body,date,page,text,path
PlanningBoard,2016-06-13,1,"APPROVED MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY OF ALAMEDA PLANNING BOARD
MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016
1. CONVENE
President Knox White called meeting to order at 7:00pm.
2. FLAG SALUTE
Board Member Sullivan led the flag salute.
3. ROLL CALL
Present: President Knox White, Board Members Burton, Köster, Mitchell, Sullivan,
Zuppan. Absent: Board Member Henneberry.
4. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION
President Knox White moved item 7-C ahead of item 7-B.
5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Arnold Brillinger spoke about the lack of accessibility of new developments for people in
wheelchairs and with mobility issues. He said all new homes in Alameda should be
visitable for all Alamedans.
6. CONSENT CALENDAR
6-A 2016-2996
Annual Review: Del Monte Mixed Use Project Development Agreement -
Applicant: TL Partners I, LP. Approve a Resolution Finding that the TL
Partners I, LP has Demonstrated Good Faith Compliance with the Terms
and Conditions of the Del Monte Development Agreement through January
2016, based on the Findings contained in the Draft Resolution. This
Compliance Review is not a project under CEQA.
Board Member Zuppan made a motion to approve the consent calendar. Board Member
Mitchell seconded the motion. The motion passed 6-0.
7. REGULAR
AGENDA
ITEMS
7-A 2016-2999
PLN16-0039 - 3244 Sterling Avenue - Applicants: Catrina and Jarred
Fobian Appellants: Anne and Ted Rogers. A review of the revised design
for a previously appealed Design Review to allow a second story addition
to an existing one-story residence. The revised design consists of a 909-
square foot second-story addition that has a side yard setback of five feet
and nine inches (5'-9"") on the west side, creating a separation of twenty-
seven feet and five inches (27'-5"") from the westerly neighbor. The second
story is also set back from the front elevation to expose the roof of the
Approved Meeting Minutes
June 13, 2016
Page 1 of 8",PlanningBoard/2016-06-13.pdf
PlanningBoard,2016-06-13,2,"original first story. The overall height of the residence will be twenty-four
feet (24'). The property is listed on the Historical Buildings Study List with
an S designation. The project is located within an R-1 (One-Family
Residential) zoning district. The project qualifies for a categorical
exemption under Section 15301 - Existing Facilities of the California
Environmental Quality Act.
President Knox White recused himself from the item because he lives within 300 feet of
the project.
Board Member Köster assumed the Chair position for the item.
Staff Member Barrera introduced the item and gave the staff report. The staff report and
attachments
can
be
found
at:
 ttps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2741571&GUID=12016548-
CC95-4CCC-A9DD-E47674A9AF07&FullText=1
Board Member Köster opened the public hearing.
Catrina Fobian, applicant, said she understands the design review process and
appreciates it because she staffs the City of Livermore Planning Board as an Assistant
City Attorney. She said they went above and beyond to address the board and appellant's
concerns.
Jarred Fobian, applicant, asked the board to approved the design. He said they have met
or exceeded the City's standards.
Elaine Lee, project architect, spoke about the changes made to the design to address
concerns raised at the previous meeting.
Ted Rogers, appellant, thanked the board for upholding their previous appeal. He said the
changes that alleviate the impacts to his home are positive steps and appreciated. He said
he remains concerned about the precedent the project would set for Sterling Ave.
Alexis Ogdie said the Fobians have addressed the concerns of the regulations and the
project is a benefit for the community and should be approved.
Steven Kling said the family has jumped through every hoop and the project should be
OK'd so they can go on with their lives.
Pam Conway said the street needs new families to come and stay to keep the community
lively.
Approved Meeting Minutes
June 13, 2016
Page 2 of 8",PlanningBoard/2016-06-13.pdf
PlanningBoard,2016-06-13,3,"Joe Mariscal said Sterling Ave. was built to be affordable housing in 1917. He says the
Fobians have limited options for staying in Alameda. He said the design will enhance the
neighborhood while meeting the family's needs.
Christopher Buckley, from Alameda Architectural Preservation Society, spoke about ways
the project could maintain the one story look of the street.
Board Member Köster closed the public hearing.
Board Member Zuppan thanked the parties for their work on this item. She said she
is
satisfied with the design. She said the neighborhood allows a second story by right and if
the neighborhood wants to change that they need to change the zoning code.
Board Member Mitchell asked about the treatment of the chimney and if it is consistent
with craftsman design.
Board Member Burton said that it is different than an original design would have used. He
said that it is the kind of thing he would notice but 99.9% of people wouldn't.
Board Member Mitchell said we should explore the possibility of keeping the chimney
stacked vertically. He said he would like to move the project forward.
Board Member Sullivan said it looks terrific and all the concerns have been met.
Board Member Burton thanked the applicant and architect for the changes they made to
the design. He said the ratio of the addition to roofline is much better. He suggested a
potential adjustment to the roof design to clean up the lines and still address the neighbor's
shade concerns.
Board Member Köster said he had a similar reaction to the roof design as Board Member
Burton. He said both sides have compromised to address concerns.
Staff Member Tai said the board could add a condition of approval to the building phase
requiring the applicant to explore extending the second story gable to the rear of the
house.
Board Member Zuppan asked if that was likely to cause a significant increase in cost to
the applicant, saying she was sensitive to what they have already invested in the project.
Board Member Burton suggested that it would not be a significant change to the cost of
construction.
Board Member Sullivan expressed concern at the potential delay the condition would
cause.
Approved Meeting Minutes
June 13, 2016
Page 3 of 8",PlanningBoard/2016-06-13.pdf
PlanningBoard,2016-06-13,4,"Board Member Zuppan made a motion to approve the application with the condition that
the applicant work with staff to explore the roof option provided by Board Member Burton
and if there is no significant cost impact and it does not appear to delay the construction
significantly that they be allowed to make permit amendments to carry that through. The
motion was seconded by Board Member Sullivan. The motion carried 5-0.
The resolution can be found at: https://alamedaca.gov/sites/default/files/document
files/department-files/Planning/2016_planning_board_resos_june-july_2016_reduced.pdf
President Knox White rejoined the meeting.
7-C 2016-3004
PLN16-0026 - 1427 Bay Street - Applicant: Daniel Hoy for Nicole Blake and
Ryan Clausnitzer. A request to consider a design review application for an
addition to single-family residence. The project consists of a three-story
addition at the rear of an existing two-story residence, and will raise the
overall building height from twenty feet (20') to thirty feet and seven inches
(30'7""). The project will add a total of 725.5 square feet of floor area. The
property is located within an R-4 (Neighborhood Residential) zoning
district. The project qualifies for a categorical exemption under Section
15301 - Existing Facilities of the California Environmental Quality Act.
Staff Member Sablan gave the staff presentation. The staff report and attachments can be
found
at:
 https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2741573&GUID=FCDA04B5-
C893-4919-9142-182255E255FE&FullText=1
Board Member Mitchell asked the height limit for the R-4 zoning.
Staff Member Sablan said it was 35 feet.
President Knox White opened the public hearing.
Daniel Hoy, project architect, said he and the owners have been working with staff and
been very accommodating of their proposed changes. He said they are on iteration 5. He
said they have support from all the surrounding neighbors.
President Knox White closed the public hearing.
Board Member Köster disclosed that he had met with the applicant at the site. He said he
can see the progress from the earlier drawings. He said the site is very constrained. He
said the current plan stands pretty strongly.
Approved Meeting Minutes
June 13, 2016
Page 4 of 8",PlanningBoard/2016-06-13.pdf
PlanningBoard,2016-06-13,5,"Board Member Burton said he does not understand this addition. He said there is a lack
of integration from the front to the back. He said that this design just does not meet the
design guidelines and would set a bad precedent.
Board Member Zuppan said she was also torn on this project due to how narrow the site
is. She said she is concerned that it will not look well integrated. She said she would prefer
to send it back to staff to see how it could be better integrated.
Board Member Mitchell said the strange design on the original house would likely cause
similar problems in any design. He said any issues at the rear would go mostly unseen.
He said he does not love or hate the design.
Board Member Sullivan said the front elevation made the addition look like a mushroom
popping up. She said she would like to see if they could work with staff a little more to
address those issues.
President Knox White said he met with the applicant and architect on the site. He said we
will not see much of the addition from the front. He said he is not concerned that the view
from the street will be an eyesore.
Board Member Zuppan said that for her it was not about the height or that it comes up,
but how it integrates. She said if there were better pictures, perhaps her opinion would
change.
Board Member Burton said it was about integrating the two structures. He said he is not
opposed to three stories. He said he just wants to see something from the front carry back
to break up the scale. He said there is room to make the third level less of a box stacked
on top.
Staff Member Tai explained further the design guideline concerns staff was trying to
balance and why they felt they needed Planning Board feedback on this project.
Board Member Burton gave some detailed direction on how the mass of the addition could
be stepped down and integrated more at the front and rear.
Board Member Mitchell said he would like to study whether the volume was too large and
to get some updated drawings to more clearly see some of the transitions.
Board Member Zuppan suggested that the focus be on proportions rather than volumes.
Board Member Köster said it was not an easy project. He said budget concerns prevent
the applicant from just demolishing the previous addition to make the integration of the
new addition easier.
Approved Meeting Minutes
June 13, 2016
Page 5 of 8",PlanningBoard/2016-06-13.pdf
PlanningBoard,2016-06-13,6,"President Knox White said that he did not want to let the size of the house become the
deciding factor given the larger size of homes they are approving in the city. He did not
want the project to drag on in the design stages for over a year as some projects have
recently.
Board Member Zuppan made a motion to send the design back to staff with the guidance
noted to continue working on the project. Board Member Mitchell seconded the motion.
The motion passed 6-0.
7-B 2016-3003
PLN15-0179 - 2437 Eagle Avenue - Applicant: Housing Authority of the
City of Alameda. A Request to Amend Design Review and Density Bonus
Application No. PLN15-0179 to Reduce the Eagle Avenue Affordable
Housing Project to Three Three-Story Buildings containing Twenty
Residential Units. The Proposed Project is Exempt from the California
Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Public Resource Code 21159.23
Exemption for Affordable Low-Income Housing, and CEQA Guidelines
15332 In-fill Development Projects.
Board Member Köster recused himself due to proximity to the project.
Staff Member Dong introduced the item. The staff report and attachments can be found
at: https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2741572&GUID=9116228D-
A91-4143-B05B-EA806237309E&FullText=1
Victoria Johnson, from the Housing Authority, gave a presentation on the project design.
Board Member Zuppan asked about the depths of the windows, removal of the trellises,
and how many units would be visitable by wheelchair.
Ms. Johnson said they will meet the City's design code for window depth. She said the
trellises were removed in response to a Board Member's comment at a previous meeting
and for cost reduction. She said two units would be 100% accessible and seven ground
floor units would be visitable by wheelchair.
President Knox White opened the public hearing.
Stuart Rickard asked for some increases to the budget to allow some changes to increase
livability. He questioned the placement of the bike racks and benches at the edge of the
property instead of in the interior. He said he supports AAPS' request for double windows.
Christopher Buckley, Alameda Architectural Preservation Society, said the biggest issue
remaining is the windows. He said the upper sash would be nearly flush and create a two
dimensional look. He explained their concerns over the siding choices. He outlined several
other detail comments contained in their letter.
Approved Meeting Minutes
June 13, 2016
Page 6 of 8",PlanningBoard/2016-06-13.pdf
PlanningBoard,2016-06-13,7,"President Knox White closed the public hearing.
Board Member Sullivan said the reduction in units gives more breath to the project. She
said the gabled roof option at the corner would be good.
Board Member Mitchell said he supports the project. He says he prefers the flat roof for
the corner. He said he does not want to delay the project.
Board Member Burton said the changes have improved the project. He said stepping down
to the flat roof can work well and is more attractive than the gabled roof option. He said he
would support incorporating AAPS' comments where cost allows but not hold up the
project due to window details because of the need for affordable housing.
Board Member Zuppan said that the flat roof looks better in the context of the
neighborhood. She said the benches and bike parking invite the neighborhood into the
property. She said she would like to do anything we can to make the windows seem more
setback. She said she would like the project to move forward.
President Knox White said the bike racks on the western edge of the property seemed out
of place. He said the space between the buildings is bleak and is concerned with the
removal of the trellis. He said he was surprised that the parking stayed the same when
the number of units was reduced. He suggested maintaining the previous parking ratio
and increasing the open space. He said the flat roof integrates into the neighborhood
better than the gabled roof.
Board Member Mitchell made a motion to approve the new project design and density
bonus waiver while: incorporating the AAPS comments as costs allow with special
consideration to the depth of the windows; potentially moving the bike parking from the
western edge of the property to an interior location; and, attempting to maximize the
shared open space. Board Member Sullivan seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-
0.
The resolution can be found at: https://alamedaca.gov/sites/default/files/document-
iles/department-files/Planning/2016, planning board resos june-july 2016 reduced.pdf
8. MINUTES
*None*
9. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
9-A 2016-3005
Zoning Administrator and Design Review Recent Actions and Decisions
Board Member Zuppan confirmed that they have ten days from the hearing to call for
review.
Approved Meeting Minutes
June 13, 2016
Page 7 of 8",PlanningBoard/2016-06-13.pdf
PlanningBoard,2016-06-13,8,"9-B 2016-3006
Future Public Meetings and Upcoming Community Development
Department Projects
Staff Member Tai outlined the items on the upcoming special meeting agenda.
10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
*None*
11. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS
President Knox White said that Board Members Burton and Sullivan have been assigned
to the Universal Design Subcommittee.
11-A 2016-3007
Report from the Boatworks - Ad-Hoc Sub-Committee
Did not meet.
12. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
*None*
13. ADJOURNMENT
President Knox White adjourned the meeting at 9:46pm.
Approved Meeting Minutes
June 13, 2016
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