Council approves consent calendar; record notes recusal on Eden Housing parcel map 11186

The Livermore City Council approved the consent calendar at its May 11 meeting after a public comment period that included discussion of Eden Housing's downtown project and the final parcel map (11186).

During open public comment, Tom Souls urged amendments to the tentative plan for the downtown Eden Housing project, expressing concerns about scale and siting. Vosco Yorgov, a project developer with Eden Housing, told the council the final parcel map 11186 is consistent with the most recent vesting tentative map and the terms of the project's disposition, development and loan agreement (DDLA), citing DDLA sections 4.9 and 8.10 and saying moving the project would forfeit awarded state and county funding. "There is no basis for rejecting the adoption of this map," he said, and urged the council to approve item 6.3.

Council discussed consent items, including a staff budget update (item 6.17) in which City Manager Mariana Burch said the two-year budget remains balanced with general fund reserves near 30 percent, and a consolidated policy for below-market-rate rental unit maintenance (item 6.22).

A motion to approve the consent calendar was made by Council Member Branding and seconded by Council Member Dunar. The clerk recorded an affirmative vote and the consent calendar passed. After the vote, the record reflected that Council Member Barentos had asked to recuse himself on item 6.3 (parcel map 11186); the recusal was entered for the record.

The consent vote accomplished administrative approvals across multiple items, including the final parcel map for Eden Housing (item 6.3), which supporters say is consistent with past approvals and project agreements; opponents had urged more deliberation and alternative siting earlier in the public comment period.