Alameda Planning Board Study Session on Main Street Neighborhood North Area - June 8, 2026

The Alameda Planning Board held a study session on the Main Street Neighborhood North Area at Alameda Point on June 8, 2026. The meeting included public comments, approval of prior minutes, and a detailed presentation on development feasibility, followed by board feedback on key planning priorities. No votes were taken on the study session items.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Meeting Minutes (May 26, 2026): The board approved the draft minutes with a correction to the spelling of Steve Buckley's last name. Motion passed unanimously (Board Member Ruiz absent).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Rose Huey (Alameda resident, CPA, founder of My Mother's House): Expressed support for an intergenerational housing model that brings together low-income seniors, single mothers, and children. She encouraged the city to consider innovative housing models that build community and offered to share research and partnerships.
• Babak Perandian (business owner, Cafe Jolie Petite on Bay Farm): Spoke about his plans to revive the Machon Theater at 2700 Saratoga (within the study area) as a rental space and restaurant, including reactivating a Sunday farmers market. He requested board support for activating community spaces.

Discussion Items

• Presentation on Main Street Neighborhood North Feasibility Analysis: Nicole Franklin (Alameda Point base reuse manager) and David Dozma (Kaiser Mars, land use economics) presented preliminary results. Key points:
  • The study area (~70 acres) includes portions east and west of Pan Am, with unique challenges including sea level rise, shoreline adaptation, historic district constraints, and a 25% affordable housing requirement (per settlement with Renewed Hope) plus an additional 10% for moderate-income households (per 2017 Specific Plan).
  • Infrastructure costs estimated at $240 million (including Main Street reconstruction and flood protection). Feasibility analysis tested lower density (~600 units east of Pan Am) and medium density (~1,000 units including west side) scenarios. Top-line finding: both scenarios are within feasibility range, but significant challenges remain (e.g., timing mismatch of infrastructure, high per-unit costs, Navy conveyance payments).
  • Staff posed questions to the board on four themes: (1) height and density allowances (current plan allows 2-3 stories east of Pan Am); (2) rezoning west of Pan Am from adaptive reuse to residential; (3) parks and circulation (potential to replace the central garden with decentralized parks); (4) affordable housing requirements (revisiting the additional 10% moderate-income requirement).
• Board Feedback:
  • Board Member Sahab: Emphasized the need to connect the new neighborhood to the Main Street ferry terminal, rethink the street network to create orientation points, and allow height along Main Street and at key intersections to generate activity.
  • Vice President Arisa: Supported allowing more height on Main Street but not excessive (e.g., 20 stories). Favored rezoning west of Pan Am for residential while preserving key historic sites like the O Club and theater. Encouraged diverse housing types beyond three-story townhomes.
  • Board Member Hom: Called for flexibility in density and building heights to help fund infrastructure, suggested considering relocating historic "big white" buildings to preserve them while allowing a more efficient street grid, and advocated for a larger planning effort that connects the site to the shoreline.
  • Board Member Wang: Stressed that feasibility should be the prism for all decisions; supported a competitive RFQ/RFP process to generate multiple developer ideas. Questioned the effectiveness of deed-restricted moderate-income housing given market dynamics, and noted that a citywide in-lieu fee could help support the 25% affordable requirement at Alameda Point.
  • Board President Cisneris (and others): Agreed on the need for flexibility, especially regarding the additional 10% moderate-income requirement, and supported using incentives rather than mandates to achieve housing diversity. Board members generally supported rezoning west of Pan Am for residential, being open to higher density and height if it enables project feasibility, and reconsidering the central park in favor of smaller decentralized open spaces.
• Historic Advisory Board Input (recapped by Nicole Franklin): The HAB was supportive of advancing development but stressed preserving the historic character of the district while being open to adaptive reuse and potential loss of some contributing structures. They advised not being overly restrictive and providing menus of options.

Key Outcomes

• No votes taken on the study session items; staff will incorporate board feedback into the priority-setting process.
• Next Steps: Staff will compile feedback from the planning board, historic advisory board, and future community meetings; then present a refined priority framework and feasibility analysis to the City Council for direction on issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a master developer.
• Upcoming Meetings:
  • June 22, 2026: Public hearing on ADU ordinance amendments and a study session on a proposal from the Oakland Roots soccer team for temporary use of the old Raiders facility.
  • July 13, 2026: First draft of short-term rental ordinance and possible workshop on commercial zoning amendments for Park and Webster Streets.
• Recent Actions Noted: City Council approved second reading of inclusionary housing ordinance amendments; Alameda Marina adjustment approved by board and headed to council on June 16, 2026.