{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2011-01-10", "page": 1, "text": "APPROVED MEETING MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE\nCITY OF ALAMEDA PLANNING BOARD\nMONDAY, JANUARY 10, 2011\n1. CONVENE:\n7:06 p.m.\n2. FLAG SALUTE: Board Member Lynch\n3. ROLL CALL:\nPresent:\nPresident Ezzy Ashcraft, Vice-President Autorino, Board\nMembers Kohlstrand, Lynch and Zuppan\nAbsent:\nBoard Member Ibsen\n4. MINUTES:\nMinutes from the Regular Meeting of October 25, 2010\nMotion to approve minutes by Board Member Kohlstrand, seconded by Board Member\nIbsen. Motion passes (4-0).\nMinutes from the Regular Meeting of November 8, 2010 (Continued due to lack of quorum)\n5. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION:\nItem 8A moved to Regular Agenda Items\n6. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS:\nWritten Report\n6-A Future Agendas\nStaff presented an overview of upcoming planning project.\n6-B Zoning Administrator Report\nMeeting of 1-4-11\nPLN10-0297 1951 Main St. Amendment and extension of Interim Use Permit.\nApproved by Zoning Administrator\nPLN10-0352 1542 Sherman Street Administrative Variance and Design Review.\nApproved by Zoning Administrator\nOral Report\nNone.\n7. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:\nNone.\n8. CONSENT CALENDAR:\nItem 8A moved to Regular Agenda Items\nAPPROVED MEETING MINUTES\n1 OF 7\nPLANNING BOARD 1/10/2011", "path": "PlanningBoard/2011-01-10.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2011-01-10", "page": 2, "text": "9. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:\n8-A\nPLN10-0366 - Zoning Compliance - 2428 Central Avenue - City of\nAlameda. The applicant requests approval of a Use Determination that the\nstructure located at 2428 Central Avenue is a legal non-conforming use as a 62 unit\nmulti-family building.\nBoard member Kohlstrand requested that staff give an overview of the project.\nDebbie Potter, Housing Authority Development Manager, reported that the Housing\nAuthority is requesting a Zoning Conformance Determination because the Housing\nAuthority is in the beginning stages of negotiating with the owner to purchase the property\nand redevelop it as permanent Affordable Workforce Housing. She stated that in\nNovember 2010 the City Council and the Redevelopment Agency took action to authorize\nthe Housing Authority to negotiate a purchase agreement with the owner. Three non-profit\ndevelopment teams were interviewed and they are hoping to select one and present the\nproject to the Housing Commission on January 19, 2011. The Housing Authority is hoping\nto fast-track the project while funding is available. She mentioned that the project will be\nback before the Planning Board in the future for review and approval of exterior\nrenovations.\nBoard member Kohlstrand asked if the project was exempt from environmental review\nbecause it is a continuation of an existing use.\nMs. Potter stated that it was in fact exempt and any future renovations of the site would\nprimarily be comprised of exterior fa\u00e7ade changes, which could be exempt under CEQA.\nVice President Autorino asked how far the Housing Authority is in the purchase\nnegotiations with the owner.\nMs. Potter stated that the purchase agreement was sent to the owner in mid December.\nShe stated that the current purchase amount is commensurate with the owner's sale\namount, which should help expedite the property transfer process. Also, the Housing\nAuthority is currently conducting a fair market appraisal to assure that the price is\nappropriate.\nBoard member Lynch suggested that the Housing Authority include a clause in the\nagreement, in case of a non-performance issue in a predetermined time period, to allow the\nagency to bring on another development entity to complete the project, if neccesary.\nMs. Potter stated that the Housing Authority is sensitive to these issues and have placed a\ntimeline in the agreement in which construction must commence.\nPresident Ezzy Ashcraft asked if parking and the possible retail space on the ground floor\nwill be discussed when the item is brought back to the Planning Board.\nAPPROVED MEETING MINUTES\n2 OF 7\nPLANNING BOARD 1/10/2011", "path": "PlanningBoard/2011-01-10.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2011-01-10", "page": 3, "text": "Ms. Potter stated that the parking will be discussed but that retail is not being proposed for\nthis project, as it is 100% residential. However, she did point out that there may be some\ncommunity space on the ground floor for use by the residents.\nThe motion to approve the Zoning Compliance Determination for 2428 Central Avenue to\nallow it as a legal non-conforming use as a 62-unit multi-family building was made by Board\nmember Zuppan and seconded by Board member Kohlstrand. Approved 5-0\n9-A\nPLN10-0337 - Variance & Major Design Review - 2216 Lincoln Ave. Housing\nConsortium of the East Bay. The applicant requests approval of a private open\nspace Variance and Major Design Review for the construction of a 19-unit\naffordable housing project on approximately .48 acres. The site is a former City\nstaff parking lot within the R-6, Hotel Residential District zoning district.\nMargaret Kavanaugh-Lynch, Planning Services Manager, gave a brief description of the\nproject. She mentioned that the Public Works Department recently painted additional curbs\nred in the area for safety reasons, eliminating two parking spaces in the area. The curb\nwork was not in conjunction with the project at 2216 Lincoln Avenue.\nShe explained that the applicant is requesting a variance to the requirement for Private\nOpen Space because Housing and Urban Development (HUD) do not fund private open\nspace, calculated per unit, such as balconies, for the developmentally disabled. Requiring\nthe project to maintain the development regulations could jeopardize the project's funding.\nHowever, the property will have many added common amenities such as a community\nroom and a computer lab to make up for the lack of private open space. There will also be\na large amount of common open space.\nConcerning the Major Design Review she reported that the proposed construction meets all\nzoning development standards except for the private open space requirement. The design\nprovides a harmonious transition in scale between the adjacent small and large housing\ndevelopments.\nMrs. Kavanaugh-Lynch, stated that regarding the parking for low-income housing\ndevelopments, the applicant has supplied data to support a reduction in the amount of\nrequired parking to .5 or less spaces per unit. The Public Works Department has added a\ncondition of approval to require that the parking will be monitored annually to ensure that all\ntenant and service providers park on site and para transit vans and other special\ntransportation vehicles exit the site facing forward and not backing out on to Lincoln\nAvenue.\nIn reference to the Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) Article 26 (Measure A) prohibiting the\nconstruction of a building containing more than two contiguous units (multi-family), the\nAlameda Housing Authority is allowed to construct multi-family affordable housing under\nthe Guyton Settlement Agreement of 1990.\nPresident Ezzy Ashcraft called on the co-applicants on the project to give a presentation.\nAPPROVED MEETING MINUTES\n3 OF 7\nPLANNING BOARD 1/10/2011", "path": "PlanningBoard/2011-01-10.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2011-01-10", "page": 4, "text": "Dori Kojima, the Director of Housing Development with Satellite Housing, thanked the\nBoard Members and gave a brief introduction to the organizations co-sponsoring the\nproject. She introduced Darin Lounds, Executive Director of the Housing Consortium of the\nEast Bay (HCEB), Brianne Steinhauser, HCEB Project Manager, Cindy Heavens, Project\nmanager with Satellite Housing and the architects Rick Williams and Ben Chuaqui with Van\nMeter Williams Pollack.\nMs. Kojima stated that Satellite Housing is a non-profit formed in 1966 and have 25\ncommunities around the Bay Area serving seniors, working families and individuals with\nspecial needs. She mentioned that Satellite Housing services approximately 1,600\nresidents and 1,500 units. They develop affordable housing along with property\nmanagement and comprehensive resident services allowing residents to reach their full\npotential to live independently and allow seniors to age in place.\nDarin Lounds of HCEB gave a brief background of HCEB. He stated that HCEB create\ninclusive communities through affordable, accessible housing for persons with\ndevelopmental disabilities and other special needs in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.\nHCEB was founded in 1996 and their primary focus is on housing support services, tenant\nliaison services and housing development thanks to a partnership with Satellite Housing.\nHCEB currently owns and manages 20 properties most of which are for people with\ndevelopmental disabilities. Mr. Lounds reported that developmental disabilities occur\nbefore the age of 18 years and is expected to continue indefinitely. It includes such\ndisabilities as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and autism. He stated that the\nCity of Alameda, as of two years ago had 754 persons with developmental disabilities and\nOakland had 4,776 for a total of 18,978 and the vast majority of these individuals are at\n30% or lower of the Area Median Income (AMI). He mentioned that the property at 2216\nLincoln Avenue is ideally located for a project of this type because most residents do not\ndrive and the area has amenities close by. The HCEB proposes 19 one and two bedroom\napartments to provide independent living for low-income individuals with developmental\ndisabilities. The project will feature a community room, central laundry, computer lab and a\nvariety of common open spaces. One of the units will be a Resident Manager's apartment\nand there will be an office on site. The building will have accessible units and there will be\na strong coordination with resident support services on site.\nRick Williams, architect with Van Meter Williams Pollack reported that his office has worked\non a number of special needs and senior developments with this team in the past. He\nstated that 2216 Lincoln Avenue is a transition site located adjacent to a 1960's apartment\nbuilding and residential homes. The site will have 9 parking spaces which he feels is ample\nand the parking area will be screened from view with trellises. The site currently has 2 curb\ncut driveways and that will be reduced to one. He gave a presentation showing the design\nrenderings and conceptual landscape plan incorporating storm water management and Bay\nFriendly landscaping. There will be a courtyard, raised planters and specially designed\nopen space for the disabled. The units will be specifically designed and they are working\nwith a group of people with developmental disabilities to ensure compatibility. The exterior\ndesign is made to fit in with the neighborhood.\nAPPROVED MEETING MINUTES\n4 OF 7\nPLANNING BOARD 1/10/2011", "path": "PlanningBoard/2011-01-10.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2011-01-10", "page": 5, "text": "Mr. Williams mentioned that both HCEB and Satellite Housing are focused on green and\nsustainable development including water conservation, solar energy and walkability. The\ndevelopment will also pay attention to the indoor air quality using low or no VOC paints and\nfinishes and formaldehyde-free products.\nPresident Ezzy Ashcraft opened the public comment period.\nArt Kurrasch, Chair of the Housing Commission, spoke in favor of the project.\nRichard Albert, father of a potential resident, spoke in favor of the project.\nDenis Craig, resident, spoke in favor of the project.\nLauren Steinberg, Center for Independent Living, spoke in favor of the project.\nDavid Baker, resident, questioned where the funding for this project is coming from in light\nof the recent financial troubles state and local agencies are facing.\nMs. Potter stated that the financing is a combination of local, state, and federal funding.\nThe local financing will come from the City of Alameda's Redevelopment Agency the\nCommunity Improvement Commission (CIC) and the amount the project is requesting is\nmoney that the CIC has on hand. The State of California source of financing comes from\nthe Multi-Family Housing Program (MHP) which are funds that are exclusively for affordable\nhousing and cannot be recaptured by the State for any other uses. Once the MHP funds\nare expended there will be no more State funding. The HUD 811 Program is funded at the\nfederal level for affordable housing.\nChristopher Buckley, resident, suggested that the stair tower be reduced in height to better\nfit\nwith the building size. He also suggested that the windows have a thicker profile to give\nthem a wood-like appearance. He would like the cement fiber siding boards in the front of\nthe building to be smooth. His suggestions only apply to the street facing side of the\nbuilding.\nBoard member Lynch suggested that the architect and Planning staff work on the issues\ndiscussed.\nPresident Ezzy Ashcraft is concerned that if the project is delayed it could jeopardize the\nfunding.\nMr. Williams stated that he has discussed with the Planning Department that if there are\nminor revisions requested over time they will continue to work with them to improve the\ndesign of the project. He assured Mr. Buckley that they have had a number of lengthy\nconversations over the stair tower and it will be treated in a way that is fitting and\nappropriate.\nAPPROVED MEETING MINUTES\n5 OF 7\nPLANNING BOARD 1/10/2011", "path": "PlanningBoard/2011-01-10.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2011-01-10", "page": 6, "text": "President Ezzy Ashcraft reiterated the approvals before the Planning Board. The Board is\nbeing asked to approve a variance for the lack of Private open Space and approve the\nMajor Design Review for the construction of a 19 unit affordable housing project.\nBoard member Lynch thanked staff, HCEB and Satellite Housing for presenting an\noutstanding project. He also stated that of all the projects of this nature that he has been\ninvolved with in other jurisdictions, none of them have maximized the parking, instead they\nhave had little to no parking at all.\nBoard member Kohlstrand stated that she supports the project and the requested variance.\nShe asked if the architect had looked at ways to put the parking in the rear of the site. She\nalso suggested that the large electrical vault shown in the front of the property be placed\nbehind the trellis screening, possibly by pulling the trellis forward. She expressed concern\nabout the stairwell and the elements that have the vertical siding opposed to the horizontal\nsiding because she feels they are unarticulated in terms of the design. She commended\nthe project for the Bay Friendly Landscaping and questioned why the bike rack ratio was so\nlow at 1 bicycle space per 10 parking spaces.\nMr. Lounds of HCEB responded that there are 12 bike parking spots and the intent was to\nout-number the parking spaces.\nMr. Williams responded that they did consider placing the parking in the rear of the site but\nit meant keeping the double driveways and required twice the amount of paving on the site.\nHe stated that Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) requires that the transformer be within 5\nfeet of the sidewalk but they would do all that they can to screen it with landscaping.\nBoard member Zuppan was concerned that the building only has one elevator and cited the\nlength of time generally needed to repair them, if broken. She asked if they had a back-up\nplan should the elevator be broken for any length of time.\nMr. Williams responded that HUD 811 housing only allows a certain number of units per\nproject and the cost of another elevator is very expensive. On other properties the\nelevators are maintained frequently and are watched carefully and have very few down\ndays. Also, under HUD requirements, if the elevator is down for a lengthy amount of time\nyou need to build a new one.\nMr. Lounds stated that the plan is to have the wheelchair bound tenants living on the\nground floor.\nPresident Ezzy Ashcraft stated that she is very excited about the project. She would like\nthe architect and applicant to work with staff to incorporate Mr. Buckley and Board member\nKohlstrand's suggestions into the project.\nBoard member Kohlstrand made the motion to approve a variance for private open space\nand approve the Major Design Review for the construction of a 19- unit affordable housing\nproject with the following amendments:\nAPPROVED MEETING MINUTES\n6 OF 7\nPLANNING BOARD 1/10/2011", "path": "PlanningBoard/2011-01-10.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2011-01-10", "page": 7, "text": "Item 8 shall read \"no less than a minimum of 9 bike parking spaces.'\nAdd a condition to \"screen the electrical transformer to the extent available\"\nAdd a condition to\"refine the design of the stairwell and elevator shaft elements\"\nVice President Autorino seconded the motion as amended. Approved with Conditions 5-\n0\n9-B Overview of SB 375, the Regional Sustainable Communities Strategy and the\nOpportunities for Involvement by the City of Alameda\nInformational Only\nAndrew Thomas, Planning Services Manager, reported on the regional effort the City of\nAlameda will be participating in, which has important implications to Alameda in the future.\nIt is an effort initiated by Senate Bill 375 to address global warming in the State. The\nPlanning and Public Works Departments are working together and are attending a series of\nmeetings held by regional agencies that will continue for the next two years. Basically, the\nState is requiring a discussion about ways to reduce green house gas emissions. SB 375\ncalls for the development of a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) in all metropolitan\nregions in California. Within the Bay Area, the law gives joint responsibility for the SCS to\nthe Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area\nGovernments (ABAG). These agencies will coordinate with the Bay Area Air Quality\nManagement District (Air District) and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission\n(BCDC).\nMr. Thomas explained that once the State Legislation determines the most sustainable way\nto develop, then State funds and resources will be available related to housing\ndevelopment, housing allocations, transportation fund, planning grants and housing grants.\nGrants will go to those communities that are taking the responsibility to comply with the\nStatewide climate regulations in a positive way. Alameda has development opportunities\nwith Alameda Point, Alameda Landing, Northern Waterfront and sections of Park Street and\nWebster Street. Being in-line with this bill would position Alameda in the future to be\neligible for funds for the aforementioned developments. Should Alameda be unable to\ncomply it would be hard to obtain these funds. The concept is that cities that take on this\nprocess will be better positioned in the future to receive State funds.\n10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS:\nNone.\n11. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS:\nNone.\n12. ADJOURNMENT:\n9:20 p.m.\nAPPROVED MEETING MINUTES\n7 OF 7\nPLANNING BOARD 1/10/2011", "path": "PlanningBoard/2011-01-10.pdf"}