Emeryville Fast-Tracks $799,000 Storm Drain Cleanup Ahead of El Niño

Emeryville is racing the rain. On Oct. 20, 2026, the City Council voted 4-0 to let staff start an urgent storm drain cleaning contract before councilmembers see the final paperwork, after inspections found mains on Powell Street up to 75% clogged with sediment. The council also moved a resident-driven ban on retail animal sales toward a vote and questioned how the city will pay for a new labor agreement.

---

• Storm drain hydrojetting approved 4-0, with the $799,000 contract returning Nov. 10 for retroactive approval
• Residents' push for a retail animal sales ban heads to the full council, modeled on West Hollywood
• $1.176M labor agreement passes on consent, but its first-year funding source is not yet confirmed

---

Storm Drains Get Emergency Treatment

Why it matters: Powell Street drains are 40% to 75% blocked, and 19 of 25 inspected manholes showed no measurable flow. Clearing them before peak storms reduces flood risk and locks in a contractor before demand spikes.

The basics: Hydrojetting uses high-pressure water to clear sediment from pipes. Staff cited Gov. Gavin Newsom's Sept. 21, 2026, State of Emergency proclamation and warned that Kelvin waves raise bay water levels, which slows how fast storm drains can discharge.

Where things stand: A draft consultant assessment also found 20% to 40% blockage on Christie Avenue and 20% to 75% on Shell Mound. About 4,000 linear feet of pipe need cleaning, which means removing roughly 579 cubic yards of sediment, or about 58 dump trucks.

Staff issued a request for proposals Oct. 7 to 15 providers and received one bid by Oct. 15. That bid came from Pipe and Plant Solutions of Hayward, which already does similar work for Alameda County. The bid came in at $799,000, below the engineer's estimate of $879,000. Staff added a 14% contingency ($111,000) and $47,000 for testing and inspection. The city has $959,000 available in capital improvement program funds.

"Acting now reduces the risk of trying to secure a contractor after widespread flooding," said Public Works Director Mohammed.

The other side: Councilmember David Mourra asked whether staff could consider a second proposal that arrived late. "It'd be nice to get at least one additional proposal to consider," he said. Staff declined, citing fairness to bidders and the need to vet how a contractor handles hazardous materials. "I think just in terms of respecting the integrity of the process, we would very much prefer to stick with the proposal that we have received," Mohammed said.

Mayor Sukhdeep Kaur raised concerns about trees at Marina Park and the recurring Powell Street "lake." Staff said a pump will handle that flooding until the McLaughlin Shoreline Project is built. "I think I'd prefer that to be resolved or prioritized because this is an issue almost every year," Mayor Kaur said.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The City Attorney said no resolution was before the council, so the motion became direction for staff to proceed. Councilmember Courtney Welch called it "just a simple case of you stay ready so you don't have to get ready." Vice Mayor Matthew Solomon described the job as "just a matter of doing this work, bringing it forward in time and doing it all at once."

Mourra moved the motion and Welch seconded it. Vote: For: 4 (Kaur, Solomon, Welch, Mourra), Against: 0, Absent: 1 (Councilmember Kalimah Priforce).

Residents and businesses along Powell, Christie and Shell Mound stand to benefit most. The trade-off is oversight: the city is committing roughly $800,000 to $959,000 before the council approves the contract.

What's next: Staff plans to sign the contract and begin the eight-week job by Oct. 26. The contract returns Nov. 10 for retroactive approval. Solomon asked staff to report at that meeting how much has already been spent compared with what was allocated.

---

Pet-Sale Ban Moves Toward Council Vote

Why it matters: California already bans retail sales of dogs, cats and rabbits. Emeryville's ordinance would extend the ban to all animals, though commenters said the city's only seller, Pet Club, has already stopped.

Where things stand: Two public commenters, Almira and Kitty, made the case for an adoption-only model. Almira urged the council "to adopt an ordinance to end the retail sale of animals in Emeryville." She cited animal trafficking, mill breeding and overloaded shelters, and noted that draft ordinances are ready to use. Kitty, an animal rescuer, said West Hollywood's fiscal report showed no financial impact from its ban. "Animals are not merchandise and we don't want pet stores in the city or any city to be selling them," she said.

During future agenda requests, Welch asked staff to bring back an ordinance. She initially was open to having the Budget and Governance Committee review it first.

The other side: The debate centered on process, not substance. The City Attorney said the council had given no prior direction on the issue. He noted that West Hollywood has enacted a ban, that Albany's is still being drafted, and that he would use West Hollywood's ordinance as a model. Mayor Kaur wanted to skip committee review because an ordinance requires two readings. "I would just prefer to come to the council and just put it there," she said. Welch then deferred to staff on how to prioritize the work.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The mayor called for a show of hands. Majority support was indicated, but no count was stated and no formal vote was recorded. Because the only local seller has already stopped, the immediate business impact appears limited.

What's next: An ordinance is expected to come before the full council for a first reading at a future meeting.

---

Labor Deal Passes, Funding Still TBD

Why it matters: The POA agreement's first-year cost increase of $203,477 has no confirmed funding source yet.

Where things stand: Before the consent calendar vote, Mayor Kaur asked several questions about item 9.6:

• Ratification: Staff confirmed the POA ratified the agreement by Oct. 19.
• Total cost: Assistant City Manager Pedro said the roughly $1.2 million cost, listed as $1.176 million, spans three years.
• Funding: He said funding details will come at the mid-year update, "most likely from the unassigned fund balance that we have."
• Budget impact: Long-term effects on the city's structural deficit will appear in the next budget process, with approval expected in May or June.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Welch moved the consent calendar and Solomon seconded it. Vote: For: 4 (Kaur, Solomon, Welch, Mourra), Against: 0, Absent: 1 (Priforce).

What's next: Watch the mid-year budget update for the confirmed funding source.

---

Minor Items

• Public art purchase: The council voted 4-0 to buy the selection panel's top-ranked work for up to $21,000 from the Public Art Fund. The panel considered more than 100 local artists. Possible locations include the Senior Center or ECCL.
• Historical Society honored: Mayor Kaur presented a proclamation to Don Hausler, co-founder of the Emeryville Historical Society, which was founded in 1988.
• Claim settled: The council approved a $1,237.77 settlement in closed session for damage to a claimant's vehicle.
• Bike safety plea: A resident described seeing a cyclist struck in the Shell Mound bike lane and urged safer bike infrastructure in the Powell Street redesign.
• Agenda change: The council approved the agenda 4-0 after pulling a scheduled Children and Nature Network presentation.

---

Looking Ahead

A majority indicated support for a staff-led study session on the Children and Nature Network presentation. Community Services and Public Works will work with the group, and Susan Donaldson had urged a future slot. The storm drain contract returns Nov. 10.