[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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",[32,72,79,86,93],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":42,"_44":42,"_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":66,"_70":54,"_71":54},"mediaId",6616039,"mediaKeyId","2854079-693621d4192e2ac7b079899523e03158","parentId",2854079,"title","Richmond staff and youth advocates outline draft healthy‑checkout (HOPS) ordinance; council requests enforcement, business outreach plans","audioSeconds",0,"startMs","endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2854079-693621d4192e2ac7b079899523e03158&start=0&end=0","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2854079-693621d4192e2ac7b079899523e03158/thumbnail_0.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6616039/Richmond/Contra-Costa-County/California/Richmond-staff-and-youth-advocates-outline-draft-healthycheckout-HOPS-ordinance-council-requests-enforcement-business-outreach-plans","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6616039-2531fe70ba25d131730e2662d98ba741/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177646&Signature=RgSD8VQ7KFFPKG~optN4t7DCDZYEAUuOaQk9p30SblSdnw5sTtQAwqPmUCLdKjwsWSCIZTngL5Z12Q~pO5xq0sX~xQUuGLZdmbnyExeJdHPjn~mjJdxZD-Cwke5nh~AOEMLjj794PQY5jJGYsS44mOn5d7g5989~-1IjzBdH-FbBByWfc8qKQc8ug97fLqzW3qfQ8ZeAH80ITAVymK9aW~Xu6UNazLnRp9L4DMrRGkiC8SbSgKH7ag6qEgmeQiK70574Y6ZodyY65HAL1ZElHrTtPqxHHdhF26xW9yCxf1JL1zCy~8XFw2kKFisep9Bl0xlDr1~8aNdlG-~wxkvNdg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-03T00:18:21.953Z","article","City staff and Richmond youth advocates presented a draft Healthy Options at Point of Sale (HOPS) ordinance, designed to move impulse, unhealthy items out of checkout aisles and place healthier foods where consumers make last‑minute purchases. The Council gave staff guidance on enforcement, business thresholds and outreach strategy.

The draft ordinance is modeled on Berkeley’s 2020 healthy‑checkout ordinance and on a county draft. Staff highlighted four decision points for council: which agency will enforce the rule, how to define large businesses subject to the ordinance, how to define the set of permitted “healthy foods,” and what outreach and education to provide before penalties begin.

Because Richmond lacks a city public‑health inspection unit, staff recommended negotiating an enforcement partnership with Contra Costa County Environmental Health; the county is already considering a similar policy for unincorporated areas. Staff also recommended adopting the county/ Berkeley definitions for healthy foods and using 2,000 square feet as the threshold for a “large” retail store — the same threshold the county proposed — so the rule targets stores with capacity to stock alternatives.

Staff proposed a one‑year outreach and education period before active enforcement. The outreach plan would include workshops for retailers, signage templates, a public awareness campaign and direct technical assistance. Staff noted a Department of Justice grant opportunity that may help with enforcement funding and asked council if it wanted staff to pursue it.

Youth advocates and community members who developed the HOPS proposal testified in support, saying the policy is intended to reshuffle shelf placement rather than ban products and that local health data support efforts to make evidence‑based changes in checkout design.

Council took no binding vote but provided direction consistent with staff and the youth advocates’ recommendations: pursue a county enforcement partnership, use the 2,000‑square‑foot threshold for large stores, adopt the Berkeley/county healthy‑food definition and implement a one‑year education period prior to enforcement. Staff will return with a draft ordinance and implementation costs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Richmond City Council 4/1/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Richmond staff and youth advocates outlined a draft Healthy Options at Point of Sale ordinance and council directed staff to pursue county enforcement, set a 2,000‑square‑foot threshold for covered stores, adopt a Berkeley‑based healthy‑food definition and run a one‑year outreach period before enforcement.","taxTitle","Richmond, Contra Costa County, California","taxId",4317,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":73,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":74,"_41":42,"_43":42,"_44":42,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":75,"_51":76,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":77,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":78,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":66,"_70":54,"_71":54},6616044,"Council approves $564,131 to map city signs and poles, resumes street‑sweeping enforcement and asks staff to study text alerts","/articles/6616044/Richmond/Contra-Costa-County/California/Council-approves-564131-to-map-city-signs-and-poles-resumes-streetsweeping-enforcement-and-asks-staff-to-study-text-alerts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6616044-1240e3fea5c3de0908775943ee2e2b94/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177646&Signature=ec4uC2KtZ2BA8GICWgip7CiIuFVF~G71xXFABHb7lcCDE2ICO4M39ZH0OG3Xp8Rfg8ag5bKT4vF~tQp7Q--Xh3xftlDuAUjx8vKxuavmbLJVZQXWC1kegq25m4X266i2R95vt1tgqIk3S3qLFi1F6inK7lRll0yOQZzpTOIEKmqgpjoP5ixzjZksRW6T4vqsRdmh72iWVGLMNvWn0VzMn7zAOYtj6DowTFPl9C-XuWa1xfAxa1d~3fF~f6nxzGK90X6y7xRVJfqFXqSM3kUrxYdt8wbC-GlABpljiAP5P5RmeN52FSgHf0DIysSCi1QuXmYTiT39ZTqKAPAumq91UA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Richmond City Council approved funding to collect a comprehensive, geocoded inventory of roadway signs, streetlights and traffic signal poles and authorized resumption of street‑sweeping enforcement after staff installed more than 1,300 new street‑sweeping signs in neighborhoods that previously lacked posted rules.

Staff said the initial phase — installing signs in roughly 85 sidewalk miles that had no posted street‑sweeping signage — is substantially complete. Deputy Public Works Director Tofiq Halaby told council a contractor surveyed the unsigned areas, recommended sign placements, fabricated poles and signs and installed about 1,300 new signs. The police parking enforcement unit has distributed courtesy notices and the city planned to begin formal enforcement on April 15.

Council approved appropriating $564,131.17 from the SB1 fund balance to expand data collection citywide: staff will map all roadway signs, stop signs, regulatory signage, streetlight poles (about 10,000 lights citywide), traffic‑signal assets and will record condition assessments and GPS locations in an asset‑management system. Robert Armijo said the database will let staff forecast maintenance needs and set useful‑life replacement budgets rather than react to emergent failures.

Public comment varied. Supporters, including neighborhood‑council representatives, framed the program as an equity move that brings unsigned neighborhoods into a single, citywide enforcement regime; opponents — including HOA representatives and residents of gated communities — said monthly sweeping would be disruptive where private maintenance already keeps streets tidy and where parking scarcity makes compliance difficult.

Police and public‑works managers said enforcement would cover posted hours, not rely on whether a sweeper already passed, and that parking officers must apply posted rules consistently to preserve fairness. Assistant Police Chief Tim Simmons said enforcement integrity requires officers to check posted hours rather than attempt to track whether a sweeper has already completed a run.

Council also requested staff study a resident text‑alert or opt‑in notification system similar to programs used in other Bay Area cities so people can receive reminders before their street’s posted sweep time. Staff said the city’s new permitting and information system (IMS) could help deploy automated notices but would need budget and IT planning; council directed staff to research feasibility and costs and report back.

Why it matters: The city framed the program as both a stormwater protection measure and an equity fix: without posted signs some neighborhoods were not subject to the same enforcement as others. The data collection funding establishes a single inventory that Public Works said will allow proactive replacement and clearer budgeting for signs, lights and signal assets.","After installing 1,300 new street‑sweeping signs in previously unsigned neighborhoods, Richmond Council authorized funds to map all roadway signs, streetlights and signal poles and approved resuming enforcement; council also asked staff to study a resident text‑alert system.",{"_33":80,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":81,"_41":42,"_43":42,"_44":42,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":84,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":85,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":66,"_70":54,"_71":54},6616050,"Richmond adopts extended Keller Beach sewer moratorium; orders feasibility study and fast‑track review of rerouting option","/articles/6616050/Richmond/Contra-Costa-County/California/Richmond-adopts-extended-Keller-Beach-sewer-moratorium-orders-feasibility-study-and-fasttrack-review-of-rerouting-option","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6616050-b6a128be9aaf21f48dce80880700f1e3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177646&Signature=Rll1PhwukbcV1SQU8vnGPDruL655NfkXbhRWusK-zFjsYlFlGm~HnLLnHvt1xzX4LOhTn~hHCFa6q7evQLKDhJhQC3qGKwV03I2FQGaUf~ESlNdw9aLiI7hOu5t98clR9jLyPrOJRoWxHYWpJ8Bl3ThQHQMfsISx4kmrAEybkM6qcB5vA~GMn1HnaMZYJBPh3Kf4aRMbwmp-5x~ChueEFsN6upfr6819Svnq~aaubCbz0epvx7RLOJMyzQTDgx4xZt79aovcKtkb6KXdXhCsuZ8IBIPdMyakZpKgQYSXFOqqn232yBoZlIYuRGaMB1cnk0Ju0zzB--z~aijj~fvpOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Richmond City Council approved an urgency ordinance extending a moratorium on building permits that would connect to the aging Keller Beach sanitary sewer and directed staff to accelerate technical studies, including a feasibility study that will examine rerouting, rehabilitation or replacement of the line and interim holding‑tank options.

Public works staff said the sewer segment is aging and, under the city’s settlement with Baykeeper, the city must address “grade 5” segments — parts assessed as imminent failure. Deputy Public Works Director and city engineer Robert Armijo told council the city has completed initial condition assessments, started requests for proposals for a comprehensive feasibility study and engaged consultants to analyze interim measures including holding tanks.

Council initially failed to adopt the urgency ordinance with a required four‑fifths vote, then voted to reconsider and ultimately adopted the extension after additional debate. The final motion included explicit direction that the new consultant prioritize analysis of a community‑proposed rerouting option — which would divert sewage from some homes away from the Keller Beach line — and report feasibility results early in the consultant process.

Mary Phelps, the city’s water resources recovery manager, told council staff had submitted required documentation to the state housing department, which confirmed the moratorium meets legal requirements. Armijo said the city expects to select a feasibility consultant through an RFP process and hoped to return with a contract recommendation by June. He also said WattEarth is under contract to design standards for sewage holding tanks; staff estimate 6–9 months to finish holding‑tank specifications that could allow limited development while the long‑term solution is designed.

Public comments focused on the rerouting alternative. Civil engineer and longtime Keller Beach resident Norm Hanche urged council to consider rerouting as a way to remove 50–60 houses from the Keller Beach line and reduce daily flow. Several residents also warned the delay in approvals had already caused uncertainty for property owners who want to develop vacant lots or complete permitted projects.

Councilmembers asked staff to make rerouting a priority within the feasibility study but also heard a cautionary legal/engineering point from outside counsel staff: in some cases reducing flow in older metallic pipelines can change sewer chemistry and accelerate corrosion (hydrogen sulfide off‑gas), so staff must evaluate corrosion risk and unintended impacts before selecting a reroute.

What the council ordered: (1) proceed with consultant selection for a full feasibility study that will evaluate interim and long‑term options (rehabilitation, replacement, partial reroute, relocation); (2) continue WattEarth’s holding‑tank standards work so the city can issue permits under interim standards if technically appropriate; and (3) prioritize a rapid feasibility check on the community’s rerouting concept and report its viability early in the consultant study.

Why it matters: The Keller Beach sanitary sewer serves portions of coastal Richmond; failure could present environmental discharge and public‑health risks. The council’s action pauses new sewer hookups while the city studies options — a measure the council said is needed to reduce the risk of catastrophic failure while enabling a disciplined path to a long‑term fix.","Council adopted a 22‑month, 15‑day moratorium on building permits requiring new connections to the Keller Beach sanitary sewer, approved RFPs for a feasibility study and ordered earlier analysis of a community‑proposed reroute while WattEarth studies interim sewage holding tanks.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":42,"_43":42,"_44":42,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":89,"_51":90,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":91,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":92,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":66,"_70":54,"_71":54},6616055,"Richmond extends tobacco‑retailer moratorium, directs staff to propose phased rules and grandfathering window","/articles/6616055/Richmond/Contra-Costa-County/California/Richmond-extends-tobaccoretailer-moratorium-directs-staff-to-propose-phased-rules-and-grandfathering-window","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6616055-18ed65848e6071d5968b544bd051cbd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177646&Signature=PRlrqvsnHf65iCztMRhh4leB~ke34oT13pV-8tY4mmCEV8Jlphc-71TzWnA63Ex8gPVwFQtDWq5msq8HPfAAoJPCqhweh18HbaSqLfO0mB7Kueg3pNQj1fMSCs108DA3Jt1CEjfld-n6aaZcbtp3Gu0fwI6R196powiAga81PtA8xzDg89-L6qGKvuOjKfcBRF7IhZCdEWec6U6xtVixqkVgwatTArqAyd12UnqYju-Kf2y6NHZemLHyZQhYCVl6jCSy~ho40DPqQyhf-MXGjqlMpzNdoljzZ0uDNTr9qbtPd8DWA3bIBzf5TXAcJeAVOCAZrEpJIP7TKuS4KXBOxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Richmond City Council voted to extend a temporary moratorium on new tobacco retailer permits for another 12 months and directed staff to return with proposed regulatory language, enforcement recommendations and a limited grandfathering process for certain legacy retailers.

Council took the step after a staff presentation showing a sharp growth of unlicensed tobacco and “smoke‑shop” operations and new state laws banning many flavored tobacco products. The extension was framed as a pause to give the city time to finalize local licensing, enforcement and confiscation procedures that reflect recent state rules.

The moratorium extension is intended to preserve the status quo while staff completes community engagement and drafting of changes to Richmond Municipal Code. Lina Velasco, the city’s director of community development, told council that inspections since the original 2024 moratorium showed not only unlicensed retailers but “underage attendants,” concealed product storage and sales of unlawful cannabis and drug paraphernalia alongside tobacco. She also said state law changes effective Jan. 1 require new processes for confiscating banned flavored products and that the state is still issuing an official list of allowed products.

Velasco said staff has identified 32 tobacco retailers with valid local licenses and 51 additional retail locations selling tobacco without a local tobacco license. The city has contracted an outreach and policy firm, Good City Company, to assist with drafting permitting and enforcement proposals and to help lead community engagement. Acting Planning Manager Avery Stark said a public workshop on a draft update is scheduled for April 9 in council chambers and online.

Council members pressed staff on enforcement and fairness. Several residents and business owners testified during the hearing. Monica Marquez, a Contra Costa County tobacco‑prevention specialist, urged the city to cap retailer density and to coordinate with county enforcement. Business owners and long‑standing neighborhood retailers said some legacy businesses did not receive timely renewal notices and urged protections to avoid unintended closures.

Councilmember Eduardo Robinson moved the extension with an amendment directing staff to return with a list of legacy retailers that had held a tobacco license at any point between 2018 and 2024 and who currently hold valid city business licenses; those qualifying retailers would be eligible for a provisional renewal window while staff finishes the ordinance. The motion also asked staff to review and improve the city’s business licensing and notice procedures. The measure passed on a recorded roll call with five yes votes and two council members absent. Staff said they will bring back draft licensing language, enforcement recommendations and an outreach plan to the Planning Commission and council by summer.

The city attorney and staff also noted limits and next steps: the state’s California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) and the Attorney General can assist with seizures, the Richmond Police Department is being authorized to seize certain banned products, and the city is evaluating whether to expand confiscation authority to code enforcement. Staff said financial penalties, administrative citations and nuisance abatement remain enforcement tools, but that the new confiscation chain‑of‑custody rules require careful procedures and storage arrangements.

What happened next: Council’s action preserves the moratorium for 12 months while staff completes outreach and returns with draft municipal code changes. Staff said the goal is to finalize a proposal by summer and to incorporate a one‑year outreach/education period before active enforcement. The city will continue inspections and targeted enforcement actions in the meantime.

Why it matters: Richmond has one of the region’s higher concentrations of tobacco retailers and public‑health advocates say proximity and density of tobacco and “smoke‑shop” outlets drive youth access. The council’s direction balances immediate public‑health concerns with owners’ due‑process concerns and calls for clearer local licensing and enforcement steps while aligning Richmond’s rules with new state flavored‑tobacco restrictions.","City Council extended a 12‑month temporary moratorium on new tobacco retailer permits and asked staff to return with draft regulations, an outreach plan and a narrowly defined grandfathering process for legacy retailers while continuing enforcement of banned flavored products.",{"_33":94,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":95,"_41":42,"_43":42,"_44":42,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":96,"_51":97,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":98,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":99,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":66,"_70":54,"_71":54},6616034,"Council directs tree‑wells in sidewalk capital projects, asks staff to define feasibility and partner on plantings","/articles/6616034/Richmond/Contra-Costa-County/California/Council-directs-treewells-in-sidewalk-capital-projects-asks-staff-to-define-feasibility-and-partner-on-plantings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6616034-c4a85499831eaac2cec15d66ac8aed32/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177646&Signature=QpHCDAMBwsMw6OSXPzWISJXNS~rtgzILOo74BpbZwhpcC~FxZ6U-BzUDN0NRmv26V8emLWoyCtQarO44hW-yuZXLmsnqkG7Ei5ploGEFf5N78J8vvFhoDp6AYAROJ6tARzv1ZNePDmcDvnMtLjbtM-fDz2uG7R1Ocgbgp-YqLFBZ-3J5yj1hauWb1gqJqHJwn8PF4rd10XjtoVN7qmLRFBDAaK5AxLg0S9oTahMMhpm8q6gRKpQ-xMNbx4CXV8qQO-mBPHEDz4mnX~omWpdEDLaxw54Vvxj8MWa6T~Sr3HONQwWLTFP0alRkYZvIfSVYFWlRi5CyKT1qYLzvSEQMug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Richmond City Council directed staff to include tree wells in sidewalk capital projects that are still in design or where modest change orders could add planting space, and to develop a clear feasibility definition tied to updated sidewalk standards and ADA requirements.

Councilmembers said the direction is intended to capture opportunities to expand the city’s tree canopy and avoid future costly retrofits that would cut and reinstall sidewalk to create planting space. The motion asks staff to develop a standard definition of “feasibility” that explicitly lists ADA access, safety and legal constraints and to coordinate tree‑planting and maintenance plans with nonprofits, neighborhood groups and the city’s Urban Forestry Advisory Council (UFAC).

Councilmember Eduardo Robinson and Vice Mayor Cepeda framed the motion as a way to make sure sidewalk projects do not foreclose future urban‑greening opportunities. Public commenters and UFAC members praised the approach and asked staff to prioritize native, low‑VOC species and to align tree species lists with a forthcoming revision to Richmond’s tree standards.

Public Works staff said the department is already revising sidewalk standards and the parks superintendent and UFAC are working on a consolidated urban‑forestry plan and updated recommended tree list. The council approved the direction unanimously and asked staff to return with an implementation approach that identifies sidewalk projects in design that could incorporate tree wells and a maintenance plan to ensure long‑term care of newly planted trees.","Council instructed staff to include tree wells in sidewalk capital projects that are still in design or can be adjusted without excessive cost, to work with community groups on plantings and to define feasibility standards including ADA and safety constraints.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Richmond staff and youth advocates outline draft healthy‑checkout (HOPS) ordinance; council requests enforcement, business outreach plans

Council approves $564,131 to map city signs and poles, resumes street‑sweeping enforcement and asks staff to study text alerts

Richmond adopts extended Keller Beach sewer moratorium; orders feasibility study and fast‑track review of rerouting option

Richmond extends tobacco‑retailer moratorium, directs staff to propose phased rules and grandfathering window

Council directs tree‑wells in sidewalk capital projects, asks staff to define feasibility and partner on plantings