Title
Public Hearing to Consider Adoption of Resolution Renaming Constitution Way to Wilma Chan Way in Honor of Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan. (Planning and Building (20962710)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In late 2021, Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan was tragically hit while crossing the street in Alameda. On January 8, 2022, staff received a request from the family of Supervisor Chan to rename Constitution Way in Alameda in honor of Wilma Chan. Even though, the request does not meet certain aspects of the City Council's recently amended Policy for Naming City Facilities and Streets (Street Naming Policy), which includes a number of procedural requirements and provides that before a street can be named after a person, the person must be deceased for at least three (3) years, staff is bringing forward the item for consideration due to the circumstances
To move forward with naming Constitution Way, the City Council would need to waive certain aspects of the policy, which would allow for Constitution Way to be renamed Wilma Chan Way.
BACKGROUND
The request from Daren Chan and Jennifer Chan to re-name Constitution Way to Wilma Chan Way is attached as Exhibit 1.
Since Ms. Chan's death occurred less than three years ago, the request to change the name of Constitution Way to Wilma Chan Way is not consistent with the General Naming Criteria in the City Council's recently adopted Street Naming Policy. One of the seven General Naming Criteria provides, "A street or City facility named for an individual shall require that the person be deceased for a minimum of three years." In addition, the request does not comply with certain procedural requirements included in the Policy. The Policy is attached as Exhibit 2.
Originally named "Patton Way", the subject street was constructed in 1986 to divert vehicular traffic from the tubes away from Webster Street. In 1987, at the recommendation of the...
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