Title
PLN19-0270 - Development Plan and Design Review - 1815 Clement Avenue (between Alameda Marina Drive and Schiller Street) - Applicant: Pacific Shops, LLC. Public Hearing to consider Development Plan and Design Review application for a four- to five-story residential building with 360 multi-family units and 8 Work/Live units as part of Phase I of the Alameda Marina Master Plan project. The environmental effects of the proposed project were considered and disclosed in the Alameda Marina Master Plan Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse #2016102064). No further environmental review is required under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Body
To: Honorable President and Members of the Planning Board
From: Allen Tai, City Planner
BACKGROUND
In July 2018, the City Council approved the Alameda Marina Master Plan, which established requirements for the development of a mixed use plan for the Alameda Marina site that includes up to 760 multifamily housing units, up to 250,000 square feet of commercial and maritime commercial space, approximately 3.59 acres of shoreline open space, and a 530 slip marina.
On June 24, 2019, the Planning Board held a Study Session on the first phase of the Master Plan project “Wrap A,” which consists of construction of the first multi-family residential building that now includes 360 units and 8 Work/Live units. The Planning Board provided comments on the project design, which the applicant addressed in revised plans. The applicant is now requesting Planning Board approval of the Development Plan and Design Review application for Wrap A.
DISCUSSION
Project Summary:
The Alameda Marina Master Plan requires Development Plan and Design Review approval for buildings in each phase of the master plan project. This proposal consists of the first phase (“Wrap A”) located on the western edge of the project site along Clement Avenue between Alameda Marina Drive and Schiller Street. This 3.9-acre area of the Alameda Marina site is identified as Multi-family Residential High Density subarea under the Master Plan. The Master Plan also identifies a “Wrap Building” as the appropriate building type at this location. A “Wrap Building” describes a multi-story residential building type where the units surround a structured parking garage in the center of the building. Wrap A, as this building is described in the Master Plan, may be a 5-story multifamily building up to 65-feet in height. Along the Schiller Street edge, the project provides 8 Work/Live units facing the maritime commercial core.
As currently proposed, Wrap A consists of new construction of 360 multi-family apartments in one wrap building with 65 studios, 230 one-bedroom, and 65 two-bedroom units. The new four- to five-story building varies between approximately 50’ to 60’ in height. The building will include 397 off-street vehicle parking spaces and a total of 412 short and long term bicycle parking spaces, including convenient bike storage rooms on each residential floor. The development includes a variety of amenities for residents, including a 9,600 square foot indoor space with a two-story volume, and other outdoor common open space including a courtyard with pool, fire pits, roof decks and barbecue areas.
Per the Master Plan, 104 affordable units will be built among the total 760 units on the entire site. With 360 units proposed in Phase I, this calculates to a proportional 49 affordable units to be equitably distributed across the various unit types in the building. For Phase I, 16 of the 360 units will be affordable to very-low income households, 12 units will be affordable to low income households, and 21 units will be affordable to moderate income households. The building provides studio and one and two bedroom units ranging from 527 square feet for a studio to 1,410 square feet for a two bedroom unit. Under this proposed Affordable Housing Plan, the applicant must execute an Affordable Housing Agreement with the City prior to issuance of building permits.
Project Design:
Siting and Orientation. The Alameda Marina Master Plan requires the orientation of new buildings toward the street and public spaces. The proposed building sits on the Clement Avenue frontage with a prominent articulated building edge along Clement Ave. The building is setback 15 feet from the sidewalk to provide relief to the public walk while framing the street. Along Schiller Street, the building frontage features 8 commercial work/live studios on the ground floor, providing tall-two-story commercial facades facing the Maritime/Commercial Core area. The building’s rear elevation is five stories tall, and three courtyards recessed into the building elevation provide opportunities to maximize views of the waterfront consistent with Master Plan design guidelines.
Clement Avenue Frontage and the Pedestrian Experience. A primary focus of the Master Plan building design guidelines is the Clement Avenue street interface. The proposed project satisfies the Master Plan requirements with various building design features. Walking along the Clement Avenue sidewalk, pedestrians will experience a 25-foot wide space between the building and the street shaded by street trees and bordered by a future cycle track. The main lobby and building entry faces Clement Avenue located between Minturn & Union Street next to the visual corridor and courtyard space. Near the main entry of the building, pedestrians will pass by a band of approximately 18-foot high glass windows facing the street. Steps leading up to the main building lobby also serve the public pedestrian corridor to the waterfront beyond. Along the remainder of the Clement Avenue elevation, ground floor patios in private residential units help activate the streetscape.
Architecture, Massing, Articulation, and Building Materials. The Master Plan specifies that building massing and form shall be appropriate to the architectural style. The building massing provides multiple breaks in plane, both vertical and horizontal, consistent with wrap building architecture to hide a multi-level parking structure at its center. The Master Plan also calls for offsetting building forms with vertical and horizontal breaks between spaces along with changes in colors and materials The proposed building uses four different materials - stucco, lap siding, metal panel, and metal siding - at the vertical and horizontal transitions, which allows the building to express the differences in scale. The building creates a base, middle, and top form by having bay windows, balconies, and material change. These features create a well-articulated façade on all sides of the building and in the interior courtyards resulting in a distinctive yet attractive architectural design.
Open Space and Parking. All of the residents of this development will benefit from Alameda Marina’s 3.59 acres acres of public waterfront and open space, which are within immediate walking distance to Wrap A. In addition, the residents will have access to on-site open space amenities, including a 9,600 square foot interior common area, central courtyard with pool, and outdoor courtyards with barbeque and cooking facilities. The combination of common and private open space on site total nearly 50,000 square feet in area. In terms of bicycle facilities, the project provides over 400 bicycle parking spaces, with bike storage rooms on each residential floor in addition to a large common storage area in the garage. The parking garage provides parking for up to 397 vehicles.
Table 1 below summarizes project compliance with applicable Alameda Marina Master Plan development standards.
Planning Board Comments:
During the study session on June 24, 2019, the Planning Board commented on the building design and various aspects of the project design. The following lists a summary of the revisions addressing those comments:
• Trash Management Plan - Plans have been revised to show a trash set out area at the rear of the building near Alameda Marina Drive. A secondary set out location is shown on Schiller Street adjacent to the Loading Zone. The interior trash rooms, chutes, their locations, and the staging areas have been updated to reflect proper coordination with City guidelines and trash collection operations.
• Loading Zone - A loading zone has been provided along Schiller Street to allow for loading and unloading, including package delivery, for this building. The City Engineer recommends a condition of approval requiring a parking lane of 10-feet to ensure accommodation of large delivery trucks.
• Night Renderings - Plans have been revised to include nighttime renderings of the project.
• Historical Building Update - The plans have been updated to include a more realistic version of the historical buildings adjacent to Wrap A’s site. This project was also presented to the Historical Advisory Board on September 5, 2019 although the Board did not have comments.
• View Corridor Updates - The pedestrian corridor has been enhanced to add glazing and landscaping under the second portion of the building overhang facing the rear parking lot. In addition, the end of the space has prioritized glazing to make it a nicer space as previously commented by the Planning Board. The windows located in the amenity space that replicated the residential windows have been removed to create a more defined first floor and amenity program from the upper residential floors.
• Parking Lot at End of Pedestrian View Corridor - A curb bulb-out and landscaping have been added to the end of the view corridor path through Wrap A to mitigate views of the parking lot and provide a softer boundary between the building and parking lot.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, staff finds that the Development Plan and proposed building design are consistent with the Alameda Marina Master Plan standards. The architectural design of the building is consistent with the findings for Design Review approval required by AMC Section 30-37 as set forth in the Draft Resolution (Exhibit 2).
PUBLIC NOTICE
This agenda item was advertised in the Alameda Sun and public notices were posted as required by the Alameda Municipal Code. No public comments have been received as of the writing of this staff report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
On July 10, 2018, the City Council certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Alameda Marina Master Plan in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (State Clearinghouse #2016102064). The proposed Development Plan and Design Review for a 360-unit multi-family building implement the Master Plan and do not change the environmental impacts already disclosed in the EIR. No further environmental review is required.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public hearing and approve the Alameda Marina Phase I Development Plan and Design Review for a four- to five-story, 360-unit residential building with 8 Work/Live studios per the findings and conditions of approval set forth in the Draft Resolution (Exhibit 2).
Reviewed By:
Andrew Thomas,
Planning, Building, and Transportation Director
Exhibits:
1. Alameda Marina Phase I Development Plan and Design Review Plan
2. Draft Resolution