Good afternoon, everyone.

They're uh the community and economic development committee will start late today, and I apologize for the inconvenience that this may cause.

Hal, and we're all L'autre, Good afternoon, and welcome to the community economic committee meeting for today's date, November 18th.

The time is now one thirty pm, and this meeting has come to order.

Speaker cards were no longer being accepted ten minutes after this meeting has begun.

Councilmember Ramachandran.

Um, excellent.

Um, we'll welcome everyone to the community and economic development committee.

Um, given the number of speakers and all of our council committees starting now until the evening, being relatively impacted.

Um, first for this committee, we will uh limit um public comment to about one minute.

Um, thank you so much.

Thank you for that, Chair Brown.

Moving to item one.

There are no minutes to be approved as this meeting is a special meeting.

Moving to item two, which is the termination of schedule outstanding committee items, also known as your pending list.

Oh, I have announced it.

And we're gonna go back to council member council's announcements.

In addition, I also had one other announcement around the so calling your attention to the agenda and the order.

Um, given uh some uh requests, we are going to change the order so we will hear item number three, and then followed by item number five, then seven, four, and six.

Excellent.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Chair Brown.

Noting the agenda change items on the agenda that's changed.

Moving to item two, determination to schedule outstanding committee items, also known as your pending list, and there are no speakers for this item.

Excellent.

Thank you.

Um to the city administration.

Any changes on this administrator lake?

Thank you, Chair.

No changes at this time.

Okay, I'll make a motion to move this item.

Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you.

We have a motion made by Chair Brown, seconded by Councilmember Unger to accept the termination of schedule outstanding committee items as is on roll.

Councilmember Fife.

Aye.

Thank you.

Councilmember Ramatandran.

Aye.

Councilmember Onger.

Aye.

And Chair Brown.

Aye.

This motion passes with four eyes to accept the termination and schedule outstanding committee items as is.

Moving to item three.

Okay.

Adopt a resolution authorizing the city administrator to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the city of Piedmont establishing that the city of Piedmont will process planning entitlements in the building permits for the 551 square foot edition and remodel of an existing single family dwelling at 30 Blair Place, a property located at both jurisdictions and adopting appropriate California Environmental Quality Act findings, and you do have five speakers for this.

Two speakers for this item.

Excellent.

Thank you so much.

And so I believe for this item we will be hearing from uh Heather Klein.

Yes, good afternoon, Chair Brown and committee members.

Heather Klein with the Bureau of Planning.

This item is a request for the city administrator to enter into a memorandum of agreement or MOA with the City of Piedmont.

Establishing that Piedmont would be the lead agency in processing both planning entitlements and building permits for an addition as well as the interior remodel of a single family dwelling located at 30 Blair Place.

The property straddles the jurisdiction line at an angle, resulting in the majority of the lot being located in Piedmont.

By longstanding arrangement in these instances, if a city provides emergency municipal waste, school and voting services, that city generally takes over the processing of development permits.

In this case, these services are provided by Piedmont, and the majority of the addition is in Piedmont.

In the past, for projects straddling a city border, the Oakland City Council has adopted similar resolutions.

Based on the scope of the development and who provides the city services to the site, staff recommends that the CED committee for this resolution to the full city council in support of the City of Piedmont processing planning and building entitlements via an MOA.

I'm now available for questions, and so is the architect if you wish.

Thank you.

Excellent.

Thank you so much.

Relatively straightforward.

Colleagues, any questions before we go to public comment, so we can hear from the public speakers.

Oh, Councilmember Ramashandran.

Thank you.

Just a quick comment.

This is in my district, and we've been briefed by staff, and this is all good with us.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

And we can hear from the public speakers.

When I call your name, please approach the podium.

State your name for the record.

You do have one minute.

If you're participating via Zoom, please raise your hand so you're easily identified.

And we do take in-person speakers, then Zoom speakers.

Bradley Shuckart and Lara Gears Gearser.

And I apologize for mispronouncing your your name.

And I'm so sorry.

Um are you trying to comment on item number three that we're currently?

Okay.

So you would need to fill out a public comment card.

Let's see.

Okay.

I'm hearing that you um filled out your form for item number seven.

And so did you mean three?

If yes, you can speak.

Okay, thank you.

So any of the public speakers whose name have been called, um, please approach.

If not, we will move on.

That concludes your public speakers for item three.

Excellent.

Um I will entertain the motion on this item.

So moved.

Second.

We have a motion made by Councilmember Unger, seconded by councilmember five to approve the recommendations of staff and to forward this item to the December 2nd City Council agenda, and that is on consent.

On roll, Councilmember Five.

Aye.

Thank you, Councilmember Ramachandran.

Aye.

Councilmember Houston.

Councilmember Ungar.

Aye.

Thank you.

Count and Chair Brown.

Aye.

Thank you.

This motion passes with four ayes to ex to approve the recommendations of staff and forward this item to the December 2nd 2025 City Council agenda on consent.

Moving to item five.

Adopt the following pieces of legislation.

One, a resolution establishing economic aviation zones under the town a live program to support entertainment zones and responsible artificial intelligence, activation zones in the city of Oakland, bringing innovative programming to the public and community spaces.

Two authorize a city administrator to award negotiate and execute a grant agreement with Oakland Fund and Public Innovation, any amount not to exceed one million dollars to implement the town alive program for a two-year term from November 1st, 25 to October 31st, 27.

Two, an ordinance one, adding chapter 954 and Title Nine of the Oakland Municipal Code to establish and regulate entertainment zones pursuing SB 969 2024 to promote economic aviation.

Two making other making other conforming changes to sections 908 180 and 908190 and the Oakland Municipal Code three classifying an entertainment zone event in a tier two or tier three special event pursuant to chapter 952 of the Oakland Municipal Code and four adopt appropriate California Environmental Sequel Act findings and you do have 12 speakers for this item.

Excellent.

Thank you so much.

Um we do have a presentation for this item.

Um I will try to keep my remarks to 15 minutes.

So if you want to set the timer, and so while we are pulling that up, I'm super grateful for everyone that has showed up to speak on this item.

Um for many of you, you may be aware that prior to me taking this role, I had the opportunity to serve at the state level when this initial legislation around entertainment zones um was being brought by assembly member Matt Haney.

Um and so um knew really early on that I that uh Oaklanders could benefit from this type of activation here in the city.

And so during the city council budget process, it was a priority of mine along with my council colleagues to place a million dollars in the budget to really try to bring this to life.

And so I'm super excited for all of the work that we've I've myself, my team have been able to put into this initiative.

And so we're gonna roll through all of the attachments that you'll find in the agenda packet packet that showcases what this initiative is planning to bring to Oakland.

And so I did want to start first by just acknowledgement of just all the amazing partnership on this initiative.

So Economic and Workforce Development, the Office of the City City Attorney, so uh Nari Chan, as well as Brian Mulrie, super grateful for your leadership in assisting with the ordinance, Oakland's Department of Transportation, Planning and Building, Oakland Police Department, and the Office of the City Administrator.

And then the entertainment zone partners, a part of the pilot, Port of Oakland, Jack London Improvement District, Uptown Downtown Arts and Entertainment District, Broadway Valdez, North Lake District, as well as the Timiscal bid.

And the responsible AI partners, Laney College, Mills at North and Eastern, Unity Council, Caper Foundation, and the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation.

And so what you see in your agenda packet will be the following that we'll be voting on.

Establish four pilot entertainment zones, create AI activation zones, as well as entertainment zone implementation and requirement, award a $1 million grant to Oakland Fund for Public Innovation to facilitate the Town Alive initiative, and it also requires an informational report in October/slash November of next year to really measure the findings and help to potentially ensure that this program is something that is sustained within the city of Oakland.

And so this afternoon, I'm going to be walking through both of the parameters for economic activation zones, both entertainment zones and responsible AI activation zones.

And so starting first with entertainment zones, this is quite exciting because we're the legislation brought about by, you know, state legislation is meant to activate commercial corridor streets and plaza activations to create family-friendly programming.

A key component of the legislation is enabled by SB 969 that has to do with supporting restaurants and bars around to go alcohol sales as well as reoccurring events to increase foot traffic and encourage ongoing support of our businesses in the various corridors.

And so more specifically, just for everyone's awareness, the SB 969 legislation requires a city to designate locations, types of alcohol zone hours.

Have to be 21 and up, and there are special regulatory cups that need to be purchased as well.

And then most importantly, any verified entertainment zone within the city of Oakland must receive the approval and feedback from local law enforcement about any of the above details and any potential health and safety impacts.

And just quickly, I do want to go over the legislative landscape.

So San Francisco was the first to launch the pilot program about a year and a half ago, started with four locations.

And as of last week, they are now up to 21 locations.

Some of those include the Chase Center, Valencia Street, Front Street, as well as Fisherman Fisherman's Wharf.

You'll find that in their detailed management plan, they all are activating these entertainment zones in various ways.

And then as of 2025, Santa San Jose, Santa Monica, and Sacramento have all moved forward with the establishment of entertainment zones, which is very exciting.

And Oakland is next.

And so, as far as for the pilot zone, entertainment zone locations, some key things that were really important as we, and you know, I as I, you know, I I've worked on this uh proposals for since the summer, uh following the budget into the fall, and um I think many of you know that there are a handful of um uh renditions, if you would, of where we wanted these pilot locations to be.

Um, but the the list really got narrowed down uh very quick quickly because for a few factors.

Um the SB 969 actually requires a specific ABC license in order to activate an entertainment zone.

And so a key criteria of activating this legislation, there has to be a concentration of bars and restaurants that serve alcohol.

Um the other key factor that we took into consideration was that the potential entertainment zone lead has a strong track record of hosting similar events in the neighborhood, as well as the as well as the geography as well, uh uh a low impact to public transit and other traffic measures such as street closures, and another key component also had to do with public safety and really getting that sign off from OPD around you know what kind of support they would be able to lend, and even if the said entertainment zone, you know, were already operating with private security, for example.

Um, and so a part of the pilot zone locations, you have Jack London District, both including the square and in the outside parameter to support those restaurants.

Uh, this this zone.

Um, if anyone is interested, um uh Santa Monica had also has their Santa Monica Pier, and when you look on their website, you'll see just how detailed uh they got for their entertainment zone, and I believe that Jack London could mirror that given its waterfront and so many of the businesses have been really asking for support in and around the area.

In addition, also the Broadway Valdez, North Lake area.

Um, as many of you know, in committee, we recently changed the zoning in this area, um, trying to ensure that more of the retail space in this area instead of the vacant storefronts, really trying to activate that space.

So this was an amazing candidate for the entertainment zone.

Um, in addition, um just the proven track record of the events that have been occurring in the Timiscal District, and also uh outreach and interest in this initiative and wanting to be a part of a pilot, given that you know, when you're a part of a pilot, you are the first to do this thing, and so there's so much really on your shoulders as far as getting this up and running and and being activated.

Um, and then lastly, um we were able to uh the uptown downtown arts and entertainment district, um, as was mentioned very loudly, was uh was amongst the first to be called an entertainment district and zone over a decade ago, and so it's only fitting that they are part of the pilot.

Um, and so um, so many questions that I've received is hey, we want to be an entertainment zone.

And so one clear thing to note is that any neighborhood commercial corridor in the city of Oakland can become an entertainment zone, as mentioned at the onset, uh San Francisco started uh about a year and a half ago with only four locations, and as of last week, they are now up to 21, which I think is just quite beautiful.

Um, and so in becoming an entertainment zone, once we pass this legislation, that will be really key.

Um any said you know, stakeholder can contact their council member, uh economic workforce development, and then all additional entertainment zones does require approval by ordinance, and then the other most important thing, even with the passing of today's piece of legislation, all pilot locations and all future entertainment zones must work closely with EWD to develop a comprehensive management plan that's focused on a handful of things.

I will go over on the next slide.

And upon completing the detailed management plan that requires engagement with multiple stakeholders, then at that point you can apply for entertainment zone funding because you will have an entire lay of the land of what it will take to pilot this in your in your area.

And so what is a management plan?

This is a tailored plan for each entertainment zone lead that establishes location-specific requirements, operations, public health, public safety during the events.

And so this is produced in partnership with EWD, OPD, Oak Dot, Oakland Public Works, and any other relevant department.

So want to make clear that even with the pilot locations that are listed today, they still need to generate this detailed management plan in order for the entertainment zone to take off.

And so once again, management plan is the entertainment zone lead and the participating businesses will provide to EWD the programming vision, location, hours, noticing, health and safety measures, age verification, there are specific cup requirements, and all applicable permits.

Just wanted to note, and this is open to the public, that with all the entertainment zones that have been established regionally, you notice that they're all different.

So Front Street, for example, their entertainment zone, you know, is listed as Wednesday through Saturday, but Front Street is known for their first Thursday event, and that's really kind of what they've been focusing and concentrating on.

I did think that an interesting outlier is the Valencia Street Entertainment Zone in San Francisco.

This is one that is noticed for seven days a week, noon to midnight, how however not publicized, and that is a group of merchant businesses that put that one together.

And that is one of the 21 that is actually detailed in that manner.

And then more frequent than not, most of the entertainment zones are mainly a couple days a week between a limited time frame.

I would note that in our ordinance, we did not push any boundaries, where we could have said, you know, till midnight, but we kept everything in line with just being till 10.

And so once again, next steps for pilot locations to establish initial proof of concept, additional commercial corridors added in 2026 in partnership with lead organization, council member EWD requires passing an ordinance and development of a management plan.

And so that's the entertainment zone piece, and now to just talk very high level about the responsible AI zones, which is quite exciting.

And so ultimately, this will be one of the first AI activation zones in the state of California.

So that's big.

This is set to energize our economic revitalization, strengthen youth and workforce development, transform city services, as well as change the narrative for the city of Oakland.

We've also in the agenda packet, you will find the city's values as it relates to responsible AI, but this is what they are in short, has everything to do with inclusive access, fairness and accountability, community engagement, transparency and privacy, as well as workforce development.

And so the goal of the responsible AI activation zones is about hosting the conversation, whether it be at by conferences, so AI and supporting small business, AI in local government, the list goes on community education, civic tech, internships, and business development.

And so a part of the initial launch is Laney Community College, being one of the first in the state of California to have an applied AI program, which is absolutely amazing.

And for this zone, it already anchors near uh the Oakland Museum, who's already doing amazing programming, as well as the newly reopened Henry J.

Kaiser Center.

So there's a lot of activation there, and so we look forward to piloting AI innovation days and community education programming.

And for anyone who attended, I think it was earlier in the year, the AI hackathon, that was an amazing showcase of youth talent and trying to solve a lot of the big issues impacting the city of Oakland.

In addition, we're proud to partner with Mills at Northeastern that currently hosts a bridge to AI program, working closely with OUSD students, as well as being a partner in the city's AI working group to help develop those AI principles that I just showed shared on the slide and also in your agenda packet and already doing transformational work with our business community and supporting them.

And so this ensures that all across the city of Oakland will have access to this, being that Mills at North Northeastern is located in East Oakland.

And so they will be a key partner for professional conferences, civic tech pilots, as well as community education programming.

And then lastly, for the last eight years, the Unity Tech Hub located within this uh the Fruitville Transit Village has been leading out with the partnership with Google, helping teach our young people, AI workforce development skills and overall tech skills.

And so they have also joined in as a partner here to assist with workforce and business development programming uh mid-2026.

And so those are our program partners for the responsible AI zones, and you'll notice that those are situated uh throughout the city of Oakland.

And so lastly, we are proud, in addition to be partnering both with the K-Pour Foundation, who is leading out in this tech space, and then the physical sponsor of this work and this programming will be the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation, and they will also be leading out in fundraising to ensure that the we can have a program that is sustainable.

And so the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation, you know, their mission and aim is to really uh ensure that the new ideas that we have internally within local government, uh, that we can pilot these and and bring these new strategies to Oaklanders and and really bring the vision forward.

Um, and so they will be the physical sponsor for city funding for both entertainment zones, AI activation zones, entertainment zone event grant management, AI activation zone project management, program design, development, and evaluation, as well as fundraising.

And so, lastly, this slide just really showcases just based on direct feedback.

I'll start with the first line.

So for entertainment zones, as mentioned, we are starting off with with four uh pilot locations, and so what we're really focused on is ensuring that uh the proof of concept and that we can actually move forward effectively, and so you'll notice that there is uh a small amount of funding in the first year for entertainment zones to ensure that economic and workforce development can really take uh take the needed time on those management plans with the entertainment zones to bring this vision to life, and then um kind of already mentioned I know that so many of you are interested in becoming an entertainment zone.

Then in year two, we'll have more funding for that initiative.

Um, we'll also be supporting our AI activation zones in the first year, so that also in year two, we we will see uh those of that vision and that programming come to life.

Um, and then all of this effort as mentioned is gonna be led by the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation, who will bring on a project manager to facilitate this work and then small administrative costs to get those grants out the door from Oakland Fund for Public Innovation.

Um so that's just really um what's uh try my best to summarize everything that is in the agenda packet.

Um, and so of course, if there's any questions or comments, please do not hesitate uh to reach out to my office.

Um, and um we'll definitely open up for questions or comments, but uh I would love to hear from the public comment uh public speakers first.

Thank you, Chair.

Going to our public speakers.

When I call your name, please approach the podium in no particular order, state your name for the record.

And if you're participating via Zoom, please raise your hand so you're easily identified.

We will take in-person speakers before we take Zoom speakers.

Isaac Cosred, Cosary, excuse me, Sharon Lay, David Boatwright, Kyla Munjing, Kyra Munging, Mangia, Mangia, thank you, Nikki Lowie, Tristan Bogulov.

I do apologize for mispronouncing your last name.

Daniel Swarford.

Richard.

Richard Ng.

Tuan Dong.

Josephine Guzman, Stephanie Tran, Nigel Jones, and Peter Nye.

And please state your name for the record.

Thank you.

You have one minute.

Isaac Cos Reed, D2 resident and business owner, also founder of Salsa by the Lake and Outdoor Lake Merit Dance Activation that's been around for about 15 years.

And I rise in support of this legislation.

It's absolutely fantastic to see the city making moves around economic development.

It's kind of the missing piece of the puzzle.

We're rebuilding, we're turning the corner, and I think economic development is our path forward.

The entertainment zones will be great.

The four zones will really help activate those parts of the city, and I candidly I hope help deactivate some of those parts of the cities that have been overrun by activity that isn't as well coordinated.

And then also I think the AI zones, the city needs to be on the cusp of this amazing new technology that's changing the world.

And I think this will be a way to help uh give that a sense of place, right?

Because right now AI is somewhere in the cloud.

Here we need to give it a place, a responsible place, a place with deep social values like Oakland has.

And so I'm very excited to help uh manifest and implement this going forward in partnership with the city.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, City Council.

Uh, my name is Sharon Lai.

I am the Chief Strategy Officer at the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation.

Uh I am here to speak in favor of this really exciting program.

Uh my actual former job, I was working in economic development and activating downtown San Francisco.

So really good to see this being expanded here.

Uh, just want to encourage this uh councils to consider expanding it into areas where you already have community partners like Ebaltsey that are also planning on investing in community and economic development.

One of our core pillars of work, other than affordable housing is actually in economic development.

We do a lot of small business support, including technical assistance, concessions to make sure that small businesses can thrive in Oakland.

Uh we currently have about 100 commercial uh tenants within our portfolio in the city, and uh we would love to be partners in this.

We are already planning on investing in uh Chinatown in uh Swans Market, which is one of our properties, as well as Preservation Park in downtown Oakland, and we would love to see uh partnership and amplification in this cross-sector partnership.

Uh, we can't do it a lot.

Thank you for your comment.

David Boatride, District 4.

Uh, three questions or clarifications.

I assume 100% of this funding comes from the city, and uh it's not clear what happens in these future developments.

So million dollars covers four.

What does it cost for each additional uh entertainment zone, and uh what kind of entertainment is gonna be allowed in these areas?

I didn't see any examples in the in the presentation.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Council, Kira Mungia, District 6 resident.

Uh I am here with the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation.

The Oakland Fund is the aims to be the city's public sector innovation partner.

We pilot, evaluate, and de-risk new ideas before ideally they transition back into the city into permanent operations or policy.

We are here to help you all bring this vision to life to move this quickly, stand it up, manage grants, contract with partners, and adjust operations without the usually longer lead time required by cities by the city's administrative structure.

Council pres uh council chair Brown, you already talked about our role, but happy to answer any other questions you may have.

We are excited to bring this vision to life and to support you all with your work.

Thank you.

Uh good afternoon, Chair and uh members of the committee.

Uh, my name is Nikki Lowy.

I'm the director of social impact at Northeastern University in Oakland on the historic home of Mills College.

Uh, as one of uh as Oakland's first R1 research university, uh, we are deeply honored uh to be designated as one of the city's AI activation zones along Laney College and the Unity Council's Unity Tech Hub.

This designation reflects our commitment to equitable access to AI education and economic opportunity.

The responsible AI activation zones will allow every Oaklander to benefit from the growth of the AI industry through work equitable access to education, workforce development, and small business resources.

Over the last year, we've already demonstrated this commitment through initiatives such as the Bridge to AI program, workshops, conferences, and support for the AI working group, and are so excited to have this vision align with this legislation.

Every Oakland student and every business owner should have access to AI education.

Thank you so much for this initiative.

Afternoon, Council.

Is community action chair for the chair to the public speakers.

Please state your name for the record.

Sorry, Tristan McGullow.

As community action chair for the associated students of Northeastern Oakland, I would like to endorse Council Members Brown's initiative to support responsible artificial intelligence activation zones.

Thousands of students nationwide attend Northeastern University computer science programs today with often with concentrations in artificial intelligence.

It has been nationally recognized as one of our best most growing programs.

Our university has been focused very strongly on sustainability and ethics regarding AI, holding grounding for future development.

In my time here, I've spoken with dozens of computer science students.

They are some of the most hardworking people I've ever met in my life with drive put into every opportunity about for learning about and working with AI in new ways.

Building a stronger relationship with the city through public innovation and economic development would not only enable new opportunities for students but a greater positive influence the campus can have in Oakland.

Let's build greater cooperative measures and let's let us help build sustainable economic growth to the city.

Hello, Richard and thank you, members.

My name is Richard Ng and I manage a program called Indigidao.

We work uh with indigenous communities and look at how emerging technologies can create community governed and owned systems.

Uh my comment is regarding the AI economic zones and to talk about the community's role in the development design and governance of these zones and the future models as well.

Specifically, what does data and digital sovereignty look like?

I think if there is the opportunity to create more infrastructure around this, the AI models that could be tied into this could be tied into enterprise models.

So I want to encourage the committee to explore what hyper-local language models look like, what does local compute look like as well to tools such as data trust and other tools that ensure the systems will be deployed and governed and owned by the community.

We advise a lot on community visioning and engagement sessions.

Happy to see that's going to be happening, and to really have the community understand what the impact of these zones will be, what does it mean for their economic opportunities and also their overall welfare?

Thank you, committee.

Good afternoon.

My name is Twan Nguyen.

I'm uh the department chair of AI department at Laney College.

I do support Council Lady Rowena Browns on the economic zones.

In particular, I really like I really like to call for more collaboration between the city and Lenny College.

I'm thinking Lenny College should be the center of AI because we are the Bay Area AI Center of Excellence, serving the interests of 28 colleges in the regions.

Oakland is my home.

Lenny College is my home.

I would like to think more of it.

My long-term plan is to offer a bachelor's degree in apply AI and machine learning.

Currently, there are only three community colleges in the nation that offer the bachelor's degree in apply AI.

And Lenny College would be one.

We are working hard.

We have to save uh in terms of financial uh saving and support.

I hope that Oakland City can support us too.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

My name is Nigel Jones, and I am the owner of Calabash Restaurant.

And I'm definitely here a hundred percent in support of this initiative.

And um, so I'd like to just you know provide a little context as a business person here in Oakland and been grinding and out.

And so I'm happy to see the city council and the city in general leaders joining the businesses rolling up your sleeves and trying to make it happen versus what we would hear is that resources are limited.

We can do so much.

So you have to invest, and this is an investment.

The city does not have any um ball um, you know, sporting good teams.

We don't have anchor stores, we don't have oil, and we don't have tech here.

But what we do have is robust culture and small businesses that are driving the economic growth.

So um, you know, we've been doing it on our own out of our own pockets with our friends and family and sometimes at great costs in terms of trying to stand up.

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Stephanie Tran, president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce.

Uh, we're here to express our support for the economic entertainment and AI zone.

This is an important step towards revitalizing our commercial corridors, supporting small businesses, and expanding equitable access to innovation and workforce opportunities in Oakland.

At the same time, I want to express our disappointment that Chinatown was not included the initial pilot zones as um as Oakland's oldest and most culturally significant um districts.

Chinatown urgently needs these tools to increase foot traffic, support cultural programming, and strengthen our small business community.

That being said, Chinatown Chamber also represents businesses and partners across multiple neighborhoods, and we understand the importance of establishing these zones so that we can scale it citywide.

So we respectfully urge the council members to move this legislation forward.

We also um request that the city also work with the Chinatown Chamber and our community partners to ensure that we would be considered in future phases, and thank you, council member Brown for your uh vision and leadership.

Good afternoon, everyone.

I am Josephine Gusman, public policy manager for the Oakland Metro Chamber of Commerce.

I'm here to express our full support for the Town Alive Initiative, which offers a creative strategy needed to re-energize our neighborhoods and economy.

We strongly support the city's commitment to start with targeted pilot programs, which is critical to learn from early implementation and grow the program based on real world experiences, especially in areas that need support the most, which allows the city to test what works and make data informed adjustments and expand it responsibly.

In our most recent chamber poll, we learned that more than 90% of people support small businesses to open new businesses, and more than 80% support attracting technology companies to Oakland.

Uh, this said this responsibility, this initiative aligns with what Oaklanders want, what small businesses need, and what the city must prioritize to restore economic vitality, activate public spaces, and strengthen community well-being.

I'm Peter Moey, I'm the founder of Fix It Clinic.

We hold repair events in all of the public libraries in Oakland and um makerspaces now.

Our work is becoming more and more around digital literacy, digital equity, and digital inclusion.

Along those lines, I want to present to you an X Chromebook.

These are school district Chromebooks that have been converted away from being Google uh Chrome specific to being now cloud devices.

I mean devices that basically anyone can use as a portal perhaps to AI.

So what I'm offering, for example, is that we can offer every resident of Oakland, one of these devices as a teaching tool.

And we're set up right now to start distributing these.

I mean, and obviously you have to make both sides of the market.

If you tell me you need 20,000 tomorrow, I'll have trouble.

But um, they're available.

The school districts are e-wasting these by the hundreds of thousands.

Uh, Oakland Unified School District, you wasted 28,000 Chromebooks three years ago.

So let's figure out a way to keep these devices in place in service in our communities, building wealth and bridge the digital equity, digital inclusion, digital literacy, and digital sovereignty divide.

Thank you.

Hi, I'd like to respectfully request that my comment be submitted to the public record.

I put my request over there, and I just want to make sure that it's there.

State your name for the record.

Oh, sure.

It's Candida Haynes.

Thank you.

So my name is Candida Haynes, and I've lived in Oakland for nine years supporting small businesses and holding the community in care.

My passion is workforce transformation and opportunity for marginalized people.

As a registered sole proprietor, I am also a very small business myself.

It is extremely important to support very small businesses, and I'm hoping that there will be opportunities for very small businesses to benefit from activation zones, either through direct contracts or partnerships with larger partners.

I'd also like clarity around what it means for what activation zones mean for community centers, as I live about a block away from one.

And they might not be for-profit businesses, but they might also be activated to support the bars and restaurants in our neighborhood.

Thank you for your comment, Miss Candida.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Councilmember Brown and committee members.

My name is Petra Brady.

I am the Director of Community Engagement and membership for the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce.

I wanted to come today to show our support from the chamber about the AI and entertainment initiatives, and I wanted to remind you that even though there are five chambers and one Oakland, Oakland African American Chamber has done some of these things already.

We've already had an AI workshop at Northeastern University, and we have started doing a few activities that are kind of like entertainment zones.

So I just wanted to keep our chamber at top of mind and let you know that we are here to support you and to advocate for our businesses.

Thank you.

Chair Brown, members of the committee, my name is Daniel Swafford for the record.

I work in service to three of uh Oakland's business improvement districts, uh Laurel, Montclair, and Temescal, and I'm here to speak in support of the item.

On behalf of Laurel and Montclair, we're excited for the opportunity to apply as soon as the window opens and understand the importance of setting a solid foundation uh with a pilot program.

On behalf of the Temascal District, we appreciate the opportunity to pilot uh the Temascal just was renewed for its third decade as a BID and has hosted uh hundreds of events over those years.

Uh my management team in particular uh uh produces about 50 public events uh each year.

Uh so we uh relish the opportunity to create safe spaces for the arts and culture uh for the community uh in particular the entertainment zones.

Uh we recognize how powerful that is in transforming small businesses, supporting their success and supporting the arts of Oakland.

Thank you.

That concludes your public speakers for item five.

Okay, excellent.

Um, and so just for uh my colleagues' awareness, I know that um leadership from Planning and building are here in the room, as well as director um of economic and workforce development, and perhaps on online should be a representative from OPD as well, just in case you all have any questions specific um for them, and then as well as many of the partners uh that are named in this legislation are also here.

So at this time, I'll take any questions or comments.

Yes, thank you, and thank you for all the speakers who came out to lend your voices to this item today.

I will share that I'm a little disappointed I didn't see any of my bid shares.

Three out of the four activation zones that are mentioned in this legislation all fall within district three.

And unfortunately, I just got to see this legislation publicly when everyone else did.

So we didn't have to, we didn't get that deep community engagement where I could actively answer questions about this legislation as I would have liked to.

I hope moving forward, there is a reflection of my district's representation in this work.

As you know, I've been meeting now, especially with the uptown-downtown folks for several years since I've been elected, and some voices feel that they've been left out of this conversation.

I think it's important that we move forward with these entertainment zones.

I think there needs to be a lot more education on the AI space because it's a little confusing to people about what exactly that will do.

But I have very specific questions about public safety, especially with some of the incidents that we've been experiencing in the uptown-downtown area and some of the other areas that are mentioned in this legislation, but more so uptown-downtown, because that's where we're seeing an uptick and some violence that doesn't exist in some of these other spaces.

So that said, I would uh I do have very specific questions about how this funding will be allocated.

There is a table in the legislation in the packet, but I want to get a better understanding of the ongoing costs and when this pilot will be um uh analyzed after we get through the next.

I don't know if it's in the next um budget year or the 2027 budget, but I have to say that with the limited amount of funds, it this does raise questions about how they can be effectively used.

So I have questions about how the funds that are set aside for the activation zones will be be distributed amongst all of the different groups that are listed, and I can go through all of my questions or I can go through them one by one.

Um so, yes, I want to understand how the funds can be uh will be allocated and what ways will they impact the businesses because there's four pilot zones, and I have questions about how additional zones will be added, particularly with the $350,000 not being used for programming.

So, because off the top there's $350,000 that goes to administrative cost to Oakland Fund for Public Innovation for them to hire a program manager.

I want to understand how the rest of those funds will be used and how specifically will they be allocated to these four pilot zones, and then what if one of the zones identified in the pilot?

One or a few of them don't want to participate in the pilot.

Um, what do we do then?

Um, how are we engaged with the Jack London bid?

If there's some tension in Jack London Square around the major developer and their prohibition on alcohol.

Um, so I want to understand that.

I also want to understand what the plan is for extended.

Well, who is the target?

Is it for families?

Because I'm hearing different things from different people.

Are we trying to activate space for multi-use for families, or will it be later into the evening with adult use?

Because if we're extending open um to go alcohol um opportunities, uh, I just want some more clarity about that.

And um, I'll I'll end there.

I think that was quite a few questions.

Okay, thank you so much for the the questions.

Um hopefully I made note of all of them, but I want to start first from the top with your concerns around public safety and some of the outlined areas.

Um, and so in kind of direct conversation um with OPD, um, one of the things that was a part of uh determining the criteria was whether or not you know said entertainment zone, you know, actually funded private security or had ambassadors to kind of help support.

And so originally, you know, I kind of went to OPD with a long list of potential activations as I was, you know, really wanting to spread this program equitably across the entire city of Oakland.

And it just became really apparent that you know, even in seeing some of our other partners regionally as they pilot this program, there was no precedent for pilots being more than four locations.

So had to really narrow that down.

And so as I was kind of mentioning in the detailed management plan that is required for each entertainment zone lead, the said entertainment zone will need to uh work closely on that management plan with EWD to establish what will be the programming.

And so, for example, when we think about the uptown-downtown arts and entertainment zone, um we're we're gonna be focused on the hours of like four to eight to really support the restaurants and uh businesses uh during that time and not really pressing the boundaries of you know 10 or midnight where we see a lot of the you know between midnight and 4 a.m.

where we see a lot of the negative activity uh occurring.

So we're we were really intentional around ensuring that um you know uh these events aren't going into the into the late hours, and then to your point around you know, entertainment.

So there's a component of the state legislation, and it's quite clear that this is enabling uh to go alcohol sales within a parameter of a location.

So not only are we encouraging those who live in and out in and around the area to frequent restaurants, bar and bars in the zone, but depending on the type of programming that you know the entertainment zone will initiate, it will be quite broad, to be honest, right?

So let's just say, and and and and you know, the truth of the matter, and and director candidate I would invite you to come up because even in the passing of this ordinance, and you'll notice that most of the funding allocation is actually in year two because um EWD still needs to program out the city of Oakland's um you know management plan template as well as the questionnaire and other items, and so um, and then but following this the passing of this ordinance, um, all of those named in the pilot will begin working closely with EWD to plan the programming, and so you know, any of the the pilot locations, they could opt in to, you know, as I mentioned as an example, second Thursdays only, between three and seven.

Um, but that would be up to that specific entertainment zone.

Um, but Director Kenneth, did you want to um offer some additional insights?

I know we we were engaging on this for some time, and and we still have much work to do as far as um bringing it to life.

Um thank you.

Good afternoon, Ashley Canett, Director of Economic and Workforce Development.

This is very much a pilot.

We're seeing the success of these entertainment zones in other cities across California, and wanting to take advantage of the legislation to the extent possible.

So we're all learning as we go from a staff perspective as the implementers of this legislation.

Should it pass, we know that our responsibility will be to come up with a robust um mechanism for interacting with the applicants who are designated as the um folks who can speak on behalf of the entertainment zones, will prepare a template and prepare a management plan, and that management plan while the legislation really sets the broad parameters of what are allowed in the entertainment zone, sets the boundaries.

The management plan is where the details will be worked out and where the requirements for private security will be identified, the requirements for the to go cups and all of those deep the hours of operation, the type of entertainment, all of that will be worked out in the management plan.

And we're um our intention is to develop a template so that it's a um more straightforward and um equitable process for entertainment zones.

But that work is ahead of us.

We have not done that yet, and so when we look at the allocation of funding, it makes sense in my mind that more would be in the second year, so that we have time to put together that programming or the work to set up the management plans.

Excellent.

Thank you so much.

And I know that one of the uh questions that council member Fife had was around uh how we add additional zones.

Um I think you spoke a little bit to that, because as was mentioned, you know, a lot of the outreach we've received is we want to be an entertainment zone, and so uh just really working through that we're starting this pilot now.

Um but even in passing the ordinance uh uh local air local um chambers, could they also begin to be in conversation with their council member in in with the office of EWD to figure out what are these parameters that they should be making sure that they have in order in an effort to kind of put them in line, if you would to be a part of the pilot.

I think so.

I'm eager to establish what those management plans are going to look like so that collectively we understand all the components of the plan.

I think that will be the best indicator to future potential economic zones of what will be required to be an entertainment zone.

Not only does it need to be established by the boundaries need to be established by legislation, but we're also looking for capacity of organization.

We're looking to make sure we have the restaurants and the bars that the assets there, they'll be the ones with the ABC licenses, for example.

So the infrastructure really needs to be in place in order for these to be successful.

Um so I think taking all of that into account, and then once we have the template for the management plan, I think that will be really we'll start to have very clear communication about what uh a successful entertainment zone can look like.

Excellent, sounds good.

And then one of the questions here is um who is the target audience, and so it's you know, folks who want to, you know, upon publicizing said event, you know, the target the target target audience.

I think we see it all the time where you have families that are coming out with their kids but also wanting to partake in alcoholic beverages, or even just folks that are out and wanting to be on the scene at the various restaurants, going here, going there, and so what we're really doing is opening up a space for that vibrant activity to occur.

Um, and I think that um just in my research, especially a lot of the activation zones that are in San Francisco, each one is different, and each one brings their own um kind of method and um their their understanding of what they want an entertainment zone to be.

As I mentioned in my remarks, the the Valencia Street example is actually one that's a hundred percent targeted on getting folks into the restaurants that are on Valencia Street, whereas the total opposite is true around Front Street.

That one is a hundred percent engagement around the activity that is happening on that day, right?

Um, and so I imagine that um, you know, everyone who's listening to us activating these entertainment zones, your vision and what you may want to bring to it, that that is a part of the work that the management plan that will be developed, and so each entertainment zone can be different in how and how we how it comes to life.

Um, and I think maybe lastly, the question that you asked was around the funding allocation.

Um, maybe more specifically around just the role of Oakland Fund for Public Innovation.

Um, in our long conversations, uh kind of working to bring this program to life.

It really became clear that we needed to um we want to make sure that this funding gets into the hands of those who are doing this event planning and trying to activate our spaces in Oakland, and we know that unfortunately sometimes uh the funding going out of the door within the city of Oakland can be slow.

And so that was one of the main reasons why we tap the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation to help support with getting those dollars out to uh to the community, and then the the reason why we have slated here a program manager for a couple reasons, because they're gonna be charged with um maintaining and getting the funding out of the door for the entertainment zones, both in year one and year two, and then for the programming relative to AI activation zones, supporting Mills at Northeastern when it comes to conferences as well as their bridge to AI program, supporting Laney Community College with their tech innovation fairs, and as well as supporting the Unity Council with their Unity Tech Hub as well.

And so, and then and also take note in the packet that in year two, the rest of the amount to support these initiatives will all be fundraised for.

So it's a small bucket in the first year.

For a program that as I was kind of talking to community members about, one of the biggest questions and takeaway takeaways was hey, how do we sustain this program past the two-year past the two two-year budget?

And so that is really one of the questions that we still need to address.

But hopefully, Councilmember Fife.

Yeah, I just I want to be clear that I'm not asking about the need to have a nonprofit provider to manage funds because I know they tend to be you know really slow when they come from the city of Oakland.

My concern is that there is a limited pot of money.

Off the top, it's $350,000 that will not be going to our businesses because we need someone to facilitate these grants, right?

So off the top, we're gonna take 125,000 per year for the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation to hire someone to manage this process for two years.

And then we have to pay uh a 10%, it's a typical fee for nonprofit administration, but it's a 125,000 per year for the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation to hire someone, then it's another $100,000 for them to administer the program, so that's less money going to our businesses for these activations.

Then I wasn't I didn't get a clear answer on how much do these four zones is the rest split amongst those zones, and then do they have to pay for all of the how many activations do you think can happen out of that what's left over?

Do the math for me, the math geniuses over here.

Yeah, so if and if I can just chime in, um, and and I think that that's really gonna be determined, like how much money each entertainment zone receives will be determined as a result of them completing the the management plan, right?

So one of the things is around uh the special cups that each business actually has to purchase in order to be a part of this program, right?

So there's a fee associated with that.

We also want to ensure that they are not paying out of pocket for the special event permitting, right?

Um, and so ultimately one of the things that the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation and that program manager will be tasked.

That's why it says specifically that upon completing the management plan, they will know exactly how much it will cost to do this programming, and so they will apply for event funding.

And so that was one thing that is still, you know, really TBD.

So, you know, we know that an event plan, one event in the city of Oakland, it could easily be at minimum $15,000, and it can go up.

And so um, so to answer your question specifically, um, you know, each entertainment zone lead in that first year has access to that 100,000 a hundred thousand dollars to for the first year um to do said event and programming, and then in year two, it the rest of the funds will be open to additional um stakeholders that are becoming entertainment zones.

So there's no direct there's no specific answer, but we know that in partnership with um EWD, they will help outline: hey, how much are these fees?

And so that's why the partnership will be so important between Oakland Fund for Public Innovation as well as EWD to bring this this program and this vision to life.

Um can't do it without one another.

And I would just show I would also just uplift one last thing that, you know, I I got to have a lot of conversations with you know some of the cities that have activated this program.

And within our city, we have one person who is managing a lot of these special permits.

And so in San Francisco, who now has 21 entertainment zones, they have two people working on entertainment zones within the city, and we just have one.

And so I think that we're gonna need some some grace as far as like really getting this program uh off the ground.

Okay.

Well, I because I don't want to spend the whole CED committee on this one item.

Um this does illustrate for me that there are so many questions because it sounds like if the four zones each get a hundred thousand dollars in the first year, and uh activations run anywhere from ten thousand to a hundred thousand dollars, they might be able to do maybe one or a couple activations, and especially if they have to purchase um, you know, have private security for one, and and I heard you say um, you know, four to eight for the uptown-downtown um location.

I want to articulate to the public that out of the four zones, again, three are in my district in district three, um, two of them are in the same bid.

So we have the North Lake, which is not necessarily a business improvement district, that's inside of the uptown-downtown district.

So that seems like it should be one effort, and um, but again, there are a lot of questions to be had.

The last thing I I will just end with is that I think this needs more conversation with a lot of the businesses that have um reached out to me and in my district that wanted to help inform this legislation that don't feel that they've been heard by the city of Oakland for the entire time that I've been in office, and many of these organizations are around the Paramount, the Fox, and some of those areas.

Um, and I I want to make sure that this is tailored for the organizations who are there, and what they have consistently articulated to me over the last five years is that we desperately need help just to hang on, and this feels like a very top-down approach where they in the uptown downtown North Lake area, they need basic services like trash pickup, graffiti removal, um, and what they've been really banging on is an after hours support because that's when a lot of the violence occurs.

That's when there doesn't seem to be police response for emergencies, and several there have been several incidents, like it was the hottest summer, and it's been a hot winter that people just have not expected, and I want to know that whatever dollar that we put out, if it's one or one million, it goes to what the businesses are asking for, and that they feel like they're a part of the process, and um again, everybody wants entertainment zones, it's the the but the devil is in the details, and we're not getting to those details quite yet.

I know there's a management plan, but we're having to pay different sources to manage these things, and I don't want to seem like I'm pouring cold water on it, but again, I've been listening to people, you know, come to the city with their concerns that have to date not been addressed at all.

And when they are angry, they call me because I am their representative.

So when they're not getting the services that they need, or certain special groups get funded and others don't, they call me, and I have not been able to weigh in on this.

I'm trying to do that now, so I'm asking for their voices to be heard.

I've been asked for small business supports for struggling folks who are having trouble paying their rent.

Um, Coco Noir is one of those, and it's just there are a lot of folks that are struggling, especially in the black arts business district, which wasn't mentioned here either.

Um, so I just have a lot of questions and a lot of desires for my businesses who are often they feel invisible.

So that's that's what I'm asking for.

I'm asking for a slowdown in the process to move entertainment zones.

They asked me to bifurcate AI from entertainment.

Um, so I'm lifting up what I've been hearing from folks, and they're also I've also heard from residential residents that there's not a focus enough on how we're going to keep these spaces safe because we haven't been able to do it yet.

So those are all things I'm just gonna leave on the table, and hopefully we can have more conversation that includes these voices post this meeting.

Excellent.

Thank you, Councilmember Five.

I did want to clarify one thing.

So at minimum, um we know that a special event could be $15,000, and then the other the up to maybe 45.

So it's not a hundred thousand per entertainment zone.

So we wanted to make that note.

Thank you so much.

Um I know that in conversation with multiple um uh business owners, there's a lot of excitement around the creation of the entertainment zones.

Definitely hear you.

Um, my hope is that we can pass this today in CED, and I welcome more conversations.

Uh Councilmember Ramachandran, did you have some questions or council member Unger?

Thank you.

First of all, thank you, Councilmember Brown for bringing this forward.

I know that you've put a you and your team have put a lot of work into the details.

It's not easy trying to bring something forward that's innovative and new.

Um, and I did get the chance to speak to the nonprofit partner, the Oakland Fund for Innovation.

And um, you know, initially I had my doubts.

I'm like, I don't know this organization, I don't know why we're not using EWD's own capacity, but that's the reality.

Within the city, the way our staffing levels are right now, we don't have the capacity to do all the innovative things that we can.

And I think I felt reassured talking to the implementation partners that are involved with this project.

Um, you know, at the end of the day, our business community is not a monolith.

You're gonna have a lot, clearly, as we heard today, very excited about this proposal, and you're gonna have others that aren't, but I think it's important to take risks.

And as co-chair of the budget committee, I uh the budget team, I think that we all, six, six of us who voted for the budget, made the choice to invest a million dollars in a biannual budget into trying something different that could potentially yield many more millions of dollars back to the city and back to our residents, back to job creation, back to having our streets activated again.

So at the end of the day, things like this are uh experiments.

I hope it works.

I see in San Francisco it working.

You know, the other day I thought, you know, I should do a field trip just to one of these areas in San Francisco.

In terms of already been to three of them.

I didn't realize this was an entertainment zone, but I was thinking, are they doing this illegally?

That's the vibe is great, this is really cool.

And I would love to see that in Oakland.

To be honest, every time I travel to other cities that have bustling business corridors, you know, not just downtowns but all over their cities.

I'm like, we need to do a number of things.

Entertainment zones, I think is one of the many things that we can do to have that activation and excitement back.

And I know that there's gonna be hurdles in implementation, and that a lot of business districts uh want to do it.

I certainly hopefully in the next round hope to see some of those in my district implement it as uh well, but I think that this is a great start.

I've heard nothing but enthusiasm from business corridors across the city, including those not selected for the pilot, but who think that hey, this is a great start.

We're using the state legislation, we'll be one of the first, you know, five-ish cities in the state to do this, and I think we treat this as a creative experiment and push forward as much as we can.

So, my only question right now is about the future, because we can't guarantee that we'll always have this pocket of money for entertainment zones, and you know, how um the process for making sure that we're able to continue this beyond two years.

Yes, um, and so um we have been thinking very um thinking a lot about that same question as well, and so that's why we decided to put into the legislation um a one-year report back so that we can check in and see how this program is going and and really with much intention working on seeing how this is something that can be funded long term.

I would note that um, you know, the the locations that have taken off in San Francisco, none of those were funded by the city, and so I think that this is a um hopefully I think my goal would be: can we create something where this is actually it actually funds itself?

And so that that would be in I would be interested in in trying to work to design something like that um in the future the very near future.

Then um just to follow up with that I I know that um in our budget we also did fund an additional special activities permit coordinator in EWD so um I hope that when the department is fully staffed that they'd be able to continue on this work um past the two years and be able to you leverage the staff that is funded internally so that we're not always relying on external partners which I know as a pilot is helpful but long-term continuity um I hope we develop that capacity in the next couple of years but thank you excellent thank you thank you for reminding me about the position we added I forgot um council member unger any questions or comments excellent um so I I would entertain a motion to move this item forward and council member five if you're open to it would love to I I would love to set aside some time to answer some additional questions that you may have and and really uh talk I had the opportunity to talk with a hand of just literally two stakeholders that had concerns but very specific to the events that are occurring during Oakland's first Friday that's what they were uh kind of upset about and making sure that this pilot does not create some of that same negative activity.

I thought the conversation went really well when I explained the parameters of this but I 100% welcome if you're interested if you're interested um uh working with me um on some of the locations that we have here talking with any of the stakeholders um but as mentioned I think I think there has been a lot of positives to this initiative um but of course want to make sure that we um are placing all of the key parameters to make sure our community is safe I would make one last note um you know I had the opportunity when I was kind of proposing this legislation to to meet with our now interim chief beer um he was the one that joined the cause when when I was uh um bringing up this idea to him and so now for him to now be our police chief and he brought up a handful of really important um points that he would want to see implemented in that management plan um so I know that he's really laser focused on on this pilot and making sure that it is successful and that everyone has the tools that will be attending that it is safe as well so I just think that the the partnership and the collaboration for from so many of our city departments it's there and so would love to the opportunity to make sure that um you feel that support as well council member Fife.

Yes I definitely want to bring the history um of the work that's been happening from the bottom up with our our businesses to this work so I definitely appreciate the opportunity as I said I I haven't been included in this point and I bring so much to the table not because of me but because of what I've heard and our are there are a lot of folks who feel left out and that certain organizations get favored and I was elected to bring balance to that that um perspective with with so many of our stakeholders so yes I definitely um would like to participate in this process and I think it's important uh uh chief beer interim chief beer is is great and I'm happy he's been made the interim and there are local officers who are a part of managing this this area every single day that their information doesn't necessarily trickle up in a way that impacts the businesses so I you definitely need to sit down with some of the folks that I've been in conversation with and I invite that conversation because that's what they wanted to come out of this today.

They wanted their voices to be heard so um yes and I will make the motion to move this forward if the motion hasn't been made already.

Nope don't think so this would be not this is this a public hearing?

No.

Um, okay.

To the December 2nd meeting on consent.

I would like us to meet with the stakeholders, the businesses in these different locations before this comes to the full city council meeting.

Okay.

Um I think the motion that I would like is for this item to um go ahead and move forward.

It requires two readings and um kind of as mentioned, um, there is much work for EWD to do in the management plan process, and so really being able to for any of this to take off.

We are literally looking at February, March, so we have we have a lot of time to really get into the into the weeds and really develop out a truly sustainable program with some of these pilot locations.

But so I'm I'm supporting moving it to the next because it's an ordinance it needs to read, so I'm supporting it moving forward to the next full city council meeting.

What I'm asking you is before it gets completely solidified at the final city council meeting before it even moves to February to have convers to have those conversations.

Absolutely.

Okay.

Absolutely.

Um is there a second?

Second.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We have a motion made by councilmember five, seconded by councilmember Ramachandran to approve the recommendations of that and to for both all pieces of legislation.

To the December 2nd city council agenda on consent, with note the ordinance will be the first reading for December 2nd.

On roll, Council Member Five.

Aye.

Thank you.

Councilmember Ramatran.

Aye.

Council Member Onger.

Aye.

And Chair Brown.

The motion passes what four ayes to approve the recommendations of staff and to for all pieces of legislation to the December 2nd City Council agenda on consent.

Moving to item seven.

Receive an informational report regarding the citywide permit reform fall 2025 update.

And you do have four speakers for this item.

Okay, excellent.

We will hear from planning and building.

Excellent.

Council members, can you hear me?

Okay, great.

Hi.

Robin Abad with the City Administrator's Office.

I'm the citywide permit ombuds here to uh update the committee on citywide permit reform, part of the Oak Permits Initiative.

So we do have a 10-minute presentation here.

Um the presentation is split into three parts.

Uh we'll talk briefly about mission goals and governance, how we're set up as an interagency team accomplishing this uh huge volume of work.

I'll also talk about the four key action areas that the work is divided in.

Then we'll dive into some of the specifics of these specific action items themselves that are sorted in those four key action items.

So I'm here um representing a large group of interagency collaborators and stakeholders who have actually been executing and carrying this work forward.

So we're joined in the chamber by um representatives from uh departments of uh planning and building, transportation, economic and workforce development, and others.

So if we get to questions later and there are um you know questions about specifics, uh staff experts are in the room, available to answer.

And I also should have mentioned uh information and technology.

Sorry, Michelle, I know you're back there.

Um soak permits, as I mentioned, is a huge interagency effort involving many disciplines, departments, and bureaus.

You'll see here on this uh org chart how we are organized around uh Oak Permits governance is coordinated out of the city administrator's office, which is as I said is where I sit and involves these different departments and the respective bureaus.

You know, our mission is really straightforward.

We are focused on efficiency for our customers and our public as well as internally in terms of our systems and um our administration.

Um we have been making continual strides over the last couple years and even more are uh scoped and um designed in queue for um this upcoming year, which which we'll talk about.

Who is our audience?

Who are we really trying to impact?

First and foremost, as I mentioned, is our customers.

We want to uh create an increasingly efficient and easy to use experience uh for those transacting with the city of Oakland on uh planning entitlements, building permits, and everything related to um acquiring approvals and permissions from the city.

We want to make this highly accessible, we want to create a diversity of options in-person as well as digital.

Um, and we also want to make sure that our guidance and our um our our uh assistance is clear and legible.

Importantly, we also want to make sure that internally we're operating with maximum efficiency.

So, you know, we will talk about some of the old systems and infrastructure that we're seeking to replace and consolidate.

That's really geared to making sure that our staff, our experts in departments, are working in as optimal and ergonomic an environment as possible in order to provide provide the best service and make the best use of time.

So there are four action areas broadly speaking that the permit reform activities address.

We'll go through some of those specifics, and they're kind of grouped here by these four, but it's important to know that action items actually can address many of these at the same time.

So first and foremost, you know, reform is looking at policy and legislation.

Where in city code, especially through code amendments, can we create more efficiencies for both our public as well as our as well as our departments?

We also want to make sure that our customers, our clients are able to find information easily, they're able to transact, submit applications, get information, learn about statuses and so forth in the most optimal way as possible possible.

We're expanding digital options, and as I mentioned earlier, we're also really focused on updating internal systems and systems that the public interacts with.

So I'm going to move quickly.

I know we're we only have about 10 minutes for this item.

I may skip over some slides, but they're here for the record and for reference in case there are detailed questions we want to refer back to them.

You're aware that the Department of Planning Building, specifically the planning bureau has recently brought code amendments to commission and council in order to vastly streamlined what are principally permitted uses, especially in downtown, the Broadway Valdez, and Lake Merritt.

So here's listed some of those specific provisions, and we are in process this fall, seeing many of these provisions expanded beyond those specific plan areas and actually applicable to commercial corridors citywide.

So that's going to vastly reduce the amount of process that our small businesses and other stakeholders in these commercial corridors will have to move through in order to open a business and to operate and even to expand the vibrancy of their corridors.

So some specific provisions here on streamlining around residential review.

Both entertainment venues and entertainment venues were recently brought forward in terms of amendments, and currently the Office of Economic and Workforce Development is working on crafting some specific code amendments to make sure that we have sensible parameters for cannabis dispensaries and cafes that are also efficient.

Moving on to sort of bucket number two, which has to do with customer service and experience.

The Department of Economic and Workforce Development does currently have a neighborhood business assistance program.

We are looking at expanding and doing deeper outreach outreach through this existing program to in order to provide better upfront technical advice and service to small businesses and those seeking to create small businesses in the city of Oakland.

There is an incredible facility just across the way here at Building 250, Frank Ogawa Plaza, which is our physical permit center.

Over the last year, the physical permit center has slowly expanded the number of service hours and days available to the public, and we have also begun to consolidate permit departments into a single facility, minimizing the amount of effort and kind of running around that applicants may have to do in order to speak to or interact with multiple departments in order to get advice and make submittals.

Critically, we've also, as part, you know, in conjunction with those improvements and expansions at the physical permit center, have created an integrated single appointment scheduling platform.

In the past, you might for your project need to speak to many different departments.

The Planning Bureau, you know, the Building Bureau, maybe the fire department.

And in order to get time with experts in those departments, you might have had to call one department or email another, maybe use a web portal to sign up.

So that's all been consolidated into a single platform that you can now use to schedule an in-person appointment, a virtual appointment, and other types of interactions.

We've also been experimenting with different ways to get the word out about all of these improvements.

So we've been showing up at Fora that our external stakeholders, like the Building Owners and Managements Association has been hosting, the Housing Action Coalition, as well as developing proactive communications tools and assets like our video PSA series, which we launched last year.

So there's, if you look up on YouTube, you can watch some of the great videos from external stakeholders talking about how to access city services through these new channels.

Our websites also, you know, our digital front door, and in our digital world, people are expecting more and more of us in terms of digital services and what we're able to offer through asynchronous means.

So the communications office here at the City Administrators office last year just implemented a sweeping content rationalization exercise on our website, reducing a lot of redundancies and helping with more efficient navigation.

They also transferred us from into a new content management system that will allow us to be more agile in terms of adjusting our digital environment for better accessibility.

We're also scoped in this upcoming year, calendar year, to look specifically at the family of web pages having to do with permitting.

There's been a lot of incredible work to consolidate and make those pages as legible as possible, but there's still more work to be done, and so we're excited to be doing that this year.

Moving on to kind of bucket number three, which has to do with the expanding our digital options so that patrons have both in-person but increasingly digital options at their disposal.

One of the biggest innovations that departments have been executing and implementing on is creating a one-stop digital submittal.

So you can imagine in the olden days, you know, manual submittals, PDFs, in-person, sometimes submittals to multiple different departments and disciplines, separate packets for the same project.

We're moving increasingly to consolidating those types of intakes into, first of all, a single permit application or project application is the ideal, but critically digitally.

So instead of submitting something in person or manually emailing a PDF that then a permit tech and a process coordinator has to review and enter, create a record manually, these procedures allow us to you know virtually create a record almost instantaneously and speed the progress of a permit application through departmental review.

One of my favorite examples of this is the digital special event permit, which the Office of Economic and Workforce Development Special Events Group spun up last year, where a big topic conversation so far in this hearing has been about outdoor activation and how vibrancy and economic development is not just about small businesses and you know building new buildings, but allowing and helping our neighborhood partners create these ephemeral activations.

So there's a kind of a subset of digital applications, which is also really exciting and important, and that is our same day permits.

So not only are we expanding the ability of patrons to be able to submit their materials digitally immediately, but in increasingly with many different types of permits to not only submit it but receive your permit in that same session in that same day.

So as you can imagine, this cuts out a lot of time and expense for our consultants, our contractors, our GCs, our applicants, as well as for staff.

So the specific example shown here in the slide is building permits, specifically trade permits.

These are mechanical engineering and plumbing permits that do not require structural review.

We're moving, we've moved from a paradigm where it might take up to a week, maybe to process something manually, to an applicant being able to submit their materials, pay, and get that permit printed out from their home computer within the space of 20 minutes.

So the Department of Planning and Building has been, you know, really leading up our experiments or to try and create a digital same-day permit.

Some statistics here from the great work that the team there has been doing.

We've been tracking volumes, and we can clearly see that a greater and greater share of trade permits, the kind that don't require structural review, are being handled and processed in this manner.

Beyond just building permits and trade permits, however, we're also looking at other kinds of permits that can be issued same day.

So in 2025, bollards on private property, some entertainment venues and minor encroachments like planner boxes in the public right-of-way are now available same day.

And in 2026, we have a number of other permits that we're hoping to incorporate, specifically building alterations that do not require structural review.

Others, foundation siding, windows.

So some other exciting things that are on deck coming up.

How are we making it easier for folks?

Right now to scope a project, you, as we mentioned earlier, you know, you might need to talk to planning to understand what entitlements you need.

You might need to talk to building, you might need to talk to the fire department.

Sometimes those are emails, sometimes those are in-person interactions.

And it can be really challenging for a project sponsor to understand: okay, for the project that I want to do, which permits should I apply for in which sequence?

How much is that all gonna cost?

And so there's a maybe a lot of inefficient uh information exchange that can happen simply in just helping the project sponsor scope their project for permits.

So the digital project scoping tool is bringing us into this century in terms of a dynamic tool that can help project applicants begin to uh understand which permits they're going to need in what order and how much that's all gonna cost.

So the tool would ask questions like, you know, where do you want to, where is your project located so that it can check zoning controls, land use controls and zoning to see if what you want to do is even allowed to help you understand what entitlements you have to pursue and so forth.

This will allow us to eliminate some of our manual intake tools like the zoning worksheet.

We're currently in the process of trying to eliminate the building department, the building bureau's equivalent of that, which is the building worksheet.

Finally, wrapping up soon, just a few more slides on uh bucket number four, which has to do with our internal systems.

There has been a huge lift over the last couple years and still more work planned, consolidating all of the permitting departments, especially those that are handling development services into a single database of record.

So, as you can imagine, you know, like many cities, departments can be on different systems, different systems of record.

Consolidation is going to help us do a lot of things.

It's going to ensure that we can do comprehensive monitoring of progress across a single single project.

So the reporting advantages are manifold.

It helps us integrate around communication and being able to work together also as a project team.

So we have some major departments such as planning and building, which again, being the pioneering group that they are, got us started with Acela, our current database.

We've integrated fire prevention, economic and workforce development is nearing their full integration as well, and so our transportation and public works.

Is an electronic plan review platform.

You know, we are really trying to eliminate manual reviews, having many different versions of project documents floating out around there.

This will be of great advantage to us and our clients because all departments, all disciplines would be able to see the most current set of plans, and for example, see each other's comments, plan check comments.

Sometimes one discipline might give one kind of advice that might not necessarily jive with another discipline.

So this will help with our internal coordination and also the speed and rapidness with which we're able to communicate back out to clients about revisions they might need to make.

It's important to note that you know one of the big goals with this project was make sure it was to make sure that we were meeting sort of like safety standards and privacy standards coming out of the ransomware issue from a couple years ago.

So I know that was a bit rapid fire, but that concludes the formal presentation.

And as I mentioned, staff depart department staff experts are here if there are questions about sort of specific items within that presentation.

Excellent, thank you so much.

And how many public speakers do we have?

We'll go ahead and take the public speakers.

Thank you.

Thank you, Colin in our public speakers for this item.

Please approach the podium, state your name for the record.

You do have one minute.

If you're participating via Zoom, please raise your hand so you're easily identified.

And we will take in-person public speakers and then Zoom.

Bradley Shakart.

Tabika Gardner.

Garner.

Tony Carrefali.

And Laura Gisier.

Hi there.

I'll be brief and I apologize for the earlier confusion.

My name is Brad Shuckhardt.

I am the regional president for Free Hill Communities.

We are the development manager as of the first of this year for the Oak Knoll project in the Oakland Hills.

And one, appreciate the support that we've gotten from the city thus far in our new role.

One of the biggest things we're hearing from our home builders is certainty is very, very important to them, and the lack of certainty with respect to the timing of approvals and the like is creates risk and has the propensity to cause them to look to make investments elsewhere.

So we'd encourage the city of Oakland to continue to improve its processes.

Thank you.

Hello.

I'm a senior event manager with them.

We work with the city of Oakland in the Oakland permitting process through the various events that we produce, Oakland Pride Parade and Festival, the Unity Council's Día de los Muertos.

And we also agree that these streamline processes have helped us tremendously.

It's created this one-stop shop, like you said, approach.

One of our one of our things that we that we really appreciate are the interdepartmental meetings, where we have, you know, all the various departments there.

It eliminates things from falling through the cracks, and so we appreciate that.

And these improvements are really good because they increase efficiency.

We think that the this permit process can also be very beneficial for uh newer event planners as it creates a real step-by-step guide, making the entire process much easier to navigate.

So we're in support of it, and anything you guys can do to continue to streamline the process, uh we appreciate.

Thank you.

Hello, uh, my name is Laura Geist.

I'm the general manager of the Oaken Ballers baseball club.

Uh, and as you can imagine, over the course of the last two years, I have submitted for a lot of permits.

Um, as we have reimagined Ramondi Park.

So we have done building, we've done conditional use, we've done special event, we have used the gamut of uh of all of the permits that Oakland needs and offers.

And I just have to say that this process has been, you know, you hear about permits and you hear that it's such an arduous, horrible thing, and I that has just absolutely not been our experience.

Um, the every department that we have worked with has been super helpful in walking us through the process, and then once we've done it once, we've been able to go in and self-service, which has been a huge saving of time, effort, money on our part.

And I will say that without the help and support that we have gotten from uh from the permits department, um, we would not have been able to open in 2024.

Uh as a result of all of that help in partnership.

The community has a new resource.

Um, the community, not just for the ballers, but also for our little leagues and for partner communities.

We've hosted over 200 community um community groups into the park, and we hire over 150 different seasonal employees.

So really, and our last public speaker, Tomiko Garner.

That concludes your public speakers, Radio.

So, um, excellent.

Thank you so much.

Any questions or comments?

Councilmember Ramashandran.

Thank you.

Um, thank you for the very uh detailed presentation.

I just wanted to uh go back to item three.

On your PowerPoint where you talked about same-day digital permits.

I I I think you rushed through that one a little bit, but I'm curious about um the kinds of same-day digital permits that could be executed because I saw something ballards on private property and entertainment venues, and you know, private properties and entertainment venues are the kind of permits that seem like they could be issued fast, and there's also ones that we get a lot of complaints about.

Um, what what are those?

And what else can what else with this new streamlined process can be same-day digital?

Great.

I I'll take a first crack at that, and then I can invite um Kat Torrio, who's the deputy director of EWD to speak specifically to the entertainment venues.

Um, in 2025, um, and this is slide 23 item 3.7.

Um, in 2025, uh same-day digital permits were extended beyond just those uh trade building permits to include bollards on private property, uh minor encroachments like planner boxes and some entertainment venues.

So in 2026, um we are scoped to expand same-day digital building per same day digital permits to building alteration permits that are non-structural and and therefore don't require plan check.

Um, so examples of this are uh kitchen and bath, simple tenant improvements, um, also foundation window replacement and siding, including stucco.

So, I don't know if the one say something more about entertainment.

Hello, Kat Toyo with um special activities permitted division.

Um, so with um for our one-day permits, if you have all of your documents in order for um an entertainment venue, which would include like a fire inspection, um, it would include um your business tax license, it would include your insurance and a few other things.

If all those items are in place, then you're able to get um your EV permit very quickly.

It could be same day, it could be a couple days, depending on if it lands on a Friday at four o'clock or not.

Um, so that's we have a lot of things that are set up that way.

As long as we get the materials from the applicant, we can move forward very quickly.

Thank you.

This is very exciting.

Um, yeah, that that's all.

Uh yeah, it's a very good question.

So minor encroachment, that would include like residential street closures.

Um specifically, I believe we're talking about planter boxes and um assistant director of DOT Jamie Parks is here, and maybe could answer that with more specificity.

Hi, uh good afternoon.

Uh Jamie Parks Assistant Director with the Department of Transportation.

Uh, yeah, there are a lot of different minor encroachment permits that are out there.

This is specific to just the planter boxes, which are very simple of an actual street closure, would have to go through a longer process where we review the the details of what's being proposed.

Thank you.

Excellent.

Um, and so I did have a couple questions.

Um, well, first off, um amazing work.

Um, really appreciate seeing just the cross departmental collaboration to really bring this to life.

We know that um out in community, we get a lot of feedback on a lot of these um processes within the city, so really delighted to see this progress.

And so on that note, I am curious.

Do we have a method in place to gather before and after performance data to basically evaluate the effectiveness of the changes that are being made?

Yes, excellent question.

And we didn't we didn't present all of the statistics.

I think we probably could have in this presentation.

So departments are in various stages of spinning up uh monitoring dashboards so that we are really taking as much of a data different driven approach as possible to addressing problems.

So I might invite assistant director of planning and building Al Marid up to talk about planning and buildings, you know, monitoring dashboards and the ways that we're uh looking at data and performance.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Alba Marid, uh planning and building.

Uh before we start, I I just want to make uh one correction.

The hours that were uh projected earlier, uh it it said walk-in hours are uh 8 30 to noon Monday through Friday, and it's actually Monday through Thursday and Fridays will be appointments all day.

So just and and that will start December 1st.

So uh going back to uh the data, we have uh invested uh a lot of time and resources and uh developing uh dashboards to help us manage our internal operation.

Uh we are tracking how well we're doing all the way to the individual level, and any time we make changes, we do have the capacity to compare the before and after uh and make additional tweaks uh in order to maximize our efficiency.

Excellent.

And so um, do we currently have um a system in place to you know keep us kind of updated on this progress?

Um so uh we initially concentrated on our internal dashboard.

Currently we're working on our external dashboard, uh, and that will be uh coming up in uh the first quarter of uh 2026 calendar 2026, and we're actively working on it.

So we're really excited uh and we'll be bringing that back up here.

Excellent, thank you.

Um Director Gilchrist.

Yeah, just one thing and thank you.

Um assistant director's been instrumental in bringing this on board.

But I also heard in your question how we're using this on a regular basis, and that was the whole intention when we started this a couple of years ago was to really look at data and see how we could drive our decisions with them, test the before and after, and see where we were finding problems, where we find the impaction.

We convene regularly to check those, and um, to your point earlier um uh council uh member um chair.

Uh we want to use these as a way to um to really test what's working and what's not.

I mean, are we seeing improvements?

Can we identify different impactions in the process that need to be focused on?

You know, once you improve one part of a process, then you may find there's something downstream that's holding you up.

So then you can concentrate on that.

So we are taking a very systems-oriented approach toward this, and the uh data information dashboards we've been putting together over the last couple of years have proven very, very helpful.

Excellent, thank you.

And then my next question, um, not quite sure who is maybe it's directed towards IT, um, but just wanted to uplift um uh during the council budget process, we did allocate, well, we added an additional three million to help assist um with a CELA, and so I think I'm just curious how that um I guess investment has impacted like the the process um of this.

Yes, uh thanks, Chair Brown.

Um I'll invite Assistant Director of Information Technology, Michelle New Ring Eisen to speak to the Acela budget as well as work program.

Thank you.

Hi, good afternoon.

Thanks, Michelle New Ring Eisen.

Um, so yes, we're really grateful for the investment.

And uh, you know, the first thing that we've done is undertake a business process review with uh with one of our contractors to have an independent look inside the system because we know that while we're focused on external improvements uh for our users and residents across the city, we also are mindful that there's a lot we can do systems-wide internally within our system to create efficiencies and build things like customized reports that have been talked about earlier and some of these other items.

So, you know, so we're looking at that.

We've also created uh like a three-tier staffing plan, and we're working on the first tier of that staffing because we are mindful that that's what that funding was really intended for as well.

So, in addition to looking at resources that we can use to drive efficiencies in the system across the departments, we are looking at a selective certification uh recruitment for business analyst position that has experience, or multiple that have experience in land use and permitting issues, whether it's with a SELA or related system that we could train on.

So we're doing that.

We're also looking for uh, you know, to get some very uh specific uh project management support in that can help.

Um, and then another idea that we're working with is also trying to create resources that can be staffed or lent out to other departments that are either short on staff or require additional training or resources to use new permits or get ramped up and to try and be that resource to facilitate providing additional resources to departments, and that's what we're currently working on.

Excellent.

Um, thank you, Michelle, for that update.

Um, I'm really grateful for all of the uh time and energy that has been put into this effort.

Um, colleagues, any additional questions?

Um, I think maybe lastly, definitely thank you, Councilmember Unger, for submitting the supplemental questions, because a lot of the questions that I had were in there too, so uh really appreciative uh for staff for um engaging those questions and answering them so efficiently.

Um but if we do not have any uh council member five.

Yes, through the chair, um thank you for the presentation.

Can you just say really quickly how these changes to ours and the upgrades to the process are communicated to the public?

How do we let people know?

Thank you so much for asking about that.

Um, we have a kind of multi-pronged approach, and I think we're we're seeking to increase that even more.

Uh, one of the ways that we've done that is through these PSAs, these video PSAs, increasingly, you know, the public is consuming information and news through social media.

So we've been partnering with our incredible team at K Top to uh produce how-to's, um, and our lead producers sitting right right in the room next next to us.

Um, and so that's one way that we're seeking to sort of expand and make more accessible and just legible, kind of these changes.

Some of them can be kind of abstract, and people are like, how does this how does this help me?

Um, we've also been attending uh somewhat aggressively external uh fora that are hosted.

Um I mentioned earlier the Housing Action Coalition hosted us, the um building owners and merchant building owners and managers association, excuse me, Alphabet Soup, also hosted us recently to learn about these and and also to provide feedback.

A city administrator also convenes a group called the Development Services Advisory Group.

Um these are mostly development related stakeholders where you know we're listening, getting some some deep and honest feedback, but also sharing out.

Finally, I'd say I think we're really excited to be before you here today because we know that you're hearing from your constituents day in, day out, and we've wanted to come before committees so that we can help equip you all with information that you can take back to constituents about the positive improvements that are happening.

Um, there are little improvements and there are big improvements, some are very technical, some are more outward-facing.

So the portfolio is really diverse, and we hope that our briefing today has helped you understand kind of the breadth of that.

Excellent.

Thank you so much.

Um, I'll in a entertainment motion.

I will move to receive and file.

Excellent.

I'll second that.

Perfect, thank you.

Thank you.

We have a motion made by Councilmember Ramachanjarin.

Seconded by Council Member Anger to receive and file this in the community economic development committee on role, Councilmember Five.

Aye.

Thank you, Councilmember Ramachandran.

Hi.

Thank you, and Councilmember Onger.

Aye.

And Chair Brown.

Aye.

This motion passes with four eyes to receive and file this in the CED committee.

Moving to item four.

Adopt a resolution authorizing the city administrator to forgive three million dollars in outstanding principal and all accrued and unpaid interest owed by the East Bay Highland Psalms.

The second LP for the High Line for the Highland Psalms Property $5 million, an outstanding principal and all accrued and unpaid interest owed by the East Bay Capital Fund to LP for the East Lake property to preserve long-term affordability until 2073 and facilitate the property sale to a new owner.

And you do have four speakers for this item.

Okay, excellent.

And so given the sake of time, I'd kindly ask five minutes for the presentation.

We have to do it speedy.

Sorry.

Thank you.

I'll do my best.

Okay.

Good afternoon, Chair Person Brown, members of council.

My name is Twymer Early, Manager of Asset Management Services with the Housing and Community Development Department.

May I have my slides, please?

Thank you.

Today I am presenting the recommendation to authorize loan forgiveness for the East Lake Apartments and Highland and Palms properties to affordable housing communities in District 2, represented by Councilmember Charlene Wang.

And an approval with an approval will preserve long-term affordability through 2073 and allow for a new qualified owner to stabilize these properties.

And the presentation will cover the staff recommendation, the background in legislative history, an analysis and policy alternatives, physical and equity impacts, implementation of the timeline, and closing remarks.

The staff recommends council authorized forgiveness of three million in outstanding principal and all occurred in unpaid interest for the Highland and POM properties, and five million in outstanding principal and all occurred in unpaid interest for the East Lake apartments.

To ground this recommendation, it's important to explain the city's loan structure.

City loans are structured as long-term residual receipt, low interest loans that are subordinate to conventional senior debt.

In this case, loans from Chase Bank.

The city loans are not expected to be repaid as approved in the project's financing plans.

We make these loans with which function very much like grants, as a way to secure long-term affordability confidence that run with the property.

Repayment on these loans only happen when the properties generate surplus cash flow.

These properties have never generated surplus cash flow, and repayment or refinancing is not permitted under the affordability restrictions.

In this case, these properties, in the case of these properties, the affordability covenants will remain in place even after forgiveness and after the sale to new buyers.

It's also important to note that this action does not involve new city spending.

No new funds are being dispersed.

This solely removes uncollectible debt from our books to facilitate a preservation transaction.

Both properties were part of the ACA acquisition and conversion to affordable housing program, and the awards were funded by Measure KK.

Voters approved Measure KK with the explicit intent to protect existing affordable housing and prevent displacement.

These two properties were among the earliest preservation acquisition funded.

Excuse me.

These properties were among the earliest preservation acquisition funding directly through this bond.

The ACA program was created to prevent displacement by enabling nonprofit developers to acquire and preserve rental housing for low income families.

It's just whipped.

Both properties were part of the ACO.

In two in 2017, excuse me, both properties were a part of the ACA program.

And the awards were met and the awards were funded by Measure KK.

Excuse me, I think I kind of skipped over a little bit.

I'm on slide five, excuse me.

East Lake Apartments, which shows on the screen is 35 units.

It was built in 1957, and Highland and Palms, which is also 23 units, was built in 1964.

Both require significant investment.

Ebalsy put in over 4.4 million combined for seismic upgrades, fire restoration, and deferred maintenance.

They serve working families, seniors, and households earning up to 80% of the AMI.

The total income of these families is approximately 45,000 a year.

Income streams vary in compassing wages, Social Security, SSI, and pension benefits, and housing choice vouchers, which account for about 5% of the tenants.

Both properties continue to experience high operating costs, vacancies, and infrastructure needs.

Both properties are currently operating at a loss.

Negative cash flow, zero operating and replacement reserves, and Eballsy is advancing or making advances or keeping up the properties and keeping the properties afloat.

Under the rent restricted model, revenue was never sufficient to build adequate reserves.

The operating deficit forced Ebosi to advance funds to keep the building solvent.

Without intervention, these conditions increase the risk of deterioration and potential foreclosure.

The properties are being sold at prices consistent with their broker's opinion value.

The senior lender is Chase Bank.

Sale proceeds do not repay the senior loan in full.

Chase Bank is taking a significant reduction of approximately 1.5 million on one property and 900,000 respectively.

As the subordinate lender, the city would receive no repayment under any scenario.

Chase's willingness to write down 2.4 million respectively underscores the severity of the financial distress and their commitment to also to preserve to the preservation outcome of these properties.

All parties are absorbing losses to preserve long-term affordability.

Why full forgiveness is the only viable option?

Full forgiveness will preserve 58 of the affordable 58 units of affordable housing in District 2.

It'll prevent displacement of long-term residents that are currently there.

It ensures a responsible transfer to a fully vetted affordable housing owner, and it maintains the affordability on these properties through 2073.

The incoming owner must demonstrate strong experience operating affordable housing, show financial and operational capacity, present a stabilization plan for these properties, and commit to property improvements.

The new owner must also sign a full assumption agreement legally binding them to all affordability restrictions, all monitoring, reporting, and compliance obligations, enhance performance covenants, requiring timely reserve deposits, capital planning, and quarterly reporting until fully stabilized.

If forgiveness is not approved, foreclosure can become a risk.

In the event of foreclosure, affordability covenants are wiped out completely.

The city loans are extinguished.

Rents instantly can convert to market rate.

The current residents, whom I will say is 71% of whom are African American, face immediate displacement.

A private investor typically acquires the building with no affordability requirements.

Foreclosure would eliminate all affordability and cause resident displacement at these properties in East Oakland.

Loan restructuring is not an option because the properties do not generate sufficient net operating income to support any new debt, as rents are capped at affordability restrictions and cannot rise to market levels.

And if we reduce the interest, which we looked at, the rates will provide minimal relief.

And right now that loan is at 3%.

We could go down to 0%, but it wouldn't help the situation.

If not approved, we're risking foreclosure, 58 families losing their homes, the city loses the affordability protections and financial oversight.

If it is approved, the properties can stabilize under a new qualified owner.

The new owner will assume the property as zero legacy debt.

Reserves will then be able to be restored, given the property a buffer for operations and repairs.

Cash flow will no longer be a burden by historic debt.

The property will finally have a clear pathway to long-term sustainability and long-term affordability remains intact for 55 more years.

Deferred maintenance can be addressed and vacancies can be reduced.

East Oakland residents, predominantly black households earning 45,000 or less can remain housed.

The city protects this measure KK preservation goals.

This is a unique corrective action plan, not a precedent for future loan forgiveness request.

The equity impacts prevents displacement again in East Logan and aligns with our city's racial equity and anti-displacement goals.

To speed this up, the timeline upon council approval, we will execute the city loan forgiveness, formally releasing the city's lien on the property, meaning that the controller's office will complete an internal account entry to officially remove the city loans balances and accrued interest from the city's financial records.

Within 15 days, Eballzi will go through with the purchase of a sale, which they already have someone lined up.

We will initiate the new owners to sign the assumption agreements and the transition of operations will begin.

Some of the enhancements are just monitoring the key performance indicators, their occupancy, their reserves, their NOI or net operating income, their rent, their rent and arrears, conducting biannual well-in inspections, and intervention triggers to if performance starts to decline.

From approval forward, the property begins to stabilize under the new owner.

No legacy debt allowed.

No legacy debt allows a sustainable path forward, and reserves will be rebuilt to support long-term operations.

Again, in closing, staff recommends this is a highly unusual.

I admit this is a highly unusual circumstance.

Two distressed properties, negative NOI, no reserves, significant senior lender rights write-offs or write downs, and a viable preservation buyer ready to step in.

This will not be applied broadly across our portfolios.

I want to iterate that, but we'll preserve 58 deeply needed affordable homes in District 2, prevents foreclosure and displacement, ensures a vetted new owner has the tools and financial structure to stabilize these properties, restores reserves, and creates a path to long-term sustainability.

It keeps the affordability covering this again in place through 2073.

This preservation action, it protects housing, protects families, protects our city investment, and without this intervention, we risk losing both the affordability and residents in the neighborhood deeply impacted by displacement.

Excellent.

Thank you so much.

We'll hear from the public speakers.

Thank you.

Want to call your name?

Please approach the podium, state your name for the record in no particular order.

If you're participating via Zoom, please raise your hand so you're easily identified.

We will take in-person speakers and then Zoom.

Isaac Cosreed.

Emily Bush.

Sharon Lai, and then David Bulwright.

Good afternoon, Councilmembers.

I'm Sharon Lyme, the chief strategy officer.

Both Emily Bush as well as Isaacs Reed will be ceding their time to me.

May I have their time as well?

Great, thank you.

Uh so hello again.

I'm the Chief Strategy Officer at the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation.

Uh, we are here uh as the requesters of this action before you today.

Um, first of all, want to really thank staff for your hard work in bringing this item forward as well as to the council members for your time uh and attention in this request, uh, which the staff has uh already very thoroughly stated, will help us secure the long-term affordability of 58 units of housing in Oakland.

Um, as the staff report noted, A Baltsey, we are the largest nonprofit affordable housing partner in Oakland, and we continue to be very committed to meeting the affordable housing needs of Oaklanders.

The reason uh that this request is before you today is that Ebaldsi was the city's biggest partner back in 2015 when we were piloting this program to protect naturally afford uh occurring affordable housing away from real estate speculation, and then to convert them to long-term rent-restricted affordability.

The specific properties that were acquired uh in this portfolio, including the market downturn, pandemic impacts, and other factors has contributed to the current dynamic where these two properties before you are no longer uh sustainable, financially sustainable for Ebalt C to hold on to.

In short, the current debt and cost to operate far exceeds the market value and the revenue that's generated from these properties, and they are at risk for loan defaults.

Defaulting on the loans would mean that the long-term affordability restrictions would be jeopardized, as well as impending uh displacement for the population that's currently there to guarantee the long-term affordability of these properties for the next 47 years for the remaining term of this loan.

Um, the best option really is to sell to a new owner who uh will be owning at a lower value, which then in turn means that their operating costs will also be lower.

Fortunately, Balzi uh was able to secure a contract for sale with the affordability requirements intact.

The sale, however, requires the bank, the city, and Ebaltsey to all share in some of these losses.

In some, this requests will not impact the city's general fund, will preserve long-term affordability goals, represent the best option for all parties, and must be acted on promptly to avoid significantly worse outcomes.

Uh, my colleague Emily Bush, who is the director of asset management, is also here today, and we are more than happy to answer any questions.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.

David Bowery, District 4.

Uh, whoever was responsible for following this project from day one needs to come forward and explain all the learnings that we've had from this because it looks like it was a plan that was destined to fail from the beginning.

It's so far off what was expected that something had to go wrong, and I didn't hear any of those reasons today.

And I think somebody needs to look into that and find out why.

Thank you.

That concludes your public speakers.

Okay, excellent.

Councilmember Unger.

Yeah, thank you.

I've got some questions for HCD and some questions for Ebaltse.

So you said that this loan was essentially uncollectible and that you never really expected to be able to collect on it, and that is typical for these sorts of loans.

Well, it's how the loans are structured there.

Technically, the you only receive repayment if the loans are if the properties are cash producing and the property has never not been cash producing.

Some of the loans that I mean, not all of the loans are not cash, you know, all of the loans that we give are not always non-cash producing, if that answers your question.

It does.

I mean, I think in general we'd be able to do more projects if we were getting paid back for the projects that we're loaning on because they cease to be loans and become gifts.

Well, that is true.

I can say a lot of the Ebasi properties, they are paying back some of the loans that they have, but we did do a deferment agreement with them because they had uh some properties that were failing.

So, in order to prompt that those properties, we deferred our payments or the repayments on loans of put properties that were in the in the black to uphold the properties that are in the red.

So it was imperative that we do a disposition of some of the properties that are not cash producing to to reverse that effect.

Okay.

And and I appreciate you saying that this is a one-off, but I don't know how we know that.

I mean, we have another 40 something million in the ACAH portfolio and other millions of dollars in outstanding bonds.

You know, what what's to prevent the sort of moral hazard of other recipients coming to us and asking for the same thing?

What's to prevent us from being back here six months when everybody knows that we'll just forgive their loans?

I can say that the Asset Management Services Department is a new form department that was created about a year and a half ago when I started with the city's HCD.

So I can't speak to necessarily what was happening prior to, but I know there weren't a lot of hands on deck to ensure that all of these loans were being monitored since I've started in the department.

We've created procedures, proceeded uh monitoring monitoring procedures to ensure that we are monitoring or actively monitoring the hundred and fifty properties that are actively in our portfolio and the ones that are coming down the pipeline.

So I have three staff members, we're out doing the inspections, we're collecting the financial audits and uh the budgets and all of the information from the properties.

And if we see that properties are in trouble, we are holding kind of stabilization calls.

So I've actually been meeting with Emily Bush from Eball Z for the last year and a half to stabilize this half portfolio.

So any properties that are struggling, we do meet with them and try to come up with alternative suggestions of how to help them meet their goals, and that's up until possibly deferment agreements, reducing their interest rates on their loans, uh, things like that to to to make this more palatable.

We have not received a lot of requests for loan forgiveness.

Um properties that have asked for forgiveness, they were in the process of trying to refinance or take more money out on their properties, you know, and why would we reduce a loan for you to take out more debt?

So those were all rejected.

You what the reason this one was considered is because Ebosi is selling these properties that would take away the debt for a new owner to come in and be able to stabilize the properties.

And thank you for that.

I appreciate it.

And a question for Ebaltse's rep.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um, so you know, I mean, I I understand why we're we're in this pickle.

You know, you bought at the peak of the market.

There was more work than you were expecting, the pandemic, all of these sort of, you know, uh unforeseen events, and I also really appreciate that ebaltse is a huge part of our affordable housing in Oakland, you know, kind of too big to fail.

You know, you've been here for 50 years, we need you to be here for another 150 years.

And so that's that that's all really important.

But I, you know, I do I would love to know more about the deal you have lined up, right?

We're essentially being asked as a council to give our blessing and our and our financial resources to a real estate deal that we don't know anything about, and we're gonna end up with a new landlord, a new nonprofit partner, a building that's deed restricted, and as a city, we're gonna be judged by the outcome of this.

And you know, I don't want to read about who the buyer is in the papers.

Like I feel like I I I mean, I don't want to intervene in this deal, but I also feel like we are like us saying yes today means that this deal is going through.

So we need I I would like to know more about who we're partnering with here.

Um thank you for that, Councilmember Unger.

Uh absolutely understand and uh, you know, our uh we are here as partners and respect the city's process.

Um has actually laid out a very detailed approach where the city staff still has to run their vetting and approval process of the buyer after this point.

So that's not our process, that's actually the city's protocol.

Um so there is a very well laid out uh set of uh procedures for that.

Um within the contractual obligations of the sale, we are not in a position where we can disclose the buyer, that's just part of the terms of the agreement, and so uh what I can say is that we uh understand this buyer has experience, the kind of experience that uh would qualify them to be a buyer in this case.

And just for the for everyone's knowledge, these units would remain deed restricted at their affordable levels that isn't gonna change with a new buyer.

Absolutely, that is the whole point of this and why we are willing to even sell at this point.

Okay.

And are are you worried about the rest of your portfolio?

Uh this is actually the uh it's a very unique part of our portfolio.

We have done a lot of affordable housing work as you have named over the past five decades, and we're really good at that.

Um, this was a special uh, frankly, an uh an innovative approach that we were trying to step in for the city during the height of the market when we were seeing a lot of speculation and a lot of displacement.

And uh, you know, we have learned from that, but the rest of our portfolio uh without these properties will be at a much more stable place, and that's really what's important here.

Okay, I'm done.

Thank you.

Um excellent.

Um, so a lot of my questions were similar to council member Unger.

Um, I think I did hear staff lay out, um, so I had a question around uh ensuring that this doesn't like set a precedent of other developers coming and requesting the same thing.

And so I think I heard a little bit around the process, depending on you know why they are requesting this thing, and there seems to be some parameters that are in place, but I think I would be interested in in there being maybe a more structured pathway to ensuring that this isn't a precedent.

Um so that was the first thing that that I um wanted to uplift.

Um, and then you know, the report does mention that um, you know, the East Lake property has kind of had some initial like poor construction issues.

Um, and so I I guess I'm curious like with the new owner, like how can how are we ensuring that they they they are able to kind of overcome some of those issues?

And then I'm mostly asking that question because how are we ensuring that we're actually protecting the tenants from this new owner and ensuring that they can, you know, these units actually stay affordable as what was stated.

Let's start.

My name is Emily Bush.

I'm the director of asset management at Ebaltsea.

Um we inherited extensive deferred maintenance at these properties.

We invested millions of dollars um over the course of the period that we held to try and address issues as they arose, health and safety issues.

Um, part of this debt forgiveness enables the buyer to purchase the property at a lower price and have then additional resources available, which they are laying out through a capital plan, to be able to reinvest in the property in the way that we have identified it needs without without um without our organization having having the funds to be able to make this type of investment.

I see, and without displacement, without without displacement.

Um I think another key part of this with which Toyma mentioned is that with the regulatory agreement in place, remaining in place, that enables the city of Oakland to retain all of its rights to monitor compliance with the regulatory agreement, which includes enforcing health and safety standards.

Okay, um, thank you.

Um does Councilmember Ramachandran have her hand up?

No.

Any questions or comments, Councilmember Fife?

Okay.

Um I believe that we can entertain a motion to move this item to uh December 1st um council meeting on December 2nd.

I keep saying that December 2nd on consent.

Council member Unger.

Yes, I will make that motion.

Second.

We have a motion made by Council Member Unger, seconded by Council Member Five to approve the recommendations of staff and afford this item to the December 2nd, 2025 City Council agenda, and that is on consent on roll.

Council member five.

Aye.

Thank you.

Councilmember Ramachanjaran.

Aye.

Thank you, Councilmember Anger.

Aye.

And Chair Brown?

Aye.

The motion passes with four eyes to approve the recommendations of staff and to forward this item to the December 2nd, 2025 City Council agenda, and that is on consent moving to item six.

Adopt an ordinance as recommended by the city planning commission to one amending Title 17 for the Oakland Municipal Code, to a adjust regulations for permitted and conditionally permitted activities and facilities for the purposes of providing greater opportunities for the ground floor activities and ease the permitting burden for commercial, civic, and low impact industrial activities, and B make related miscellaneous and administrative changes, and to making appropriate California Environmental Quality Act findings, and you do have four speakers.

Okay, um, and so I know we are now getting into almost time for LEC, and so I would uh kindly ask um for this presentation to uh be swift, maybe highlighting some of the key changes that are being made, and then we can uh take questions and comments from council members and then the public speakers.

I'll do my best.

Thank you.

Um, if I could pull up the presentation, please.

Hi, I'm Timothy Green.

I'm a planner three in the strategic planning division.

Um staff are proposing planning code amendment package to streamline the conditional use permit or CUP requirements.

Uh CUPs are an important tool to address accommodation of uses with special site or design requirements, operating characteristics or potent potential adverse effects on surroundings through review and were necessary the imposition of special conditions of approval.

However, the CUP approval process is often lengthy and expensive and affords a high level of uncertainty.

This can inhibit the opening of small and neighborhood-serving businesses, which results in a less vibrant commercial districts and reduced tax revenues.

Additionally, it hampers the implementation of parks improvements and maintenance by the city.

Mayor Lee has established a permit reform initiative included as part of her 10-point plan for Oakland, from which the proposal was initiated.

The primary focus of these amendments is to reduce the number of activities subject to the CUP procedure, thus allowing these uses to be permitted outright.

The zoning amendments in the Broadway Valdez district adopted in May served as a pilot for this project, which expands the effort citywide.

The proposed package amends the chapters of the planning code showed on this slide as well as this slide.

The bulk of proposed amendments reduce the regulatory barriers to permitting commercial and civic activity and commercial zones.

One of the key triggers for a CUP for these activities is the square footage of a proposal.

Therefore, the proposed amendments would raise many of these thresholds by 20 to 50 percent, depending on the activity in the zone.

Group assembly includes a variety of businesses that facilitate public gathering, generally having a floor area of at least 5,000 square feet.

Such activities can serve as anchor destinations, attracting patrons to a commercial district from throughout the city and region.

The activity generated from these venues can support other businesses such as restaurants, bolster the reputation of a commercial district, and promote the city as a center for arts and culture.

However, they also have the potential to generate elevated noise levels that can disturb neighboring residents.

Currently, the planning code regulates this issue by requiring most group assembly activities to receive a CUP.

The proposal aims to create more predictable permitting process by increasing the square footage allowed before a CUP is required and instead establishing performance standards in certain zones.

So for projects that, so it increases the threshold, and now for projects that still that don't trigger a CUP but propose to use amplified sound.

An operational noise plan would be required.

This would document the potential noise generation of the project and describe any mitigation required to meet existing noise performance standards.

Traditionally, one of the reasons to require a CUP would be to require this noise study and add conditions as a result.

By requiring this with the permitted use as a performance standard, allows retention of these requirements without the need for more lengthy CUP process.

Artisan production was newly added to the planning code in 2023, which will be added to most commercial zoning districts as well as certain industrial and residential districts as appropriate.

Regulation of mechanical or electronic games such as arcades vary significantly throughout the city's zoning districts and would be newly permitted in many commercial districts as well as certain industrial and residential districts as appropriate.

Medical service and animal care are neighborhood serving uses that can generate activity on a commercial corridor, but that contain sensitive operations that should be screened from public view.

Ground floor transparency requirements were developed first for the downtown zoning districts, then refined for Broadway Valdez.

In those districts, the relevant business must provide street fronting windows for reception lobby waiting areas, while treatment rooms may not face the street.

The current proposal expands these requirements to include other pedestrian-oriented commercial districts.

This will ensure clear and consistent regulations throughout Oakland's downtown.

Within the scope of the planning code, our current permitting framework aims to maintain thoughtful stewardship of parkland by requiring rigorous public review process for proposed projects.

However, this results in a trade-off that results in high costs and lengthy approval timelines, which has become a significant concern of the parks and recognor departments, as well as many Oaklanders.

The proposed amendments aim to balance these competing goals by reducing costs and delays while maintaining public review commensurate with the impacts of a given project.

A couple permitted a couple activities are proposed to be directly shifted from prohibited to permitted, meaning the uses would only go through the parks and rec approval process and not be reviewed by planning.

Namely, food service and other concessions would be newly permitted in active mini parks and linear parks.

This activity only includes fixed structures and does not include mobile carts or trucks.

We have drafted an amendment to clarify this, which you all have received just now.

These limited changes would add a footnote to Table 17.11.060, noting that food service and other concessions does not include any temporary structures or movable carts or trucks.

These limited changes would allow for activation of parks by providing concession booths in any type of city park.

Meanwhile, basic park amenities would be changed from minor CUP to permitted.

Examples include permitting pathways, basic utility infrastructure, and kiosks and all park types.

It would also streamline permitting of restroom and all restrooms in all parks with the exception of resource conservation areas.

Some activities would be shifted from prohibited to minor CUP.

This would mean that instead of being banned, planning approval could be granted by planning staff.

These changes would allow for installation of low-impact recreational amenities, particularly in athletic field parks.

However, requiring a minor CUP would maintain thoughtful analysis of proposals, particularly in regard to limiting expansion of impervious surfaces and parks.

Additionally, cafes would be conditionally permitted in most parks, which would help to activate those spaces and provide revenue for their maintenance.

Let's see.

Restrooms and maintenance sheds and resource conservation areas would be shifted from major CUP to minor CUP, allowing for these basic facilities to go through just one public hearing by the Parks and Rec Advisory Commission or PRAC instead of the two currently required with the planning commission also reviewing.

This could shorten approval timelines by months.

Many activity types would be changed from prohibited to major CUP.

These changes would allow for installations of more impactful park amenities, such as water play features, full service restaurants, and alcohol sales, while maintaining a high level of public review to ensure they don't cause negative impacts.

Other key changes in the open space zone include clarifying that maintenance in-kind replacement and small projects adding less than 100 square feet of new impervious surface is not a change in use.

Permitting small stormwater facilities and public art installations of less than a thousand square feet in all parks.

Large facilities would require a CUP or be prohibited depending on the facility and park type.

And prohibiting athletic fences in many parks, linear parks, and resource conservation areas.

More limited amendments are proposed to residential and industrial zones to allow for a wider variety of uses as appropriate.

And miscellaneous amendments would be made to certain use classifications as shown on this slide.

Other miscellaneous cleanup and administrative amendments would be made to the chapters shown here.

So there was a clerical error, where staff inadvertently struck out the L4 limitation for administrative civic activities.

Staff is proposing to retain this existing limitation that does not allow the expansion of a non-residential structure in an otherwise residential zone.

This is a correction after the planning commission meeting and the languages shown on the slide and included in your CED package.

So staff requests that the city council conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion adopt an ordinance as recommended by the Planning Commission.

One, amending Title 17 of the Oakland Municipal Code, the planning code to A, adjust regulations for permitted and conditionally permitted activities and facilities for purposes of providing greater opportunities for ground floor activities, and is the permitting burden for commercial, civic, and low impact industrial activities, and B, make related miscellaneous cleanup and administrative changes, and two making appropriate California Environmental Quality Act findings with the following revisions.

One, retain L4 for administrative civic activities in all zones in Table 17.1701.

And two, add footnote to Table 17.11.060, stating that food service and other concessions does not include any temporary structures or movable carts or trucks, see OMC chapters 5.51 and 12.64.

And that concludes my presentation.

Excellent.

Thank you so much.

And for uplifting those important amendments.

Councilmember Ramachandran.

Yes, thank you.

I am in strong support of the amendments and appreciate the clarification.

And also, I have received, you know, as I know the department has as well, a number of concerns about basically on the open space requirements, whether or not food vendors that private food vendors would be able to not go through the regular permitting process.

And to my understanding, the clarity, including the amendment, is that no, that the process is unchanged for private food and concession vendors.

That's correct.

Is Parks and Rec or a similar department would submit an application to us that they want to build some sort of concession stand.

We would review that, but then the department would do would go through an RFP or other concession agreement process to find a concession uh concessionaire for that facility.

Thank you.

Excellent, thank you.

Councilmember Fife.

I'm gonna get this going.

Because we're a little behind.

But I I do have to ask, I see some of my constituents constituents in the chamber regarding this item.

There's a lot of challenges around Lake Merritt.

I saw a discussion happening over on the side, so I don't know if it was addressed, but I am um concerned about something similar to what Councilmember Ramachandran just stated, and want to know this is what happens with the existing uh vendors that are not regulated.

Are will there be any type of enforcement to require um permitting, or how are we addressing some of the abuses that we're seeing right now?

Yeah, so I guess I want to uh this is Laura Kaminsky strategic planning manager.

Um, so I just wanted to clarify so what is in the planning code is actually um dealing with um you know structure.

So essentially what we're talking about is that if you're building a new kiosk that would allow for a that this that the parks and rec department or public works wanted to build a new kiosk that potentially could then in the future house somebody through an RFP process, a food vendor that would maybe want to be in that kiosk, but it's only if it's something that the city uh wanted to do.

That's what our proposal is is talking about.

What I think the concern is that we're hearing from the public is these mobile food trucks that are that are not permanent, that are not fixed, and that that the planning code does not actually speak to those at all.

That is a separate uh process in the municipal code, and that is done through the parks and rec department as a process of people applying for a um a mobile food permit process, and so that actually what we're changing right now does not change that other process at all.

Um so you know, that is a separate issue as far as the enforcement of you know these existing vendors that are doing this illegally, and that is done through I believe um the economic development and um public works.

When this comes back because we're we're bleeding over into my committee, and I this needs a lot more um conversation.

I want to figure out how we do address it.

I know what your amending doesn't address the previous issue you just mentioned that I mentioned that the public is mentioning, but we do I want to understand if there is something that can be uh added to this language to um deal with these concerns.

It's primarily enforcement that doesn't have anything to do with you, so I do want to put that out there, but there I I just want to find out if there's more that can be done.

We just don't have the time to have the discussion today.

So I want to revisit it between now and the time that this comes back to committee to come council, sorry.

As a public hearing, so I'll I'll I'll make that motion excellent.

I think we have other questions.

And I'll also second it, but Councilmember Ungar.

I I know we don't have much time, but I I think it's really important that we not let this go by without heaping a lot of praise on planning and building for this item and the previous item.

I think it's really amazing the kind of streamlining work you've done.

This is one of the major problems we hear about from our constituents.

The fact that we're making these permits easier to get at all types of levels is a lot of work for you all, and I just want to say how much I appreciate it.

I agree and um I wanted to also uplift that.

I guess any of the detailed questions that we have, uh maybe that members of the public have offered, um, we can send those over, and we can also potentially produce that in a supplemental where we're actually answering those questions as far as where um the questions around these mobile full food vendors, where where that lies as it relates to this item.

But Director Gilchrist.

And to the chair to the committee, I just wanted to thank you for your acknowledgement appreciation for the work the staff's been doing to improve operations overall.

What I would ask also, and I'll work through the CAO's office for any of these items that are relating operationally.

We need to get the other parties in the conversation as well.

Because I think what Ms.

Kaminsky is impressing is that within the rubric that we have delegation of authority over, some of the issues you will erase it would not fall within the planning code.

So I understand that it's all you know working together in the real world.

But if we're going to affect you know, changes that are falling into these various categories, we want to make sure we have everyone at the table we need.

Okay.

Thank you.

Sounds good.

And we can hear from the public speakers.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Want to call your name?

Please approach the podium, state your name for the record.

If you're participating with you, please raise your hand so you're easily identified.

We would take in person and then zoom.

Isaac Coastreed, Kate Steele, Christine Bergaliano, and Leanne Alameda.

Ready?

Hi, uh, I'm Gate Steele with uh the Lake Merritt Community Alliance.

Thank you for allowing me to speak.

Thank you, Planning Commission, for your good work and most of your work we we agree with, but this is not ready for prime time.

We will receive this amendment today.

I don't think it answers some of the questions we have.

Right now, under the conditional uh use permit, we have a rigorous review process, and what the proposal will do is remove the planning uh department from that review process, and that will leave it in the current process we have now is with PRAC and the park uh the park department itself.

And those processes do not allow the public a meaningful opportunity to participate in the process.

We don't get the PRAC agenda.

You know, if there was a proposal before them, we don't get the PRAC agenda until one day, supposed to be longer than that, uh, before the meeting.

And the conditional use permit notice requirement.

Thank you for your comment.

Think, thank you.

Okay, um, if we called your name, please approach.

I think I you called Isaac next, but I don't see him in the room.

You can you can go, yeah.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

I'm Christine Brigalviano.

I am here on behalf of Lake Merritt I'm here on behalf of Lake Merritt Institute.

Um, and it's an unclear to me whether um the things that we're worried about are actually pertinent to the Planning Commission's uh suggested changes now that they've done the amendments, but we are very concerned about any permitting process for food vending and vending in any of the parks, particularly Lakeside Park, that would not include an environmental impact review.

Our parks are precious assets, and we are worried that any outdoor space lost or or space lost in the parks that would be given away for commercial purposes will never be recaptured.

Um so we urge the city council to limit the use of the parks for enjoyment.

We totally support the uh suggestions for improvement uh restroom.

Thank you for your comment.

Thank you.

And any more public speakers.

Excellent.

Um, to our Zoom speakers.

Leanne Alameda, please unmute yourself and begin your one minute comment.

Hi, thank you for this opportunity to speak.

I'm Leanne Alameda, Chair of the Lake Merritt Community Alliance.

I urge the committee to remove the permitting changes for food service and concessions in our parks.

I am confused about this amendment and how this changes anything around the concerns myself and other park leaders have.

I met with the city planning staff and they did not make this point at any point about it being for city structures, and they knew what our concerns were around vending in our parks.

This fundamentally in your package shows that they are changing minor cups, which involves the planning committee to permitted, which means it goes to parks and rec and PRAC to approve these.

Okay, thank you so much.

Um just want to share out that the section uh within the code uh within our code um 8.62090 is the one that specifically relates to the mobile food vendors.

So just wanted to share that out.

Um it does sound like maybe there's some additional questions and concerns, um, but I know that each of our offices could reach out to planning and building to ask some of those specific questions.

Um but um currently on the floor, we have a motion and a second, and we know that there were two um amendments that were uh read read into record um and so uh accepting the motion with those two um amendments hearing and uh to be on the December 2nd uh agenda as a public hearing.

Thank you.

We have a motion by you by council member five, seconded by councilmember brown to approve the recommendations of staff and the forward this item to the December 2nd city council agenda as a public hearing on roll council member five.

Aye.

Thank you, Councilmember Ramatra.

Aye, Councilmember Ogger.

Aye and Chair Brown.

Aye.

Motion passes with four ayes to approve the recommendations of staff, and this is to be forwarded to December 2nd, 2025 city council agenda as a public hearing.

Moving to open forum.

You have two speakers.

Please approach the podium, state your name for the record.

If you're participating via Zoom, raise your hand so you're easily identified.

David Boatwright and Jennifer Finley.

Um, okay, so maybe Jennifer.

That concludes your public speakers for open forum.

Excellent.

Um, thank you all so much.

This meeting is adjourned.