Title
Public Hearing on the Encinal Terminals Draft Focused Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SCH#2016042076)
Body
CITY OF ALAMEDA
Memorandum
To: Honorable President and
Members of the Planning Board
From: Andrew Thomas, Assistant Community Development Director
Date: March 27, 2017
Re: Public Hearing on the Encinal Terminals Draft Focused Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SCH#2016042076)
background
On February 29, 2016, the City of Alameda received an application from North Waterfront Cove, LLC requesting review and approval of a draft Master Plan for the 23-acre Encinal Terminals site located at 1521 Buena Vista Avenue.
The draft Master Plan is currently under review by the City. It proposes construction of a new mixed use waterfront community on both land and water. The proposed project includes up to 589 housing units, a marina with up to 160 boat slips and a harbormaster’s office, between 30,000 and 50,000 square feet of commercial/office and restaurant uses, and over three acres of waterfront-related public open space and parks. Three existing wooden wharves and two concrete wharves on the site would be improved as part of the proposed waterfront open space uses, through a combination of demolition, rehabilitation, modification, and/or retrofit activities. The residential unit types proposed include condominiums, townhomes, lofts, stacked flats, live-work units, and high-riseview residences. Other proposed improvements include establishing locations for launching kayaks and other small watercraft and providing for future public water taxi/water shuttle or ferry terminal facilities, a new internal roadway system and utility infrastructure, and parking throughout the site.
On April 27, 2016, the City of Alameda released a Notice of Preparation (NOP) and Initial Study notifying the public and other public agencies that the City of Alameda has determined that the proposal requires preparation of a Focused Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (EIR) pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
On May 23, 2016, the Planning Board held a public scoping session on the Draft EIR. At the hearing, the Planning Board requested that the scope of the EIR be expanded to include Land Use, Population and Housing, Public Services, and Utilities.
On February 9, 2017, the City of Alameda completed work on the Draft EIR and initiated a 45-day public review period. The comment period on the draft is scheduled to close on March 29, 2017.
The purpose of the public hearing is to give the public and the Planning Board an opportunity to comment on the adequacy of the Draft EIR. All comments received at the public hearing and all comments received during the 45-day public comment period will be included as part of the public record. As of the date of the writing of this report, the City has received one comment letter. The letter from Caltrans is attached to this report (Exhibit 1).
Upon close of the 45-day comment period, City staff and the environmental consultant team will review comments received and prepare a written response to each comment. These responses may result in recommended changes to the draft EIR analysis and/or the draft EIR recommended mitigations. The response to comments and preparation of the Final EIR typically take the City 30 to 60 days, depending on the amount and substance of the comments received.
The Planning Board cannot make any final recommendations or decisions on the Master Plan until the Planning Board has reviewed the Final EIR and finds the analysis in the Final EIR is adequate to inform the Planning Board’s decision on the Master Plan.
DISCUSSION
The purpose of the public hearing is to provide an opportunity for the public to submit comments on the draft EIR that examines the environmental impacts of the proposed master plan.
The draft EIR builds upon, and supplements, the work completed in the 2008 EIR for the Northern Waterfront. The 2017 draft EIR examines how the proposed development of Encinal Terminals differs from the development assumed in the 2007 EIR and then examines how the new development program may impact the environment. If the new project results in new environmental or more severe environmental impacts, the 2017 draft EIR proposes new or more extensive environmental mitigations.
The 2017 draft EIR provides an updated analysis of:
• Transportation and Circulation
• Air Quality and Climate Change
• Biological Resources
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Land Use Consistency and Compatibility
• Population and Housing
• Utilities and Service Systems
• Public Services
• Noise and Vibration
• Alternatives to the Project, including a No-Project Alternative
Copies of the draft EIR were provided to the Planning Board at the February 13, 2017 Planning Board meeting. The draft EIR and the most recent version of the draft Encinal Master Plan are also available for public review on the City Website at: <https://alamedaca.gov/community-development/encinal-terminals-project>.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public hearing to accept public comments on the adequacy of the analysis included in the Encinal Terminals Draft Focused Supplemental Impact Report (SCH#2016042076).
No action on the proposed project is requested of the Planning Board at this time.
Respectfully submitted by:
ANDREW THOMAS
Assistant Community Development Director
Exhibit:
1. Letter from Caltrans