Belvedere OKs Elevator License on City Strip, Advances Drone Rules
City Council • BelvedereSeptember 14, 2026
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The Belvedere City Council spent nearly an hour on Sept. 14, 2026, deciding how much a pair of Beach Road homeowners can build on city-owned tide land. It ultimately approved a revocable license for a shared hillside elevator. The council also advanced the city's first commercial drone delivery rules on a split vote, backed a low-cost General Plan update, and heard organized residents press for tighter oversight of Mallard Point demolition.
- Shared elevator license approved on the city-owned Strip at 310 and 312 Beach Road, with the 30-day recording requirement dropped
- Drone delivery ordinance passes first reading on a split voice vote; Councilmember Jane Cooper opposed the operating hours
- Phased General Plan update wins council support at roughly $50,000 versus a $1.5M rewrite
- Mallard Point neighbors demand complete plans before demolition and bulkhead work begins near the Oct. 15 in-water deadline
A Private Elevator on Public Tide Land
The basics: The Strip is a city-owned tide lot below Beach Road homes. A revocable license lets private owners keep or build improvements on public land, and the city can withdraw that permission.
Why it matters: The decision shows how Belvedere handles private construction on city tide land, including who maintains it, what returns to the council and where the Strip legally ends.
Where things stand: The Planning Commission granted design review and a variance on March 17 for a shared elevator about 85 feet downslope, ending at a wood landing on piers. About 75 feet of the project sits on city property. Under the license, each owner must maintain the Strip below their lot and indemnify the city, and the stairs will be raised to preserve passage along the Strip.
Staff framed the project as a public benefit. "First, the new concrete piers will stabilize the hillside, which was subject to severe slides in 2006," said Sammy, Planning staff.
Owner and applicant Mark Conroe said the project shrinks his footprint. "We're reducing our use of the strip by over 50%," said Conroe. Citing an 1896 deed, he argued the Strip's boundary likely sits at the bottom of the hill and urged a survey. "I'll bet dinner for the council," he said.
The other side: Cooper asked where the license ends relative to the pier and dock lease and objected to changes the Planning Commission never saw. Councilmember Pat Carapiet raised FEMA VE-zone requirements, the word "substantial" in the staff report, conflicts between license sections 6 and 9, a late revision extending the elevator, recording timing, and outdated dock lease exhibits.
Vice Mayor Kevin Burke noted that a staff report statement about future improvements does not appear in the license itself. "I think we should err on the side of being very conservative," said Burke.
Councilmember Peter Mark pushed back on rewriting terms from the dais. "I want to be careful or caution us not to sort of establish policy on the fly here," said Mark.
City legal counsel Andrew said section 7 of the license limits permitted uses. He reminded the council that "design review approval is not before you tonight on appeal."
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Burke moved approval and Cooper seconded. The motion passed by voice vote with the 30-day recording requirement removed, as Carapiet had requested. The council did not state a tally. Carapiet's proposed "alteration, or construction" wording was not part of the motion as described. The owners gain an approved path to build, and the city shifts maintenance and liability to them. Public passage along the Strip is preserved.
What's next: "A survey will be required at the time of building permit," said Planning & Building Director Rebecca Markwick. She said any project showing other improvements would return to the council.
Drone Delivery Rules Clear First Reading
Why it matters: The ordinance sets ground rules before commercial drone delivery arrives. "Belvedere is compact with narrow streets, steep hills, and constrained emergency access routes," said City Manager Robert Zadnik.
Where things stand: Staff restructured the new Belvedere Municipal Code Chapter 8.34 into residential rules, commercial rules and enforcement. The ordinance sets a single definition of a drone facility and limits facilities to the mixed-use zone with a conditional use permit. Residents must give written consent in a flexible format. Operating hours run 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, mirroring the noise ordinance. Airspace stays under Federal Aviation Administration control.
Cooper challenged the privacy section, 8.34.080, which allowed drone data to be used to comply with a government investigation. Counsel said the clause was meant to cover subpoenas and could be deleted.
Mark questioned how the city would enforce the rules against delivery recipients or out-of-town operators. He also challenged the breadth of "delivery-related ground activity." "Do we really want to have drones go to someone's house and charge?" said Mark.
The other side: The hours split the council. Cooper favored 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. "I'd rather start on the side of keeping it a little bit tighter," said Cooper. Carapiet favored an 8 a.m. start and shorter hours. Burke and Mayor Sally Wilkinson backed the noise ordinance standard. "I would tend to go to marry it with the noise ordinance right now," said Wilkinson.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Mark moved approval with three edits, and Burke seconded:
- The government-investigation clause is struck from 8.34.080.
- The definition of public access areas gains "including but not limited to."
- Charging and staging are removed from the ground-activity definition.
The ordinance passed by voice vote with at least one no. Cooper had said she would not support it, and the mayor noted the vote was not unanimous. The council did not state a full tally. Residents gain consent rights and privacy limits. Operators face zoning and hours constraints.
What's next: A second reading is expected in October. That meeting is the last chance for changes.
General Plan Update, One Module at a Time
Why it matters: State law requires Belvedere to add climate adaptation and evacuation route analysis to the safety element of its 2010 General Plan. The city must also update open space policy for climate resilience and screen for environmental justice requirements.
Where things stand: Markwick proposed independent modules over two to three years. The climate action plan would be incorporated by reference. Staff and volunteers would do the core work, and consultants would be used only for specialized validation and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review. Her estimate assumes about 30 hours per module at $295 an hour across six modules. The competing $1.5M quote included CEQA and the 7th cycle housing element.
"We can accomplish this for roughly $50,000 as opposed to a full-scale $1.5 million rewrite," said Markwick. "So I'm a very strong supporter of this approach," said Burke.
The other side: "It seems a little bit on the low side for something this major," said Cooper, who also asked to bring volunteers in earlier. "I think we do have to budget for an EIR," said Carapiet, referring to a full environmental impact report. Mark urged outside management. "I really do think you need to sort of at least examine and look further to have some outside services running shotgun on this," said Mark. Counsel said CEQA must be assessed for the whole project before final approval.
What's next: The council took no vote but supported the phased approach. Markwick said she could begin contacting consultants in about two months, depending on her Mallard Point workload.
Mallard Point Neighbors Demand Complete Plans
Why it matters: Demolition, asbestos abatement and bulkhead work could begin near the Oct. 15 in-water work cutoff and the start of the rainy season. Residents say that timing puts the lagoon and Richardson Bay at risk.
Where things stand: Zadnik reported the city has hired Foth Engineers to coordinate review. The developer is responding to comments on its fifth submittal, and another submittal is expected. The city sends weekly updates. Zadnik said he believed the Foth contract falls under the threshold for council approval. No community meeting is planned.
The other side: Three speakers, including two from the Briggs group, urged the city to slow down. Susan Clough, who coordinates Briggs' review of bulkhead submissions, said the developer's announced schedule conflicts with the city's wait for a sixth submission. She asked for complete, coordinated plans with written sign-off. "The developer's preferred schedule should not drive the city's approval process," said Clough.
Jill Barnett, Briggs secretary, cited Conditions 16 and 23 of the project approval and nearly 100 signatures. "You can and must deny a permit if the condition of approval is not met," said Barnett.
Environmental attorney Catherine Rawhead said, "We need an approved plan to keep the site stable, drained, and protected if work stops or the next phase never proceeds."
What's next: Permit timing hinges on the developer's sixth submittal.
Minor Items
- Consent calendar: The council approved the calendar by voice vote with none opposed. Item 5C was amended to limit the 4/10 workweek to the Public Works maintenance crew.
- 180 Beach Road: A driveway license easing a Beach Road pinch point passed by voice vote on Carapiet's motion. The homeowners cannot park in the license area.
- Richardson Bay grants: A councilmember reported the regional agency accepted a little over $3M from the EPA and $1.9M from the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority.
- Measure O: Mike Ghaffary, a Reed Union School District board member, urged support for the school bond.
- Flock cameras: Privacy concerns about the license-plate cameras will be folded into the next police quarterly review.
Looking Ahead
The city's website moves from .org to .gov on Oct. 1, after a test on Sept. 21. Tide-dependent Beach Road pile work may start at 7 a.m. Staff agreed to post schedules online and on signboards. Climate scientist Dr. Daniel Swain will speak on a possible Super El Niño on Sept. 30.