Alameda City Council Meeting: July 21, 2026 – Charters, Bonds, & Bike Lanes

The Alameda City Council met on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, for a regular meeting that covered a wide range of topics including a farewell to outgoing City Attorney Eben Shen, approval of consent calendar items, a charter amendment proposal to eliminate the elected auditor and treasurer positions, final passage of a general obligation bond measure for municipal improvements, and introduction of an ordinance prohibiting parking in bike lanes. The meeting featured public comments, detailed discussions, and multiple votes, with the council ultimately approving the bond measure and bike lane ordinance while deferring action on the charter amendment.

Consent Calendar

• Approved routine items (the consent calendar) with a unanimous vote, except for Councilmember Daysog voting no on item 5D.
• Items included approvals related to a theater real property negotiation (4A, passed 4-1), a real property negotiation for Building 43 at Alameda Point (4B, unanimous), and a settlement with Alameda Marina regarding development impact fees (4C, unanimous). The settlement terms included: the city waives park and transportation impact fees of $2,318,399 (increased by $218,399 due to California construction cost index); Foundry shall pay all remaining impact fees of $770,520 by October 31, 2026; Foundry shall comply with the new inclusionary housing ordinance and provide 21 very low-income housing units; if Foundry does not pull building permits by October 31, 2026, the fee waiver shall be null and void; and Foundry shall waive all current and future claims against the city.
• Also approved reappointments and appointments to the Civil Service Board, Historical Advisory Board, Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, Library Board, and Recreation and Park Commission, with a unanimous vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Josh Altier (Communications and Community Programs Manager, Housing Authority of the City of Alameda) reported on housing programs serving over 3,000 local residents and 1,800 low-income households, thanked partners including the Alameda Food Bank, Friends of Alameda Animal Shelter, Alameda Boys and Girls Club, and the Recreation and Parks Department, and noted that over 9,000 applications were generated for five property-specific interest lists.
• Damian Mason (member of CASA, Oakland Alameda Adaptation Committee, and Alameda Backyard Growers) urged protection of young coastal live oaks along the Harbor Bay Shoreline Trail, emphasizing their role in nature-based sea level rise adaptation. He stated the current plan is to remove all of them.
• Carolyn Mason echoed Damian Mason's comments, noting the trees are only one to three inches in diameter and not yet protected by city ordinance, but asked that they be incorporated into shoreline designs.
• Amos White (Executive Director, 100K Trees for Humanity) added that coast live oaks are protected species and urged the council to direct staff to preserve these trees as part of the climate adaptation plan.
• Kyle Connor provided public comment on closed session items, expressing excitement about Alameda and the future.
• Public comment on the consent calendar included support for the Oakland Alameda Water Shuttle (Phase 2) and the bike share pilot program from an Alameda TMA representative and the Director of Planning for San Francisco Bay Ferry (Mike Gorgali).
• Public comment on item 7B (charter amendment) included: Kathy Long calling the proposal a dangerous step backwards; Amos White noting the auditor and treasurer positions require professional qualifications; Paula Rainey recalling past financial alarms raised by the auditor and treasurer; and Karen Miller (remote) calling the proposal a power grab.
• Public comment on item 7D (bike lane parking) came from Cindy Johnson (Bikewalk Alameda), who supported the ordinance as a workaround but expressed hope for a future state-level vehicle code amendment.

Discussion Items

• Farewell to City Attorney Eben Shen: The mayor read a proclamation highlighting Shen's accomplishments including guiding the city through COVID-19, successfully defending the food delivery ordinance, creating the Prosecution and Public Rights Unit (PPRU) which resolved over 1,000 cases since 2020, establishing the police auditor role, fostering the annual Fair Housing Conference, receiving the American Bar Association Hodson Award in 2025 for extending rent control to maritime residences, and supervising major real estate transactions. Vice Mayor Pryor, Councilmember Bowler (who presented a piece of his mother's art), Councilmember Daysog, Councilmember Jensen, and a representative from the California Department of Justice each expressed gratitude.
• Item 7B – Charter Amendment to Eliminate the Offices of Elected City Auditor and City Treasurer: Mayor Ashcraft and Vice Mayor Pryor presented the subcommittee's recommendation to place a charter amendment on the November 2026 ballot to eliminate both positions, citing redundancy due to modern financial oversight laws, the $84,000 annual savings from salary and benefits, and the lack of similar positions in other Alameda County cities. Councilmember Bowler moved to consolidate the two offices into a single elected auditor position, allowing the current treasurer to finish his term, but the motion died for lack of a second. Councilmember Daysog provided historical context from 1936-1937 showing the positions were created after a scandal involving malfeasance by the mayor and city council. Councilmember Jensen noted the 2019-2020 Charter Review Subcommittee had conducted extensive public outreach (including two public workshops with the League of Women Voters) and after 15 months, did not recommend elimination because public support was lacking. She stated, "After 13 months of gathering information privately with no public outreach and no information gathering and without consulting with the elected incumbents, the 2026 subcommittee recommends eliminating the elected auditor and treasurer." Councilmember Jensen further noted that the current incumbents, Kevin Kennedy (Treasurer) and Kevin Kearney (Auditor), each stated they do not plan to run for re-election, but argued the positions provide independent oversight that cannot be replaced by staff or external auditors. The discussion did not result in a vote; the item was effectively tabled.
• Item 7C – Infrastructure Bond Measure: Final passage of an ordinance and resolution to place a general obligation bond measure on the November 3, 2026 ballot to finance municipal improvements. The mayor and Councilmember Bowler were designated to author the ballot argument in favor and any rebuttal. The motion passed 4-1 (with Councilmember Jensen voting no). The bond measure language and survey questions were drafted by staff.
• Item 7D – No Parking in Bike Lanes Ordinance: Ricardo De La Torre, the city's parking manager, introduced an ordinance adding Section 8-8.10 to the Alameda Municipal Code to prohibit parking in class two, three, and four bike lanes citywide, with a proposed fine of $79. The ordinance addresses a gap in state law that only prohibits parking in class one bikeways. A discussion ensued about accommodations for commercial deliveries, with Public Works Director Aaron Smith noting that commercial loading zones exist on Park Street and other corridors and that the city is open to reviewing requests for additional zones. The ordinance passed its first reading unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Closed Session Actions: Approved theater real property negotiations (4-1), real property negotiations for Building 43 (unanimous), and a settlement with Alameda Marina (unanimous).
• Charter Amendment (Item 7B): No vote was taken; the proposal to place the elimination of the elected auditor and treasurer on the ballot was deferred.
• Infrastructure Bond Measure (Item 7C): Final passage approved 4-1 (Councilmember Jensen dissenting). Mayor Ashcraft and Councilmember Bowler were authorized to write the ballot argument in favor.
• No Parking in Bike Lanes Ordinance (Item 7D): First reading of the ordinance and adoption of the resolution amending the master fee schedule were approved unanimously. The ordinance would take effect on October 1, 2026, pending final passage on September 1, 2026.
• Voting Delegate for League of California Cities Annual Conference: The mayor (delegate) and vice mayor (alternate) were approved.
• Board and Commission Appointments: Unanimously approved reappointments and new appointments to multiple boards and commissions.
• Next Meeting: The council noted August is a dark month; the next regular meeting is September 1, 2026.