Alameda Planning Board Meeting - June 13, 2022

The Planning Board held a public workshop to review draft zoning amendments implementing the May 2022 Draft Housing Element. The meeting also included approval of consent calendar items and meeting minutes. No final decisions were made on the zoning amendments; the workshop was for comment and discussion.

Consent Calendar

• 6-A (2022-2112) – Approved acceptance of an easement from Alameda Unified School District related to a roundabout at Central Avenue and Third Street. Exempt from CEQA.
• 6-B (2022-2113) – Approved a design review amendment for changes to the animal shelter at 2331 North Loop, including reducing second-floor size, removing a rooftop penthouse, and exterior material changes. No further CEQA review required.

Both items were approved unanimously (Cisneros, Curtis, Hom, Rothenberg, Teague, President Saheba; Ruiz excused).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Karen Bay – Expressed concerns about retail leakage and recommended increasing ground-floor retail requirements to 70% in C1, CC, Park, and Webster districts, updating the 2002 retail leakage study, and not allowing ground-floor residential in retail zones.
• Christopher Buckley (Alameda Architectural Preservation Society) – Asked staff to map the transit overlay (quarter-mile from bus routes) to avoid automatic changes if AC Transit modifies routes. Also suggested height limit adjustments on Webster Street and roof envelope requirements to mitigate bulk.
• Carmen Reed – Supported AAPS recommendations, argued that increased density is inconsistent with Article 26 and community concerns, and urged removal of the transit overlay.
• Jay Garfunkel – Criticized the transit overlay as overly broad and dependent on AC Transit route changes, and urged the board to prioritize residents' welfare over political mandates.
• Faye Adolf – Supported AAPS position and questioned the board's role if it only follows state directives.
• Zach Bolle – Thanked staff for their work and expressed strong support for the zoning amendments as the best way to meet state obligations and community housing needs.
• Josh Pyer – Defended the transit overlay, noting that route changes can be addressed by council rezoning; criticized opposition to the McKay project as denying housing to medically frail seniors.
• Nanette – Representing the North Park Street area, requested limitations on density and height, citing parking constraints and existing overcrowding.
• Melissa Donahue – Echoed Nanette's concerns, asking for at least two parking spaces per unit and adequate outdoor space.

Discussion Items

• Public Workshop on Draft Zoning Amendments (Item 7-A) – Staff presented the draft zoning amendments implementing the Housing Element. Director Andrew Thomas provided updates: the Housing Element was submitted to HCD for 90-day review (due late August); a letter from Paul Foreman challenging the process was answered by the city; the Alameda Architectural Preservation Society applied to list the McKay property on the National Register, potentially impacting 100 units for formerly homeless seniors. Staff emphasized that no final decisions are needed tonight; another workshop is planned for July, and final recommendations to council will follow HCD's response.

Board Deliberations:

• Board Member Teague – Gave detailed comments: requested consistent definitions (e.g., dwelling multiple family, kitchen), recommended changing the transit overlay to focus on parcels along four-lane streets (Santa Clara, Lincoln, Encinal, Otis) rather than a quarter-mile buffer, proposed a bedroom-based size limit (no larger than two-bedroom, no more than 50% two-bedroom) instead of 1,000 sq ft, advocated for increasing ground-floor retail retention to 70%, and opposed the prohibition of ADUs from habitable space. Also noted the importance of adaptive reuse provisions.
• Board Member Curtis – Emphasized the need to balance state mandates with quality of life and acknowledged the difficulty of the task.
• Board Member Cisneros – Supported Teague's comments, echoed retail leakage concerns, and expressed disappointment over the McKay property historic designation filing.
• Board Member Hom – Suggested defining maximum density in R1 (either form-based or a number) to provide clarity; supported the transit overlay but with mapped boundaries; recommended lowering the 1,000 sq ft minimum to 800 sq ft with exceptions for three-bedroom units; and requested information on existing shopping center square footage and vacancy rates. Also raised questions about building coverage and structured parking.
• Board Member Rothenberg – Supported Teague's and Hom's comments, praised staff's letter to HCD as an excellent summary, and noted that the adaptive reuse provision is a promising strategy.

Key Outcomes

• The consent calendar was unanimously approved.
• The draft minutes from March 14, 2022 (Item 8-A) were unanimously approved.
• The board provided extensive direction on the draft zoning amendments. Staff will incorporate feedback and present a revised package at the July 11 meeting. No votes were taken on the zoning amendments.
• The board adjourned in recognition of Pride Month.