Shortly after each City Council meeting, staff post on the City's home page a summary of the Council's actions on main discussion topics. http://www.albanyca.org/ This blog begins with that summary in italics, followed by additional observations.
City Council Meeting Summary - February 3, 2014
Posted Date: 2/4/2014 6:00 AM
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The City Council took action on the following items:
• Bi-annual Review of Advisory Body Work Plans:
The Council reviewed the work plans of the City’s Charter Review Committee, Library Board, and Traffic & Safety Commission. Other advisory body work plans will be reviewed by the City Council at future meetings in February and March.
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• Appeal of Planning Application for 1017 Ordway Street:
The Council held a public hearing to review the appeal regarding a parking exception for a second story addition at 1017 Ordway. The Council approved upholding the decision of the Planning & Zoning Commission to approve the design review and parking exception for a second story addition at 1017 Ordway.
• City Council In-Lieu Health Insurance Benefits
The Council approved a Resolution to amend the health benefits received by Council Members, removing the option to receive an in-lieu payment when health insurance benefits are waived, and will take effect with the seating of the next City Council in December 2014.
The above summary is provided to serve as a brief update of action taken by the City Council as part of their Regular Meeting. The City Council meets regularly at 7:30pm on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month, at the City Hall Council Chambers – 1000 San Pablo Avenue, Albany. Meetings are also broadcast live on KALB Cable Channel 33, and streamed on the City’s Website.
The next regular meeting of the City Council will be held on Tuesday, February 18, 2014. (end of City summary)
The only commentary on above actions was the confusion by at least one Councilmember about the "in-lieu" benefit. After much review, the mayor finally said she would (and did) move elimination of Council's access to this benefit, effective with the arrival of new Councilmembers. The motion passed unanimously.
Additional actions were taken by Council via the"Consent Calendar," which is a listing of routine items that Council acts upon without discussion, unless anyone - including anyone in the audience - asks to speak to the item. Some of those were:
Approved the budget and call for design of the 2014 Pavement Rehabilitation Contract - Up to $1.015M of pavement rehabilitation is planned for 2014. This will maintain the City's "Fair" pavement condition index of 59. Albany has been spending $400K a year on pavement when $600K per year was needed to maintain status quo. City Engineer Ray Chan identified funds to pay for project design and pavement work, with about half of the funds from grants. One of the grants is from CalRecycle for "Rubberized Asphalt Concrete" which will be used along the following three street segments: Portland Avenue (from Cornell Avenue to Masonic Avenue), Masonic Avenue (from Marin Avenue to the Berkeley City Limits), Washington Avenue (from San Pablo Avenue to Masonic Avenue).
Adopted the Notice of Completion for the Buchanan/ Marin Bikeway, from Pierce St. to San Pablo Ave.
Approved Municipal Code Amendments to: (1) allow transitional and supportive housing by right in residential and mixed-use zoning districts; (2) allow emergency shelter facilities by right in the Commercial Mixed Use and San Pablo Commercial zone; and (3) amend related definitions of land uses, parking requirements, physical characteristics, and distance between emergency shelters. Approving "by right" components brings Albany into compliance with State law.
Authorized a Request for Qualifications for a team of professionals to submit qualifications, including expertise in the areas of architecture, engineering, finance, and development, for a design-build contract for the City's Public Works Service Center. "A critical area of expertise will be the ability to both finance the construction of the facility, as well as enter into a long-term lease with the City that will result in City ownership at the end of the lease period."
Staff removed from the Consent Calendar a proposal for a $28K contract to design traffic calming on Washington Ave between Cerrito and Pierce Streets.