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Record of Proceedings

Alameda Planning Board Meeting - May 9, 2022: Fire Tower, General Plan, Housing Element

Planning Board — Monday, May 9, 2022
BodyAlameda, California
SessionPlanning Board
DateMonday, May 9, 2022
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

The staff presentation.

0:04

Thank you, Lisa.

0:05

Good evening, Chair Saheba and Planning Board members.

0:09

I'm Lisa Foster, Senior Transportation Coordinator for the City of Alameda.

0:13

And I just wanted to let you all know that on March 23rd, the city is launching the new Alameda parking enforcement service.

0:24

This moves most parking enforcement from police department to public works, and it focuses on parking as a service that's part of the transportation system.

0:34

It also means improved enforcement of meters and time limits on Park Street and Webster Street.

0:40

So that's why we're making an effort to get that word out.

0:42

We don't want to surprise people because that has not been very focused on during the pandemic.

0:48

I also wanted to let you know we have a couple of public engagement workshops coming up.

0:54

On May 12th, we have our Willie Stargil Avenue Complete Street Project Virtual Community Workshop at 6 30.

1:03

And we have an online survey for that as well.

1:06

And then the Clement Avenue Extension Tilden Way Project has a virtual community workshop on May 18th and an in-person open house on May 19th.

1:17

And we have a survey for that.

1:19

We also have surveys open for the Lincoln Marshall Pacific Improvement Project as well as the Grand Street Pavement Resurfacing and Safety Improvement Project.

1:29

If you go to Alameda CA.gov slash transportation, you'll see in the projects section web pages for all of these.

1:40

And you can also join our mailing list at Alameda CA.subscribe.

1:50

Thank you for the announcement.

1:52

Since uh this is just an announcement we won't be discussing on.

1:56

I just have a quick question.

1:57

What was the date for the enforcement?

1:59

You said March, but I'm thinking you meant May.

2:03

My apologies, yes, May.

2:06

May meaning starting today or just the month.

2:11

May 23rd.

2:12

Oh, May 23rd.

2:13

Okay.

2:14

Great.

2:15

Thank you.

2:16

Thank you for the update.

2:18

Thank you.

2:19

Okay.

2:20

Yeah.

2:22

We'll move to our regular agenda items, uh, agenda item 7A.

2:28

This is to consider a design review for fire tower beautification project at the Clubhouse Memorial Road and Island Drive at the front doorsteps of Koreca Park.

2:41

Um the applicant screenway golf associates.

2:44

Uh, will there be a presentation?

2:46

Yes, President Saheba.

2:48

I would uh Allentai City Planner, I would like to introduce uh Amy Woolridge, uh recreation and parks director for a quick rural presentation, and then I believe the applicant team um also has a presentation as well.

3:00

Yes, good evening, Chair and Board members.

3:02

Um, Amy Wildridge, recreation and parks director.

3:04

Um, I'm just going to give you some brief background, uh, and then the bulk of the presentation will be by the Greenway Golf team on their uh design for the fire tower.

3:14

Um, so the fire tower area we're discussing is approximately a half acre at the corner of Island Drive and Clubhouse Memorial Road.

3:21

It's the entranceway to uh Kreeka Park.

3:24

Uh Greenwood Golf is in a long-term lease with the city for improvement, operation, and maintenance of the Koreek Park Golf Complex.

3:32

Um, so in 20 late 2020, Greenway Gulf determined that it would be beneficial to its operations at GreekA Park to renovate the fire tower and the surrounding area outside that this entryway and to provide a more aesthetic entry.

3:47

So the city entered it, the Greenway requested the city um negotiated, and we we finalized the lease amendment that is attached as part of your staff report.

3:56

It's the second lease amendment to their long-term lease.

4:00

And the purpose of that amendment was to transfer the responsibility of this half acre area to Greenway so it could improve the area.

4:07

And that again, that area includes both the area around it as well as the fire tower itself.

4:13

Um so that amendment was approved by city council in 2020, June 2021, and it does require both the review and recommendation by the Gulf Commission Commission, as well as then being submitted to you, the planning board for final review and approval.

4:28

Um, I know there's been some questions about that, and and that's because it's part of the lease uh amendment um that it come to you as a planning board for your final approval.

4:39

Um the process is the Greenway first conducted per the agreement, uh, the required structural and hazardous materials assessments.

4:47

Um so with a certain uh required structural improvements and hazardous material abatement, uh, Greenway's consultants determined that the fire tower structure could remain standing.

5:00

And the city concurred, concurred with that report and determination.

5:02

Um it's important to note this is not a historical structure that was looked into.

5:06

Um, and there I I've raised this because the the question has been raised by by neighbors um recently and in your public comment uh as to what as to why this tower um is planned to remain standing and and a request by the neighbors to remove it.

5:25

So just wanted to give you the background that to do so to remove it would require a joint decision per the lease agreement um by both the city and Greenway to determine that it should be removed.

5:37

Um so and to wrap up at its April uh meeting, the golf commission did review the beautification plan presented that you'll see tonight by Greenway Golf.

5:45

Um they did unanimously recommend denial of the design through their discussion.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Comment██████████████14%
Housing████████████12%
Parks and Recreation█████████9%
Public Works█████████9%
Design Review███████7%
Procedural██████6%
Legal Services█████5%
Public Engagement████4%
Affordable Housing████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Alameda Planning Board Meeting - May 9, 2022

The Planning Board of the City of Alameda met on Monday, May 9, 2022, at 7:00 PM via Zoom. The meeting included a design review for the fire tower beautification project at the Chuck Corica Golf Complex, a public hearing on a resolution to amend the General Plan to align with the Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan, and a public workshop on the April 2022 Draft Housing Element and proposed zoning amendments. The board also heard a staff presentation on the launch of a new Alameda parking enforcement service starting May 23, 2022.

Consent Calendar

  • No consent calendar items were listed for action.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Fire Tower Beautification (Item 7-A):
    • Joe Choi, a resident across the street, questioned the need for the structure, citing its large size and potential for trespassing.
    • Matt Reed expressed support for the beautification plan, urging approval.
    • Bill Pye, board president of the Harbor Bay Isle Community Association, stated that the community is united in wanting the eyesore removed. He noted that while the community does not oppose the beautification plan if removal is not possible, they are frustrated that the structurally sound building cannot be demolished due to cost concerns. He emphasized that the board does not oppose the proposal.
    • Another Harbor Bay Isle resident echoed support for the beautification, calling it an improvement over the current eyesore.
  • Housing Element Workshop (Item 7-C):
    • Melissa Donahue opposed eliminating Article 26 and allowing 60-foot buildings, citing concerns about parking, congestion, and lack of open space for children.
    • Betsy Matheson urged against tall buildings in historic commercial districts, arguing they would create sunless wind tunnels and promote land speculation.
    • Matt Reid requested that the full November 2021 HCD letter be made public, criticized the use of outdated data for AFFH mapping, and asked for clearer mapping of project sites by resource area.
    • Christopher Buckley (Alameda Architectural Preservation Society) proposed an ADU strategy as an alternative to upzoning, urged caution against over-upzoning now, and asked for protection of the historic North Park Street residential area.
    • Carmen Reed supported maintaining lower height limits in historic districts and argued that fair housing inequities in Alameda are minor due to the city's small size. She requested infrastructure improvements such as light rail and a second tube before increasing density.

Discussion Items

  • 7-A: Design Review for Fire Tower Beautification Project

    • Applicant: Greenway Golf Associates, Inc. proposed to beautify the fire tower at Clubhouse Memorial Road and Island Drive with a pollinator garden, raised planter boxes, renovated windows, and rotating art installations in the windows. The project is required under a lease amendment approved by City Council in June 2021.
    • Staff Presentation: Amy Woolridge (Recreation and Parks Director) explained that the city and Greenway jointly determined the building could remain standing after structural and hazardous materials assessments. The Golf Commission had unanimously recommended denial of the design due to concerns about inaccessibility, the large gate, lack of public access, and the use of asphalt.
    • Greenway Golf Presentation: Tracy Craig, Umesh Patel, and Zach Wald presented the design. They emphasized that the building is structurally sound, that the community (Harbor Bay HOA) preferred understated design, and that they are willing to study public access and other issues but need approval to meet a September 2022 deadline. They noted that a mural was originally proposed but changed to window art after discovering historic windows.
    • Board Discussion: Board members expressed concerns about the design's deviation from the lease agreement (which specified a mural), lack of pedestrian safety, absence of a sidewalk connecting to the park, and the lack of public access. Several members noted that the decision to keep the building was made jointly and that the lease would need amendment if changes were desired. A motion was made to deny the design and recommend that the applicant work with the Golf Commission and explore demolition, safety improvements, and public access. The motion passed 6-0.

  • 7-B: Public Hearing on General Plan Amendment for Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan

    • Staff Presentation: Danielle Miller (Sustainability and Resilience Manager) presented a resolution recommending that the City Council amend the Health and Safety Element and Conservation and Climate Action Element of the General Plan 2040 to align with the Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan 2022. The plan was approved by Cal OES and FEMA on May 1, 2022, making Alameda eligible for pre-disaster mitigation grants and flood insurance discounts. The amendment also aligns with AB 2140.
    • Board Discussion: Board member Curtis asked about retrofitting floor elevations in existing buildings; staff clarified that the intent is for new construction. Vice President Ruiz raised questions about the stormwater management plan and inclusion of Alameda Municipal Power as a key partner. Board member Teague noted that the retrofitting language should be clarified to avoid unintended requirements.
    • Outcome: The board voted to adopt the draft resolution with edits to clarify that retrofit requirements apply to new construction and to encourage incentives rather than mandates. The motion passed unanimously (6-0).

  • 7-C: Public Workshop on April 2022 Draft Housing Element and Zoning Code Amendments

    • Staff Presentation: Andrew Thomas (Planning, Building and Transportation Director) provided an update on the housing element process. He noted that the initial 30-day public comment period ended May 9, 2022, with 135 pages of comments received. The draft housing element must address the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of 5,353 units for 2023-2031 and comply with state law on affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH). Thomas highlighted that Article 26 of the city charter (prohibiting multifamily housing and densities above 22 units/acre) conflicts with state law, as stated in a November 2021 letter from HCD. He proposed revisions to permit multifamily housing in all residential districts (R1–R6), increase densities up to 60 units/acre in R6, reduce open space requirements to 60 sq ft/unit, and introduce incentives for adaptive reuse and transit-oriented development. Other changes include a possible vacancy tax, reconsideration of inclusionary housing percentages, and removal of AUSD surplus sites from the inventory.
    • Board Discussion: Board members discussed the legal status of Article 26, with Board member Teague requesting a definitive legal opinion on preemption. Several members expressed support for the overall direction but raised concerns about the impact on historic districts, the need for infrastructure improvements, and the importance of connecting housing to transportation planning. The workshop was informational; no vote was taken.

Key Outcomes

  • Item 7-A: The board denied the design review (6-0) and recommended that Greenway Golf work with the Golf Commission to revise the design, and explore:
    • The feasibility of demolishing the building.
    • Improved pedestrian safety (e.g., sidewalk) along Clubhouse Memorial Road.
    • Public access to the tower grounds. The recommendation is non-binding.
  • Item 7-B: The board approved the resolution (6-0) recommending that the City Council adopt the General Plan amendments to align with the Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan, with the clarification that retrofit requirements for sea level rise apply to new construction.
  • Item 7-C: No action taken. Staff will publish revisions to the Draft Housing Element by May 16, 2022, and hold a final public workshop at the May 23, 2022 Planning Board meeting. The draft will be submitted to the state Housing and Community Development (HCD) by the end of May, with a 90-day review period. The board will continue working on zoning amendments over the summer, aiming for final City Council adoption in November/December 2022.
  • Minutes: The February 28 and March 14, 2022 meeting minutes were continued to the next meeting due to time constraints.

Meeting Transcript

The staff presentation. Thank you, Lisa. Good evening, Chair Saheba and Planning Board members. I'm Lisa Foster, Senior Transportation Coordinator for the City of Alameda. And I just wanted to let you all know that on March 23rd, the city is launching the new Alameda parking enforcement service. This moves most parking enforcement from police department to public works, and it focuses on parking as a service that's part of the transportation system. It also means improved enforcement of meters and time limits on Park Street and Webster Street. So that's why we're making an effort to get that word out. We don't want to surprise people because that has not been very focused on during the pandemic. I also wanted to let you know we have a couple of public engagement workshops coming up. On May 12th, we have our Willie Stargil Avenue Complete Street Project Virtual Community Workshop at 6 30. And we have an online survey for that as well. And then the Clement Avenue Extension Tilden Way Project has a virtual community workshop on May 18th and an in-person open house on May 19th. And we have a survey for that. We also have surveys open for the Lincoln Marshall Pacific Improvement Project as well as the Grand Street Pavement Resurfacing and Safety Improvement Project. If you go to Alameda CA.gov slash transportation, you'll see in the projects section web pages for all of these. And you can also join our mailing list at Alameda CA.subscribe. Thank you for the announcement. Since uh this is just an announcement we won't be discussing on. I just have a quick question. What was the date for the enforcement? You said March, but I'm thinking you meant May. My apologies, yes, May. May meaning starting today or just the month. May 23rd. Oh, May 23rd. Okay. Great. Thank you. Thank you for the update. Thank you. Okay. Yeah. We'll move to our regular agenda items, uh, agenda item 7A. This is to consider a design review for fire tower beautification project at the Clubhouse Memorial Road and Island Drive at the front doorsteps of Koreca Park. Um the applicant screenway golf associates. Uh, will there be a presentation? Yes, President Saheba. I would uh Allentai City Planner, I would like to introduce uh Amy Woolridge, uh recreation and parks director for a quick rural presentation, and then I believe the applicant team um also has a presentation as well. Yes, good evening, Chair and Board members. Um, Amy Wildridge, recreation and parks director. Um, I'm just going to give you some brief background, uh, and then the bulk of the presentation will be by the Greenway Golf team on their uh design for the fire tower. Um, so the fire tower area we're discussing is approximately a half acre at the corner of Island Drive and Clubhouse Memorial Road. It's the entranceway to uh Kreeka Park. Uh Greenwood Golf is in a long-term lease with the city for improvement, operation, and maintenance of the Koreek Park Golf Complex. Um, so in 20 late 2020, Greenway Gulf determined that it would be beneficial to its operations at GreekA Park to renovate the fire tower and the surrounding area outside that this entryway and to provide a more aesthetic entry. So the city entered it, the Greenway requested the city um negotiated, and we we finalized the lease amendment that is attached as part of your staff report. It's the second lease amendment to their long-term lease. And the purpose of that amendment was to transfer the responsibility of this half acre area to Greenway so it could improve the area. And that again, that area includes both the area around it as well as the fire tower itself.

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