Okay, the uh March 5th, 2026 meeting of the Planning Commission is called to order.

Would everyone please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance?

Undergone deliberative justice for all.

Will the Secretary please conduct the roll call?

Uh yes, Chairperson.

Uh for the record, the following commissioners are present for the meeting at the time of roll call.

Uh Commissioner Chair De Hada, Vice Chair Mendoza, Commissioner Rich, Commissioner Solis, Commissioner Tebdulu, Commissioner Nay, and Commissioner Zuber.

Uh, all commissioners are present, and we have a quorum.

Thank you, Secretary.

Uh, the next item on the agenda is announcements.

Mr.

Secretary, are there any announcements this evening?

Uh yes, Chairperson.

I have a few announcements for the commission this evening.

Uh, first, as you may have noticed, we have a new audio and video system in the council chambers, and this is the first meeting that we've um we have using the upgraded system.

So on behalf of staff, we appreciate your patience if we run into any technical issues.

Um, and like to apologize in advance if we have any hiccups um during the course of the meeting, which we'll do our best.

Uh, second, uh, prior to tonight's meeting, the chair requested that staff provide an update on development activity in the city and um just to move the agenda along.

I'll plan on making that um presentation under item eight commissioner reports at the end of the meeting.

Uh thirdly, it's been a few months since the commission last met, but I uh but you may recall that the last time the commission held a meeting.

Uh the commission took action to recommend that the council adopt some zoning code amendments related to tobacco retailing.

So I can report back to the commission that the council accepted committee the commission's recommendation and adopted those amendments, and those updated regulations went to effect at the beginning of this calendar year.

And then finally, I did want to highlight uh for the um commission's knowledge that there was a particularly interesting presentation that went to the city council last month on February 17th that I think could potentially be uh good information for the commission.

Um good information for the commission.

Um the the uh city staff retained an economic economic development consultant to uh share some analysis regarding the economic feasibility of residential development in the city.

And it's it was a really interesting interesting presentation and could provide some context for your work as a planning commissioner and your decision-making processes.

So uh following this meeting, I'll send out a link to the PowerPoint and the uh recording of the meeting so you can um watch the meeting and the presentation at your own convenience.

Uh that concludes the staff announcements for the evening and back to you, Chair.

Thank you.

Looking forward to those development activity updates towards the end of the meeting.

The next item on the agenda is the consent calendar.

There is one item on the consent calendar this evening, the draft minutes for the planning commission meeting of October 2nd, 2025.

Would any commissioners like to pull the item from the consent calendar for corrections?

If not, may I have a motion to approve the consent calendar?

Commissioner Solis.

I'll make the motion.

I'll make the motion to approve the consent calendar.

Sorry, that's can we go one more time here?

Um back to you, Commissioner Solis.

I'm gonna click you in the queue.

I think your mic is hot now.

Test.

Yeah, yes.

I'll make the motion to approve the consent calendar.

Perfect, thank you.

Do we have a second?

I second it.

Second, perfect.

It has been moved by Commissioner Solis and seconded by Vice Chair Mendoza that the consent calendar be approved.

Please vote on your screens.

The motion passes.

Seven yeses, zero no, zero absences.

Passes unanimously.

The next item on the agenda is staff reports and announcements.

Mr.

Secretary, do we have any staff reports or announcements this evening?

Uh we do not.

The next item on the agenda is public comments.

The public is invited to make any comments related to agenda items that are not listed under public hearings or other items of public interest at this time.

If you wish to speak during public comments, please fill out a speaker card and hand it to the administrative assistant, and speakers will be invited to speak.

Public comments are limited to three minutes per person.

If you wish to comment on an item listed under the public hearings portion of the agenda, you will have an opportunity to do so when the item is heard.

Please fill out the speaker card and hand it to the administrative assistant.

We are now taking public comments.

This is the time when any person may address the board on matters not listed on this agenda.

Seeing no cards, we will move on to the next item on the agenda.

The next item on the agenda is presentations.

Mr.

Secretary, are there any presentations this evening?

There are no presentations this evening.

Okay.

Next item on the agenda is public hearings.

Tonight's agenda has one public hearing item for consideration by the planning commission.

If you wish to speak before the planning commission, please submit a speaker card and state your name and address and address and address for the record.

Meetings of the planning commission are recorded and televised.

So please speak clearly for the record.

Hearing item is agenda item 7A 26103 PLN 21-0027.

Consideration of a resolution approving a conditional use permit to allow the expansion of an existing metal recycling facility at 1091 Dew Little Drive onto two adjacent parcels.

May we please have the staff report.

Good evening, Chair and Commissioners.

This evening staff is asking you to consider conditional use permit for the expansion of the Alco Iron and Metal Recycling Facility at 1091 Dew Little Drive.

Alco Iron and Metals is located near the northern northerly entrance to San Leandro, occupying two corners of the intersection of Dew Little Drive and Davis Street.

Unpaved Eden Road on the north side of the recycling facility.

Um lies on the north side of the cycling facility along the Oakland municipal boundary.

The site and surrounding properties are zoned IG, Industrial General, and the general plan designation is General Industrial.

The proposed expansion area is which is shown there in the terracotta, is comprised of two parcels of one acre each, which are accessible from Eden Road.

So metal recycling has been occurring at this facility since 1953.

These activities require conditional use permit.

And the property lies entirely within airport safety zone number two.

So the expansion site is proposed to be graded and covered with steel plates, which are pretty much the only thing that can withstand the weight of the loaded trucks, and it does so a lot better than concrete or asphalt, which uh get pretty badly damaged by the trucks.

A truck scale is planned to be added in the expansion area, which will allow longer queuing on site, and it'll take some of the the trucks off of the street as well.

The scrap piles, which are highlighted there in yellow, are going to be moved from their current locations onto the expansion area.

The fencing that will be ultimately added to the site is going to comply with the zoning and building codes.

So with respect to aesthetic approvements, the scrap piles, as I mentioned, are going to be moved away from Doolittle Drive.

So they'll be less visible.

Currently, you can see them from Davis Street if you're coming over the overcrossing or overpass.

And then you can also see them from adjacent to the side on Doolittle Drive.

They're quite visible.

Condition 29 in the in resolution number two requires that landscaping be refreshed and maintained in good condition.

That's also consistent with the municipal code.

Condition 25 requires that walls and fences comply with the zoning code.

With respect to site access and circulation, moving the scrap piles and installing a new truck scale away from Dew Little Drive is going to improve on site circulation and also on off, excuse me, on street queuing.

So by let me back up a little bit here.

So by moving the piles off to the west there, the trucks are going to be able to queue in the areas that currently have scrap piles.

We'll also be parking in that area.

So it actually provides a lot of extra um truck stacking.

The findings of fact for this project for conditional use permits are that the location of the use is consistent with the zoning code and general plan.

Of course, this this type of a project is consistent with the zoning code with a conditional use permit and is allowed in the industrial general general plan designation.

The second finding is that the location of the use and the proposed operational conditions will not be detrimental to public health safety or welfare.

And the conditions of approval that have been applied to the site or that are proposed to be applied to this project will improve the site and operations and ensure compliance with the zoning code.

Finally, the proposed use, the final finding is that the proposed use will not create adverse impacts on traffic or create demands exceeding the capacity of public services and facilities that can't be mitigated.

This project is going to improve traffic on the on the street.

Right, currently we have a lot of queuing on Dew Little Drive, that left turn pocket.

We're expecting to see a lot less of that.

So it's not only not going to create adverse impacts, it should improve that situation.

So have the opposite effect.

We received five comments from various agencies.

All those comments have been addressed in the final mitigated negative declaration.

It resulted in some some revisions to the project itself or to the sorry to the document itself, not to the project.

And a mitigation monitoring and reporting program was prepared for that as well.

And that's included those documents are included with resolution number one.

So yesterday we got a call from Commissioner Rich who proposed a new condition.

You have that memorandum at your positions that details this is identical to this.

But this is the language.

The idea here is that we'd like to see a little bit more safety on the site.

And so the applicant will be required if you adopt this condition to prepare a operational and safety report on an annual basis that will be submitted to the city and it meets all of these criteria.

So there will be any operational changes that have been that have occurred during the prior 12 months, a list of any injuries and fatalities that have occurred at the San Leandro facility, list of any Calosha citations and the status of any of those citations should they should they occur.

Um name and contact information of a professional who's responsible for reviewing the safety program, and then verification of the completion of the annual fire and hazardous materials release and training for the staff, and then documentation of any uh any related inspection.

So fire will go out there annually as well and have a look.

So that's the the proposed new condition from Commissioner Rich.

And with that, our recommendation is that you adopt uh a resolution adopting the negative mitigated negative declaration, the mitigation monitoring reporting program, and that you adopt a resolution approving a conditional use permit to allow the expansion of the existing metal recycling facility onto two adjacent parcels subject to the recommended findings of fact and the recommended conditions of approval.

With that, we are prepared for any questions you might have.

And we have here also a number of staff who can also add anything that I I lack the expertise to respond to.

Thank you for that presentation.

Does the commission have any questions for staff?

Okay, order I see first is Commissioner Tabjulu and then Commissioner Zuber Zuber.

So I'll go to Commissioner Tab Julu first.

One second here.

Thank you for the presentation.

Uh if you can go back to the site plan and just show the way the circulation is right now, and how that would change with acquisition of the two new parcels.

Like how do the vehicles like getting in and getting out?

Is it just the good question?

Currently, let me see if I can see this on you can't.

Um currently there's a driveway on Doolittle Drive, and they they currently come in and circle around it off the site, uh, oftentimes via Eden Road.

What will happen at this point is they will come in and come on to the come on the site, past the existing truck scale, which is where the smaller circle is in the middle, and enter onto the the two terracotta colored lots, and they will exit via Eden Road and out to Doolittle Drive.

So they'll enter on Doolittle and exit on Eden.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

I need a thingy.

Thank you for the report.

Um I believe on figure six it shows the traffic.

And and I thought the report said that they were going to enter on doolittle and re leave on doolittle.

Is that I see some people nodding.

So um and that that does um uh I have a question on that.

On on the traffic um pattern on figure six, there are there's two locations where the the trucks will be crossing over, right?

So there's two actual intersections within the site um where it looks like they cross over, and that's a question I have.

Do they cross over and how how will those intersections within the site be handled?

Will there be um someone telling people, hey, you stop so that the other truck can go by?

Um that's just what it looks like on the diagram, figure six.

Okay.

I actually like to have the applicant answer that question.

Sure.

Because it's since it's off site or rather off street, uh, it's really more on their how they'll handle it internally.

Right.

Um then um to speak towards and and thank you, Commissioner Rich, for for adding adding this.

This answers a lot of my questions as well.

Um adding this condition.

I I'm haven't read through it in detail.

Um, but I do have a question, and it's perhaps for Commissioner Rich.

Does this condition add um any requirement for the city to monitor the amount of scrap metal being stored on site?

And can we add that condition that there um that when that there is someone who comes on site to make sure that they're not going over the amount of scrap that they're allowed to have because it says there won't be any additional storage.

So that's a very thorny question, and it's one that we wrestled with quite a bit as we address this project.

One of the issues with the project is that it's very um it ebbs and flows quite a bit.

Um we were looking at you know ways of sizing the project.

How do we you know, how do we um when you issue a conditional use permit, there should be some sort of trigger that that creates a need for an amendment to conditional use permit.

And one of the things that I was looking for was something on that that line.

The problem is is that depending upon the season, there might be more scrap or less scrap construction season gets them more because they'll have demo stuff coming in and other seasons it's quite a bit less, um, which is why we landed on the conditions that are are the triggers that are in the staff report.

So when they want to expand further, if we think they're going to be expanding their hours, or if they're gonna be expanding um their um product lines.

We just didn't have a way of of kind of getting our arms around the quantities easily.

So how I I think I'm I don't understand then how does um the landowner understand the limits of their conditional use permit if the city doesn't know how to get their hands around it.

Um because essentially if you start then addly adding more piles of scrap that now are moving back towards Doolittle.

Is anybody monitoring that?

We'll be able to see it.

They're gonna be storing on those lots.

That's that's the deal.

They were not going to be storing on these lots.

So it will be quite apparent.

Okay.

So there's there's you what you're telling me is there's no way to add a condition here for monitoring the amount of materials that are being stored on site.

We couldn't think of a way to do it that would allow us, I mean, maybe on an annualized basis, perhaps, but like on a day-to-day basis or season to season, it just not day-to-day.

Yeah, it just wasn't, you know.

Um we did try this pretty thoroughly.

It just there was not a good way of getting there from here.

Um, I think maybe the applicant can speak to that a little bit more.

They've got more in-depth knowledge of the the product, but we boy, we went around this one quite a bit.

Does the city of San Leandro inspect other industrial sites for waste and compliance with conditional use permits?

We have done that in the past with waste management.

Okay.

And they produce a report annually.

Is there any stipulation that that ALCO will have to produce a report annually?

That's in condition 90 that's been proposed, yes.

Okay.

Um just one or two more questions.

Um the steel plates, just a question on the steel plates.

And and I understand that you know, steel is is gonna be a lot more durable over time than concrete.

But how do um how is the drainage handled?

Um are these steel plates just put down?

Is there kind of any kind of remediation for what runoff of where does the wastewater go?

Everything that they handle there is dry.

So when they bring in engines, it has to be completely drained of fluids.

Well, it rains though.

So it does rain, and there is some material of that sort.

Um we do have a stormwater system that well, this is going to be built as part of Eden Road, so it'll be handled through through that and through some swales are gonna be along that.

Okay, so the steel plates will be put in place, and then there's some type of drainage that will be considered.

Yes.

Eden Road is not part of this project.

Right, but the city is in the process of selling it to the Yes, which is great.

Which is yeah, it'll be built to city standards.

So the improvements of of Eden Road will happen before any of this work happens.

Absolutely.

Okay.

The grading is gonna happen about the same time, but the the rest of the work will happen subsequent.

Right.

Um, are there any um drawings or renderings of what the fence and the landscaping is gonna look like?

We did not receive that.

That's a condition of approval.

Okay, great.

Um and then I think one more question uh for staff.

Um, under the general plan conformance, I think it's on page four of five.

Um of the legislation details.

Um, it says general plan conformance, and I'm wondering, is there a minimum number of required conformance items that usually list under here?

No, there's not.

Okay.

I think we are reaching on sense of place.

I'm I'm just gonna say that.

Um it would be great to see the things that really apply.

And when I think of sense of place and people arriving from the city from the Oakland Airport and going down Doolittle, I don't think of sense of place.

Um and so I I look forward to seeing the drawings that come along with with what this looks like and hope hopefully there's some effort put into, you know, it it's really the the first thing you see when you enter the city of San Leandro from the Oakland Airport.

Okay, thank you very much.

Appreciate it.

Thank you, Commissioner Zuber.

Moving on to uh Vice Chair Mendoza.

Yes, uh so it looks like there's not gonna be uh new buildings or added capacity, right?

No, okay.

So uh I'm just curious, uh my understanding is that there's been some uh fires in there, like three or four fires.

Uh the I think the last one might have been in 2018.

Um so during a period of uh eight years, uh three employees die, and there was an investigation by Kal Osha.

So I'd like to know uh maybe by by the applicant if you know what what happened with that investigation, what was the result is still going on and uh things like that.

So that's it.

Do we have any additional questions from the commission for staff?

Uh just had a few on on my end here.

Um completely appreciate uh Commissioner Rich and condition of approval 90 that was added.

Uh somewhat of a piggyback there on Vice Chairman Mendoza's statements relative to previous events and things that may have happened on site.

Uh I think this condition number 90 really gives the city some safeguarding uh and some assurance that there will be uh some QAQC uh to prevent any sort of those activities from coming up again.

Um the stormwater system, stormwater system uh being built out as part of Eden Road.

You did clarify that the timing for the build out of Eden Road would occur prior to the applicant being over to take over the two parcels that are being proposed as part of this item.

Is that spelled out anywhere in the in the text in the item that is spelled out already?

Yes.

Okay.

Um item number eight.

Item number eight.

Okay, perfect.

Um I do echo Commissioner Zuber's sentiment there that Eden Road uh that does become a swampland uh when it rent when it rains.

There is it's horrible trying to drive down that street.

And uh for me at times I frequent that uh kind of pick and pool, picking parts location down the road.

Great little hole in the wall location, but getting there when it rains is is it's a nightmare.

So definitely would love to see those improvements that occur on Eden Road and get it to a point where that specific business isn't being swamped out, and their uh their interior isn't uh at a point where they need a vacuum out pools of rainwater that have just like seeped into their into their business.

So anything that could be done uh to move that along would be encouraged.

Uh that's all that I have.

Just along that line, um the applicant has been working with that property owner to uh try to secure a public utility easement and a construction easement for drainage on that site.

They're still working on that agreement.

Perfect, thank you.

Okay, with no other questions for staff, we'll be opening it up to public hearing.

I understand from the secretary that the applicant during this time frame is gonna give a brief presentation during the public hearing segment.

So we'll invite the applicant up.

I did hear a few questions from the commission, so this would be the appropriate time for the commission.

If you had questions for the applicant, uh feel free to jump in the queue and I'll ping over to you.

Uh thank you very much, uh, Mr.

Chair members.

Uh Guy Houston, uh applicant's representative for the ACO project.

I've been only on this project for four years.

Uh this all started in 2017, when there was a call from the city saying, hey, can we meet and talk about uh do little and how we have traffic stacked up on the road and then the the aesthetics of the the piles that we've talked about?

And so that was the the start of this.

Uh the these two parcels became available for purchase.

So Alco purchased, and then they made a formal application for this in 2000, he says 18, but I thought it was 2019.

So uh here we are today.

I want to thank staff uh for getting us here.

Uh and you know Cindy Lamaire and Eric Engelbart for working very diligently with us to try to uh it's a very complicated project when you start adding in Eden Road and all the things that are going on there.

Um I'll try uh the the presentation was very good.

I wish there was a a little different visual of what the site is gonna look like with the scales.

And it's kind of hard to visualize uh without having something to point at.

But when the two scales are there, that's you know, you say, well, they're just gonna put piles on you know where they are now.

Uh well, you won't because there's gonna be another additional scale there.

So you're gonna be coming in on do little and being weighed on the scale and then going in the back, dropping on the two additional acres, coming back out and then being weighed on the second scale going out.

How it works now is they literally come in weigh, dump, and then back up onto the scale again and get weighed again, because that's how you can tell, and then they manage to get out.

Um, and so that's a lot of traffic jam, a lot going on there uh at this point in time.

Uh so uh we're very sincere in that we're not adding any additional lines of work.

Uh uh, the only way you can really have more volume is to have an additional line of product that you're you're working on.

Um our business is to get scrap out of there.

So piles is something that we don't like.

Uh, and uh it is amazing over a course of 48 or 72 hours, you can see a pile and it's all it's all gone, but it's replaced.

So to be fair.

Uh but the two-scale system is gonna help immeasurably, and then having that stacking that occurs on on some certain days, uh, particularly Fridays on do little is gonna be very much uh reduced because they can stack up on site.

Uh so that's gonna be a uh I wish we had a visual to that effect.

Um the timing uh being when we can able to utilize the two acres.

Uh the big condition from from fire is that we have to have access from Eden Road for those two acres before we can use the two acres.

Very reasonable.

So that means we have to complete Eden Road so we can access the two acres and then we can use the two acres.

So even though these are two separate projects, they are joined at the hip.

Uh, and we're working very closely with staff and the Port of Oakland and Caltrans and East Bay Mud and everybody else to uh uh we're at the point where we should be able to get and pull those building permits uh when when the weather gets good, probably in April.

Uh so all is is kind of feathering together and going very well.

Um the steel plates and the drainage, uh another great impact to this uh project.

Uh initially it was on traffic and aesthetics, and really it's morphed into really safety and also environmental.

Uh there's a lot of issues out there because the drainage is so poor.

And so when Eton Road is completed and it's gonna be graded so that coming off of those steel plates, just like it would concrete, it's all gonna go into the proper drain and and and be you know professional in the way it's supposed to be.

Uh if you've if you've been a patron of that uh of the the little the car parts place, then uh you know uh when it's wet, uh they literally have one foot of water inside their building.

And uh we have part of the project is we have it designed such that there's a drain there and it will connect to the storm system and go out properly.

So at least you won't have to bring your your uh rubber boots to get in and and buy something from them.

Um so a lot of work has gone into this.

Um, but safety, environment, traffic, aesthetics, those are the things that have been at the forefront of our minds in getting this done, and we're we're hopefully get this get this going within the next couple months.

And we would appreciate your support, and I'm here to answer any questions if I can.

Thank you for that.

Uh one last thing I will add is that the condition uh that was that was put in.

Um we fully support this.

Uh so I think this is uh great.

Uh this is something very similar that when we went to the airport land use commission, they asked the same thing.

You say you're gonna do it, well, prove it.

And so they have asked for the same similar kind of thing.

The Port of Oakland, uh, the uh with the airport, they want to know as well.

So this reporting is not something that we're afraid of.

We welcome it, and so I think it's a good condition.

Thank you.

Thank you for that.

Uh at this time we'll open it up to the commission for questions.

I see Commissioner Rich in Q.

I'm sorry.

Uh thank you for that information.

That was great, and thank you, staff for that presentation.

Um, I appreciate the uh the additional condition and your and your willingness to work with us on it.

I uh I think that's great.

I had one question for you, and that is do you know, and you may not, do you know if you have a labor management safety and health committee?

I do not believe we have that.

Um I'm gonna I'm gonna ask if that's something that you might consider um because it is a way to help improve the relationships on the job side about safety, it helps communication on the job side.

I know there have been some complaints on this job side and other Alco properties, and I think it might be a way to mitigate those or eliminate those with the uh communication between labor and management on the job site.

There is a there's a uh uh Calosha regulation, Title 8 C CR Section 3203C that describes the duties.

The committee would meet quarterly, have members of both management and um and labor on there.

negate those or eliminate those with the uh communication between labor and management on the job site there is uh there's a uh uh calosha regulation title eight ccr section 3203c that describes the duties the the committee would meet quarterly have members of both management and um and labor on there and i think it i think we could be uh a helpful thing as alco uh moves away from some of the the things that uh uh the vice chair was talking about and into uh uh company that has uh is proud of its safety program that's proud of what it's doing and uh is acknowledged as such for it uh labor management safety committee meeting quarterly is that something you might consider uh I think it's something we can consider we we we like the language that's in the the resolution that says a third party certified professional responsible for reviewing these that we have these in place and we're adding them uh we have a fire consultant we have a safety consultant and so um I I would like to uh see how this works um I don't uh see why we need to do something else at this time but it's certainly I can bring back to management and we can discuss it um I appreciate that um the the advantage of it is that that information of these reports is is also going to labor on the job site not just the management on it and the way it appears the situation is happening right now is that labor is having some concerns and is filing complaints with Kalosha which is just exasperate exacerbating the issue with the open series citations from those other issues and a way to to get ahead of that to be proactive about it.

I've worked in a general contractor different business that had a labor management safety committee it was great for us it was really good for us because it helped to control the rumor mill and people knew where they could get the information the real information it's a suggestion I'm not gonna re I'm not gonna I'm not gonna make this a condition on top of this um request any good faith that you consider it and look into that I appreciate that very much thank you Commissioner Rich moving to Commissioner Zuber Yeah I just had the one question about um the way the car the way the trucks come in and the and then they you know they go back they drop it off and they come back but there's two points in that path where it looks like there's cross traffic um and is is there is there a reference or something I can see I I don't believe here yeah it's I think figure six it could just be that visually it looks like they cross um yeah I I guess we go in here I don't think something is a little on the Cindy if I could if if I can ask you so sidebar um so I mean basically we we come in here so they come in they go over the scale they come out this way something's wrong with that's yeah so that yeah that's I and I I forget why can you pull that map back up on here is it we don't have a I don't have it there or at least the the one oh the staff report yeah it's um I can see why you're let's go that way uh for the record um uh yeah I guess for the record uh Michael Barkovich COO of Alco um okay so okay so current I'll just go over this from the start one more time on the traffic flow currently trucks come in here they go around this circle go on the scale right so right now and then they go dump whatever pile and then circle back on the scale so currently you have in this whole area you have what we call our light iron pile our heavy iron pile and all the trucks that are dropping off here and dropping off here and also our our trucks which are loading out both from this pile and this pile so you basically have four sets of types of business all going on at once over one scale and in a circle.

So it just constantly backs up and you know you get you get back up here.

This right now the current scale is here it is proposed a second scale is added here so the traffic flow will be coming in over this scale so you can have an in-scale then you come go to the different piles come out over the out scale and out del so that that's the yeah so there's so there's not a real cross of of traffic there.

So well, then perhaps um this exhibit should be updated for the record at some point, and maybe that's during the next approval process.

But it's yes, it's yeah.

It's confusing.

Yeah, that doesn't even show that doesn't even show the second scale.

So I don't know.

I don't know the the exact yes.

What you've drawn here is much seems much safer than what is drawn on the exhibit.

So thank you for uh the explanation.

No problem.

Um further questions from the commission.

Vice Chair, uh you might have had a question during the previous segment.

Did you want to pose your question now?

No.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, actually, I'm sorry.

I had a few questions if it's okay.

Still getting used to going last.

Um maybe maybe it's unknown at this point in time, but your best guess as to when the timing for the Eden Road improvements would be occurring.

What's what's the range?

Yesterday.

So we we are at right now, we we we're trying to pull the permits.

We have all of the the East Bay Mud, Caltrans.

So uh the we just finishing up today with the port of Oakland, they had another condition, so lots of easements and this, that, and the other.

But uh so we're around the cusp of doing this.

I would say since now we're starting in in the beginning of March, that uh you know, April one.

That's always been our goal because of it's the construction season.

April one is when you can start really working.

So we want to pull those permits and start grading and start working.

So the construction time period is likely gonna be ambitiously six months, it's gonna be nine months.

And so our our big goal is that we want to get this going as soon as possible because uh even though it's we're in the not even in spring yet, uh the winter is coming.

And so we want to get this done before this year in 2026, and having buttoned up so that we, you know, at the end, it's it's not a problem.

But it's a six to nine month construction period nine.

Perfect.

Okay, yeah, that's that's where I was getting to is uh wanting to get it accomplished and complete before the next reason rain season starts.

So seems like you guys are on that track.

Okay.

Yes.

Um and then in terms of uh the equipment set circulation for the two parcels that you guys are taking over.

Um will there be a case where the equipment in its circulation pattern has a need to kind of offset into Eden Road?

Would they have any like cross flow into Eden Road in order to make their maneuvers that they need to, or is it going to be completely confined to within the parcels?

The plan the business plan is gonna be confined to the parcels.

Um Eden Road is gonna be used, uh, but it's not going to be used for the the customer public.

You know, there'll be uh Alco Metal, you know, vehicles, and you know it's gonna be used, uh, but it's not going to be a part of the right now.

People come down Eden and they kind of come in the side sometimes and and that first driveway, and and so it really is quite chaotic, especially when the when it gets bad weather.

Uh so the but the plan is is that Eden is is not going to be the primary source.

Uh it's gonna be the reason why the two scales are gonna be where they're at is so that in on do little, out on do little.

Okay.

Yeah, I get I guess my concern is if there was a potential for equipment circulating and using Eden Road as as maybe uh uh a workaround for maneuvers that need to be accounted for.

Um the timing of the Eden Road improvements and the potential interjection of equipment coming on to Eden Road might just deteriorate what was just completed, paving, curb, gutter, what have you.

But if you're saying there's not gonna be any sort of equipment that uses that offshoot for maneuver purposes and everything's confined, no, no.

It's it's and we want we all that would do is delay the the ultimate construction of Eden Road, and we don't want that.

It's going to be it's gonna be a burden, it's gonna be a tough construction uh for ourselves as well as the uh the auto wrecker.

Uh but uh we have to do that so that uh the integrity of the road is sound.

Uh and you have you know your property, the the uh the treatment plan at the end, which is relying on Eden Road as well.

So there's a lot of a lot of moving pieces and benefits to this once we get it all done.

Perfect.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Oh, okay.

Um sorry, we we may have another question for you.

Vice Chair Mendoza.

Yes, uh yeah, following over what I mentioned earlier.

What's the status of the uh Carl OSHA investigations and fines and things like that?

You can talk about that.

Um I'm I'm really not uh of knowledgeable about you know that that part of what's going on.

Obviously, you know, we're here tonight to talk about the project, and uh there are safety enhancements and improvements that'll make it uh a better and a safer uh place for everybody for customers as well as our workers.

And so um I I don't have knowledge about what the ultimate status is.

What I do know is that uh these things take uh sometimes a long time before there's a final resolution.

So I don't have any report, and I don't think in this forum uh it's really appropriate to do that right now.

Okay.

Um I you know, uh as um a spot of the uh the board here, I think that uh uh the reason why I ask is because I do believe that is it's appropriate.

Uh and um uh it seems that somebody should have at least a general information about the status of the of the investigation.

So um I'll have Mr.

Burkovich, she's more appropriate to answer that question.

Okay, um there have only been two incidents in San Leandro.

Um the original, the first one was in 2017, which um ended up um OSHA ended up uh we settled with OSHA for a general uh one general violation, so they did not find it as a serious violation, and that mainly was because a um uh third party expert found that it was a a third-party expert found it was a third party's fault, and they ended up that third party and the um uh workers' family settled, you know, on a uh on a civil case that was you know outside of OSHA and outside of Alcohol and all that sort of stuff.

So um, although as devastating as it was to us as a as a company, um, you know, we um, you know, and um wish it never had happened.

Obviously, we felt that it was you know, for lack of a better word, not our fault, and that there was a third party at fault in this case.

Um, but still it happened at work, so it's still obviously responsible for it.

Um the uh one that happened last year is you know still very much um ongoing case, so there's not much that you know it's been um you know those once OSHA finishes their first kind of review, then they send it to the state to review to make sure there's nothing above and beyond what OSHA wants to do.

So that that in my experience from the 2017 one that takes uh maybe a year or two.

So right now that's um just a pinning investigation that I can't really speak on because it's still an active investigation, but I feel um once again, you know, once it's done and and all the information is out, um, you know, I I you know I there will causation, I think is very clear what happened at that at that point.

So it's still ongoing those things too.

Absolutely correct.

Okay.

Thank you.

Yeah, no problem.

Thank you guys.

That's it.

All right.

Thank you.

So since that was during the public hearing section, uh feel appropriate to uh ask if there's anyone from the public who wishes to speak on this item.

Do we have any speaker cards?

Hello, everybody.

Good evening.

I'm Emily Grego, I'm president and CEO.

I'm sorry, uh let me just make sure I've got the right okay.

I've got two in front of me.

Emily Grego calling our first speaker up to the stand.

Go ahead.

Sorry about that.

No worries.

Emily Grego, president and CEO of the San Leangelo Chamber of Commerce.

Alco Iron has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce for several years.

And I can attest to the fact that they've had this vision for their property in Eden Road for many years, as we took a tour at Alco Iron back in 2018 with our former mayor uh Pauline Cutter, and they showed us exactly kind of what they were thinking about.

And so you can see that they've been diligent in this vision and what they'd like to see accomplished.

So we are here tonight to um offer support that you all support the conditional use permit.

We believe that it will definitely um provide some traffic solutions on Doolittle Drive, as we as you said, coming in from Oakland, all we see is these big regs right in the middle of our doolittle drive.

So this would be one solution to allow this um expansion of their footprint.

It also means a safer workplace.

They've got more room now on their property to be able to move around, and that's a safer experience for workers and for customers.

And there's also going to be environmental improvements with uh preventing flooding in the winter and dust storms in the summer from Eden Road.

And then of course, Eden Road will be a functioning street instead of a big muddy mess that nobody uses at this point in time.

So we hope that you will definitely approve their conditional use permit, recognize that they've been a long-standing business here in San Leandro.

They've certainly invested in this community, invested in their um invested in through sales tax and through employment and offering jobs.

So we just certainly hope that you approve this conditional use permit.

Thank you.

I will now call our second speaker.

That would be Guy Houston to the stand.

That was me.

That was you, Guy.

That was you.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

No, we we won't replay.

It's it's committed to memory now.

So we'll keep we'll keep that.

All right.

I will now close the public hearing and bring back the item for discussion by the commission.

Do any commissioners wish to discuss the item?

Commissioner Rich.

Uh there's a lot to like about this project.

Um recycling requires recyclers.

Alco is a long-term local San Leandro business.

The project will improve truck queuing, emergency access, visual quality, all while reducing idling and air pollution.

I did have concerns about safety.

Uh, and I believe that uh the proposed condition 90 addresses those.

So I just want to uh indicate my support.

Any other commissioners wishing to discuss the item?

If not, do I hear a motion to adopt a resolution?

Commissioner Rich.

I think there's two resolutions, one for the conditional use permit and one for the uh neg deck, and I move to approve both Vice Chair Mendoza.

I second okay.

It has been moved by Commissioner Rich and seconded by Vice Chair Mendoza to one adopt a resolution adopting the mitigated negative declaration, and two adopt a resolution approving a conditional use permit to allow the expansion of an existing metal recycling facility at 1091 Doolittle Drive onto two adjacent parcels.

Please cast your vote.

The motion passes unanimously the motion passes unanimously with the additional condition of 90, condition 90, as presented by condition rich.

Commissioner Rich.

Does that suffice for the record?

Okay.

Decisions of the planning commission are final unless appealed to the city council by filing a form to the city clerk within 15 days of the date of this action.

The form shall specifically state the reason for the appeal and an appeal fee is required.

Okay, the next item on the agenda is commission reports and announcements.

Staff mentioned earlier in the agenda that a development activity update would be provided under this item.

Yes, thank you, Chair Dihada.

Um before tonight's meeting, staff did provide the commission with uh a copy of an updated development activity map and table, which was left at your uh seat before the meeting.

Uh as you may be aware, um, staff maintains and periodically updates this document uh for the purpose of providing the public with a snapshot of major development projects in the city's pipeline.

Uh for the commission, I think it may be helpful way to stay informed about what's going on in the city and uh provide some context for your work as commissioners in evaluating projects.

Uh this information um is available online in the city's development activity web page.

Uh it's www.sanlyandro.org slash development activity if anybody um uh is looking for a quick way to access the site.

Uh that page includes a map, this map and table along with um other use resources, including a development opportunities site map uh in the city.

Um I'd like to just um I'll be brief, but I just want to mention that the document specifically focuses on larger development projects um that have received entitlements or maybe under construction or have recently completed.

It doesn't include um you know smaller um additions or single family one-off simple single family homes or um you know building permanent applications that may not require any of discretionary approval.

So um uh there may be other development projects in the city which you may be curious about um that are that are on the map, and we can certainly provide more information about those if you um uh if you'd like to inquire.

Um if you've seen the document in the past, um, and we presented this to the commission before.

You notice that there hasn't been significant wholesale changes, at least in the past year.

Um a few you may notice that a few previously approved projects have recently recently been completed, including the 180 unit Central Calendar mixed use project in downtown with the ground floor sprouts grocery store.

Um the new Toronto facility at 1919 uh Williams was recently completed, as well as the 18-unit residential development on Halcyon um Halcyon Drive in the south part of the city.

Uh you'll you can see that there are um a few new problem newer projects in the pipeline.

Um amongst them are a is a potential large industrial development at the former Levitt's site on Alvarado Street, which is currently under review.

And um on that note, I do want to note for the commission that uh some of these projects could potentially come before the come before you for consideration in the future.

So I'm just for tonight's up for tonight, the update is intended to be informational, and um I would just invite advise the commission um be cautious about um discussing those projects and expressing any opinions um in this in the setting if it has a potential to come back to you at a later date.

Just and I'll let legal counsel um add on if there's anything further they want to keep um Alex wants to mention, but um uh I would just like to say or reiterate that um um staff is happy to provide more information about any of these projects and do a deeper dive if the commission wants to uh contact staff on offline to um go into a lot of detail on a project that you might want to talk about.

So happy to do that.

Um the commission would like.

And um I'll leave it open for uh commissioners to ask any any questions at this time and conclude my presentation.

Did council have anything to add to that?

No, okay.

Uh opening it up to commissioners for questions.

I see uh Vice Chairman Mendoza, and we'll go over to Commissioner Zuber after that.

So Vice Chair Mendoza.

Okay, yeah, I just wanted to uh share with my uh federal commission that uh I uh submit any obligation to be considered for the open seat in District 2.

I'm really excited about it and going, you know, go to go into the process.

Uh and what's driving that is my you know interesting issues like you know, small businesses, housing, uh technology, uh, and uh just wanted to share that.

And you know, I'm gonna be going to the process um I would be really excited about it.

Thank you for that.

Moving to Commissioner Zuber.

Yes.

Um so um Secretary.

In regards to the development activity map, if we wanted to get a more detailed update on any of these developments, um, for example, the the status, it might say on on this document, it might say, okay, well, entitlements have been approved.

Um, but if we wanted to get more information on, you know how much longer it might be.

Do you have any other updates?

We can do that offline, email you, and then you can provide some more detail.

We could have a you could definitely you could you definitely do that and staff will um provide as much information as you um as you need.

We can have a conversation about it.

We can have an email about it or um uh can whatever the commission may prefer to get that information.

But we'd happy to assist you if you like more information about a project.

Sorry, I can't I couldn't hear you.

Oh, I'm sorry.

We'd be happy to assist you um get more information, whether it be by email or um we can we can have a discussion at it also.

Okay, and and and then just specifically in regards to Monarch Bay.

And and and then just specifically in regards to Monarch Bay, I think that this is something that many on this commission worked very hard.

I mean, you know, it's been a long time coming, and I know that there were some um financial issues with Monarch Bay.

And would it be possible for the staff to provide an updated report um in a future meeting so that that we all feel equally informed of the status of that project?

We can certainly uh talk about what we we can provide.

Um as you may know, there are some ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, and so um some information that uh maybe confidential as the city's working on it, its position uh in those proceedings, but um there's certainly some information we could provide and we can work with staff to to put something together to provide the commission.

That would be great.

Much appreciated.

Um, and then the last item I have was um whether or not there is an update on the improvements for Lake Chabot Road Unfortunately, I think neither of us, you know, uh there's no one from public works engineering here tonight, and they'd be best uh equipped to answer that question.

I don't think anyone we have any great up-to-date information to to provide the commission, unfortunately.

Okay.

Thank you.

Commissioner Rich.

Uh thank you.

I heard the mayor recently speak that uh the city council is gonna revisit the inclusionary ordinance.

And I'm wondering if you can help me or help us understand where we can find information about the current inclusionary ordinance, including in loo fees.

Um it would be great uh if there was information regarding in loop payments to date and uses of those in loop payments.

And interested in how our inclusionary zoning and the in loo fees compare to neighboring jurisdictions.

Uh following the meeting, staff can provide a link to the um the existing this existing ordinance and provide some supporting information about um fees collected.

I think that should be something we can we could provide um fairly uh easily as as far as the the project itself in terms of uh regarding updating the uh inclusion ordinance uh that is in this on um the city's work plan is something that uh will kick off um I believe this this year will kick off efforts on that.

And as part of that, we can produce some analysis regarding um uh what other cities uh do and have done and what may what maybe best practices in terms of an ordinance.

No, I appreciate that.

I'm not trying to jump the queue on this or anything, but if there's stuff that's easy easily available that you can point us to, I'd appreciate it.

Uh if there's additional resources, we can look into that and provide the commission.

Any other updates from the commission?

Um I just had a maybe one request here for the table, the development activity map.

Uh this is a great tool.

I'm glad that kind of as a commission, we requested that this be put in place to keep us in a visible line of sight with how things are progressing and where things are at.

Um thing that I think might help is the status column gives an indication where things are at, but it's hard to really determine how long it's been in that status.

As an example, if I look at item number 28, that's the abode communities on Washington Avenue.

I think that's been discussed for probably dating back five years now, but it still reads as under building building plan review, BPR.

Uh I might have that acronym wrong.

Building permit review.

So if it's still under building permit review, um knowing how long it's been in that status and/or providing a footnote for some of these outliers as to what's driving it to remain in that status, uh, could go a long way for the public, at least knowing uh what's happening there.

Yeah, we we can give we can definitely give some thought to um ways we can enhance the enhance the the document.

There are a number of projects um as you as you know that um have been in the pipeline for for some time and have received approval.

And the commission may recall that we um that the commission um recommended um an ordinance which the council ultimately adopted, which extended the life of entitlements for another um another two years to provide additional um additional time for some of these projects to pencil out and make economically feasible to move towards um move towards actual construction.

Um with that being said, I think um uh just thinking through the thinking through your request, we could easily uh for approved projects provide the date in which it was approved.

I think the the date in which maybe perhaps a move to a to a status where the applicants submitted an application for building permit review may be most meaningful in terms of describing a picture of where where the actual application is at.

Um give us additional thought as to um other enhancements we could do to um to describe um the status of these projects a little better.

We'll give some thought.

Appreciate that.

Yeah, exactly what I was looking for is just ways that we can retool um the Excel document and make it more intuitive uh and provide a bit more information for the reader if they're looking at it.

It's kind of a one-stop shop.

Um, but giving the additional layer of detail that uh if this is transparent for the public, they would be able to intuitively see what's happening across the line.

Can I also add that um if you access the this document on the website, there is um there's a column for info sheet, and we do um we don't have this for all the projects, but we do have a separate uh page with more information about these projects.

So that could be an opportunity as well to um add on some additional information, which um um without cluttering and making the table kind of even even more difficult to read.

So that that's that's another option we'll explore.

Thank you, Secretary.

Um I I think you had mentioned earlier uh in the meeting a economic development meeting that occurred a couple of weeks back.

Um you were going to be sharing the presentation from that.

I want to say that was the meeting that happened, city council on February 17th.

Um kind of in line with that.

The last time that we had economic development here, uh presenting to the planning commission was at least several months back.

I wonder if it would be uh if there's an opportunity that presents itself for a next iteration of the presentation from the economic development team being brought to the commission just so that we can better understand where things fall on the economic development front.

Yeah, I'll bring that um request back to the economic economic development team to explore further.

Another thing they could do is um I think since the since the last time um economic development came to the commission, we did adopt an economic development strategy, so it could be another um item discussed with the commission.

That's great.

Yeah, I'm just reminded of that uh February 17th meeting and the consultant who presented on viable options.

Uh, one of those options being if commercial vacancies reach the point of critical mass, um, those would then be clear-cut opportunities where the city could explore mixed-use uh housing uh commercial in vacant marketplace conditions.

Um one location that comes to mind is greenhouse market uh and the vacancies there that are kind of going through turnover to turnover.

Uh and to me, that seems like it's a prime candidate for a mixed use setup.

So just um really would like to have some uh more information from economic development, uh, the ability to get a refresh on what's happening uh with their department.

Um hate to go another five months without seeing seeing the commission here.

So if if there's a presentation that can fill in that five-month gap, and you know it's done so by economic development, I think that's all for the better.

Uh and the last one for me here is um planning commission training opportunities.

Um you and I spoke about this previously, Secretary, and uh I know that the window is passed for the training opportunity in uh Southern California, which is being held middle of this month.

Um that did just kind of trigger questions in the sense of the next round of training opportunities that are available, um, the training budget that's in place for the planning commission.

Maybe you can speak to those particulars and uh the requests from the commission members if they wanted to pursue any sort of training opportunities, kind of what are the rules of engagement to do so.

Uh thank you, Chairperson.

I think uh it is a lesson learned from um Slay's latest experience that um it is important to plan ahead for um training needs for the commission um well in advance of the um the uh because the major training opportunity for the planning commission, which is the League of Cities, um which is the League of Cities Um conference for planning commissioners.

Um I would encourage the the um the commissioners to think about attending the um I think what's been reported back from commissioners that have gone to the to the training that it's been a very positive and helpful um experience for um navigating your role as a planning commissioner.

So it's um so I think staff um has heard that it's it provides a lot of value.

So with that being said, um I think um uh I'll reach out to um uh commissioners with um information as this as I receive it for the upcoming for next year's um planning commissioner conference and uh start to gate some interest so we can um see if um uh see it what the interest is in what the and then start to look into what the budget could potentially uh allow in terms of in terms of training.

Uh so we'll we'll we'll do some polling offline as uh we get more information about um when that may be and where that might be and um how much that might um cost in terms of terms of budgeting perfect thank you secretary um we'll status that topic uh next month should we have a meeting next month uh any other comments oh I see commissioner zuber um yeah on on that note I I did um attend last year um and I I learned a ton it was great I also uh asked to be added to the League of Cities um monthly call.

Um they seem very amenable to any planner just jumping on the call it's a zoom call and you can hear all the updates to um you know california policies and and things like that so happy to forward that invitation to any of the commissioners who are interested in joining the call thank you for that commissioner zuber over to vice chairman doza yeah just uh a quick comment so I have I've attended two uh training uh by Lego California cities before and um uh basically what happened is we got an email letting us know that these training were available and we wanted to go here's the date and uh we just replied said yes we want to go and then uh so um I wonder if that's going to be you know the same I know you can you just said you're gonna be looking into um uh training opportunities some polling us and you know but before that's what happened you know we just got an email and said there's there's this uh uh training day and uh you want to go and then we said yes I'm interested in going and that was it and then we got you know we got the hotel over and what they choose uh that's it.

Yeah those those were the good old days I think we've had some discussions uh regarding that so um we'll probably table it secretary until you can come back with uh the specifics of the runway that you need from the commission to put that request out there for attending any specific uh training sessions um and then you can speak to the specifics of the budget that that's in place and how a commissioner can go about requesting funding for the budget and just add adding on if if um there's a lot of interest from the commission and budget is limited we may have to come back with a discussion about how to equitably um uh uh allow commissioner or certain commissioners to attend and um or perhaps talk about um um like alternating um attendance any final comments from the commission okay seeing none the time is now eight sixteen this meeting is adjourned