pages: PlanningBoard/2015-07-13.pdf, 4
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PlanningBoard | 2015-07-13 | 4 | that the hotel leases from the neighboring business. Board Member Tang asked whether the conference room square footage was considered in the calculation for parking. Mr. Thomas said that parking calculations were based on room count only and that this is a typically way of calculating hotel parking and mentioned it has never been a problem in other places. Board Member Tang said he was concerned that the conference room square footage was not counted in the parking calculations. President Henneberry said that parking concerns had been an issue from early on and that the agreement is not set in perpetuity. He asked what would happen to the adjacent parking agreement if in the future the area reached full build out. Mr. Thomas answered that the hotel would still need to provide parking. President Henneberry asked if shared parking across the street from a site had ever been done in Alameda. Mr. Thomas answered that it has been done twice in Alameda and it has worked for both projects. Board Member Tang asked if the height of the hotel has any special foundation requirements. Mr. Thomas said yes and that those issues are handled by the building division and emphasized that the project must meet all geo-technical requirements. Board Member Knox White appreciated the applicant addressing the previous parking issues but that the architectural design did not look very special. He was prepared to move forward with approval. He asked whether 18" above existing grade was the standard height to accommodate the potential for sea level rise. Mr. Thomas said he was not sure. Board Member Zuppan said she appreciated the applicant's revisions. She was hoping for a design that was more impressive. She asked if item 10 in the resolution regarding off-site shared parking was a condition of approval. Mr. Thomas responded that it was and that the hotel must maintain additional parking and that the applicant must provide a copy of the signed reciprocal parking agreement in order to obtain their Certificate of Occupancy. President Henneberry questioned how the hotel qualifies for the CEQA Infill Development Project exemption. Mr. Thomas explained that in order to qualify for that exemption the project must be consistent with the City's general plan, occur on a site less than five acres, surrounded by urban uses, and have no major environmental impacts. Since the project is in the business park and meets all of the requirements, it clearly qualifies for the urban infill exemption. He added that the entire business park has a full EIR conducted previously. The Board opened public comment. Mr. Michael McDonough, of the Alameda Chamber of Commerce, commended the Page 4 of 11 | PlanningBoard/2015-07-13.pdf |