Title
Draft Meeting Minutes - December 9, 2019
Body
DRAFT MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY OF ALAMEDA PLANNING BOARD
MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2019
1. CONVENE
President Curtis convened the meeting at 7:04 p.m.
2. FLAG SALUTE
Board Member Saheba led the flag salute.
3. ROLL CALL
Present: Board Members Cavanaugh, Curtis, Hom, Rothenberg, Ruiz, Saheba, and Teague.
Absent: None.
4. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSION
Board Member Teague asked to bifurcate item 7-B.
5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
6. CONSENT CALENDAR
None.
7. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS
7-A 2019-7513
PLN19-0368 - 2800 Fifth Street - Design Review - Applicant: Pulte Home Company, LLC. Public Hearing to consider 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 attachment can be found at: <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4265827&GUID=2AA77E78-0786-46AD-BEC7-C435B2AE2CB6&FullText=1> .
Scott Hilk, Pulte Homes, gave a presentation.
Board Member Teague asked if there were alternatives to the waste management plan that were ruled out.
Mr. Hilk said they began with a plan that had the bins in the street instead of in the alleys, which would require a long distance for some units to haul their cans. He said the waste collection company also liked keeping bins immediately adjacent to each unit which would help them monitor ownership of bins and tracking service.
Board Member Saheba asked how the trash pickup would work for the retail building.
Mr. Hilk said that would be addressed when that building comes back for final review and may depend the end.
Board Member Hom asked what paving material would be used in the turnaround areas.
Mr. Hilk said they originally were hoping to use a grass-crete product, but with the regular use by the garbage trucks, he believes they will need to use a hardscape treatment.
Board Member Hom asked if the CC&Rs would address homeowners’ responsibility to properly place the waste bins.
Board Member Ruiz asked how the waste collection for the common areas of the stacked flats would be addressed.
Mr. Hilk said that they anticipate the HOA being responsible for managing the common area waste collection. He said they typically use contractors that service those areas and take waste off site.
President Curtis and Board Member Cavanaugh expressed satisfaction with the design of the Breeze units.
There were no public speakers.
Board Member Teague moved approval of the item. Board Member Rothenberg seconded the motion.
Board Member Hom offered an amendment to require the turnaround areas would be some type of decorative concrete or grass-crete and not asphalt. The amendment was accepted.
The motion passed 7-0.
7-B 2019-7514
PLN19-0556 - Block 11 and Phase I Waterfront Park Design Review Amendments - Alameda Point Site A - Applicant: Alameda Point Partners. The Planning Board will hold a Public Hearing to consider amendments to the previously-approved Design Review applications for Block 11 and the Phase I Waterfront Park at Alameda Point Site A. The proposed improvements are consistent with the Alameda Point General Plan, Zoning Code, and Waterfront Town Center Plan. The environmental effects of the proposed project were considered and disclosed in the Alameda Point Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse #2013012043). No further environmental review is required.
Allen Tai, City Planner, gave a presentation on the design of Block 11. The staff report and attachments can be found at: <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4265872&GUID=5D4FBCF6-E582-421D-8F3F-303EC9B0D3FB&FullText=1> .
President Curtis asked whether the bioswales would be capable of handling heavy rain events without creating standing water and mosquitos.
Staff Member Tai said that the swales tie into the storm drain system and will be sized appropriately to handle runoff from the site, consistent with applicable regulations.
David Israel, BAR architects, gave a presentation.
Board Member Cavanaugh asked if the pool was the best use of the podium space, or if more landscaping and open space would be better.
Mr. Israel said that they have a good amount of space up there, including landscaping, dining and seating areas, and that a pool has been determined to be an important feature of the project.
Board Member Teague asked when the board would see the landscape plans for the shared plaza.
Staff Member Tai said he believed that item came back to the board at a previous meeting and he does not anticipate those plans coming back again.
President Curtis opened the public hearing.
Richard Bangert said the new design of Block 11 is a major downgrade from the original design. He suggested keeping the original proposal.
Rachel Campos de Ivanov asked if there was a way to work with the developer to keep the great elements of the original plans while ensuring the economics of the project still work.
Board Member Teague said he wished the multi panel windows on the west elevation would return. He asked that the landscaping plan for Block 11 come back for review. He said he could support the project with those two changes.
President Curtis said time is the enemy of the project and he is willing to support.
Board Member Ruiz asked about possibly using a grey color for the vinyl windows.
Board Member Teague made a motion to approve the changes to Block 11 with conditions: the window area on the podium’s west elevation be multi paned; and that the landscape plan for Block 11 come back to the Board for approval. Board Member Saheba seconded the motion.
Staff Member Tai clarified that the motion on the table was to approve the design review for the building and that the landscape plan would return to the Board under a separate application.
The motion passed 7-0.
Staff Member Tai gave a presentation on the design of the Waterfront Park.
April Phillips, landscape architect, gave a presentation.
President Curtis reopened the public hearing.
Richard Bangert said the original plan was outstanding. He said we should not sacrifice the quality of this first, most important section of the Waterfront Park.
Rachel Campos de Ivanov said the terraces would give a much better gathering spot. She said the palm trees were an important feature of the original design.
President Curtis closed the public hearing.
Board Member Teague said he likes the idea of a civic park for gathering that is so accessible by transit. He said he is glad that the palm trees have been removed from the plans, but that he is undecided on whether to support the plan.
Board Member Hom said he does not think an urban park needs to be heavy on concrete. He said he likes the design, and agrees with the goal of including more seating. He said he would like to condition that the lighting plan be carefully reviewed by staff.
Board Member Ruiz said she prefers the new design. She said she sees the need for additional seating. She supported considering keeping some of the palm trees in the design.
Board Member Rothenberg said she could support the plan, though she expressed concern that the design did not meet the spirit for fully disabled access given the slopes.
Board Member Saheba said the previous design was much more refined. He said the inability for the slopes to be inhabited are problematic.
Board Member Cavanaugh said it would be helpful to see a lighting plan and how it would work given the requirements of the dark skies regulations.
President Curtis said the palm trees would give ambience to the site.
Staff Member Tai said that he would recommend continuing the item in order to allow the lighting and seating plan to be prepared and bring a full package back to the board in January.
Board Member Teague made a motion to continue the item. President Curtis seconded the motion. The motion passed 7-0.
President Curtis declared a brief recess.
7-C 2019-7516
PLN19-0564 - Phase II Development Plan and Design Review - 1815 Clement Avenue (between Alameda Marina Drive and Schiller Street) - Applicant: Alameda Marina, LLC. Study Session to consider Development Plan and Design Review application for Alameda Marina Phase II residential units. 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.
Staff Member Tai introduced the item. The staff report and exhibit can be found at: <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4265904&GUID=F757F3B0-82F9-4F75-8B87-2C224EE37441&FullText=1> .
Sean Murphy from Alameda Marina and David Burton from KTGY gave a presentation.
Board Member Cavanaugh suggested the applicant study whether some of the tree locations would block views of the harbor for waterfront units.
Board Member Teague asked about renewable energy generation for the site.
Mr. Burton said the units would be all electric and have solar panels on the roofs.
Board Member Teague said the stairwell structures for accessing the roof decks are not attractive and requested that their impact be minimized as much as possible. He said the colors were a bit frantic and asked for perspectives to show how the colors will work in context.
Board Member Rothenberg said there is a lot of stucco that may not age well in the marine environment.
Board Member Hom suggested being a little bit bolder with some of the elements that would make the project distinct from similar projects being built elsewhere on the island.
Board Member Ruiz gave comments on the surface materials for the designer to consider. She asked if the layout of the buildings was already approved in the Master Plan.
Staff Member Tai said that the Board will be considering both the Development Plan and Design Review, which enables them to provide input on the site plan.
Board Member Ruiz said she was interested in hearing more about seeing the same type of building marching down, row after row.
Board Member Saheba said there can be a lot more rigor applied to where the breaks are made in the façade. He said he can’t figure out how the windows would work and asked if there would be a variety of types.
Mr. Burton said that they are still trying to resolve some of the window choices.
Board Member Saheba recommended an option to improve the consistency of the window types. He said there needs to be more consistency in the material and design choices. He said the site has great opportunities to create proper hierarchies.
Board Member Hom said it is important that the end elevations facing the water are framing the public space and need to be improved.
8. MINUTES
None.
9. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
9-A 2019-7510
Planning, Building and Transportation Department Recent Actions and Decisions
9-B 2019-7511
Oral Report - Future Public Meetings and Upcoming Planning, Building and Transportation Department Projects
Staff Member Tai gave a brief preview of future agendas.
Andrew Thomas, Planning, Building and Transportation Department Director explained how the Measure A study session will work.
10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
10-A 2019-7518
January 13, 2020 Public Forum to Discuss Measure A Land Use Regulations
11. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS
None.
12. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
13. ADJOURNMENT
President Curtis adjourned the meeting at 10:45 p.m.