Title
Alameda Marina Revised Project Description and Confirmation of Scope of Environmental Impact Report Analysis
Body
To: Honorable President and
Members of the Planning Board
From: Andrew Thomas, Assistant Community Development Director
Re: Alameda Marina Revised Project Description and Confirmation of Scope of Environmental Impact Report Analysis
background
On November 14, 2016, the Planning Board held a scoping session for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Alameda Marina draft Master Plan. As part of the environmental review process, City staff circulated a notice of preparation (NOP) and project description to all responsible State agencies and the State Clearinghouse, notifying the agencies that the City was beginning work on an EIR for the project and inviting comments on the scope of that EIR.
On November 14, 2016, the Planning Board also established a Planning Board subcommittee comprised of Board members Koster, Mitchell, and Knox White to work with planning staff and the Alameda Marina project applicants (Bay West/Pacific Shops) to prepare a draft Master Plan for Planning Board and public consideration.
On April 10, 2017, the subcommittee presented its initial recommendations to the full Planning Board on the draft Master Plan for the Board’s review and concurrence. After receiving concurrence on April 10th, the applicants began the process of revising their plans for the Alameda Marina site. The revised plans are attached as Exhibit 1.
DISCUSSION
The revised plans include a number of important changes to the plan for the redevelopment of the Alameda Marina. As the result of these changes, staff has determined that under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the City must re-issue its 2016 NOP to notify the responsible agencies and other interested parties that the project description has changed.
Although the project has changed and a new NOP is warranted, staff does not believe that the changes to the plan (summarized below and in Exhibit 1) changes the scope of the EIR being prepared. The EIR will continue to evaluate all of the major environmental issues required by CEQA, including:
• Aesthetics,
• Agriculture/Forestry Resources,
• Air Quality,
• Biological Resources,
• Cultural Resources,
• Geology and Soils,
• Hazards and Hazardous Materials,
• Hydrology and Water Quality,
• Land Use and Planning,
• Mineral Resources,
• Noise,
• Population and Housing,
• Public Services and Recreation,
• Transportation and Traffic, and
• Utilities.
Based upon comments received from the Planning Board on November 14, 2016, and April 10, 2017, and comments from the subcommittee received on March 9, March 13, March 16, 2017, and April 20, 2017, the project applicant has made a number of major changes to the preliminary planning concept for Alameda Marina to:
• Improve the maritime commercial components of the plan and preserve opportunities for a future boatyard,
• Preserve more of the existing buildings, and
• Preserve and rehabilitate the graving dock.
These changes have increased the infrastructure and seawall improvement costs for the project, which results in the applicant’s determination that the number of housing units would need to increase to cover the additional costs. The revised plan calls for up to 760 housing units, an increase of 90 housing units, which may result in additional transportation impacts associated with the project.
From an environmental perspective, the major change that requires a revision to the NOP is the increase in the number of housing units proposed. The 2016 NOP stated that the total number of housing units would be 670 units. Other changes in the project may lessen the impacts associated with the project. For example, the decision to preserve the existing graving dock and more of the original buildings on the site may reduce impacts to historic resources and may reduce solid waste associated with site demolition activities.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Alameda Marina Master Plan is a project subject to the CEQA. Work is currently underway on a draft EIR.
RECOMMENDATION
Review and comment on the revised Project Description and confirm staff’s determination that the changes in the project description do not result in the need to modify the scope of the EIR analysis.
Respectfully Submitted by:
Andrew Thomas
Assistant Community Development Director
Exhibits:
1. Revised Plans
2. Revised Notice of Preparation