Title
Public Hearing to Consider Endorsing: 1) an Annual Report on the Status of the General Plan and Housing Element, and 2) an Annual Report on the Status of the Transportation Choices Plan and Associated Work Program Priorities. [Consideration of an Annual Report is exempt from review under California Environmental Quality Act (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.] (Planning Building & Transportation 481005)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Amy Wooldridge, Interim City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Every city and county in the State of California is required to adopt and maintain an up-to-date General Plan, which establishes the local development and conservation policies necessary to guide physical development and protect the general health, safety and welfare of the community. Government Code § 65400 et seq. also requires that the City of Alameda (City) annually review the adequacy of the General Plan and progress made toward meeting the City’s regional housing needs allocation (the RHNA). The annual report on the status of the General Plan and Housing Element (Exhibit 1) provides an assessment of the City’s General Plan, a status report on progress made in 2018 toward meeting the City’s regional housing need, and priority setting recommendations for General Plan and Zoning Code amendments in 2019 and 2020.
In 2018, the City Council adopted a citywide Transportation Choices Plan, which establishes 39 priority projects and programs to improve transportation services and facilities in Alameda over the next 10 to 15 years. The Transportation Choices Plan requires an annual review of progress made toward meeting the City’s transportation improvement needs. The attached annual report on the status of the Transportation Choices Plan (Exhibit 2) provides an overview of work completed in 2018 and priority setting recommendations for 2019 and 2020.
The General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report was reviewed and endorsed by the City’s Planning Board on February 25, 2019. The Transportation Choices Plan Annual Report was reviewed and endorsed by the City’s Transportation Commission on February 27, 2019.
Staff is recommending that the City Council review and endorse both Annual Reports and their associated work plan priorities for the next two years.
BACKGROUND
Alameda’s land use and transportation policies, plans, issues and challenges are inextricably linked. Every land use and development decision made by staff, Planning Board or City Council requires a careful evaluation of transportation impacts and implications. In Alameda, every major development approved by the City is required to fund transportation improvements and facilities, and every major building permit pays a transportation impact fee that pays for specific transportation system improvements to address existing and future transportation system deficiencies.
Despite its island geography, Alameda is not immune to the challenges that are facing the larger Bay Area region. The affordable housing crises, homelessness, and climate change are regional issues that are also impacting the quality of life in Alameda. Likewise, with its limited roadway, bicycle, and pedestrian links to Oakland and the larger region, Alameda’s transportation network is extremely sensitive to regional congestion and any existing design or capacity deficiencies with the limited roadways, transit lanes, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes that connect Alameda to Oakland and the larger region.
Despite these challenges and problems, Alameda has been largely successful in preserving a high quality of life for its residents and businesses. This success may be attributed to active community involvement in planning, transportation and development decisions and careful planning and decision making by Alameda’s elected and appointed officials and decision makers.
DISCUSSION
As the City looks to the future and the planning and transportation challenges that must be overcome, it is important to annually review the status of the existing General Plan and the City’s transportation improvement plans, projects, and programs. These annual reviews should assess what has been accomplished in the past year and establish community priorities for the next year.
General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report and Work Plan Priorities (Exhibit 1): The General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report provides an assessment of the City’s General Plan and progress made toward meeting the City’s housing goals. The annual report finds that:
• Land use, affordable housing, open space, and climate change need to be addressed more fully in the General Plan, and
• The City has been taking appropriate actions to achieve its 8-year regional housing need for 1,723 housing units, but the new housing stock will not adequately meet the housing needs of moderate-, low-, very low-, and extremely low-income households and individuals.
The annual report recommends that in the next two years, the City Council, in partnership with the Planning Board and Alameda community, prioritize the following General Plan updates:
The Land Use Element Update: The Land Use Element needs to be updated to address the following community priorities and issues:
Elderly and Homeless Housing and Services: With the worsening statewide and local housing crises and the increasing need for housing for the elderly and services and facilities for the homeless, the General Plan should be amended to establish better citywide policies and appropriate locations for senior housing, permanent supportive housing, and homeless services and shelters. Concurrent with the work to update the General Plan, the Planning Board, staff, and community should be drafting related Zoning Amendments to amend the citywide residential and commercial district regulations to address appropriate locations and requirements for senior restricted or assisted housing, co-living/cooperative living facilities, temporary warming centers for the homeless, permanent support housing, and shelters and facilities for the homeless.
Affordable “Work Force” and Middle Income Housing: Housing that is affordable to the average working family is a significant need in Alameda. Although the Housing Element provides some policy support for actions to support this need, a more comprehensive policy framework would be important to support any future ordinances or adjustments to existing ordinances and/or fees to encourage and facilitate the provision of work force housing. Concurrently, the City should be reviewing local zoning codes and the costs to build housing in Alameda and consider how these codes and costs support or obstruct the provision of different types of housing that might be desired in Alameda. Concurrently, the City should be working on zoning amendments to implement objective standards for residential development in response to changes to State Housing laws in 2017, which will streamline, improve, and reduce the cost of the residential design review process in Alameda.
Climate Change Update: The City is currently working on a citywide Climate Action Plan update, and it is important to ensure that the General Plan includes the necessary framework of policies to support implementation of Climate Action Plan implementation strategies and new state and regional objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Parks and Recreation Element Update: The Parks and Recreation Element needs to be updated to recognize recently constructed parks at Jean Sweeney Open Space and Estuary Park and the new planned parks at Alameda Point and along the Northern Waterfront. A comprehensive update should address recent community discussions regarding site specific development proposals and adjacent neighborhood requests for more open space zoning and parks.
Planning Board Review: On February 25, 2019, the Planning Board endorsed the Annual Report and recommended the following housing priorities for the next year, in order of importance:
1) Continue to expedite the review of projects that include affordable and special needs housing.
2) Continue to review local zoning codes to ensure that local codes and fees are not a constraint on new affordable housing development and explore new funding sources for affordable housing.
3) Continue to improve transportation facilities and services to support additional housing and improve existing transportation deficiencies.
4) Complete zoning amendments to support supportive housing, homeless shelters and services, and senior assisted living projects.
5) Complete Zoning amendments to approve new “objective design standards” for new housing to expedite and streamline the residential design review process.
Transportation Choices Plan Annual Report (Exhibit 2): The Transportation Choices Plan Annual report provides an assessment of the City’s work over the last year to improve transportation services and facilities in Alameda. To improve transportation services in Alameda and accommodate population and employment growth as the result of land use decisions and housing development, the annual report recommends that in the next two years, the City Council, in partnership with the Transportation Commission and community, prioritize the following transportation projects and programs for 2019 and 2020:
More Bus Service: Provide more frequent bus service between Alameda Point and Downtown Oakland. Identify funding for a new “Cross Alameda” bus route between Alameda Point and the east end of Alameda. Expand citywide Alameda County Transit (AC Transit) EasyPass program. Develop design for the Appezzato Parkway bus lanes or bus queue jump lanes.
More Ferry Service: Complete construction of the Seaplane Lagoon ferry terminal and begin additional ferry services in 2020. Replace the Main Street ferry terminal float and begin work on a long-term plan for Main Street terminal improvements. Implement a parking management plan for ferry terminals.
Active Transportation Plan: Complete the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Update.
Broadway and Jackson Freeway Improvements: Complete design work with Oakland, Caltrans and Alameda County Transportation Commission for improvements to Broadway and Jackson I-880 ramps.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Estuary Crossing: Complete feasibility studies with Caltrans and Oakland for a bicycle and pedestrian crossing from West Alameda to Oakland’s Jack London Square including studies for a bridge, a gondola, a water shuttle, and an additional path through the Webster Tube.
Cross Alameda Trail: Complete construction of the Cross Alameda Trail between Alameda Point and Jean Sweeney Park, approve the final design and begin construction of the Trail improvements on Clement Avenue between Grand Street and Broadway, and approve the final design for the Trail between Broadway and Miller Sweeney Bridge.
Central Avenue Improvements: Complete the study of four design options for the Webster Street/Central Avenue area and approve the final design for safety improvements on Central Avenue from Alameda Point to Sherman Street. The options to study include: 1) Sharrows and Traffic Calming (Four Lanes Remain); 2) Sharrows and Bike Lane (Four Lanes East/Three Lanes West); 3) Continuous Bike Lane (Three Lanes); and 4) Two-way Bikeway (Three Lanes).
Otis Drive Improvements: Approve the final design for Otis Drive traffic calming between Westline Drive and Willow Street and initiate high priority, low cost calming strategies.
Main Street: Complete Main Street restriping and bike lane safety improvements between the ferry terminal and Pacific Avenue.
Encinal Avenue: Restripe and improve State Route 61 (Encinal Avenue) between Sherman Street and Broadway.
Shared Mobility: Develop a shared electric scooter and shared electric bicycle permit program. Extend Gig Car Share pilot and evaluate in 2020.
Transportation Awareness: Disseminate information to improve citywide awareness of transportation options. Continue bicycle safety education programs.
Taking Care of the Facilities: Repave 10 miles of streets and trails, repair 4 miles of sidewalks, upgrade 10 signals, and install 50 bicycle racks and 10 bus benches.
Transportation Commission Review: On February 27, 2019, the Transportation Commission endorsed the Annual Report and recommended the following changes for next year’s Annual Report:
1) Establish a stronger benchmarking or monitoring procedure to facilitate and inform the evaluation of specific improvements and programs.
2) Provide more information on program and project costs to inform better decision making and priority setting.
3) Ensure that all modes of transportation are being addressed by the City’s Transportation Plan.
4) Provide a spreadsheet or table that provides an easy to read progress report or status of each project and program in the Transportation Plan.
5) Ensure that the Miller Sweeney Bridge lifeline improvements are a top priority for funding and grant applications.
6) Continue to explore all possible options for improving bicycle and pedestrian crossing of the Estuary including, a bridge, a gondola, a water shuttle, and an additional path through Webster Tube.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Endorsement of both annual reports will have no impact on the General Fund. The recommended priority actions are designed to be accomplished within existing (or anticipated) approved budgets and with existing (or anticipated) funding sources, where the City is the lead agency. Final budget decisions on specific programs and capital projects will be made by the City Council when it approves the Biennial Budget and Capital Improvement Program. Endorsement of a work priority in the Annual Report does not predetermine or obligate the City Council to make a particular funding decision when it adopts the citywide Budget and Capital Improvement Program.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
An annual review of the General Plan and Housing Element is required by State Government Code Section 65400 and by Housing Element policy.
An annual review of the Transportation Choices Plan is required by the plan itself. All of the priority actions recommended for 2019 and 2020 are listed projects in the Transportation Choices Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Review of an Annual Report is statutorily exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3), the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public hearing and endorse by motion the General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report (Exhibit 1) and the Transportation Choices Plan Annual Report (Exhibit 2) and the associated work priorities for 2019 and 2020.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Thomas, Acting Planning Building and Transportation Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. General Plan Annual Report
2. Transportation Annual Report