Title
Public Hearing to Consider Introduction of Ordinance Amending the Zoning Map for the Approximately 2,280-Square-Foot Property at 1715 Lincoln Avenue (APN 72-299-11) from C-1, Neighborhood Business District, to R-5, Residential District, in Conformance with the Property’s General Plan Land Use Designation of Medium-Density Residential, as Recommended by the Planning Board.
Under the California Environmental Quality Act, use of Alameda General Plan 2040 Final Environmental Impact Report, State Clearinghouse #2021030563. No Further Environmental Review is Required. (Planning, Building & Transportation 20962710)
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To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Applicant has requested a Zoning Map amendment for an approximately 2,280-square-foot property located at 1715 Lincoln Avenue. The current zoning is C-1, Neighborhood Business District. The Alameda 2040 General Plan land use designation for the site is Medium-Density Residential. Applicant is requesting to change the zoning to R-5, Residential District, in conformance with the General Plan designation of Medium-Density Residential. On July 24, 2023, the Planning Board adopted Resolution PB-23-15 (Exhibit 1) recommending that City Council amend the City of Alameda Zoning Map to rezone the approximately 2,280-square-foot property at 1715 Lincoln Avenue from C-1 to R-5.
Staff requests that City Council follow the Planning Board’s recommendation and approve the Zoning Map amendment to rezone the property from C-1, Neighborhood Business District to R-5, Residential District (Exhibit 2).
BACKGROUND
The property at 1715 Lincoln Avenue sits at the edge of the Grand Station Neighborhood Business District, and it was part of a larger parcel that was subdivided and developed with several single-family homes around 1940. Between the original construction of the home in 1940 and adoption of the Alameda Zoning Map in 1958, an addition was added to the front of the home to create an accessory commercial storefront. The property was zoned C-1 in 1958; no further changes have been made to the zoning designation since that time. Surrounding properties to the west and south are zoned C-1 and include commercial uses. Properties to the north and east are zoned R-5 and include residential uses.
The Alameda 2040 General Plan Land Use Diagram (Exhibit 3) changed the General Plan land use designation for the property from Neighborhood Business to Medium-Density Residential, which surrounds the newly named Neighborhood Mixed-Use area of the Grand Station Neighborhood Business District. On May 23, 2023, the property owner applied for the zoning be changed from C-1, Neighborhood Business District to R-5, Residential District (PLN23-0210). Actions to rezone parcels require a recommendation by the Planning Board and an ordinance to be adopted by City Council.
DISCUSSION
The current C-1 zoning is intended to provide ground floor retail businesses, which is not consistent with the General Plan designation of Medium-Density Residential. The Medium-Density Residential General Plan designation is consistent with the proposed R-5 zoning, which is also applied to residential lots abutting the subject property.
The converted house has been vacant for many years, since the property owner has been unable to find a suitable retail tenant consistent with the allowable uses in the C-1 zoning district. The applicants purchased the property in 2018 in hopes of being awarded one of the four cannabis dispensary permits, but were not selected. Significant deferred maintenance is required on the property to be suitable for any occupant, including a new roof, extensive electrical replacement, flooring, interior and exterior painting. In order to function as a retail storefront and meet current building code and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility requirements, significant further structural work would also be required. The level of investment required to return the property to the commercial market has proven infeasible given the lease revenues likely for such a property in this location.
The City of Alameda (City) and the Bay Area are in the midst of a severe housing shortage. The City of Alameda’s Housing Element for 2023-2031 requires the City to permit 5,353 units over the eight year planning period, or approximately 669 units per year. As of August 1, 2023, only 48 units of housing have been permitted. Rezoning 1715 Lincoln Avenue to R-5 to be consistent with the General Plan land use designation is necessary to enable the property owners to obtain a residential mortgage and finance the required investment the property needs to return it to Alameda’s housing stock.
ALTERNATIVES
• Approve the rezoning of the property as recommended by the Planning Board and staff to rezone the property from C-1, Neighborhood Business District to R-5, Residential District in conformance with the property’s General Plan Land Use Designation of Medium-Density Residential.
• Not approve the rezoning of the property and keep the property zoned C-1, Neighborhood Business District, not in conformance with the General Plan Land Use Designation. This would reserve the property for retail uses which would likely keep the property in its vacant, blighted condition for the foreseeable future. The zoning map would remain inconsistent with the General Plan designation.
• Remand the application back to the Planning Board for further analysis and deliberation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The application fees for the rezoning application have been paid by the applicant. Rezoning of the property does not have a current fiscal impact to the City or on the General Fund. Rezoning to allow for improvements will likely increase the value of the property and have a positive impact on the General Fund in future years.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This is a conformance rezoning to create consistency between the General Plan Land Use Diagram and the Zoning Map.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
On November 30, 2021, by Resolution No. 15841, City Council certified a Final Environmental Impact Report for the Alameda 2040 General Plan (State Clearinghouse No. 2021030563) in compliance with CEQA, and adopted written findings, a Statement of Overriding Considerations, and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the General Plan Amendment to update the Alameda General Plan (General Plan EIR). Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15162 and 15163, none of the circumstances necessitating further CEQA review are present with respect to the General Plan EIR. Approval of the project would not require major revisions to the General Plan EIR due to new significant impacts or due to a substantial increase in the severity of the significant environmental effects. There have been no substantial changes with respect to the circumstances under which the project would be undertaken that would require major revisions of the General Plan EIR due to new or substantially increased significant environmental effects. Further, there has been no discovery of new information of substantial importance that would trigger or require major revisions to the General Plan EIR due to new or substantially increased significant environmental effects. For these reasons, no further environmental review is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
The rezoning of the property from C-1, Neighborhood Business District to R-5, Residential District will have negligible climate impact.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public hearing and introduce an Ordinance amending the Zoning Map for the approximately 2,280-square-foot property at 1715 Lincoln Avenue (APN 72-299-11) from C-1, Neighborhood Business District, to R-5, Residential District, in conformance with the property’s General Plan Land Use Designation of Medium-Density Residential.
Respectfully submitted,
Allen Tai, Acting Planning Building and Transportation Director
By,
Brian McGuire, Planner II
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Planning Board Resolution No. PB-23-15
2. Proposed Zoning Map Amendment
3. Excerpt from the General Plan Land Use Diagram