Eden Area Municipal Advisory Council Meeting - February 11, 2026

The Eden Area Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) met on February 11, 2026, at 6:05 PM. The meeting included public comments, approval of modified minutes from December 9, 2025, a presentation and recommendation for a new fireworks and social host ordinance banning all fireworks in unincorporated Alameda County, and discussion of language access policies. The meeting adjourned at 7:20 PM.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Rolando Gonzalez (East Bay MUD): Informed the council about an optional insurance letter being sent to EBMUD customers covering water pipe breakage. He clarified the program is legitimate, optional, and 100% of the stipend goes to customer assistance. No customer data was shared with the insurance company.
• Keith Burrows: Spoke regarding environmental health and code enforcement, asking the council to put on a future agenda a report on why open-flame cooking violations have not been stopped for years. Suggested confiscating grills and using fire extinguishers on illegal fires.
• Dale Silva: Speaking as an individual, expressed support for the fireworks ordinance. He noted it was easier to identify a property than a perpetrator and encouraged residents to file reports. Thanked Captain McMillan for leadership.
• Keith Burrows (second appearance): Commented on the appeals process, noting that when the Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) decisions are appealed to the Board of Supervisors, new evidence should be remanded back to BZA (soft remand).
• Michael Moore: Asked about enforcement specifics: whether safe-and-sane fireworks (e.g., sparklers) would be violations, whether each child in a picture could be fined, and requested statistics on past investigations and convictions. He expressed concern about enforcement capacity given 644 calls in a month.
• Randy Walkie: Expressed support for the ordinance but sadness that safe-and-sane fireworks are also banned. Suggested alternative community events like drone shows.

Discussion Items

• Approval of Modified Minutes (December 9, 2025): The minutes were presented with modifications: a general Q&A section and a grammar correction. A red-line version was requested for future. Motion to approve as presented passed unanimously (5-0).
• Zoning Ordinance Update (Item 1): The presenter had a conflict with the Board of Supervisors meeting, so this item was continued to the March meeting. Council members were asked to keep their notes.
• Fireworks and Social Host Ordinance: Captain McMillan and Sergeant Imperial presented the draft ordinance banning all fireworks (including safe-and-sane) in unincorporated areas. Key features:
  • Allows administrative fines of $750 (first), $1,500 (second), $2,500 (third and subsequent).
  • Holds property owners, renters, and responsible parties strictly liable for fireworks discharged on their property.
  • Enforcement includes written warnings, citations, notices, and arrest under criminal law.
  • Investigations use body cameras, drone footage, and resident-submitted evidence.
  • Appeals to BZA, then to Board of Supervisors, then to Superior Court.
  • Fines collected go to a dedicated fund for enforcement and public education.
  • Goal to have ordinance in effect by July 4, 2026.
  • Council member questions covered: liability for apartment complexes and public property (e.g., HARD parks), fines per individual vs. per citation, due process for property owners unaware of violations, investigation bandwidth, multiple languages for public education, and proactive enforcement starting in May.
• Language Access Update: Staff reported on a Board of Supervisors resolution affirming language access for all residents. A tutorial on using Google Translate for meeting materials will be presented at a future meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Motion to recommend approval of the fireworks and social host ordinance as presented: Moved by Councilmember Elizabeth Asin Nielsen, seconded by Councilmember Warren Maramahoko. The motion passed unanimously (5-0). Councilmember Asin Nielsen voted aye; Councilmember Maramahoko, yes; Councilmember Roll, yes; Councilmember Stanley, yes; Vice Chair Cushman, yes; Chair Whitler, yes.
• Minutes approved as modified: Unanimous.
• Future agenda item requested: Environmental health and code enforcement report on open-flame cooking violations.
• Action minutes memo pending: Staff advised that all MAC minutes will become action-only minutes, with video serving as the full record. A memo is forthcoming.