Alameda Planning Board Meeting - November 13, 2023

The Alameda Planning Board met on November 13, 2023, at 7:00 PM at City Hall. The meeting included a ceremonial resolution honoring retiring Planning Director Andrew Thomas, approval of the consent calendar, a public hearing on a development plan for the Alameda Food Bank’s new community market, and a hearing on street naming for a townhome project. The board also heard public comments on non-agenda items.

Consent Calendar

• 2024 Planning Board Regular Meeting Schedule: Approved unanimously.
• Draft Meeting Minutes – October 9, 2023: Approved unanimously.
• Annual Review of Alameda Landing Development Agreements (Commercial and Residential): Approved unanimously. The applicant, Catellus Alameda Development, LLC, requested annual review of both development agreements. Environmental determination: Not a project under CEQA.
• Annual Review of Encinal Terminals Development Agreement: Approved unanimously. The applicant, North Waterfront Cove, LLC, requested annual review. Environmental determination: Not a project under CEQA.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Non-Agenda Public Comment: Shelby Sheehan spoke about the Oak Club parking lot, alleging it was being operated as a bus yard without a complete permit and that the planning department had withheld information. She requested a public hearing and transparent process. Staff responded that the permit application is incomplete and will come to the board for review when complete.
• Public Hearing on Item 5-A (Food Bank): Three speakers supported the Food Bank project: Ty Nuan (resident and board member), Julie Yim (senior policy advisor for Supervisor Lena Tam), and Chris Tam (executive director of All Good Living Foundation). All spoke about the Food Bank’s essential services and the need for a permanent home.
• Public Hearing on Item 5-B (Street Naming): Joshua Hahn, a resident of Alameda Point, noted confusion with addressing in similar townhome developments and suggested naming walkways between buildings for wayfinding.

Discussion Items

• 5-A: Development Plan and Use Permit for Alameda Food Bank Community Market (677 West Ranger Avenue): The applicant, Alameda Food Bank and City of Alameda, proposed a community food market on 1.7 acres at Building 607. The project includes renovating the existing building and adding a 10,000-square-foot extension, with 68 parking spaces (exceeding the maximum of 62 by 6). Staff noted the development plan and use permit are separate from future design review, which will return to the board. Board members discussed parking (including shared parking with neighbors), landscaping, waste management enclosure location, and the connection between the old and new buildings. Board member Ruiz disclosed a prior meeting with the Food Bank executive director. The board approved the development plan and use permit with conditions directing staff to add design review requirements for bike racks, cart storage, garbage enclosure refinement, landscaping details, and sustainability features. The motion passed 4-0.
• 5-B: Development Plan Amendment for Street Naming – 2015 Grand Street (Trumark Homes): The applicant requested approval of private street names for a previously approved 90-unit townhome project: Anchorage Street, Bayfront Street, Crossing Alley, Horizon Street, Larkspur Street, and Tidewater Alley. Board members noted that the city’s street naming policy requires north-south streets to be “Avenues” and dead-end streets to be “Court,” “Place,” “Terrace,” or “Square.” Staff recommended approving the names and deferring the suffixes to staff to resolve conflicts. The board also asked that duplicate street numbers be avoided. The motion passed 4-0.

Key Outcomes

• Approved Consent Calendar (4 items) unanimously.
• Approved Development Plan and Use Permit for Alameda Food Bank (4-0) with conditions to incorporate design review items and address parking, landscaping, and building connections.
• Approved Street Names for 2015 Grand Street (4-0) with staff to determine appropriate suffixes (e.g., Avenue, Court, Alley) and to avoid duplicate street numbers.
• Staff Communications: Noted recent staff-level approvals and that the November 27 meeting is cancelled; next meeting is in December.
• Board Communications: None.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 8:50 PM.