Joint Meeting of the Alameda Planning Board and Transportation Commission - May 17, 2021

The Alameda Planning Board and Transportation Commission held a joint meeting on May 17, 2021 to discuss the General Plan 2040 update and the future of mixed-use commercial districts and the COVID-19 commercial streets program. Note: The meeting transcript states the meeting occurred on Monday, May 10, 2021, which conflicts with the May 17, 2021 date provided; this discrepancy is noted. No action items were taken other than a consent calendar continuance and approval of minutes.

Consent Calendar

• Item 6A was continued to the May 24, 2021 meeting. The motion was made by Board Member Rothenberg, seconded by Board Member Ruiz, and passed unanimously with Board Member Cisneros absent.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ariana Bindman (freelance reporter, SF Gate) spoke during oral communications about the parklet situation on Park and Alameda Avenue, stating it demonstrates class disparity and city official apathy. She reported that numerous Bay Area residents reached out to her with similar complaints.
• For item 7B, multiple residents and patrons spoke about the Clubhouse Bar and Alameda Avenue street closure:
  • Brett, a resident, described over 10 years of issues with the Clubhouse Bar including drunk clientele, gang colors, confrontations, and DUIs, comparing Capitola (which clamped down on dive bars) favorably to Santa Cruz.
  • Terry Lee Donovan, a psychiatric social worker living adjacent to the Clubhouse backyard, described noise, sexual harassment comments, and people looking over the fence; she requested the permit be taken away.
  • Kyle Montez, an Alameda Avenue resident speaking for ~10 building residents, cited packages stolen, maskless gatherings, harassment, and unheeded complaints since the street closed in August; he asked that the benches be moved or removed.
  • Robin Lynn Wilson, a 20-year Clubhouse customer and educator, called the claims lies, stating patrons are educators and city officials; she said the owner has tried to mediate.
  • Joe Milosevic, husband of the owner, said he has lived in Alameda for 57 years, refuted claims about the former owner, and called neighbors' statements false.
  • Claire Hayward, a nearby resident, described up to 12 hours of daily noise, privacy invasion, and sexual harassment concerns; she requested the Clubhouse not be permitted to use its outdoor space.
  • Aaron Crawl, a lifelong resident on Park Street, said he has never seen major problems at the Clubhouse and warned of a dangerous precedent for businesses hurt by COVID-19.
  • Joel Baron, owner of a business on the same block for 17 years, hoped for compromise and said the Clubhouse is not out of the ordinary.
  • Casey, a deaf resident of 32 years (speaking through an ASL interpreter), observed dangerous behaviors around the bar.

Discussion Items

• Item 7A: General Plan 2040 Update — Andrew Thomas, Planning, Building and Transportation Director, presented the first comprehensive General Plan update in 30 years. The second draft was released March 21, the draft EIR was released the prior week with a 45-day public comment period ending in late June, a joint meeting with the Historic Advisory Board is set for June 15, and planning board hearings are expected in July with city council consideration in the fall. The plan anticipates 10,000 new housing units and 10,000 new jobs over 20 years, notes that over 70% of Alameda's greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector, and is organized around four goals: equity, sustainability, character, and mobility. Key policy directions include transit-oriented development, improved ferry and bus service, active transportation, transportation demand management, and a shift from minimum to maximum parking standards (using the Alameda Point model of 1.5 spaces per unit as a ceiling). Board and commission members raised numerous comments and questions, including: parking requirement trajectories (VP Sahaba); transit connections to ferry terminals and the new seaplane lagoon AC Transit line (Vice Chair Noctigal); residential permit parking (Board Member Rothenberg); bike/scooter share storage and bus priority (Board Member Louise); policy cross-referencing tables (Commissioner Ruiz); water shuttle bike access, dedicated bus lanes, and the surplus lands act (Commissioner Whitsey); estuary crossing prioritization including the proposed bicycle/pedestrian bridge (Commissioner Ewen); truck routes, senior transit needs, Quimby Act park dedication, and fire services for taller buildings (Board Member Hom); neighborhood mixed-use designations, statistical discrepancies on severe injuries (10 vs. 200 per year), Bay Farm Island sea level rise, and missing park maps (Commissioner Colstrand); parking concerns for seniors and families (Board Member Curtis); roundabouts vs. traffic lights (Commissioner Rentchler); mode shift and evacuation planning (Chair Soles); and keeping specific density/height figures in the zoning code rather than the General Plan, supporting non-traditional housing, creating a main street at Alameda Point, Mills Act protections, encouraging solar and gray water, and adding equity language to pricing policies (President Teague).
• Item 7B: Mixed Use Commercial Districts and COVID-19 Commercial Streets Program — Andrew Thomas explained the item was agendized in response to public emails about the Clubhouse Bar, parklets, and the Alameda Avenue closure. He noted the Clubhouse Bar will return to the Planning Board for a conditional use permit for its backyard patio (likely within 30-45 days), and a staff report on the future of the commercial streets program will come to the Transportation Commission in July and to the City Council in September. Board/commission discussion included: questions about the use permit process (VP Sahaba); a request for data on impacts to transit, pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers (Vice Chair Noctigal); a suggestion to gather diverse metrics including surveys (Board Member Rothenberg); lessons learned about neighbor notification for emergency street changes (Board Member Ruiz); recognition that Alameda Avenue abuts the busiest commercial district (Commissioner Whitsey); a view that this is not an indictment of mixed use (Commissioner Ewen); a suggestion to study how other cities handle street closures and to apply conditions similar to those crafted for Spinning Bones (Board Member Hom); concern about increased traffic and noise on Grand Street and Broadway (Board Member Curtis); and a recommendation to review the noise ordinance, which President Teague noted is difficult to enforce.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar item 6A was continued to the May 24, 2021 meeting.
• Planning Board minutes from March 22, 2021 were approved with corrections from Board Member Rothenberg (referencing the Business and Professions Code and a 30-day statute of limitations) and Board Member Ruiz (clarifying the board's review scope).
• No actions were taken on items 7A or 7B; both were informational discussions.
• Staff will incorporate board, commission, and public comments into General Plan revisions and the upcoming commercial streets program report.
• The next Transportation Commission meeting is scheduled for May 26, 2021; the next Planning Board meeting is scheduled for May 28, 2021.