Holy Smokes!

Posted on January 30, 2019 by

What a mess!  City staff made a mistake by not telling the city council that the amendments to the marijuana (cannabis) ordinance they were considering had not been properly noticed to the public.  Instead of admitting and fixing their mistake, they keep making matters worse.  They have essentially delegitimized the votes of both the new city council and the open government commission.

It all started on October 16, 2018.  City staff failed to inform council members that they could not add a new provision to an ordinance without that provision being publicly noticed.  Unaware of staff’s error, the council proceeded to vote 3-2 in favor of doubling the number of allowable retail stores from two to four.  A second reading on these amendments was required, and the matter was scheduled to return.

On October 30 a citizen’s complaint was filed, alleging a violation of the city’s Sunshine Ordinance–namely, that the agenda item referred to “delivery only” businesses, not retail.  Instead of resolving that complaint before the second reading, council finalized their decision on November 7. Continue reading →

Posted in Alameda Businesses, City Hall, Open Government | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Taking the Initiative

Posted on January 10, 2019 by

The new year started with a bang at city hall.

On January 2, 2019, the city council decided to put a measure on the ballot that challenges the McKay Avenue Open Space initiative previously qualified by citizens wanting to zone 3.65 acres of federal property near Crab Cove as open space.  The council also decided to hold a special election on both measures in April, which will cost taxpayers between $580,000 and $730,000.  Waiting for the November 2020 general election would only cost $25,000. Continue reading →

Posted in Elections, Housing, Parks and Open Space | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments

Will the real progressives please stand up?

Posted on November 29, 2018 by

Here we go again.  It is unfortunate that yet another Alameda mayor has been elected without majority support.  Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft won the seat with only 41.97 percent of the vote.  Blame it on Alameda’s use of a plurality voting system, which does not require that the victor receive at least 50 percent of the votes cast.

The question is whether Alameda has some true progressives who will initiate changing Alameda’s electoral system from plurality to ranked-choice voting. Continue reading →

Posted in Elections | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Best bargain on the ballot!

Posted on October 24, 2018 by

For only $1 a month we can keep Crown Beach maintained, the Crab Cove Visitors Center open year-round, and much more.  What a bargain!

Measure FF continues for 20 years the East Bay Regional Park District’s current parcel tax of $12 a year for single-family parcels and $8.28 a year for multifamily units.  Each proposed project/commitment that Measure FF will pay for is spelled out.  Measure FF not only helps park operations in Alameda, but other East Bay regional parks as well.

It’s no wonder the Sierra Club, the Audubon Society, Save the Redwoods League, and a host of other environmental organizations support the East Bay Regional Park District’s ballot measure. Continue reading →

Posted in Elections, Parks and Open Space | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Fill in the Blanks at Encinal Terminals

Posted on August 31, 2018 by

We’re almost there.  The Master Plan for the Encinal Terminals project near Clement Avenue will be back before the city council on September 4.  This time the controversial swap of public tideland is off the table.

The revised and improved master plan calls for reserving the 6.4 acres of public tidelands, now dubbed the Tidelands District, for marine, maritime, commercial, recreational, and visitor services.  The plan also keeps all the key elements in last year’s plan, including the 589 housing units.  And the aging concrete wharf will now be the owner’s, not the city’s, responsibility in perpetuity.

The problem is that the proposed master plan does not say what or when anything will be built in the Tidelands District.  It only lists what could be built.  But no promises, not even doubtful ones. Continue reading →

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Another One Hits the Road

Posted on August 23, 2018 by

What a shame.  What a loss.

The latest person to give their departure notice to the city is Alameda’s Base Reuse and Transportation Planning Director Jennifer Ott.  She is going to serve the City of Hayward as their deputy city manager.  She takes with her thirteen years of institutional knowledge and experience that will be sorely missed in Alameda.

Morale is obviously low at city hall.  In a Hayward press release, Ott summed up the reason for her move to Hayward this way:  “I am incredibly honored to … join an organization that … is committed to caring, openness and integrity.”  The indirect reference to what is lacking in our city hall is not hard to miss. Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Missing the Boat

Posted on July 9, 2018 by

Current policy decisions are shaping our shoreline’s future, and Alameda is missing the boat.

On May 30, the planning board unanimously approved a plan for the Alameda Marina that provides protection for three feet of sea level rise, even though the State of California says we should anticipate six feet.  The project calls for increasing the sea wall’s height in the future “should it be necessary.”  No one from the board bothered to address this concern or ask who will pay for the adaptive measures should a three-foot wall prove inadequate. Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Development, Elections, Environment | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Missing Thank You

Posted on May 31, 2018 by

On May 23, a lot of kudos were handed out at the Site A groundbreaking ceremony for the first new neighborhood at Alameda Point.  One individual was not mentioned, but certainly deserves much of the credit:  John Russo.

As city manager from 2011 to 2015, Russo paved the way for the city itself to develop the base using a parcel-by-parcel development approach. Continue reading →

Posted in Alameda Point, City Hall | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Medical Respite Facility planned for McKay Ave

Posted on April 12, 2018 by

Those who prefer housing for senior citizens, over other types of housing that generate more traffic, will welcome the proposed dwelling units on McKay Avenue near Crab Cove.  Former federal offices now located there will be rehabbed to create a medical respite care and assisted-living facility primarily for seniors who are homeless.

Medical respite care is for people coming out of the hospital who still require medical assistance.  Patients are referred by a hospital. The McKay facility could become permanent housing for homeless seniors with chronic and/or end-of-life medical conditions.  There will be no limit on how long they can live there, and for many it will be their final home. Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Quality of Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Palestinians Tell Their Stories at Alameda Library

Posted on March 1, 2018 by

Everyone has a life story, and many are being told at Alameda’s Main Library at 1550 Oak Street.  An exhibit that combines black-and-white portraits of 26 Bay Area Palestinians with audio recordings is on display.  The library’s largest meeting room was filled to capacity with well over one hundred people for the opening reception on February 11.

The multimedia storytelling project “Home Away from Home:  Little Palestine by the Bay” showcases recorded interviews with Palestinian-Americans that reveal the complexities of living with hopes for Palestine in a country that is often hostile to those aspirations. Continue reading →

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