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Record of Proceedings

Alameda Planning Board Meeting – March 8, 2021: Housing Element Study Session and Encinal Terminals Tidelands Exchange & Master Plan Hearing

Planning Board — Monday, March 8, 2021
BodyAlameda, California
SessionPlanning Board
DateMonday, March 8, 2021
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

I'd like to call to order the March 8th 2021 meeting of the planning board.

0:08

As it everyone else has gone, I it's my turn to leave the flag school.

0:30

Board member Cisneros.

0:32

Yeah.

0:33

Curtis.

0:34

Here.

0:36

Rothenbury?

0:37

Yeah.

0:38

Ruiz.

0:39

Yeah.

0:40

Ms.

0:40

Heba.

0:42

We have a quorum.

0:44

Thank you.

0:45

Does staff add in any agenda changes?

0:49

No, not from staff.

0:51

I I'd like to acknowledge that it's International Women's Day.

0:56

And we have four very critical roles on this board that are covered by excellent people.

1:06

And I'm really glad to call you my peers.

1:09

So and while I would like to say that I did it intentionally, the random order is that our women board members will all be going first in our discussion today.

1:26

The first item is oral communication.

1:29

Anyone may address the board on a topic not on the agenda.

1:33

If you would like to speak, please uh raise your hand.

1:45

Last call for uh oral communications on the items not on the agenda.

1:53

Okay, I'm gonna close that section.

1:55

Uh the consent calendar is empty, so we'll move on to the first regular agenda item, the planning board study session, the proposed process and schedule to update the city's general plan housing element for 2023 to 2031.

2:12

As this is a study session, the staff report, public comment, and then board questions and comments.

2:22

Good evening.

2:23

Uh President Teague, uh members of the board.

2:27

Uh my name's Andrew Thomas.

2:28

I'm the planning building and transportation director.

2:30

I'll give the presentation tonight.

2:32

Um Artie, I can share screen, right?

2:36

That is correct.

2:50

Uh can everyone see this uh housing element update screen?

2:55

Yes, okay, great.

2:57

Um, so uh tonight's workshop is was scheduled um to give the opportunity to give staff the opportunity to present our work program for the update of the housing element for the period 2023 through 31.

3:08

Uh it's a two essentially an 18-month work program um because by under state law, the city of Alameda needs to uh have a and the city council has to adopt a housing element um by the end of 2022.

3:22

Um so this workshop is an opportunity for the public and the planning board to review the work program, um initial work products, and provide direction to both staff and the planning board subcommittee for the housing element um update.

3:35

Uh the housing element is a mandatory uh element of our general plan.

3:40

It's the policy document that describes how we're gonna take care of the housing needs of all economic segments of our community through a variety of housing types, including multifamily uh rental, uh supportive housing, single room occupancy, emergency cells, transitional housing.

3:55

So it's it's the mandatory update of our housing element, um, and it needs to show how we're gonna accommodate the needs of every income level in the city of Alameda.

4:05

Um, our one of the major uh objectives of the um eight-year update of the housing element is to show how the city is going to provide land uh suitable and zoned appropriately to accommodate our regional housing needs allocation or often referred to as our RENA.

4:25

Our draft RENA for this period is 5,354 units.

4:30

That's still a draft number.

4:32

It may change.

4:32

It will become final uh this summer.

4:36

There will be an opportunity to um to appeal if the council wishes to appeal.

4:41

Um, it should be understood that our arena represents one percent of the regional allocation for the whole region.

4:49

So essentially, what the regional methodology is it determined is that Alameda should provide for one percent of the regionals of the region's housing need during this period.

5:01

Um to show how we're going to accommodate our arena, uh, the process is uh sort of laid out under state law.

5:10

It's a series of steps.

5:12

The first step is to identify well, then the projects that we're already approved that will be building housing during that period.

5:19

So, of course, those count those units that are approved but not yet built, we get to count.

5:25

And that's sort of the blue bucket.

5:27

That's and in that bucket, we don't need there's no actions needed.

5:30

The planning board, the city council, the staff, we don't need to do anything because the expectation is those projects are going to move forward, um, and they don't need anything more from us.

5:37

They can just get building permits and and and move forward.

5:41

Um, we then here in Alameda, we have sort of what we've described as the yellow bucket, which are um uh a number of projects that if we take action as a planning board and city council uh to approve these projects, we can put them in the blue bucket.

5:56

And two of those projects um are the lion's share of this bucket, which is 2100 units.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing███████████████████19%
Housing██████████████████18%
Tide Lands Exchange██████████10%
Development Agreement████████8%
Procedural███████7%
General Plan███████7%
Public Comment███████7%
Master Plan██████6%
Public Works█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Alameda Planning Board Meeting – March 8, 2021

The Planning Board of Alameda met via Zoom on March 8, 2021, at 7:00 PM. The meeting included a study session on the proposed process and schedule to update the City's General Plan Housing Element for 2023–2031 and a public hearing on a Tidelands Exchange and amended Master Plan for the Encinal Terminals property. The board also approved minutes from February 8, 2021, and received staff reports. The meeting adjourned shortly after 10:00 PM.

Study Session: Housing Element Update 2023–2031

Planning Director Andrew Thomas presented the work program for the eight-year housing element update. Key points included:

  • The draft Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for Alameda is 5,354 units (about 1.2% of the region's total), expected to be finalized in summer 2021.
  • The city’s existing approved projects (1,500 units, including ADUs) form the “blue bucket.” Projects needing planning board/city council action (Alameda Point and Encinal terminals – 2,100 units) form the “yellow bucket.” Remaining 1,900 units require upzoning in existing areas (multifamily overlays, commercial corridors, medium-density residential, shopping centers).
  • Staff highlighted the need to review zoning constraints, inclusionary housing, impact fees, and definitions of senior housing, SROs, and co-living to facilitate housing production.

Board members asked clarifying questions and offered suggestions:

  • Board Member Rothenberg requested quantification of inclusionary housing feasibility and clearer explanation of in-lieu fees and the Palmer case.
  • Board Member Cisneros asked about the last impact fee nexus study (five years ago) and emphasized a comprehensive review.
  • Board Member Ruiz noted discrepancies in RHNA figures (5,354 vs. 5,600) and suggested allowing off-site inclusionary housing, updating density bonus (35% to 50%), and considering upzoning of dated multifamily projects.
  • Board Member Saheba raised concerns about counting senior assisted living and memory care units toward RHNA and sought clarification on project viability tracking.
  • Board Member Curtis questioned the percentage calculation (1.2% vs 1%) and warned that reducing impact fees would subsidize developers at taxpayer expense.
  • Board Member Hom advocated for refining inclusionary housing percentages to leverage density bonuses, updating commercial linkage fees, and clarifying definitions to reduce project-by-project uncertainty.
  • President Teague proposed a “fourth bucket” of code adjustments (setbacks, parking, efficiency units, shared housing) for infill and suggested exploring ADUs at Alameda Marina, addressing the Navy cap at Alameda Point, and increasing the very-low-income inclusionary percentage from 1% to 2%.

No action was taken; the board directed the Housing Element subcommittee (Cisneros, Hom, Teague) to meet with staff and develop recommendations.

Public Hearing: Encinal Terminals Tidelands Exchange and Amended Master Plan

Presentations:

  • Andrew Thomas explained the need for a Tidelands Exchange to reconfigure property lines between the city (public trust lands) and the private owner (North Waterfront Cove LLC). Without the exchange, the site is infeasible for development due to landlocked tidelands, and the previously approved 589-unit project (2018) has not advanced. The proposed exchange would give the city 13.2 acres of improved public open space and the developer two buildable pads for housing. The Master Plan outlines four districts, 589 residential units (including 80 deed-restricted affordable and 10 moderate-income ownership units), over four acres of waterfront parks, and a water transit dock.
  • Mike O’Hara (Tim Lewis Communities) showed that the 2018 plan (without exchange) was unmarketable due to high infrastructure costs ($50M+) and a failed hotel component. The new plan offers a mix of townhomes and mid-rise buildings, lower average density (50 du/ac vs 80 du/ac), and direct public water access. The developer will construct all public improvements and fund maintenance through an assessment district.

Public Comments (6 speakers):

  • Laura Thomas (Renewed Hope Housing Advocates) supported the exchange and master plan, stating they provide much-needed housing and affordable units, and urged the board to avoid past mistakes.
  • Vicky Sedlack (resident) supported, citing housing needs, transportation alternatives, and waterfront access.
  • Peter Anderson (owner of Grand Marina) supported, noting the wharf is deteriorating and poses environmental risk; the project would mitigate that.
  • Kelly Lux (Chair, Alameda Chamber of Commerce) supported, emphasizing housing, open space, jobs-housing balance, and the project’s contribution to the RHNA.
  • Patricia Lamborn (Sierra Club) opposed as presented, asking the board to require a $2 million contribution to the DePave Park wetlands restoration project as a condition of the land swap, arguing the developer gains windfall from reduced wharf work.
  • Jim Odie (resident) supported but urged more financial transparency (comparing feasibility with/without exchange) and recommended the $2 million contribution to DePave Park to sway city council.

The board then separated the two actions.

Action 1: Tidelands Exchange – After discussion, board members supported the exchange, noting it enables a viable project, provides public benefits, and is a council decision. A motion to recommend approval of the Tidelands Exchange to the City Council passed 6-0-1 (Board Member Ruiz recused).

Action 2: Amended Master Plan – The board discussed the plan’s merits and areas for improvement. Members Rothenberg, Cisneros, Saheba, Curtis, Hom, and Teague suggested refinements including: referencing the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, Bay Trail, and sea level rise; adding timeline expectations; clarifying lighting, landscaping (no palm trees), block porosity, parking distribution (decentralized from central lot), building step-backs, and achieving at least LEED Silver (strive for Gold). President Teague also requested more detailed form-based standards similar to the 2017 plan. Staff confirmed these changes could be made without delaying the Development Agreement. The board voted to defer approval of the Master Plan and bring it back together with the Development Agreement, incorporating the suggested amendments. Motion passed 6-0-1 (Ruiz recused).

Key Outcomes

  • Housing Element Update: No action taken; subcommittee to meet and bring recommendations to the full board. Staff will seek clarification from HCD on counting certain unit types.
  • Encinal Terminals Tidelands Exchange: Board recommended approval to City Council (6-0-1).
  • Encinal Terminals Master Plan: Board deferred approval; directed staff to incorporate amendments listed above and return with the Development Agreement for a future hearing.
  • Minutes: Approved for February 8, 2021 meeting, with a correction on page 2 regarding the transportation plan priorities.
  • Staff Communications: Noted; no items pulled for review.

Meeting Transcript

I'd like to call to order the March 8th 2021 meeting of the planning board. As it everyone else has gone, I it's my turn to leave the flag school. Board member Cisneros. Yeah. Curtis. Here. Rothenbury? Yeah. Ruiz. Yeah. Ms. Heba. We have a quorum. Thank you. Does staff add in any agenda changes? No, not from staff. I I'd like to acknowledge that it's International Women's Day. And we have four very critical roles on this board that are covered by excellent people. And I'm really glad to call you my peers. So and while I would like to say that I did it intentionally, the random order is that our women board members will all be going first in our discussion today. The first item is oral communication. Anyone may address the board on a topic not on the agenda. If you would like to speak, please uh raise your hand. Last call for uh oral communications on the items not on the agenda. Okay, I'm gonna close that section. Uh the consent calendar is empty, so we'll move on to the first regular agenda item, the planning board study session, the proposed process and schedule to update the city's general plan housing element for 2023 to 2031. As this is a study session, the staff report, public comment, and then board questions and comments. Good evening. Uh President Teague, uh members of the board. Uh my name's Andrew Thomas. I'm the planning building and transportation director. I'll give the presentation tonight. Um Artie, I can share screen, right? That is correct. Uh can everyone see this uh housing element update screen? Yes, okay, great. Um, so uh tonight's workshop is was scheduled um to give the opportunity to give staff the opportunity to present our work program for the update of the housing element for the period 2023 through 31. Uh it's a two essentially an 18-month work program um because by under state law, the city of Alameda needs to uh have a and the city council has to adopt a housing element um by the end of 2022. Um so this workshop is an opportunity for the public and the planning board to review the work program, um initial work products, and provide direction to both staff and the planning board subcommittee for the housing element um update. Uh the housing element is a mandatory uh element of our general plan. It's the policy document that describes how we're gonna take care of the housing needs of all economic segments of our community through a variety of housing types, including multifamily uh rental, uh supportive housing, single room occupancy, emergency cells, transitional housing. So it's it's the mandatory update of our housing element, um, and it needs to show how we're gonna accommodate the needs of every income level in the city of Alameda. Um, our one of the major uh objectives of the um eight-year update of the housing element is to show how the city is going to provide land uh suitable and zoned appropriately to accommodate our regional housing needs allocation or often referred to as our RENA. Our draft RENA for this period is 5,354 units. That's still a draft number. It may change. It will become final uh this summer. There will be an opportunity to um to appeal if the council wishes to appeal. Um, it should be understood that our arena represents one percent of the regional allocation for the whole region. So essentially, what the regional methodology is it determined is that Alameda should provide for one percent of the regionals of the region's housing need during this period.

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