goal was to develop a Downtown Parking Management Plan with long-term policies and regulations to improve parking demand in the Downtown area. The proposed plan would protect the valuable City-provided downtown parking resources from day-long use by BART patrons, and other private park-and-ride users who do not contribute to the economic vitality of the Downtown…” The proposed ordinance Tuesday night would institute one-hour parking restrictions on B Street and Main; two-hour restrictions in the downtown areas and west of the Hayward BART station; and four-hour restrictions on Grand Street to discourage BART parking. A residential parking permit plan is also being proposed.
–SAN LEANDRO– City Council/SLUSD/SLZUSD joint work session meeting, Monday, April 23, 7 p.m., San Leandro Main Library, 300 Estudillo Avenue. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE] NEXT MEETING: Monday, May 7.
–PORT OF OAKLAND– Closed session board meeting, Thursday, April 26, 1 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
–A’S AND HOWARD TERMINAL– The Oakland Athletics’ proposed stadium at Howard Terminal near Jack London Square is again on the Port’s closed session agenda. The Athletics and Port officials will also discuss a one-year Exclusive Negotiating Agreement. The team would deposit $100,000 in the deal in order to perform due diligence on the waterfront site.
–EAST BAY MUD– Regular board meeting, Tuesday, April 24, 1:15 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
–MOKELUMNE RIVER RESO– “Adopt a resolution of support for the Mokelumne River Wild and Scenic River Study Report including its recommendation for designation of approximately 37 miles of the river into the California Wild and Scenic Rivers System.”
–AC TRANSIT– Regular board meeting, Wednesday, April 25, 5 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE] // FY 2018-19 draft operating budget proposal.
–BART– Regular board meeting, Thursday, April 26, 9 a.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
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