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PLN17-0094 - 900 Mound St. (Krusi Park) - Applicant: Amy Wooldridge for Alameda Recreation and Parks Department. A public hearing to consider a Use Permit and Design Review to permit the demolition of an existing recreation building located at the center of Krusi Park, and the construction of a new 2,376 square foot multipurpose recreation building in the same location. A Use Permit is required because the new building is located within the O (Open Space) Zoning District. This project is a Class 3 Categorical Exemption and no additional environmental review is necessary pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15303, New Construction of Small Structures.
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To: Honorable President and
Members of the Planning Board
From: Andrew Thomas, Zoning Administrator
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Park Director
David Sablan, Planner II
Re: PLN17-0094 - 900 Mound St. (Krusi Park) - Applicant: Alameda Recreation and Parks Department. A public hearing to consider a Use Permit and Design Review to permit the demolition of an existing recreation building located at the center of Krusi Park, and the construction of a new 2,376 square foot multipurpose recreation building in the same location. A Use Permit is required because the new building is located within the O (Open Space) Zoning District. This project is a Class 3 Categorical Exemption and no additional environmental review is necessary pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15303, New Construction of Small Structures.
BACKGROUND
This project was scheduled to be considered at the March 21, 2017 Zoning Administrator Hearing. On the day of the meeting the hearing location was changed due to a scheduling conflict and a representative from the Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) and member of the public in support of the project were in attendance. However, because of the room change a member of the public who had objections to the project was unable to locate the meeting before action was taken to approve the project. The Zoning Administrator would not have taken action if the member of the public opposed to the project had been able to attend and speak at the hearing to oppose the project. Therefore, the Zoning Administrator and the Recreation and Park Director decided to bring the project forward to the Planning Board for final decision and provide an opportunity for the opponent to the project express their concerns.
ANALYSIS
ARPD is proposing to demolish an existing 1,125 square foot maintenance building located near the center of the park adjacent to softball fields, picnic areas and playgrounds, and build a new 2,376 square foot recreation building in the same location. This building location is approximately 300 feet from any neighborhood house. The proposed building will have a 1,109 square foot multipurpose room, a small office, kitchen, interior bathroom, and exterior Men’s and Women’s restroom that are ADA compliant and will continue to be accessible by the general public during open park hours. ARPD will also provide one ADA compliant on-street parking stalls at the intersection of Court Street and Calhoun Street. The increase in building size is to accommodate increased restroom size for ADA accessibility for Krusi Park users and new amenities such as the kitchen, which will be used by the Alameda Girls Softball Association and residents renting the facility, and the interior bathroom for youth program participants using the multi-purpose room.
The Recreation and Parks programs housed at this recreation center will include a Tiny Tots program and an after school program which will primarily serve Otis Elementary School students, who currently are walked by ARPD staff to Lincoln Park.
The project is funded by the East Bay Regional Park District’s (EBRPD) Measure WW grant funding. ARPD began the process for designing a new recreation building at Krusi Park in September 2011. This included outreach to the community and staff of adjacent Otis Elementary School through a public community meeting, and Recreation and Parks Commission approval. The result of this public outreach was a 2,266 square foot building that was in compliance with current American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility, fire safety, and other building codes. In September 2012 the City Council approved the plans and authorized a call for bids. The lowest bid came in 43% over the allotted $1,370,000 budget for this project, and in February 2013 the City Council rejected all bids. ARPD staff then worked with their architect to develop design criteria for a pre-fabricated recreation building to lower construction costs.
The proposed plans are the design criteria that ARPD staff and their architect have developed. These were reported out to the Recreation and Parks Commission in February 2017. The proposed structure will have a flat roof set at an angle, and the exterior walls will be a combination of stucco and horizontal fiber-cement lap siding. The portions of the building with stucco siding will feature reveal lines within the stucco to provide articulation. The draft resolution requires the fiber-cement lap siding have a smooth finish rather than having a simulated wood grain.
It is important to note that the Krusi Park Recreation Center design is not finalized until after the public bid process. Because it is a pre-fabricated building, the construction companies bidding on the project are provided standards, such as roof and wall types plus desired facility dimensions. The lowest responsive bidder will then provide its design that meets that criteria and this design will be brought back to the Recreation and Parks Commission for review and approval. Once the final design is approved by the Recreation and Park Commission, Planning staff will process a staff-level Design Review application for the final design. This future application process includes notices to the immediate neighbors and a notice to the full Planning Board upon final action to give the Planning Board an opportunity to “call for review” the final Design Review plan, if necessary.
In conclusion, the Zoning Administrator believes the proposal is a benefit to the public park and consistent with the City’s Design Review Guidelines. The Zoning Administrator’s finds for approval are included in the attached resolution of approval.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This project is determined to be Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15303(c) - New Construction of Small Structures, because the project consists of the construction of a structure less than 2,500 square feet of floor area.
PUBLIC NOTICE and Comments
Property owners and residents within 300 feet of the project’s boundaries were notified of the public hearing and given the opportunity to review and comment on the proposal.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public hearing and approved Design Review and Use Permit, application no. PLN17-0094 with conditions set forth in the draft resolution.
Respectfully submitted,
David Sablan
Planner II
Exhibits:
1. Draft Resolution
2. Project Plans