pages: CityCouncil/2022-05-03.pdf, 23
This data as json
body | date | page | text | path |
---|---|---|---|---|
CityCouncil | 2022-05-03 | 23 | exhibits attached to the staff report and whether documents are redline. The Planning, Building and Transportation Director responded the draft HE published for public review on April 5th is the draft before Council; staff released an initial set of clarifications and changes for the May 9th Planning Board meeting in order to show necessary clean-up; staff does not have a redline version, but a list of changes has been started. Councilmember Knox White stated Council has received a number of comments related to the height of buildings in the commercial district; inquired whether it is possible for the City to get three story buildings with housing in the commercial districts. The Planning, Building and Transportation Director responded staff has been speaking with property owners and housing developers about Park and Webster Streets; stated staff is recommending a five story height limit due to feedback from property owners and housing developers; the feedback included the extreme difficulty and unlikeliness for housing to be built on Park or Webster Streets; Park Street and Webster Street already have buildings; a three story limit does not make sense economically; if Council wants to maintain a three story height limit on Webster Street, it is possible; staff will then have to reduce the real estate capacity and 400 units will not be attained on Park and Webster Streets; the units will need to be accommodated in the residential district. Councilmember Herrera Spencer inquired how density bonus impacts height limits. The Planning, Building and Transportation Director responded density bonus is typically a 20% bonus if a property owner or developer proposes additional affordable housing; the Park and Webster Streets proposed five story height limit is best viewed as a four stories of residential; if an owner provides affordable housing, they would receive a 20% density bonus; almost every density bonus project performed in the past has used a 20% bonus; the bonus provides for an additional story; the past 10 years, every project has been required to provide a density bonus due to the multi-family prohibition; the only way projects could provide multi-family units in Alameda was through density bonus; once the multi-family prohibition is removed, staff anticipates there will not be as many density bonus projects; Alameda provides significantly more density bonus projects when compared to other cities in the area. Councilmember Herrera Spencer inquired whether a project might have a higher height limit if the owner qualifies for a density bonus, to which the Planning, Building and Transportation Director responded in the affirmative. In response to Councilmember Herrera Spencer's further inquiry, the Planning, Building and Transportation Director stated Council could decide how many places to allow multi-family by right; other types of housing, such as supportive housing, is allowed by right under State law; if Council does not allow multi-family housing, shared housing must still be allowed by right; shared housing cannot be treated differently than single family homes. Regular Meeting Alameda City Council May 3, 2022 19 | CityCouncil/2022-05-03.pdf |