City of Alameda - File #: 2016-2437

Title

Planning Board Workshop on Alameda Point Site A Design Review for Waterfront Park

Body

To: President and

Members of the Planning Board

From: Jennifer Ott, Chief Operating Officer - Alameda Point

Andrew Thomas, Assistant Community Development Director

Date: January 11, 2016

BACKGROUND

In June 2015, the City Council unanimously approved the “Site A" Development Plan for a 68-acre area within Alameda Point that extends generally from the Main Street entrance to Alameda Point to the Seaplane Lagoon and the eastern edge of the Naval Air Station Alameda Historic District (Historic District). The Site A Development Plan (shown below) includes a waterfront park on the Seaplane Lagoon.

Since the City Council action on the Development Plan, the project proponents, Alameda Point Partners (APP), have been working with their design consultants, park planners, a Planning Board Subcommittee, and City staff to prepare detailed designs for the first phase of the waterfront park. The Illustrative Site Plan (page 8 of the Site A Development Plan) is shown above and the remainder of the document, including the open space drawings on pages 33-49, can be found at <http://alamedaca.gov/alameda-point/final-planning-documents>. The Site A Development Plan commits $36 million to parks and open spaces, including an initial phase of the regional sports complex, neighborhood and community parks, 7.2 acres of waterfront promenades and parks along the Seaplane Lagoon, which require expensive shoreline and flood protection improvements.

On December 14, 2015, the Planning Board held a study session to review the initial designs for the first building to be designed on Block 11 and the adjacent shared plaza. The western portions of the Block 11 building and portions of the shared plaza are located immediately to the north of the proposed waterfront park.

The waterfront park is located on the northern edge of the Seaplane Lagoon within the Historic District and will require a Design Review approval from the Planning Board. The park will also require a Certificate of Approval from the Historical Advisory Board. The Historical Advisory Board is holding a study session on the proposed park and Block 11 on January 7, 2016. The design will also be reviewed by the Recreation and Parks Commission on January 14, 2016.

Based upon the comments received from the Planning Board, Historical Advisory Board, Recreation and Parks Commission, and the Alameda community in January, the design team will make revisions and return to the three boards and commissions with a revised design for final approval in February or March 2016.

The proposed plans for the park are attached as Exhibit 1.

DISCUSSION

Community Planning Process

The plans for the waterfront park are the result of a community planning process that is over 20 years long. The major milestones during this extensive community effort include:

• The adoption of the 1996 Alameda Naval Air Station Community Reuse Plan (Community Reuse Plan) and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in 1998, which envisioned reuse and redevelopment of Alameda Point with 5.5 million square feet of employment uses and 1,425 residential units. The Seaplane Lagoon waterfront park was originally envisioned by the Alameda community and depicted in the 1996 Community Reuse Plan.

• The adoption of the Alameda General Plan Alameda Point Element and EIR in 2003, which placed the Reuse Plan vision into the Alameda General Plan, and designed the Seaplane Lagoon Waterfront for public open space.

• The July 2013 endorsement of the Alameda Point Vision Guide reconfirming the community’s support for the vision and goals presented in the Community Reuse Plan and General Plan.

• The 2014 adoption of the Alameda Point Zoning Ordinance, Master Infrastructure Plan (MIP) and third EIR consistent with the Community Reuse Plan, which established the zoning and development regulations and the Alameda Point Master Infrastructure Plan (MIP) necessary to support 5.5 million square feet of employment uses and 1,425 residential units and the Seaplane Lagoon Waterfront Park, after over 30 public hearings and community meetings between 2012 and 2014.

• The May 2014 adoption of the Alameda Point Transportation Demand Management Plan (TDM Plan) consistent with the General Plan and the Alameda Point EIR, which creates a comprehensive program of strategies, measures, and transit services that supports a transit-oriented development at Alameda Point, achieves the City of Alameda’s General Plan goals to reduce automobile trips, and mitigates potential traffic impacts.

• The July 2014 adoption of the Town Center Plan, which established the form-based development standards, height limits and pedestrian oriented development standards for the lands at the gateway and surrounding the Seaplane Lagoon Waterfront Park at the heart of Alameda Point. The Town Center Plan included the most detailed plans prepared to date for a waterfront park on the Seaplane Lagoon Taxiways and guidelines for new construction within these portions of the Historic District and guidelines for how to treat the contributing cultural landscape features.

• The June 2015 adoption of the Site A Development Plan (shown above), which provided a detailed plan for 68 acres at the heart of the Waterfront Town Center planning area and the initial phases of the Waterfront Park. Monthly meetings from January 2015 through June 2015, with both the Planning Board and the City Council to review progress and develop the Site A Development Plan prepared by APP. The Site A Development Plan was also shaped by the Recreation and Parks Commission, Historical Advisory Board, Transportation Commission, and public open houses and public walking tours.

Overview of Site A Development Plan

The approved Site A Development Plan implements the Community Reuse Plan, General Plan, the Zoning Ordinance for Alameda Point, and the requirements of the MIP and Town Center Plan. The Site A Development Plan and project include:

• Approximately 14.8 acres of publicly accessible open space, parks and plazas representing approximately 22% of the 68-acre property, and approximately 16.3 acres of public streets and sidewalks representing an additional 24% of the property.

• Eight hundred of the 1,425 total residential units programmed for Alameda Point and up to 400,000 square feet of commercial development in existing buildings, approximately 200,000 square feet of retail and hotel space in new buildings.

• Residential units are provided in multifamily building types on eight blocks located immediately adjacent to the primary transit corridor along the Ralph Appezzato Memorial Parkway (RAMP) that links a future ferry terminal at the Seaplane Lagoon with the planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service between Site A and downtown Oakland. All residential units on Site A will be within a one-block walk or less of the BRT line, protected bicycle lanes along RAMP and public open space to facilitate a pedestrian oriented environment. Of the 800 units, approximately 635 of the units will be in stacked flat buildings over parking and approximately 165 of the units will be in attached or stacked townhomes and row houses.

• 200 of the 800 units (25%) are restricted to very low-, low- and moderate-income households. The other 600 units will be market rate units.

• One hundred twenty-eight (128) of the 200 affordable units are permanently restricted for very low-, and low-income households. These units are proposed to be constructed by Eden Housing, a nonprofit affordable housing developer, in one or two buildings on a shared or separate podium on Block 8 in the first phase of the development. Eden Housing is exploring either providing 128 units for very low-, low-income family housing or 50% of the units as low- and very low income senior housing and the remaining 50% as very low- or low-income family housing. Eden Housing will also provide long-term property management and resident services targeted to the needs of its residents. Seventy-two (72) moderate-income units will be dispersed throughout the remaining residential blocks of Site A in buildings to be constructed as part of the Site A Development Plan.

• To create a comfortable transition between the adjacent Bayport neighborhood and the commercial center at the Seaplane Lagoon, the height and residential density of the eight residential blocks increase along RAMP and across Site A from Main Street to the Seaplane Lagoon. The blocks facing Main Street and the Bayport neighborhood are the lowest density blocks with three-story townhomes. The blocks closest to the Seaplane Lagoon and the commercial center of the project will provide space for the higher density multifamily housing units that will support the commercial uses and waterfront activities.

• To facilitate a pedestrian oriented “town center” environment, Blocks 3, 4, 8, 9, and 11 in the Development Plan will have ground floor retail and/or adaptive spaces for retail facing RAMP.

• Existing buildings will be marketed primarily for flexible R&D, office and/or light industrial and retail uses or ancillary retail uses. These uses are complementary to existing uses within the adjacent adaptive reuse area, which include clean-tech companies and food and beverage manufacturing production uses.

• A TDM Compliance Strategy that includes dedicated annual funding for transit services and transportation programs.

• $10 million for construction of the new Ferry Terminal at the Seaplane Lagoon to support expanded ferry services to San Francisco and the region.

• Over $8.5 million to construct complete streets in and around Alameda Point, including key transit improvements, such as dedicated bus lanes on RAMP to support expanded transit services from Alameda Point to downtown Oakland and BART.

Waterfront Park Design

The 2.63-acre waterfront park depicted in Exhibit 1 represents the first phase of a larger 6.7 acre waterfront park, which is part of the 13 acre public park plan to be designed and constructed as part of the Site A project.

The 13 acres are comprised of three “park districts”: the “Waterfront Park District”, the “Urban Park District”, and the “Neighborhood Park District”, and each district is designed to provide a range of public open space and park facilities. In general, the Waterfront Park District emphasizes spaces for passive recreation and access to the water, waterfront promenades, water viewing areas, seating areas, and gathering spaces. The Urban Park District emphasizes public spaces adjacent to and within an urban commercial fabric, including an emphasis on outdoor cafés, restaurants, seating areas, and similar public spaces in and around retail areas. The Neighborhood Park District emphasizes active recreational uses adjacent to primarily residential areas, such as children’s play areas and “tot lots”, basketball courts, and other neighborhood and community serving open space and recreational facilities. As shown on page L-7 of the phase 1 waterfront park submittal, the design and programming of the phase 1 waterfront park must be considered within the larger context of the other parks planned within Site A.

The first phase of the waterfront park is designed to provide public access to the waterfront, an entrance to the Historic District, and ensure the long-term viability of the area by addressing sea-level rise in a manner that is consistent with the Historic District Cultural Landscape Guidelines.

1. Provide a Public Gathering Place at the Water's Edge and Create Varied Park and Open Space Experiences. Phase 1 Waterfront Park is designed to provide a variety of public spaces for passive recreation and opportunities for the public to enjoy the waterfront location and special events, and appreciate the views of the San Francisco skyline and the historic row of seaplane hangar buildings at the entrance to the Historic District, along the northern edge of the Seaplane Lagoon. The 2.63-acre Phase 1 Waterfront Park is designed to create three primary sub-areas (i.e., the Overlook, the Promenade & Terraces, and the Taxiway).

a. The Overlook starting on page LW-4 includes a pavilion for a café with outdoor seating and restrooms, as well as an elevated salvaged or reclaimed wood outdoor area for overlooking the promenade at the water’s edge, as well as portions of the promenade adjacent to the water. The Overlook also accommodates flexible event and programmable space.

b. The Promenade and Terraces starting on page LW-9 consists of a series of terraces and promenade spaces leading down to the water’s edge that provide for a variety of more passive spaces for enjoying and experiencing the waterfront. Access to the waterfront promenade allows for universal design through slightly sloped walkways and seating elements that provide for a variety of all age groups and needs.

c. The Taxiway area starting on page LW-14 is intended to pay homage and respect to the historic elements of the former NAS Alameda by engraving a timeline along the major east west gathering area into the concrete to remind and educate the public about the history of the site and the Historic District, and by minimizing tree plantings and planted areas to preserve the "openness" of the historic taxiways consistent with the Historic District guidelines. This area includes open and unobstructed areas planned for special events and food trucks and future retail buildings as conceived in the Site A Development Plan and a temporary multi-purpose lawn for active recreation uses until future phases of the Waterfront Park are constructed and this area is designed consistent with the areas to the north.

2. Addressing Sea level Rise within the Context of the Historic District Guidelines. With anticipated sea level rise, the existing taxiways will flood during higher tides and storm events. Consistent with the approved Master Infrastructure Plan (MIP) and San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) policies, the Waterfront Park is designed to address 24-inches of sea level rise and additional sea level rise in future years beyond 24 inches through adaptive management strategies. The waterfront park design maintains the "horizontality" of the space and minimizes the use of walls in order to respect the cultural landscape guidelines. The sea level rise strategy is designed around a series of short terraces spread over a larger space to minimize the impression of changes in elevation. This approach also allows for the preservation of the existing bulkhead, which is a character defining feature of the Historic District. During storm events and "King Tides" (unusually high tides), the bulkhead and adjacent promenade will flood occasionally as the sea level rises over time, but major portions of the public park and Bay Trail will remain above the flooded areas behind the stepped terraces. As such, the design balances the competing needs to address sea-level rise, preserve the bulkhead, and maintain the horizontality of the site.

Conclusion

At this time, the design team and City staff are requesting that the Planning Board and the community review and comment the design plans for the initial phase of the waterfront park.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

On February 4, 2014, the City of Alameda certified the Alameda Point Final EIR in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Final EIR evaluated the environmental impacts of redevelopment and reuse of the lands at Alameda Point consistent with the Town Center Plan, which included Site A. No further review is required for this review of the project designs.

RECOMMENDATION

Hold a workshop on Alameda Point Site A design review the Waterfront Park.

Respectfully submitted,

Andrew Thomas, City Planner

Jennifer Ott, Chief Operating Officer - Alameda Point

Exhibit:

1. Phase 1 Waterfront Park Plans