body,date,page,text,path
PlanningBoard,2017-09-25,1,"APPROVED MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY OF ALAMEDA PLANNING BOARD
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017
1. CONVENE
Board Member Sullivan convened the meeting at 7:00pm
2. FLAG SALUTE
Board Member Burton led the flag salute.
3. ROLL CALL
Present: Board Members Sullivan, Burton, Curtis, Teague.
Absent: President Mitchell, Board Members Knox White, Koster.
4. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION
Staff Member Thomas suggested moving item 7-C ahead of 7-B and move item 9-A to
the beginning of the meeting.
Board Member Curtis made a motion to approve the suggested agenda changes.
Board Member Burton seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0.
5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
*None*
6. CONSENT CALENDAR
*None*
9-A 2017-4740***
Zoning Administrator and Design Review Recent Actions and Decisions
Staff Member Thomas listed recent approvals. The staff report can be found at:
 https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3157870&GUID=39E43C42-
60D4-4015-8268-D3CE77296809&FullText=1
James Morgan raised concerns about the scale and impacts of the approved plan to
remodel the fourplex on Bay St. He said there would be parking impacts in the
neighborhood and asked the board to consider a more reasonable sized fourplex. He said
they are doing work that he believes permits have not been issued for.
Staff Member Thomas said any one member of the Planning Board could call the project
for review. He said the building is in bad shape and they see the project as a benefit.
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 1 of 7
September 25, 2017",PlanningBoard/2017-09-25.pdf
PlanningBoard,2017-09-25,2,"Board Member Teague asked how many bedrooms there were now and a how many are
proposed.
Staff Member Thomas said he did not have that information at the moment.
Mr. Morgan said there are currently three bedrooms, and nine are proposed.
Board Member Burton asked at what point they would be in danger of improperly holding
a hearing.
Staff Member Thomas said they should not be holding a hearing on the item at this time.
Board Member Curtis said he would like to call the item for review.
Staff Member Thomas said the item would be scheduled for the second meeting in
October.
7. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS
7-A 2017-4742
Re: Adopt a Resolution Approving the Rebuilding the Existing Supportive
Housing at Alameda Point (RESHAP) Development Plan and Density
Bonus Waiver. The streamlining provision of Public Resources Section
21083.3 and Section 15183 of the CEQA Guidelines apply and no further
environmental review is required.
Staff Member Giles introduced the item. The staff report and attachments can be found
at: https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3157872&GUID=076A4F98-
442-4A2F-B222-985619A3BCOE&FullText=1
Doug Biggs, Daniel Simons, and Abby Goldware gave a presentation on the process and
plan.
Board Member Curtis asked if the project's financing depends on an adjacent market rate
development being in place.
Ms. Goldware said their current financing assumes the infrastructure is provided by a
market rate developer.
Board Member Teague asked how the number of spare light poles required was
determined.
Staff Member Thomas said that Public Works and AMP determined the number,
considering goals to keep project costs down.
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 2 of 7
September 25, 2017",PlanningBoard/2017-09-25.pdf
PlanningBoard,2017-09-25,3,"Board Member Teague asked who was responsible for pedestrian safety at the
intersection of Stargell, Main, and W. Midway.
Staff Member Thomas said the City is responsible for the intersection.
Board Member Sullivan asked if there was a developer in place for the adjacent property.
Ms. Goldware said there was not. She said they see this plan as a necessary first step in
order to begin soliciting the market rate developer.
Board Member Sullivan opened the public hearing.
Marguerite Bachand, Operation Dignity, said this cannot happen soon enough for them.
Board Member Sullivan closed the public hearing.
Board Member Teague asked that mature trees be saved if at all possible. He said he
would like to see the safety of the Main St. intersection addressed. He said he supports
the project.
Board Member Burton said we can not move this project forward fast enough. He said he
did not see any facilities identified in the plan for trash pick up.
Doug Biggs said they pick up their own trash to save money and provide jobs for some of
the residents.
Board Member Sullivan said she supports the project.
Board Member Burton made a motion to approve the staff recommendation with
conditions that the landscape plan analyze the location of mature trees and plan to
pay special attention to the pedestrian and bike access at the intersection of Main
St. and Midway. Board Member Teague seconded the motion. The motion passed
4-0.
7-C 2017-4746*
Provide Comments on the Draft Transportation Choices Plan
Staff Member Ott gave the staff presentation. The staff report and attachments can be
found
at:
ps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3157874&GUID=FFDDAFO7
6C30-4FAB-9DFO-FB4C3574A9F2&FullText=1
Board Member Burton asked if the Streetlight data was from 2015 or just acquired in 2015.
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 3 of 7
September 25, 2017",PlanningBoard/2017-09-25.pdf
PlanningBoard,2017-09-25,4,"Bill Hurrell, CDM Smith, said the data was collected in 2015. He said they also relied on
the Census community survey.
Board Member Burton asked how easy or difficult they determined it would be to meet the
goals.
Mr. Hurrell said they feel the goals are aggressive, but achievable.
Board Member Burton asked what amount of mode shift there would be if none of these
projects were implemented.
Mr. Hurrell said the shift since 2010 has happened because of economic growth and
increased congestion. He said it would be difficult to achieve further mode shift without
implementing projects in the plan.
Board Member Burton asked if there are other examples of bikes in buses in the Bay Area
and whether they have discussed it with AC Transit.
Mr. Hurrell said he knows they do it in Portland. He said AC Transit's response to the idea
is not very positive.
Board Member Teague sought clarification of how trips to and on the ferry were classified
in the tables. He asked if the equity criteria considered project's' effects on low income
people throughout the city, or just on areas with higher densities of low income residents.
Mr. Hurrell said the equity evaluation criteria focused on areas of the city.
Board Member Sullivan asked if the survey was reflective of the makeup of the city.
Mr. Hurrell said that the firm develops a sampling plan based on the demographic makeup
of the city.
Board Member Sullivan said she would like to understand who is targeted to get their
behavior changed, or if everyone is really just lumped in together.
Mr. Hurrell said they do have survey responses that come from people who are on the
fence about using transit or not and things that incrementally make transit faster and more
reliable can help them decide to change modes.
Board Member Sullivan asked how removing parking at the Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal is
supposed to encourage more ferry ridership. She said the bus connection to the ferry is
unreliable.
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 4 of 7
September 25, 2017",PlanningBoard/2017-09-25.pdf
PlanningBoard,2017-09-25,5,"Staff Member Ott said that most of the Harbor Bay Ferry riders live on Bay Farm. She said
with the constraints on the ferry terminal, they believe they can get more people to use
alternative ways to reach the ferry. She said that they work closely with AC Transit and
that they believe the bus is qualitatively reliable. She said that, even with the parking
losses, ridership has increased.
Board Member Sullivan opened the public hearing.
Tony Kuttner asked that the GABA letter be considered. He said he does not understand
why the shuttle idea is not a higher priority in the plan and is kicked into the long range
plan.
Christina Hanson said Harbor Bay Isle has some real issues with the bus lanes replacing
the median in Harbor Bay. She said the median is important to home values there and
they do not support the bus lane.
Pat Potter, CASA, said they support the plan but believe there are many things that could
be done immediately to increase alternative modes.
Christine Bauer asked that the ferry terminal access improvements be moved to the near
term and be a high priority.
Brian McGuire, Bike Walk Alameda, said the goals should be more aggressive goals. He
said our climate change goals should be factored in strongly. He said they are concerned
that there are no bike projects listed in the near term items. He said adding bike lanes to
the Main St. ferry should move forward now, independent from larger development at
Alameda Point or for WETA to complete their terminal access plans. He said any
improvement in bike, ped, or transit service increases equity for vulnerable populations.
Lorre Zuppan said the convenience and reliability of the free shuttle would be critical to
success. She said it would be very helpful for economic development within the city. She
said the truck route along the northern waterfront next to the bike path and new housing
should be addressed.
Andrea Wuttke said that at least 20,000 trips per day could be removed by building a
network of aerial tramways.
Board Member Sullivan closed the public hearing.
Board Member Teague said getting everyone a $70/year EZPass for AC Transit would be
a real difference maker. He said the bus needs to connect to the ferries reliably. He said
he agreed with the points raised in Board Member Knox White's letter. He said increasing
the cost of parking is a regressive tax.
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 5 of 7
September 25, 2017",PlanningBoard/2017-09-25.pdf
PlanningBoard,2017-09-25,6,"Board Member Curtis said people here are not used to taking public transportation. He
said public awareness and education need to be a top priority.
Board Member Burton said he does not feel like the plan is ready to go. He said there
should be a much more aggressive goal. He said the language in the goals will be
meaningless to the average person. He said the programs in the plan need to be laser
focused on our issues. He said drivers to Oakland and the inner east bay are the easiest
way to solve our congestion problems. He said all the westend schools, including charters,
with parents doing drop off and heading for the tube is a major problem. He suggested
using 2010's baseline as our goal for the plan. He said the EZ Pass program could be a
very good way of achieving the goals of the free shuttle at a reasonable cost of
implementation and without cutting into AC Transit's ridership and service levels. He said
we should be documenting Bike Walk Alameda as a partner agency on many of the
projects. He endorsed the comments in Board Member Knox White's letter.
Board Member Sullivan said she is concerned at the lack of targeting specific audiences
that are likely to use transit. She said nobody has looked at the possible need for a school
bus system. She said there is a tremendous need for communication programs to help
consumers understand how and why to use programs.
7-B 2017-4744
Study Session - 2390 Mariner Square Drive Co-Living, Co-Working zoning
Amendment. Applicant: Todd Jersey Architecture and Open Door
Development. A Planning Board study session to consider a proposed
Zoning Amendment to allow residential use on a 1.4 acre site currently
zoned M-2 General Industrial and designated in the General Plan for Mixed
Use. The site is located at the corner of Mariner Square Drive and Marina
Village Parkway. No final action or decision is being considered. The
proposed Zoning Amendment is subject to the California Environmental
Quality Act.
**continued**
8. MINUTES
2017-4739
Draft Meeting Minutes - July 24, 2017
No action was taken, due to a lack of a quorum of members that were present who were
also at the July 24th meeting.
9. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
9-B 2017-4741
Future Public Meetings and Upcoming Community Development
Department Projects
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 6 of 7
September 25, 2017",PlanningBoard/2017-09-25.pdf
PlanningBoard,2017-09-25,7,"Staff Member Thomas listed upcoming items. The list can be found at:
ttps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3157871&GUID=06F0C68D-
4232-4561-86C3-3254841474B8
10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
*None*
11. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS
Board Member Teague asked for some additional information be included in the Mariner
Square co-living project's staff report. He said he would like to have a study session on
the state housing bills.
Staff Member Thomas said they are planning to have a workshop on the new and existing
state laws when the new land use attorney begins.
11-A 2017-4745
Subcommittee for Alameda Marina
*None*
12. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
*None*
13. ADJOURNMENT
Board Member Sullivan adjourned the meeting at 9:48pm.
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 7 of 7
September 25, 2017",PlanningBoard/2017-09-25.pdf