[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6698229,"mediaKeyId","2084966-db3187b12dc1e98d201112f81861ee2a","parentId",2084966,"title","Council elects Council member Bowen vice mayor after contentious nominations","audioSeconds",1010,"startMs",3236000,"endMs",4246000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2084966-db3187b12dc1e98d201112f81861ee2a&start=3236&end=4246","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2084966-db3187b12dc1e98d201112f81861ee2a/thumbnail_3236000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6698229/San-Leandro/Alameda-County/California/Council-elects-Council-member-Bowen-vice-mayor-after-contentious-nominations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6698229-89c004dbae5ac265a989f40c21758bf9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775448740&Signature=RTrsVbXuiqAaxkl3RHry-WKQydshV-Mb0RdUNPO43CIx7oxH~KhMWUqrZF5L5NEObj4mb5N8KwBDNIypoqb09R4hAx6hZtBRzetKqEUf-XjRQyGOT8dM-hgWh9z5dXyTSEFti1md8z7fr~bLMKKMJbws-1HGXPuHrWbntWeCV5Z1xf92sL8opwkfsIXskX0ZWSDztjHRc55EaG28zH5yM7w0l7xdm132aXGocqtYasUhPtScrWtQZJCexhjqXY~7XnyrcE670bLy-bChFcoQm6c9vpIVT3HRC3o9MyvrEPV9mHemP1NhR6bIWNHWWNqEryNDOxkyZ9n9iKbVRQ9Q3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","San Leandro","date","2025-01-07T09:47:36Z","article","San Leandro City Council elected Council member Bowen to serve as vice mayor for the coming year after a nomination period, public comment and a recorded vote that required a revote.

Mayor Gonzales opened nominations under the procedure outlined in the council handbook; several council members were nominated. Discussion at the dais included a review of a seniority‑based selection mechanism in the council handbook, and members argued whether the custom should prioritize seniority or give preference to council members who had not previously served as vice mayor.

Mayor Gonzales proceeded to call the question and conduct the roll call. The first recorded vote produced 4 yes, 1 no and 2 abstentions; after a procedural motion to re‑take the vote, the council completed a revote. The clerk recorded the final roll call as: Mayor Gonzales, yes; Council member Bolt, yes; Council member Bowen, yes; Vice Mayor Simon, no; Council member Aguilar, abstain; Council member Azevedo, yes; Council member Viveiros Walton, yes. The mayor then announced the motion carried and Council member Bowen as vice mayor.

Council members who supported Bowen cited experience and readiness; council members opposing or abstaining cited prior agreements about rotation and seniority. The mayor said the order of voting was at the mayor's discretion and moved the process forward. The selection will stand for one year as provided by City Charter Section 310.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","January 6, 2025 - City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","After nominations and a roll‑call vote — including a revote — the council selected Council member Bowen to serve as vice mayor for one year; the final tally was 5 yes, 1 no, 1 abstention.","taxTitle","San Leandro , Alameda County, California","taxId",2910,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6698234,"Council approves appointments list despite objections over StopWaste reassignment",711,1589000,2300000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2084966-db3187b12dc1e98d201112f81861ee2a&start=1589&end=2300","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2084966-db3187b12dc1e98d201112f81861ee2a/thumbnail_1589000.jpg","/articles/6698234/San-Leandro/Alameda-County/California/Council-approves-appointments-list-despite-objections-over-StopWaste-reassignment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6698234-766e8464c08df52151ad452ab8960996/orig.mp4?Expires=1775448740&Signature=iXs9FQlev~6THkPioZj09~db-xRCEBM1mTx62qWZ6oVlD5ykkP3m0XmPYZimALyVDf36rUpIEuOvOdLoPOdM2AdSRhrdVpzKzQZ17Tqpyujwj28cAN4HKLqj4t4R20Qp1-F2pklP0byNpd2BACrtaXLiKRmLDEfo2uLgWWKakruoPrnk9sLUG2wPJC6T5SEq~0b8YgC1PnZ7IRtjAUVsc32yXvKbK405mzggItPiT~wvfOklW3p87oKI8z89JpBs1CFlvUYQnnYtoWRZ5lh4wBAQontCgkgcGZDKz2aWI05ANmfi6RZO2QJM0uRfTHBbdBhGE8SHkUo2rguDMDbU3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","San Leandro City Council ratified a list of intergovernmental appointments after a heated discussion about the removal of Vice Mayor Fred (Rey) Simon from the Alameda County StopWaste agency.

Vice Mayor Simon told the council he wanted to remain on the StopWaste board and said he had relevant experience from prior service on a sanitary district. “I took the classes … I have institutional knowledge, and I'm just getting to know my colleagues on Alameda County StopWaste,” Simon said. He also said he was not contacted before the reassignment and called the action “a continuation of the censure fallout.”

Other council members questioned the process. Council member Bolt and Council member Aguilar publicly expressed concern that a longtime appointee had not been consulted. Mayor Gonzales declined to detail her reasons for the reassignment during the public meeting, saying she preferred not to discuss internal deliberations in open session.

Mayor Gonzales then moved to approve item 5(d), the appointments list that included the StopWaste replacement. The motion received a second and the council voted 4 yes, 1 no and 2 abstentions. The clerk recorded the roll call as: Mayor Gonzales, yes; Council member Bolt, yes; Council member Bowen, yes; Vice Mayor Simon, no; Council member Aguilar, abstain; Council member Azevedo, abstain; Council member Viveiros Walton, yes.

Council members who supported the motion said placing another council member on StopWaste would broaden leadership opportunities; opponents said the change should have been preceded by direct outreach to the affected member.

The council also earlier approved the consent calendar without item 5(d); following the consent vote the body returned to consider 5(d) and confirmed the appointments by the recorded vote.","Council ratified a slate of intergovernmental appointments after debate over the removal of Vice Mayor Simon from Alameda County StopWaste; vote passed 4–1–2 amid criticism that the mayor did not consult the affected member.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6698240,"San Leandro adopts Tree Master Plan after two‑year inventory and public outreach",4201,4331000,8532000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2084966-db3187b12dc1e98d201112f81861ee2a&start=4331&end=8532","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2084966-db3187b12dc1e98d201112f81861ee2a/thumbnail_4331000.jpg","/articles/6698240/San-Leandro/Alameda-County/California/San-Leandro-adopts-Tree-Master-Plan-after-twoyear-inventory-and-public-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6698240-bb8b8ec88ad41c2e52ff35e9eac99489/orig.mp4?Expires=1775448740&Signature=nHQp7f8HdR0GWkmNq2ATqGYEnmxz4QOFjapYWN7Kns17sCRSgHtVdl3zOtD0NJ8Tn5-WE5NHtpTSlYuTWtX1ERG6LWSYCYKerKC-YpqqQbE~fEqNsGjNPGYGyNk3yT68V2L1Nft4pNGl3Oj6Pdlp3wCu4Nc~tkqawCddlP4UpHaRQGegbafSx3x6CXSIKw5z~NnqwgkveUMqd7~cQ3YT18y5Gq8EXOgWMX4s-unECnQJxn0XFWhmHGo3nZGR7B9-AaBv0OM1fk6IT4YoCtSJuNZ0hN3cChsSWxgNIDu9f0wshjhGa~RvqT0EAzNTicQjP2K1wcq7DaNIsPY1TVklvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","San Leandro City Council voted unanimously to adopt a Tree Master plan that sets a multi‑year program for planting, care and equity‑focused tree canopy expansion.

The plan, presented by Parks and Landscape Manager Jennifer Aleta and consultants from Planet Geo, follows a two‑year process that included an inventory of nearly 18,000 trees and more than 4,000 potential planting sites, an urban heat analysis, and multilingual community outreach. “Trees don't grow overnight. You have to plan accordingly,” Planet Geo director Alex Hancock said during the presentation.

City staff emphasized that the plan is a high‑level guiding document intended to align urban forestry with the General Plan and the Climate Action Plan and to shift the city from a reactive maintenance model to a proactive, cyclical program. The inventory found more than 16,000 street/right‑of‑way trees and identified species diversity that meets the commonly used 10‑20‑30 guideline; crepe myrtle and London plane each make up about 10 percent of the population, the consultants said.

The plan addresses several operational priorities identified during committee review: assessing removal/replacement of eucalyptus trees on a case‑by‑case basis, clarifying when a tree in a planting strip is a “city street tree,” and reviewing the municipal ordinance for tree preservation. Aleta told council members the city will evaluate the ordinance and public outreach as part of the implementation phase.

Council members and the public pressed staff on budget and implementation details. The council heard that a Cal Fire grant of about $1,000,000 had funded earlier planting and that staff had received preliminary notice of a $224,000 planning grant aimed at an extreme‑heat planning network with Alameda County. Aleta said the Cal Fire planting grant has been exhausted and that the city will seek a mix of city staff, contract services and community partnerships to implement the plan. “What we would like, at least for the first two years, is additional funding to clear up that backlog,” she said.

Public commenters and several council members urged stronger protections for older trees and steps to extend canopy in low‑canopy, high‑heat neighborhoods. Residents highlighted the health and cooling benefits of trees and suggested partnering with schools, community groups, and nonprofits for plantings and maintenance. Consultants said the inventory did not include natural‑area trees along San Leandro Creek because those areas have differing ownership and management needs.

After brief council discussion the council passed a resolution to approve and implement the Tree Master Plan. Council member Reynaldo Aguilar moved to adopt the resolution; a second was recorded. The final vote was unanimous.

Implementation next steps listed by staff include a public education program, ordinance review, the development of a prioritized planting and maintenance budget, and targeted outreach to neighborhoods shown in the plan's heat‑priority maps.","The City Council voted unanimously to adopt a Tree Master Plan that sets canopy, maintenance and equity goals following a multi‑year tree inventory, community engagement and grant‑funded plantings.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6698220,"Residents urge San Leandro City Council to move toward district elections and housing protections",579,898000,1477000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2084966-db3187b12dc1e98d201112f81861ee2a&start=898&end=1477","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2084966-db3187b12dc1e98d201112f81861ee2a/thumbnail_898000.jpg","/articles/6698220/San-Leandro/Alameda-County/California/Residents-urge-San-Leandro-City-Council-to-move-toward-district-elections-and-housing-protections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6698220-e6cd3bbc37572c46ab7f846e56dd323b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775448740&Signature=GsS59PZqJQwel2u8l9woeEfCvsdrAI6kUI3OGFrf48O4P7aSytmvGkewnsDUUIUjTVJLFEMx8k2kWNV3SFjhroJVbsMziMykYGvps0T0k8dOS117dUqFE~rvVik1yjawdb5QgYgRI7AskeFge97STzt6x6vb6ROf~iBdo9fHwF2UWIyYZCf4cbrtivAwE44qgiyQT2mkWHSniuwScCvxQdJo~IpaWBAFw8b2ZW~i4oDWNmgOrG5tg9eUl1nywwX2eGmnsZuWre4lnW3Tj9Nmlf7b2jz6AJCXTPR8wlYvlZyZcZGOSc2TZweAtMip7Few0A4Cn2Dye5BwNc1gL8d5nw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the public comment period, a string of residents urged the San Leandro City Council to pursue district elections and also pressed the council to prioritize housing protections.

Douglas Spalding, who said he works for the San Lorenzo Unified School District, urged the council to move “ASAP” to district elections and to study whether existing district boundaries are aligned. “When you have citywide elections… it costs more money,” Spalding said, arguing district elections can reduce campaign cost barriers and increase diversity of candidates.

Several other residents echoed that view. Melissa Titano said the city’s size makes citywide campaigns time‑ and resource‑intensive and that district elections would improve access for grassroots candidates. Craig Williams and another commenter tied at‑large systems to historical exclusion and argued district elections improve face‑to‑face campaigning and representation.

Public commenters also called for more action on housing and homelessness. Douglas Spalding and another resident urged the council to return to housing‑related agenda items, citing rising rents and winter shelter needs. A resident speaker said the city’s agenda that night lacked housing protections despite ongoing affordability and unhoused‑ness concerns.

Council members did not take immediate legislative action on district elections during the meeting, though council member Bowen thanked commenters and council members said the topic could proceed through staff study or future agenda referrals.","Multiple residents called on the council to study and adopt district‑based elections to improve representation; several public commenters also urged stronger housing protections and tenant protections during public comment.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6698225,"Council pulls appeal of 80‑foot cell tower at 440 Peralta for further review",2254,542000,2796000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2084966-db3187b12dc1e98d201112f81861ee2a&start=542&end=2796","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2084966-db3187b12dc1e98d201112f81861ee2a/thumbnail_542000.jpg","/articles/6698225/San-Leandro/Alameda-County/California/Council-pulls-appeal-of-80foot-cell-tower-at-440-Peralta-for-further-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6698225-8b72b1a992233ef8e21afaf642cc8ccb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775448740&Signature=TRMctL5NiCogmSYH6CvMhWw~xWRcgveRVKD0rHLen~mG4nalKet-FEnuZ7IPUgYDpBiJfJUnz6atyoTRRWmRVKK5KXqoIZcOZeQg~ulwamzrXq9FP4jzMrQf2wohdCdtLD~fArq1a1KJeeA-uEvWkz7e6~fq-HR4XBro3V~FgVRyf0bEiJhQHwccOaHK2DJFBlwSuCWurKnCpMZWVr0XdOlaRkQHvJ5MZoDsp4J-Uui~CYmQTcWd-4f3Czn6Ps19cJUM2kGgca0ALs9KA~zqfRxGOE7r7dc294h5~sTr5ElTfonRhQZPBeRjV1VbOQns0aIFl4s0GfeuQcOcFbHhrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council pulled an appeal of a Planning Commission approval for an 80‑foot wireless telecommunications facility at 440 Peralta Avenue and rescheduled the hearing to the council's January 21 meeting to allow staff time to analyze a letter the city received Sunday from the appellant's legal counsel.

Mayor Gonzales announced the postponement early in the meeting: “I am pulling item 8A, the appeal of the Planning Commission's approval for a conditional use permit to build an 80 foot high wireless telecommunication facility at 440 Peralta Avenue … to be heard on Tuesday, January 21st … to allow for analysis of a letter by the appellant's legal counsel.”

Appellant counsel Ariel Strauss provided a two‑minute preview during public comment, saying the parcel is zoned for transit‑oriented mixed‑use infill and is adjacent to parcels with higher development potential near BART. Strauss told the council the proposed tower could expose future residential development to radio‑frequency emissions “that the FCC considers unsafe” and argued the tower would be incompatible with dense infill envisioned in the General Plan and housing element. Strauss asked staff and council to look closely at the permit and to delay action until those issues are analyzed.

Staff and the council offered no substantive discussion on the merits at the meeting because the item was formally postponed.","Mayor Gonzales removed the appeal of the Planning Commission approval for an 80‑foot wireless facility at 440 Peralta Avenue from tonight's agenda to allow staff time to analyze a late letter from the appellant's counsel; the item was rescheduled for Jan. 21.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council elects Council member Bowen vice mayor after contentious nominations

Council approves appointments list despite objections over StopWaste reassignment

San Leandro adopts Tree Master Plan after two‑year inventory and public outreach

Residents urge San Leandro City Council to move toward district elections and housing protections

Council pulls appeal of 80‑foot cell tower at 440 Peralta for further review