pages: CityCouncil/2022-02-01.pdf, 23
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CityCouncil | 2022-02-01 | 23 | Councilmember Daysog moved approval of directing staff to address identifying new areas at Alameda Point to develop a number of housing units above the originally agreed upon amount. Councilmember Herrera Spencer seconded the motion. Under discussion, Councilmember Herrera Spencer stated that she agrees with the referral; the matter is something Council has tried to get more information about; expressed concern about waiting for the Housing Element; noted Alameda Point is roughly one third of the entire Island; it makes sense to focus on the area of Alameda Point. Vice Mayor Vella stated some of Alameda Point will be a wetlands preserve; she assumes the City will not build housing on the preserve; noted the Navy cap still exists; staff is in the process of negotiating with the Navy; she has heard concerns about job creation; expressed support for clarification on where staff will be looking to add housing; questioned whether the direction is to reduce parkland or the enterprise zone. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft expressed concern about duplicative efforts; stated City staff are doing a lot and are stretched thin; the City is building houses and opening businesses; the challenges are not that the City has more area than discovered, it is trying to make projects pencil out and get built; she does not support the referral. Councilmember Daysog stated the point of the referral is to have staff indicate where housing could occur; the referral is not to say whether housing should occur on wetland areas or natural preserves; staff may report back that housing can be placed in the Enterprise District and provide the necessary regulatory steps; some of the steps will sync with the RHNA process and some will not; there is value to the public in understanding the steps needed to be taken for more housing at Alameda Point. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft stated one of the things the RHNA process is looking for is that a city not concentrate all new housing in one place and that the housing is dispersed throughout the city; Council recently voted on the Encinal Terminals project, which added housing in the Northern Waterfront area; the RHNA obligation needs to be met; staff has presented various housing sites throughout the City; expressed concern about residents being misled by thinking all housing can be placed at Alameda Point; plans provide a balance of jobs and housing at Alameda Point to replace the 18,000 jobs lost when the Navy Base closed; the jobs and housing balance is desired to not over burden one area of the City; she is concerned about the idea of trying to meet the RHNA obligation solely at Alameda Point. Councilmember Daysog stated the referral contemplates the fact that additional housing could not be a part of the 2023 to 2031 RHNA process based on the time it takes to change regulations and perform an RFP, developer selection and Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) going beyond the timeline; the referral recommends staff gather information on the process for increasing housing at Alameda Point. Regular Meeting Alameda City Council February 1, 2022 23 | CityCouncil/2022-02-01.pdf |