The City of EmeryvilleEmeryville’s first two City Council meetings of 2026 were the first since councilmember Sukhdeep Kaur was elevated to her one year term Mayor. The January 20 and February 3 sessions featured ceremonial moments, procedural tensions, and spirited public comment — including urgent testimony from residents of the 1440 By The Bay retirement community over the proposed 40th Street Multimodal Project.
January 20, 2026
A large portion of the Emeryville City Council’s January 20 meeting was dominated by emotional public testimony from residents and family members connected to 1440 By The Bay, an assisted living and retirement community located at 1440 40th Street.
Speakers urged the City to reconsider elements of the proposed 40th Street Multimodal Project, warning that planned bike and traffic changes could create new safety hazards for seniors, reduce critical loading access for paratransit and emergency vehicles, and potentially violate disability access requirements.
Special Order of the Day: Emery High Debate Team Acknowledged
After emerging from closed session, Council acknowledged the Emery High Debate team for earning their spot on the National Urban Debate League Championship Tournament to be held at Harvard College this spring.
City Updates Council on Strategic Plan Progress (~1:31:35–1:33:12)
Before public comment, the City Manager provided updates on Emeryville’s strategic plan, noting completed projects and continued work ahead.
“We remain focused on our transparency, accountability and outcomes,” the City Manager said in closing.
Retirement Community Mobilizes Against Multimodal Project (~1:33:47–2:05:09)
Despite the item not being on the agenda, a large chunk of the meeting was consumed by Public Comment opposing the 40th Street Multimodal project that took another step forward with the end of the CEQA draft document review period.
When it became clear that the bulk of those in attendance were there to speak against the multimodal project, councilmember Kalimah Priforce stepped away from the dais. Priforce has recused himself from any discussion related to the project after receiving campaign donations from a business group opposing the project.
The comment period that followed was dominated by residents, family members, and advocates connected to 1440 By The Bay, an assisted living and retirement community located directly along the project corridor.
A spirited public comment period began with Nancy Rader, who said she lives in Berkeley but frequently visits her brother and sister-in-law at 1440 By The Bay (previously Watermark by the Bay). Rader told Council that many residents only recently became aware of the City’s proposed street redesign and quickly organized opposition.
“I want to let you know that 50 members of the 1440 By The Bay community, including residents, family members and staff, submitted comments…in the form of a petition…strongly opposed to the plan,” she said.
Reading from the petition, she emphasized that residents are largely mobility-limited and depend on third-party transportation.
“We depend on paratransit, private cars, delivery vans and emergency vehicles,” she said, warning that the planned two-way cycle track could increase collision risks as seniors cross to reach loading zones and transit.
Rader urged the City to explore alternative bikeway routes that would not endanger disabled residents or reduce essential access.
One of the strongest themes of the night was frustration that the City had not meaningfully engaged the assisted living population most affected by the project.
Melinda Liser, a resident of 1440 By The Bay for six and a half years, said she felt overlooked in the planning process.
“When I read the plans… I thought no one talked to any of the residents. I know I was never spoken to,” she told Council.
Liser said she initially misunderstood the City’s outreach letter because it seemed directed toward businesses, not residents.
“We are a business, but the business is assisted living for residents,” she said.
She warned that eliminating parking and limiting the loading zone outside the building could severely impact residents who require extra time and assistance getting into vehicles.
“The loading zone is insufficient…The distance to our transportation would increase substantially,” she said.
“These issues seem to be blatant violations of the ADA,” added another speaker. “The city should pause it until it meets with the residential community at 1440 By The Bay to get a reality check from the people who will have to live with the new street design and then develop a plan that works for everyone.”
Another speaker described how changes meant to increase bicycle access could unintentionally worsen conditions for people with disabilities.
“It’s really imperative that the city council weigh…access to those of us that have so limited access,” the speaker said. “This would be depriving us of some access.”
“We Depend on the City as a Place Where We Spread Our Wings”
Paul Matzner, a resident of the 1440 community and retired Oakland Museum sound designer, spoke about how seniors rely on the surrounding cityscape for mobility and independence.
“1440…has no real garden space or outdoor space to walk around,” he said. “We depend on the city as a place where we can spread our wings and walk around.”
Speaking from the perspective of a wheelchair user, Matzner also raised concerns about crosswalk timing and pedestrian refuge islands.
“It takes at least twice as long as the lights give me to get across the streets…while traffic is whizzing past,” he said.
“If we want business and residents to come and stay here, to work here, to shop here, to live here, we need them to feel we are planning prudently and not creating impediments that literally drive them out of town,”
Longtime Emeryville resident Fran Quittel, who serves on the City’s Budget Advisory and Economic Development Committees, connected the street redesign debate to broader fiscal concerns, warning of deficits and the rising costs of major corridor projects.
“If we want business and residents to come and stay here, to work here, to shop here, to live here, we need them to feel we are planning prudently and not creating impediments that literally drive them out of town,” Quittel said, warning of the potential impacts of the proposed Sutter Health project and the city’s upcoming tax initiatives.
The city is currently compiling a “Response to Comments” document that will be presented at an upcoming council meeting likely either February 17th or March 3rd.
Meeting Ends With Brief Procedural Item (~3:19:22–3:21:25)
The meeting concluded with Councilmember Priforce, who has made similar attempts at nearly every meeting, again proposing that the Council restore the Pledge of Allegiance to its proceedings and reciting it aloud. With no support from other councilmembers, the request failed.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:01 p.m.
The full agenda for this meeting can be read on Emeryville.org.
February 3, 2026
The Emeryville City Council held a brief but eventful meeting on Tuesday, February 3rd, beginning with a closed session and followed by a regular meeting featuring a Black History Month proclamation, public comment tensions, and two future agenda requests that failed for lack of council support.
Closed Session Opens With Artist Co-op Claim (05:29–12:11)
Before the regular meeting began, the Council convened a special closed session that included public comment from representatives of the 45th Street Artist Cooperative.
Attorney Gary Fergus, speaking pro bono on behalf of the cooperative, urged the City to approve a $205,000 claim related to sewer lateral repairs at the co-op’s century-old building. Fergus argued that East Bay MUD ordinances—adopted into Emeryville’s municipal code—place responsibility for sewer lateral maintenance on public entities when they own the underlying property.
Because the land was formerly owned by the Emeryville Redevelopment Agency, Fergus contended that the City, as successor agency, should reimburse the cooperative for the cost. He emphasized that the funds would go entirely into the co-op’s reserve account for building maintenance and repairs, benefiting low- and moderate-income artists.
Board members also spoke, highlighting the co-op’s longstanding partnership with the City and its contributions to local arts programming, including youth art initiatives and cultural district advocacy.
Council Reconvenes for Regular Meeting (40:14–41:42)
The regular City Council meeting began at approximately 7:05 p.m., with all members present: Councilmembers Mourra, Priforce, and Welch, Vice Mayor Solomon, and Mayor Kaur.
The Council unanimously approved the final agenda without changes.
February Proclaimed Black History Month (41:42–50:51)
A major highlight of the evening was the formal proclamation recognizing February 2026 as Black History Month in Emeryville.
Councilmember Courtney Welch read the proclamation, which acknowledged the history of enslavement and racism in the United States, celebrated the achievements of Black Americans, and noted the City’s continued practice of raising the Pan-African flag at City Hall during February.
Welch offered personal remarks afterward, describing the importance of resisting cultural and historical erasure and emphasizing joy, resilience, and the ongoing struggle for equity.
Councilmember Priforce also spoke, connecting Black History Month to broader struggles against oppression and raising the issue of Indigenous erasure in Emeryville, particularly regarding the Shellmound site.
Mayor Kaur closed the item by expressing pride in Emeryville’s diversity and noting the presence of Black leadership across the City’s government, including on the Council and key leadership on staff including City Manager LaTanya Bellow and Chief of Police Jeff Jennings.
Special Announcements / Reports on Meeting Attendance (51:51–54:08)
During the Special Announcements and Reports on Meeting Attendance, Mayor Kaur shared that she recently attended the League of California Cities conference alongside the City Manager. She noted that the gathering covered a range of municipal governance topics, including council procedures, upcoming regulatory updates, and guidance on compliance with the Brown Act.
Kaur emphasized the importance of maintaining proper meeting structure, stating, “The public has the right to comment before or during the council’s consideration of an item and the council’s role is to deliberate after that record is closed.” She added that, consistent with Robert’s Rules of Order, clarifying questions should occur before public comment is opened unless recognized by the Chair.
Robert’s Rules sets a structured process for how decisions get made: who gets to speak, when motions can be introduced, how debate happens, and how votes are taken. The goal is to make sure meetings don’t turn into free-for-alls or get dominated by the loudest or most verbose person(s) in the room.
Consent Calendar Approved Unanimously (56:03–56:24)
The Council approved the consent calendar in a single unanimous vote, with no items pulled for separate discussion.
No public hearings, action items, or department head reports were scheduled for the evening, contributing to a notably short agenda.
Future Agenda Request Fails Without Support (56:57–1:00:04)
Near the end of the meeting, Councilmember Priforce attempted to introduce a future agenda item to discuss adopting a formal land acknowledgement to be read at the start of Council meetings. He cited the historic Emeryville Shellmound as a culturally significant Indigenous site and noted that neighboring cities such as Berkeley, Oakland, and Richmond have implemented similar practices.
Land acknowledgements have been criticized by some as performative gestures that offer symbolic recognition without substantive action.
The item failed to receive support by a second councilmember preventing its advancement.
Meeting Adjourned (1:00:04–1:00:28)
The regular meeting adjourned at approximately 7:25 p.m., after which the Council returned briefly to closed session. At 8:13 p.m., the City Attorney reported that no reportable action had been taken, and the meeting concluded.
The full agenda for this meeting can be read on Emeryville.org.
Unfortunately it seems like the elderly folks were misinformed. They will still have pickup/dropoff spots in front of their building. And they said they want to be able to cross the street which will be much safer with a bus island in the middle and fewer vehicle lanes to cross.
It’s disappointing to see you default to the stereotype that the older residents must have been misinformed, especially when that assumption was shared publicly without fully engaging with what they actually said. They were very clear that they understand a small drop‑off zone will remain; their point was that it won’t be sufficient. They also acknowledged that there will be fewer car lanes to cross.
Their concern — and it seems like a reasonable one — is that they will now have to navigate two‑way, unregulated bicycle and e‑bike traffic on top of many of the same challenges they already face. They were looking for understanding and potential solutions, but it doesn’t appear they’re receiving either from the city (or you) at the moment.
Yep this is exactly my problem with the project. I’m 100% on board with reducing traffic lanes and beautifying the area, but the plan to make pedestrians cross the double bicycle lanes to reach the bus stops and regular crosswalks is asinine to say the least. Under thus plan, there aren’t a lot of safety measures in place to protect pedestrians from bicyclists. If the cycle lanes were placed on the outside closer to the lanes of traffic at least pedestrians could get around more easily and they would only have to cross the bicycle lanes at established crossing points for the normal lanes of traffic anyway.
Bravo to the seniors who articulately addressed Council re 40th street with valid and well stated concerns particularly regarding speeding bikes and decreased safety for traversing that major corridor. Also, many who live and work here are now experiencing dramatically DECREASED safety from newly imposed obstacle course results that have been engineered by Public Works onto Hollis Street resulting in a far LESS safe street. Finally, The constantly flooded area on Powell Street east of the fire station is an area definitely requiring good engineering and a permanent solution that has remained unsolved for years. Why not pay attention to that?
If you think Hollis is an “obstacle course” you should probably not be allowed to drive anymore because you are the biggest danger to people walking on that street.
I heard Powell Street was getting protected bike lanes and they will fix the flooding issue. Amazing to live in a city that prioritizes bicyclists and pedestrians.
Thank you for requesting to understand how I came to my conclusions about the “new” Hollis St.
I stopped on foot for several hours on different days to observe those who use the street whether they are pedestrians, “travelers” in a public or private – large or small vehicle, handicapped motorized conveyance or bicycle. 1. I see no one walking for blocks along Hollis Street BUT I do see occasional persons waiting at the bus stop south of and opposite the Grocery Outlet location. 2. I also see bikers speeding through empty Hollis St spaces white marked for cars to park and AC transit busses making left hand turns from Powell heading west onto Hollis heading south where pedestrians at the Honor Bar corner have their toes in dangerous proximity to the road bed, the GoRound, busses and trucks. 3. I see small and large public and private vehicle drivers not understanding the new engineering the street requires, the bus bulb outs, the left hand/straight ahead lane choices at Hollis and 45th St and traffic back ups a few times a day. I just go there, watch carefully and hopefully provide detailed feedback. Thank you for asking. I hope that we all are not endangering pedestrians, bikers or anyone else on or near a roadway and that ALL who reside in, work in or visit our city do so in safety, good health and happiness.