Title
PLN15-0092 - 2810 Harbor Bay Parkway - Applicant: FME Architecture & Design for SRM Ernst. An amendment to Final Development Plan No. PLN07-0061 and Design Review to construct an approximately 22,868 square foot two-story building in the location of two previously approved 10,400 square foot two-story office buildings. The project is located on a 2.05 acre site at 2810 Harbor Bay Parkway. The proposed project is Categorically Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines 15332 In-fill Development Projects.
Body
BACKGROUND
On February 25, 2008, the Planning Board approved a Final Development Plan, Design Review, and Planned Development Amendment (PLN07-0061) for the construction of ten office buildings on the Esplanade office park site. Phase I of the Esplanade project was completed on June 12, 2012, with the construction of the Stacy & Witbeck building. The applicant proposes an amendment to the 2008 approved development plan in order to allow a new approximately 22,868-square-foot office building in the location of two 10,400-square-foot office buildings.
The new building will contain the offices of McGuire and Hester, a well-known civil engineering and construction services company. The company plans to relocate its headquarters from Oakland to the Esplanade office park. The new building will contain offices for approximately 68 employees.
ANALYSIS
A. Development Plan
The following describes the differences between the current proposal and the previously approved development plan:
Site Plan: The site configuration for the proposed project (Exhibit 2, pages A1.0 and A1.1) is very similar to the previous plan (Exhibit 2, pages A1.1-R and A1.3-R). The primary difference is that two building footprints are now combined into a single building. The building pad is still oriented towards the waterfront with the parking lot separating the building from Adelphian Way. A generous planting area, including trees, will continue to screen the parking area from residential development to the east. Building setbacks on the front (Adelphian Way) and rear (Shoreline Park) remain the same, while side yard setbacks have been modified, but are still compliant with previously approved requirements. The modifications result in only a 1% increase in lot coverage.
The site design continues to provide open space and pedestrian paths that are appropriately located to serve as transitions between the office park and the surrounding land uses, including public pedestrian paths connected to Shoreline Park. The proposal continues to provide pedestrian pathways that connect with the public pathways along Shoreline Park. Primary access to the site is maintained on Adelphian Way.
Auto & Bike Parking: The parking ratio for the Esplanade development was established at 3.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet. The proposed parking lot is configured to meet this standard with 80 total parking spaces, including 71 parking spaces and a landscaped area that could be converted to nine future compact parking spaces if necessary. The McGuire and Hester building is designed with offices for up to 68 employees and thus requires less parking than the 80 total parking spaces required by the development standard. The area reserved for potential future parking is delineated on the Final Development Plan. The Planning Board could require the applicant to stripe the nine parking spaces as part of this approval; however, because the applicant does not need the excess parking, they prefer to have the area landscaped until future need arises. The project meets the City's Bicycle Facility Design Standards by providing nine short term and two long term bicycle parking spaces. The facility will also include showers and lockers for bicyclists.
Landscape Design: The design achieves the original goal to optimize views to the Bay and encourage outdoor use, while providing a compatible transition with the Shoreline Park and public walkways. The proposed landscape design reflects the Bay-Friendly principles for sustainable landscaping with native plants, high efficiency irrigation, and natural materials much like the previous approval. Native grasses and ground covers are planted along the length of the front of the building and in parking lot planting areas. Outdoor facilities for employees are provided along the west and north sides of the building.
ALUC Compliance: The Alameda County Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) has determined that the project will be consistent with the provisions of the Oakland Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan upon satisfying certain standard conditions pertaining to land uses near airports, such as construction methods that insulate for noise (Exhibit 3).
Compliance with Approved Standards: Table 1 summarizes project compliance with development standards established for the Esplanade office park. The proposal meets or exceeds the standard requirements of the approved Planned Development.
Table 1. Project Compliance Summary
PD Zoning Standards |
Previously Approved Plan |
Proposed Project |
Compliance |
Setbacks Front Rear (Bay) |
180 ft. (average) 35 ft. |
223 ft. 9 in. 35 ft. |
Complies Complies |
Side (North/South) |
20 ft. (average) |
30 ft., 10 ft. (20 ft. average) |
Complies |
Lot Coverage (Max 35%) |
13.89% |
12.8% |
Complies |
Landscape Coverage (Min 25%) |
41.3% |
49.5% |
Complies |
FAR (Max .5) |
.28 |
.25 |
Complies |
Maximum Building Height |
100 ft. |
29 ft. 4 in. (building) 38 ft. (architectural features) * |
Complies |
Required Parking |
3.5/1000 sf |
3.5/1000 sf ** (80 spaces total) |
Complies |
Required Bicycle Parking |
1 space for every 10 vehicle spaces |
9 short term spaces, 2 long term spaces |
Complies |
* AMC 30-5.8 allows for an additional 25 feet above the building height limit for architectural and utility structures.
** Area reserved for nine future compact parking spaces will be landscaped until needed.
*** Two showers and four bike lockers will be provided inside the building for bicyclists.
B. Design Review
Project Design: The design review approval for the overall Esplanade site is based on buildings with a horizontal profile that utilize high quality textures and building materials that are harmonious with the waterfront setting, surrounding neighborhood, and complements the Harbor Bay Business Park. The proposed building exterior (Exhibit 2, page A3.0) incorporates proportions and materials that relate to the originally approved design (Plan set page A2.1B-R) and the Stacy & Witbeck building (Exhibit 2, page A4.1). Articulation of the façades, vertical elements and color variation, including a two-color masonry scheme between floors, achieves the original goal of breaking up the horizontal massing of the building. The landscaped corridor that separated the two previously approved buildings is now a glass atrium that maintains visual access to the waterfront.
Building Materials: Consistent with the originally approved design for office buildings for the entire Esplanade development, the proposed building materials include reinforced structural masonry, steel and glass. Exterior materials continue to combine brick masonry construction with generous expanses of glass, incorporating large punch windows, and deep sunscreen elements that mitigate heat gain from the sun, and add dimension and detail to the facades. Corrugated metal provides mechanical screening and a horizontal element across the top of the building. The building's architectural design is well-suited to its location and context and will enhance the visual interest of the streetscape. (Exhibit 2)
C. Conclusion:
The proposed development plan is consistent with adopted requirements and development standards for the original Esplanade development plan, and the design of the new McGuire and Hester building is harmonious with the adjacent office buildings, and has an appropriate appearance, utilizing high quality textures and materials that complement the surrounding business park. The overall project design is compatible with adjacent properties and the waterfront setting.
PUBLIC NOTICE and Comments
Property owners and residents within 300 feet of the project's boundaries were notified of the public hearing and given the opportunity to review and comment on the proposal. As of the writing of this report, one comment was received by staff in regards to concerns about views and construction noise (Exhibit 5).
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 - Infill Development Projects. The project meets all requirements for the infill exemption, including the following:
a) The project is consistent with the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan policies as well as with applicable zoning designation and regulations. The project meets this criterion because as proposed it is consistent with the Business Park General Plan designation and the use of the building as a corporate office is a permitted use in the C-M-PD zoning district. The project also complies with all applicable development regulations for the C-M-PD zoning district and the Harbor Bay Business Park.
b) The proposed development occurs within city limits on a project site of no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses. The project site is located within the Harbor Bay Business Park, an urban commercial office park, and the project site parcel is approximately 2.02 acres in size.
c) The project site has no value as habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species. The area of the proposed development is currently a vacant lot. The vacant site has no habitat value for any endangered, rare, or threatened wildlife species. While ground squirrels were present, mammal burrows were not identified in the project footprint. A Burrowing Owl survey was also conducted at the project site on April 14, 2015 and no evidence of owl habitat was found (Exhibit 6). The site is also subject to high levels of disturbance from foot traffic on the public trail and vehicle use on Adelphian Way such that the site would not be viable habitat for wildlife species.
d) Approval of the project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air navigation, air quality, or water quality. The proposed project will not result in any significant traffic, noise, air quality or water quality impacts because the project combines a previously approved development floor area into a single building. Only a negligible difference in development capacity is proposed over the previously approved project. Moreover, the project will maintain the originally approved parking ratio of 3.51 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet, and therefore represents no substantial change in the project traffic generation and parking demand from the previous approval. All prior conditions of approval from PLN07-0061 in regards to minimizing project environmental impacts will be incorporated into this project.
e) The site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services. The project site is located within an urban business park that already has the basic water, sewer, and other utility infrastructure necessary to support the proposed project. The site has access to all other public services provided by the City.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Planning Board approve Final Development Plan Amendment and Design Review PLN15-0092 with conditions in the draft resolution (Exhibit 7).
Respectfully Submitted,
Henry Dong
Planner I
Exhibits:
1. Applicant's Statement of Design Intent
2. Project Plans
3. ALUC Letter
4. Letter from Harbor Bay Business Park Association
5. Correspondence
6. Burrowing Owl Report by ESA
7. Draft Resolution