San Leandro City Council Special Meeting and Closed Session – October 28, 2026

The source agenda and transcript identify this meeting as Monday, October 19, 2026, with the agenda listing a 5:00 p.m. special meeting and closed session; the transcript records the open session being called to order at 7:00 p.m., and the meeting adjourned at 8:31 p.m. Per the supplied meeting metadata, this summary uses October 28, 2026. The meeting was held in the City Hall IT Training Room and by Zoom. All councilmembers were present; Councilmember Victor Aguilar participated remotely after being granted just cause and was reminded to keep his camera on.

Closed Session

• The agenda listed closed-session items for real property negotiation at 68 Monarch Bay Drive and conference with legal counsel in case No. 2:24-bk-14877.
• After reconvening, the Mayor reported good discussion and no reportable action.

Appointments and Recognitions

• The Mayor moved up the appointment of Nancy Brown to the Arts, Culture and Library Commission for a term ending December 31, 2026.
• Councilmember Bowen moved and Councilmember James Aguilar seconded. The motion carried unanimously, and Ms. Brown received the oath of office.

Consent Calendar

• The consent calendar was approved unanimously on a motion by Councilmember James Aguilar, seconded by Vice Mayor Viveros Walton. No councilmember pulled an item, and no in-person comment cards were submitted.
• Online speaker Alvaro Ramos commented on item 5e, noting staff recommended proceeding with work as quickly as possible to prevent possible sewage overflow and flooding associated with the predicted 2026-2027 El Niño weather event. He also commented on item 5A, asking whether furniture purchased for the Manor/Mulford library is waterproof and resilient, citing the coastal location, the risk of flooding in Washington Manor, and concern about deterioration.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Leslie Watson, a Floresta Gardens resident and public school teacher, expressed frustration that no city staff member had contacted her about her neighborhood feral cat problem despite a prior council request and an email forwarded by Councilmember Victor Aguilar. She described daily public health risks for neighbors and children and asked the council to help.
• Douglas Spaulding criticized street slurry and repaving activity, questioned the need for reopening Lake Chabot Road, and expressed disappointment that the Mayor favors reopening it and is lobbying for funding. He argued the cited $1.5 million figure is insufficient and that dilapidated firehouses should be a higher priority. He lives one block from the closure.
• Alvaro Ramos reminded the public that November 3 is Election Day and urged no votes on Proposition 43, Proposition 41, Proposition 42, Proposition 45, and Proposition 39. He described Prop 43 as cutting public services, Props 41 and 42 as attempts to stop a tax on billionaires, Prop 45 as deregulating environmental reviews, and Prop 39 as restricting voting.

Public Hearing: ADU Ordinance Update

• The public hearing was opened at 7:25 p.m. and closed at 7:27 p.m.
• Planning Manager Waylon Lee presented an ordinance to bring the city's accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations into compliance with current state law. The local ordinance was last updated in 2022, and about a dozen state bills have amended ADU law since then.
• Highlights included: up to three ADUs and one junior ADU (JADU) on single-family lots under certain conditions; up to eight detached ADUs on multifamily lots, but never more than the existing number of units; a 15-business-day completeness review; no new items after the first incompleteness letter; appeal rights for denials and completeness determinations; protection for legalization of unpermitted ADUs built before 2020 unless health and safety corrections are needed; JADU occupancy requirements only when a bathroom is shared; and maximum unit size measured by interior livable space rather than exterior walls.
• Staff noted the requirements are already in effect and applied, and the ordinance would place them in the code. After adoption, the ordinance would be submitted to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
• Public comment: Douglas Spaulding supported conforming to state law and said housing is needed by all means necessary. He suggested the city offer an ADU class and asked about converting an existing apartment into a JADU.
• Councilmember Simon asked whether the 15-day review period applies to other city applications; staff responded that the Permit Streamlining Act generally requires a 30-day completeness determination for other applications.
• Councilmember Simon moved to introduce the ordinance, Councilmember Bowen seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.

Presentation: BART

• BART Director Robert Rayburn reported that next-generation fare gates have reduced fare evasion, increased revenue by about $10 million annually, and helped lower crimes against riders per million trips by 67% from the end of 2024 to the latest quarter. Safety-related delays fell 47%, and rider satisfaction was 91.4% satisfactory or very satisfactory.
• San Leandro and Bay Fair BART stations together averaged 7,000 weekday exits and recorded 182,000 exits in August. Rayburn highlighted transit-oriented development including Marea Alta and La Vereda, with 200 affordable and senior units, and future development at Bay Fair Station with the city and county.
• BART faces deficits of over $370 million per year beginning in fiscal year 2027. The current budget assumes a regional transit measure that would provide about $310 million annually beginning in fiscal year 2028. Without new revenue, an approved alternative plan would cut service by 70%, close the system at 9 p.m., and increase fares by 50% in two months. Ridership recently grew more than 14.5% year over year, and October 6 set a post-pandemic high with over 254,000 exits.
• Douglas Spaulding urged a yes vote on the regional transit measure, emphasized the need for affordable housing at 30-60% of area median income, and suggested a navigation center could be located in the Fairmont Square area, noting the Llewellyn Center is expected to expire by 2030.
• Alvaro Ramos said inadequate AC Transit bus service and suburban sprawl hurt BART, criticized fare inspectors and restrictive fare gates, and said a $15 round trip from San Leandro to Daly City was a price obstacle. He urged the BART board to fire fare inspectors.
• Councilmember Bowen asked about free BART rides for students in grades 6-12. Director Rayburn noted the Clipper Start program for low-income customers and the 50% youth discount for riders ages 5-19; Bowen suggested BART consider reducing rates further because the student transit pass income threshold is outdated. She also asked for improved safety, lighting, and signage around Bay Fair Station, especially with the new Pay Center opening in January and serving 400-500 seniors.
• Councilmember Simon expressed appreciation for BART and noted the cost comparison to bridge tolls and car ownership. The Mayor praised BART's partnership with San Leandro, including graffiti cleanup, lighting, and the East Bay Greenway.

Presentation: Ava Community Energy

• Ava Community Energy CEO Howard Chang presented the agency's inaugural impact report. Ava is a not-for-profit community choice aggregator serving about 2 million people and about 760,000 accounts, with 96% participation. It has provided over $183 million in customer savings and reinvested over $100 million in local communities.
• Chang described the Bright Choice product, about 55% renewable and roughly a 0.5% discount to PG&E, and the Renewable 100 product, 100% renewable at a premium of about 1.75 cents. San Leandro is currently defaulted into Renewable 100, with a council action expected to move the default to Bright Choice around 2027 for affordability.
• He explained that generation costs are about one-third of customer electricity bills and delivery costs about two-thirds; overall average rates are in the 35-40 cent range, while generation rates have historically been in the 12-15 cent range.
• San Leandro-specific figures included about 33,000-34,000 accounts, about 93% participation, nearly $7 million in savings since 2018, and about 8,400 CARE/FERA customers. About 19% of customers are on Bright Choice and 81% on Renewable 100.
• Programs highlighted included the Ava Charge DC fast charger network, Ava Bike Electric funded up to $13 million, and Ava Smart Home Battery and Resilience Hubs funded at $15 million. San Leandro examples included 13 low-income customers receiving free induction cooktops through Healthy Communities, 161 DAC Green Tariff customers, 430 e-bike rebates, and about 100 smart home charging participants.
• Douglas Spaulding said he is a happy Ava customer and e-bike rebate recipient, but expressed concern about data centers, including the Eden Landing data center and a possible San Leandro data center, and asked how they would affect ratepayers and the environment.
• Alvaro Ramos raised concerns about an Ava contract with Deloitte, which he said has held contracts with ICE and DHS; about the use of GASB 62/rate stabilization funds and $10 million from the local development fund to address a $24 million deficit; about PG&E utility bills; and about the oil shock, saying Ava needs to step up for people.
• In response to council questions, Chang explained that natural gas plants often set California electricity prices, that the rate stabilization fund helps smooth rate volatility, and that Ava has roughly $160 million in one rate stabilization fund and about $330 million in reserves. He said about $100 million was historically allocated to local development, with about $80 million remaining, and that the $10 million reduction was a future-year planning decision rather than a service cut.
• On data centers and integrated resource planning, Chang said load growth was forecast around 30% over the next 5-10 years, partly due to EVs and data centers, but that California Energy Commission updates have reduced some data center load growth assumptions.

Council Reports and Comments

• Councilmember Bowen reported on the StopWaste meeting, praising San Leandro schools' participation in the four-hours program, and highlighted the geoGOSL.org interactive maps, including the Adopt-a-Drain page before the first storms of the Super El Niño season.
• Councilmember Victor Aguilar reported attending the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District meeting. West Nile virus activity declined from its summer peak, but four positive bird detections were recorded in Newark and Union City; no human cases were reported.
• Mayor Gonzalez reported attending the Asian Health Systems gala, the fitness court ribbon cutting, the Rotary Club of San Leandro centennial celebration, and the East Bay Greenway North segment groundbreaking. He said construction along San Leandro Boulevard over about 270 days will add bike lanes, crosswalks, lighting, and landscaping. He encouraged a no vote on Proposition 43, supported the regional transit measure, and announced December 26, 2026 as Rotary Club of San Leandro Day. He also urged residents to vote and to follow ballot directions, saying the city will transparently calculate district election results using certified precinct counts.

Key Outcomes

• Closed session: no reportable action.
• Nancy Brown appointed unanimously to the Arts, Culture and Library Commission and sworn in.
• Consent calendar approved unanimously.
• ADU ordinance introduced unanimously on first reading; second reading scheduled for November 16, with submission to HCD after adoption.
• BART and Ava Community Energy presentations were informational; no votes were taken.
• No additional action items were considered; the meeting adjourned at 8:31 p.m.