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PlanningBoard,2015-05-26,1,"APPROVED MEETING MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY OF ALAMEDA PLANNING BOARD
TUESDAY MAY 26,2015
CONVENE:
7:01 P.M.
FLAG SALUTE:
Vice President Alvarez led the flag salute.
ROLL CALL:
Present: President Henneberry, Vice President Alvarez and
Board Members Burton, Knox White, Köster and Zuppan (Arrived 7:
10 P.M).
Absent: Board Member Tang.
AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION:
Mr. Andrew Thomas, City Planner, requested to combine items 7-B, 7-C and 7-D into
one agenda item. President Henneberry approved the change.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None
CONSENT CALENDAR: None
REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:
7-A
PLN15-0092- 2810 Harbor Bay Parkway-Applicant: FME Architecture
& Design for SRM Ernst. An amendment to Final Development Plan
No. PLN07-0061 and Design Review to construct an approximately
22,868 square foot two-story building in the location of two previously
approved 10,400 square foot two-story office buildings. The project is
located on a 2.05 acre site at 2810 Harbor Bay Parkway. The proposed
project is Categorically Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines 15332
Infill Development Projects
Approved Regular Meeting
Page 1 of 8
Minutes May 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-05-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-05-26,2,"Mr. Henry Dong, representing City Staff, made the presentation.
President Henneberry asked Mr. Thomas about any Sunshine Ordinance issues
surrounding the project. Mr. Thomas explained that the additional conditions of approval
were added in response to citizen concerns.
Mr. Thomas introduced Mr. Joe Ernst, project applicant.
Mr. Ernst gave an update on the project since it was approved in 2008. He introduced
Mr. Rob Doud, of McGuire and Hester.
Mr. Doud expressed his excitement to move his company to Alameda.
There were no public comments.
Board Member Knox White said that he appreciated a change made to the plans that
included bicycle parking for employees at the site.
Board Member Zuppan said that the design of the building was attractive and preserved
the view corridor in the area.
President Henneberry, Vice President Alvarez and Board Members Burton and Köster all
said they liked the project.
Board Member Knox White motioned to approve the proposal with the two presented
conditions. Vice President Alvarez seconded the motion. The motion carried, 6-0.
7-B
Del Monte Master Plan Six Month Review.
7-C
Development Plan and Design Review for a 31-Unit affordable
Housing Development. Applicant: TL Partners I, LP and City of
Alameda Housing Authority (PLN15-0185). A development plan and
design review application to construct 31 affordable, multi-family rental
units, parking and landscaping on an approximately .81 acre site within
the MX Zoning District located on the northeast corner of Buena Vista
Avenue and Sherman Street within the Del Monte Master Plan planning
area.
7-D
Tentative Subdivision Map Application PLN15-0165-1501 Buena
Vista Avenue. (Del Monte.) Applicant: TL Partners I, LP/Tim Lewis
Communities. A proposed Tentative Map application for a 7-lot
subdivision on 11.06 acres to implement the 2014 Del Monte Master
Plan at 1501 Buena Vista Avenue (APN: 072-0384-004).
Approved Regular Meeting
Page 2 of 8
Minutes May 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-05-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-05-26,3,"Mr. Thomas clarified that he would present all three agenda items at once.
Mr. Thomas introduced Mr. Mike O'Hara, of Tim Lewis Communities. Mr. O'Hara gave a
brief presentation. He introduced Ms. Victoria Johnson, director of development at the City's
Housing Authority.
Ms. Johnson explained how the Housing Authority manages affordable senior housing in
Alameda. She said that the City needs affordable housing units in order for senior citizens
to remain in Alameda.
Mr. William Duncanson, of BAR Architects, gave some context to the affordable housing
project being presented tonight, and how it fits into the larger Del Monte project.
Board Member Burton asked for a color and material board. Mr. Duncanson apologized
for not having a material sample at the meeting.
Mr. Thomas added that staff would bring a sample to a future meeting.
Board Member Zuppan asked Mr. Thomas about how the City counted available parking
spaces, and if a parking count would include weekends and use of Jean Sweeney Park.
Mr. Thomas explained that staff focused on nighttime parking in order to differentiate
between residents and day visitors to the area.
Board Member Zuppan asked if there was a way to conduct a study of both overnight and
weekend parking, and asked how parking at the senior housing complex would be
enforced.
Ms. Johnson explained that residents are entitled to obtain a decal in order to park their
cars. There will also be designated visitor spaces and loading zones at the site.
Board Member Zuppan asked Ms. Johnson about parking situation in other Housing
Authority projects.
Ms. Johnson explained how she and the architect agreed on a set number for accessible
parking spaces.
Board Member Zuppan asked Mr. Thomas about a landscaping plan.
Mr. Duncanson clarified that the site plan includes the landscaping plan for the area.
Board Member Knox White asked Mr. Thomas if residents would have access to the
TDM programs.
Mr. Thomas replied in the affirmative.
Ms. Johnson added that there would be paratransit services specifically for senior
Approved Regular Meeting
Page 3 of 8
Minutes May 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-05-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-05-26,4,"residents.
Vice President Alvarez asked Mr. Thomas if the City could impose eminent domain on the
property. Mr. Thomas replied in the affirmative, but said that the process is an expensive
one. The City's approach with Wind River and Pennzoil has been to proceed with a
straightforward negotiation without the use of eminent domain.
The Board opened public comment.
Vice President Alvarez made a motion to limit speakers' time to three minutes. The motion
was not seconded.
Ms. Kari Thompson, of the Alameda Chamber of Commerce, said she was excited for
the project. The senior housing market is badly underserved in Alameda.
Ms. Rosemary Reilly, from Alameda Meals on Wheels, said that seniors need more
affordable housing in Alameda. She said that her organization has volunteers who deliver
meals in Housing Authority buildings, and she said that she was excited that there would
be more units for seniors who desire affordable housing in Alameda.
Mr. Arthur Lenhardt, resident, spoke in favor of the project.
Mr. Mark Sorensen, president of Alameda Meals on Wheels, said that it was heartbreaking
to see seniors who could not afford to live in Alameda. He called the project thoughtful and
inclusive, and urged its approval.
Mr. Rion Cassidy, resident, said that he counted residences and parking spaces in the
area. He said that there are between 2.7 and 3.3 parking spaces per resident in the
neighborhood. The increased number of cars that could come as a result of the project
could be disastrous for the City as a whole. He also wondered if the City was negotiating
with Wind River, and called eminent domain an expensive and unnecessary procedure.
Ms. Audrey Lord-Hausman said that she was an advocate for senior housing, but said that
she was concerned about placing bathtubs in the units, which could be dangerous for
seniors and people with disabilities. She said that she hoped that this project was the first
of many more senior housing units in Alameda. She added that there are many seniors
who want to stay in Alameda, but cannot afford to remain here.
Mr. Jon Spangler, representing the Alameda Renter's Coalition, said that there are far more
people who are looking for senior housing than there is demand on the Island. He said that
his organization fully endorses the projects, and hopes that there will be more similar
development. Mr. Spangler agreed completely with Ms. Lord-Hausman's comments about
bathtub placement. He explained there were many issues with traffic on Sherman Street
that had to be addressed, and there need to be other pedestrian safety guarantees for
seniors living in the Del Monte complex. He said that he did not see any bicycle parking
made available in the plans.
Approved Regular Meeting
Page 4 of 8
Minutes May 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-05-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-05-26,5,"Ms. Helen Sause, representing the Alameda Home Team, said that that the affordable
housing complex addresses a spectrum of incomes that is desperately needed. She said
that there are many positives to having senior housing in Alameda, and praised the Housing
Authority's maintenance of their other properties. She said that her group urges approval
of the project.
Ms. Alison Greene of Plan Alameda commended the City and the developer for their work.
She said that her group was more concerned about the increase of cars that would come
to the neighborhood as a result of the development. She said she agreed with Mr.
Cassidy's comments, and that there was little parking available, and that transit issues
needed to be taken into account for future developments in the area. Ms. Greene said that
there might need to be another option, including eminent domain, in order to make sure
that the Clement Avenue extension is fully completed. She said that she was excited for
the project, but said that the draft resolution omits the word ""senior"", which suggests that it
might not be explicitly mandating senior housing. The affordable and market-rate
communities should have the same amount of parking per unit. She asked to include a
condition of approval that would regulate the heavy equipment that would be parked in
the area during construction.
Mr. Jay Ingram, resident, said that approval of the project does not need to be rushed.
He said that the design is beautiful, but does not fit the Del Monte neighborhood. He said
that much of the view corridor will be gone when the Del Monte building is built, and
encouraged it to be preserved as much as possible. He said that he appreciated the
money allocated for Jean Sweeney Park, and asked for money to be allocated for
Littlejohn Park as well.
Ms. Anne McKereghen, resident, spoke in favor of the project. She said that, as a
realtor, she supports affordable housing in Alameda, and said that she was excited that
the Housing Authority would manage the project. She said that there are many seniors
that could benefit from a housing project like this one.
Ms. Angela Hochabout, said that affordable housing has not been prioritized by the
government. There is a shortage of affordable housing in Alameda, and hoped that
there are more developments that follow this one. She asked if there would be a service
for seniors who live on higher floor to have their laundry done on the ground floor, and
agreed with Mr. Spangler's comments on bathtubs. She thanked staff and the developer
for their work on the project.
The Board closed public comment.
Mr. Thomas clarified that there would be showers, instead of bathtubs, provided in the
units and that the plans would be revised accordingly.
Board Member Burton stated that the design was attractive and expressed his support for
the project, and said that the relationship between this development and the main Del
Monte building would be a good one. He said that he understood that parking could be
an issue on the site, but that senior housing usually requires less parking than other
Approved Regular Meeting
Page 5 of 8
Minutes May 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-05-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-05-26,6,"developments. He asked if there could be a study to lower the amount of parking needed
or to add more handicapped spaces as necessary. He said that he liked that there was
only one entrance to the lobby area, and said that although he appreciated that the
developer and architects make the stairs in the corner an entrance, he wondered if the
other side could be used as a better secondary entrance. The overall layout of the site
plan is good, but he wanted more detail about the materials that would be used for the
building. Board Member Burton said that he liked the colors proposed for the buildings
and that they open to the street in an inviting way. He said he did not realize that the
second and third floor hallways would be open-air as they could be cold and blustery for
much of the year.
Board Member Knox White asked Mr. Thomas why senior housing was left out of the
resolution.
Mr. Thomas said that the word ""senior"" would be included in the resolution.
Board Member Knox White said that the hallways seem like they should be indoor
spaces, and added that he would like more clarification on the number of parking spaces
for the building. He wanted to know if there was a way to add more ADA spaces at the
site. He asked Mr. Thomas about the Clement Avenue extension.
Mr. Thomas clarified that the completion of Clement Avenue has to be done by the time
that the 250th housing unit is completed.
Board Member Knox White said that the tentative map looked good.
Board Member Köster thanked staff for their work, and stated that he was on the steering
community for Jean Sweeney Park. He said that about $5 million has been raised for the
park. He said that he agreed with some of the neighbors' concerns, and commended the
developer for making the affordable housing targeted at seniors. He said that he agreed
with many of Board Member Burton's comments about the location of the entrance lobby.
Board Member Köster said that the building looked very attractive, and praised the architect
for his work. He also stated that he liked the idea of planting grass on unused
parking spaces.
Board Member Zuppan asked staff about the number of elevators in the building. She said
that she was concerned that there was only one elevator in the building, and said that it
might negatively affect seniors living in the upper floors of the building were it to break
down.
Ms. Johnson said that the mechanical technologies of elevators have improved, and that
there will be a backup generator in case of an electrical failure. However, she added that
elevators are designed to stop working in the event of an emergency, so that residents
would have to be helped out of the building in any case.
Mr. Duncanson added that the Housing Authority wanted to have open corridors, and that
it was more expensive to make the corridors open. Ms. Johnson added that the design of
Approved Regular Meeting
Page 6 of 8
Minutes May 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-05-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-05-26,7,"the building was created in order to protect residents from any storms, but also to protect
residents from odors. Mr. Duncanson added that there is a path meant to find a safe place
for residents to enter and exit their cars, which is not ADA compliant.
Board Member Zuppan asked for clarification about which doors would be used for
emergency exits and which ones would be used for everyday use.
Mr. Duncanson made the clarifications.
Board Member Zuppan said that she would support converting some of the parking spaces
into accessible spaces, as well as converting some of the parking to community access
points if needed. She said that she appreciated that there are multiple entrances and exits
for the building and the balconies in the buildings, but that she disagreed with Board
Member Burton's comments about the peaks in the buildings. Board Member Zuppan said
she agreed with Board Member Köster about expanding the parking studies to include all
of the people who use the amenities in the neighborhood. She said that, if a senior citizen
loses his or her driver's license, he or she should not lose their parking space, because
they may have caretakers who do drive. She said that she disapproved of the height of
the building design, but would not impede approval of the building on these merits alone.
Vice President Alvarez said that the building was tall for the area, but said that there are
no other places for the building on the site. She expressed support for the tentative map
and the affordable housing plans. She said that she went to a meeting of the Alameda
Home Team, and noted that the resident parking lot was full; as such, there may need to
be more parking spaces. Vice President Alvarez wanted to know what would happen today
with parking, and said she was concerned that the solutions to parking issues that would
benefit the neighbors. The Del Monte project may not be the problem, but more creative
solutions may be needed to solve these issues. She said she understood the frustration
of the neighbors. Vice President Alvarez said that it may be easier to have the elevator on
the outside wall and as close to the stairwell as possible in order to disrupt as few residents
as possible.
President Henneberry said he agreed with Vice President Alvarez on the tentative map
and the need for affordable housing in Alameda. He said that the open hallways diminish
the ""locked in"" ""feeling of the building and liked the gables on the buildings. He understood
that parking is an issue, and that he would support having a weekend parking count, if
such a count were feasible.
Board Member Köster said that the variation of gable heights in the building would seem
more interesting than the current design.
Mr. Duncanson explained the reasoning between the placement of the trash receptacle
and the elevator in the building.
Ms. Johnson reminded the Board that elevators cannot be used in a natural disaster, and
that staff members would assist residents in an emergency.
Approved Regular Meeting
Page 7 of 8
Minutes May 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-05-26.pdf
PlanningBoard,2015-05-26,8,"Board Member Knox White motioned to approve the design review, with the conditions to
increase ADA parking. He also added a condition of approval to make the building
materials available to the Board prior to the issuance of building permits. Board Member
Köster seconded the motion.
The motion carried, 6-0.
Board Member Knox White motioned to approve the subdivision map. Board Member
Zuppan seconded the motion.
The motion carried, 6-0.
Board Member Knox White motioned to approve the six month review as is. Board Member
Burton seconded the motion.
The motion carried, 6-0.
8-A
Draft Meeting Minutes-April 13, 2015
Board Member Zuppan motioned to approve the minutes with edits. Board Member Burton
seconded the motion.
The motion carried, 6-0.
8-B
Draft Meeting Minutes-April 27, 2015
Board Member Zuppan motioned to approve the minutes. Vice President Alvarez seconded
the motion.
The motion carried, 6-0.
STAFF COMMUNICATIONS:
9-A
Zoning Administrator and Design Review Recent Actions and Decisions.
Mr. Thomas updated the Board on the Zoning Administrator's decisions.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS:
President Henneberry acknowledged a letter from the Alameda Association of Realtors
expressing support for the project.
BOARD COMMUNICATIONS: None
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None
ADJOURNMENT:
9:48 P.M.
Approved Regular Meeting
Page 8 of 8
Minutes May 26, 2015",PlanningBoard/2015-05-26.pdf