Title
Recommendation to Accept the 2025 Annual Reports on the Alameda 2040 General Plan/Housing Element, Transportation Choices Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan, Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, and Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan. CEQA Determination: Acceptance of the annual reports is statutorily exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
Body
To: President Cisneros and Members of the Planning Board
From: Allen Tai, Planning, Building & Transportation Director
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report addresses the annual reports on the General Plan / Housing Element (2022), Active Transportation Plan (2022), Vision Zero Action Plan (2021), Transportation Choices Plan (2018), Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (2025), and Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan (2023).
These documents show City progress towards its goals as well as priority actions for the coming year. The plans require the preparation of annual reports to City Council as well as the Planning Board or Transportation Commission each year. These documents serve as the annual report for all these plans.
Staff provides these annual reports early in the spring of each year so that the community and City Council can use the annual reports to inform citywide budget and Capital Improvement Program decisions.
BACKGROUND
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. The General Plan should be an “integrated, internally consistent and compatible statement of policies for the adopting agency.” (Gov. Code, § 65300.5.) Government Code section 65400 et seq. 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 (RHNA).
The Annual Report on the General Plan describes the current status of the General Plan and progress towards meeting the City’s RHNA over the past year. The report identifies priorities for the upcoming year to better achieve General Plan and Housing Element objectives and regional housing obligations (Exhibit 1).
The Transportation 2025 Annual Report and 2026 Work Plan (Exhibit 2) fulfills Vision Zero Action Plan, Active Transportation Plan, and Transportation Choices Plan requirements for an annual review of progress made toward meeting the City’s transportation goals. Goals set by these plans include: eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2035; enabling people of all ages and abilities to walk, use mobility devices, and bike to destinations; providing for the mobility needs of the full diversity of Alameda community members; and improving alternatives to low occupancy automobile trips. This report represents the work of staff in several departments, primarily transportation planners in the Planning, Building, and Transportation department and engineers in Public Works.
The CARP 2025 Annual Report and 2026 Work Plan (Exhibit 3) shows City progress towards its climate mitigation and adaptation goals as well as priority actions for the coming year, and also serves as the annual report for the Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan, which is an appendix to CARP and the General Plan. The goals of the CARP are to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation, buildings, solid waste, and water in line with local and State targets; increase community resilience to the impacts of climate change and natural hazards, inspire he community to participate in climate action and resilience efforts and for the City of Alameda to lead by example by aligning resources and working collaboratively to implement CARP. CARP aims to reduce GHG emissions 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2045. 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
General Plan / Housing Element Highlights
In 2025, broader economic conditions continued to impact the local housing market, resulting in very limited housing development activity. The City made only moderate progress toward its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) goals outlined in the Alameda 2040 General Plan Housing Element. Measured by the number of building permits issued, progress remains slow, with only 663 building permits issued to date, far short of the 5,353 units required by 2031. Highlights of the City’s efforts to facilitate housing construction in 2025 include (Exhibit 1):
• Approved planning entitlements for 356 units at Mariner Square Loop and Design Review for 166 affordable units at RESHAP and 284 townhouse units at W. Midway.
• Issued building permits for 65 new dwelling units, including 52 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). Of the total building permits issued for new units, 32 of the units were designated as Low- and Very Low-Income housing, consisting of 30 affordable ADUs and 2 deed-restricted very-low income townhomes.
• Developed a streamlined submission and review process for ADU pre-approval in compliance with AB 1332, intended to improve efficiency in building permit processing for ADU projects.
• Updated the Universal Design Ordinance to incorporate requirements for new townhome projects; revisions took effect in July 2025.
• Advanced work on the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, including workshop sessions with the Planning Board (November) and City Council (December).
• Continued development of the Short-Term Rental Ordinance, with a Planning Board workshop session held in April 2025.
Permit Streamlining
In 2025, the Department also strengthened its core permitting functions to ensure projects could move forward efficiently and safely while maintaining high standards of customer service. The Permit Center handled more than 8,500 phone calls and nearly 21,000 emails, reflecting the community’s reliance on timely and responsive customer support. Staff processed 4,525 permits and completed over 30,500 building inspections, ensuring projects moved forward while maintaining building safety and compliance. To further accelerate approvals, the Permit Center introduced a new Express Permits permit track, streamlining nearly 60 percent of the Department’s permitting volume on routine building improvements and expanding staff capacity to process housing related permits more quickly. In addition, the Department broadened its pool of plan check consultants, creating greater flexibility and reducing review times, which shortened the permitting process by up to 30 days in some cases. Despite limited staffing for much of the year, the Code Enforcement team responded to 577 cases and conducted 1,106 inspections, responding to a wide range of issues, from unpermitted construction to quality-of-life concerns. These efforts reflect the Department’s ongoing commitment to efficiency, safety, and community standards, all of which are essential to meeting the City’s housing goals.
In 2026, Planning staff is focused on several key initiatives, including completing the Inclusionary Ordinance Update, adopting a Short-Term Rental Ordinance, and updating the Zoning Ordinance. Beginning in February, staff will launch a collaborative effort with the Alameda business community to revise the Commercial Zoning District regulations, ensuring they better align with current business needs. Additionally, staff will propose cleanup amendments to the Zoning Ordinance to maintain compliance with rapidly evolving state housing laws.
Transportation Plan Report Highlights
In 2025, the City achieved notable progress on transportation projects and programs. Key accomplishments are below (see Exhibit 2 for a full list).
• Constructed the first Neighborhood Greenway on Pacific Avenue from Lafayette Street to Oak Street. Improvements include speed humps, new stop signs, painted curb extensions, new crosswalk and bikeway striping, and a neighborhood traffic circle at Chestnut Avenue.
• Launched a citywide mobile parking payment system, modernizing parking system for surface lots and meters.
• Repaired sidewalks at 8,000 locations, including 36,400 square feet of sidewalk replacement and 7,600 trip hazards removed.
• Held a successful annual Alameda Bike Festival at Paden Elementary School, with hundreds of people participating in activities like free bike repair, helmet fitting and giveaways, bicycle education classes, and more.
• Constructed Alameda’s first roundabouts on Central Avenue, making substantial progress on the corridor project. Thanks to the patience and cooperation from residents and visitors on Central Avenue, the project is ahead of schedule and on track for completion in 2026.
2026 will be a year of continued project construction in Alameda. When complete, these projects represent major investment in safety and quality of life for residents and visitors in Alameda. Highlights of the draft 2026 transportation work plan include:
• The Cross Alameda Trail will be completed in 2026, with final segments at Clement Ave Extension/Tilden Way and the Clement Avenue extension between Ohlone Avenue and Grand Street both on track to finish in 2026.
• Pavement management will bring opportunities for safety and multi-modal improvements. 2026 paving will include Fernside Boulevard from Tilden Way to High Street and Neighborhood Greenway improvements on San Jose Avenue.
• New bike racks near businesses will be installed throughout the year, thanks to funding from the Transportation Fund for Clean Air and the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC).
• The Oakland Alameda Access Project, an Alameda CTC project constructed by Caltrans, will begin construction in Spring 2026. Travelers should expect delays through the Webster and Posey Tubes.
Climate Action and Resiliency Plan Report Updates
In 2025, the City made meaningful progress advancing climate mitigation and adaptation through a wide range of programs, infrastructure investments, and community partnerships. Key accomplishments include the following (see Exhibit 3 for a full list):
• Continued the Youth Climate Ambassadors program to engage and empower young residents in climate action.
• Deployed the City’s first public curbside EV chargers at Everett Commons in partnership with the Housing Authority and installed three additional charging ports at Bohol Circle Immigrant Park for the Public EV Charging Program.
• Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) provided rebates for 159 residential and 9 commercial EV charging ports, along with 55 e-bike rebates and 47 used EV rebates.
• As part of adopting the 2025 California Building Code, City Council approved local amendments requiring heat pumps in place of air conditioners and “electric-ready” upgrades during remodels of single-family homes, duplexes, and townhomes.
• Hosted the second annual Home Electrification Fair, attended by 150 participants, to educate homeowners on transitioning from gas to electric appliances. AMP supported this effort by providing 173 rebates for water heaters, furnaces, dryers, panel upgrades, and induction cooktops.
• Council adopted an updated Zero Waste Implementation Plan to advance waste reduction and diversion goals.
• Advanced urban forestry efforts through volunteer-supported tree planting in parks, with participation from middle and high school students, Rotary Club members, memorial groups, the U.S. Coast Guard, 100K Trees for Humanity, and City staff. Planting efforts focused on Main Street Linear Park, transforming it from a grass-only space into a tree-lined walking and biking corridor.
• Supported the Climate Arts Initiative RISING TIDES, which featured three anchor arts projects and dozens of participatory events. The initiative engaged approximately 12,000 participants, blending local and global perspectives while activating public spaces and demonstrating how arts can support resilience planning.
• The Oakland Alameda Adaptation Committee (OAAC) hosted a Sea Level Rise Planning Fair, bringing together residents, community-based organizations, agency staff, scientists, and elected officials. More than 150 participants engaged in interactive stations and hands-on mapping activities to help identify near-term adaptation priorities. Surveys were distributed throughout the community to gather feedback from community members unable to attend the event.
• Council approved design concepts for the Estuary and Bay Farm Island Adaptation Projects, and secured grant funding to advance the Bay Farm Island project to 60 percent design.
Staff will continue progress on implementing CARP toward meeting the City’s 2030 climate goals. Highlights of the draft 2026 transportation work plan include:
• Developing a municipal greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory and updating the communitywide GHG inventory for 2024.
• Continuing to deploy public chargers in curbside and city parking lots.
• Considering a local amendment to the California Building Code for nonresidential AC-to-heat pump replacements and continuing outreach and education to building owners about electrification and available rebates.
• Requesting budget and implementing the updated Zero Waste Implementation Plan.
• Adopting the Urban Forest Plan, request associated funding and expand volunteer participation for parks tree planting and partnerships to support long-term urban forestry efforts.
• Developing a BCDC-required Shoreline Adaptation Plan and advancing the design of Bay Farm Island Adaptation Plan with grant funding, continuing robust community outreach and education campaigns, and continuing to seek funding to advance priority adaptation projects.
ALTERNATIVES
• Accept the annual reports and associated priorities.
• Recommend revisions to one or both reports and associated priorities.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Acceptance of the annual reports has no direct financial impact. Final budget decisions on 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 / Housing Element and the Active Transportation Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan, and Transportation Choices Plan are required by the respective plans.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Acceptance of the annual reports 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 only applies to actions that have the potential to cause a significant impact on the environment.
CLIMATE IMPACT
These planning documents support housing programs and development in mixed-use and transit-oriented communities, and transportation improvements aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the 2025 Annual Reports on the Alameda 2040 General Plan/Housing Element, Transportation Choices Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan, Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, and Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Respectfully submitted,
Allen Tai, Planning, Building & Transportation Director
By,
Steven Buckley, Planning Services Manager
Tristan Suire, Planner II
Lisa Foster, Transportation Planning Manager
Susie Hufstader, Senior Transportation Coordinator
Danielle Mieler, Sustainability Manager
Exhibits:
1. Housing Element 2025 Housing Counts
2. Transportation 2025 Annual Report & 2026 Work Plan Draft
3. Climate Action and Resiliency Plan 2025 Annual Report & 2026 Work Plan Draft
cc: Erin Smith, Public Works Director
Scott Wikstrom, City Engineer