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PLN14-0006 - Addition of Names to List of Street and Facility Names - Citywide - Applicant: City of Alameda - A public hearing to consider a proposal to add names to the List of Street and Facility Names. This action is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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HISTORICAL ADVISORY BOARD
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: June 5, 2014
TO: HONORABLE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE HISTORICAL ADVISORY BOARD
FROM: Andrew Thomas
510.747.6881
APPLICATION: PLN14-0006 - Addition of Names to List of Street and Facility Names - Citywide - Applicant: City of Alameda - A public hearing to consider a proposal to add names to the List of Street and Facility Names. This action is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
BACKGROUND
On February 6, 2014, the Historical Advisory Board (HAB) approved additions to the List of Street and Facility Names that included lakes and bays in Northern California. The City of Alameda is now requesting that the HAB approve a number of additional names to the official list of available names for streets and public facilities. A list of names to be added to the existing Citywide List of Street and Facility Names is attached (see Exhibit 1).
The Policy for Naming City Property, Facilities and Streets (Policy), adopted by the City Council in 2007, outlines the process and criteria for naming City facilities and streets (Exhibit 2). The objective of the Policy is to create a process to ensure that new streets and public facilities are named to "honor persons, places and/or events in the history of the City". Page 2 of the Policy further lists the criteria for which names may be selected for naming City facilities and streets, all of which reflect associations with people, places, activities, or events of local historical importance. The Policy also sets forth additional considerations for street names. The first consideration states "Priority shall be given to utilizing street names that represent persons, places or events associated with the historical development of the City of Alameda". The second consideration states "Where feasible and appropriate, historic street names shall be chosen which directly relate to that portion of the City in which the street to be named is located".
The Policy establishes the List of Street and Facility Names (List) that is maintained by the HAB (Exhibit 3). The HAB may approve additions or deletions to the List. According to the policy, once the HAB places a name on the List, the City Council may use the name for naming a City facility, and the Planning Board may use name for the naming a street.
DISCUSSION
Staff is recommending that the HAB add a number of new names to the approved List of names at this time. Several recent developments (Alameda Landing and Marina Cove II) are in immediate need of names for new streets, and it is anticipated that projects at Encinal Terminal and Alameda Point will need names in the upcoming years.
In April 2014, the Planning Board conditionally approved names for the Alameda Landing residential streets, with the condition that those names are approved by the HAB for inclusion on the List. On May 27, 2014, the Planning Board endorsed two names for Marina Cove II with the same condition. The names used by these two projects are included in Exhibit 1. The process to name new streets in these two recent developments has highlighted the need to have additional names on the approved List. The process has also reinforced the objective to ensure that names on the List have a strong connection or relationship to Alameda or the history of Alameda.
The proposal to name streets after water bodies in California was not particularly well received. There are currently over 100 names of Northern California water bodies on the List. Given the recent developments, the Board should consider refining the list of water bodies by either removing the names of water bodies from the List or only listing those with Alameda association.
Therefore, staff prepared, with the help of a number of Alameda residents, the attached list of recommended names for addition to the HAB approved list (Exhibit 1). The list includes each name recommended and the relationship of the name to Alameda. In some cases, the list includes names recommended by the public, but not recommended by staff, because staff was not able to identify any relationship between the name and Alameda. However, staff did think it was important to list the name, in the event that someone is able to make the case that the name does have a relationship to Alameda. Names include people of historic importance, and names that reflect Alameda's Military past.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This proposal is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
PUBLIC NOTICE
This agenda item was advertised in the Alameda Journal on May 16, 2014.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Board approve by motion an amendment to the List of Street and Facility Names to include the new names recommended in Exhibit 1. Staff also recommends the Board consider refining the list of more than 100 names of water bodies.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED BY:
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Andrew Thomas, City Planner
Exhibits:
1. Proposed Street Names to be Added to Existing List
2. List of New Names to be Added.
3. Existing List of Approved Names.