[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_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":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6616528,"mediaKeyId","2852407-db13bb7f38b3eeb547eba53b8d8bf808","parentId",2852407,"title","Alameda County Mosquito Abatement presents West Nile surveillance and neighbourhood prevention tips to Newark council","audioSeconds",1010,"startMs",54000,"endMs",1064000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2852407-db13bb7f38b3eeb547eba53b8d8bf808&start=54&end=1064","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2852407-db13bb7f38b3eeb547eba53b8d8bf808/thumbnail_54000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6616528/Newark/Alameda-County/California/Alameda-County-Mosquito-Abatement-presents-West-Nile-surveillance-and-neighbourhood-prevention-tips-to-Newark-council","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6616528-ce43b99b746f632658c4fc5f22a361b7/orig.mp4?Expires=1777452424&Signature=afHOaS2EbckU37DJhIey3B5Q4jgYGXuVoE0Qs5z5uD-AQYkdWVPrDIzTQMZE3RlRIFAJGJf~v5Ru71qHTLM23I8jpRBwjW9bHP7GObLd97t2WkOlyhx7H-T5qo9NJOCwm0PuO6FkhFKXb55~wZhomIduGBTAuEloQGxgc1~E-tTufVcZMpon1v319jHdAVzLX8u3dqdr3~7XEv~O7nVeT~9sge9QXG5St0Rjg4th6dpBJWKXg~DxOCqS8j~qhq7FAYXCfKG3aUGGQxJ31uWHpuLaIJUfVdi7lOBGk1zaMu0HvsLPG6PYtIhA8lE3Bw8w5pZsH4fHVU0hZlsn6l3gGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-02T20:24:08.493Z","article","Representatives of the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District briefed the Newark City Council on their surveillance and control work, virus testing and community outreach, and urged residents to reduce standing water on private property.

Eric Henske, the city’s delegate to the district board, introduced Judith Pierce (listed in the presentation as Judith Pierce Davis Davidson), the district’s newly appointed public education officer. Pierce described how the district focuses on the larval stage of mosquitoes to reduce populations and explained that even small containers such as bottle caps can produce dozens of mosquitoes.

“Swimming pools that are neglected and stay still are opportunities for mosquitoes to breed,” Pierce said, and she described common breeding sites—green pools, old tires, gardening containers and marshland. She explained the district’s life‑cycle approach: eggs in standing water, larvae (“wiggly” stage), pupae, then adults. Pierce said larval treatment is the most effective control and that the district can treat pools or provide mosquito fish when appropriate.

Pierce detailed the district’s West Nile virus surveillance: collection and PCR testing of dead birds (often corvids) and monitoring using mosquito traps. She said Newark had a small number of virus‑positive dead birds in recent years and urged vigilance. “When we start to find dead birds around, that’s one of our first indicators that it could be West Nile virus,” Pierce said.

Council members and residents asked about responses to complaints about neglected pools and about the use of fogging. Pierce said staff initially investigate to confirm whether mosquitoes are the issue, then follow with targeted monitoring and treatments. She said the district coordinates with other vector agencies and noted that fogging is used selectively and focused on blocks with confirmed virus activity rather than entire cities.

The district highlighted its outreach efforts in local schools (Birchgrove, Intermediate and Lincoln Elementary) and asked the city to share information about dead birds, pools and breeding sites. Pierce said the district’s annual cost to residents is modest—average below $5 per year in the service area—and the district provides guidance without judgment to homeowners needing help with pool treatment.

Council members thanked the district for outreach and for school programming and encouraged continued partnership on public education and info fairs. The council did not take formal action on the presentation.

For residents: the district recommended eliminating standing water, calling the district for pool‑treatment assistance, reporting dead birds and sharing information with animal control when appropriate. Pierce said that rapid reporting helps the district target surveillance and control work.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Newark / City Council Regular Meeting 02-27-25","oneSentenceSummary","Representatives from the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District updated Newark leaders on surveillance, larval control, dead‑bird testing for West Nile virus and community prevention steps. Staff urged residents to remove standing water and contact the district for pool treatments.","taxTitle","Newark, Alameda County, California","taxId",55039,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6616532,"Council approves amended loan and land transfer plan to boost Thornton Avenue affordable housing bid",2343,5453000,7796000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2852407-db13bb7f38b3eeb547eba53b8d8bf808&start=5453&end=7796","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2852407-db13bb7f38b3eeb547eba53b8d8bf808/thumbnail_5453000.jpg","/articles/6616532/Newark/Alameda-County/California/Council-approves-amended-loan-and-land-transfer-plan-to-boost-Thornton-Avenue-affordable-housing-bid","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6616532-9ac82955a2a45d437f677b443a0db4e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1777452424&Signature=ngHG0MjHQT9jU71pnDXgI~rGKV9ik6ACLWajI0lj1qmXwsFzYHOtTJoVEnIa6fdxuAF-TlRJfaydzUTnAUblFsFPUXz3S9CNLHnt1e8IqWxDGur64RKmNleBMBd83dEj1ixkYBiuEPQQymSW37IseakUmcOP9BRrhyL5IicLGFVg-hDrmteKhI-ksDn1Yok9CIA-uRjh15t65JRbhfOHsnW5bG38528~I~eJGAEP34b5XPun0FIvk159Sr3xaEkE0ZfItMSK5oLXn2Yc7Ope0iA2owCFjld1ISKmmPTmv-C57nNDVlc0m6AqJF72T4BaKcb5eoO2jqva1p6JCMWnuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Newark City Council voted to approve a first amendment to a previously authorized $12 million loan to Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA) to support the Thornton Avenue Apartments, a proposed 59‑unit family affordable housing development at parcels on Thornton Avenue. The amendment authorizes the city manager to acquire the project site and enter into a long-term lease back arrangement anticipated to boost the project’s scoring for state funding programs.

City staff explained that moving the project site onto public land and leasing it back to the developer for a nominal fee can generate extra points in state funding rubrics, particularly for the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Multifamily Housing Program (MHP). Housing Policy and Programs Manager Michael Coolum said the city-owned‑land approach could raise the project’s MHP score to a level that makes it competitive with projects elsewhere in the Bay Area. “If the city owns the land, the project can be eligible for up to 94–95 points under the MHP rubric,” Coolum said in the presentation.

The proposal before the council authorizes the city to acquire the three‑parcel site at 6347, 6361 and 6375 Thornton Avenue for the amount SAHA paid in 2023, record a lease‑option agreement and a short-term lease while final financing is secured, and execute an amended and restated promissory note and related documents. Staff said SAHA’s construction timeline expects ground‑breaking in 2026 and completion in 2028 if financing is secured.

The project would provide 59 homes (including one manager’s unit) with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, and 10 units set aside for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who will receive services through the Regional Center of the East Bay. The plan includes 42 parking stalls and family‑friendly shared spaces. Predevelopment funding of up to $4.3 million from the city loan was previously used to support site acquisition and early expenses; the remainder is intended for construction financing.

City staff noted that competition for state funds is intense and that projects on public land receive scoring advantages under MHP and similar programs. The staff presentation described technical financing steps, a 99‑year lease option at $1 per year to Thornton LP (the project entity), and provisions that would allow SAHA to extend deadlines to secure funding through June 30, 2027, with two optional one‑year extensions at the city’s discretion.

Council discussion recognized the project’s role in meeting the city’s 2023–2031 Housing Element goals for new affordable housing, and several council members praised the plan’s affordability mix and the dedication of units for residents with developmental disabilities. The item was approved on a 4-0 vote with Councilmember Matthew Jorgens recusing himself because of a real‑property leasehold interest.

Staff recommended — and the council adopted — two resolutions: (1) authorizing the first amendment to the affordable housing loan agreement, including the purchase and sale agreement, lease option, reconveyance and other documents; and (2) declaring the Thornton Avenue parcels exempt surplus land under the California Surplus Land Act so the site can be leased for affordable housing. The council’s action directs the city manager to finalize the agreements and to notify HCD of the exempt‑surplus determination to support SAHA’s April 2025 MHP application.

Votes at a glance: The council approved the amendment to the affordable housing loan agreement and declared the parcels at 6347–6375 Thornton Avenue exempt surplus land for affordable housing, 4-0 (1 recusal).","Newark authorized an amendment to a $12 million affordable housing loan and agreed to acquire project land and lease it back to the developer to improve the project's competitiveness for state funding. Council approved the amendment 4-0; one councilmember recused.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6616536,"Newark council upholds permit allowing removal of large eucalyptus at Waterford complex",3113,2237000,5350000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2852407-db13bb7f38b3eeb547eba53b8d8bf808&start=2237&end=5350","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2852407-db13bb7f38b3eeb547eba53b8d8bf808/thumbnail_2237000.jpg","/articles/6616536/Newark/Alameda-County/California/Newark-council-upholds-permit-allowing-removal-of-large-eucalyptus-at-Waterford-complex","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6616536-a47b254f9a30383d51a4e5e4ee4e5fa6/orig.mp4?Expires=1777452424&Signature=WNp4Y2BqJxwpDhWm~nOc0v3oiGDBpLmKXZzhQfNdvEeDJ9r-rTCXycqVurCljzPq9hWxLVrDrmi-Zk1xGT1EWf1iwTP9qK3ybrHTkk3QwCeC5L4BRTPBN-YDDhhBCyURoxd2f12vwlO6UFuo94CeLThfTGrSYcsasZMyKyJwAm38wamxvwka-H-YJHV7zdVQSERcD2kDsF1X3Hz45Fmb-zv-mVC7i-0Dw1NN8yAb9qFbetysu-m5SQgFqcKNpU~QOQrpthgyN-KgMRthluhV8YlsMbTkR-OvIONaxudgm6YISEL6-nqbPpj3vr-DmZXTx8O7pSIM02CAvEreGAuSDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Newark City Council on Feb. (date not specified) affirmed a staff decision to issue a tree-removal permit allowing the Waterford Association to remove a large eucalyptus (Tree 199) adjacent to condominiums at the Waterford complex. The council voted to affirm the Public Works Director’s permit issuance by a unanimous vote.

Staff said the eucalyptus presented an elevated risk to nearby structures and people. “The arborist report indicated that Tree 199 has a decay pocket at the base of the tree, overextended limbs, and large roots growing into a structure,” Public Works Director Howard Young told the council, summarizing staff’s inspection and the association’s arborist report.

The city’s arborist, Dan Cien Cirillo, reviewed both reports and concurred with the recommendation for removal, Young said. That assessment, staff said, meant the municipal code’s conditions for denying a permit were not met.

Appellant Molly Connolly asked the council to defer or modify the permit and to require clearer permits and tag numbers for individual trees. Connolly said her own arborist found the tree could be saved and that the association had not provided requested documentation. “If they trim the tree, even if they starkly trim the tree, at least they’d save the tree,” Connolly said during her remarks.

Representing the Waterford Association, President Ryan Serene said the association had completed a full tree inventory in October and paid for a level‑2 assessment of the remaining eucalyptus. He said one of the assessments recommended immediate removal of Tree 199 because of root decay, a cavity and canopy overhang above nearby roofs. Unit owner Charles Gee, who lives next to the tree, told the council the tree has repeatedly dropped branches and damaged gutters and that he and his wife consider it a safety hazard.

Council discussion centered on the municipal code criteria staff must apply when deciding to issue or deny a private‑property tree removal permit, and on whether the public interest in preserving the tree outweighed risks to residents and structures. Staff cited Newark Municipal Code sections 8.16.040 and 8.16.060 as the governing standards.

After discussion, a motion to affirm the Public Works Director’s decision carried unanimously. The council record shows the vote as 5-0 to affirm issuance of Permit 15120 (Tree 199), with no amendments recorded.

The Waterford Association said it paid for the tree inventory and has begun trimming and removing other hazardous trees on the property; the association also said it plans to replant in the future once hazard mitigation and irrigation needs are addressed.

The council’s formal action allows the association to proceed under the terms of the issued permit. The city manager and public works staff said they would continue to coordinate with the association on removal logistics and neighborhood notifications.

Votes at a glance: The council voted to affirm the Public Works Director’s issuance of the tree-removal permit for Tree 199 (Permit 15120) by a 5-0 vote. The permit authorizes removal on private property owned by the Waterford Association at the addressed complex; the municipal code criteria applied were outlined in the staff report.","The City Council affirmed the Public Works Director’s decision to allow removal of a large, hazardous eucalyptus (Tree 199) on Waterford Association property after staff and an independent arborist found structural decay and root intrusion. Residents and the appellant urged trimming and more transparency; council voted to affirm staff 5-0.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Alameda County Mosquito Abatement presents West Nile surveillance and neighbourhood prevention tips to Newark council

Council approves amended loan and land transfer plan to boost Thornton Avenue affordable housing bid

Newark council upholds permit allowing removal of large eucalyptus at Waterford complex