Alameda Planning Board Meeting – January 10, 2022

The Planning Board of Alameda met on Monday, January 10, 2022, at 7:00 PM via Zoom. The meeting lasted approximately 2.5 hours (adjourned at 9:41 PM). Key actions included unanimous approval of a six-month renewal for the Club House Bar's conditional use permit and a public workshop on draft zoning amendments for shopping center sites to help meet the city's Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of 5,353 units for 2023-2031. The board also approved minutes from three previous meetings with abstentions.

Consent Calendar

• Item 6-A (2022-1622): 1622 West Atlantic Avenue, Site A Block 11 – Design Review Amendment. The applicant requested a continuance to the January 24, 2022 meeting. The board granted the continuance without objection.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Betsy Matheson: Expressed support for rezoning shopping centers for housing, noting existing services and walkability. Supported letters from the Alameda Architectural Preservation Society (AAPS) and West Alameda Business Association (WABA) and raised concerns about parking reliance on adjacent parcels.
• Daniel Hoy (WABA): Clarified that WABA had no prior conversation with the owner of Neptune Plaza; the five-story proposal was new to them. Urged a form-based code approach and asked for continued dialogue on height and density.
• Zach Bowling: Supported mixed-use, walkable communities, advocated for 60-foot height limits as economical, and suggested updating underlying zoning instead of overlays. Noted that density bonus assumptions cannot be used in housing element counts.
• Christopher Buckley (AAPS): Generally supported the proposal, but recommended different height/density standards per shopping center, higher density for estuary sites, flexibility on ground-floor uses, and more staff analysis of development potential.
• Drew Dar Abrams: Expressed qualified support, emphasizing the need for pedestrian-friendly design and learning from other Bay Area projects. Suggested treating each shopping center differently and praised elimination of parking minimums.

Discussion Items

• Item 7-A (2022-1629): Club House Bar Conditional Use Permit Renewal – Staff (Brian McGuire) reported that over the six-month review period, only one noise complaint was received and immediately addressed. The board discussed the privacy fence condition (8-foot requirement vs. current 6-foot screen) and the revocation process. The board approved the renewal with a new condition to maintain a landscaping buffer.

• Item 7-B (2022-1630): Public Workshop on Draft Housing Element Zoning Code Amendments for Shopping Centers – Director Andrew Thomas presented the draft multifamily overlay district for eight shopping centers (Alameda Landing, Marina Village, South Shore, Harbor Bay Landing, Neptune Plaza, Park Street Landing, Blanding, and Bridgeside). Key points:

  • The RHNA target is 5,353 units; proposed projects total about 2,000 units, with 1,428 from Alameda Point and 589 from NCNAL terminals pending city council decisions in January/February 2022.
  • The overlay would permit multifamily housing by right at densities of 30–100 units per acre (with density transfer), a default 60-foot height limit, and prohibition of ground-floor residential (except for active uses like lobbies, fitness, daycare).
  • Staff emphasized that the goal is to avoid triggering state density bonus law by providing adequate density upfront.
  • Board members raised questions about height limits, ground-floor flexibility, parking, traffic, and the impact of state density bonus. Ideas included work-live lofts, different standards for interior vs. street frontages, and removing Neptune Plaza to address it under Webster Street zoning.
  • Public speakers supported the concept but urged customization per site, especially for Neptune Plaza.
  • Staff noted that the next workshop on January 24 will focus on residential district zoning; the housing element policy document is targeted for March 2022 submission to the state.

Key Outcomes

• Item 7-A: Motion to approve the Club House Bar conditional use permit renewal as recommended by staff passed unanimously (7-0, with President Saheba and all members present voting aye).
• Item 7-B: No action taken; workshop only. Board provided direction to staff to consider:
  • Customizing density and height per shopping center.
  • Allowing non-residential ground-floor uses (e.g., work-live, fitness, lobbies) rather than only retail.
  • Removing Neptune Plaza from the overlay to be handled under Webster Street zoning.
  • Evaluating a 100-foot height limit for South Shore and Harbor Bay (already higher than 60 feet).
  • Clarifying the definition of multifamily housing (5+ units) and adjusting density calculations for residential districts.
• Minutes: Three sets of minutes were approved with abstentions:
  • September 27, 2021: Approved (6-0-1, President Saheba abstained).
  • October 11, 2021: Approved (5-2, Cisneros and Ruiz abstained due to absence).
  • October 25, 2021: Approved (6-1, President Saheba abstained).

Next Steps

• Staff will refine the shopping center overlay ordinance based on board and public feedback.
• January 24, 2022: Planning Board workshop on residential district zoning changes (SB9, navigation centers, etc.).
• January 18, 2022: City Council decision on NCNAL terminals (critical for housing element).
• February 2, 2022: City Council decision on Alameda Point Site A re-entitlement.
• March 2022: Target to submit housing element policy document to HCD for review.
• Summer 2022: Finalize zoning ordinances for city council adoption.