Council Makes Outdoor Dining Permanent, Confronts Deficit in Marathon Budget Preview

El Cerrito's three-member quorum worked past 10 p.m. Tuesday, introducing a permanent outdoor dining ordinance that bans fossil fuel generators, hearing sobering budget presentations from every city department, and fending off a push from the city's own financial board to tighten reserve rules. Threaded through it all: a citizen-led library tax that three residents called deceptive — and that the county registrar has reportedly sent back for review.

• Permanent outdoor dining ordinance introduced with new fossil fuel generator ban, converting pandemic-era rules into lasting regulations

• Seven departments preview two-year budget as city faces structural deficit despite reserves at 41% — up from zero seven years ago

• Council keeps 17% reserve target as a "goal" over the Financial Advisory Board's push to make it binding policy

• Residents accuse city of allowing false "senior exemption" claim in library tax ballot language; county registrar reportedly opens inquiry

• Police report crime at 40-year lows, credit license plate readers, propose traffic sergeant and $52K investigative software

• Senior lunch program faces potential federal funding cut, with daily capacity threatened to drop from 50–60 to 25

• First Project Kickstart application filed for 16 townhomes at 6501 Fairmont — a rare homeownership product

COVID-Era Dining Goes Permanent — With a Climate Twist

Five years after the pandemic sent restaurants scrambling onto sidewalks and parking spaces, El Cerrito is making those outdoor operations a fixture of commercial life — and using the moment to push fossil fuel equipment out of public spaces.

The basics: The ordinance converts the temporary outdoor dining and retail program, born from a 2020 emergency declaration, into a permanent two-track permit system. Removable installations get a streamlined approval; permanent structures go through design review. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended adoption after extending the permit inactivity expiration from 90 to 180 days. About 11–12 businesses have participated since the program began.

Why it matters: The ordinance already prohibits gas-powered space heaters in outdoor dining areas, with exceptions for infeasibility. But the original draft allowed fossil fuel generators for up to 32 hours per 30 calendar days — a permissive standard that drew a sharp challenge from the public.

Where things stand: Public commenter Howdy Goudey praised the gas heater ban but urged the council to flip the generator language to default-prohibit, with exceptions only where alternatives are infeasible. Councilmember William Ktsanes read Gowdy's proposed language aloud: "Use of fossil fuel driven electric generators is prohibited. The Zoning Administrator may grant an exception for limited hours of operation with approval of an administrative use permit if alternative solutions are shown to be infeasible." (Lightly edited for clarity.)

Councilmember Lisa Montoyama backed the prohibition concept: "I would rather put the cleaner alternative first and then have some easy way for you guys to say, well, affordable generators don't exist," she said, noting technology is changing faster than ordinances.

Mayor Pro Tem Rebecca Saltzman expanded the conversation beyond sidewalks, questioning whether the same generator logic should apply to food trucks in city parks. "To me, that is more of a concern than a generator on a sidewalk. It's a generator in a park with a bunch of kids around," she said.

Decisions: The council voted 3-0 (For: Saltzman, Montoyama, Ktsanes; Absent: Mayor Gabriel Quinto, Councilmember Carolyn Wysinger) to introduce the ordinance with a key change: removing the requirement for council approval of program guidelines, allowing staff to update them administratively. Staff was directed to revise the guidelines to model the fossil fuel generator restriction after the space heater prohibition — default ban with infeasibility exceptions.

What's next: The ordinance returns for final adoption at a subsequent meeting. Staff will also present revised program guidelines with the new generator language. The city's Economic Development Commission plans outreach to affected businesses and a Chamber of Commerce presentation.

Budget Preview: Deficit Looms Behind the Good Numbers

Seven departments walked the council through their priorities for the next two-year budget in a three-hour study session that toggled between pride in recent achievements and anxiety about what's coming.

Why it matters: El Cerrito faces a structural deficit — expenses rising faster than revenues — even as general fund reserves sit at a healthy 41% of the budget. Decisions made in this cycle will set service levels for the city's roughly 25,000 residents for years.

Reserves Up, Federal Money in Limbo

Assistant City Manager Alex Orologas set the frame: "The general fund reserves are right now at 41% of the budget. When I arrived in El Cerrito seven years ago, the reserves were zero." He also announced $3.85 million in federal earmarks for affordable housing and transit-oriented development — but cautioned the money has not arrived yet and depends on a non-competitive grant process whose future is uncertain.

Finance Director Crystal Reams noted her department submitted the annual comprehensive financial report on time for the first time in 12 years, with a mostly new staff, most under two years of tenure.

Crime at Historic Lows, but Traffic Deaths Spike

Police Chief Paul Keith reported robbery, burglary, and vehicle theft at or near 40-year lows, crediting license plate readers installed in 2023: "That orange bar, which represents the year 2023, that is the year we began installing license plate reading cameras in El Cerrito. And I would posit to you that license plate reader cameras have had a particular impact on these crimes."

DUI arrests surged 182% year-to-date in 2026, and two fatal pedestrian collisions occurred in six months — one resulting in vehicular manslaughter charges. Keith proposed creating a traffic sergeant position to supervise a revived traffic unit, acquiring Peregrine investigative software at $52,000 per year, and laying groundwork for a regional drone-as-first-responder program with Richmond and San Pablo, targeted for 2027 public meetings.

The department also deployed facial recognition software, yielding three case breakthroughs, and rolled out AI-assisted report writing on a one-year trial. Keith described a built-in safeguard: "The initial draft will also contain intentional errors in the narrative that officers have to find and change before they can bring that narrative into our report writing system."

Councilmember Montoyama asked about vehicle pursuit policy and DUI hotspots. Mayor Pro Tem Saltzman pressed on AI report safeguards and surveillance concerns.

Senior Lunches Under the Knife

Recreation Director Chris Jones delivered a mix of good news and alarm. Child care staffing has stabilized after pandemic struggles, thanks to council-approved wage increases. But the federal "big beautiful bill" threatens to cap the senior nutrition lunch program at 25 daily participants — down from the current 50–60. The county has temporarily shifted funding to maintain service through the fiscal year, but the future is uncertain. The department launched a donation campaign at $6.50 per lunch.

Jones also reported the swim center lap pool replaster project is underway, the Easy Ride paratransit service is seeking an electric van, and the department won multiple Best of Contra Costa awards. He noted the West Contra Costa Unified School District's fiscal difficulties could affect after-school programs but said the superintendent confirmed no plans to change custodian schedules.

Wildfire and Battery Fires Push the Fire Department

Fire Chief Eric Saylors reported average emergency response times under five minutes: "On a standard residential fire, we'll typically save about $8 million in just property value just by getting there in a timely manner."

The department is investing in training for high-rise fires and a growing threat: lithium-ion battery fires from e-mobility devices and EVs. "The last fire in that center hallway apartment was started by an e-mobility device which was a lithium-ion battery. We're also seeing an increase in car fires that are EV batteries and those release a lot of poisonous gases," Saylors said. The department replaced one fire engine and ordered another, and is pursuing vegetation management for Zone 0 compliance — requiring five feet of non-combustible space around homes — with community engagement underway.

Housing Pipeline Moves, Kickstart Gets Its First Test

Community Development Director Melanie Mintz reported 84 new housing units completed — 70 at the Alora/Mayfair affordable project and 14 at 1717 Elm Street — plus 14 accessory dwelling units. Foundations are being poured at Parcel A South with modular units going up quickly. The department issued 353 new business licenses and processed 2,100 renewals, fully digital this year.

The headline: the city's first Project Kickstart application, filed on the deadline, for 16 townhomes with ground-floor commercial at 6501 Fairmont. "Yesterday an application was submitted — yesterday was the deadline for the first application and that's 6501 Fairmont. So that's pretty exciting," Mintz told the council. The townhomes are notable as a homeownership product in a market where condo development is stalled statewide.

Two builders remedy projects were also received: one at Kearney and South McNevin with roughly 70 units, and another at the former Taco Bell site with 200 units.

Mayor Pro Tem Saltzman urged the city to explore AB 1033, a state law that allows cities to opt in and permit ADU sales as condos, noting Martinez is the only Contra Costa County city to have done so.

Streets, Wildfire Grants, and Quick-Build Safety

Public Works Director Yvette Ortiz reported completion of the 2025 north-end street resurfacing project, removal of more than 500 sidewalk tripping hazards, and the city's 2025 Platinum Beacon Award for greenhouse gas emission reductions. The department secured more than $500,000 in Coastal Conservancy grants for the Albany-El Cerrito Wildfire Resilience Demonstration Project, which includes removal of over 100 trees.

Quick-build pedestrian safety improvements — flexible delineators, edge lines, daylighting — are being integrated into resurfacing projects along Barrett Avenue, Liberty/Waldo, and approaches to San Pablo Avenue. A local road safety plan is expected before the council in April.

Key challenges: three vacant positions in a lean 28-person department, including the operations manager and maintenance supervisor.

The Public Weighs In

Michael McDougall, vice chair of the Financial Advisory Board, urged the city to prioritize trade-offs and staff retention over new commitments — building departmental capacity rather than adding new programs. Ira Sharenow, a frequent public commenter, raised concerns about multiple fiscal risks including CalPERS exposure, cap-and-invest auction underperformance, and a potential Jarvis amendment impact on transfer tax revenues.

What's next: The city hosts a virtual budget workshop on March 25. Council study sessions are scheduled for April 21 and May 5, with the proposed budget expected June 2 and adoption targeted for June 16.

Reserve Fight: Council Sides With Staff Over Its Own Financial Board

A technical-sounding debate over a single word — "goal" versus "policy" — exposed real tension about how tightly El Cerrito should bind itself to fiscal discipline as deficit years loom.

The basics: The city's comprehensive financial policy sets a 17% general fund reserve target. The Financial Advisory Board recommended changing "goal" to "policy" and adding language requiring a restoration plan if reserves fall below 17% in any year of the five-year forecast. Staff recommended against the change.

Why it matters: Reserves currently sit at 41%, but the city's own projections show them dipping below 17% in coming years due to the structural deficit. The distinction between "goal" and "policy" determines whether future councils face a political aspiration or a formal standard they'd be violating.

Where things stand: The FAB chair argued the stronger language wouldn't tie the council's hands — it would only require a restoration plan. FAB member Kimberly White noted the current "goal" language was in place when reserves were depleted to negative levels and during temporary revenue anticipation note issuances, making the case for guardrails.

The other side: FAB Vice Chair Michael McDougall broke with his board's majority and backed staff. Councilmember Montoyama delivered the sharpest argument against the change: "My concern with having a policy that we know we cannot meet puts us in violation of our own policy," she said, warning it could hurt grant competitiveness. She proposed adding a requirement that the council be notified before any TRAN issuance: "I would rather see something like in section 9.3, to require notification of council prior to any issuance of any TRAN, because that way we know something's really wrong with our cash management."

Mayor Pro Tem Saltzman acknowledged commitment to the 17% target but offered a philosophical counterpoint: "Reserves are there so that when something goes wrong, you can use them. If they sit there forever and you never use them, maybe you're just really lucky or you're just not being strategic."

Councilmember Ktsanes voiced frustration with the projected dips, saying he was "bothered by the willingness that we as city management, as a council, have to dip below" 17% and criticized insufficient focus on cost savings.

Decisions: The council voted 3-0 (For: Saltzman, Montoyama, Ktsanes; Absent: Quinto, Wysinger) to adopt staff's version, keeping "goal" language.

What's next: The tension is unlikely to dissipate. As the budget cycle advances through spring, the projected reserve dips will force concrete choices about spending versus savings — and the FAB will be watching.

Residents Challenge Library Tax Ballot Language

Three members of the public used oral communications to level sharp criticism at the citizen-initiated library property tax measure headed for a June election, alleging the ballot summary contains a false claim about a senior exemption.

Why it matters: The county registrar has reportedly opened an inquiry into the ballot language and returned the measure to the city for review — an unusual step that puts the city's handling of the initiative under scrutiny.

Where things stand: Public commenter Michael Cohen alleged the ballot summary falsely describes a "senior exemption" that the initiative does not actually deliver, characterizing the provision as merely a loan mechanism that places a lien on a qualifying senior's property. He criticized the city attorney's impartial analysis for copying the initiative's language.

Diane Brenner opposed the tax on fiscal grounds, arguing the measure could cost $90 million over its life for a library El Cerrito would never own. She questioned whether $37 million in project costs justified $90 million in tax revenue and challenged the comparison to a condo since the city would hold no deed.

Ira Sharonow raised detailed financial questions about funding for Parcel C West, the revenue stream, bond quality, operating costs after 10 years, and the impact on basic city services. He called for an interactive public forum on the measure. Sharonow returned later during the financial policy discussion to reference a 2016 precedent in which the FAB itself challenged library bond ballot language for omitting the word "tax."

Minor Items

• Consent calendar approved 3-0 (Quinto, Wysinger absent), including meeting minutes, monthly disbursement report, General Plan annual progress report, pro-housing incentive program application, transgender day of visibility proclamation, and the NPDES annual parcel assessment — where staff noted stormwater rates have been capped since 1993 while compliance costs keep rising, signaling a future ballot measure need.

• Library task force applications are now open; the council encouraged residents to apply.

• Community budget workshop set for March 25 (virtual).

• Councilmember Ktsanes described walking to school with a wheelchair-bound resident's child and witnessing cars blowing through the crosswalk at Carlson Boulevard and San Pablo Avenue: "Car after car after car did not stop as we stood in the crosswalk," he said — underscoring ADA and pedestrian safety gaps the city's local road safety plan is expected to address.

• The ad hoc council policy committee has concluded its work.