Title
Annual Review of Alameda Landing Commercial Project Development Agreement and Alameda Landing Residential Project Development Agreement. Applicant: Catellus Alameda Development, LLC. An Annual Review of the Development Agreements between City of Alameda and Catellus Alameda Development, LLC related to the Alameda Landing Mixed Use Residential Project and the Alameda Landing Mixed Use Commercial Project
Body
To: Honorable President and
Members of the Planning Board
From: Andrew Thomas
Planning, Building & Transportation Director
BACKGROUND
The City of Alameda and Master Developer originally entered into a Development Agreement in 2000, for the “Catellus Mixed Use Project” that is commonly referred to as the “Bayport neighborhood” and the 77-acre Alameda Landing area generally located north of the College of Alameda, south of the Oakland Alameda Estuary, west of the Webster and Posey Tubes, and east of the former Coast Guard housing and Shinsei Gardens apartments. Pursuant to the original Development Agreement, the City and Catellus Development Corporation began work on the Bayport neighborhood immediately and demolition and site preparation began in 2002. The Development Agreement and associated Master Plan underwent a comprehensive amendment in 2007 and a smaller amendment in 2017 related to the final waterfront phase of the project.
Alameda Municipal Code (“AMC”) Section 30-95.1 authorizes the Planning Board to conduct a public hearing at which the applicant must demonstrate good faith compliance with the terms and conditions of the agreements. In order to demonstrate good faith compliance, the applicant has submitted a Master Developer Letter of Compliance (Exhibit 1) for the annual review as required under AMC Section 30-95.1 and Article 5 of the Alameda Landing Development Agreements. The letter summarizes actions that have been taken during the period from January 2021 through December 2021.
Pursuant to the Alameda Landing Development Agreements and Environmental Impact Report (EIR), the applicant is also required to prepare an annual report on its Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program, for review by the Transportation Commission and City Council. The applicant has submitted its annual TDM Report for Transportation Commission and City Council review (Exhibit 2). The Transportation Commission is scheduled to review the TDM Report on November 16, 2022.
ANALYSIS
Beginning in 2002, Catellus and its development partners have been actively working on the Alameda Landing Bayport project for 20 years. During that 20 year period, the project has realized the following public benefits enumerated in the original and amended Development Agreements:
Bayport Neighborhood. In 2010, the City of Alameda and the Bayport Developer officially completed the Bayport neighborhood and met all of the associated terms and conditions included in the Bayport Development Agreement and it was terminated. Neither the City, nor the Bayport Developer, nor the Master Developer have any further Development Agreement obligations for the Bayport neighborhood area.
Alameda Landing Neighborhood, Shopping Center, Stargel Avenue extension. Between January 2010 and March 2017, Catellus and its partners worked diligently to develop the retail and residential sub-areas of the Alameda Landing project (those portions of the project area generally located between Stargell Avenue and Mitchell Avenue). During this period, the West Alameda Business Association (WABA) district boundaries were expanded to include the Alameda Landing Commercial Project area, as required by the applicable Development Agreement.
Waterfront Maritime. In December 2017, Developer completed the sale to Bay Ship and Yacht of two (2) buildings totaling 364,000 square feet on the Alameda Landing Waterfront. The waterfront buildings are currently being renovated.
Alameda Landing Waterfront Park and Neighborhood. The Alameda Landing Waterfront Park and neighborhood represents the final phase of the Alameda Landing/Bayport Project originally envisioned in the 2000 Master Plan and Development Agreement. This final phase includes 357 units, including 39 affordable units currently under construction by Pulte Homes, LLC, and a 4.5 acre City waterfront park. Catellus is working on the waterfront park. The first phase is substantially complete. The park is due to open to the public upon the Public Works Department completing two final inspections and accepting the park improvements as complete and meeting City standards. The public kayak and water shuttle dock should also be open for public use by early 2023.
Affordable Housing. Every residential phase of the project, including the Bayport neighborhood has included deed restricted affordable housing consistent with the requirements of the Development Agreement.
Alameda Landing Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program. The Alameda Landing TDM program (Exhibit 3), began in October 2013. The program is administered by the West Alameda Transportation Management Association (WATMA) Board of Directors. The TDM program includes a part-time TDM coordinator, a website, and a commute hour shuttle running between 12th Street BART and Alameda Landing. The applicant has submitted its annual TDM Report for Transportation Commission and City Council review (Exhibit 2). Since compliance with the TDM Mitigation Measures is a requirement of the Development Agreement, the Planning Board draft resolution (Exhibit 5) includes findings regarding the adequacy of the TDM Program. Staff is recommending that the WATMA be dissolved and the Alameda Landing property owners join the citywide Alameda TMA. The staff report and TDM analysis is included in the Transportation Commission staff report attached as Exhibit 4.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Annual review and reporting is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the draft resolution (Exhibit 5) accepting the Annual Report and declaring that Catellus Alameda Development, LLC has demonstrated good faith compliance with the terms and conditions of the Alameda Landing Development Agreements.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Thomas
Planning Building and Transportation Director
Exhibits:
1. Catellus Alameda Development, LLC Letter dated April 20, 2022
2. TDM Annual Report
3. Alameda Landing TDM Program
4. Staff Report to Transportation Commission regarding TDM Program
5. Draft Planning Board Resolution