Infrastructure needs, updating building codes, new West Midway Community Facilities District
On October 7, City Council will hold its second workshop aimed at updating the City Council and public on the status of its infrastructure, this time focusing on reviewing the condition of several key municipal facilities, including the Animal Shelter, Fleet Service Garage, Maintenance Service Center, Fire Stations and administrative building, and the Recreation and Parks Corporation Yard.
Council will also discuss adopting 2025 California Building Standards Codes and consider actions to finance infrastructure and services for the West Midway Project at Alameda Point.
[1]Infrastructure workshop #2
The City of Alameda is facing significant challenges related to aging and deteriorating infrastructure, which demand considerable investment to meet current and future needs. In response, the City is hosting four workshops to update the Council and the public on the status of the City’s infrastructure and potential strategies for improving financial autonomy:
- Streets and Traffic Safety (held September 2, 2025) [2]
- City Facilities and Public Safety (October 7)
- Libraries, Recreation and Parks (November 4)
- Flood Protection, Sea Level and Ground Water Rise, and Disaster Preparedness (December 2)
The workshop on October 7 focuses on key facilities, including the Animal Shelter, Fleet Service Garage, Maintenance Service Center, Recreation and Parks Corporation Yard, Fire Stations 1, 2, 4, and 5, the Fire Administration Building, and the Fire Training Facility. Most are outdated, undersized, and fail to meet seismic or operational standards.
Recommendations include relocating several facilities to a combined campus, remodeling others, and replacing Fire Station 5 and the Training Facility. Estimated costs total about $300 million in 2029 dollars based on the estimated date of construction. City Council will provide feedback on the plans, aiming to ensure that plans align with long-term community interests and priorities.
Adopting 2025 California Building Standards Codes
Council will consider adopting the 2025 California Building Standards Codes with local amendments effective January 2026. Updates would include stricter energy efficiency standards, enhanced fire safety measures, automatic earthquake gas shut-off valves, and electrification readiness, along with the first adoption of the International Property Maintenance Code.
West Midway Community Facilities District formation and annexation
Council will consider actions to finance infrastructure and services for the West Midway Project, a 26-acre mixed-use development at Alameda Point. The proposal includes the formation of Community Facilities District (CFD) No. 25-1 (West Midway Facilities), which will have the authority to issue up to $35 million in bonds and levy special taxes to fund streets and public improvements. The proposal would also annex the project into CFD No. 17-1 (Alameda Point Public Services District) to support ongoing services and transportation demand management. The process would involve a special election and ensuring future property owners are informed about the special tax liens associated with these districts.
How you can participate
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 7, at 7 pm at the City Council Chambers, located on the third floor of City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Avenue.
Members of the public are welcome to participate in person or via Zoom. They may comment on the Non-Agenda, Consent Calendar, and Regular Agenda portions of the Meeting Agenda [3] (link downloads document).
The Non-Agenda portion of the meeting provides an opportunity to address the Council regarding any matter not on the agenda over which the Council has jurisdiction. The Consent Calendar is intended for routine items and is approved by a single motion. The Regular Agenda is the central portion of the meeting, where each issue receives a presentation and time for Council discussion and public comment.
Complete this online form [4] to request reasonable accommodation.
Click here [5] for Zoom registration. The Zoom phone number for telephone participants is 669-900-9128; the Meeting ID is 846 0302 6020.
Information to assist with remote participation is available online in the Public Comment and City Council Meeting Guide [6]. The meeting can also be viewed on the City of Alameda’s Facebook page [7]. Note that comments posted there are not monitored.
For each issue, public speakers will have three minutes to speak if there are fewer than five speakers or two minutes to speak if there are five or more speakers.
Community members may also email Council Members [8] on issues of interest before meetings.
Contributing writer Karin K. Jensen covers boards and commissions for the Alameda Post [9]. Contact her via [email protected] [10]. Her writing is collected at https://linktr.ee/karinkjensen [11] and https://alamedapost.com/Karin-K-Jensen [12].