body,date,page,text,path
PlanningBoard,2020-03-09,1,"APPROVED MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY OF ALAMEDA PLANNING BOARD
MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020
1. CONVENE
President Curtis convened the meeting at 7:00 p.m.
2. FLAG SALUTE
Board Member Hom led the flag salute.
3. ROLL CALL
Present: Board Members Curtis, Cavanaugh, Hom, Rothenberg, Ruiz, Saheba, and
Teague.
Absent: None.
4. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION
President Curtis announced that item 7-C would be continued to March 23, but allowed
public comment on the item.
Jerry Serventi, from the Public Utilities Board, said they are excited about the possibility
of the solar project.
5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft thanked for Board for all of their work.
6. CONSENT CALENDAR
6-A 2020-2278
Public Hearing to Consider a Finding of General Plan Conformity for the Disposition of
Real Property at 2800 Fifth Street
Board Member Teague moved approval of the item. Board Member Ruiz seconded
the motion. The motion passed 7-0.
7. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS
7-A 2020-7776
PLN19-0556 - Phase / Waterfront Park Design Review Amendment - Alameda Point Site
A - Applicant: Alameda Point Partners. Public hearing to consider whether the planting of
palm trees in the Waterfront Park. The environmental effects of the proposed project were
considered and disclosed in the Alameda Point Environmental Impact Report (State
Clearinghouse #2013012043). No further environmental review is required. (Continued
from February 24, 2020)
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 1 of 7
March 9, 2020",PlanningBoard/2020-03-09.pdf
PlanningBoard,2020-03-09,2,"Board Member Teague made a motion to plant something other than palm trees. Board
Member Cavanaugh seconded the motion.
April Phillips, project landscape architect, gave a presentation. The staff report can be
found
at:
https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4343913&GUID=A41FFFDO-
9F93-4B3A-B6DF-1CC4EAF937C5&FullText=1.
There were no public speakers.
Board Member Teague restated his motion opposing the use of palm trees. Board
Member Rothenberg seconded the motion.
Board Member Teague said he cannot overcome the zero waste goal of the City and said
we know more about the palm tree composting issues now that we knew then.
Board Member Hom said there are a number of considerations and he is supportive of
selective use of the palm trees.
Board Member Cavanaugh expressed concern about the plan to light the sculpture from
the palm trees and how that fits with the dark skies ordinance.
Ms. Phillips said all of their lighting will be dark skies compliant.
Board Member Ruiz said the technology exists to deal with palm waste and the city should
look forward to address this problem in the long term. She expressed support for the use
of the palm trees.
Board Member Saheba said the said he is more in favor of not having the palms than
having the palms.
President Curtis said a lot of time and money went into the plan for this space and there
are offsetting priorities that lead him to support the use of the palm trees.
The motion passed 4-3.
Andrew Thomas, Director of Planning, Building and Transportation Department, said staff
would work with the applicant to select the final six trees.
7-B 2020-7777
PLN19-0477 - Use Permit and Design Review- 2390 Mariner Square Drive - Applicant:
Banner NorCal Developer, LLC. Public hearing to consider Design Review, Parking
Reduction, and Use Permit for a new, six-story self-storage building and outdoor storage
for boats and recreational vehicles with associated landscaping and fencing. The
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 2 of 7
March 9, 2020",PlanningBoard/2020-03-09.pdf
PlanningBoard,2020-03-09,3,"proposed building is approximately 72 feet in height at its tallest point and approximately
110,844 square feet in size. The applicant is requesting a reduction in required parking
pursuant to Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) Section 30-7.12. The project is located within
the M-2, General Industrial (Manufacturing) Zoning District. The proposed building is
categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA
Guidelines Sections 15332 - Infill Development and 15183 - Projects Consistent with
General Plan or Zoning
David Sablan, Planner, gave a presentation. The staff report and attachments can be
found
at:
https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4343995&GUID=080CB279-
C8B4-4ADE-BE69-5E65C9A141DO&FullText=1.
Margo Connolly, applicant, gave a presentation.
Board Member Teague asked about the large green sign being lit at night, and whether
the hours could be limited.
Staff Member Thomas said that the Board could condition the approval on lighting the sign
during certain hours or have the sign lower on the building.
Board Member Hom said he appreciates the change in the line of the wall. He said he still
has concerns and asked if trees could be added in the setbacks to further soften the impact
on the streetscape.
Board Member Saheba said adding street trees would help with the pedestrian scale and
screening of the building. He also suggested blurring the lines between the City property
and project site with landscaping. He pointed out that the glazing at the corner would have
depth and the spandrel glass flanking it would not look the same.
President Curtis opened the public hearing.
Wayne Shin said he lives nearby and plans to be the first tenants of the storage facility
because where they rent now is filthy.
Madeline Sadik, Chamber of Commerce, expressed support for the project.
President Curtis closed the public hearing.
Board Member Teague said there should be more landscaping, including street trees. He
expressed concern about having a green glowing sign and suggested having it backlit. He
said employees should have EZ Passes.
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 3 of 7
March 9, 2020",PlanningBoard/2020-03-09.pdf
PlanningBoard,2020-03-09,4,"said he also had concerns about how the high up sign would be lit.
Board Member Hom said he thinks the landscaping needs to be enhanced, including street
trees. He said he favors a halo type lighting for the sign and leans toward requiring solar
be used.
President Curtis said the applicant did a good job incorporating the Board's feedback. He
said he would support requiring EZ Passes for the employees.
Board Member Teague made a motion to approve the project with conditions:
include EZ passes for all employees; work with staff to significantly increase the
number of trees in the City parcel; work to add street trees if possible; require an
opaque sign with lighting behind. Board Member Rothenberg seconded the motion.
The motion passed 6-1 (Saheba opposed.)
7-C 2020-7779
PLN19-0601 - Adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration & Mitigation Monitoring and
Reporting Program and Use Permit - Alameda Municipal Power Solar Facility - Doolittle
Landfill site (Doolittle Drive and Harbor Bay Parkway) - Applicant: Alameda Municipal
Power. Public hearing to consider adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration &
Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program and Use Permit to allow the construction
and operation of a 2.0 megawatt photovoltaic solar facility on an 11-acre portion of the
33.2-acre Doolittle Landfill site located northwest of the intersection of Doolittle Drive and
Harbor Bay Parkway. An Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation
Monitoring and Reporting Program have been prepared to analyze the environmental
effects of the project in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Continued to March 23, 2020.
7-D 2020-7782
PLN19-0564 - Phase Il Alameda Marina Master Plan Project - 1815 Clement Avenue
(between Chestnut Street and Willow Street) - Applicant: Alameda Marina, LLC. Public
hearing to consider Phase Il of the Alameda Marina Master Plan Project. The approvals
requested by the Applicant include a Development Plan and Design Review application
for 182 townhouse units in 31 buildings, a waiver from the 100% visitability requirement
under the Universal Design Ordinance, and approval of the Affordable Housing Plan and
Transportation Demand Management Plan for the entire Master Plan project. The
environmental effects of the proposed project were considered and disclosed in the
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 4 of 7
March 9, 2020",PlanningBoard/2020-03-09.pdf
PlanningBoard,2020-03-09,5,"Alameda Marina Master Plan EIR (State Clearinghouse #2016102064). No further
environmental review is required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Staff Member Thomas gave a presentation. The staff report and attachments can be found
at:
https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4345897&GUID=79DEA740-
L4BC-4F04-91AE-66703D6CED89&FullText=1.
David Burton, project architect, gave a presentation.
Board Member Teague asked if the affordable housing plan is included in the application.
Sean Murphy said the specific units have not been identified, but that the ratios, locations,
and universal design characteristics will be evenly distributed throughout the project.
Board Member Ruiz asked why the flats are not being built and we are building all
townhomes.
Mr. Burton said the stacked flat buildings are significantly more expensive to build without
any increase in value that is being leveraged to pay for the infrastructure.
Board Member Hom asked whether townhomes with one car garages or having to build
stacked flats would have a larger impact on the pro forma.
Mr. Murphy said the stacked flats would have a larger impact.
Board Member Saheba asked what happened with the pedestrian bridge over the
Waterlife Park.
Mr. Murhpy said the Coast Guard permit required to build the bridge may prevent it from
being viable.
Staff Member Thomas said he believed that the bridge was a required element of the open
space design review.
Board Member Saheba said he is more comfortable with the applicant's site plan. He
expressed concern with having the HVAC condensers at the ground level in front of every
unit. He noted the universally designed units, 22 of which have second kitchens on the
ground floor, and questioned whether the code would allow that.
There was a discussion about the definition of a unit, the potential impacts of keeping or
removing these 20 ground floor kitchens, and possible ways to proceed.
There were no public speakers.
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 5 of 7
March 9, 2020",PlanningBoard/2020-03-09.pdf
PlanningBoard,2020-03-09,6,"Board Member Teague made a motion to approve the project with conditions:
remove conditions 3 & 4; applicant to work with staff to add windows to the
stairwells on the roof; only rough in the first floor kitchens if desired, adjust the
ratios of universal design units and to work with staff to address the multiple unit
issue; equitably distribute the affordable housing units; work with staff to move as
many of the air conditioners as possible to the roof. Board Member Rothenberg
seconded the motion.
Board Member Hom asked to have a separate vote on condition number 4 regarding the
parking requirements.
President Curtis made a motion to support removing condition number 4 from the
resolution. Board Member Teague seconded the motion.
Board Member Hom said he supports keeping condition 4 because of the impact on
reducing vehicle trips and believes it would help improve the affordability of these units.
President Curtis' motion passed 6-1 (Hom opposed.)
Board Member Ruiz said the design has improved greatly. She suggested the applicant
consider some specific color changes to improve the project.
Board Member Hom said the improvements to the design allow him to support removing
condition number 3.
Board Member Teague and Rothenberg accepted Board Member Ruiz' direction for
the applicant to work with staff on the three final design details she mentioned as a
condition of approval. The motion passed 7-0.
7-E 2020-7783
Discussion of Veterans Administration Plans to use Fuel Oil for Heating the Proposed
Alameda Point Facility
President Curtis tabled the item until a representative from the VA could be present to
discuss the matter.
8. MINUTES
9. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
9-A 2020-7765
Planning, Building and Transportation Department Recent Actions and Decisions
Staff Member Thomas gave an update.
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 6 of 7
March 9, 2020",PlanningBoard/2020-03-09.pdf
PlanningBoard,2020-03-09,7,"9-B 2020-7766
Oral Report - Future Public Meetings and Upcoming Planning, Building and Transportation
Department Projects
Staff Member Thomas gave an update.
Board Member Teague suggested that the revised ADU ordinance come back on the
Consent Calendar before going to City Council.
Board Member Cavanaugh expressed concern that the bird study for the solar project at
Mt. Trashmore be specific to Alameda in order to have a fair discussion of the issue when
it comes to the Board.
9-C 2020-7780
Discussion Regarding Planning Board Packets
10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
None.
11. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS
Board Member Ruiz said she would miss the next meeting. She also said we need to solve
the problem of trash bin staging for dense townhome projects given the number of projects
moving forward with this building type.
At Board Member Saheba's request, the Board directed staff to determine whether the
bridge over the graving dock was being removed, because it is part of the approved design
review and would need an amendment to be removed.
12. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
13. ADJOURNMENT
President Curtis adjourned the meeting at 10:19 p.m.
Approved Planning Board Minutes
Page 7 of 7
March 9, 2020",PlanningBoard/2020-03-09.pdf