[{"_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",6546077,"mediaKeyId","3846151-05d99556f505389d91f82332f8339faf","parentId",3846151,"title","Residents urge Albany to revisit 300‑foot notice rule after 1600 Solano project; request formal agenda item","audioSeconds",284,"startMs",1925000,"endMs",2209000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3846151-05d99556f505389d91f82332f8339faf&start=1925&end=2209","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3846151-05d99556f505389d91f82332f8339faf/thumbnail_1925000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6546077/Albany-City/Alameda-County/California/Residents-urge-Albany-to-revisit-300foot-notice-rule-after-1600-Solano-project-request-formal-agenda-item","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6546077-fea59acfcfc325ae3c123d29a3942db3/orig.mp4?Expires=1776097060&Signature=mlyNykL1c0-uMwxe65LHX29TSn3bcxV4PCvBtp8CtMpzDKNsOyRkaucx1eSM1Z7dFob7M70cM0cbC-7uxAdmSTzSoMyKqXr2ezBRf8GZiEHuLj2E-Z2syBWKyV03fEgvHWM2OhzSdDg1QHhuJ6h4VnKq7Lo5KAJ2C8qJi9U6gAtcuTb7BRDl~XlYawPvycWwXf894XR4WmXJ2qbKrSmk47zx3Vl-swKvqGhNo38moi6frJd6AwY4r-hZNunOxkKdS-99cj6NvuKIXMjp9QgpD2ymugfja7XksGlzUREbJlMxA~3W-JDloIt8Jj1Dfn7rVynTsine8wY4vMQvWTVtTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Albany, CA","date","2025-06-16T23:45:14Z","article","Two Albany residents told the City Council on June 16 they want the city to explain why Albany uses the state-minimum 300‑foot notice radius for development notifications and to consider broader notice practices used elsewhere.

Dr. Steven Alpert said he and more than a dozen others have asked the council to justify Albany’s reliance on the state minimum of notifying property owners within 300 feet of a proposed development, rather than a larger radius that other California cities use. Alpert cited the example of a five‑story project at 1600 Solano Avenue (described in his remarks as an “oversized 5 story modern box”) and said postcards notifying owners were mailed to only 73 properties before the initial Planning & Zoning hearing. He said the approved plan for the project is not “functionally appropriate nor harmonious to their surroundings,” and that density bonus provisions allowed greater height, zero setbacks and reduced parking but did not override local building-code compatibility concerns.

Alpert said the council had previously read a five‑page letter from an attorney associated with YIMBY Law (Jack Farrell) that quoted California code “65008” and argued cities cannot vary public notice by project size. Alpert said he has exchanged emails with the YIMBY attorney and will meet to review apparent discrepancies in the letter’s interpretation and applicability.

Dr. Celeste Marks echoed the concerns and asked the council to place the notice-radius question on a future agenda for full discussion, arguing that the Brown Act limits public comment time and that the topic requires an in-depth public hearing.

Council members did not take action on the matter during the meeting. Staff did not provide an immediate policy change; the speakers requested the council formally agendize the issue so staff and the public could fully examine legal constraints (they referenced the state code), the city’s current practice and whether broader notice would be permissible and practical for Albany.

Because the residents referenced a statutory provision in their remarks, the transcript shows the specific code cited as Government Code section 65008. Residents also named Beverly Hills in discussion of differing local practices and said they would meet with YIMBY Law to clarify legal interpretation. The council did not provide a timetable for bringing the notice-radius issue back for study or vote during the June 16 meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Albany City Council - June 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Two residents, Dr. Steven Alpert and Dr. Celeste Marks, asked the council to explain and reconsider the city's use of the minimum 300‑foot notice for new construction, citing the 1600 Solano project and a legal letter from YIMBY Law referencing California Government Code section 65008.","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},6546082,"Albany recognizes CERT graduates; nonprofit and fire department to expand Mandarin-language disaster training with Cal OES support",252,2225000,2477000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3846151-05d99556f505389d91f82332f8339faf&start=2225&end=2477","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3846151-05d99556f505389d91f82332f8339faf/thumbnail_2225000.jpg","/articles/6546082/Albany-City/Alameda-County/California/Albany-recognizes-CERT-graduates-nonprofit-and-fire-department-to-expand-Mandarin-language-disaster-training-with-Cal-OES-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6546082-f4cc3807ca6a0cc1f905601449e1857b/orig.mp4?Expires=1776097060&Signature=He9MBq-FddcCAIMVy17SAQZatTNAF~-ZD~4xQSql0Thj2uHY6EYru82ro6mtCtRtF2glttvosUKc27TzC6aqsdzLssYmZiVh3wZK~jkj4THizfHASNjs4bFAnSZYh8I5n16hrUZV6CaCpBTZRfnKBBaZLz0mUC-icE0mJa8Agbo8CsR6ac8h7bNmoUhe52oiDJfmwjFVDNvYKCgIac-vbfA9LIjzZsZ5ZODm67Zmcm76wvO3MCrERG1y6Sdr5wj5PQ~maV9i3z6mVPDZ9KZ2nPU3VUVBQbF~lRVCJCEqoAnlFeZavnuPV6Jn9RrdFmrIJ7rfou8u-HUZz5xNYUZO~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its June 16 meeting the Albany City Council honored graduates of the spring 2025 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class and heard details about an expansion of multilingual disaster training led by Albany CERT Inc. and the Fire Department.

Fire Chief Jim Boito introduced the spring CERT graduates and said the program — an eight-week course — trains community members to be a neighborhood resource during disasters and other incidents. Boito said the program has trained more than 80 people since the COVID-19 pandemic and over 500 people since the program began. He credited staff including Engineer Mike Scribe, Firefighter/Paramedic Jacob Fujikawa and lead instructor Susie Naiman for managing the program.

Susie Naiman, the main instructor, told the council she was honored to see students’ “dedication and commitment,” and described the program’s emphasis on practical neighborhood preparedness.

Blake Yaman, an Albany CERT Inc. instructor and president of the nonprofit, told the council the group was awarded a grant from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to create CERT training in a non-English language. Yaman said Albany identified Mandarin as one of the top languages spoken locally by residents with limited English proficiency, found a fluent Mandarin-speaking CERT graduate who completed instructor training and will run a Mandarin-language CERT this summer. Yaman said the plan is to integrate the Mandarin and English classes for the final, hands-on skills session at the fire department so both language cohorts can train together.

Yaman also said the Mandarin instructor speaks Vietnamese and the program may offer training in Vietnamese as well. The group recently worked with the Fire Department to run preparedness sessions at the GateView condominium building, he added.

During public comment Jean Wu urged the council and staff to pursue designation of the Albany Community Center as a community resilience hub under a program run by AvA Community Energy; she said AvA is creating a technical list of up to 50 community-based resilient centers in Alameda and San Joaquin counties and that funding may become available next year. Lucinda Young of the Albany Climate Action Coalition told council members that the California Public Utilities Commission has introduced a $280 million program to help low-income households install solar panels and battery storage and that AvA has a program to replace gas ranges with induction ranges for CARE/FERA customers. Young asked the city to do outreach so eligible households can access those programs.

The council presented certificates and administered the disaster service worker oath to the graduates; staff asked council members to join a photo with the spring 2025 CERT class. No formal council action was taken on the grant or resilience-hub suggestions at the meeting but staff and the nonprofit described specific next steps for implementation of multilingual CERT training.","The City acknowledged its spring 2025 CERT class and heard that Albany CERT Inc. received a Cal OES grant to develop Mandarin-language CERT training, with plans to integrate Mandarin and English students for joint skill sessions and extend training to other non-English languages.",{"_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},6546088,"Albany Council confirms park assessment, approves $5,000 for film series and appoints interim police chief",96,3922000,4018000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3846151-05d99556f505389d91f82332f8339faf&start=3922&end=4018","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3846151-05d99556f505389d91f82332f8339faf/thumbnail_3922000.jpg","/articles/6546088/Albany-City/Alameda-County/California/Albany-Council-confirms-park-assessment-approves-5000-for-film-series-and-appoints-interim-police-chief","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6546088-13d2c117c60a188c0bc13ce5473d9ec7/orig.mp4?Expires=1776097060&Signature=AIqOFvOigE55XrVwAIXJOzm2acDPY8eAo6GqLIi2J8pgwoOjxjjz2AoVRcczgnPqQh-zorNTtcNjmmW2gUU82leF03xMOFEvJGMEO7CqcnrYGqcHbYq-bYq4AJwK1G37cAgAH-xwvjUFrrringMRJntjttcYF2WP~tPiPnrmRrI2efMqUJcs2djnAEPhkNwZuvELUE7bTK1hRLMiz9Zy1gwQGdkS9-t~GwvbsQ-FIYvT6eUXt--eRa1delTatXT7yWohE5sRzHMTaYVnnfOUzsXrVtQPxIK8JN8RqP0qFmBFuIv7EHTGDET7ed8P6O8yhGJ5EKGeuUgT1AD0OHhLHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Albany City Council on June 16 adopted three resolutions, confirming an annual park-and-landscape assessment, approving a discretionary grant for the Albany Film Fest and appointing a CalPERS retired annuitant as interim police chief. The council voted unanimously on each roll call with Mayor Lopez absent.

The council confirmed the engineer’s report and levy for Landscape and Lighting Assessment District 1988‑1 for fiscal year 2025–26. Staff said the assessment funds maintenance and servicing of parks, play structures, irrigation, street landscapes and the urban forestry program and covers properties such as Memorial Park, Ocean View Park, Dartmouth Tot Lot, the Ohlone Greenway and Peggy Thompson / Pier Street Park. The assessment rate for single-family residential parcels remains $75.54, a figure staff said has not changed since fiscal year 1993–94. Vice Mayor McQuay opened the public hearing and the council adopted Resolution 2025‑45 to confirm the diagram and assessments and order the levy onto the 2025–26 secured property tax roll.

Separately, the council approved a $5,000 allocation from the adopted 2024–25 operating budget discretionary fund to support a five-month documentary series organized by the Albany Film Fest. Co-founder Jack Kinney told the council the series — “Courage, Hope, Resistance” — will show five social-justice themed documentaries at the Cerrito Theater and include an outdoor screening during Albany Local Week on Sept. 28. The council adopted Resolution 2025‑46 to provide the funding.

The council also adopted Resolution 2025‑47 appointing Gina Anderson — identified in the staff report as a CalPERS retired annuitant with municipal experience — as interim police chief. City staff said the resolution meets CalPERS reporting requirements for hiring a retired annuitant.

All three measures passed on roll calls with votes recorded as: Vice Mayor McQuay — yes; Council member Hansa Romero — yes; Council member Jordan — yes; Council member Mackey/Mickey — yes; Mayor Lopez — absent. The consent calendar was approved earlier in the meeting by a unanimous roll call with Mayor Lopez absent.

Council members asked follow-up questions during the assessment hearing about why the fee had not been increased for inflation; staff said the assessment’s structure does not automatically index with inflation and that changing it would require a separate and robust public process. Staff also said the city will present a July 7 briefing on funding measure options and prioritization that could include assessment changes.

The actions taken are procedural and administrative: confirming an annual assessment, allocating discretionary funds to a community arts event and making an interim appointment to the police department. No additional conditions or follow-up reports were recorded in the meeting minutes for these items.","At its June 16 meeting the Albany City Council confirmed the annual levy for Landscape and Lighting Assessment District 1988‑1, approved a $5,000 discretionary grant to the Albany Film Fest and adopted a resolution appointing Gina Anderson as interim police chief.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents urge Albany to revisit 300‑foot notice rule after 1600 Solano project; request formal agenda item

Albany recognizes CERT graduates; nonprofit and fire department to expand Mandarin-language disaster training with Cal OES support

Albany Council confirms park assessment, approves $5,000 for film series and appoints interim police chief