{"body": "CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities", "date": "2009-02-23", "page": 1, "text": "APPROVED\nCOMMISSION ON DISABILITY ISSUES\nMEETING MINUTES OF\nFebruary 23, 2009\nTIME\nThe meeting convened at 7:12 P.M.\nPRESENT\nChair Lord-Hausman, Commissioners Berger, Longley-Cook, Kirola, and Krongold.\nABSENT\nVice-Chair Moore, Commissioners Fort and Kreitz\nMINUTES\nThe January 26, 2009 minutes were approved with corrections to agenda item one under Old\nBusiness.\nChair Lord-Hausman introduced Darrell Handy, Risk Management for the City of Alameda who\nattended on behalf of Board Secretary Akil.\nWRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS\nThere were no written communications.\nNEW BUSINESS\n1. Presentation by Design Community & Environment Consulting (Leslie Wilson,\nConsultant):\nDiscussion of accessibility issues regarding transportation in Alameda.\nLeslie Wilson, Planner with Design Community & Environment (DCE) a Berkeley-based\nconsulting firm, gave a presentation regarding a Community Based Transportation Plan (CBTP)\nfor the City of Alameda. The plan is a grass roots effort to use community input to identify\ntransportation problems, identify solutions, and collect information that can be put into a plan.\nThe firm has also spent time with senior citizens, low-income groups and youth groups for input.\nMs. Wilson requested that the Commissioners complete a survey regarding the proposed plan.\nChair Lord-Hausman asked how the program began to which Ms. Wilson responded that the\nMetropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) funded Community Based Transportation\nPlans for several cities in the Bay Area. DCE completed a CBTP for Oakland, Berkeley and\nRosemont and now Alameda. DCE is working with various transportation agencies as well as\nconducting most of the outreach and compiling data for inclusion into the plan. This effort will\nensure more funding to prioritize problems and get solutions. Ms. Wilson said that if you live on\nthe main Island, it would be nice to know places where you live, places that you go, places that\nyou or somebody that has disabilities would have issues getting to, and she will complete the\nmap.\nMs. Wilson provided a map of the City and asked Commissioners to identify problems regarding", "path": "CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities/2009-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities", "date": "2009-02-23", "page": 2, "text": "Commission on Disability Issues\nFebruary 23,\n2009 Minutes\nPage 2 of 5\nproblem areas and accessibility issues for individuals with disabilities.\nChair Lord-Hausman clarified that it is anything that would get in the way of accessibility to\nwhich Ms. Wilson responded sidewalks, access to a bus, a shelter at a bus stop and streets that\nare poorly lit or dark.\nChair Lord-Hausman responded anything that would get in the way of accessibility at any level\nto which Ms. Wilson replied yes and the survey includes discussion of general transportation,\ndestinations, as well as rating experience on AC Transit, the ferry, BART, Paratransit, sidewalks\nand bicycle routes.\nCommissioner Longley-Cook stated that there is no access to 9th Street from Portola which dead-\nends. To which Ms. Wilson stated that when completing the survey, the more precise that you\ncan be in talking about the intersections or the bus routes that you have a problem with, the more\nhelpful it would for the plan.\nThe Commission identified several problem areas, including Webster, entrance to the Tube,\nCollege of Alameda, Ralph Appezzato Parkway, Central, traveling East on Clement along the\nlane that comes right through the railroad tracks at Clement and Park. The Commission also\npointed out that the railroad tracks make walking and bicycling difficult, and there are many\nunused railroad tracks in Alameda.\nMs. Wilson requested that the Commission discuss AC Transit Services for people with\ndisabilities, including getting on and off buses.\nThe Commission pointed out that you have to climb up very high steps to get onto a bus and if\nyou are a senior or have any type of disability that is very difficult to do. There are individuals\nwho believe that bus drivers do not want to stop and deal with a person in a wheelchair and just\ndrive by. Buses have a very narrow isle and they barely can hold able people, so if you are semi-\ndisabled, it can be troubling. The Commission indicated it is important for people to understand\nthat there are invisible disabilities and that bus drivers need better training, including sensitivity\ntraining for those individuals. There also needs to be adequate bus shelters, with seats easy to\nmanage, spaces for wheelchairs and even a GPS so they can they can track how far away a bus\nwill be and announce every approaching street, which can be helpful. Also, streets need to be\nwell-lit around residential neighborhoods.\nChair Lord-Hausman stated that she would like to see the Lincoln and Park Street intersection\nredesigned at some point, because there are a lot of people that turn left there and it is a wide\nintersection. An elderly or disabled person walks more slowly and people that turn left there are\nso busy trying to make their left turn that they are not paying attention to pedestrians in the\ncrosswalk. That area is getting busier because of the library, lots of retail, service shops as well\nas increased traffic coming into the City off the Fruitvale and Park Street Bridges.\nDarrell Handy, City of Alameda Risk Manager, stated that he was previously Risk Manager for\nAC Transit. One of the reasons why drivers are reluctant to stop for wheelchairs is that their\nG:\\Lucretia)CommDisability\\Minutes)2009\\Minutes_Final_Feb 23 2009.doc", "path": "CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities/2009-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities", "date": "2009-02-23", "page": 3, "text": "Commission on Disability Issues\nFebruary 23,\n2009 Minutes\nPage 3 of 5\nbosses and the time schedules never allow them enough time, and they get disciplined if they are\nlate. The system is such that by doing what is right and what they would like to do conflicts for\nfear that they may lose their job. AC Transit is very strict about keeping the timetables.\nCommissioner Longley-Cook discussed the frequency of buses at Alameda Point to which Chair\nLord-Hausman stated that there is a lot of low income housing there and only one bus. This is\ndifficult on the weekend and that has been identified as a major problem for the disabled\nveterans and low-income families. There is also going to be a lot more housing soon, and one\nbus route is inadequate.\nCommissioner Longley-Cook pointed out that there are drainage and water flow problems near\nthe tube and the Mariner Square Athletic Club.\nMs. Wilson asked the Commission to identify, as a resident or as a person speaking on behalf of\npeople with disabilities, what would be three major priorities of improvement, or problems or\nareas that need work.\nThe Commission identified AC Transit sensitivity training, changes to AC Transit including the\ndistance between bus stops; intersection design and pedestrian safety issues.\nChair Lord-Hausman asked Ms. Wilson if she is aware that the City has a Youth Advisory\nCommission to which Ms. Wilson responded, yes and confirmed that DCE met with them a\ncouple of weeks ago. They completed a plan with the Transportation Commission, which\nhighlighted congestion in High School.\nMs. Wilson thanked the Commission for their input and stated they are hoping to complete the\nplan by late spring.\nChair Lord-Hausman thanked Ms. Wilson on behalf of the Commission.\nOLD BUSINESS\n1.\nSpecial Need-Special Services Resource Fair (Commissioners Krongold/Kreitz):\nDiscuss Special Need-Special Services Resource Fair.\nCommissioner Krongold gave an update on the work group meeting and provided specific\nhighlights from that meeting, including the date planned for October 24 at the Officer's Club,\nconfirmed partnerships with Mastick Senior Center, Alameda Hospital, CERT, and American\nRed Cross. The majority of the work group meeting was spent brainstorming a list of service\norganizations for profit providers that could be donors or sponsors for the event. Commissioner\nKrongold stated she created an Excel spreadsheet that was emailed to everybody in the work\ngroup and would provide copies to the Commission for next month's meeting.\nChair Lord-Hausman stated that a Resource Fair Overview has been sent to Board Secretary\nLucretia Akil for review by City staff and we are waiting for approval.\nuucretia)CommDisability\\Minutes(2009\\Minutes_Final_Feb 23 2009.doc", "path": "CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities/2009-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities", "date": "2009-02-23", "page": 4, "text": "Commission on Disability Issues\nFebruary 23,\n2009 Minutes\nPage 4 of 5\nChair Lord-Hausman commended Commissioner Krongold for all of the work that she has done\non the Resource Fair, adding that it is moving ahead really well. The main challenge is the\nlocation, as there has to be a balance between space, central location and accessibility. There is\nno other central location that has the kind of accessibility and space that the O'Club offers. The\nCommission will have to do a really good job of publicity.\nCommissioner Berger asked about a school location to which Commissioner Krongold replied\nparking would be an issue on a Saturday.\nChair Lord-Hausman stated there would be additional issues, including janitorial service, and\nwhether or not AUSD would be willing to donate that. The Special Olympics uses the Alameda\nHigh School gym a lot, although Encinal High School has more parking, which can be discussed\nat a later date. The O'Club also has tables and chairs.\nCommissioner Krongold stated that Ms. Cheryl Fenner Brown, who teaches at Serendipity Yoga,\nis trained to work with people with disabilities and will offer a chair yoga class at the Fair, which\nwill take place in a separate space from the tables due to the layout of the O' Club.\nChair Lord-Hausman said that everyone is invited to attend the March 9th group to which\nCommissioner Krongold confirmed that it will be in the library at 6:30 P.M., in Room A, the\nCommunity Room right near the Caf\u00e9.\n2. Commission Disability Internet Webpage (Chair Lord-Hausman/Secretary Akil):\nUpdate regarding the addition of an accessibility page onto the City's website.\nChair Lord-Hausman stated that she received the Internet webpage sample based on the\nmeeting with the City's IT staff and consultant and it looked pretty good. There has been no\nrecent follow up but the project is moving along.\nSTAFF COMMUNICATIONS\nThere was no staff communications.\nORAL COMMUNICATIONS/NON-AGENDA ITEMS\n1.\nCommissioner Longley-Cook attended the Transportation Commission meeting and stated\nthat there is going to be a discussion regarding the 51-bus route. No other action was taken.\n2.\nChair Lord-Hausman stated the City has just finalized the Bicycle Plan Task Force, which\nCommissioner Kreitz has been a member. During that time, there were no scheduled\nmeetings, until the two meetings scheduled in March that will include working on the Bicycle\nMaster Plan. Commissioner Kreitz has also tendered her resignation due to heavy schedule\nwith work and a number of different things going on for her. She will no longer be on that\ntask force. Chair Lord-Hausman stated that she does not know how strongly the Commission\nfeels that there should be someone on the task force and asked if anyone would like to be? If\nG:\\Lucretia)CommDisability\\Minutes(2009\\Minutes_Final_Fel 23 2009.do", "path": "CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities/2009-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities", "date": "2009-02-23", "page": 5, "text": "Commission on Disability Issues\nFebruary 23,\n2009 Minutes\nPage 5 of 5\nthere is not a representative, the Commission will continue to get notifications from them and\nshould something be of interest, someone from the CDI can go attend or communicate in\nwriting.\nCommissioner Longley-Cook stated that they do report to the Transportation Commission as\npart of their meeting with the Bike Task Force.\nChair Lord-Hausman stated that everyone should be aware of people with disabilities on\nbicycles.\n3.\nChair Lord-Hausman received notice that the Miracle League is having a walk-run fundraiser\non Saturday March 21st called \"St. Paddy's Day Dash.\" It is a three-mile fun run-walk along\nthe Alameda Beach and all proceeds go to the Alameda Miracle League. It starts at 9:00\nA.M and they may like to have volunteers. The web site is Alamedadmiracle.org\n4.\nChair Lord-Hausman stated that she had discussed the Resource Fair with an able-bodied\nindividual walker in her 70s, who indicated that she would like a psychologist to be included\nin the fair resources, where an individual can talk to that person about how to talk to\nsomeone with a disability in a sensitive manner. Commissioner Krongold responded that it\nsounds like sensitivity training to which Chair Lord-Hausman stated that we would definitely\nlook for an appropriate person.\nChair Lord-Hausman also stated that she informed a few individuals that there are some\nopenings on the Commission as there is a need for more people. Some people might shy\naway because they may not have a disability or feel right about serving on the CDI, which is\nnot the case. Individuals with sensitivity or openness are the type of people the CDI is\nlooking for. Chair Lord-Hausman stated that the name of the Commission might be off-\nputting and suggested a name change to \"Commission on Disability Access.\" Although, the\nCity may not be responsive to the name change and suggested discussion on this item for\nanother meeting date.\n5.\nChair Lord-Hausman stated that there is a wonderful article in the NY Times on Universal\nDesign that specifically discusses changing the word disability to difference.\nADJOURNMENT\nThe meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. The next scheduled meeting is Monday, March 23, 2009 at\n7:00 p.m.\nRespectfully submitted,\nLucretia A. Akil, Commission Secretary\nG:\\Lucretia)CommDisability\\Minutes\\2009\\Minutes_Final_Feb 2", "path": "CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities/2009-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2009-02-23", "page": 1, "text": "MINUTES OF THE REGULAR PLANNING BOARD MEETING\nMONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2009\nCOUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL\n2263 SANTA CLARA AVENUE - 7:00 PM\nPresident Kohlstrand called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.\nFLAG SALUTE:\nBoard Member Cunningham\nROLL CALL:\nPRESENT:\nPresident Kohlstrand, Vice-President Ezzy Ashcraft\nBoard members, Cunningham, Cook, and Lynch were\npresent upon roll call.\nABSENT:\nBoard members Autorino and McNamara.\nSTAFF PRESENT:\nAndrew\nThomas,\nPlanning\nServices\nManager/Secretary to the Planning Board; Laura\nAjello Planner, Nancy McPeak, Executive\nAssistant/Recording Secretary\nMINUTES:\nMinutes from the meeting of December 8, 2008\nContinued to the meeting of March 9, 2009\nMinutes from the meeting of January 12, 2009\nMotion to Approve as Amended: APPROVED as\nAmended 5-0-2.\n5.\nAGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION:\nNONE\n6.\nSTAFF COMMUNICATIONS:\nWritten Report\n6-A. Future Agendas\nStaff provided an update on upcoming Planning Board agenda items.\n6-B Zoning Administrator Report\nThe Zoning Administrator meeting of January 20, 2009 was canceled.\n7.\nORAL COMMUNICATIONS:\nPage 1 of 4", "path": "PlanningBoard/2009-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2009-02-23", "page": 2, "text": "Anyone may address the Board on a topic not on the agenda under this item by\nsubmitting a speaker's information slip, subject to the 5-minute time limit.\nNONE\n8.\nCONSENT CALENDAR:\nConsent Calendar items are considered routine and will be enacted, approved or\nadopted by one motion unless a request for removal for discussion or\nexplanation is received from the Planning Board or a member of the public by\nsubmitting a speaker slip for that item.\n8-A. Development Plan - DP07-0003 - Stargell Avenue Extension Master\nLandscape Plan. The City of Alameda requests Development Plan approval for\na landscape master plan for the public right-of-way along the proposed Willie\nStargell Avenue extension to Webster Street. (DV) Staff is requesting a\ncontinuance of this item to a future meeting date.\nMotion to continue item: APPROVED for continuance 5-0-2.\n9.\nREGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:\n9-A\nMajor Design Review - PLN08-0644 - 312 Sunset Road. The applicants\nrequest Major Design Review approval for a 1,100 square foot second story\naddition, a 41 square foot ground floor addition and new covered front porch to\nthe existing 1,255 square foot residence. The ground floor addition is located at\nthe interior side of the L- shaped building. The second story will be set back 37\nfeet from the front property line. A clay tile roof is proposed and the proposed\nbuilding will be approximately 22 feet in height. (LA)\nStaff presented a Power Point presentation outlining the project.\nThe public hearing was opened.\nRobert Pennell of Jarvis Architects, the architect for the project spoke in favor of the\nproject. He stated that the planned staircase window will be moved up to the second\nstory to be in line with the other windows.\nVice President Ezzy Ashcraft asked it the other two windows were going to be opaque\nto help with the privacy issue.\nMr. Pennell stated that the windows, which are in the bedrooms, were going to be clear\nand not opaque although they would have curtains.\nVice President Ezzy Ashcraft asked if there is an upper deck planned for off of the\nbedrooms in the rear.\nMr. Pennell stated that there are not any decks planned.\nPage 2 of 4", "path": "PlanningBoard/2009-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2009-02-23", "page": 3, "text": "The public hearing was closed for Board discussion.\nVice President Ezzy Ashcraft stated that she walked around the neighborhood and\nalthough the proposed design is a departure from the current architectural style of the\nneighborhood an addition that is done well can be an asset to the area. She feels that\nthe design is very attractive. Vice President Ezzy Ashcraft would like to see more\nconsideration given to the neighbors privacy concerns, possibly frosted glass in the\nwindows.\nBoard member Cunningham stated that he has no problem with the project and that it\nmeets the levels of the law. He does not want to see a precedence set to require\nanyone putting an addition on a home be required to put frosted glass in the bedrooms.\nHe stated that from an architectural point of view the project is a good addition to the\nneighborhood.\nBoard member Cook stated that she is comfortable with the addition and is glad to see\nthe back staircase window raised to the second story. She also feels that the\nneighborhood will see a lot of additions to the existing homes in the future. She stated\nto not allow the project would be effectively down zoning the neighborhood.\nBoard member Lynch complimented staff on the comprehensive report. He does not\nhave any issues with the design and is surprised that more homes in the neighborhood\nhave not been remodeled. He stated that the project is good for the neighborhood and\nthe City and thanked the homeowner for bringing the board a project of value.\nBoard member Cook stated that she was very pleased with the shade study done on\nthe project and found it very easy to read. The Board agreed that the shade studies\nand staff reports for future projects should be as clear and easy to read as these\ndocuments.\nVice President Ezzy Ashcraft stated that she likes the idea of a tile roof from a fire\nsafety standpoint.\nPresident Kohlstrand stated that she also agrees that it is a good design and a welcome\nmodification to the neighborhood. She complimented staff on the through presentation.\nShe is concerned with the number of neighbors that wrote in to object the project. She\nstated that the whole area was developed at the same time and it is the last street in the\narea to be upgraded.\nBoard member Cunningham warned that any requirement for trees in the rear yard\ncould cause shade issues with an adjacent property.\nMr. Pennell stated that it is important to have the two parties get together and agree on\nthe landscaping that is to be used for screening. He stated that getting the neighbors to\nwork together is the solution.\nPage 3 of 4", "path": "PlanningBoard/2009-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2009-02-23", "page": 4, "text": "President Kohlstrand stated that in terms of conditions there needs to be one regarding\nthe landscaping along the rear property line and one for moving the stairwell window to\nthe second story. She also stated that there has been no decision to require opaque or\nfrosted windows in the second story bedrooms.\nVice President Ezzy Ashcraft stated that she would like to see the Planners on such\nadditions to not just look at the project but look at the adjacent homes and respect\neveryone's need for privacy.\nBoard member Lynch suggested that the property owner and the neighbor work out the\nlandscaping plans themselves and agree on such plans.\nPresident Kohlstrand stated that the conditions for approval are that the rear stairwell\nwindow be moved to the second story and that a discussion take place between the\nproperty owner and the adjacent rear property owner regarding the screening.\nMotion was made by Board member Cook to approve the project with the\naforementioned conditions and seconded by Board member Lynch.\nThe motion passed with the following voice vote - Ayes: 5; Noes: 0; Absent: 2; Abstain:\nO.\n10.\nWRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS:\nNone.\n11.\nBOARD COMMUNICATIONS\nBoard members may ask a question for clarification, make a brief announcement or\nmake a brief report on his or her activities. In addition, the Board may provide a referral\nto staff or other resources for factual information, request staff to report back to the body\nat a subsequent meeting concerning a City matter or, through the chair, direct staff to\nplace a request to agendize a matter of business on a future agenda.\nVice President Ezzy Ashcraft suggested that the Board members turn in their packet\nenvelopes at the meetings to be reused for future packets.\n12. ADJOURNMENT:\n7:56 p.m.\nRespectfully submitted,\nAndrew Thomas, Secretary\nCity Planning Board\nThis meeting was audio and video taped.\nPage 4 of 4", "path": "PlanningBoard/2009-02-23.pdf"}