Planning commission finds five‑year CIP consistent with general plan, removes two policy tie‑ins for Plum Street parking project

The Pinole Planning Commission voted 6‑0 to find the city's proposed five‑year Capital Improvement Plan (FY2025‑26 through FY2029‑30) consistent with the city's general plan, while removing two general‑plan references tied to the Plum Street parking lot redesign.

Public Works Director Heba El Gendi presented the CIP and described it as a planning document that covers multiple city systems. "The five year plan ... contains 45 projects and 5 infrastructure assessments," El Gendi told the commission and recommended the commission adopt the resolution in the packet indicating the CIP's consistency with the general plan.

Why it matters: the CIP sets the schedule and primary funding approach for transportation, parks, sewer and other capital work in Pinole for the next five years. The plan identifies grant‑funded projects, enterprise‑funded sewer work, and newly approved local revenue such as a vehicle impact fee that staff said will be used primarily for pavement rehabilitation.

Key projects and funding - Fleet electrification and related charging infrastructure: El Gendi said the project is mainly funded by a grant of $952,000 with an additional $118,000 local match; staff expects work to span two years. - Sewer and treatment plant projects: staff listed several sanitary sewer priorities for FY2025‑26, including replacement of failing blowers, a program to assist property owners with private sewer lateral repairs (funded at $150,000 in the coming year), and a secondary clarifier rehabilitation estimated at about $425,000. El Gendi also described a $150,000 upgrade to the lab at the treatment plant, with some in‑house labor planned to reduce costs. - Parks and recreation: the CIP identifies an annual parks program and two specific FY2025‑26 efforts: initial improvements at Dock Park and rehabilitation of soccer fields (including irrigation work). El Gendi said some park work will be phased and supplemented by grant opportunities and community partnerships. - Streets, sidewalks and traffic safety: staff said pavement rehabilitation was the top concern identified in a Measure I survey. For FY2025‑26, staff proposed a pavement rehabilitation budget for the first year and said years two and three currently show larger-scale projects of about $5,000,000 each. The presentation noted annual programs for sidewalk upgrades and ADA curb ramp work and a separate annual program for pavement‑marking and signage retroreflectivity. - San Pablo Avenue Bridge over BNSF railroad: El Gendi described the bridge as a primary project funded by federal and state programs and said the city has adjusted agreements to minimize local match. She said the city is seeking to complete NEPA and CEQA environmental reviews by the end of the year, begin design early next year (design estimated at 18–24 months because of a temporary detour structure), and that $28,000,000 in construction funding has been identified in federal/state programs though the final construction estimate will be refined during design.

Commission questions and concerns Commissioners pressed staff on project details, timing and equity. Commissioner Bender asked whether the senior center auxiliary parking lot (pushed to FY2028‑29) has a planned stall count; El Gendi said capacity and final use remain to be determined and the project is currently on hold and could be redeveloped for a different purpose. Commissioner Lam Julian urged expanded support for private sewer lateral repairs and raised playground surfacing and mural preservation concerns at Nob Hill Park; El Gendi said the city will seek grant funding and coordinate with community services for partnerships. Commissioners also questioned how projects might be bundled (for efficiency) and whether the vehicle impact fee would be used in future years; El Gendi said bundling and council approval for consultant/contract awards will depend on scope and that the fee, newly approved by council, is intended for roadway improvements though the exact future allocations remain to be worked out.

Plum Street parking project: policy change During deliberations commissioners focused on project FA2302 (Plum Street parking lot improvements). Several commissioners said the project description in the CIP packet did not reflect a full redesign and that the previously listed plan (including a chain‑link fence and limited security elements) was inadequate for safety and community goals. Vice Chair Menace moved to find the CIP consistent with the general plan but to remove Goal CS‑2 and Policy CS‑2.6 from the list of goals and policies that FA2302 conforms with; Commissioner Bender seconded. The roll call vote was unanimous, with the clerk recording, "Yes. Motion carries 6 0." The commission's action is a recommendation to city council; the packet and El Gendi noted the CIP itself is expected to go to council for adoption on June 17.

Decisions and next steps The commission's formal recommendation that the CIP is consistent with the general plan, with the modification for FA2302, will be forwarded to the City Council. El Gendi told commissioners that council had already reviewed the CIP at several meetings and that staff anticipates council adoption of the FY2025‑26 budget and CIP in mid‑June. Several commissioners asked staff to return proposed program guidelines for the private sewer lateral assistance program and to pursue walk audits or school safety audits to strengthen grant applications for Safe Routes and other programs.

Meeting context The CIP presentation drew sustained questioning from multiple commissioners and follow‑up requests for clearer project scopes, equity caps for lateral repair assistance, and additional outreach. Staff repeatedly noted limited staff capacity and the need to match projects to available funding sources (grants, enterprise fees, Measure funds and the newly adopted vehicle impact fee).

El Gendi: "The five year plan ... contains 45 projects and 5 infrastructure assessments." Vice Chair Menace (motion): "I would like to move that we find the projects proposed to the capital improvement plan for fiscal years 25‑26 through fiscal year 29 to 30 are consistent with the general plan with a modification to project FA2302 to strike goal CS‑2 and policy CS‑2.6." Planning Commission clerk (roll call): "Yes. Motion carries 6 0."