Measure N

City of Alameda Charter Amendment Leases and Sales of Real Property Measure

Measure N is a proposed city charter amendment that was placed on the ballot by the city council. Passage of the measure would change how sales and leases of city-owned property will be approved by the city council. The main effect of these changes will be on the hundreds of acres of city-owned property at Alameda Point that await transfer from the city into private ownership or into leases.

This measure requires approval by a majority of voters voting on the measure to pass.

Fiscal Impact: Measure N’s fiscal impact is unclear but may result in minor cost savings from the time in which City Council spends drafting these ordinances and taking votes.

Next Alameda County Measure: Measure O

See Endorsements for Measure N

Pro:

Supporters say the measure would help Alameda fill vacant properties, generate revenue and accelerate the transformation of Alameda Point into a thriving mixed-use community, by making the process for approval faster and easier. They say the measure creates a practical and balanced process, by allowing leases of ten years or less to be approved by majority vote while retaining the supermajority requirement for leases longer than ten years.

A YES vote on this measure means: you support amending the City Charter to change how City Council votes and approves the sale and leases of City property.

Con:

Opponents say the city council charter review subcommittee making this proposal provided no rationale for the need for expediency and no evidence or findings that the existing approval procedures handicap economic development. They say reducing the threshold for approval for some leases reduces the need for a broad consensus over high-stakes decisions that could alter or tie up public land for decades. The failure of the measure to state the required voting threshold for leases with an initial term of ten years or less with an option to renew or extend for a period in excess of ten years creates uncertainty that will likely hinder marketing of city property and may require a lawsuit to resolve.

A NO vote on this measure means: you are against amending the City Charter to change how City Council votes and approves the sale and leases of City property.

Background

Currently, the City Council must approve by ordinance the sale or lease of City property exceeding one year. These must be approved by a supermajority vote.

Proposal

If approved, Measure N will amend the City Charter to allow approval by resolution and reduce the approval threshold from supermajority to simple majority. It also allows that City property, except Tidelands, may be leased for up to one year without approval from the Council. Under the measure, leases for a period of ten years or less could be approved by a three-vote simple majority of the city council. Property sales and leases for a period in excess of ten years will still require a four-vote supermajority for approval.

Source: City of Alameda - Measure N and League of Women Voters Alameda - Measure N

Alameda County Election Resources

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Background

Proposal

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