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July 11, 2025
Oakley to get more affordable and supportive housing to meet mandate City Council “begrudgingly” approves zoning text amendments By Connor Robles Correspondent
The Oakley City Council reluctantly approved amendments to the Oakley Municipal Code that would allow for more 100 percent affordable housing developments in Oakley at their July 8 meeting. These developments would include at least 25% or at least 12 units of supportive housing for the recently homeless, those with disabilities, and others who need as-
OAKLEY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS sistance with daily living. The changes will bring Oakley into alignment with new state housing laws, but councilmembers voiced their disapproval at having additional housing requirements “crammed down from the state,” as Councilmember Aaron Meadows said. The changes were grouped into three
policy actions, which the Planning Commission recommended to the City Council in June. • Policy action 1.1 allows the affordable housing overlay to be layered over commercial districts as well as residential ones, and changes the density of affordable housing from a set density of 24 dwelling units per
acre to a range of 20-30 units per acre. • Policy action 3.5 streamlines the process of applying for reasonable zoning accommodations in order to build more accessible supportive housing. Changes include a 45-day decision window, no filing fees, and a clearer appeals process. • Policy action 3.6 will allow transitional and supportive housing to be built in limited agricultural, multi-family residential, and mixed-use zones, the latter two by-right and 100 percent affordable. Residential care facilities are also permitted in all residential zones. The council voiced worries and disagreements with the state policies that required these changes to be made. Councilsee Housing page 19A
Despite ban, fireworks light up Water rate increase the sky for July 4th weekend less than projected for Brentwood in Brentwood and Oakley ‘Improved water quality’ helps lower cost
By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer
Despite the signs posted throughout East County cities warning that fireworks are illegal in the area, Brentwood and Oakley residents of the neighboring cities lit up the sky for the July 4th weekend, resulting in both police departments responding to over a combined 150 calls on the Independence Day holiday last week. Despite the high volume of fireworks-related calls, no major incidents were reported. Fireworks have been banned throughout the county since 2021, with the Board of Super-
By Jake Menez Staff Writer
Press file photo
Despite the high volume of fireworks-related calls, no major incidents were reported. visors citing the risks of serious injury and the risk of causing wildfires. Brentwood
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Brentwood residents can expect the city’s water savings to trickle down to them following a special meeting of the City Council on July 1 in which it determined that a previously approved 6.5% increase to water rates would be lowered to a 4% increase instead. “Thanks to favorable weather conditions and improved water quality from the Delta, the City’s water treatment costs were lower than expected,” a press release
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from the public works department explaining the lower rate stated. “City staff closely monitors the financial health of the City’s enterprise funds, and when cost savings are identified, we act on them.” The original increase was approved by the City Council in 2023, where they agreed to a 6.5% annual hike in cost starting in fiscal year 2024 through fiscal year 2028, according to the agenda packet for the July 1 meeting. According to city staff, the increase is intended “to support long-term infrastructure needs and maintain highquality water service.” According to the staff report, a number of factors made it so that a 4% insee Water page 19A
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