Alameda Planning Board Meeting - March 28, 2022: Tentative Map and Design Review Approvals
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Alameda Planning Board Meeting - March 28, 2022
The Alameda Planning Board met on March 28, 2022, via Zoom. The board considered a tentative map for a condominium plan at 2350 Saratoga Street (Item 7A) and a design review amendment for a senior convalescent living facility at 1245 McKay Avenue (Item 7B). A public workshop on the Draft Housing Element Update (Item 7C) was continued to the next meeting on April 11, 2022. Minutes from two prior meetings were approved.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 7B public comment: One speaker (Ms. Reed, representing herself) opposed the design review amendment, arguing that a new environmental review should be conducted because the project changed from reuse to demolition, and noted a pending nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for the site. She also criticized the use of white stucco in a marine environment and stated the proposed buildings do not visually relate to each other.
- A second speaker expressed support for the project, citing the quality of design and the community's desire for a facility for elderly and medically fragile individuals, noting they voted for the project twice.
Discussion Items
- 7A - 2350 Saratoga Street Tentative Map: Staff (David Sablon) presented a proposal to divide an existing 4-story building into three commercial condominium units for financing purposes. No new units would be created. Board members asked about fire separation and the relationship between condominiumization and the city ordinance prohibiting sale of individual work/live units. Staff clarified that the three condominiums represent whole portions of the building, and tenants would rent individual units. No public comments were received.
- 7B - 1245 McKay Avenue Design Review Amendment: Staff (Henry Dong) and the applicant (Doug Biggs, Alameda Point Collaborative; Gary Struthers, architect) presented a revised design for a 61,300-square-foot, 101-unit senior convalescent living facility, replacing an earlier plan to rehabilitate an existing building. The new design features two courtyards, connections to the adjacent respite center, strong horizontal elements, simple stucco materials, and sustainability features targeting Green Point Rated Gold. Board members asked about laundry and trash facilities, window recesses, lighting plans, tree preservation, street lighting on McKay, a decorative gate, and buffers for ground-floor units. The architect noted that the site's existing parking is largely retained, and the building will be all-electric with potential solar panels. A tree inventory had been performed, with street trees preserved.
Key Outcomes
- 7A - Tentative Map (2350 Saratoga Street): Motion to recommend approval to the City Council passed unanimously (voice vote: all aye).
- 7B - Design Review Amendment (1245 McKay Avenue): Motion to approve with conditions passed 6-0 (Cisneros aye, Curtis aye, Hom aye, Rothenberg aye, Ruiz aye, Teague aye). Conditions included:
- Applicant to provide and receive staff approval of a photometric lighting plan as part of building permit.
- Staff to review building accent colors to ensure a more muted palette.
- Applicant to explore a more decorative gate with potential integration of public art.
- Reinforced heavy landscaping along McKay Avenue to buffer ground-floor units.
- Item 7C (Housing Element Workshop) continued to April 11, 2022.
- Minutes: January 24, 2022 minutes approved (Hom abstained) and February 14, 2022 minutes approved with corrections (vote unanimous).
Meeting Transcript
The March 28th, 2022 planning board meeting in session. Umber Curtis, would you mind doing the flag salute, please? 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. Thank you. Okay. Hom, board member Hum. Here is present. Rothenberg. Here. And uh Vice Chair Brees. Present. And Tig. Present. And we have a quorum. Thank you. Agenda item number four agenda changes and discussions. First of all, I would like to make the announcement that I have a part stop at 8:30 due to prior commitments. So we are going to continue agenda number 7C to the next meeting. And meanwhile, I would also we would like to appoint Chair Pro Tem to Board Member Hansen Hom. Andrew, do I need to take a vote on that? Or yeah, I think that would be appropriate. So that would be a nomination for board member Hom to act as chair pro tem and then also to continue 7C to the next meetings. Anyone like to do I need somebody else to make a motion or am I uh that could be the motion. Okay, that's there'd be a second. Second, I'll second it. And just all in favor, say aye. I okay. So that was unanimous. So anybody here for the housing element discussion item 7C that is being continued to the next meeting of April 11th. So um thank you. Moving on to agenda number item number five, oral communications. Anyone may address the board on the topic that's not on the agenda under this item by submitting a speaker information slip subject to the three minute minute time limit. Um do we have any speakers raising their hand. Seeing none, let's move to agenda item number six, consent calendar. And there's none on the um consent calendar. So moving on to regular agenda item 7A. Um tentative map for two three five zero Saratoga Street. Um stab, is there a presentation? Yes, just a very brief one from David Sablon. David go ahead, David. This is uh David Sablon um with the planning building transportation department. Um this application is for a condo map for uh building eight um at Alameda Point uh address 2350 Saratoga Avenue. Um this yeah, the this uh map will not be creating any individual uh live work units, it's just going to be dividing the building uh into three parts. Um yeah, so there's there's no new uh new units, uh the actual property lines are not changing. Um, and the applicant is requesting this for financing purposes. Um so that's really really it. Um the planning board will make a uh recommendation to the city council and take final action on the map. And if anybody has any questions, um I'll be able to take them. Thank you, David.
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