{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2012-07-23", "page": 1, "text": "APPROVED MEETING MINUTES\nREGULAR MEETING OF THE\nCITY OF ALAMEDA PLANNING BOARD\nMONDAY, JULY 23, 2012\n1. CONVENE:\n7:10 p.m.\n2. FLAG SALUTE: Board member K\u00f6ster\n3. ROLL CALL:\nPresent: President Zuppan, Board members Ezzy Ashcraft,\nK\u00f6ster, and Knox White\nAbsent: Vice-President Burton\n4. MINUTES\nMinutes from the Regular meeting of May 14, 2012\nBoard member Knox White motioned to approve minutes as\namended. Board member Ezzy Ashcraft seconded motion\nMotion carried, 4-0, no abstentions\nMinutes from the Regular meeting of June 11, 2012\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft motioned to approve minutes. Board\nmember K\u00f6ster seconded the motion.\nMotion carried, 4-0, no abstentions\nMinutes from the Regular meeting of June 25, 2012 (Pending)\nMinutes from the Regular meeting of July 9, 2012 (Pending)\n5. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION\nAndrew Thomas, Planning Services Manager, requested that items 9-B and 9-E be\ncontinued to the August 27, 2012 meeting.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft suggested that the items be continued to either\nSeptember 10th or 24th meeting, since the agendas for those meetings are more open.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft motioned to continue item 9E to the meeting of August\n27, 2012 and continue item 9B to a date to be determined by staff with re-noticing to the\nneighbors.\nBoard member Knox White seconded the motion\nMotion carried, 4-0; no abstentions\n6. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS\n6-A Future Agendas\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nPage 1 of 10\nJuly 23,2012", "path": "PlanningBoard/2012-07-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2012-07-23", "page": 2, "text": "Andrew Thomas, Planning Services Manager, provided an overview of upcoming\nprojects.\n7. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS\nNone\n8. CONSENT CALENDAR\n8-A\nZoning Administrator and Design Review Recent Actions and Decisions.\nA\nreport of recent actions on minor variances, minor variances, and design review\napplications.\nBoard member Knox White motioned to approve. Board member K\u00f6ster seconded the\nmotion. Motion carried 4-0; no abstentions\n9. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS\n9-A\n1310 Central Ave - PLN12-0158 - Amendment to Conditional Use Permit for\nValero Gas to allow the sale of diesel fuel and automobile servicing on Saturday\nin exchange for reduced hours of operation. (Call for Review)\nAndrew Thomas, Planning Services Manager, gave brief presentation\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft clarified with staff that the diesel pumps/hoses are already\ninstalled and have been covered up.\nBoard member Knox White asked if the use permit can be restructured to protect\nagainst noise, etc., but allow the business owner more flexibility with operation hours.\nMr. Thomas stated that the use permit can be restructured; and the applicant can adjust\ntheir services according the permit; however, services cannot be expanded upon over\nthe current level of services.\nPresident Zuppan clarified with staff that the business service expansion is based upon\nthe current level of services.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft asked when the fuel is delivered.\nBoard member K\u00f6ster clarified with staff the history of the business hours and asked if\nthe City is asking the applicant to reduce their weekly hours of operation by 5 hours.\nMr. Thomas stated that the applicant is requesting that Saturday service hours and the\nsale of diesel fuel be added to the use permit, and in return, the applicant will reduce\noperating service hour in order to comply with the non conforming use permit rules.\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nPage 2 of 10\nJuly 23, 2012", "path": "PlanningBoard/2012-07-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2012-07-23", "page": 3, "text": "Board member Ezzy Ashcraft motioned to limit speaker comments to three minutes\nBoard member Knox White seconded the motion\nMotion carried, 4-0; no abstentions\nPresident Zuppan opened public comment\nTimothy Jacobs, resident, stated he has not experienced any problems with the\nbusiness and encourages the Board to allow the applicant to operate on Saturdays.\nPhilip Gravem, resident, concern with noise of garage, non conforming entity and\nresidential gas stations are a dying institution. Requests that the Board support the\nresidents and maintain the tranquility of a residential neighborhood\nHugh Winslow, resident and customer, stated Saturday hours would be more\nconvenient for customers.\nDenise Falconer, resident, stated that the customer service is great and Saturday hours\nwould be helpful to customers.\nKathy Munson, resident, stated that the Saturday hours would be convenient for\ncustomers.\nNoelle Poston, resident, stated Saturday hours would be convenient, the shop is quiet\nand the service is very good.\nChris McGinnis, resident, stated Saturday hours are convenient, and station is an asset\nto the community. He has not noticed additional noise.\nCynthia Prewitt, customer service is great and the shop is quiet, no noise, no graffiti,\nloitering, pan handlers, it's a clean shop, they are good to the community and their\nhours need to be increased. Saturday hours are convenient\nSunny Mann, owner of Central Auto Service, shop is barely making it, and they need\nthe Saturday hours.\nLeon Zetger, station owner, clarified that the gas delivery is between 8:00 am and 8:00\npm. He said that diesel gas is cleaner than regular gas and they should be able to sell\ndiesel just as a grocery store is able to sell soda.\nMichael Ryan, resident, stated that it is a great gas station, which is a great\nconvenience and a real asset to the neighborhood.\nJoseph Zadik, owner, stated that diesel is delivered with unleaded and no additional\ntruck deliveries will be needed with the addition of diesel sales. He stated that the\nmechanics are usually doing small jobs and not generating lots of noise. Asked the\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nPage 3 of 10\nJuly 23, 2012", "path": "PlanningBoard/2012-07-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2012-07-23", "page": 4, "text": "7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. while the Service Repair\nShop hours are Monday - Friday 9:00a.m - 6:00 p.m. and no service on Saturday.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft stated she is comfortable with the proposed changes\nstating that subbing out one type of fuel for another and reducing Monday-Friday hours\nto allow for Saturday hours are an equal exchange.\nBoard member Knox White stated that he is willing to support the current proposal but\nsuggests that the board consider directing staff to work with the applicant and neighbors\non a different proposal, which would allow them to operate within the current 72 hours,\nbut with clear \"quiet hours,\" and consequences if complaints are filed and found to be\nvalid.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft clarified with staff that Sunday closure was a condition for\na previously issued use permit.\nMr. Thomas responded that staff could create a pool of hours with conditions. He stated\nthat it is difficult to monitor the operating hours.\nPresident Zuppan clarified with staff that there could be a noticing provision of 30-60\ndays of any revised operating hours.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft is interested in the idea of restructuring the conditions,\nand expressed concern about problems that may arise with future owners.\nMr. Thomas suggested that the Board approve the use permit tonight; the applicant can\nthen submit a proposal for additional changes that could go before the Zoning\nAdministrator.\nBoard member Knox White concurred with staff's suggestion\nBoard member K\u00f6ster asked if other service stations have to submit to certain operation\nhours.\nMr. Thomas replied that every service station is operating under the basic zoning\nordinance which allows operation hours between 7:00 a.m-10:00 p.m. Businesses who\nwant extended hours must get a use permit approved by the Planning Board.\nBoard member K\u00f6ster stated that the addition of the sale of diesel is not an expansion\nsince there is not additional pump installation. He said he is in favor of keeping weekly\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nPage 4 of 10\nJuly 23, 2012", "path": "PlanningBoard/2012-07-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2012-07-23", "page": 5, "text": "operating hours as is and adding Saturday repair shop hours since the gas station is\nalready open on Saturdays.\nPresident Zuppan stated that in consideration of the support of the neighbors, few\ncomplaints of noise levels, and the importance of economic development she can\nsupport the findings in the resolution and also separately agreed with Board member\nKnox White's suggestion to allow the station to keep the current hours of operation.\nBoard member Knox White motioned to approve the resolution with the following\nchanges, allowing the Monday-Friday operating hours to remain as is current, and allow\nthe sale of diesel fuel. He encouraged the applicant to work with the neighbors to\nrestructure the use permit allowing for more flexibility to run the business and address\nnoise concerns.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft stated that the language in the resolution addresses the\nconcerns with noise adequately by limiting it to light duty repair and does not need to be\nre-worded\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft seconded the motion\nMotion carried, 4-0; no abstentions\n9-B\n1011 Chestnut Street - PLN12-0182 - Review a Planned Development\nAmendment and Design Review application for St. Joseph Elementary School to\ninclude the use of one 700 square foot modular classroom\nbuilding\nfacing\nLafayette Street as part of the Planned Development.\nItem continued to a future meeting.\n9-C\n2001 Versailles Avenue - Tentative Subdivision Map Application PLN11-\n0223 Applicant: Clifford Mapes. A proposed Tentative Map application to\ndevelop an 11 lot subdivision on a 1.29-acre property located at 2001 Versailles\nAvenue at the corner of Fernside Boulevard and Versailles Avenue.\nAndrew Thomas, Planning Services Manager gave brief presentation\nPresident Zuppan asked staff to clarify if the toxic certification will be done for the entire\nproperty or parcel by parcel as implied by the resolution. She stated that because\ncontaminants can migrate underground the entire lot should be certified clean prior to\ndevelopment.\nBoard member Knox White asked why the cement island will be extended from\nVersailles Avenue to the existing cement island on Fernside.\nObaid Khan, Public Works, answered that the location is congested with traffic and by\nextending the cement island people will not be able to turn left into driveways which\nwould create back up traffic on the road and impact queued traffic.\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nPage 5 of 10\nJuly 23, 2012", "path": "PlanningBoard/2012-07-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2012-07-23", "page": 6, "text": "President Zuppan clarified with staff that vehicles can turn left onto Versailles, but traffic\non Fernside will not be able to turn left into driveways.\nBoard member Knox White suggested that the condition that states, \"no additional right\nof way shall be conditioned. \" reads as a condition on the City and should be stricken\nbecause it is not necessary. He clarified with staff that the property along Tilden will be\ngraded and a fence built to close off the property. He expressed concern with noise\nmitigation and suggested that the Board discuss methods to mitigate the noise, possibly\na sound wall.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft clarified with Board member Knox White that to some\nextent landscaping can be used to mitigate sound as opposed to a sound wall.\nPresident Zuppan opened public comment\nMaria Ferro, resident, stated she thinks the property should be developed but\nexpressed concern with the toxicity of the property, she asked if the environmental\nreports are available for public review. She also stated that the styles and quality of the\nbuildings need to fit in with the neighborhood. She asked if the buildings would have\nfront yards, and requested further definition of low income housing. She stated she is\nconfused with the R-2 zoning, and said the property was originally zoned for 8 houses\nnot 11.\nMr. Thomas responded that the prior approval was for 15 units and the current proposal\nmeets all the 2012 requirements. He addressed the question regarding low/moderate\nincome by explaining that the applicant has entered into an \"Affordable Housing\nAgreement,\" and the City is responsible for ensuring that the tenants or owners meet\neligibility standards. He clarified that if the units are to be rented than one unit has to be\ndesignated as low income and one as moderate income.\nPresident Zuppan clarified that this hearing is for subdivision of the lots and that during\nDesign Review the construction of the buildings and the landscape will be reviewed.\nBoard member K\u00f6ster stated that there are 20 foot setbacks on the lots so it appears\nthat there will be front yards.\nAnthony Pontino, resident, stated the memorandum is ambiguous and he is interested\nin what is going to be built and who will be building it. He requested that the project be\nfurther defined and expanded upon.\nEvan Schwimmer, resident, supports the development of single family residential. He\nsuggested that no other option but single family residential be available to the developer\nin order to maintain consistency in the neighborhood, traffic flow and safety. He\nrequested that the Board limit the developer's ability to sell each lot individually and that\nthe pedestrian access be moved and restricted to Tilden and Fernside.\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nPage 6 of 10\nJuly 23, 2012", "path": "PlanningBoard/2012-07-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2012-07-23", "page": 7, "text": "Chris Long, resident, concurred with Mr. Schwimmer, he stated that there is busy traffic\non Fernside; he expressed concern with placing properties up against the retaining wall\nstating the possibility of shifting of earth during an earthquake. He also suggested that\nthe plans include 2-car garages to keep parked cars off the streets. He proposed\nmitigating traffic flow on Fernside and turning the property into a park\nLester Cabral, resident, gave brief history of the property. He stated that he is against\nthe project as proposed. He stated that the property should be zoned R-1. He\nquestioned the size of the lots, the type of development (town houses, row houses).\nSuggested that the Board table the project.\nMr. Thomas clarified that the proposal is for 11 single family residences that are\ndetached. He stated that the lots range in size with the smallest parcel at 4050 square\nfeet and the largest at 9482 square feet.\nSteve Sorensen, resident, is supportive of the development and supports staff's\nrecommendation. He stated that the site has been cleaned up. He stated he does not\nsee a point in extending the concrete median to prevent left hand turns on Fernside.\nMat Hoffman, resident, stated he is supportive of the project but has a few concerns,\nconcurred with the comments by Mr. Schwimmer. He stated that the retaining wall is\nimportant and the noise is problematic.\nClifford Mapes, owner, stated that the current median is two sets of solid double yellow\nlines, which are illegal to cross. He said the houses and driveways have a calming\neffect and drivers tend to slow down. He stated that the current retaining wall is 4 feet\nwith a cyclone fence. He stated the property will need to be graded which will require\nan additional retaining wall. He stated that the project has been thought out and is\ndefined.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft clarified with the applicant that the Chevron and Exxon\nlawsuit in the late 1990s was to prove that the site was clean and the monitoring wells\ncould be closed. She clarified that there is a service road for the bridge. She asked\nwhat physical measures will be taken to prevent trespassers from climbing the fence.\nPresident Zuppan closed public comment\nBoard member Knox White clarified with staff that the zoning was approved in 1987 and\nthat the Board is reviewing the configuration of 11 parcels designed for single family\nuse. He stated that based on lot size, the parcels could potentially be developed to\naccommodate two residences each. He suggested that the resolution regarding the\npublic right of way be rewritten to state that the City is not requesting that additional\nright of ways be dedicated. He stated that the construction of a raised median will not\ncalm traffic, is unnecessary, and should be removed. He commented on the lack of\npedestrian pathway connections and would like the City to address pedestrian access in\na way that is compatible with the General Plan.\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nPage 7 of 10\nJuly 23, 2012", "path": "PlanningBoard/2012-07-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2012-07-23", "page": 8, "text": "Board member Ezzy Ashcraft expressed concerns with requiring the construction of a\nmedian on Versailles. She stated that the retaining walls and sound walls, and the rear\nof the properties need more detail and discussion. She suggested that staff and the\nBoard further discuss the implications of each parcel having the ability to accommodate\ntwo housing units. She suggested that the matter be continued and that discussion also\ninclude how the City preserves the charm of the neighborhood. She clarified with staff\nthat no further environmental testing needs to be done and the property is ready for\ndevelopment.\nBoard member K\u00f6ster clarified with staff that the property is zoned R-2 PD and requires\napproval of the individual parcels, development plan, and design review. He stated that\nis clear that town homes are not a good option. He concurred that pedestrian access at\nthe north east corner is important. He stated that the property has been vacant for too\nlong and suggested that a timeframe for construction be implemented. He clarified with\nstaff that there are requirements for disclosure of all the environmental reports. He\nsuggested that there be a condition for lots 9, 10, and 11 that provides a single\ncontinuous fence or wall that fronts Tilden.\nPresident Zuppan stated that she is generally supportive of the development of the\nproperty. She stated that the cost of the median outweighs the benefits, and does not\nsupport construction of the median. She suggested that the City ensure that the\nirrigation of the landscape in the public right of way be included to mitigate future tree\nroot damage. She expressed concern and opposition to increasing public access to the\nrear of the property citing: the height differences which are impassable for bicycles and\nwould require installation of ramps, which would take property away from the owners;\nthe traffic impact; the creation of liability issues for the property owners; and safety. She\nconcurred with Board member Ezzy Ashcraft to mitigate the noise issues by using\nlandscape to dampen the sound as opposed to the building of a sound wall.\nBoard member Knox White suggested that the parcel map be condition to provide public\naccess at lot 8, but would not have to be open to the public until such time that the City\ndetermined the access necessary.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft motioned to allow agenda item 9-D to be presented after\n10:30 p.m. Board member K\u00f6ster seconded the motion. Motion carried, 4-0; no\nabstentions\nPresident Zuppan replied that as long as the neighborhood has meaningful input she\nfinds Board member Knox White's suggestion acceptable.\nBoard member K\u00f6ster clarified with staff that the tentative map can be approved with\nconditions. The conditions will have to be implemented in the final map prior to final\napproval.\nBoard member Knox White motioned to approve the resolution with the following\nmodifications: strike last sentence in condition # 5; delete last phrase Public Works\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nPage 8 of 10\nJuly 23, 2012", "path": "PlanningBoard/2012-07-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2012-07-23", "page": 9, "text": "General Information condition 1 and create a new condition that states, \"No right of way\nshall be dedicated along Tilden Way,\" strike condition requiring construction of the\nconcrete island/median; add a condition that requires design and construction of an\nattractive frontage and gateway to the city and explain/describe how noise from Tilden\nwill be mitigated for the back yards, prohibiting the construction of a sound wall, prior to\napproval of final map; condition that proper irrigation be provided in the landscaping in\nthe public right of way.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft seconded the motion.\nMotion carried, 4-0; no abstentions\n9-D\nTRACT 7884 (Alameda Landing) - PLN11-0328, Applicant: Catellus Alameda\nDevelopment, LLC. Amendment to Conditions of Approval for Development\nPlan Amendment and Master Street Plan Amendment regarding striping and bus\nstop locations.\nAndrew Thomas, Planning Services Manager, gave brief presentation.\nBoard member Knox White referenced the General Plan which states the Board will not\nmitigate plans that have right turn lanes. He then referred to the intersection and right\nturn lane from Stargell onto Fifth Street and asked if the Board is comfortable with giving\nCatellus the flexibility to not institute the right turn lane.\nBoard member Knox White motioned to extend the meeting to 11:30. Board member\nK\u00f6ster seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0; no abstentions\nMatt Naclerio, Public Works Director, requested that the Environmental Document be\nchecked to make sure there is not a requirement for the turn lanes.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft concurred with Board member Knox White and is troubled\nwith all the lanes at the intersection. She clarified with staff that the bus stop will be\nmoved to the other side of the intersection.\nBoard member Knox White motioned to approve staff recommendations with the\naddition that if consistent with the EIR, the west bound right turn lane implementation be\noptional.\nBoard member K\u00f6ster seconded the motion\nMotion carried, 4-0; no abstentions\n9-E. Draft Bicycle Facility Design Guidelines - The Planning Board will make\na recommendation to the City Council on the Draft Bicycle Facility Design\nGuidelines. The guidelines provide direction to City staff, developers and the\npublic regarding the implementation of bikeways and bicycle facilities in\nAlameda.\nItem continued to the meeting of August 27, 2012.\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nPage 9 of 10\nJuly 23, 2012", "path": "PlanningBoard/2012-07-23.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2012-07-23", "page": 10, "text": "10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS\nNONE\n11. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS\nBoard member K\u00f6ster inquired about 1700 Park Street, stating that partial painting has\noccurred on the rear of the building.\nMr. Thomas stated that the applicant is looking at colors, the scaffolding went back up\nbecause of the cosmetic work needing to be done, and trim needs to be added to the\nrear of the building.\nBoard member K\u00f6ster inquired about the old Wienerschnitzel building.\nBoard member Ezzy Ashcraft responded that the restaurant is now BBQ and the paint\nscheme is the only fa\u00e7ade change.\nBoard member Knox White requested that the Board be notified in advance when an\nitem is going to be continued.\n12. ADJOURNMENT\n11:07 p.m.\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nPage 10 of 10\nJuly 23, 2012", "path": "PlanningBoard/2012-07-23.pdf"}