Title
Review and Make Recommendations on the Encinal Terminals Waterfront Open Space Development Plan.
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Review and Make Recommendations on the Encinal Terminals Waterfront Open Space Development Plan.
BACKGROUND
The Master Plan for Encinal Terminals was approved by the City Council on September 18, 2018, with the second reading of the Ordinance approving the plan on October 2, 2018. The Master Plan requires submittal of a Waterfront Open Space Development Plan.
The Master Plan ensures that the public will have access to:
At least three (3) acres of public open space along the waterfront edge of the project site. Public access shall be ensured though public access easements. The final configuration and design of the waterfront open space is subject to future review and approval by the Planning Board, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and a variety of other regional agencies.
A public promenade around the perimeter of the waterfront open space is at the water’s edge. The pubic promenade at the shoreline edge of the wharf shall include a railing, a minimum 10-foot wide pedestrian promenade with benches, lighting, and trash receptacles, a two-foot buffer to separate the promenade from a 12-foot wide dedicated bicycle path, and a three-foot buffer between the bicycle path and any adjacent roadway for vehicles or adjacent property line. The public promenade and bicycle path shall extend along the entire perimeter of the site from the Wind River campus to the Fortman Marina entrance.
A water shuttle docking facility and kayak launch facility will be placed either in the Alaska Basin or on the north side of the site in the Oakland Estuary with shuttle bus access and turn-around, passenger unloading, bicycle parking, and a kayak drop off zone, all in close proximity to the shuttle landing/public kayak launch.
In addition, an adaptive sea level rise protection plan is designed to protect at least three acres of public open space.
The Planning Board will ultimately determine if the Waterfront Open Space plan is consistent with the Master Plan and meets the criteria in the General Plan. At this time, the applicant is requesting the Recreation and Parks Commission’s review and comment on the draft Plan. These comments will be provided to the Planning Board as part of its review.
DISCUSSION
The development plans included in Exhibit 1 include details on all of the requisite aspects pursuant to the Master Plan, including the plans for a public promenade around the perimeter of the waterfront open space at the water’s edge, details of the Bay Trail and imagery for all of the railings, benches and lighting. The 26’ wide Bay Trail section includes a 10’ pedestrian pathway along the water’s edge, a two-foot buffer to separate the promenade from a 12-foot wide dedicated bicycle path (with a 2’ buffer between it and the Emergency Vehicle Access). This extends along the entire perimeter of the site from the Wind River campus to the Fortman Marina entrance and will connect to the Bay Trail behind Wind River to the west and along the Northern Waterfront to the east. In addition, it will connect to the crossing to Jean Sweeney Open Space Park.
While the 26’ Bay Trail is simply a defined space wherein the minimum Bay Trail standards are met, it is important to note that the publicly accessible waterfront promenade exceeds 100’ for much of its length along the wharf. The waterfront wharf promenade includes a variety of public access amenities including garden “rooms”, places for public art, play structures, turf and lawn areas for gathering, a sandy area for beach volleyball, barbecue facilities, waterfront steps, and small gathering spaces scattered along the waterfront. In accordance with the Master Plan, the plans also include details for drop off areas for both the water shuttle docking facility and the small watercraft/kayak launch area and provides for a harbor master facility with bathrooms in support of the marina facilities and for the public water transit dock.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact from this discussion.
RECOMMENDATION
Review and comment on the Encinal Terminals Waterfront Open Space Development Plan.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Exhibits:
1. Encinal Terminals Waterfront Open Space Development Plan