Title
Recommendation to Accept the 2023 Annual Reports on the General Plan/Housing Element, Active Transportation Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan, Transportation Choices Plan, the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, and Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan.
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Determination: Endorsement of the Annual Reports is Statutorily Exempt from Environmental Review Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3). (Planning, Building, and Transportation 20962710, 20962743, 10062032)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The 2023 Annual Report (Exhibit 1) provides annual reports on the General Plan/Housing Element, Active Transportation Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan, Transportation Choices Plan, Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP), and Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan. These plans require annual reports that the City Council accepts each year.
The Annual Report shows City of Alameda (City) progress towards its goals as well as priority actions for the coming calendar year related to planning, housing, transportation, and climate. Staff provides these annual reports early in the spring of each year so the community and City Council can use the reports to inform Citywide budget decisions.
BACKGROUND
The following describes the Annual Reports:
General Plan Annual Report. Every city and county in California is required to adopt and maintain a General Plan establishing the local development and conservation policies necessary to guide physical development and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the community. The Annual Report on the General Plan provides an assessment of the City’s General Plan and progress made toward meeting the city’s regional housing need in 2023, the first year of the current 2023-2031 Housing Element planning period. This allows City Council to conduct its annual review as required by Government Code section 65400 et seq.
Transportation Annual Report. The Transportation Annual Report fulfills Active Transportation Plan (2022), Vision Zero Action Plan (2021), and Transportation Choices Plan (2018) requirements for an annual review of progress made toward meeting the City’s transportation goals. Transportation goals set by these plans include: enabling people of all ages and abilities to walk, use mobility devices, and bike to destinations; eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2035; providing for the mobility needs of the full diversity of Alameda community members; and improving alternatives to low occupancy automobile trips.
Climate Action and Resiliency Plan Annual Report. The CARP Annual Report fulfills the annual reporting requirement for the CARP (2019) as well as the Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan (2022). The goals of the CARP are reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 through transportation, building energy, carbon sequestration and waste reduction actions; increasing resiliency to flooding, drought, extreme heat, hazardous air quality and earthquakes; and building social resilience and local government capacity to address climate change. In addition to the numerical GHG reduction goal, the CARP aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions as soon as possible in accordance with Alameda’s Climate Emergency Declaration, which was passed in March 2019 by City Council. The Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan outlines the actions Alameda will take to reduce the impacts of natural and climate disasters on Alameda.
DISCUSSION
In 2023, the City made great strides on housing, transportation, and climate priorities, as outlined in Exhibit 1 with interactive links to easily navigate throughout the document.
General Plan and Housing 2023 Accomplishments & 2024 Work Plan
In 2023, the Planning Division accomplished the following:
• Expedited approval of a 23-lot tentative map to facilitate the 332 units for RESHAP and 478 units for West Midway at Alameda Point. 40% percent of all units will be affordable to very-low and low-income households.
• Processed a subdivision map for the Southshore shopping center to facilitate future housing development of outlaying parcels.
• Processed permits to facilitate Phase I of affordable housing at North Housing.
• Issued building permits for 141 new dwelling units, including 47 affordable housing units and 51 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
• Adopted revised Objective Design Review Standards adding more design criteria for new development in existing neighborhoods.
• Drafted a comprehensive rewrite of the Subdivision Ordinance.
The Planning Division’s 2024 Program Goals include starting work on:
• Inclusionary Housing Ordinance Update
• Short Term Rental Ordinance Study
• Universal Design Ordinance Update
• Drafts of Other Streamlining Zoning Text Amendments
• Implement Priority Processing for Streamlined/Exempt Approvals per State Law
See Exhibit 1, p. 1, for the General Plan & Housing Element Annual Report.
CARP 2023 Accomplishments & 2024 Work Plan
In 2023, staff across many departments implemented key CARP projects and programs. Notably, the Sustainability and Resilience Manager moved from the City Manager’s Office to the Planning, Building and Transportation Department where a new Sustainability and Resilience Division was created. A 60% project manager position was added to manage the adaptation projects and an AmeriCorps CivicSpark Fellow continues to assist the division for the third year.
Highlights of 2023 accomplishments include:
• City Council approved updating the City’s Zero Waste Implementation Plan and a mid-cycle update of CARP.
• Began implementation of the Equitable Building Decarbonization Plan.
• Installed 10 new charging ports at Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal.
• Began development of an Urban Forest Plan and tree protection ordinance.
• Added drought tolerant landscaping at City Hall and City Hall West.
• Began enforcement of the Disposable Food Ware Ordinance following a pause during the pandemic.
• OKAPI Reusables launched a reusable cup network in cafes across the city with the help of Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA).
• Opened a Compost Hub in collaboration with Farm2Market and Makerfarm on Alameda Point where members of the community can collect compost free of charge.
• Kicked off three sea level rise adaptation projects with the Oakland Alameda Adaptation Committee.
• Began development of De-Pave Park Master Plan.
In 2024, staff seeks to continue implementing a number of the projects initiated in 2023. CARP work plan priorities include:
• Complete a greenhouse gas (GHG) Inventory and Update of the CARP.
• Adopt Urban Forest Plan and begin implementation.
• Expand the publicly available EV charging network.
• Implement near term priorities of the Equitable Building Decarbonization Plan.
• Continue to implement SB 1383 and increase compost application citywide.
• Update Zero Waste Implementation Plan.
• Continue priority sea level rise adaptation projects:
o Sub-regional Long-term Adaptation Plan
o Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project
o Oakland-Alameda Estuary Adaptation Project
• Complete the De-Pave Park Master Plan.
See Exhibit 1, p. 19, for the CARP Annual Report.
Transportation 2023 Accomplishments & 2024 Work Plan
In 2023, the City achieved notable progress in delivering transportation safety projects. Key accomplishments include:
• Laid the groundwork for the Estuary Water Shuttle Service, including securing $2.5 million in funding and working with partners to purchase a boat.
• Increased the City’s Free Bus Pass program for low-income seniors and people with disabilities by 140%, with 800 passholders taking 14,000 bus boardings per month.
• City Council approved design concepts for crucial safety improvement projects on High Injury Corridors or with High Crash Intersections, including the Lincoln Ave/Marshall Way/Pacific Ave Corridor Safety Improvement Project, Grand St Safety Improvements, and Clement Ave Extension/Tilden Way.
• Safety improvements were made to 20 intersections and 3.4 miles of roadway. This included a road diet extension on Main St, speed humps on Orion St, new complete Streets open in the Alameda Point Adaptive Reuse area, Caltrans’ road diet and bike lanes on Encinal Ave, and more.
• Removed over 4,000 sidewalk tripping hazards (e.g., cracks and tree root uplifts).
• Made substantial progress on the Project Initial Document (PID) for the Oakland Alameda Estuary Bridge.
• Launched the Fatal Crash Response program that installs quick-build infrastructure improvements at sites, where appropriate, and provides transparent information to the public.
• Made substantial progress on planning and design for capital projects like Clement Ave, Cross Alameda Trail signal improvements, Central Ave, and more.
In 2024, transportation staff will undertake the following:
• Cross Alameda Trail construction, including traffic signal improvements, Clement Ave improvements, the Clement Ave Extension/Tilden Way project, and new trail connectors in Jean Sweeney Open Space Park. Construction has already begun on the signal improvements and Clement project.
• Begin construction on the Central Ave Safety Project, which won $15 million in grant funds, as well as the Grand St project from Shore Line to Otis Dr.
• Construct pavement resurfacing and safety improvements on selected streets in eastern Alameda, such as Central Ave, High St, and San Antonio Ave.
• Complete construction on sections of Pan Am Way and West Midway Ave, finishing Phase I of the Alameda Point Adaptive Reuse Project.
• Begin converting at least one Slow Street to a Neighborhood Greenway.
• Restripe Webster St and Park St and install decorative concrete barricades and new curb zones.
• Begin major upgrades to the Civic Center Parking Structure.
• Launch paid parking at the Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal and/or Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal.
See Exhibit 1, p. 65, for the Transportation Annual Report. The updated Transportation Capital Projects map is Exhibit 2.
2023 Transportation Challenges & Constraints
In response to Bike Walk Alameda’s letters raising concerns about City delays in implementing last year’s Transportation Work Plan, the following describes the challenges faced by the City in 2023, such as staff vacancies, hiring difficulties, external agency reviews, and funding issues, as well as the City’s plan to make progress in 2024.
Exhibit 3 contains a memo providing status updates for each project mentioned in recent Bike Walk Alameda letters.
Addressing staffing challenges. Despite multiple recruitment efforts, in 2023, the transportation team faced significant staffing shortages, with up to five engineering vacancies in the Public Works Department and a deficit in the Transportation Planning Manager position. However, 2024 started with the successful recruitment of four new engineers. The remaining recruitment is ongoing with the final engineering position primarily focused in the stormwater division. On February 20, 2024, City Council approved a mid-year budget adjustment to correct a Transportation Planning Division deficit and enable hiring a Senior Management Analyst in spring 2024. Staffing levels are now considered sufficient to effectively move priority projects forward.
Pivots requiring extra time. The City shifted its efforts to meet changing project priorities in 2023. For instance, the Central Avenue Safety Improvement Project received funding for a third roundabout and flood management elements, necessitating additional design time. The Grand Street project underwent an additional design, community engagement, and approval process. Lessons learned from this project prompted staff to undertake a full planning process for Fernside Boulevard prior to including street reconfigurations with needed pavement management. The Estuary Water Shuttle pilot project unexpectedly required purchasing a boat to meet program needs.
External agency reviews. Both the Central Ave and Grand Ave projects are currently under Caltrans review. Despite City staff’s close engagement with Caltrans, this state department’s approval process and timeline are beyond the City's control. Once approved, the projects will be prepared for bid and assuming a successful bid process without protest, brought to City Council for approval. The Clement Ave Extension/Tilden Way project is currently seeking approval for its soil remediation plan from the California Department of Toxic Substance Control, which is another state department with lengthy review times.
Increasing construction costs. The Construction Cost Index has increased by over 10% per year for the past three years and recent bids are coming in higher than originally estimated. Recently, low bids for the Signal and Pedestrian Improvements (Highway Safety Improvement Project) at Santa Clara Ave at Grand St; Otis Dr at Willow St; Otis Drive at Park St; and Fernside Blvd at San Jose Ave, came in nearly 40% over the engineer’s estimate and the Webster Street Commercial Corridor Striping Project came in at more than 50% over the engineer’s estimate.
Upcoming Mid-Cycle Budget Request
Looking ahead, the City acknowledges that not all projects are fully funded due to the unpredictability of securing grant funding. For instance, the Lincoln Ave/Marshall Way/Pacific Ave improvements, approved in 2023, lack construction funding after a $20 million grant application was unsuccessful. With staffing stabilized, the focus in 2024 will be on pursuit of funding opportunities for this and other large-scale safety improvement projects.
The City is facing capital funding challenges to implement the work proposed in the 2024 Work Plan due to rising construction costs and the identification of quick-build improvements by the Vision Zero Fatal Crash Response program. To address these issue, a budget amendment proposal is planned for the mid-cycle budget update to secure funding for specific pedestrian improvements, street safety projects, and potential contingencies for existing projects like Central Avenue and Safe Routes to School.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may:
• Review, comment on, and accept the reports and associated priorities.
• Recommend revisions to one or more of the reports and associated priorities.
• Request more time to review the reports before commenting.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Acceptance of the annual reports have no financial impact. The recommended priority actions led by the City are designed to be accomplished within existing or anticipated budgets. Final budget decisions on specific programs and capital projects are made by City Council as part of the budgeting process.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
An annual review of the General Plan, Active Transportation Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan, Transportation Choices Plan, CARP, and Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan are required by the respective plans. Undertaking the annual reports is consistent with the City's General Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Endorsement of the annual reports is statutorily exempt from environmental review under CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the general rule that CEQA only applies to actions that have the potential to cause a significant impact on the environment.
CLIMATE IMPACT
These planning documents support improvements transportation, energy and water efficiencies, carbon sequestration, and waste reduction to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and also will improve the resiliency to the impacts of climate change.
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the 2023 Annual Reports on the General Plan/Housing Element, Active Transportation Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan, Transportation Choices Plan, the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, and Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Respectfully submitted,
Allen Tai, Planning, Building and Transportation Director
By,
Steve Buckley, Planning Services Manager
Lisa Foster, Acting Transportation Planning Manager
Nancy McPeak, Executive Assistant
Danielle Mieler, Sustainability and Resilience Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. 2023 Annual Reports
2. Transportation Capital Projects Map
3. Response to Bike Walk Alameda Correspondence
cc: Erin Smith, Public Works Director
Robert Vance, Deputy Public Works Director