Title
PLN25-0256 - Design Review, Vesting Tentative Map & Street Names - 2451 Hancock Street - Applicant: Brookfield Residential. Public hearing to consider Design Review, Vesting Tentative Map, and Street Names Application No. PLN25-0256 to allow the construction of 62 residential buildings containing 284 residential units on an approximately 12.4-acre portion of the West Midway Project site located on the southwest corner of West Midway Avenue and Main Street. CEQA Determination: Pursuant to streamlining provisions of Public Resources Code Sections 21166 and 21083.3 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 and 15183, the environmental effects of the West Midway Project were adequately evaluated in the Alameda Point Project Final Environmental Impact Report and the General Plan 2040 Update Environmental Impact Report, and no further environmental review is required.
Body
To: Honorable President and Members of the Planning Board
From: Allen Tai, Director of Planning, Building and Transportation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On May 22, 2023, the Planning Board approved the West Midway Development Plan to allow 478 residential units and 10,000 square feet of non-residential space, internal streets, alleys, parks and bicycle trails on the 26 acre West Midway site (Exhibit 1 & 2). The decision included a Universal Design Waiver and Use Permit approval to allow the project to exceed the maximum allowable off-street parking requirements. The Planning Board adopted findings in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) that found the environmental effects of the West Midway Project were adequately evaluated in the Alameda Point Project Final Environmental Impact Report and the General Plan 2040 Update Environmental Impact Report. The Board also adopted the Mitigation Monitoring & Reporting Program for the West Midway Development Plan. No further environmental review is required (Exhibit 3).
The Alameda Municipal Code and the development plan require the applicant to return to the Planning Board for Design Review approval of the buildings and landscaping on the site. The applicant submitted project plans for Design Review and Vesting Tentative Map for Phase A of the West Midway project (Exhibit 4 & 5). The project is consistent with the approved General Plan, Main Street Neighborhood Specific Plan, Zoning Ordinance, West Midway Development Plan, and Development Agreement and staff is recommending approval the project.
BACKGROUND
In February 2014, per City Resolution No. 14891, the City Council certified the Alameda Point Project Final Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse No. 201312043) (“APP FEIR”) under CEQA, California Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq., and adopted written findings, a Statement of Overriding Considerations (“APP SOC”), and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (“MMRP”).
In March 2017, the City Council approved the Main Street Neighborhood Specific Plan which establishes the City’s specific development policies and standards for development of the area bounded by West Tower Avenue, Pan Am Way, and Main Street (the “Main Street Neighborhood”). One of the primary objectives of the Specific Plan is to facilitate the consolidation and rebuilding of the existing supportive housing that is currently scattered across 34 acres of the Main Street Neighborhood in 70+ year old deteriorating housing (the RESHAP project).
In 2018, the Planning Board and City Council approved a Development Plan and Development Agreement for the RESHAP project for a 8-acre site at the corner of West Midway and Main Street to allow 309 multi-family units including 201 replacement units and 108 new units.
In December 2021, per City Resolution No. 15841, the City Council certified a FEIR (State Clearinghouse No. 2021030563) (“General Plan Update EIR”) under CEQA, and adopted written findings, a Statement of Overriding Considerations (“GPU SOC”), and an MMRP for the General Plan Amendment to Update the Alameda General Plan (“General Plan Update”).
In November 2022, the City Council approved the Alameda Housing Element for years 2023-2031. Housing Element Program #1 commits the City of Alameda to take all necessary actions to facilitate and expedite the construction of 1,482 housing units on Site A, the RESHAP project site, and the West Midway project site.
In September 2023, the City Council adopted Disposition and Development Agreement (“DDA”) (Ordinance 3347) and Development Agreement (“DA”) (Ordinance 3348) for the development of approximately 26 acres of land for the West Midway project.
In December 2023, the Planning Board approved an amendment to the RESHAP development plan to increase the total number of units from 309 to 332 including 201 replacement units and 131 new units. In March 2024, the City Council amended the RESHAP development agreement to be consistent with the development plan and DDA.
In January 2024, the City Council approved Vesting Large Lot Tentative Map Tract 8696, that subdivided a 160 acre parcel into 23 lots and three remainder parcels. Lots 10 - 17 of the approved Tract 8696 make up the 8 lots and streets in Phase A that are subject to this Design Review and Vesting Tentative Map application.
The West Midway site is located within the Main Street Neighborhood Specific Plan. The site is designated as Mixed-Use in the General Plan and zoned AP-MS, Alameda Point - Main Street District. The West Midway Property is a Housing Opportunity Site and a priority program in the Housing Element and is critical to the City of Alameda’s commitment to construct at least 5,353 housing units between 2023 and 2031.
DISCUSSION
On May 22, 2023, the Planning Board approved a Development Plan, Use Permit approval to allow the project to exceed the maximum allowable off-street parking requirements, and a Universal Design Waiver for the West Midway project. The approved Development Plan includes approximately 478 housing dwelling units, 10,000 square feet of non-residential space, internal streets, alleys, parks and bicycle trails on 26 acres located on the southwest corner of West Midway Avenue and Main Street. The Planning Board adopted findings in compliance with CEQA that found the project would not result in new or substantially more severe significant impacts than identified in the Alameda Point FEIR or the General Plan Update 2040 FEIR. The Board also adopted a MMRP for the West Midway project. The Development Plan approval and Alameda Municipal Code Sections 30-4.24 and 30-37.2 require the project return to the Planning Board for Design Review approval of the buildings and landscaping prior to construction of the buildings on the site.
Over the past 6 months, the applicant has been working with staff and their architectural consultants to finalize Design Review plans for Phase A of the West Midway project that includes the site plan, building designs, vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle improvements, green space and parks, landscape and lighting plan for 284 total residential units on the eastern half of the site. The proposed plans also address the conditions and requirements established by the approved 2023 Development Plan. The following discussion outlines how the requirements and conditions of approval of the development plan have been met.
Architectural Design
1. The Development Plan requires the applicant provide five or more architecturally distinct sub-neighborhoods within the West Midway project site.
The proposed Design Review plans support the goal of promoting a diverse and vibrant mixed-use neighborhood with a wide range of building types. The Phase A development includes three different building types consisting of the Duets, the 3-Story Townhouse Condominium, and the 4-Story Condominium designs. The applicant will provide two additional designs as part of a separate Design Review application for West Midway Phase B development. The summaries below describe the three building types in Phase A.
The “Duets” include 30 three-story duet buildings containing 2 units per structure for a total of 60 units. Each unit contains three or four bedrooms ranging in size from 1,989-square-feet to 2,649-square-feet. The Duet buildings feature parapet roofs, protruding and receding geometries, rectangular and vertical elements with an emphasis on clean lines. The designs also include decorative balconies and decks, horizontal siding and stone elements, vertical proportioned windows, variation in facades, covered roof terraces, and low sloped roofs.
The “3-Story Townhouse Condominiums” include 20 three-story townhouse buildings containing 4 to 7 units per structure for a total of 110 units. Each unit contains three or four bedrooms ranging in size from 2,078-square-feet to 2,454-square-feet. The 3-Story Townhouse Condominium design incorporates simple rectangular building massing found in many Alameda Point buildings. The overall buildings are defined by the rhythm of units within the overall massing. The designs include localized symmetrical building entrances, horizontal bands defining the window location, smooth stucco framing, and decorative fiber cement trim accents.
The “4-Story Condominiums” include 12 four-story condominium buildings containing 8 to 10 units per structure for a total of 114 units. Each unit contains three or four bedrooms ranging in size from 1,561-square-feet to 2,412-square-feet. The 4-Story Condominium design incorporates the rectangular building mass and the vertical and horizontal siding found on buildings at Alameda Point. The design also incorporates decorative saw tooth roof designs and the modern use of board and batten siding.
2. The Development Plan requires the applicant provide architectural design treatments or changes in setbacks to ensure an architecturally diverse, pedestrian friendly, interesting mix of front elevations facing West Tower Avenue.
The applicant provided renderings on Sheets 1.4 and 1.6 to illustrate the architectural design treatments and variations in setbacks provided for the buildings along West Tower Avenue. There are six buildings sited along West Tower Avenue that include two 3-story townhome buildings and four 4-story condominium buildings. The townhome buildings feature unique designs with distinct architectural styles, varied compositions, and different color and material palettes. The 4-story condominium buildings include two unique designs, each with its own architectural style, massing variation, color schemes, and material palettes. While each design is used twice along the street, they are arranged in a staggered manner to ensure adjacent buildings are of different styles. Additionally, the two building typologies-townhomes and condominiums-are fundamentally different in form and design, providing further variety and visual interest along the street frontage. Taken together, the design strategies fulfill the Planning Board’s request for architectural and visual diversity.
3. The Development Plan requires the applicant provide architectural design treatments for homes facing West Midway and the future Central Park on the north side of West Midway.
The Duet style homes located along West Midway Avenue include decorative architectural design treatments including parapet roofs, protruding and receding geometries, rectangular and vertical elements with an emphasis on clean lines. The buildings also feature decorative balconies and decks, horizontal siding and stone elements, vertical proportioned windows, variation in facades, covered roof terraces, and low sloped roofs.
4. The Development Plan requires the applicant provide front elevations on the sides of units where the side faces a street or public paseo.
While it is complicated to create a building design that will provide front elevations facing the street regardless of the position of the building in the development, the applicant has incorporated entry doors or covered porches leading to an entrance for all side elevations that are fronting on a public street or paseo to interact with the public realm and provide visual interest to the pedestrian environment.
5. The Development Plan requires the applicant provide a plan for the locations for mailboxes and mail delivery.
The applicant worked directly with the United States Postal Service (“USPS”) to approve the addressing and mailbox delivery plan on Sheet C9.0 of the project plans. The plan shows the preliminary locations of the mailboxes for the buildings. The plan also requires three additional streets to be named by the City for addressing purposes.
6. The Development Plan requires the applicant provide a design that complies with the City’s adopted Objective Design Review Standards.
The proposed project plans meet all of the City’s Objective Design Review Standards as shown in detail in the Objective Design Review Standards checklists and project plans. (Exhibit 6). The Duets designs comply with the Objective Design Review Standards for One and Two Family homes. The townhome and condominium designs comply with the Objective Design Review Standards for Multifamily buildings.
7. The Development Plan requires the applicant provide the architectural design for the commercial building at the corner of Pan Am and West Tower Avenue.
The applicant will provide initial details for the commercial lot as part of the Design Review Application for Phase B.
Site and Landscaping Improvements
8. The Development Plan requires the applicant provide street, sidewalk, and bikeway design details, street tree placement and size details, and intersection treatment details to support the urban forest and pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle safety.
The applicant has provided plans that detail the street, pedestrian and bicycle access, multi-use greenway path, bicycle parking facilities, and the pedestrian and bicycle safety crossings around the project on Sheet C3.1. The applicant has also provided a detailed tree planting plan that shows the proposed street trees in combination with the additional onsite trees placed in open green spaces to provide tree canopies within and around the development on Sheet L-2.
9. The Development Plan requires the applicant provide an alternative roundabout design for the city owned right of way for the West Midway/Stargell/Main intersection.
The Public Works Department and Transportation Planning Division worked with the applicant to explore the possibility of installing a roundabout for the West Midway/Stargell/Main intersection and decided not to move forward at this location due to site constraints.
10. The Development Plan requires the applicant provide landscaping treatment for t-intersections and at major intersections which serve as gateways into the project.
The project plans propose lane view terminus intervention options at the t-intersections and major intersections in the development that include screen walls, panel walls, and landscape screening. The details of the options are outlined on page L-8 of the landscaping plans.
Affordable & Workforce Housing: The Affordability Plan, approved as part of the Development Plan and included in the DDA and DA, requires the project provide 39 affordable housing units for moderate-income households with household income between 80% and 120% of the area wide median income (AMI). The Affordability Plan also requires the project provide 44 “affordable by design” units designed for “work-force” households with incomes between 120% and 180% of the AMI. The 44 units represents 10% of the market rate units.
As outlined in the DDA, Phase A of the project will provide 2 moderate income units. Phase B will provide 37 moderate income units and 44 workforce housing units. The 39 moderate income affordable units in combination with the 123 low and very low income affordable units provided by the RESHAP project meet the 25% affordable housing requirement for both projects.
A copy of the draft affordable housing agreement that was included as part of the DDA approval has been attached as Exhibit 7. The Development Plan requires the applicant file an Affordable Housing Agreement consistent with the requirements of the DDA prior to issuance of the first Final Map or first Building Permit for vertical improvements for new construction. This condition has also been added to the draft resolution for the Vesting Tentative Map.
Universal Design:
As part of the Development Plan approval, the Planning Board granted a Universal Design Waiver for the project from both the 100% visitability standard and the 30% universal design standards required in AMC Section 30-18 due to site constraints of the development. Combined, Phase A and Phase B will provide 50 Universal Design units and 263 Visitable units for an overall total of 10.9% universally designed units and 57% visitable units. While not required by the 2023 Waiver approval, the applicant is also evaluating the list of alternative features adopted in June 2025 that can be provided as options for future home buyers to select from.
Building Heights:
The Main Street Neighborhood Specific Plan allows for three and four story buildings up to 40 feet in height. The Planning Board may grant an exception to the maximum height requirements as part of a Design Review application if the Board finds the exception is necessary and appropriate to improve the architectural design of the building. The Planning Board approved an exception as part of the development plan approval to allow a maximum height of 4-stories and 50 feet for the West Midway project where a portion of the site was previously designated for a 3-story height limit, and made findings that the exception is necessary and appropriate to improve the architectural design of the buildings and the architectural character of the entire project. The Main Street Specific Plan requires the Planning Board to make the same findings as part of the Design Review approval. Staff have included the findings in the draft resolution of the Design Review approval.
Use Permit to Exceed Maximum Parking Spaces.
In May 2023, the Planning Board approved a Use Permit for the West Midway project to increase the maximum of 1.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit allowed by AMC Section 30-7 to a maximum of 1.57 parking spaces per dwelling unit in private garages. The Design Review applications for Phase A and Phase B of the West Midway project will provide a combined plan that includes parking spaces in private garages with a ratio of 1.57 spaces per dwelling unit consistent with the 2023 use permit approval. Some of the buildings are designed with traditional two car garages, some are designed with two car tandem garages, and some are designed with one car garages.
Public Access
The approved development plan established publicly accessible green space within the community park at Orion Street and the greenway that provides a multi-use path for pedestrians and bicycles. In addition, Valor Avenue provides public access to traverse through the site between Main Street and Orion Street. The proposed Design Review and Vesting Tentative Map application includes a public access easement for the multi-use greenway through the site and requirements to establish public access easements/agreements for the community park and Valor Avenue which meet the requirements of the Development Plan.
Vesting Tentative Map Approval
In January 2024, the City Council approved Vesting Large Lot Tentative Map that subdivided a 160 acre parcel into 23 lots and three remainder parcels. Lots 9 - 20 of the Large Lot Tentative Map make up the 12 lots of the West Midway property. The proposed Vesting Tentative Map, Tract 8736, now proposes to further subdivide Lots 10 - 17 to provide a lot for each of the 20 townhome buildings and 12 condominium buildings, and five lots for the 30 duets buildings. The proposed subdivision of property shown on the attached Vesting Tentative Map is consistent with, and supports, the City of Alameda General Plan and Housing Element, AMC, the City’s Real Estate Subdivision Regulations and the California Subdivision Map Act. The lots meet the minimum lot size and configuration requirements of the General Plan Land Use Designations (Medium Density Residential), the AMC Zoning designations (Main Street Neighborhood Residential), the Main Street Neighborhood Specific Plan and the approved Development Plan.
Street Names Recommendation
The applicant is requesting approval of three proposed street names for addressing purposes. The three names are included in the proposed addressing plan on Sheet C9.0 approved by the USPS for the West Midway Phase A Residential Development. The selected names are from the City’s Street Names List approved by the Historical Advisory Board and belong to three former aircrafts and navy ships that were previously stationed at Alameda Naval Air Station.
Names selected from HAB approved List.
1. Ebony Street
2. Ebony Lane
3. Swallow Street
The selected names are consistent with the eligibility criteria and requirements in the Council-adopted Street Naming Policy and are appropriate for the three new streets within the West Midway Phase A Residential Development at the former Alameda Naval Air Station. Staff is recommending the Planning Board recommend the City Council approve the proposed street names plan.
Upcoming Application for West Midway Phase B
The West Midway residential development will be constructed in phases and the applicant has recently submitted an application for Phase B of the development. Phase B includes 194 new homes consisting of 3-story condominiums and 3-story townhomes and will provide 37 moderate income units and 44 workforce housing units. Phase B also includes the initial improvements for the commercial corner directly across the street from Almanac Beer Company. Staff is currently reviewing the proposed plans for Phase B and anticipate this application will be presented to the Board in early 2026.
Conclusion
In conclusion, staff believes the proposed project is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood, and the proposed design and publicly accessible community park and greenway improvements ensure a harmonious transition between the different land uses. The proposed mixed use development provides three different architectural styles with various forms of complementary massing, roof heights and articulation consistent with the requirements of the Main Street Specific Plan and the approved West Midway development plan. The architectural designs and landscaping provide for visually interesting and varied facades that are accented with multiple changes in materials and colors to provide for pleasant pedestrian experience and create a visually appealing neighborhood. The building designs provide quality architecture that is compatible with the neighborhood and addresses the building’s relationship to surrounding public space as intended in the Design Review Manual and in the Main Street Specific Plan. The proposed buildings are oriented towards a street or pedestrian paseo and provide building locations and setbacks consistent with the approved development plan. The development supports the City’s sustainable design policies with all electric buildings, heat pumps and energy efficient appliances, electric vehicle charging, and renewable solar energy panels. The development also provides walkable neighborhoods, accessible open space and parks, native drought tolerant landscaping, and bike facilities consistent with the approved development plan. The landscape plans are designed in accordance with the City’s Water Efficiency Landscape Ordinance, Bay Friendly Landscaping requirements, the Master Street Tree Plan, and the approved development plan. In addition, the proposed designs conform to the City of Alameda Objective Design Review Standards adopted in 2023. The maximum building height exception to allow up to 4-story, 50 foot tall buildings is consistent with the maximum building height approved by the West Midway Development Plan. The 4-story, 50 foot maximum building height is necessary to improve the architectural designs of the buildings and to ensure the project meets the goal to provide variation of architectural character in the residential development. The proposed vesting tentative map and street names support the residential development to provide critically needed housing in Alameda and are in conformance with local and State requirements. Overall, the project is consistent with the City of Alameda’s General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Main Street Specific Plan, Development Plan, Design Review Manual, and Development Agreement because the landscape and building designs are compatible with the surroundings and will provide for a distinctive new neighborhood in the City of Alameda.
PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENTS
Property owners and residents/tenants within 300 feet of the project boundaries were notified of the public hearing and given the opportunity to review and comment on the proposal. Comments received as of the writing of this report are provided in the exhibits to this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Pursuant to the streamlining provision of Public Resources Sections 21166 and 21083.3 and Sections 15162 and 15183 of the CEQA Guidelines, no further environmental review is required because the West Midway project is consistent with the development density in an adopted Specific Plan for the area; the environmental impacts of the development of the area consistent with the Specific Plan were considered in the APP FEIR adopted by the City Council on February 4, 2014, in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); the West Midway project is consistent with the development density of, is specifically listed in, and implements the City of Alameda’s Housing Element adopted on November 15, 2022; the environmental impacts of the Housing Element and the development of the sites included in the Housing sites inventory were considered in the General Plan Update EIR adopted by the City Council on November 30, 2021; and as documented in the development plan CEQA Checklist, the West Midway project would not result in new or substantially more severe significant impacts than identified in the APP FEIR due to changes in the project, changed circumstances, or new information and there are no new or considerably different feasible mitigation measures or alternatives from those identified in the APP FEIR that would substantially reduce one or more significant effects that the project proponent declines to adopt; and the West Midway project would not result in significant impacts that: (1) are peculiar to the project or project site; (2) were not already identified as significant effects, cumulative effects, or off-site effects in the General Plan Update FEIR; or (3) were previously identified as significant effects; but are determined to be substantially more severe than discussed in the General Plan Update FEIR.
CLIMATE IMPACT
The West Midway development will be all electric buildings, with heat pumps and energy efficient appliances, electric vehicle charging, and renewable solar energy panels and incorporate water efficient fixtures and landscaping to reduce water use which contributes to the City meeting the goals of the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public hearing and adopt the draft resolutions adopting the CEQA Findings and approving the Design Review and Vesting Tentative Map applications PLN25-0256 and recommending the City Council approve the Street Names for the West Midway Phase A development (Exhibit 8, 9, 10).
Respectfully Submitted,
Steven Buckley, Secretary to the Planning Board
By,
Henry Dong, Planner III
Exhibits:
1. Planning Board Resolution No. PB-23-09 Development Plan
2. 2023 Approved Development Plan Plans
3. Development Plan CEQA Checklist and MMRP
4. Phase A Architectural Plans
5. Phase A Landscape and Civil Plans
6. Objective Design Review Checklists
7. Draft Affordable Housing Agreement
8. Draft Design Review Resolution
9. Draft Vesting Tentative Map Resolution
10. Draft Street Names Resolution