pages: CityCouncil/2021-09-07.pdf, 23
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CityCouncil | 2021-09-07 | 23 | Councilmember Herrera Spencer stated the two items on the Planning Board agenda were Consent Calendar items; noted the Penumbra matter did not received any comment and was set to close the following day; the matter related to noise had multiple hearings; the Wellness Center design review was the first and only hearing related to design; she listened to the Planning Board meeting in real-time; a caller indicated difficulty with the phone number listing error; the phone number error was raised during the meeting; the Planning Board Chair noted all comments must be related to design only; the matter is important to the community; the City has allowed phone participation and has created agendas with the correct meeting ID for phone participants; expressed support for open government and democracy; stated it is critical for agendas to include the correct meeting ID to hear from public phone participants; it is wrong not to have the correct meeting ID included on the agenda; phone participants experienced problems trying to call-in. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft inquired whether the importance of open government and democracy does not apply across the board. Councilmember Herrera Spencer responded there is some discretion for Council to allow the movement and progress of items; stated a delay would have resulted in the hold up of a sale or transfer of property, which had received zero feedback from the community in advance or during the meeting. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft inquired how one would know whether or not a member of the public had tried to comment on the matters pulled from the Call for Review due to dialing the incorrect number. Councilmember Herrera Spencer responded there has been zero communication received to-date of someone attempting to call-in on either of the items pulled from the Call for Review. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft stated that her understanding from the correspondence attached to the matter is that the two items had been pulled based on requests submitted from proponents. Councilmember Knox White stated that he does not buy the reasoning; there cannot be the suggestion of a problem with one matter but not others; the matter is a clear, targeted Call for Review; the matter is unfortunate and shameful; Council has heard a lot of concerns about abuse of rules in open government complaints; noted people who had issues accessing the Planning Board meeting have not called; the only complaint received was from a caller who had an issue with the first meeting ID; the caller called in a second time, broke protocol for engagement in public meetings and continued to comment after speaking time h; the precedent being set is problematic; expressed support for providing direction to staff to have discussions about when Calls for Review are appropriate; the decision of the Planning Board is not part of the Call for Review; the issue should have been filed as an open government complaint, not a Call for Review; comments at this meeting are from the same participants at the Planning Board Regular Meeting Alameda City Council September 7, 2021 15 | CityCouncil/2021-09-07.pdf |