Title
Hold a Public Hearing and Adopt the Resolution Recommending Planning Board Approval of the Site A Phase 1 Tentative Subdivision Map Application: PLN15-0570 - Site A Phase 1 Subdivision at Alameda Point - Applicant: Alameda Point Partners. A Proposed Tentative Map Application for a 12-Parcel Subdivision on 21.35 Acres, Including for Condominium Purposes on Lots 2 and 3, to Implement the Alameda Point Master Infrastructure Plan and Site A Development Plan.
Body
To: President and
Members of the Planning Board
From: Andrew Thomas, Assistant Community Development Director
Jennifer Ott, Base Reuse Director
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).
Since the City Council action on the Development Plan, the Planning Board and the project proponent, Alameda Point Partners (APP) and its team of architects and design professionals have completed the Design Review for Block 11, Block 8 and the Phase 1 Waterfront Park, which were all approved on March 14, 2016. Since the March hearing, the Planning Board has held public study sessions to review the design of Block 6, Block 7 and Block 10. These study sessions were held on January 25, 2016, April 11, 2016 and May 23, 2016. In June, APP applied for demolition permits to begin the construction process for Site A. On June 27, 2016, the Planning Board approved the design review for residential Blocks 6 and 7 and the design review and use permit for the commercial Block 10 and provided comments on the tentative subdivision map for Phase 1 of the Site A development (Phase 1 Tentative Map). A response to the Planning Board comments on the Phase 1 Tentative Map is provided below.
Hard copies of the Phase 1 Tentative Map were provided to the Planning Board as part of the June 27th Planning Board packet. Additional hard copies are available upon request. No changes have been made to the map since its distribution to the Planning Board for the June 27th meeting.
At this time, staff is recommending that the Planning Board approve the Phase 1 Tentative Map. The Phase 1 Tentative Map is necessary to allow the commencement of construction of the public infrastructure, streets, and parks and approved buildings and has not changed from the June 27th public hearing. As described in greater detail below, the conditions of approval changed in response to comments by the Planning Board on June 27th. If the Planning Board approves the Phase 1 Tentative Map, then City staff will bring it to the City Council for approval in July.
DISCUSSION
APP has prepared a draft Phase 1 Tentative Map (Exhibit 1). Phase 1 of the Site A Development Plan comprises approximately 30.58 acres of the 68-acre Site A property. Approximately 14 of the acres within Phase 1 is for residential and commercial development, approximately seven acres are for public parks, and approximately nine acres are for public streets.
The Phase 1 Tentative Map creates 12 lots and a right-of-way for the public streets within Phase 1. Lots 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12 are designed to accommodate the proposed buildings approved or under review by the Planning Board from the Site A Development Plan Blocks 6 (Lot 2), 7 (Lot 3), 8 (Lots 4 and 12), 9 (Lot 5), 10 (Lot 6), and 11 (Lot 7). Lots 9, 10 and 11 are for the three blocks for the neighborhood park and Lot 8 is for the waterfront park.
The Phase 1 Tentative Map includes a condominium subdivision for Blocks 6 and 7 to provide for the sale of the 64 townhomes on Block 6 and the 60 townhomes on Block 7. The townhome designs are described below. The Phase 1 Tentative Map also establishes the rights-of-way for the public streets, including the reconstruction and re-alignment of West Atlantic Avenue from Main Street to the Seaplane Lagoon. The street design is based upon the requirements of the Town Center Plan and the Site A Development Plan. The draft resolution of approval for the Phase 1 Tentative Map is included as Exhibit 2.
Exhibit 3 provides an illustration of the proposed West Atlantic Avenue complete street design. At a future meeting, the Planning Board will consider a final Design Review plan for the West Atlantic Avenue, which will address final surface materials, street trees, street lights, street furniture design, and the final paving and details for the “shared plaza” in front of Block 11.
The following provides a summary of the comments provided by the Planning Board at the June 27th public hearing and City staff’s response:
1. Explain why one side of A and B Streets and a portion of G Street do not have street trees.
Staff response: The proposed design of these streets is consistent with the Town Center Plan. As shown on page 22 of the approved Site A Development Plan consistent with page 83 of the Town Center Plan, these streets are designed as residential “alleys”, which are narrow, pedestrian scaled and low-volume streets with on-street parking and street trees on one side of the street. That said, the Illustrative Site Plan shows a second row of trees on G Street. As a result, condition #14 in the conditions of approval provided in Exhibit 2 was revised to add a requirement to add a second row of street trees along the southern portion of G Street, east of A Street.
2. Clarify the phasing of the Main Street improvements as part of the Site A project.
Staff response: The Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) for the Site A project allows APP to phase the construction of the upgraded Main Street improvements (per the MIP) along the frontage of Site A. The DDA requires that APP construct the 8-foot trail and a portion of the landscape buffer along the frontage of Phase 1 of Site A as part of the Phase 1 infrastructure package. APP is then required to provide the full upgrade of Main Street consistent with the MIP, which includes a 12-foot protected bikeway, a buffer area, and lane reduction along the entire frontage of Site A, as part of the Phase 3 infrastructure package. This phasing plan is designed to create a more seamless transition between the blocks as the project builds out.
3. Explain why the bike lanes along C Street are five feet instead of the seven feet in the MIP.
Staff response: The Town Center Plan shows 5-foot bike lanes and 6-foot sidewalks for non-backbone local streets. (See page 67 of the Town Center Plan and page 22 of the Site A Development Plan.) The MIP shows 7-foot bike lanes and five foot sidewalks on local backbone streets shown in the street classifications for Alameda Point in the General Plan; the local street section in the MIP was not intended for in-tract or non-backbone streets, such as C Street. The Town Center Plan is the regulating document for these types of streets. That said, staff has included a condition of approval in the tentative map to increase the width of the bike lanes along C Street from five feet to six feet and reduce the sidewalk width from eight to seven feet in response to the comment.
4. Explain why there is a dedicated right-turn lane at the intersection of West Atlantic Avenue and Main Street.
Staff response: The right turn lane at the intersection of West Atlantic Avenue and Main Street is actually the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane, which also allows cars to turn right at the intersection to avoid having cars turn right from the middle through lane in front of the buses going straight in the BRT lane. The projected traffic volumes from full buildout of Alameda Point over the next 20 years require a dedicated left turn lane at this intersection to avoid an unacceptable level of service. As a result, the width of the right-of-way at the intersection is greater than the width required along the rest of West Atlantic Avenue. However, the width of the intersection as proposed in the Tentative Map is consistent with the width of the intersection depicted on page 28 of the Site A Development Plan.
In conclusion, staff finds that the Phase 1 Tentative Map is:
• Consistent with the General Plan, Alameda Point Zoning District, Town Center Plan, and the Site A Development Plan; and
• Necessary to implement the Site A Development Plan and DDA, which includes provision of significant park, utility and transportation infrastructure, affordable housing, retail amenities, and commercial jobs.
Staff is recommending that the Planning Board approve the draft resolution and proposed Phase 1 Tentative Map.
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 Phase 1 Tentative Map.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public hearing and adopt the Resolution recommending Planning Board approval of the Site A Phase 1 Tentative Subdivision Map Application: PLN15-0570 - Site A Phase 1 Subdivision at Alameda Point - Applicant: Alameda Point Partners. A Proposed Tentative Map Application for a 12-Parcel Subdivision on 21.35 Acres, including for Condominium Purposes on Lots 2 and 3, to Implement the Alameda Point Master Infrastructure Plan and Site A Development Plan.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Thomas, Assistant Community Development Director
Jennifer Ott, Base Reuse Director
Exhibits:
1. Phase 1 Tentative Map
2. Resolution of Approval and Conditions for Phase 1 Tentative Map
3. Illustration of West Atlantic Avenue Street Design