Title
Draft Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2019
Body
DRAFT MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY OF ALAMEDA PLANNING BOARD
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2019
1. CONVENE
President Curtis convened the meeting at 7:03 p.m.
2. FLAG SALUTE
Board Member Ruiz led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. ROLL CALL
Present: Board Members Curtis, Cavanaugh, Hom, Rothenberg, Ruiz, Saheba, and Teague.
Absent: None.
4. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION
President Curtis said item 7-B would be tabled for a future meeting.
5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
6. CONSENT CALENDAR
6-A 2019-7422
Hold a Public Workshop to Consider Design Review Amendments for Block 11 and Phase I Waterfront Park at Alameda Point Site A (Item Continued to November 25, 2019)
President Curtis noted that this item has been continued to the November 25, 2019 meeting.
7. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS
7-A 2019-7420
PLN19-0368 - 2800 Fifth Street - Design Review - Applicant: Pulte Home Company, LLC. Study Session for a Design Review application to construct 69 buildings containing 357 residential units within the 17.2-acre Alameda Landing Waterfront Mixed-Use Development site. The 2006 Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report was certified in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act for the Alameda Landing Mixed Use Development (State Clearinghouse #2006012091)
Henry Dong, Planner III, gave a presentation. The staff report and attachments can be found at: <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4212398&GUID=2570CBE2-DEBA-4328-A6D9-FA72B75F2AC6&FullText=1>
Scott Hilk, Pulte Homes, gave a presentation.
Board Member Saheba asked how the flat roofed single family homes would be plotted on the site.
Mr. Hilk explained that the flat top units would need to be on the main street for proper fire access. He said they were careful to not repeat designs next to each other and varied color schemes as well.
Board Member Hom asked if the Landing units would have a different stucco treatment on the ground floor, and how would the backlit panels work.
Mr. Hilk said they will use mostly stone on the front of the ground floor.
The project architect explained how the screening and ground floor panels would look and activate the first floor. She said the screens would be aluminum or Cortan with powder coating and resistant to corrosion.
There was a discussion to clarify that all the windows in the Landing units would be white and some would have dark trim.
There were no public speakers.
Board Member Teague said he appreciates the changes made. He said the lack of cornice on the Compass product is actually a feature and he would not support changing that part of the design. He said he supported staff’s recommendation to wrap the stone around the building. He said he would support the Breeze as is, or would gladly support some improvements in the relatively plain design. He said the Landing would look odd with an additional cornice element. He said he did not like the windows in the stairwell because they do not match the rest of the building.
Board Member Cavanaugh said one of the single family home designs looked like a wooden structure placed on top of a stucco building. He said it looks out of place. He said otherwise the project looks great.
Board Member Ruiz thanked the applicant for incorporating the Board’s feedback from the last round of comments. She said the third floor of the flat roofed single family home needed some improvements to make the proportions work. She suggested that changing the bottom floor of the unit Board Member Cavanaugh had concerns about to horizontal siding may solve some of the design compatibility issues.
Board Member Hom said he was neutral about adding a cornice to the Compass units. He said he would like the top element to be something more than aluminum flashing. He said he is not sure if the addition of a flat roof option for the single family homes is an improvement. He said it is nice to have a third option, but that the multifamily units all have flat roofs and the single family homes with pitched roofs are a nice change from the rest of the project.
Board Member Rothenberg said she agreed with Board Members Hom and Teague regarding the design elements. She said the Breeze variations are acceptable to her. She asked for more information about how the fire access dictated placement of the flat topped Breeze units.
Mr. Hilk explained that the flat roof parapet was higher than the fire department’s ground ladders can reach, which means they cannot be placed on the interior, narrower streets.
Board Member Saheba said there are too many different materials being used on each of the Breeze units. He suggested using one material for each building to make the design more cohesive and allow different units to provide the variation.
President Curtis asked how to give positive direction for the developer when there is varied feedback from this study session. He asked if the Board should vote on each item.
Allen Tai, City Planner, asked the Board to discuss some of the items in more detail to get clearer direction for the applicant.
President Curtis asked the Board Members to weigh in on Board Member Saheba’s comments regarding the Breeze units and whether the design was too busy.
Board Member Ruiz said that she is okay with the units having a datum line because of their three story size. She said she is neutral on design 2A. She said the middle design is too busy and that plan 2B has proportionality issues.
Board Member Hom said he agrees that the three Breeze units do appear a little busy. He said he liked the idea of simplifying the design.
Board Member Rothenberg said the architectural features should make sense.
Board Member Teague noted that two of the Breeze designs had consistent features on the first two floors, but the middle design had three distinct floors, which he said could be simplified.
Board Member Cavanaugh said taking the top level of the middle design and placing it on the unit on the right would clean up that design.
President Curtis asked if any of the designs would hold up approval of the project.
Board Member Saheba said that the hope of a study session is that the applicant will incorporate the feedback given. He said the details discussed would probably not hold up the approval, but hopes that it would make a meaningful product.
Mr. Hilk explained the changes they can make quickly in order to incorporate the feedback they have heard.
7-B 2019-7421
Vice President Alan Teague will Describe Many of the New State Housing Laws Related to Accessory Dwelling Units, Zoning Code, Housing Element, and Affordable Housing. No final decisions or actions will be taken by the Board
This item has been tabled and will be brought back to a future meeting.
8. MINUTES
8-A 2019-7423
Draft Meeting Minutes - October 14, 2019
Board Member Rothenberg made a motion to approve the minutes. Board Member Hom seconded the motion. The motion passed 7-0.
9. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
9-A 2019-7410
Planning, Building and Transportation Department Recent Actions and Decisions
Board Member Rothenberg said a vet office is a different type of occupancy than a pet store and should be required to meet all appropriate regulations.
Staff Member Tai said the use permit application was reviewed by the Building Official. He added that they would have to pull building permits and meet all building and fire code regulations.
9-B 2019-7411
Oral Report - Future Public Meetings and Upcoming Planning, Building and Transportation Department Projects
Staff Member Tai said the Exelixis project would be coming to the next meeting for a Design Review approval.
10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
None.
11. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS
Board Member Ruiz shared that the she met with Exelixis yesterday.
12. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
13. ADJOURNMENT
President Curtis adjourned the meeting at 8:28 p.m.