Title
Hold a Public Hearing to Consider Site A Neighborhood Park Design Review Application
Body
To: President and
Members of the Planning Board
From: Andrew Thomas, Assistant Community Development Director
Jennifer Ott, Base Reuse Director
Re: Hold a Public Hearing to Consider Site A Neighborhood Park Design Review Application
BACKGROUND
In June 2015, the City Council unanimously approved the Site A Development Plan for a 68-acre area within Alameda Point that extends generally from the Main Street entrance to Alameda Point to the Seaplane Lagoon and the eastern edge of the Naval Air Station Alameda Historic District (Historic District).
Since the City Council action on the Development Plan, the Planning Board and the project proponent, Alameda Point Partners (APP), and its team of architects and design professionals have completed Design Review for Block 11, Block 8 and the Phase 1 Waterfront Park approved on March 14, 2016, Design Review for Blocks 6, 7, and 10 and a use permit for Block 10 approved on June 27, 2016, and the Tentative Map for Phase 1 of Site A approved on July 11, 2016.
At this time, staff is recommending that the Planning Board review and approve the Design Review application and conditions of approval for the Neighborhood Park (Exhibits 1 and 2).
DISCUSSION
The 14.8 acres of parks within Site A are comprised of three “park districts”: the “Neighborhood Park District”, the “Waterfront Park District”, and the “Urban Park District”, and each district is designed to provide a range of public open spaces and park facilities. The Neighborhood Park emphasizes active recreational and community uses adjacent to primarily residential areas, such as children’s play areas and “tot lots”, a basketball half-court, and other neighborhood and community serving open space and recreational facilities. In contrast, the Waterfront Park District emphasizes spaces for passive recreation and access to the water, waterfront promenades, water viewing areas, seating areas, and gathering spaces. The Urban Park District emphasizes public spaces adjacent to and within an urban commercial fabric, including an emphasis on outdoor cafés, restaurants, seating areas, and similar public spaces in and around retail areas.
The 1.35-acre Neighborhood Park (Exhibit 1) is designed to meet primarily the needs of the residential community within Site A consistent with the community’s design objectives established by the Alameda community through the Community Reuse Plan, the General Plan, the Town Center Plan, and the Site A Development Plan. The Neighborhood Park provides a variety of public spaces for both active and community recreational opportunities with a focus on the needs of residents in Site A and Alameda Point neighborhood populations, including families. The Neighborhood Park includes active spaces for playground facilities with thematic play structures, a basketball half-court, a game area with chess/checker tables and outdoor table tennis, a bicycle trail, and an outdoor fitness area, and less structured community spaces, including a large-scale central lawn for community events and gatherings, picnic and fixed seating areas, and a smaller lawn space with “wave” landforms.
The park features a low water, relatively low maintenance, Bay Friendly landscape plan. The park will be maintained by the Recreation and Park Department and will be revenue- neutral to the City’s General Fund per the Site A Disposition and Development Agreement with the City. Landscape and equipment specifications will be reviewed and approved by the Recreation and Park Department Director prior to construction.
Based on the submitted plans, staff is recommending approval of the design review for the Neighborhood Park.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
On February 4, 2014, the City of Alameda certified the Alameda Point Final EIR in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Final EIR evaluated the environmental impacts of redevelopment and reuse of the lands at Alameda Point consistent with the Town Center Plan, which included Site A. No further review is required for this review of the Neighbor Park design.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public hearing and approve a Resolution approving the Neighborhood Park Design Review.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Thomas, Assistant Community Development Director
Jennifer Ott, Base Reuse Director
Exhibits:
1. Neighborhood Park Design Review Plans
2. Draft Resolution