{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2016-02-22", "page": 1, "text": "APPROVED MINUTES\nREGULAR MEETING OF THE\nCITY OF ALAMEDA PLANNING BOARD\nMONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016\n1. CONVENE\nPresident Knox White called meeting to order at 7:00pm.\n2. FLAG SALUTE\nBoard Member Sullivan led the flag salute.\n3. ROLL CALL\nPresent: President Knox White, Board Members Burton, K\u00f6ster, Sullivan. Absent: Board\nMember Henneberry. Board Member Mitchell arrived at 7:02pm (during item 6-A). Board\nMember Zuppan arrive at 7:04pm (beginning of item 7-A).\n4. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION\n*None*\n5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS\n*None*\n6. CONSENT CALENDAR\n6-A 2016-2609\nStatus Report on Use Permit PLN14-0757 to Allow Sale of Beer, Wine, and\nSpirits for Off-Site Consumption as an Accessory Use at the Existing\nWalgreens Store at 1600 Park Street. This status report is not subject to\nthe California Environmental Quality Act\nBoard Member Sullivan made a motion to approve the item. Board Member K\u00f6ster\nseconded the motion.\nBoard Member K\u00f6ster said he noticed the door facing Park St. was often closed and\nblocked quite early in the evening and asked staff to check the approvals to see what the\nhours were supposed to be for that door.\nThe motion passed 5-0.\n7. REGULAR\nAGENDA\nITEMS\n7-A 2016-2610\nPLN15-0536 - 1435 Webster Street - Applicant: Dannan Development.\nPublic Hearing to consider Design Review, and Density Bonus, Density\nPage 1 of 8\nApproved Minutes\nFebruary 22, 2016\nPlanning Board Meeting", "path": "PlanningBoard/2016-02-22.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2016-02-22", "page": 2, "text": "Bonus Waiver and Exceptions application for Construction of a Three-Story\nMixed-Use Development including Nine Residential For-Sale Units and\n4,700 square feet of Ground Floor Retail on an Existing Parking Lot at 1435\nWebster Street (APN74-427-5-1) The project is categorically exempt from\nfurther review under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to\nCEQA Guidelines Section 15332 In-Fill Development Projects.\nStaff Member Thomas gave the staff presentation. The staff report and attachments can\nbe\nfound\nat:\n ttps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2569527&GUID=7A318C2F-\nD06-4874-97D1-AA02AB435A13&FullText=1\nAndy Goldberg, project applicant, spoke on the process that the project has gone through\nto get to this point, including collaborating with various stakeholders. He said moving the\nproject forward in a timely manner is very important to him and he thanked planning staff\nfor their help with the process.\nBoard Member K\u00f6ster asked if there were any businesses using the parking lot currently.\nStaff Member Thomas said it was closed off.\nBoard Member Burton asked how the third retail space, which appeared cut off in the back\nby the utilities' space, would access things like trash and recycling.\nDave Johnson, project architect, said they do not have tenants lined up yet and can adjust\nthe utility area to provide access to the rear if it is needed.\nPresident Knox White asked how long the process has been going on.\nStaff Member Thomas said it started in mid 2014 and has gone through several design\nchanges from a modern to more traditional design.\nBoard Member Sullivan asked whether the residential units would be able to lease parking\nspaces.\nStaff Member Thomas explained that the parking would be shared by all tenants and one\nentity would be responsible for leasing them all out.\nBoard Member Sullivan said she wants to avoid residents choosing not to purchase\nparking and impacting the neighborhood street parking.\nPresident Knox White opened the public hearing.\nPage 2 of 8\nApproved Minutes\nFebruary 22, 2016\nPlanning Board Meeting", "path": "PlanningBoard/2016-02-22.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2016-02-22", "page": 3, "text": "Jerry Serventi, WABA Design Review Committee, said they believe the project is the right\none for Webster St. He said they preferred the earlier design.\nMichael McDonough said this project could really help Webster St. and that the Chamber\nof Commerce supports it fully.\nChristopher Buckley, AAPS, said they preferred the first design and suggested several\ndesign refinements.\nSteve Aced, AAPS, referenced the AAPS letter and gave suggestions for window, door,\nand siding details.\nJohn Stier, owner of Calafia Taqueria, said he supports the project and has arranged to\nkeep access for deliveries through a gate joining the properties.\nPresident Knox White closed the public hearing.\nBoard Member K\u00f6ster is excited to see a nice mixed use project for the site. He said he is\nokay with the parking arrangements. He said the blank facade on the north elevation could\nbe a good spot for a painting or mural. He said the tower could be a little higher, but does\nnot need a hat. He said the windows and trim could be a little larger and seeing some\nmore details would be helpful. He said swing doors could be used for the balconies.\nBoard Member Burton said he does not think the project is ready to have the final details\nhanded off to staff for approval. He said he would like to see it come back to the board.\nHe said he did not want this project to end up like the Hawthorne Suites building down the\nstreet. He said if we are going to make a Victorian building, let's go all out. He said he the\ncornices could be bigger. He said he would be okay with treating it more like one building\nrather than breaking it up so much. He said the awnings should tie into the architecture.\nHe said studying one cornice across the building would be worthwhile.\nBoard Member Sullivan said she largely agreed with Board Member Burton and it just\nneeded some enrichment.\nBoard Member Zuppan said she agreed with much of what Board Members K\u00f6ster and\nBurton said. She said she is supportive of having the building in this parking lot. She said\nshe does like the idea of a larger corner element and larger cornices. She said she was\nalso concerned with the blank wall above Calafia. She said she would like to have more\ninformation about the bicycle parking when it comes back.\nPage 3 of 8\nApproved Minutes\nFebruary 22, 2016\nPlanning Board Meeting", "path": "PlanningBoard/2016-02-22.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2016-02-22", "page": 4, "text": "Board Member Mitchell said he is supportive of the project overall and looks forward to\nsome design improvements. He said he likes the design of the first proposal but likes the\nretail design of the second proposal. He said he is concerned that the parking spaces do\nnot come with the residential units. He said we should have a broader discussion about\nrental housing VS. condo housing.\nPresident Knox White said he wishes they had seen the project earlier so that they could\ndo their due diligence without feeling pressured due to the fact that the applicant has been\nworking on the design for 1.5 years already. He said he agreed with most of the comments\nof the board.\nBoard Member Burton said swinging doors combined with our building codes would make\nwaterproofing very difficult and invite a future lawsuit from condo owners.\nBoard Member Zuppan made a motion to continue the item. Board Member Mitchell\nseconded the motion. The motion passed 6-0.\n7-B 2016-2612\nA Public Hearing on Design Review for Block 11, Block 8, and Phase 1\nWaterfront Park at Alameda Point Site A.\nBoard Member Burton explained that he would be recusing himself from these items. He\nsaid he has been exploring the possibility of working on larger, multi-family projects. He\nsaid he spoke with many architects about his thoughts and that conversation led to a\ndecision to join the firm KTGY. He said that due to their work at Site A, he has decided to\nrecuse himself. He said he is working with city staff to get a clear answer on whether he\nneeds to recuse himself from all discussions of Site A, but wanted to be conservative at\nthis point.\nStaff Member Thomas introduced the item. The staff report and attachments can be found\nat:\nhttps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2569529&GUID=4DCA1FCF-\nEE85-4B99-A8C1-2F64BE2146DO&FullText=1\nDavid Israel, BAR Architects, gave a presentation on Block 11, including all changes made\nincorporating previous Board comments.\nJessica Music gave a presentation on the revised design for the affordable housing\nbuildings at Block 8.\nApril Shaw gave a presentation on the Waterfront Park, phase one.\nPage 4 of 8\nApproved Minutes\nFebruary 22, 2016\nPlanning Board Meeting", "path": "PlanningBoard/2016-02-22.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2016-02-22", "page": 5, "text": "Jennifer Ott, Chief Operating Officer for Alameda Point, gave a presentation about the\ndesign tradeoffs and decisions staff made in considering sea level rise defense strategies.\nStaff Member Thomas gave a presentation on the design of the shared plaza in front of\nBlock 11 adjacent to the Waterfront Park.\nBoard Member K\u00f6ster asked who would be the owners of the shared plaza.\nStaff Member Thomas said that it would be a city owned street.\nBoard Member K\u00f6ster asked about the length of the canopy in front of the Block 8\nbuildings. He asked about the plans not to provide a dishwasher in the senior units.\nMs. Music said the canopy was about twelve feet. The developer said they typically did\nnot need a dishwasher for the units with only 1-2 people.\nBoard Member K\u00f6ster asked if the windows on the backside of Block 8 would require a\ntwo inch offset. He asked if the pavilion and restrooms would come back for design review.\nStaff Member Thomas said they could make sure those window details are included in the\nfinal presentation when it comes back. He said they would condition the final approvals to\nbring back the final designs for the public buildings in the Waterfront Park and that they\nwere looking for approval of the general shape and layout of the park.\nBoard Member Zuppan asked if there were any water fountains in the public park.\nStaff Member Thomas said they would make sure there were some in the final design.\nBoard Member Sullivan asked about the difference in height from the edge of the\npromenade to the water at high and low tides.\nStaff Member Thomas said it was anywhere from a couple feet to eight or nine, depending\non the tide. He said if the board wants to consider railing options they can bring that back\nwith the lighting plans.\nBoard Member Sullivan asked why Building 11 exceeds the height limits the City\ndesignated.\nStaff Member Thomas explained the finding that is necessary in order to approve a\nbuilding higher than 65 feet. He said the tall retail spaces are a large factor that increased\nthe height of the building.\nPage 5 of 8\nApproved Minutes\nFebruary 22, 2016\nPlanning Board Meeting", "path": "PlanningBoard/2016-02-22.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2016-02-22", "page": 6, "text": "President Knox White opened the public hearing.\nJerry Serventi said the building was very nice. He said making the viewing terrace at the\ntop of the building available for public access would be special. He said he wanted to make\nsure we allow bicycles to come all the way to the waterfront.\nKari Thompson, Chamber of Commerce, said they are very supportive of the project and\nhopes it moves forward.\nCasey Sparks said he was very supportive of this type of project and the new housing is\nvery important to the island while citing the saga playing out at 470 Central Ave.\nLaura Thomas, representing Renewed Hope Housing Advocates, said they were very\nhappy to see the affordable housing plans. She said that changing attitudes have led them\nto agree to allow the senior housing at Alameda Point.\nPresident Knox White closed the public hearing.\nBoard Member K\u00f6ster said Block 11 is exceptional design. He said the podium landscape\nplan and streetscape need a little more detail. He said Block 8 has lots of great features\nand will be a great place to be. He said he would like to see more about the cafe and\nrestrooms in the Waterfront Park. He said he liked the design of the terraces.\nBoard Member Sullivan asked if they considered other palm tree options besides the\nwashingtonia robusta.\nThe landscape architect said they are still studying options for the best fit for the salty\nlocation.\nBoard Member Mitchell said he is comfortable with the sea level rise strategy that has\nbeen chosen for the Waterfront Park. He said he does not really like the idea of a railing\nbut that it deserves study. He said we should make sure to bring in the right people for\ndeciding what historical information is included in the taxiway timeline. He said it would be\nnice to have a perspective view of the parklet on Block 8.\nBoard Member Zuppan said Building 11 is beautiful. She said she likes how it reflects the\narchitecture of the base but how it also looks like a ship on one end. She said the narrow\nbalcony on the top floor (SE corner) emphasizes the narrow pole at the corner. She asked\nthe developer to respond to the public comment about public access to the top floor view\nlounge.\nPage 6 of 8\nApproved Minutes\nFebruary 22, 2016\nPlanning Board Meeting", "path": "PlanningBoard/2016-02-22.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2016-02-22", "page": 7, "text": "Mr. Israel explained their structural need for the pole at the corner. He also explained the\ndifficulty of providing public access to the top floor viewing area. He said the long term\nplan is for a hotel just across the street which would have a similar viewing opportunity\nthat would be much easier to accommodate public access.\nBoard Member Zuppan said the buildings on Block 8 have come a long way. She said she\nlikes the color pavement treatments. She said older residents with arthritis could benefit\nfrom having dishwashers but would defer to the developer's judgment. She said the bikes\nneed to feel like they are sharing the space in the plaza just like cars need to share the\nstreet. She said the waterfront park feels like skateboard territory and that we should\naccount for that. She says she would prefer not to see a railing on the water, but has no\nproblem looking at options. She said the terraces make the space more inviting and\nusable. She said we should be getting some public input on the historical items included\nin the taxiway.\nPresident Knox White said the canopy in front of Block 8 might need to fan out to provide\nany real weather protection. He said the height of Block 11 is okay and that they followed\nthe rules. He said he liked the bollard treatment at the curve of the shared plaza. He said\nthe street lamps need to not look like the ones in the pictures. He said the sea level rise\nstrategy for the Waterfront Park is consistent with their plans. He said seeing examples of\nplaces that are successful without railings that the board could consider would be helpful.\nBoard Member Mitchell asked if there was a reason the top floor balcony on the southeast\ncorner could not wrap around like the other floors.\nMr. Israel said it was a result of the design strategy and their were trying to create an\nanomaly that breaks up the visual experience.\nNo action was taken.\n8. MINUTES\n*None*\n9. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS\n9-A 2016-2614\nZoning Administrator and Design Review Recent Actions and Decisions\nNo items were called for review.\n9-B 2016-2613\nFuture Public Meetings and Upcoming Community Development\nDepartment Projects\nPage 7 of 8\nApproved Minutes\nFebruary 22, 2016\nPlanning Board Meeting", "path": "PlanningBoard/2016-02-22.pdf"}
{"body": "PlanningBoard", "date": "2016-02-22", "page": 8, "text": "Staff Member Thomas said a beer & wine use permit for a Ballena Bay convenience store\nwould be coming soon. He said the Harbor Bay Club EIR would be released soon. He said\nBoatworks and Universal Design would be coming before the board soon.\n10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS\n*None*\n11. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS\n11-A 2016-2607\nReport from the Boatworks - Ad-Hoc Sub-Committee\n*None*\n11-B 2016-2608\nReport from the Alameda Point Site A - Ad-Hoc Sub-Committee\n*None*\nBoard Member Zuppan said that if the Alameda Landing shopping cart loop restrictions\nare not taken care of that their permit needs to be called for review.\nStaff Member Thomas said that he would let Catellus know that if they do not get it taken\ncare of it will be on the March 28th agenda.\nBoard Member K\u00f6ster reminded staff to follow up on the required hours of operation for\nthe street facing door of the Walgreens on Park St.\n12. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS\n*None*\n13. ADJOURNMENT\nPresident Knox White adjourned the meeting at 10:33pm.\nPage 8 of 8\nApproved Minutes\nFebruary 22, 2016\nPlanning Board Meeting", "path": "PlanningBoard/2016-02-22.pdf"}