Alameda Planning Board Meeting Summary - February 28, 2022

The Alameda Planning Board held a regular meeting via Zoom on February 28, 2022, beginning at 7:00 PM. The board considered endorsements of two annual reports on climate action and transportation, held a public workshop on the draft Housing Element and the Alameda Point program to construct 1,489 housing units, and approved minutes from the previous meeting. Board Member Teague was excused; all other members were present.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Kimi Sugoka, a resident, expressed concern about ongoing construction noise and nighttime air conditioning units from the Maximus redevelopment of South Shore Apartments, which she said disturbed her sleep. She was directed to contact the planning department for follow-up.
• Cindy Johnson (Bike Walk Alameda) supported staff recommendations for the transportation report, particularly endorsing continued pursuit of the pedestrian and bicycle bridge to Oakland and cautioned against predetermining its financial feasibility before a funded study is complete.
• Betsy Matheson advocated for a city policy requiring new and renovated buildings to have accessible exterior clotheslines to reduce energy use, noting her own experience using a backyard clothesline year-round.
• Ruth Abey (Community Action for Sustainable Alameda) praised the planning board and staff, expressed support for the climate and transportation reports, and encouraged the board to support the Cool City Challenge application. She also noted she had recently electrified her home and stressed the importance of community organization for climate action.
• A speaker (name unclear) supported the annual reports, highlighted the new AC Transit line 78 as a positive addition, and urged the city to ensure the service continues after its pilot period despite low pandemic-era ridership.
• On the Housing Element workshop: Sarah McIntyre (MidPen Housing) introduced herself as the development partner for the Alameda Point Collaborative Reshape project, expressed support for both the Alameda Point Partners site A amendment and the West Midway project, and noted infrastructure remains a key challenge.
• Zach Mowen (housing advocate) expressed concern that the existing 25% affordable housing requirement at Alameda Point may be difficult to prove viable to HCD and suggested considering a citywide 15% requirement with a Berkeley-style affordable housing overlay to encourage rather than mandate higher affordability.
• Doug Biggs (Executive Director, Alameda Point Collaborative) supported the site A amendment and the West Midway project, emphasizing the need for new infrastructure to replace the deteriorating existing housing and described the collaborative's resident-engaged design process.
• Karen Bay raised concerns about the loss of commercial retail space at Alameda Point as part of the re-entitlement, noting the original 600,000 square feet of commercial (including 200,000 square feet of retail) may be reduced. She warned against repeating past retail leakage to Oakland and urged careful planning.

Discussion Items

• 7-A: Endorsement of Annual Reports on Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP) and Transportation
  Danielle Miller, Sustainability and Resilience Manager, presented the CARP annual report, highlighting 2021 achievements such as the all-electric reach code, amended parking ordinance, and leaf blower ban. She outlined 2022 priorities including sea level rise adaptation (via the San Leandro Bay/Oakland/Alameda Estuary Adaptation Working Group), development of an equitable existing buildings electrification roadmap, and application for the Cool City Challenge ($1 million prize for carbon neutrality). Lisa Foster, Senior Transportation Coordinator, presented the transportation annual report, noting four traffic fatalities in 2021, new bikeways (2.5 miles), and progress on Vision Zero. She discussed planned projects for 2022 including the Lincoln/Pacific corridor and the Clement Extension.
  Board members asked questions about specific intersections (e.g., Otis Drive/South Shore), the pedestrian bridge feasibility study, grant funding certainty, and the process for residents to report safety concerns. They praised the reports and emphasized the importance of grant prioritization and coordination with regional partners.
• 7-B: Public Workshop on Draft Housing Element Update and Alameda Point Program
  Andrew Thomas (Planning, Building and Transportation Director) presented the plan to build 1,489 housing units on 55 acres of city-owned land at Alameda Point (approximately one-quarter of the city's 8-year Regional Housing Needs Allocation of 5,300 units). The plan relies on two main components: Site A (currently entitled for 800 units, proposed to increase to ~1,500 units) and the West Midway Reshape project (replacing 200 existing affordable units and adding 589 new ones, total ~789 units). Infrastructure – including sewer, storm water, and roads – is a major constraint, with total costs estimated at $10-12 million for phase two. The city is negotiating with Alameda Point Partners (for Site A) and with Catellus/Brookfield (for West Midway) to build the necessary infrastructure. Board members discussed financing challenges, the Navy cap on market-rate units, the need for affordable housing (25% at Alameda Point vs. 15% citywide), fair housing requirements, and the importance of timing infrastructure with housing production. No action was taken; the workshop was informational.
• Minutes (Item 8-A): The board approved the January 24, 2022 meeting minutes with an amendment to clarify Board Member Cisneros's comments regarding the multifamily overlay.
• Staff Communications: Staff announced that the next planning board meeting (March 14, 2022) will include another housing element workshop on zoning text amendments.
• Board Communications: A discussion occurred regarding the procedure for calling items for review. Staff clarified that a written justification is required per municipal code, but calls can be made orally during the meeting with follow-up email, and the 10-day appeal period allows calls to be made anytime within that window.

Key Outcomes

• Endorsement of Annual Reports: The board voted unanimously (6-0-1, with Board Member Teague excused) to endorse both the CARP annual report and the annual report on transportation, with a specific comment that the board recommends reevaluating the ranking of the pedestrian/bicycle bridge to Oakland given the $1.5 million feasibility study underway. This comment will be transmitted to the City Council along with the endorsement.
• Minutes Approved: The January 24, 2022 meeting minutes were approved (6-0, with Board Member Hom abstaining as he was not present) with the amendment noted.
• Next Steps: Staff will bring forward the housing element workshop on zoning text amendments for the March 14, 2022 meeting. Board Member Hom noted he will be absent from that meeting. The City Council is scheduled to consider the annual reports on March 15, 2022.