Title
Adoption of Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute All Necessary Documents with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to Accept $1,237,000 in Grant Funding and Provide the Necessary Local Match for the Alameda Public Electric Vehicle Charging Program.
This project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 (Existing Facilities), 15303 (New Construction and Conversion of Small Structures), and Section 15304 (Minor Trenching). (Planning, Building and Transportation 26541642)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On March 14, 2025, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) awarded a $1,237,000 grant to the City of Alameda (City) to deploy public EV chargers. Staff requests that City Council authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with MTC to accept the grant funds and approve the local grant match. The required local match of 11.47% of total project cost will be fully funded by the EV charging providers, It’s Electric and Blink Charging. The City expects to be able to deploy approximately 43 EV chargers through this grant program. The program is estimated to cost $1,552,864.
The purpose of the Alameda Public EV Charging Program is to expand public EV charging opportunities for residents who rent, live in homes without driveways or garages, and those who live in multi-family apartments. The grant will provide funds to provide public EV chargers to curbside locations and City-owned public parking lots
BACKGROUND
This grant supports the City’s Strategic Plan goals under City Council Strategic Priority CC2 and the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP) by introducing third-party EV charging in public spaces. This pilot program will expand the availability of EV chargers for residents who rent, live in homes without driveways or garages, and those who live in multi-family apartments. To date, key actions taken by the City include:
• Selecting two third party providers through a competitive public process: It’s Electric for curbside EV charging and Blink for City owned parking lots
• It’s Electric received over 100 requests from property owners for curbside charging stations and began negotiating agreements with 10 potential on-street sites for the first phase of the pilot program.
• On April 1, 2025, City Council approved a Master License Agreement that will allow It’s Electric and Blink to install EV chargers in designated public lots and within the public right-of-way.
• On April 1, 2025, City Council adopted an ordinance adding Section 8-8.9 to the Alameda Municipal Code prohibiting parking in EV-designated spaces unless the vehicle is connected to a charger for the purposes of charging, along with establishing an associated fine in the annual Master Fee Schedule.
• Blink and It’s Electric have begun engineering and design for selected Phase 1 locations.
DISCUSSION
The grant provides funds for approximately 43 public EV chargers, including twenty Level 2 EV chargers that will be deployed to curbside locations determined by using the following selection criteria.
• Neighborhood level selection criteria include being within a medium-density residential or mixed-use neighborhood or near commercial and other uses that draw daytime visitors, and a focus on equity priority neighborhoods.
• Street-level criteria include placing chargers where parking is currently legal and does not have restrictions such as time limits or meters; where chargers will not interfere with existing separate bike lanes or those planned within the next 5 years; near intersections and curb ramps and on both sides of one way streets where possible for improved accessibility; where there is adequate sidewalk clearance and where chargers will not interfere with other above or below ground infrastructure.
Nine Level 2 and 14 DC fast chargers will also be deployed to six public parking lots, including Bohol Circle Immigrant Park, Central Ave Lot C, Harbor Bay Park n Ride, Mastick Senior Center, Washington Park and West End Lot W (at Haight St).
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to accept the grant and approve the local grant match; or
• Direct staff to proceed with a different approach. This will either require General Fund dollars to support some of the capital expenses or cause delays in implementation of the program until other funds can be identified.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This grant provides $1,237,000 reimbursement for expenses totaling $1,552,864, with approximately 20% match provided by the charging providers, It’s Electric and Blink. As is common with grants, Blink and It’s Electric will incur expenses and seek reimbursement through the City from MTC for their costs. Staff time is not included in this grant amount; however, the providers will be paying permit fees that will cover Public Works and Building Department staff time to process the relevant permits. Staff will include this grant award, both expenses and revenue, for City Council approval in the Fiscal Year 2025-27 mid-year budget adjustment.
Without the grant, the City would need to either provide General Funds or seek other grants to implement the second phase of the pilot program. The MTC grants utilizes federal funds from FHWA through Caltrans and funds will not be obligated by FHWA until authorization to proceed is received from Caltrans, which is likely to happen in early 2026 if City Council approves this Resolution of Support. City must obligate funds by January 2027.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
Adoption of this Resolution is consistent with adopted City policies in the 2023 Strategic Plan and CARP. Installing public EV charging is consistent with the Alameda 2040 General Plan. Specifically, General Plan Policy CC-6 supports the increase in supply of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations in Alameda. In addition, Strategic Plan Project #CC2 identifies the need to expand EV charging availability across the City. Furthermore, Strategy T6 of the CARP (2025) calls for increasing the availability of EV charging stations citywide. This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301, 15303, and 15304, each on a separate and independent basis. Operation and minor alteration of existing facilities and vehicle operations are categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA under Section 15301 - Existing Facilities. Installation of EV chargers and ancillary utility equipment is exempt from CEQA under Section 15303 - New Construction and Conversion of Small Structures. Lastly, the project is exempt under Section 15304 Minor Trenching. None of the exceptions to the CEQA exemptions apply.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Supporting the adoption of EVs will help the City meet its goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by shifting gas powered vehicles towards 100% clean electricity provided by AMP. The City’s 2022 Greenhouse Gas Inventory found that on-road transportation accounts for 54% of the City’s GHG emissions, and that expanding EV adoption for those trips that cannot be shifted to walking, biking or transit, is paramount to reducing transportation-related emissions.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with MTC to accept $1,237,000 in grant funding for the Alameda Public EV Charging Program.
Respectfully submitted,
Allen Tai, Planning, Building, and Transportation Director
By,
Danielle Mieler, Sustainability and Resilience Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy Acting Finance Director
cc:
Scott Wikstrom, City Engineer
Erin Smith, Public Works Director