Oakland City Council Special Meeting – November 4, 2025
Oakland City Council Special Meeting – November 4, 2025
The Oakland City Council held a special concurrent meeting on November 4, 2025, at 9:00 AM. The agenda included a consent calendar with 28 items, a public hearing on the open space element extension, a proposed overhaul of council rules of procedure, a response to the Alameda County Civil Grand Jury report, and presentations from Caltrans on the Vision 980 and I-580 truck access studies. Key outcomes included approval of most consent items, adoption of the open space extension and grand jury response, and the failure of the proposed rules amendments after multiple substitute motions. Item 8 (27th Street Complete Streets contract) was pulled and rescheduled to December 2.
Consent Calendar
- The consent calendar included resolutions on local emergencies (AIDS, medical cannabis, homelessness), BID annual reports, airport warehouse lease, support for AB 1243 (Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act), OPD DNA backlog program, technology contracts, corridor safety ambassador grants, domestic violence awareness month, OPD fire range agreement, privacy commission appointments, asphalt paving materials contract, fire department side letter agreements, equal access to services report, 42nd/High Street I-880 access improvements, right-of-way repair fund, Lakeshore cul-de-sac parking restriction, San Antonio BART feasibility study, Home Key resolutions, Bonterra Tech contract, Urban Institute grant evaluation, conflicts of interest code amendments, community champions grant, OPD rental car contract, and two settlement/claim items.
- Vote: Passed 7-0-1 (Council President Jenkins excused). Councilmember Houston voted no on items 5.14 and 5.28; Councilmember Fife voted no on 5.14.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Multiple speakers supported the Make Polluters Pay resolution (item 5.7), including Barbara Ryan (representing a grandmothers’ coalition), Zoe Johnick (350 Bay Area Action), Rod Fujita (Indivisible East Bay), Quinn Ed, and Diana Curiel. They urged the council to back state legislation holding fossil fuel companies accountable for climate costs.
- Several speakers opposed the Saba Groceries Initiative claim (5.28), citing a July 2024 city auditor report documenting fraud, unauthorized payments, and misuse of funds. They requested the item be pulled from consent.
- On consent generally, public commenters criticized the lack of committee review for 12 items moved via Rule 24, the early meeting time, and the burden of special meetings.
- On the rules of procedure (Item 9), speakers expressed concern about reduced public participation, the 24-hour e-comment deadline, and the need for consistency.
- On the grand jury response (Item 10), representatives from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission requested the Measure Q portion be heard at a future public works committee meeting for fuller discussion.
- On the Caltrans reports (Item 3.1), one speaker questioned the effectiveness of racial equity assessments and the link to gentrification in West Oakland.
Discussion Items
- Item 6.1 – Open Space Element Extension: The council held a public hearing and adopted a resolution requesting a two-year extension from the state to update the Open Space Conservation and Recreation (OSCAR) element of the General Plan, as required by SB 1425. Staff confirmed no additional funding was needed. The motion passed 7-0-1.
- Item 9 – Council Rules of Procedure Amendments: Councilmember Ramachandran presented proposed changes to streamline meetings, including moving non-consent items earlier, creating a vice-chair option for committees, and adjusting the consent calendar pull procedure. After extensive debate and multiple substitute motions (to change meeting start time to 4:00 PM, 4:15 PM, etc.), all attempts to pass the amendments failed. The final vote on a motion to adopt the original proposal (with only the removal of the majority requirement for pulling consent items) resulted in a tie, and the mayor did not break the tie before the item was set aside. No resolution was adopted; existing rules remain in effect.
- Item 10 – Grand Jury Response: The council heard a staff presentation on the city’s proposed responses to the 2024-25 Alameda County Civil Grand Jury report regarding potholes, Measure Q funds, parking tickets on stolen vehicles, wildfire preparedness, and other issues. Councilmembers asked about hiring for public works, the definition of “extreme fiscal necessity” for Measure Q, and audit plans. The resolution authorizing the Council President to submit the responses passed 6-0-1.
- Item 3.1 – Caltrans Studies (Vision 980 & I-580 Truck Access): Originally scheduled as a special order but delayed, the council received an informational presentation from Caltrans on two studies: Vision 980 (reconnecting West Oakland) and I-580 Truck Access Study (assessing removal of truck weight restrictions). Caltrans outlined timelines, community engagement plans, and equity assessments. The council accepted the report by a 5-0-2 vote.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved (7-0-1), with no votes on items 5.14 and 5.28 from Councilmember Houston and 5.14 from Councilmember Fife.
- Open Space Extension: Adopted (7-0-1).
- 27th Street Complete Streets Contract (Item 8): Withdrawn from the agenda and rescheduled to the December 2 city council meeting on consent.
- Council Rules of Procedure (Item 9): Not adopted. All motions and substitute motions failed; the council will continue with current rules.
- Grand Jury Response (Item 10): Adopted (6-0-1).
- Caltrans Reports (Item 3.1): Received and filed.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning and welcome to the special concurrent meeting of the Oakland City Council. Before I call roll, I will go over speaker card instructions. If you would like to speak on any agenda any agenda item on this agenda, please fill out a speaker's card before the item is called or hour and a half from the start of this meeting. This meeting was called at nine AM. So that would be 10 30 AM this morning. You can fill out a speaker's card by going to the table at the front where the clerk representative is seated. If you're looking to fill out a card online, that time has passed as they were due 24 hours from the start of this meeting. Councilmember Fife. Councilmember Unger. Councilmember Wong. And Councilmember Ramachandron, who will be sharing this meeting? Showing five members present and three members excused. Your first item on this agenda is item three. I'm sorry, did you have any announcements today? No, happy election day after this meeting. If we haven't voted yet, that is an option to you. And starting with item three on special orders of the day. And correction we do have one speaker on this item. To the city administrator, should we wait for a speaker or we can come back to this? Okay, then in the next item we'll uh change the order and come back to this. Thank you. Noting we will come back to item 3.1 to item 4 modifications to the agenda procedural items. Thank you to the administration. I believe there's a change that you all would like to make. Through the chair. Uh yes, that we would request that the item be uh pulled for uh further consideration and vetting um at this time. Which which item item number 27 street. Yeah, the 27th Street. Uh item number eight, 27th Street, complete street uh construction award contract. Thank you. And I believe we need a full vote of council to officially pull this off. Um I will uh make the motion. And to the administration, is this to pull it off and put it on the pending list with no dates specific or move it to a future council meeting? Through the chair, we would request we move to a future council uh meeting, um, likely the next meeting um that you all have scheduled is at the 20th. So through the chair, the next city council meeting would be December 2nd. Second, thank you. So the vote would be to poll the item, and then there'd also be a scheduling motion for the full council would be scheduling this item to the December 2nd meeting on consent, yes. Through the chair to the city attorney, is there motion to pull the it to withdraw and reschedule to December 2nd? On consent. On consent. There was a motion to remove item eight on this agenda and schedule to December 2nd. I will read item eight. Item eight is the 27th Street Complete Streets Construction Contract Award. It was adopted resolution awarding a construction contract to regret construction for the 27th Street Complete Streets Project, project number 1003978, the lowest responsive responsible and responsive bidder in accordance with project plans, specifications and state requirements, with contractors bid in the amount of 10 million four hundred and eighteen thousand dollars. I'm sorry, eighteen thousand five hundred seventy-three dollars and fifty cents, and as opting appropriate sequel findings. There was a motion by council member Ramachandran, seconded by councilmember Brown to withdraw this item, reschedule it to December 2nd. Council and Madam Clerk. Um consent, I'm sorry. The body will still hear the speakers when we get to the I was gonna say that, yes. And just with with uh regular practice, as this item was removed in this meeting, we will still hear speakers on that item.
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