Title
Public Hearing to Consider an Amendment to the Bayport/Alameda Landing Master Plan to allow for a Maritime Commercial and Residential Mixed Use Development Plan on the Alameda Landing Waterfront. A Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report for the Alameda Landing Mixed Use Development Project was certified in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (State Clearinghouse #2006012091) in 2006. An Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Master Plan Amendment has been prepared.
Body
To: President and
Members of the Planning Board
From: Andrew Thomas, Assistant Community Development Director
Date: June 12, 2017
Public Hearing to Consider an Amendment to the Bayport/Alameda Landing Master Plan to allow for a Maritime Commercial and Residential Mixed Use Development Plan on the Alameda Landing Waterfront. A Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report for the Alameda Landing Mixed Use Development Project was certified in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (State Clearinghouse #2006012091) in 2006. An Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Master Plan Amendment has been prepared.
BACKGROUND
The proposed project is a Master Plan amendment to facilitate the preparation, review and approval of a mixed use development plan for approximately 39 acres of land located along the Alameda-Oakland Estuary, described in this report as the “Alameda Landing Waterfront”. The 39-acre site is the last piece of the 215 acres of former federal land comprising Naval Air Station Alameda East Housing and the Fleet Industrial Supply Center (FISC). The Waterfront property is located on the former FISC, which was conveyed to the City via special Federal legislation in 1999. In 2002, the City conveyed the land to the former Community Improvement Commission (CIC), now the Successor Agency.
In 2000, the City Council adopted a mixed use Master Plan and Development Agreement, and the CIC approved a Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) with the Catellus Development Corporation (“Catellus”) for the future transfer of the land to Catellus in phases for redevelopment of the Bayport neighborhood and the 77-acre Alameda Landing property. The 2000 Master Plan called for 1.3 million square feet of employment uses, approximately 586 housing units (Bayport), a school (Ruby Bridges School) and a waterfront park.
In 2006, at Catellus’ request, the City Council/CIC approved a series of amendments to the Master Plan a new and restated DDA and two new Development Agreements for the project. The 2006 amendments revised the land use program for the 77-acre Alameda Landing property from the 1.3 million square feet of employment uses to allow for 300 housing units, 300,000 square feet of retail, and 390,000 square feet of waterfront office/commercial, 10,000 square feet of waterfront retail, and a 20,000 square foot waterfront health club and an 8-acre public waterfront park. The 2006 Bayport/Alameda Landing Master Plan is available for review on the City website at: <https://alamedaca.gov/planning/major-planning-projects>.
In 2012 and 2013, the Planning Board approved the Development Plan and Design Review plans for the 291,000 square foot Alameda Landing shopping center and the adjacent 287 residential unit Tri Pointe neighborhood. The Target store opened in October 2013, and the balance of the retail center opened in 2015. Construction is currently underway on the last phase of the Tri Pointe neighborhood.
In 2016, Catellus approached the City of Alameda with a proposal to modify the development plans for the final phase of the Master Plan to allow residential use on the waterfront. On May 23, 2016, the Planning Board held an initial workshop to review a plan for 425 residential units on the waterfront. At the workshop, City staff recommended, and the Planning Board agreed, that there should be more commercial and employment uses in the plan. On February 27, 2017, the Planning Board reviewed a second proposal from Catellus that included 445 housing units, 25,000 square feet of ground floor retail and office uses, and a small maritime commercial warehouse. Again, staff identified, and the Planning Board supported, the need for more commercial space.
Since the February 2017 Planning Board meeting, Catellus has been working with Bay Ship and Yacht to develop a maritime commercial and residential mixed use plan for the site. The proposed Master Plan amendment described below allows for a maritime commercial and residential mixed use plan for the final phase of the Bayport/Alameda Landing Master Plan to be developed consistent with the goals of the MX zoning.
ANALYSIS
Project Description: The 2006 Master Plan establishes Sub Area Development Programs for each phase of the Master Plan. For the 39-acre Waterfront property, the Master Plan provides for:
• 31 acres of commercial development, including 390,000 square feet of employment, office, business, research and development and other non-residential uses, a 20,000 square foot-health club/fitness facility, and 10,000 square feet of ground floor waterfront retail, and
• Eight (8) acres of public waterfront park with ferry/water shuttle landing and kayak launch at the foot of 5th Street.
The proposed Master Plan amendment (Exhibit 1) allows for the development of the 39 acres as follows:
• 17 acres of maritime commercial and light manufacturing uses in 364,000 square feet of existing waterfront warehouses adjacent to Bay Ship and Yacht;
• 4.5 acres of public waterfront park with ferry/water shuttle landing and kayak launch at the foot of 5th Street, a one (1) acre “buffer” greenbelt separating the residential from the maritime commercial uses; and a 1.3 acre greenbelt along the existing segment of Mitchell Avenue; and
• 15.3 acres of residential uses.
The following table enumerates how the Master Plan amendment would change the ultimate build-out of the Alameda Landing property as compared to the expectations of the 2006 Master Plan and 2006 Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
Alameda Landing Build-out
|
|
2006 Master Plan and EIR Build-Out |
Proposed Build-Out |
|
Office |
390,000 sq. ft. office with 10,000 sq. ft. retail |
6,700 sq. ft. |
|
Maritime Commercial |
0 |
364,000 sq. ft. |
|
Health Club |
20,000 sq. ft. |
0 |
|
Shopping Center/Retail |
300,000 sq. ft. |
296,000 sq. ft. |
|
Residential |
300 units |
600-700 units |
Environmental Impacts: On December 5, 2006, the City Council certified the Final Environmental Impact Report for the Alameda Landing Mixed Use Development Project (a Supplement to the 2000 Catellus Mixed Use Development Project EIR) in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
To ensure that the proposed Maritime Commercial and Residential development of the property would not result in any new or more severe environmental impacts than those anticipated with the 2006 Master Plan land use program, staff retained a consultant to prepare an Environmental Assessment of the proposal (Exhibit 2). The Environmental Assessment concludes that, provided that a trip cap is instituted on the future residential development plan, the maritime-residential land use program will not result in any new or more severe environmental impacts than were disclosed in the 2006 EIR. The trip cap and the necessary procedure to ensure that the future residential development plan does not violate the cap is included in the Master Plan amendment. The proposed procedure allows the Planning Board and staff to verify that the proposed housing mix does not exceed the remaining trip “budget” established by Master Plan Amendment, which is based upon the trip assumptions in the 2006 EIR for the development.
Maritime Commercial Use: The proposed Master Plan amendment reserves approximately 17 acres for expansion of Alameda's maritime commercial sector by making 364,000 square feet of existing waterfront warehouses and approximately 1,555 feet of existing concrete wharf available for expansion of Bay Ship and Yacht and its tenants.
To accommodate the maritime commercial land use, the Master Plan amendment relieves the Maritime commercial portion of the property from the obligation to provide waterfront public open space in front of the Maritime Commercial warehouses and view corridors through the property to the water. For security and safety reasons, the commercial maritime area would be fenced, which would prohibit public access along the wharf. The amendment states that if the maritime commercial area is redeveloped in the future with new construction, then at that time, the original requirements for waterfront open space and view corridors will be reinstated.
To minimize conflicts between the maritime commercial uses and the adjacent residential uses, the amendment requires a fifty (50)-foot wide setback buffer and fence between the uses.
Residential Use and Open Space: The proposed Master Plan amendment allows for approximately 15 acres of residential development and approximately seven (7) acres of open space, 4.5 acres of which would be along the waterfront in front of the residential lands. The amendment also ensures that the waterfront park plan is approved prior to, or concurrent with, approval of any residential plan, that the park plan has a construction schedule ensuring completion of the public park improvements concurrent with the residential development, and that the park plans include a public plaza at the foot of 5th Street activated by a minimum of 5,000 square feet of ground floor or free-standing commercial uses and a public water shuttle dock and kayak launch.
The Master Plan amendment allows the future home builder to determine the appropriate mix of housing types (e.g., single family, townhomes, apartments), but the amendment ensures that the total number and mix of units does not violate the trip cap and does not include more than 30% single family detached homes.
Affordable Housing and Universal Design: The Master Plan amendment ensures that:
• The residential project complies with the City of Alameda Inclusionary Housing Ordinance;
• At least 10% of the market rate units will be 1,200 square feet or less to be more affordable to middle income households; and
• At least 15% of the units will be universally designed, consistent with the conditions imposed on the most recently approved townhome and single family detached developments at Marina Shores and 2100 Clement Avenue.
Transportation: The amendment includes provisions that:
• Ensure that the residential development, which will be the final phase developed under the Bayport/Alameda Landing Master Plan does not exceed the number of vehicle trips anticipated and disclosed in the 2006 SEIR;
• Ensure that the residential development provides vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian access along the Mitchell Avenue right-of-way to the future parking lot planned as part of the City’s Estuary Park, which is currently under construction;
• Ensure that the residential development preserves public access easement corridors for future use for a bicycle, pedestrian, and/or transit tube or bridge across the Estuary to Oakland within the 75-foot wide 5th Street corridor and along the 50-foot wide buffer area.
• Allow single family homes and attached townhomes to have private two-car garages. Flats (single story apartments or condominiums) may have 1.5 parking spaces.
• Establish per-unit annual TDM fees comparable to other projects approved by the City since 2006 (e.g. Marina Shores, 2100 Clement, and Del Monte), which are higher than the fees established for the original Alameda Landing project in 2006.
Conclusion: Staff believes that the proposed Master Plan amendment meets the goals and objectives of the MX zoning by including a mix of uses that will expand the City’s maritime industry while providing new residential development that meets the needs of a range of household incomes. In addition, a 4.5 acre public waterfront promenade is retained, along with the water shuttle dock and kyak launch. Therefore, staff recommends that the Planning Board recommend to the City Council approval of the Master Plan amendment.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
On December 5, 2006, the City Council certified the Final Environmental Impact Report for the Alameda Landing Mixed Use Development Project (a Supplement to the 2000 Catellus Mixed Use Development Project EIR) in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (State Clearinghouse #2006012091). The City has prepared several addenda to the 2006 SEIR.
An Environmental Assessment has been prepared for the proposed Master Plan amendment (Exhibit 2). The Environmental Assessment concludes that, provided that the trip cap established by the Master Plan is maintained, the adoption and implementation of the Master Plan amendment will not result in any new or more severe environmental impacts than were disclosed in the 2006 EIR.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public hearing and recommend by motion that the City Council adopt Bayport/ Alameda Landing Master Plan Amendment (Exhibit 1) and Environmental Assessment (Exhibit 2).
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Thomas, Assistant Community Development Director
Exhibits:
1. Proposed Master Plan Amendment text
2. Environmental Assessment