Title
Adoption of Resolution Approving Parcel Map of South Shore Center to Subdivide a 40.88-Acre Property into Four Lots at 2212 South Shore Center.
This Project is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Pursuant to the CEQA Guidelines Sections 15315, Minor Land Subdivisions and 15183, Projects Consistent with a General Plan. (Planning, Building & Transportation 20962710)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The applicant is proposing to subdivide one 40.88-acre lot into four (4) new resultant lots. The project site, along with other adjacent lots, is a part of the 53-acre South Shore Center located at the southwest corner of Park Street and Otis Drive. The project does not propose any physical alterations to the property and all existing easements for reciprocal access, utilities, and public access between lots will be retained. The resultant lots are consistent with the project site’s zoning designation of C-2-PD-CMU, Central Business District Planned Development Zoning district with a Community Mixed Use Combining (CMU) District. The City of Alameda’s (City) City Engineer has determined the proposed parcel map to be compliant with the City’s Real Estate Subdivision Regulations and the State of California’s Subdivision Map Act.
BACKGROUND
In 2009, the South Shore Center received Planned Development approvals for expansions and renovations which resulted in the current layout of the shopping center.
In 2022, the entire South Shore Center area, totaling approximately 53 acres, was rezoned to place the property within the CMU, Community Mixed Use Combining district. The applicant is proposing to subdivide the large property so that smaller pad buildings at the northwestern and southeastern corners of the shopping center are located on separate parcels (Exhibit 1 and Exhibit 3). The applicant is not proposing any physical changes to the property at this time.
On September 11, 2023, the Planning Board approved the South Shore Center subdivision into four lots.
DISCUSSION
The project site is one large 40.88-acre lot that has been assigned several different Assessor Parcel Numbers (APNs) for property tax purposes (Exhibit 2). The applicant is proposing to subdivide the existing single lot into four new lots. The proposed map maintains all of the existing easements for reciprocal access between lots, utilities, and public access. The resultant lots are visualized in Exhibit 3 and further described below:
• Lot 1, 4.11 acres, northwestern corner of the South Shore Center. Extant buildings on this resultant lot are 2130 Otis Drive, 2160 Otis Drive (Office Max), 501 South Shore Center and 523-545 South Shore Center.
• Lot 2, 0.32 acres, private street that is a continuation of Whitehall Place onto the South Shore Center property. The proposed map maintains the existing public access easements.
• Lot 3, 33.97 acres, contains the majority of the South Shore Center, along with the pad buildings at 2298 South Shore Center (Pagano’s Hardware and CP Photos and Frames), 2260 Otis Drive (Wells Fargo), 2270 Otis Drive (Chase), and 2300 Otis Drive (Walgreens).
• Lot 4, 2.48 acres, located at the southeastern corner of the South Shore Center at the intersection of Park Street and Shoreline Drive. Contains 2351 Shoreline Drive (Shoreline Car Wash), 2375 Shoreline Drive (Sushi House), and 325 Park Street (Big 5 Sporting Goods).
The property is zoned C-2-PD-CMU, Central Business Planned Development with a Community Mixed Use Combining District. Per Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) Section 30-4.9.d, the C-2 (Central Business District) zoning district does not have a minimum required lot size or required lot dimensions. Therefore the resultant parcels are consistent with the C-2 zoning district. In December 2022, the City Council rezoned the project site to place the CMU, Community Mixed Use Combining District over the property. Per AMC Section 30-4.26.c (Community Mixed Use Combining District), the entire South Shore Center property, which includes the project site and other properties totaling 53 acres, must maintain a minimum of 477,000 square feet of commercial floor area. This minimum requirement applies in aggregate across the whole South Shore Center CMU Combining District and does not place a minimum commercial square footage on any individual lot. Future applications that propose the demolition or conversion of existing commercial spaces will be reviewed for compliance across the entire South Shore Center CMU Combining District and will not be impacted by the approval of the proposed parcel map.
The City Engineer has deemed the proposed parcel map compliant with the City’s Real Estate Subdivision Regulations and the State of California’s Subdivision Map Act.
ALTERNATIVES
• Approve the Parcel Map application as recommended by the Planning Board and staff.
• Continue the deliberations until a future date and request additional information necessary for those future deliberations.
• Remand the application back to the Planning Board for further analysis on a particular finding in the Resolution.
• Deny the requested Parcel Map based on findings.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The application fees for the Parcel Map application have been paid by the applicant. Approval of the Parcel Map will have no fiscal impact on the General Fund.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The Parcel Map is consistent with the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and State and Local Subdivision requirements.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This project is determined to be Categorically Exempt from CEQA pursuant to the CEQA Guidelines Section 15315, Minor Subdivisions of Land. None of the exceptions in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 apply. As a separate and independent basis, the project is also exempt from CEQA Guidelines section 15183, projects consistent with a General Plan for which an EIR was certified.
CLIMATE IMPACT
The Parcel Map of South Shore does not proposed any physical changes to the property and will not have any climate impacts.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution approving the Parcel Map for South Shore Center to subdivide a 40.88-acre property into four lots at 2212 South Shore Center.
Respectfully submitted,
Allen Tai, Acting Planning, Building and Transportation Director
By,
David Sablan, Planner II
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Parcel Map of South Shore
2. Alameda County Assessor’s Map of South Shore Center
3. Map of Resultant Lots