Title
Draft Meeting Minutes - December 1, 2016
Body
DRAFT MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY OF ALAMEDA HISTORICAL ADVISORY BOARD
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016
1. CONVENE
Chair Vella called meeting to order at 7:00pm.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Vella, Board Members Jones, Piziali, Saxby. Absent: Board Member Chan.
3. MINUTES
3-A 2016-3630
Draft Meeting Minutes - May 5th, 2016
Board Member Saxby made a motion to approve the minutes. Board Member Piziali seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0-1 (Jones abstained).
3-B 2016-3631
Draft Meeting Minutes - October 6th, 2016
Board Member Saxby suggested replacing use of roof deck and balcony to awning for consistency. He said on page three there was a paragraph that did not capture his point accurately. He said the point he was making was that each of these awning features requires the horizontal band of windows to be cut with a doorway.
Board Member Piziali made a motion to approve the minutes with the suggested changes by Board Member Saxby. Board Member Jones seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0.
4. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION
Staff Member Thomas said they would like to move Board Communications up to the beginning of the meeting.
***Board Communications***
Board Member Piziali read a proclamation honoring Chair Vella’s service to the board.
Chair Vella said she enjoyed her time on the board and thanked the other board members.
5. ORAL COMMUNICATION
*None*
6. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
6-A 2016-3627
2015-2016 Certified Local Government Annual Report
Chair Vella asked if there was an update on former Chair Owens suggested ordinance revisions.
Staff Member Thomas said the large amount of applications the City has been receiving in recent years has left very little time to overhaul ordinances. He said there are some ordinances that they are considering committing time to and would like to bring a discussion on them to the Board to see if it would be worthwhile at this time.
7. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS
7-A 2016-3628
PLN16-0603 - Certificate of Approval - Fencing along Monarch Street. Applicant: City of Alameda. Public hearing to consider a Certificate of Approval for a proposed fence design for areas in between the Hangers along Monarch Street within the NAS Alameda Historic District. The environmental effects of the proposed project were considered in the Alameda Point Environmental Impact Report. No further environmental review is required.
Staff Member Thomas gave a presentation. The staff report and attachments can be found at: <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2891688&GUID=F0DB6ACA-1CB0-4B0F-8D99-4680661C5FE4&FullText=1>
Taylor Stein, Natel Energy, said they have had break ins and frequently have people driving into the property. He gave a presentation on the process and design for the fence being proposed and how it would meet their needs.
Board Member Piziali asked what the dimensions of the hog wire portion would be.
Mr. Stein said it would be small enough to prevent people from climbing it.
Chair Vella asked how tall the Rockwall fence was.
Mr. Stein said it was six feet tall.
Chair Vella asked what would happen to the existing chain link fences.
Staff Member Thomas said that decision is up to each tenant and could vary depending upon where the board dictates the new fence line be allowed.
Mr. Stein said moving the fence line back would mean losing 12,000 square feet of secured area.
Chair Vella said she would like to start by discussing whether uniformity of fence design between buildings is desirable
Board Member Saxby said the buildings are so closely related that he thinks a uniform fence design is the right way to go.
Board Members Piziali and Jones, and Chair Vella, agreed.
Board Member Saxby said he would be okay with a seven foot fence, if the wood stopped at four feet.
Mr. Stein said he did not think the tenants would have a problem with that. He also said the property is sloped slightly and allows views from the street to see over the fence relatively easily.
Chair Vella said she prefers placing the fence at the rear of the columns.
Board Member Saxby agreed, saying the columns are character defining features.
Board Member Piziali said he was ambivalent about the placement, but understands the argument for placing the fence behind the columns.
Board Member Jones said she agreed that placing the fence behind the columns is preferable. She asked how that would affect the tenant.
Mr. Stein said they would lose 12,000 square feet of usable square feet. He said it would also prevent large trucks from being able to service the building because the only hangar doors that function are the ones closest to the columns.
Staff Member Thomas said that is a door issue and not a truck issue. He also said this was a new concern and believed a truck would still be able to maneuver into those doors if the fence were placed at the rear of the columns.
Board Member Saxby said he still believes the proper placement for the fence would be at the rear of the columns.
Mr. Stein asked if there would be a concession from the city for lost secure area if the fence is placed at the rear of the columns.
Board Member Saxby suggested that issue is beyond the HAB’s purview.
Staff Member Thomas said the zoning code says there is existing chain link fence on the sites, but does not allow new chain link fences to be installed.
Board Member Jones said she preferred the wood color.
Chair Vella said she is fine with other colors, but wanted it to be uniform.
Board Member Piziali said he would prefer the wood color.
Board Member Saxby said he would choose wood as well.
Chair Vella summarized the board position, saying they would be okay with seven feet, with three feet of hog wire. She said the fence should be placed at the rear of the columns, allowing for a small setback of up to two feet if deemed necessary, and that it should be wood.
Board Member Piziali said we should specify the hog wire opening to preserve transparency.
Chair Vella reviewed the changes to the draft ordinance that would be needed to meet the board’s direction.
Mr. Stein said his concern is that the other tenants will not replace the chain link fences because of the change in location.
Board Member Saxby made a motion to adopt the resolution with the discussed changes: up to seven feet with three feet of hog wire with 3-4 inch squares, stained to match the Rockwall fences, placed within 36 inches of the rear of the columns. Board Member Jones seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0.
7-B 2016-3629
2017 Meeting Schedule
Chair Vella said meetings would continue to be held on the first Thursday of the month.
8. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS
*Moved to beginning of meeting*
9. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
*None*
10. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
*None*
11. ADJOURNMENT
Board Member Jones made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Chair Vella seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:29pm.