Alameda Planning Board Meeting: May 11, 2020 – Boatworks Waiver, North Housing Study, Minutes
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Alameda Planning Board Meeting – May 11, 2020
The Alameda Planning Board met on Monday, May 11, 2020, at 7:00 PM via teleconference under Governor's Executive Order N-29-20. The board conducted a public hearing on a Universal Design Ordinance waiver for the Boatworks project, held a study session for the North Housing proposals, approved meeting minutes, and received staff communications.
Consent Calendar
- No items were placed on the consent calendar.
Public Comments & Testimony
- For the Boatworks public hearing, no oral public comments were received.
- For the North Housing study session, a written comment from Courtney Shepler, a homeowner in Alameda Landing, was read into the record. She expressed concerns about the project's density, insufficient parking and guest parking, enforcement of parking provisions, and the lack of communication and agreement with the Alameda Landing HOA regarding use of the private bike path as an amenity.
Discussion Items
Item 7A – Universal Design Waiver Request (Boatworks, 2229-2235 Clement Avenue)
Planning Director Andrew Thomas presented the staff report. The applicant, Boatworks, LLC, requested a waiver from Alameda Municipal Code Section 30-18 (Universal Design Ordinance) for a previously approved 182-unit waterfront development. Due to site grading constraints (floodplain elevation, sea level rise, sewer/stormwater drainage) and the townhome-style housing type, only 28 of 182 units (15%) would meet universal design requirements (30% required) and 91 units (50%) would meet visitability requirements (100% required). The project would provide accessible routes to the waterfront open space, a new accessible sidewalk on Oak Street, and an accessible waterfront clubhouse and play equipment. The Disability Commission opposed the waiver and provided a list of potential conditions. Staff recommended approval with additional conditions, noting that full compliance would likely require a complete redesign, which could conflict with state density bonus law and the Housing Accountability Act.
Board members expressed disappointment at the low percentages but acknowledged the genuine site constraints. Vice President Teague proposed a list of adaptability measures (lever handles, reinforced walls, adjustable shelving, etc.) to apply to all units. The applicant agreed to most items but flagged four or five needing further study: automatic stove shut-off, slip-resistant floors, low-glare counters, tactile edge detection, and 32-inch door clearances. The board crafted a motion to approve the waiver with conditions: all units must be adaptable per Teague's list, with uncertain items to be resolved during design review; the developer shall endeavor to make all other units visitable via front door or garage and provide detailed grading plans for units not meeting visitability during design review.
Item 7B – North Housing Study Session (300-501 Mosley Avenue)
Planner Alan Tye presented an overview of two residential proposals on the 14-acre former Navy housing site. Habitat for Humanity proposes up to 68 units of affordable ownership housing on a 2-acre parcel (100% affordable at or below 80% AMI). The Alameda Housing Authority proposes up to 580 units of mixed-income, permanent supportive, senior, and family housing on the remaining 12 acres, phased over 10 or more years. Both projects intend to qualify for SB 35 streamlined ministerial review. Board members asked about road modifications, unit distribution, CEQA exemption, Paseo design and fencing, density bonus eligibility, financing, and placement of support services. Several members encouraged broader income mixing and removal of the fence along the Paseo. No formal action was taken; the item was a study session.
Key Outcomes
- Approved the Universal Design Ordinance waiver for Boatworks with added conditions regarding adaptability, visitability, and design review follow-up. The vote was unanimous among board members present (5-0).
- Held the North Housing study session with no formal action.
- Approved the February 10, 2020 meeting minutes with a correction (5-0), changing “direction to refine an amendment” to “direction to refine and amend.”
- Staff announced that the next regular meeting on May 25, 2020 (Memorial Day) is canceled; the next meeting is scheduled for June 8, 2020.
Meeting Transcript
The first thing is the flag salute. Alan, why don't you lead us in the salute? Everybody keep it buried much in their hearts and you lead us through it, Alan. Okay. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Justice for all. Okay. Can we have a roll call, please? Oh, here I can I can probably do that. Chair, uh, excuse me, President Curtis here. Uh Board Member Ruiz. Yeah. Vice President Teague. Here. Uh Board Member Homer. Uh Board Member Saheba. Present. Uh Board Member Rothenberg. Here. Board Member Kavanaugh. I think we have one absence and you have a quorum. Good. Okay. Are there any agenda changes? None from staff. Okay. Do any of you have any? Okay. Seeing none, we'll go on to the oral communications. Um does anybody want to anybody can address the board on a topic not on the agenda. Have we had anybody writing in for a topic or calling in for a topic not on the agenda? I do not have anyone now. Uh nope. Okay. I don't think we have any. Okay. Um, we have nothing on the consent calendar, so we should go to our first agenda item, which is item 7A, a public hearing to consider the request for waiver of the requirements of the Universal Design Ordinance for the Alameda Municipal Court Section 3018 for the boatworks development plan 229 to 2235 Clement Avenue. The applicant, it's the boat works LLC. The staff have a report. Uh yes, this is um honorable president, members of the planning board. Uh, my name is Andrew Thomas. I'm the director of planning building and transportation, and um I will present the staff report for this public hearing to consider this request for the waiver of the requirements of the universal design ordinance uh for the project at uh 20 229 uh Clement Avenue, what we call the boat works project. Uh, can you hear me okay, uh Ron? Yes, yes, you're fine. Okay. All right. Uh so um you may remember on March 17th, the planning board recommended the city council move forward with the entitlements for the proposed boat works project. Um one month later on April 7th, the city council uh adopted resolutions approving the development plan and tentative map for the development of 182 units and approximately 1.5 acres of open space along the waterfront for this project. Um the applicant is now requesting a waiver from the provisions of section 3018. This is our universal residential design ordinance uh for that same project.
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