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Public Hearing to Consider Accepting: 1) an Annual Report on the Status of the General Plan and Housing Element, 2) an Annual Report on the Status of the Transportation Choices Plan and Associated Work Program Priorities, and 3) an Annual Report for the West Alameda Transportation Management Association (TMA). Consideration of an Annual Report is Exempt from Review Under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the General Rule that CEQA only Applies to Actions that have the Potential to Cause a Significant Impact on the Environment. (Planning, Building and Transportation 481005) [Not heard March 17, 2020]
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To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Every city and county in the State of California is required to adopt and maintain an up-to-date, internally consistent General Plan, which establishes the local development and conservation policies necessary to guide physical development and protect the general health, safety and welfare of the community. Government Code § 65400 et seq. also requires that the City of Alameda (City) annually review the adequacy of the General Plan and progress made toward meeting the City’s regional housing needs allocation (the “RHNA”). The annual report on the status of the General Plan and Housing Element (Exhibit 1) provides an assessment of the City’s General Plan, a status report on progress made in 2019 toward meeting the City’s regional housing needs, and recommendations for General Plan updates in 2020/2021.
In 2018, the City Council adopted a Citywide Transportation Choices Plan, which establishes 39 priority projects and programs to improve transportation services and facilities in Alameda over the next 10 to 15 years. The Transportation Choices Plan requires an annual review of progress toward meeting the City’s transportation improvement needs. The attached annual report on the status of the Transportation Choices Plan (Exhibit 2) provides an overview of work completed in 2019 and priority recommendations for 2020/2021.
In 2013, the master developers for Alameda Landing established the West Alameda Transportation Management Association (TMA) for the Alameda Landing mixed use project, which includes the shopping center, the TRI Pointe residential development, the waterfront Bay Ship and Yacht warehouses and the waterfront park and neighborhood currently under construction. The 2007 Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan for Alameda Landing calls for the TMA to be eventually consolidated with Alameda Point transportation services and programs, to provide Day One Services in 2013, and to provide an annual report of activities, including a year five Annual Report (Exhibit 3).
The General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report was reviewed and endorsed by the City of Alameda Planning Board on February 24, 2020. The Transportation Choices Plan Annual Report was reviewed and endorsed by the City of Alameda Transportation Commission on January 22, 2020.
Staff is recommending that the City Council review and endorse all three Annual Reports and their associated work plan priorities.
BACKGROUND
The City’s land use and transportation plans, policies, issues and challenges are inextricably linked. Every land use and development decision made by the staff, Planning Board or City Council requires a careful evaluation of transportation impacts and implications. In Alameda, every major development approved by the City is required to fund transportation improvements and facilities, and every major building permit pays a transportation impact fee that pays for specific transportation system improvements to address existing and future transportation system deficiencies.
Despite its island geography, Alameda is not immune to the challenges that are facing the larger Bay Area region. The affordable housing crises, homelessness, and climate change are regional issues that are also impacting the quality of life in Alameda. Likewise, with its limited roadway, bicycle, and pedestrian links to Oakland and the larger region, Alameda’s transportation network is extremely sensitive to regional congestion and any existing design or capacity deficiencies with the limited roadways, transit lanes, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes that connect Alameda to Oakland and the larger region.
Despite these regional challenges and problems, Alameda has been largely successful in preserving a high quality of life for its residents and businesses. This success may be attributed to active community involvement in planning, transportation and development decisions and careful planning and decision making by Alameda’s elected and appointed officials and decision makers.
DISCUSSION
As the City looks to the future and the challenges that must be overcome, it is important to annually review the General Plan and the City’s transportation improvement plans, projects, and programs. These annual reviews assess what has been accomplished in the past year and establish work priorities for the next year.
General Plan Annual Report (Exhibit 1): The attached General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report provides an assessment of the City’s General Plan and progress made toward meeting the City’s housing goals. The annual report finds that:
A comprehensive update of the General Plan is needed to ensure that the General Plan provides an up-to-date, internally consistent statement of policies for the development and conservation of the community. The last comprehensive update of the Alameda General Plan occurred in 1991. The General Plan update is currently underway, and all of the work completed to date is available for public review on the City’s General Plan Update website at: <https://www.alamedaca.gov/Departments/Planning-Building-and-Transportation/Planning-Division/2020-General-Plan-Update>.
On the City’s website, reviewers may review each element of the current General Plan and review the work in progress on each updated Element. The public is encouraged to send comments on the work in progress by emailing the City at: GPUpdate2020@alamedaca.gov <mailto:GPUpdate2020@alamedaca.gov>.
The updates on the General Plan website include the first draft updates of the General Plan Introduction, Conservation and Climate Change Element, Parks Open Space and Recreation Element, and Safety and Noise Element. Later this month, staff will publish the updates to the Land Use and City Design Element and the Transportation Element. The Housing Element will not be updated until 2022 as required by State law.
Housing Element Annual Report (Exhibit 1). The City is making progress towards meeting its eight year regional housing need allocation (RHNA) for 1,723 housing units. Although the City is expected to provide the total number of units needed, those units will not adequately meet the housing needs of moderate, low, very low, and extremely low income households and individuals.
In the first five years of the eight year cycle, Alameda issued building permits for 1,301 housing units. During the next and final three years of the eight year cycle, the City hopes to be able to issue at least the 420 building permits needed to meet the City’s eight year goal of 1,723 building permits. The projects that are expected to receive building permits in the next three years include:
Ø Alameda Point Site A: 30 for-sale townhome units on Block 6; 60 for-sale townhome units on Block 7; 70 deed restricted affordable very-low and low income multifamily rental units at Block 8; and 200 multifamily units at Block 11;
Ø Rosefield Village: 80 deed restricted very low and low income units;
Ø Alameda Marina Phase 1: 360 multifamily units, including approximately 30 affordable units;
Ø McKay Avenue Wellness Center: 90 assisted living units for extremely low income households; and
Ø 1435 Webster Street: 9 multifamily units, including two affordable units.
Although the total number of units for the eight year period may be provided, the proportion of those units affordable to lower income households will fall short. Of the 1,723 units, the City’s RHNA includes the need for 222 extremely low income units, 222 very-low income units, 248 low income units, 283 moderate income units, and 748 above moderate income units. To meet the goal for affordable units, the City will need to significantly increase financial resources available for affordable housing. As described in the attached Annual Report, high land and construction costs makes it financially infeasible to require that 50% of the units in each market rate project be deed restricted for affordable housing. (See the Inclusionary Housing Program analysis in the Annual Report.)
Transportation Choices Plan Annual Report (Exhibit 2) provides an assessment of the City’s work over the last year to improve transportation services and facilities in Alameda. To improve transportation services in Alameda and accommodate population and employment growth, the annual report recommends that in the next two years, the City Council, in partnership with the Transportation Commission and community, prioritize the following transportation projects and programs for 2020:
More Bus Service: Provide more frequent bus service between Alameda Point and Downtown Oakland. Identify funding for a new “Cross Alameda” bus route between Alameda Point and the east end of Alameda. Expand Citywide AC Transit EasyPass program. Develop design for the Appezzato Parkway bus lanes or bus queue jump lanes.
More Ferry Service: Complete construction of Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal and begin additional ferry services in 2020. Replace the Main Street Ferry Terminal float, and begin work on a long-term plan for Main Street Ferry Terminal improvements. Implement a parking management plan for the ferry terminals.
Active Transportation Plan: Complete the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan update and the Vision Zero Plan. Make Alameda’s streets safer for all users, especially the most vulnerable.
Broadway and Jackson Freeway Improvements: Complete design work with Oakland, Caltrans and Alameda County Transportation Commission for improvements to Broadway and Jackson I-880 ramps.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Estuary Crossing: Complete feasibility studies with Oakland for a bicycle and pedestrian crossing from West Alameda to Oakland’s Jack London Square and identify a regional transportation agency sponsor for the project.
Cross Alameda Trail: Complete construction of the Cross Alameda Trail between Alameda Point and Jean Sweeney Park, approve the final design and begin construction of the Trail improvements on Clement Avenue between Grand Street and Broadway, and approve the final design for the Trail between Broadway and the Miller Sweeney (Fruitvale) Bridge.
Central Avenue Safety Improvements: Approve the final design for the reconfiguration of Central Avenue, including the segment adjacent to Webster Street.
Otis Drive Improvements: Construct the final design for Otis Drive traffic calming between Westline Drive and Willow Street and initiate high priority, low cost calming strategies.
Encinal Avenue: Work with Caltrans to restripe and improve State Route 61 (Encinal Avenue) between Sherman Street and Broadway.
Fruitvale Rail Bridge: Work with the Army Corps of Engineers to identify federal funds to remove or retrofit the abandoned rail bridge which poses an imminent hazard to the Miller Sweeney Bridge in the event of a major earthquake. The Miller Sweeney Bridge is improved to a “no collapse” standard and will be critical to the community’s ability to recover from a major earthquake, unless the Fruitvale Rail Bridge collapses onto the Miller Sweeney Bridge.
Transportation Awareness: Disseminate information to improve citywide awareness of transportation options. Continue bicycle safety education programs.
Taking Care of the Facilities: Repave 10 miles of streets and trails, repair 4 miles of sidewalks, upgrade 10 signals, and install 50 bicycle racks and 10 bus benches.
The Transportation Commission and community members provided the following comments on the Annual Report at the January 22, 2020 Transportation Commission meeting, which are reflected in the updated version of the Annual Report with a new section devoted to monitoring:
• Need better measures of effectiveness so we can make the most cost effective decisions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
• Increase the rigor on why projects are ranked as high priority with quantitative metrics;
• Show benchmarking, successes and lessons learned; and
• Support and also concerns about eliminating Alameda Landing shuttle.
The West Alameda TMA Annual Report (Exhibit 3). The West Alameda Transportation Management Association Annual Report provides an overview of services provided by the TMA to the residents and businesses at Alameda Landing and West Alameda over the last five years. The report also describes the Association’s plans to replace the Alameda Landing private shuttle program in 2020 with enhanced AC Transit services and Easy Passes for all of Alameda Landing residents and shopping center employees. To effectuate the change, the Alameda TMA property owners and business will join the Citywide Alameda TMA, which is currently comprised of the Northern Waterfront project area, the Alameda Point project area and the Alameda Housing Authority, as the Alameda Landing project area committee. With the creation of an Alameda Landing project area committee within the Alameda TMA, there will be no need for a West Alameda TMA. Future year Transportation Choices Plan Annual Reports will provide progress reports for the Alameda TMA, which is designed to serve as a Citywide TMA, for its member organizations, businesses and the general public.
ALTERNATIVES
• Endorse the Annual Reports and work programs.
• Revise and endorse the annual reports.
• Delay action on the annual reports until additional information is made available for City Council consideration.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Endorsement of the annual reports will have no impact on the General Fund. The recommended priority actions are designed to be accomplished within existing (or anticipated) approved budgets and with existing (or anticipated) funding sources, where the City is the lead agency. Final budget decisions on specific programs and capital projects will be made by the City Council at the time of the Biennial Budget and Capital Improvement Program adoption. Endorsement of a work priority in the annual report does not predetermine or obligate the City Council to make a particular funding decision when it adopts the citywide Budget and Capital Improvement Program.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
An annual review of the General Plan and Housing Element is required by State Government Code Section 65400 and by Housing Element policy.
An annual review of the Transportation Choices Plan is required by the plan itself. All of the priority actions recommended for 2019 and 2020 are listed projects in the Transportation Choices Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Review of an Annual Report is statutorily exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.
CLIMATE IMPACTS
The General Plan Annual Report recommends preparation and adoption of a Climate Action and Conservation Element to guide all future city decisions and ordinances consistent with the City of Alameda Climate Action and Resiliency Plan.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public hearing and endorse by motion the General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report (Exhibit 1), the Transportation Choices Plan Annual Report (Exhibit 2), and the West Alameda Transportation Management Agency Annual Report (Exhibit 3).
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager concurs with the Planning, Building and Transportation Director’s recommendation.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Thomas, Planning Building and Transportation Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report
2. Transportation Choices Plan Annual Report
3. West Alameda TMA Annual Report
cc: Eric Levitt, City Manager