{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2015-12-14", "page": 1, "text": "APPROVED MINUTES\nREGULAR MEETING OF THE\nCITY OF ALAMEDA PLANNING BOARD\nMONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015\n1. CONVENE\nPresident Knox White called meeting to order at 7pm.\n2. FLAG SALUTE\nBoard Member Mitchell led the flag salute.\n3. ROLL CALL\nPresent: President Knox White, Board Members Burton, Mitchell, Sullivan. Board\nmember Zuppan arrived at 7:02pm, between items 4 and 5. Absent: Vice President\nK\u00f6ster, Board Member Henneberry\n4. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION\nItem 9-C was moved to the front of the Regular Agenda.\n5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS\nCarlos Carriente spoke against potential development at Alameda Marina. He\nreferenced the maritime and historical importance of the location.\nBill Smith spoke on behalf of Renewed Hope about the zoning changes of the North\nHousing site and looked forward to working with the City on a satisfactory way to proceed\nwith the site.\n6. CONSENT CALENDAR - None\n**-9-C 2015-2380\nPermit Center Update for 2015\nAndrew Thomas, Assistant Community Development Director summarized Planning\nDepartment activity for 2015.\nGreg McFann, City Building Official, summarized Permit Center activity for 2015, including\n4,900 Permits, approximately 63 customers per day at the counter and over 32,000\ninspections.\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nDecember 14, 2015\nPlanning Board Meeting\nPage 1 of 8", "path": "PlanningBoard/2015-12-14.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2015-12-14", "page": 2, "text": "Board Member Zuppan asked for clarification on who is responsible for approving items\nsuch as the Alameda Landing Safeway cart restrictions and how to correct them going\nforward.\nStaff Member McFann said there is joint responsibility between the inspectors and the\nplanners. Staff Member Thomas said he would follow up on the issue the next day.\nAllen Tai, Planning Services Manager, spoke on behalf of the City's current planners and\nthe activity they carried out in 2015. The City has invested in improving technology and\nstreamlining processes to be more efficient in the future.\nEric Fonstein, Economic Development Manager, described business expansions that\noccurred in 2015. He noted expansions Penumbra's expansion to 1000 employees and\nNatel Energy at the Point. Alameda's reputation with existing businesses has helped bring\nnew companies through word of mouth, citing Sila and Heliotrope. The City and College\nof Alameda are working together on workforce development, including the maritime\npainting program with Bay Ship and Yacht.\nPresident Knox White acknowledged the staff work, including the legal counsel given to\nthe Planning Board from the City Attorney's office.\n7. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS\n7-A 2015-2383 Public hearing to consider clarifying text amendments to\nSections 30-5.7(k) through 30-5.7(m) of the Zoning Ordinance related to\ncontinuation of existing legal nonconforming building setbacks and building\nheight. The proposed amendments are categorically exempt from further\nenvironmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15305, Minor\nAlterations to Land Use Limitations.\nMr. Tai gave the staff presentation. The staff report and draft ordinance can be found at:\nhttps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2529287&GUID=5896D8F6-\n9D60-424E-B80C-4B24D7C1C4EO&FullText=1\nBoard Member Zuppan asked about what \"significant\" means in this instance.\nStaff Member Tai explained that discretion must be used and judgment calls made to\ndetermine significance in each instance based upon the project specific physical\ncircumstances and conditions.\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nDecember 14, 2015\nPlanning Board Meeting\nPage 2 of 8", "path": "PlanningBoard/2015-12-14.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2015-12-14", "page": 3, "text": "Board Member Mitchell asked about the striking of the broader language of \"adverse\neffects.\"\nStaff Members Tai and Thomas clarified that a broad range of issues would be weighed,\nbut wanted to remove misunderstandings about absolutes.\nPresident Knox-White opened the public hearing.\nElizabeth Tuckwell suggested \"adverse\" be added to significant effects. She suggested\n\"material\" replace significant.\nStaff Member Thomas added that the board could leave in \"adverse effects, such as\"\nwithout a problem. President Knox White suggested \"major\" be included in the \"adverse\neffects\" clause.\nPresident Knox White suggested \"major\" to be added to adverse effects so we are not in\nthe same position as before.\nBoard Member Sullivan moved the item with language to read: \"No major adverse effects,\nsuch as significant shading or significant view blockage.\"\nBoard Member Mitchell seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.\n7-B 2015-2384\nA Resolution Recommending City Council Approval of the Alameda Point\nAdaptive Reuse Tentative Subdivision Map Applications: (1) PLN15-0555\n- West Tower Avenue Subdivision at Alameda Point - Applicant: City of\nAlameda. A proposed Tentative Map Application for a 4-parcel subdivision\nfor conveyance purposes only on 31.8 acres to implement the Alameda\nPoint Master Infrastructure Plan and zoning district; and (2) PLN15-0556 -\nHangar Row Subdivision at Alameda Point - Applicant: City of Alameda. A\nproposed Tentative Map Application for a 6-parcel subdivision for\nconveyance purposes only on 38.9 acres to implement the Alameda Point\nMaster Infrastructure Plan and zoning district\nJennifer Ott, Chief Operating Officer, Alameda Point gave the staff presentation. The\nstaff report and attachments can be found at:\ntps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2529288&GUID=84B79704-\n5436-4006-B821-89AF1BA88AF1&FullText=1\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nDecember 14, 2015\nPlanning Board Meeting\nPage 3 of 8", "path": "PlanningBoard/2015-12-14.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2015-12-14", "page": 4, "text": "Board Member Mitchell asked about decisions at a future date to move property lines.\nStaff Member Ott clarified how the lot line adjustments would work and that it would be a\npublic process.\nPresident Knox White asked about rights to add new structures on the parcels.\nStaff Member Ott explained the restrictions on the properties.\nPresident Knox White expressed concern about creating figurative islands with these lot\nlines, making it difficult to build or expand in between buildings.\nStaff Member Thomas said future decisions to move the lot lines could be made.\nBoard Member Sullivan asked about Rockwall's dome building.\nStaff clarified that it was temporary (15 years) and had to be approved by the Department\nof Fish and Wildlife due largely to ambient light concerns for protected species.\nBoard Member Zuppan moved approval of the staff recommendation. The motion was\nseconded by Board Member Mitchell. The motion was approved 5-0.\n7-C 2015-2385\nPlanning Board Workshop on Alameda Point Site A Design Review for\nBlock Eleven Architectural Design and adjacent Waterfront Street Design\nStaff Member Thomas introduced the item and project architect David Israel. Mr. Israel\ngave a presentation on the building's design. The staff report and attachments can be\nfound\nat:\nhttps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2529289&GUID=BA0830F3-\n14FA-4824-8A5E-EAB243DA918C&FullText=1\nBoard Member Burton and Board Member Zuppan summarized the sub-committee\ndiscussions.\nBoard Member Burton asked what the LEED certification standards were for projects at\nAlameda Point.\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nDecember 14, 2015\nPlanning Board Meeting\nPage 4 of 8", "path": "PlanningBoard/2015-12-14.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2015-12-14", "page": 5, "text": "Mr. Israel expanded on some of the environmental sustainability efforts being used and\nconsidered for the project. Staff pointed out that the project would meet LEED Gold\nstandards, or equivalent.\nDean Williams with GLS Landscape Architecture discussed the street trees and how they\nrelate to the naked street and parking.\nBoard Member Sullivan expressed concern about the supply of parking for each\nresidence.\nStaff explained that shared parking was available for all residents of the building and that\nif a resident wanted to lease more than one space, additional spaces are available for\nlease.\nPresident Knox White asked about the naked street and the medallions marking car lanes.\nDean Williams explained the logic of the current design relative to the medallions.\nPresident Knox-White opened the public hearing.\nScott Weitze is worried that the building would end up being too boring due to \"having to\ncheck too many boxes\" during the planning process.\nHelen Sause likes the building design. She thinks it is a step forward in solving Alameda's\nhousing supply issues.\nBill Smith likes the building and transit oriented focus. He asked about how the affordable\nhousing would be distributed.\nCaprice Carter thinks the building is too large and dense. She is concerned the large\nbuilding on the waterfront would block views and is worried about how it relates to the rest\nof Alameda.\nKaren Bey loves the building. She says we need this type of housing product, which\nAlameda currently does not have.\nRoger Brady, retired architect, likes the building. He is concerned that there might be too\nmany cars moving through for the shared plaza space. He wondered if there would be\nsufficient retail to serve the residents, perhaps there should be more.\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nDecember 14, 2015\nPlanning Board Meeting\nPage 5 of 8", "path": "PlanningBoard/2015-12-14.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2015-12-14", "page": 6, "text": "Elizabeth Tuckwell appreciated how much work went into the proposal, with so much\ndetail. She thinks the two and three bedroom units should be sold as condos with two\nparking spaces assigned. She is worried about the traffic and that the transit options would\nnot be enough.\nAnita Longoria echoed the parking and traffic concerns. She thinks the paternalistic\nattitude will not work and we need to be flexible because times and transportation needs\nchange.\nPresident Knox White closed the public hearing.\nBoard Member Mitchell stated that he liked the hangar bay windows/doors. He liked the\nbig sign. He wanted to push the aesthetics further, especially with the choices on the\ncurved end. He thinks the stairwell should be covered due to weather concerns.\nBoard Member Sullivan worried about the height and proximity to the water, and whether\nit would block views. She liked the design overall, including the sign.\nBoard Member Zuppan agreed that the stairway should be protected from the weather.\nShe wants to see if there are ways to provide public access to some of the view spaces\non the higher floors.\nBoard Member Burton encouraged the public to stay involved in the process. He wanted\nto see how the details of the interior courtyard designs come along given the views into\nand out of that space. He thinks the sign needs to be better or removed. He provided\nfurther feedback on design elements and has some concerns of how elements interacted.\nHe wants to balance the need to protect residents from the elements in the stairwell with\nthe design goals of the building.\nPresident Knox White echoed Board Member Mitchell's questions about the curved end\nwith the squared walls, and wanting to push the design to be as bold as possible. He\nwanted to know about how the sign would be lighted. He liked the small units being offered.\nHe expressed concerns about the naked street, worrying that it looked too much like a\nregular street and less like a shared space.\nNo action was taken by the Planning Board.\nMr. Thomas stated that the item would be back the first meeting in February and the\nwaterfront park across the street from this building will be before the board in January.\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nDecember 14, 2015\nPlanning Board Meeting\nPage 6 of 8", "path": "PlanningBoard/2015-12-14.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2015-12-14", "page": 7, "text": "MINUTES\n8-A 2015-2389\nDraft Meeting Minutes - July 27, 2015\nNo action, item continued to a future date.\n8-B 2015-2388\nDraft Meeting Minutes - September 14, 2015\nPresident Knox White noted the length and large amount of copy editing required for these\nproposed minutes.\nBoard Member Zuppan is not comfortable with a transcript being used as minutes. She\ndoes not think it serves the public.\nThe item was continued in order to investigate alternative methods of doing the minutes.\n8. STAFF\nCOMMUNICATIONS\n9-A 2015-2386\nZoning Administrator and Design Review Recent Actions and Decisions\nStaff Member Thomas said an item for a home occupation permit for a woodworking shop\nhas been continued to January.\n9-B 2015-2387\nFuture Public Meetings and Upcoming Community Development\nDepartment Projects\nStaff Member Thomas outlined the schedule for future Planning Board meetings.\n9-C 2015-2380\n**moved to beginning of Regular Agenda\n9-D 2015-2381\nPlanning Board E-Mails\nPlanning Board members will get City email accounts to allow members not to use their\npersonal accounts for board business.\n9. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS\n10. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nDecember 14, 2015\nPlanning Board Meeting\nPage 7 of 8", "path": "PlanningBoard/2015-12-14.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2015-12-14", "page": 8, "text": "Board Member Mitchell brought up the potential Alameda Marina development and public\nconversations around it.\nMr. Thomas described the ownership/leasing situation with the public and private land at\nthe marina site as well as the mixed use, multi-family zoning overlay. He said there is not\na specific requirement for a certain number of housing units and that staff expects a mixed\nuse project with commercial maritime space. It will require an Environmental Impact\nReport.\nBoard Member Zuppan said she felt the board should have jurisdiction over the street\nlighting update project.\nPresident Knox White stated that he had met with Bay West about the potential Alameda\nMarina site.\n11-A 2015-2378 *none*\n11-B 2015-2379 *none*\n11. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS *none*\n12. ADJOURNMENT\nPresident Knox White adjourned the meeting at 10:51pm.\nApproved Meeting Minutes\nDecember 14, 2015\nPlanning Board Meeting\nPage 8 of 8", "path": "PlanningBoard/2015-12-14.pdf"}