Title
Public Hearing to Consider a Recommendation to the City Council to Rezone Vacant Land at 2350 Fifth Street from Mixed Use (MX) to Administrative Professional (AP)
Body
Re: Public Hearing to Consider a Recommendation to the City Council to Rezone Vacant Land at 2350 Fifth Street from Mixed Use (MX) to Administrative Professional (AP)
BACKGROUND
In February 2012, redevelopment agencies throughout the State were dissolved and successor agencies were established and charged with unwinding the affairs of their respective redevelopment agencies. The City’s Community Improvement Commission (CIC) was dissolved and succeeded by the Successor Agency to the CIC (Successor Agency).
The Successor Agency prepared and submitted a Long Range Property Management Plan (LRPMP) to the State of Department of Finance (DOF). DOF approved the LRPMP which now governs the disposition of real property assets of the former CIC. The LRPMP requires that the property located at 2350 Fifth Street (Exhibit 1) be sold in the open market for the highest feasible price.
Loisos & Ubbelohde, an architectural firm located at Alameda Marina is interested in purchasing the property. George Loisos, the owner of Loisos & Ubbelohde, has indicated that he would like to build an approximately 7,000 square foot office building on the site for his firm (Exhibit 2). In addition to redeveloping a remnant parcel, this transaction retains a local business and allows for its expansion.
DISCUSSION
The subject property is an irregularly shaped, 35,719 square feet (.82) acres) remnant parcel across from the Bayport residential development and the Alameda Landing Shopping Center and immediately adjacent to the College of Alameda track at the intersection of 5th Street and Stargell Avenue. The property is vacant and has no on-site utilities.
The property was originally zoned Mixed Use (MX) as part of the Bayport - Alameda Landing Development zoning amendments in 2000. Although the MX zoning allows for office uses, the MX zoning also requires a Master Plan. In 2000, a Master Plan was approved for the Bayport-Alameda Landing project, but the Alameda Landing-Bayport Master Plan does not cover the subject parcel.
Given that the parcel is less than an acre in size, staff does not believe that it is appropriate to require a future owner of the property to develop a Master Plan for a mix of uses on this small site. For this reason, staff is recommending that the Planning Board recommend that the City Council adopt an ordinance to rezone the site from MX- Mixed Use to AP - Administrative Professional.
According to Section 30-4.7 of the Alameda Municipal Code, the Administrative Professional zoning district is intended for areas where administrative and professional offices are appropriate and architectural office space is a permitted use. Under the Administrative Professional
zoning designation, any future development of the site would be subject to Design Review approval by the Planning Board, but a Master Plan would not be required. Although staff has included the buyer’s proposed site plan (Exhibit 2) for informational purposes, staff is not requesting Design Review approval at this time. If the prospective buyer purchases the property and the City Council rezones the property to Administrative Professional, then the buyer will submit a full Design Review application with architectural elevations and a final site plan.
Staff is also not recommending a residential zoning of the property because the City completed a comprehensive citywide rezoning of property to meet its regional housing needs in 2012. The City of Alameda Housing Element is currently in compliance with State Housing Law, and the City has several major housing projects awaiting final entitlements or building permits.
In conclusion, staff believes that the recommended zoning amendment will:
• Support General Plan policies to increase employment opportunities in Alameda and a mix of uses at the former Naval Air Station,
• Support the general welfare of the community by establishing clear standards for the future use and development of a small parcel once owned by the Federal Government in a manner that is compatible with the adjacent retail, residential, and institutional uses, and
• Establishes appropriate and equitable processes and procedures for the review of any future development of the subject property to ensure compatibility with adjacent land use and consistent with the procedures and processes that are followed by other owners of property zoned with the same zoning designation.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Rezoning the property to allow for a small office building is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15303 New Construction of Small Structures.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a Public Hearing and Approve by Motion a Recommendation that the City Council approve the draft Ordinance (Exhibit 3) to rezone the vacant property at 2350 Fifth Street from MX Mixed Use to AP - Administrative Professional.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Thomas, Assistant Community Development Director
Exhibits:
1. Site Map
2. Conceptual site plan (informational only)
3. Draft Ordinance Rezoning Property at 2350 Fifth Street