Title
PLN17-0240 - 1620 South Loop Road -- Administrative Use Permit and Design Review - Applicant: Walter Sandmeyer, Critical Engineering Group. Public hearing to consider a renewal of a previously-approved Use Permit and Design Review approval to locate a 200-kilowatt/300 gallon diesel permanent standby generator in a landscape strip behind the building and enclosed by a 12’ high wooden fence with a landscaped trellis. The fencing will have bollards positioned to protect the equipment from impact.
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CITY OF ALAMEDA
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE USE PERMIT & DESIGN REVIEW
ITEM NO: 3-A
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION: PLN17-0240 - 1620 South Loop Road -- Administrative Use Permit and Design Review - Applicant: Walter Sandmeyer, Critical Engineering Group. Public hearing to consider a renewal of a previously-approved Use Permit and Design Review approval to locate a 200-kilowatt/300 gallon diesel permanent standby generator in a landscape strip behind the building and enclosed by a 12’ high wooden fence with a landscaped trellis. The fencing will have bollards positioned to protect the equipment from impact.
GENERAL PLAN: Business Park
ZONING: CM-PD, Commercial Manufacturing - Planned Development
PROJECT PLANNER: Deborah Diamond, Planner
PUBLIC NOTICE: A notice for this hearing was mailed to property owners and residents within 300 feet of the site, published in local newspapers and posted in public areas near the subject property. Staff has not received any public comments on this proposed project.
EXHIBITS: 1. Project Plans
2. Expired 2012 Administrative Use Permit and Design Review
RECOMMENDATION: Approve the project with conditions.
PROPOSAL SUMMARY: The project is to install an outdoor emergency standby generator at the Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 facility at 1620 South Park Road in the Harbor Bay Business Park. The Zoning Administrator approved a use permit and design review for the same project on August 12, 2012. A building permit was issued the following month. However, no work commenced and both planning and building permits have expired. The generator would be located near the existing building within an existing landscaped area and would be screened by a wood fence, trellis, and landscaping.
USE PERMIT FINDINGS:
1. The location of the proposed use is compatible with other land uses in the general neighborhood area, and the project design and size is architecturally, aesthetically, and operationally harmonious with the community and surrounding development.
The proposed accessory use is located in the Harbor Bay Business Park, which consists primarily of offices and manufacturing businesses. The addition of the proposed standby generator is for emergency purposes. It is commonplace for large offices to have back-up generators to protect their computer data. The use is considered a negligible expansion for the existing commercial office building. The site is located within an office complex, has no adjacent residential uses, and the generator will be shielded by fencing and vegetation. It is therefore, operationally harmonious with the community and surrounding development.
2. The proposed use will be served by adequate transportation and service facilities, including pedestrian, bicycle and transit facilities.
The project is a standby generator; it requires no service facilities and will not generate any increase in traffic to the site.
3. The proposed use, if it complies with all conditions upon which approval is made contingent, will not adversely affect other property in the vicinity and will not have substantial deleterious effects on existing business districts or the local economy.
The proposed generator is located in the Harbor Bay Business Park; all adjacent properties are commercial in use, with the rear property line bordered by the Oakland International Airport. The installation of an emergency generator is a negligible expansion of existing permitted uses on the site. Granting this Use Permit will not result in a substantial intensification of use and will not affect other properties or create significant impacts to the surrounding business park.
4. The proposed use relates favorably to the General Plan.
The site is designated as Business Park under the General Plan. The proposed standby generator will function to protect computers in case of a power outage and is in conformance with the General Plan goals and policies for this area.
DESIGN REVIEW FINDINGS:
1. The proposed design is consistent with the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and the City of Alameda Design Review Manual.
The project has been reviewed for consistency with City development regulations, policies and design guidelines. The project will locate a 200-kilowatt/300 gallon diesel standby generator in an existing landscape strip behind the building. A 12’ high wooden fence with a landscaped trellis will screen the equipment from public view. The project faces a parking lot and will not block views, cause a substantial increase in traffic, noise, light or shading or otherwise adversely affect neighboring properties.
2. The proposed design is appropriate for the site, is compatible with adjacent or neighboring buildings or surroundings, and promotes harmonious transitions in scale and character in areas between different designated land uses.
Based on review of project plans, this project has been deemed compatible and harmonious with the design and use of surrounding properties. The equipment enclosure, as conditioned, is visually compatible with the both the site and the adjacent commercial uses and will not otherwise adversely affect neighboring properties.
3. The proposed design of the structure and exterior materials and landscaping are visually compatible with the surrounding development, and design elements have been incorporated to ensure the compatibility of the structure with the character and uses of adjacent development.
The site and adjacent development consist of large office buildings surrounded by vast surface parking lots. Some existing landscaping must be removed to make space for the generator; no protected trees shall be removed. An attractive wooden fence and trellis planted with wisteria will screen the generator equipment.
1. Compliance with Plans. Any modification on this site shall be in substantial compliance with the use permit application submittal dated May 4, 2017, by Walter Sandmeyer, CEG, Inc., on file in the City of Alameda Community Development Department, except as modified by the conditions listed in this report.
2. Building Permit: Building permit plans shall incorporate each condition of approval. The conditions shall be adequately identified on the plans under a heading titled “CITY OF ALAMEDA, CONDITION OF APPROVAL”.
3. Changes to Approved Plans: This approval is limited to the scope of the project defined in the project description and does not represent a recognition and/or approval of any work completed without required City permits. Any changes to the approved scope of the project shall be submitted to the Community Development Department for review and approval.
4. HazMat Plan: The applicant shall update the Hazardous Material Business Plan (HMBP) for this site to include the diesel fuel storage and spill response plan and all Use Permit Conditions of Approval. This updated plan shall be filed with the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health.
5. Noise:
a. Operating noise levels of the emergency electrical generator shall not exceed noise level standards listed in Section 4-10 of the Alameda municipal Code.
b. In order to minimize noise impacts to uses near the project site, the emergency electrical generator shall be properly maintained and the exhaust system shall incorporate mufflers that meet or exceed manufacturer’s specifications, and at a minimum, provide for compliance with the noise level standards in Section 4-10 of the Alameda Municipal Code.
6. Lighting: All exterior lighting shall be shielded and directed downward and away from property lines to prevent excessive glare beyond the subject property.
7. Landscape Species: Building plans shall specify the wisteria species to be used in the landscaping; invasive species, such as scarlet wisteria (sesbania punicea), are not permitted.
8. Air Quality: The applicant shall secure all appropriate permits for air quality compliance through the Bay Area Air Quality Management District prior to installation of the generator.
9. Compliance with Laws: The approved use and/or construction are subject to, and shall comply with, all applicable City Ordinances and laws and regulations of other governmental agencies.
10. Vesting: The Use Permit approval shall expire two (2) years after the date of approval or by June 13, 2019 unless authorized construction or use of the property has commenced. The applicant may apply for a time extension, not to exceed two (2) years. An extension request will be subject to approval by the Zoning Administrator and must be filed prior to the date of expiration.
11. Revocation: This Use Permit may be modified or revoked by the Zoning Administrator, pursuant to Alameda Municipal Code Section 30-21.3d should the Zoning Administrator determine that: 1) the use or conditions under which it is being operated or maintained is detrimental to the public health, welfare or materially injurious to property or improvements in the vicinity; 2) the property is operated or maintained so as to constitute a public nuisance; or 3) the use is operated in violation of the conditions of the Use Permit.
12. Indemnification. The Applicant shall defend (with counsel reasonably acceptable to the City), indemnify, and hold harmless the City of Alameda, the Alameda City Planning Board and their respective agents, officers, and employees from any claim, action, or proceeding (including legal costs and attorney’s fees) against the City of Alameda, Alameda City Planning Board, and their respective agents, officers, or employees to attack, set aside, void or annul, an approval by the City of Alameda, the Community Development Department, Alameda City Planning Board, the City of or City Council related to this project. The City shall promptly notify the Applicant of any claim, action, or proceeding and the City shall cooperate in such defense. The City may elect, in its sole discretion, to participate in the defense of said claim, action, or proceeding. No judicial proceedings subject to review pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.5 may be prosecuted more than ninety (90) days following the date of this decision plus extensions authorized by California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6
Environmental Determination
The Zoning Administrator has determined that this project qualifies for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption and no additional environmental review is necessary pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15311 - Accessory Structures because the project consists of installation of a small structure that is accessory to the primary use of the property.
Use Permit
The Zoning Administrator hereby approves the Use Permit and Design Review with conditions.
The decision of the Zoning Administrator shall be final unless appealed to the Planning Board, in writing and within ten (10) days of the decision.
Approved by: Date: June 13, 2017___
Andrew Thomas, Zoning Administrator