Title
Draft Meeting Minutes - September 12, 2016
Body
DRAFT MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY OF ALAMEDA PLANNING BOARD
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016
1. CONVENE
Board Member Köster convened the meeting at 7:01pm.
2. FLAG SALUTE
Board Member Curtis led the flag salute.
3. ROLL CALL
Present: Board Members Burton, Curtis, Köster, Mitchell, Sullivan. Board Member Zuppan arrived at 7:07pm. Absent: President Knox White.
4. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION
A portion of Staff Communications was moved to the beginning of the regular agenda at staff’s request.
5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Board Member Köster asked for a summary of City Council actions on projects that have been called for review or appealed after Planning Board actions.
Staff Member Thomas said they can add an item to the next meeting to address the topic.
6. CONSENT CALENDAR
*None*
***STAFF COMMUNICATIONS***
Community Development Director, Debbie Potter made some announcements. She said the City is creating an updated economic development plan. She said the City is kicking off a year long “Love Our Island” campaign.
7. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS
7-A 2016-3303
Recommend that the City Council Approve the City of Alameda Housing Element Annual Report and Implementation Priorities. Approval of an annual report is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), nor is an annual report defined as a “project” under CEQA. No future review is required.
Staff Member Thomas gave the staff report. The report and attachments can be found at: <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2824844&GUID=A5C357EA-CEC1-4AB0-AD41-3C75FA53ACCB&FullText=1>
Board Member Sullivan asked if we were going to approve an additional 1500 housing units, even though we have more in the pipeline than the state requires of us.
Staff Member Thomas said that we are required to make enough land available for a minimum of 1700 units. He said our pipeline shows we have enough land zoned and we have met our state requirements.
Board Member Zuppan asked about some unclear language in the Universal Design Ordinance.
Staff Member Thomas said they are working through the draft and that they can expect simpler language in the next version.
Board Member Köster asked why we would add in redundant language that is already mandated by state building codes.
Staff Member Thomas said they are trying to strike a balance between simplicity and providing enough information into the zoning code to make it understandable.
Board Member Zuppan asked why the building official is given such broad authority to issue exemptions to design requirements approved by the Planning Board.
Staff Member Thomas said they need to make clear when and how exemptions are made in the process design process.
Board Member Burton explained his experience of going from planning drawings to construction level documents that expose difficult problems for the building official to address at the plan check stage.
Board Member Zuppan asked if we could provide information on universal design options for people with projects of fewer than 5 units.
Board Member Mitchell asked if there was a way to phase in the more burdensome aspects of the Universal Design ordinance.
Staff Member Thomas said there would be aspects, which are still up for discussion, that apply to every new unit. He said other items would be required of the 20-30% of universally designed units. He said some of those items could be reviewed during the annual reports.
Board Member Mitchell asked if there was a mechanism for breaking out rental vs. homeownership numbers in the pipeline.
Staff Member Thomas said most of the 1843 units would be for ownership, not rentals.
Board Member Curtis said the traffic on Park St. at Clement and at Buena Vista is horrendous at 830am, before all this development goes in. He said the City has a Police power to provide safety in the event of an emergency. He said emergency personnel will not be able to get to where they need to due to traffic problems. He said the State requirements do not consider specific safety concerns into account. He said another aspect is what would happen if we had to evacuate the island. He said the City Council should bring these issues up with the State.
Board Member Köster asked if they could look at whether additional blocking should be required around stairs to accommodate a chair lift, similar to what we are requiring in the bathrooms.
Board Member Sullivan asked if builders and developers would be consulting on the Universal Design ordinance.
Staff Member Thomas said there are several that he interacts with regularly that are very actively following the ordinance and providing feedback.
Board Member Burton apologized for the mix up and for missing the subcommittee meeting and wants to see the ordinance in place as soon as possible.
Board Member Curtis said that requiring all units be built without steps to the entrance would create construction problems.
Board Member Köster opened the public hearing.
A gentleman said that the steps at entrances create a real barrier that keeps some people out of those homes.
Board Member Köster closed the public hearing.
Board Member Köster said we should exceed the green building code in Alameda. He said we can expect more of our developers in Alameda. He said all units should have some level of adaptability.
7-B 2016-3304
Safety and Noise Element Update - Study Session. This project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), as the project does not have the potential to have a significant effect on the environment.
Staff Member Livermore gave the staff report. The staff report and attachments can be found at: <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2824845&GUID=998C2518-9A2F-4E7C-8141-34C67D225D5D&FullText=1>
Board Member Curtis asked if the airport element would have a major revision.
Staff Member Livermore said the different areas would be merged and certain parts that are no longer relevant would be removed.
Board Member Zuppan asked if we are considering school placement based on studies showing test results of students near airport noise.
Staff Member Thomas said they could consider that for the Harbor Bay business park for when the development agreement expires in 2019.
Board Member Burton said that for several months of the year, planes landing at SFO have significant noise and safety impacts in central Alameda.
Board Member Sullivan said the seismic information seemed very generic and possibly not up to date. She said there is not enough attention paid to the changes from the revised FEMA flood maps.
Board Member Köster said he would like to know if we are meeting our recycling goals. He said having separate liquefaction and seismic intensity maps would be desirable. He said he was concerned about Marina Shores not being above potential sea level rise in one of the documents.
Staff Member Livermore explained that they combined a sea level rise forecast and a 100 year flood map for the document.
Board Member Köster provided several additional specific items to be considered for the draft update.
7-C 2016-3313
PLN16-0185 - 1629 Webster Street - Applicant: Daniel Hoy for Sam and Michelle Koka. The Planning Board will hold a Public Hearing to consider a Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment, Design Review and Use Permit to approval to allow the construction of a new approximately 15,700-square-foot three-story mixed-use building with a parking exception on the southwesterly corner of Webster Street and Pacific Avenue. The new structure will contain approximately 5,000-square-feet of ground floor retail, and an approximately 9,300 square-foot senior boarding house facility within the second and third stories above. The site is located within the C-C Community Commercial Zoning District. The project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 - Infill Development. Staff is requesting a continuance of this item to the Planning Board Meeting of October 10, 2016.
***Continued***
8. MINUTES
8-A 2016-3309
Draft Meeting Minutes - April 11, 2016
Board Member Sullivan offered a grammatical correction on page six.
Board Member Köster offered an amendment to his comments on item 7-B.
Board Member Zuppan made a motion to approve the minutes as amended. Board Member Sullivan seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0-2. Board Members Burton and Curtis abstained.
9. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
9-A 2016-3306
Zoning Administrator and Design Review Recent Actions and Decisions
Staff Member Thomas summarized recent decisions.
Board Member Köster confirmed that Proximo Spirits was Hangar One Vodka and would be opening soon.
Board Member Curtis asked if there were any communications from the neighbors on any of the projects.
Staff Member Thomas said there had been none. He said anything that generates opposition typically gets brought to the full Planning Board.
9-B 2016-3307
Future Public Meetings and Upcoming Community Development Department Projects
Staff Member Thomas gave an update on future items.
10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
*None*
11. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS
*None*
12. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
*None*
13. ADJOURNMENT
Board Member Köster adjourned the meeting at 8:43pm.