[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6592321,"mediaKeyId","2892974-06891f2774144972c91a0bf7440a1409","parentId",2892974,"title","Albany residents press council to expand notice radius for new construction beyond state 300-foot minimum","audioSeconds",327,"startMs",1543000,"endMs",1870000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2892974-06891f2774144972c91a0bf7440a1409&start=1543&end=1870","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2892974-06891f2774144972c91a0bf7440a1409/thumbnail_1543000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6592321/Albany-City/Alameda-County/California/Albany-residents-press-council-to-expand-notice-radius-for-new-construction-beyond-state-300-foot-minimum","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6592321-9c9ebc794c4dbf969d41153c798a9689/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163964&Signature=HKuKCPnikIpT10D4uP07E~qAFkZYXYOQo5upRq1K69BethItuVK-naWr4Z0MlxqaRBXk33~dJYtxCTuDu9X1U6Kj28USTcSyoFqtxwzGfze1u6Gdc85oZtrB6nttOy9ayYBAiZdvqDJNqj9XyrEyNuAbEyGrSY6iLkBLflAdohWLAFrcrMktKUIy2sa1XI8xEQHIzoCb4OnPD-WbPWSCfSF2HgxK6zTk4yh82t1ylkpy9OhE4A1QKsxFl5AkpjTYqq~~trFwHA1xZeCaydAn6OWgagEmW1YhE0kn-fuNCEcXq-hKPOo97gjmnwyImKDH-EQ7s0bxO7s1cUHOfV4dPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Albany, CA","date","2025-04-08T05:11:06.08Z","article","Several Albany residents urged the City Council on April 7 to consider expanding public-notification rules for proposed construction beyond the state's 300-foot mailing radius, saying the current practice limits public awareness for larger projects.

\"My remarks tonight commemorate the 1 year anniversary of false assertions by councilman Jordan and the city attorney that existing state laws would create legal exposure if Albany enacted wider and varied notification based on project size,\" said Dr. Stephen Alpert during the public-comment period. He described repeated requests for the city to explain the legal basis for limiting notice to 300 feet and questioned why broader notification had not been placed on the council agenda.

Dr. Celeste Marks said the 300-foot rule \"clearly limits public discourse, allowing the Planning and Zoning Commission to propose and the council to then push through new projects ... with minimal awareness and input from the public,\" and cited the proposed five-story project at 1600 Solano Avenue as an instance in which only 73 properties received mailed notice before the Planning and Zoning hearing.

Thomas Stimac, an Albany resident with decades in the city, told the council that a one-block (300-foot) notice is reasonable for small remodels but not for major multi-story developments and urged the council to place an item on an upcoming agenda for extended public discussion.

Speakers asked the council to formally consider varied notification by project size so that larger developments would be noticed to a wider set of residents. Several speakers described prior staff responses and cited particular code sections they said were referenced by council staff; those claims about legal citations were made by public commentators and were not presented as staff testimony during the meeting.

Council members did not take immediate action on the request during the public-comment period. The public commenters said they would continue to attend meetings until the council places the topic on a future agenda.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Albany City Council - Apr. 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple residents urged the Albany City Council on April 7 to expand public-notification for new construction projects beyond the state-mandated 300-foot mailing radius, saying the current practice limits community awareness of large developments.","taxTitle","Albany City, Alameda County, California","taxId",72346,"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},6592326,"Albany council approves $40,000 city sponsorship for Solano Avenue events, splits debated",4693,5602000,10295000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2892974-06891f2774144972c91a0bf7440a1409&start=5602&end=10295","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2892974-06891f2774144972c91a0bf7440a1409/thumbnail_5602000.jpg","/articles/6592326/Albany-City/Alameda-County/California/Albany-council-approves-40000-city-sponsorship-for-Solano-Avenue-events-splits-debated","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6592326-78f7a3087267d09cc3080974cc66393a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163964&Signature=WeHs92CC9Ja0rU00gBItphWje1Jw9fjKhPBZRxdTdLivvVFo6Yo6wKreGil7lV~L6I3X0yjiHL07BAoZn9r965D0c8ndGCdjt3ecRVCkYmoCoaIaOQ40w65fR6KKSyFy3DB-Ui8CzY06nYFiTnQpNYYv8iiCpfPNCSBr61HiHdkorSi0FkZvJsZNTUFn7lpVwDZxGkuwcHB63DOQ~zqC43SK0X0x3ii1Wefv9xk6q2H3n6LMfwFcE3z9A1JCgyQ8ME49N5ebfuFcVwWIaiFT5qyz~~nepSFJuo2y4HxS6o9YKksm8yF2bvg0vuOZCqnRfj0DNjU5LyTqp~xROOMl2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Albany City Council on April 7 voted to allocate $40,000 from American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Solano Avenue Association to support the 2025 Solano Stroll and three related smaller events.

City staff presented the Association’s request for $40,000—$25,000 for the main Solano Stroll and $5,000 each for three smaller “Stroll-ish” events—and outlined the city’s in-kind costs for prior events, including police overtime, barricades and other event services. City staff said prior years’ direct city support and overtime for the strolls totaled tens of thousands in addition to the requested direct contribution.

Solano Avenue Association representatives and local business advocates described the events as an economic-development and marketing driver for Solano Avenue. \"When we do the Stroll, people are reading about something happening on Solano Avenue,\" said an Association representative during public comment, describing regional promotion that brings visitors to the avenue.

Residents and some council members pushed back on the use of ARPA funds and urged caution given broader fiscal pressures and competing needs such as social services. Vice Mayor McQuay and Councilmember Mickey voted against the final ARPA allocation, citing concerns about long-term fiscal sustainability and rising recurring event costs; Mayor Robin Lopez, Councilmember Jordan and Councilmember Hansa Romero voted in favor.

Councilmember Jordan moved a substitute motion to fund the full $40,000 from ARPA funds; the City Clerk recorded the roll-call vote as: Councilmember Hansa Romero — yes; Councilmember Jordan — yes; Councilmember Mickey — no; Vice Mayor McQuay — no; Mayor Robin Lopez — yes. The motion carried.

Staff noted the shoreline of related expenses: a recent vendor quote for barricade rental increased to $53,580 and that in-kind city services (police overtime, public works and fire) add substantially to the event’s city cost. Staff also outlined funding options the council could consider, including ARPA funds or council discretionary funds; the council chose ARPA for this allocation.

Councilmembers asked the Association and staff to work toward longer-term planning and clearer budget forecasting so the council and the Association can anticipate future funding needs. Staff said the city will include event funding considerations in the upcoming two-year budget process so council and staff can better plan multi-year commitments.","After extended discussion about budget priorities and event impacts, the Albany City Council approved a $40,000 sponsorship to the Solano Avenue Association to support the Solano Stroll and three smaller \"Stroll-ish\" events. The vote split along fiscal caution lines with three councilmembers in favor and two opposed.",{"_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},6592331,"Albany council approves $8 million plan to rehabilitate Marin Avenue, upgrade curb ramps and signals",3590,2215000,5805000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2892974-06891f2774144972c91a0bf7440a1409&start=2215&end=5805","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2892974-06891f2774144972c91a0bf7440a1409/thumbnail_2215000.jpg","/articles/6592331/Albany-City/Alameda-County/California/Albany-council-approves-8-million-plan-to-rehabilitate-Marin-Avenue-upgrade-curb-ramps-and-signals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6592331-de55e4057887f4f7731542fd01316fc7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163965&Signature=jOQgSNo0q5V2ie44olRCRGBYWMWiJ9iJdpAWPKvQihfE6Ery6UMeThSf59c9u5M1WLmfYEdMj3xdvGz8os6wEOsRyT5CF0exkhVG4nZzgdEc~PP2pNXXQzJRWIRKHKrhxhJWjc7ChK4qN4Dv47U1IUozYjezIqq2AnVWuUb7spW6ZgCekZauItfYLY8SFl5Yy0-dDpWgfQMUuNgZWu3YMa14E9ZIlXyCTyGBjoqCiaQAOm6R6Qq7CuWL3Wfn4YOh3ZCkV6J55fzawhnIFrT7U1VEbJITDrtxhxItHDfWpCtcGj0ehHTDt6eSU8nC2HS6ig6ln7EtaFbUK4JJSnshYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Albany City Council on April 7 approved a plan to rehabilitate Marin Avenue, authorize design-based construction bidding and pursue related accessibility and signal upgrades.

City engineers told the council the project covers the remainder of Marin Avenue from Cornell Avenue to Tulare Street and includes resurfacing, storm-drain repairs and accessibility upgrades. \"This project consists of 2.8 lane miles of paving, 35 catch basins, and 46 curb ramps,\" said Lisonbee Carrillo, the city’s capital improvements program manager.

Carrillo said the work responds to the 2019 pavement management plan and aims to preserve pavement while bringing curb ramps into compliance with federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. She described technical constraints under parts of the corridor — thin aggregate base, shallow bedrock in areas and aging, shallow storm-drain pipes — and the design decision to raise certain flow lines rather than lower intersections to reduce the risk of exposing weak clay subgrade.

The plan includes upgrades to signal equipment at key intersections, changes to curb radii to shorten pedestrian crossings, expanded marked crossings and a buffered bikeway with a 4-foot bike travel lane plus 2-foot buffers, and audible pedestrian push buttons. The staff report noted a proposed battery backup for signals, camera vehicle detection and pedestrian signal visibility improvements.

Carrillo said the work is intended to reduce long-term maintenance and construction risks: \"This approach is expected to reduce our risks of unforeseen obstructions as we're no longer going down, we're going up.\" Staff estimated roughly a one-year construction duration and an estimated project cost of $8,000,000, including about $1,000,000 for intersection lighting currently listed as a bid alternate.

Council members asked about drainage and signal phasing. Councilmember Lehi Preston asked whether the existing 1930s reinforced-concrete storm drain main had been video-inspected; staff replied there were no system-wide failures and that localized repairs could be addressed with trenchless rehabilitation if needed. Council members also discussed pedestrian and bicycle detours during construction and the potential to add conduit for lighting later if immediate funding is not available.

The council adopted Resolution 2025-21 approving the project plan set and direction to proceed to bid. The City Clerk recorded a unanimous vote: Councilmember Mickey — yes; Vice Mayor McQuay — yes; Mayor Robin Lopez — yes; Councilmember Hansa Romero — yes; Councilmember Jordan — yes. Staff said they would return to the council with a contract award recommendation after bids are received.

Council and staff noted the project will be phased to limit disruption at Marin Elementary and to maintain pedestrian access during non-working hours. Construction staging is expected to cause localized impacts of roughly two weeks to a month at each corner as crews progress along the corridor.","The Albany City Council approved a pavement rehabilitation project for Marin Avenue that includes ADA curb ramp upgrades, storm drain work, signal reliability improvements and an option to add intersection lighting as a bid alternate. Staff estimated about $8 million in project costs and a roughly one-year construction period.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Albany residents press council to expand notice radius for new construction beyond state 300-foot minimum

Albany council approves $40,000 city sponsorship for Solano Avenue events, splits debated

Albany council approves $8 million plan to rehabilitate Marin Avenue, upgrade curb ramps and signals