City Council

Council Leans Toward Sales Tax to Close Projected $5M Budget Deficit

Council workshopped sales tax, parcel tax, transfer tax, and TOT options to address a projected $5 million annual deficit, with most members favoring a half-cent sales tax measure.

Why it matters: Pleasant Hill's expenditures are outpacing revenues, with pension costs up 26% over the decade and 12 staff positions frozen or eliminated; without new revenue, core public safety and maintenance services face cuts.

Council Celebrates Bike Fest Growth, Previews Community Service Day

Council members reported on community events including the expanded Bike Family Fest, Concerts by the Lake season wrap-up, and upcoming Community Service Day and Kiwanis events.

Why it matters: The Bike Family Fest has grown enough to require relocation to DVC's overflow parking lot and is expanding to Martinez and Concord, reflecting regional collaboration on active transportation.

Two New Commissioners Join Education and Civic Action Bodies

Renee Croto was appointed to the Education Commission and Ted Welch to the Civic Action Commission following interviews by the nominating committee.

Major Contra Costa Blvd Safety Project Completed Under Budget After 8-Year Journey

Council accepted the $7.98M Contra Costa Blvd improvement project as complete, finishing under its $8.25M budget with new signals, bike/ped upgrades, and resurfacing funded largely by a $4.8M CCTA grant.

Why it matters: The grant-funded project since 2017 added protected bike/ped infrastructure, a new traffic signal at Allen Drive, ADA upgrades, and decorative lighting along a heavily-trafficked corridor, and came in $269K under budget despite PG&E-caused delays.

Council Introduces Ordinance Requiring Private Trash Capture to Avoid State Fines

Council introduced an ordinance allowing the city to require commercial property owners to install trash capture devices on their storm drains to meet the 100% trash load reduction mandate.

Why it matters: The city is stuck at 87.3% trash capture and faces potential $10,000/day cease-and-desist fines from the Regional Water Quality Control Board, with one large commercial parcel near Contra Costa Blvd accounting for roughly 10% of the total trash load.

City Has Permitted 17% of State-Mandated Housing Units with No Large Projects in Pipeline

Council approved the annual housing progress report showing 307 of 1,496 state-required units permitted in two years, driven by the 85 Cleveland development, with only smaller projects in the pipeline.

Why it matters: Without another large project like 85 Cleveland, housing production will rely on ADUs (18-20/year) and small developments, raising questions about whether the city can meet its Housing Element targets and potential implications for upcoming general plan amendments.

Council Launches Prop 218 Process to Rescue Underwater Assessment Districts

Council unanimously hired SCI Consulting Group to prepare engineer's reports and conduct community outreach for proposed assessment rate increases in two financially distressed landscaping districts.

Why it matters: Most zones in Assessment Districts 20 and 22 began this fiscal year in the red, providing only basic safety maintenance; without rate increases approved by property owners, the city cannot fund even routine landscaping and lighting.

Traffic Impact Fee Nexus Study and Ordinance Update

Senior Civil Engineer Leticia Galeazzi presented the city's updated Traffic Impact Fee (TIF) nexus study, prepared by consultant Fehr & Peers, replacing the 2003 methodology. The new study shifts from a system equity approach to a project-based approach using 15 future capital improvement projects totaling ~$100 million, of which 33% (~$34 million) is attributable to the TIF. Fees are calculated based on an estimated 4,500 new adjusted daily trips from projected population growth to 43,500 residents by 2035 (per the 2040 General Plan and Plan Bay Area 2050). The new fees represent roughly double current rates in some categories. Per Budget Committee recommendation, the council adopted a three-year phased implementation with a 4% annual construction cost index cap to mitigate developer impact. Fee comparisons showed Pleasant Hill's proposed fees align with or remain below neighboring jurisdictions like Lafayette, Moraga, and Martinez. The resolution and first reading were approved unanimously 5-0; the second reading with the fee schedule is scheduled for the first meeting in April.