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Alameda County supervisors ask staff to advance East County Municipal Advisory Council planning
Summary
Supervisors directed staff to refine logistics and appointments for a proposed East County Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) and to bring a harmonized proposal to the planning commission and board. Staff said District 4, the Community Development Agency and the clerk's office will coordinate staffing, scheduling and ordinance details.
Alameda County transportation and planning committee members asked staff to advance plans for an East County Municipal Advisory Council and to return a coordinated proposal to the planning commission and the board.
Committee chair President Miley opened discussion on Item 2, asking staff for a brief update about establishing the East County MAC and what next steps were needed for appointments, meeting locations, staffing and budget. Staff explained that some municipal advisory councils (MACs) are staffed by the county Community Development Agency (CDA), while others are handled by district offices and the clerk of the board. "Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Committee has two types of meetings — a general meeting handled by District 4 and additional CDA land‑use meetings," staff said.
The committee agreed the next steps include: confirming logistics with District 4; reviewing appointment language in the circulated ordinance; and determining meeting cadence, location and staffing. "We have to have discussions with the clerk of the board as well as your offices to determine the logistics and what options are available in terms of where it could be held, when it can be held, and who would be staffing it," a CDA representative said. Supervisors asked staff to place the item on the next planning commission agenda or the next board meeting for formal advancement.
Supervisors also discussed county resourcing for MACs. One supervisor noted that Brown Act posting and clerk staffing are major costs and suggested either additional district funding or a designated staff person in the county administrator’s office responsible for MAC staffing. Staff confirmed Baker Tilly recommended project managers (not a single ombudsman) to coordinate permitting and that project managers would address cross‑departmental workflows.
Why it matters: MACs are advisory bodies that bring neighborhood concerns into county land‑use and planning decisions. Defining staffing and meeting logistics will affect how quickly the East County MAC can begin meeting and how much staff time the county must commit.
The committee asked staff to prepare a presentation on appointments and logistics, to bring the item to the planning commission on Oct. 21 for comment, and then return to the committee with harmonized recommendations and any policy direction needed to implement the MAC.
