pages: CityCouncil/2013-04-02.pdf, 9
This data as json
body | date | page | text | path |
---|---|---|---|---|
CityCouncil | 2013-04-02 | 9 | (13-141 A) Introduction of Ordinance Amending Various Sections of the Alameda Municipal Code Contained in Chapter XXX (Development Regulations) Related to the North Park Street Planning Area. Introduced; and (13-141 B) Resolution No. 14789, "Approving Citywide Design Manual Amendments. (This project regulates development within the area bounded by the Oakland-Alameda Estuary, Tilden Way, Lincoln Avenue, and Oak Street). Adopted. * Vice Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft and Councilmember Tam left the dais at 8:14 p.m. and returned at 8:16 p.m. The City Planner gave a Power Point presentation. Councilmember Chen stated the issue is not just height limit, but is also aesthetic; the area is the gateway to Alameda and is what visitors see coming across the Park Street bridge; the height limit is coming down from 100 feet to 60 feet; inquired why the old zoning allowed 100 feet. The City Planner responded the height is really a reflection of changing attitudes; the 1960 General Plan for Alameda has beautiful drawings, which are almost Jetson style showing 10-story office buildings and shopping districts all the way down Park Street with a bridge from the South Shore end of Park Street across to South San Francisco; there was a totally different vision of what the people of Alameda thought Alameda should be; throughout all of the East Bay, and probably California, the 1970s environmental movement, Save the Bay, the realization of environmental impacts and constricting development completely changed attitudes about what is appropriate development, but the changing to zoning very often lags; Measure A immediately put a halt to multi-types of development; completing the zoning has taken 6 years. Councilmember Chen stated that he understands the importance of economic development; the gateway district is a beginning to help generate sales tax that the City lost when car dealerships closed; he does not want Alameda to turn into a Bay Street like Emeryville with 60 feet building on both sides of the street, which becomes a tunnel; inquired what safeguards are in place in the event developers want to build rows of 60 foot buildings along Park Street. The City Planner responded one thing that does not change over time very often is parcel size; provided an example of large parcels in Jack London Square, which do not require accumulation of multiple properties to create a pad; stated one large parcel allows a big building; there are only a handful of sites to that would fit parking and tenants and banks requirements for a 60 foot building on Park Street; having a whole row of 60 foot buildings down Park Street is highly unlikely because of lot patterns; the economics on Park Street are not there; in the past 10 years, not one single developer has proposed a 6 to 10 story building; the economics in the area do not support such Regular Meeting Alameda City Council 9 April 2, 2013 | CityCouncil/2013-04-02.pdf |