body,date,page,text,path
PensionBoard,2015-01-26,1,"Big
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE
PENSION BOARD OF THE CITY OF ALAMEDA
HELD 4:30 P.M., JANUARY 26, 2015
ALAMEDA CITY HALL
2263 SANTA CLARA AVENUE, ALAMEDA
CONFERENCE ROOM 391
1.
The meeting was called to order by Chair Trish Herrera Spencer at 4:44 p.m.
2.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Trustees: Trish Herrera Spencer, William Soderlund, Nancy Elzig,
Bruce Edwards, and Jill Kovacs
Staff: Brad Farmer: Finance Department, Robin Young and Lelia Faapouli:
Human Resources.
3.
MINUTES:
The minutes of the Regular Meeting of July 28, 2014 was moved for approval by
Member Elzig and seconded by Member Soderlund. Passed 3-0 with
2
abstaining.
The minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 27, 2014 - Since Members Elzig
and Kovacs were not in attendance at that meeting, they met earlier with Lelia
Faapouli who briefed them on the meeting notes and are now prepared to vote
on the minutes. Chair Herrera Spencer and Member Edwards were not on the
Board until January 2015. Member Soderlund made a motion to accept the
minutes and was seconded by Member Kovacs. Passed 3-0 with 2 abstaining.
4.
AGENDA ITEMS:
4-A. Pension Payroll and Financial Reports - Quarter Ending December 31,
2014 and City of Alameda Police & Fire Pension Funds Financial Reports for the
Period Ending December 31, 2014 were presented by Brad Farmer, Finance
Supervisor. It was asked at the last meeting why the third quarter went up on the
Pension Payroll and Financial Report. Brad Farmer noted that changes were
decreased in November due to a retiree passing away, and increased in",PensionBoard/2015-01-26.pdf
PensionBoard,2015-01-26,2,"City of Alameda
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the
Pension Board - Monday, January 26, 2015
Page 2
December due to payment of new higher Uniform Allowance. Notation for
changes will be included on the bottom of future reports.
Member Soderlund asked why 1082 Health Benefits cost on the Financial Report
is for six months. Brad Farmer answered that the top portion is for three months
and the bottom total is for six months for Health Benefits only. There are
currently 26 1079 pensioners and two 1082 pensioners. The reports were
moved for approval by Member Soderlund and seconded by Member Elzig.
Passed 4-0 with 1 abstaining.
4-B. Memo regarding the death of 1079 Pensioner - Sally Reilly (Widow of Fire
Apparatus Operator John Reilly) deceased 10/26/14, was accepted with regret
by Member Elizg and seconded by Member Soderlund. Passed 5-0.
5.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS, NON-AGENDA (PUBLIC COMMENT):
There was no communication from the Public.
6.
PENSION BOARD COMMUNICATIONS (COMMUNICATIONS FROM BOARD):
Member Kovacs officially welcomed new Mayor and Chair, Trish Herrera
Spencer and new Police Representative, Bruce Edwards, to the Pension Board.
Member Kovacs explained that the Pension Board meets quarterly, and is
responsible for oversight of Pension benefits for 28 Retirees or survivors. These
former sworn Safety employees committed their careers to the safety of the
residents of the City of Alameda, so the Pension Board has an important
fiduciary responsibility to oversee their pension benefits.
Member Soderlund requested a letter be sent to former Member Bob Follrath to
thank him for his service to the Pension Board.
7.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business to come before the board, the meeting was
adjourned at 4:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
If
Jill Koyács
Secretary to the Pension Board",PensionBoard/2015-01-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-01-26,1,"APPROVED MEETING MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY OF ALAMEDA PLANNING BOARD
MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2015
1. CONVENE:
7:01 P.M.
2. FLAG SALUTE:
Board member Köster led the flag salute.
3. ROLL CALL:
Present: President Henneberry, Vice President Alvarez and
Board Members Burton, Knox White, Köster, Tang
Absent: Board Member Zuppan.
4. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION: None
5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None
6. CONSENT CALENDAR:
6-A. 2015-228
Minor Modification to Final Development Plan and Major Design
Review, PLN14-0524, for a 55,288 square Foot Building Located on a
2.82 Acre Site at 2321 North Loop Road in the Harbor Bay Business
Park. The proposed project is Categorically Exempt Pursuant to CEQA
Guidelines 15332 in-fill Development Projects
Board Member Knox White motioned to approve the consent calendar.
Board Member Burton seconded the motion.
The motion carried, 6-0.
7. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:
7-A. 2015-1233
Public Workshop on Initial Site A Development Concept at Alameda
Point.
Mr. Andrew Thomas, City Planner, introduced the item.
Mr. Thomas introduced Mr. Joe Ernst of Alameda Point Partners. Mr. Ernst thanked the
Board for letting him speak. He said that he remains committed to hearing the concerns of
the public, and that the team has tried to incorporate their concerns, most notably adding
open space. He further stated that building housing at the site is necessary to secure the
infrastructure funding needed for the project as a whole.
Approved Regular Meeting Minutes
Page 1 of 6
January 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-01-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-01-26,2,"Mr. Ernst introduced Mr. David Israel, architect. Mr. Israel explained the uniqueness of the
site within the City, and of the uniqueness of the City more generally. He emphasized the
importance of taking an old site and reusing the buildings there to serve future generations.
He explained the way transit and street infrastructure would have to be changed to suit the
plans.
Mr. Israel introduced Ms. April Phillips, site designer. Ms. Phillips explained that the
developers split the site into three open space zones. The feel of each of the three zones will
be different, but they will be interconnected with each other. She emphasized the
importance of the water as a place where people can congregate for many different
purposes.
Ms. Jennifer Ott, Chief Operating Officer of Alameda Point, updated the Board on the City
Council meeting of January 20= 2015. She said that the Council had many positive
comments about the Site A plan, but they still had some comments regarding fiscal impact,
traffic and public safety. The City has a fiscal neutrality policy for Alameda Point. Ms. Ott said
that staff will be meeting with the City Council and the Planning Board monthly in order to
best address everybody's concerns.
Board Questions:
Board Member Köster asked Mr. Ernst to elaborate on Phase Zero. Mr. Ernst replied that
Phase Zero will focus on activities and events that can be regularly held at the Point. The
developers want to work with Alameda businesses to bring permanent and recurring events
to the open spaces at Alameda Point.
Vice President Alvarez asked Mr. Thomas about environmental and financial aspects of the
plan, and what the role of the Board is with regard to these issues.
Mr. Thomas replied that the Board's job is to advise the Council on the adequacy of the
development plan. He explained that Ms. Ott was working directly with the Council and the
developers regarding the financial aspects of the plan.
Vice President Alvarez asked Mr. Thomas to remind the public about the agreement with the
Navy about the land at Alameda Point.
Mr. Thomas explained to the public that the City can build no more than 1,425 housing units
at the former Base site. About 1,200 have yet to be built. About 800 units are to be included
on the Site A site.
Vice President Alvarez asked Mr. Thomas about the Planning Board and Transportation
Commission's joint meeting.
Mr. Thomas said that the meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at the
Council Chambers.
Approved Regular Meeting Minutes
Page 2 of 6
January 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-01-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-01-26,3,"Board Member Knox White asked about rising sea levels at Site A. Mr. Israel explained that
the land on the site slopes to the water, and that they would come back to address this issue
in more detail at a later date.
Board Member Knox White said he met with Mr. Ernst last week about the project. He asked
Mr. Ernst about the inclusion of town homes in the site.
Mr. Ernst said that about 75% of the housing would be multi-family housing and the
remainder would be town homes. The inclusion of town homes in the site was necessary to
cover the costs of infrastructure construction
President Henneberry asked about differences between the urban edge presented in the
precise plan and in the drawings. Mr. Thomas said the drawings are primarily illustrative.
The precise plan is meant to create a waterfront space and to be accessible to cars without
making it car-heavy.
President Henneberry asked Ms. Ott about the effects of dredging in Seaplane Lagoon.
Ms. Ott reported that negotiations between the City and the Navy about dredging in the
lagoon are still ongoing. She said that the City has hired a marine engineer to figure out how
much dredging would be necessary. She said that there would be little dredging, if any, for
construction of the area, and that there might be a little dredging for maintenance.
The Board opened public comment.
Mr. Kame Richards, President of the Board of Directors of the Alameda Community Sailing
Center, explained that Seaplane Lagoon was a very important place for those learning to
sail. He expressed hope that the developer and groups like his organization could work
together to bring people of all socioeconomic classes to the water. He explained the
importance of the project both to his organization and the community at large.
Mr. Michael McDonough, president of the Alameda Chamber of Commerce, said that his
organization is really excited about this project. He said that this project could lead to a
renewal of Alameda Point that would lead to more commercial development in the City. He
explained that there need to be amenities, such as restaurants, in order to lure and keep
jobs at Alameda Point.
Mr. Doug Biggs, neighbor, said that the infrastructure at Alameda Point is failing, and that a
project like this one would lead to infrastructure repair and raise the quality of life at Alameda
Point. He said that development of Alameda Point is urgently needed, and praised the
developers' project plans. He suggested that developers should include more north-south
connection with adjacent communities and other minor improvements.
Ms. Carol Gottstein, neighbor, asked about Building 77, and expressed concern that it might
be shorter than proposed buildings. She suggested that the developer show how tall the
other buildings would be compared to existing buildings.
Approved Regular Meeting Minutes
Page 3 of 6
January 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-01-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-01-26,4,"Mr. William Smith, on behalf of Renewed Hope Housing Advocates, said he was also in
favor of the plan. He acknowledged that the plan is in its early stages. He liked the increased
park space, but wanted to know where the active parks would be located. He suggested that
some parks be on the rooftops of some buildings, as in other cities.
The Board closed public comment.
Board Member Knox White commented that he could not imagine that families would send
their children to parks located in between two major streets. He suggested that the proposed
linear park follow the model of Jackson Park, which is surrounded by one-way couplets.
Board Member Knox White also said that the concept of a town square is great, but he would
like to see how it is implemented. He liked the idea of making a shared space in the center,
and that the area could be shared by drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. Board Member
Knox White liked the idea of a reconfigured plaza center, and thought that it would be a nice
entrance to the public space on the waterfront.
Board Member Burton said he also met with Mr. Ernst and his team last week. He said he
appreciated all the presentations, and said that the plan is off to a good start. He agreed with
many of Board Member Knox White's comments. He wanted to make sure that the
developers integrate the existing buildings with the rest of the buildings at the site. He liked
the idea to get through-traffic off of Ralph Appezzato Parkway and onto Orion Street. The
edge of Seaplane Lagoon should only be used for local traffic. He noted that the
Cross-Alameda Trail would be passing through the area. Board Member Burton worried that
the new buildings might make the existing buildings seem out of scale, and said that the
team needs to make sure that the new buildings are not out of scale with the existing ones.
He said that block sizes in Site A should be consistent with block sizes in the rest of the City
as much as possible.
Board Member Tang said that he appreciated the team's efforts to keep the historical
buildings and build infrastructure that accounts for existing issues at the site. He suggested
that the buildings that will be constructed should emulate the existing buildings in size and
material to prevent unnecessary cost.
Board Member Tang added that there are many office buildings in the Harbor Bay business
park, but there is little business conducted in the area on weekends and no restaurants and
coffee shops there. He said that there should be some restaurants and coffee shops in
between the residential and commercial spaces.
Board Member Köster agreed, and that public access to the waterfront is important in
Alameda. He wants to make the waterfront a place where sailors around the Bay Area could
visit for a couple of hours and use the amenities at the site. He said he would like to see a
sketch-up model of the building height differences. He wanted to know what the heights of
the new buildings would be in order to not affect the view corridors. Building on the Base's
history will add to a sense of place on the site, and that it would help define the character of
the City. However, Board Member Köster noted that they need to think of the spaces as not
Approved Regular Meeting Minutes
Page 4 of 6
January 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-01-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-01-26,5,"solely residential or commercial, but also civic and public.
Vice President Alvarez said she agrees with many of the other Board Members' comments.
She explained that the view corridor is very important to her, and that her concerns are about
traffic flow and the transit piece on Ralph Apezzato Parkway. She said she likes how the
center of the site has transformed in these plans. She said that there would be issues
connecting the living spaces, the parks and the schools in the future. She wanted to know
how people with boats would be able to get to the Bay, and that there might be some way to
show the history of Seaplane Lagoon to the public, such as by placing a museum there. She
agreed with Mr. Biggs's comments and reminded the Board that Site A is one of many
parcels that would be redeveloped at the Base site.
President Henneberry said he appreciated all the comments he heard. He expressed
confidence in the direction of the planned development, and looked forward to seeing how
staff and the development team incorporated public and Board comments. He said that
public-private cooperation is essential for development on Alameda Point, and suggested
that the team should look into similar projects elsewhere, such as in Christchurch, New
Zealand, where a combination of public and private projects successfully draws people to
the oceanfront site.
Mr. Thomas told the Board that staff would meet with the Planning Board Subcommittee and
the developers to make improvements to the plans based on tonight's comments.
Ms. Ott announced that there would be a community outreach event on the Base on
Thursday night, January 29, 2015, from 6 to 8 PM, about the plans and to meet the
developers and express their concerns
8. MINUTES:
8-A. 2015-1230
Draft minutes of September 22, 2014
Board Member Knox White motioned to approve the minutes with edits.
President Burton seconded the motion.
The motion carried, 6-0
8-B. 2015-1231
Draft minutes of December 8, 2014
Board Member Knox White motioned to approve the minutes with edits.
President Burton seconded the motion.
The motion carried, 5-0-1 (President Henneberry abstained.)
9. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS:
9-A. 2015-1232
Zoning Administrator and Design Review: Recent Actions and
Decisions.
Approved Regular Meeting Minutes
Page 5 of 6
January 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-01-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-01-26,6,"10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS: None
11. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS:
11-A. 2015-1235
Report from the Alameda Point Site A-Ad Hoc Sub-Committee
President Henneberry announced that the Sub-Committee has not met yet.
12. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None
13. ADJOURNMENT: President Henneberry adjourned the meeting at 9:05 p.m.
Approved Regular Meeting Minutes
Page 6 of 6
January 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-01-26.pdf