CITY OF EMERYVILLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

Transcription

1 CITY OF EMERYVILLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT DATE: May 1, 2016 TO: FROM: Carolyn Lehr, City Manager Charles S. Bryant, Community Development Director SUBJECT: PROGRESS REPORT APRIL 2016 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH The City Council approved temporary experimental traffic calming measures on the Horton Street Bicycle Boulevard consisting of speed humps, pavement markings, and signage. The City Council accepted the Christie Avenue Bay Trail project as complete; a ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for Bike to Work Day on May 12. The Planning Commission held a study session on a proposed 6-unit townhouse project at Doyle Street. Because the project involves demolition of existing residential units, it will ultimately require City Council approval. The Final Environmental Impact Report for the Sherwin Williams Mixed Use Project is being prepared. Certification of the FEIR and approval of the project are expected to be considered by the Planning Commission and City Council this fall. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy was issued for the final phase of the 3900 Adeline Street residential project; this 101-unit apartment project is now fully approved for occupancy. Meanwhile, 2,300 applications were received for the 12 affordable units in the project. Once again, the Building Division set a new all-time monthly record for building inspections, with 3,422 inspections conducted in April, up 35% from the previous record set just last month. Three finalists for the Emeryville Center of Community Life Public Art Project were recommended by the Public Art Committee, and will be considered by the City Council in May. The Community Development Director attended the American Planning Association National Planning Conference in Phoenix; Housing Coordinator Catherine Firpo attended the Housing California Annual Conference in Sacramento; and Assistant Planner Sara Billing graduated from the Alameda County Leadership Academy. The City Council honored Assistant Planner Sara Billing as the City s Employee of the Quarter for the first quarter of Congratulations Sara! April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 1

2 CITY COUNCIL, PLANNING COMMISSION, AND COMMITTEES CITY COUNCIL April San Pablo Avenue Affordable Housing Project. The Council approved a fourth amendment to the professional services agreement with Weiss Associates increasing the contract amount by $12,153 to an amount not to exceed $91,368 for oversight of, and final reporting on, the remediation of the 3706 San Pablo Avenue Affordable Housing Project site. ACTC Funding Agreement. The Council approved a funding agreement with the Alameda County Transportation Commission for the Measure B, Measure BB, and Vehicle Registration Fee funding programs and appropriated $50,000 from the Measure BB Fund to the scoping of the I-80 State Route 13 (Ashby Avenue) Interchange Improvements Project. ECCL Construction Noise Waiver. The Council approved a construction noise waiver for the Emery Unified School District for construction work at the Emeryville Center of Community Life project on all Saturdays from April 9 to July 30, except May 28 (Memorial Day weekend) and July 2 (Independence Day weekend). The request was for construction from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; in approving the request, the Council changed the start time to 9 a.m. Horton Street Experimental Traffic Calming. The Council unanimously approved the installation of temporary experimental traffic calming measures on the Horton Street Bicycle Boulevard, consisting of four slotted speed humps with associated signage and new bicycle boulevard pavement markings. The wheel slots will allow fire trucks and bicycles to pass through without slowing, while normal vehicles and trucks would not be able to pass through the slots. April 19 Employee of the Quarter. The Council honored Assistant Planner Sara Billing as the City s Employee of the Quarter for the first quarter of Sherwin Williams Environmental Impact Report. The Council approved a third amendment to the professional services agreement with LSA Associates to increase the maximum compensation by $70,935 for a total amount not to exceed $394,815 for environmental analysis of the proposed Sherwin Williams Mixed Use Project, to include additional analysis and effort required to complete the Final EIR, draft findings, a Statement of Overriding Considerations, and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, and to attend meetings and hearings. Christie Avenue Bay Trail Project. The Council accepted the Christie Avenue Bay Trail project as complete. Joseph Emery Skate Spot. The Council accepted the Joseph Emery Skate Spot project as complete. Stanford Health Center Noise Waiver. The Council approved a construction noise waiver for the Stanford Health Center at 5800 Hollis Street for a crane lift on Saturday, April 23. The request included the closure of Hollis Street between Powell and 59 th Streets so that a crane April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 2

3 could be centered on the road to lift rooftop equipment onto the building. The request was for 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; in approving the request, the Council modified the hours to 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Marijuana Delivery. The Council passed the first reading of an ordinance regulating the delivery of medical marijuana in Emeryville. PLANNING COMMISSION The Planning Commission considered the following item as its April 28 meeting: 6 Unit Townhomes. The Commission held a study session to review a Conditional Use Permit and Design Review proposal to demolish four existing legal residential units and two existing illegal residential units and to replace them with six new residential units at Doyle Street. Neighbors generally supported the project concept, but raised concerns about impacts on neighboring trees near the property line, the height of the proposed buildings in relationship to the neighboring buildings, which could block views, and other potential impacts to adjacent private open spaces. The Planning Commission also generally supported the project concept, but raised concerns regarding how the applicant proposed to earn the bonus points required to obtain the proposed maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0. Specifically, the applicant s proposal to make the project Zero Net Energy was questioned for its feasibility, lack of detail, lack of onsite infrastructure, and how the proposed off-site electricity production would benefit residents. The Commission also provided feedback regarding family-friendly unit design, general project design, landscaping, and parking layout. PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE The Public Art Committee (PAC) met on April 14 to discuss the Public Art Master Plan (PAMP) draft goals and objectives, initial strategies for modifying private development procedures, and the upcoming May 11 Happy Hour and May 14 Public Workshop. The PAC voted to endorse the Emeryville Center of Community Life Public Art Selection Panel s recommendation that Madeline Weiner, Paul Vexler, and Kelly Ording be selected as the artists for the project. The PAC also received an update on possible costs associated with pigeon abatement alternatives and maintenance for Electric Rainbow at the Shellmound Powell Street Bridge. The PAC recommended that the Electric Rainbow project be aborted but that the associated District Plan be completed. This recommendation will be brought to the City Council after the PAC has reviewed the District Plan. The next PAC meeting will be on May 12, to make recommendations on the Shellmound District Art Plan and the fourth phase of the Bus Shelter Art Program. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE The Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) met on April 20 and reviewed the Capital Improvement Program and the Public Art Master Plan, and were introduced to the new Economic Development and Housing Manager, Chad Smalley. The committee also welcomed two prospective candidates for the two vacancies on the committee, representing workforce development and a large business. EDAC members requested that future meetings address a marketing plan and include a review of the Economic Development Strategy. April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 3

4 DEVELOPMENT COORDINATING COMMITTEE The regular DCC meeting scheduled for April 13 was cancelled because all pending items have either already been reviewed by DCC or were not yet ready to be reviewed. PLANNING DIVISION CURRENT PLANNING PROJECTS Major Projects Chart and Table. The attached bar chart illustrates the progress of each major development project through the Planning and Building pipeline, while the attached Major Projects table contains more detail on each project, and a key map shows the location of each project. Those projects that saw significant staff activity in April are discussed below. Sherwin Williams Mixed Use Project. Staff received a first draft of the Response to Comments (RTC) document from LSA on April 22 and is in the process of review. Staff met with the applicant on April 27 to discuss procedures for the proposed subdivision and land swap, and the overall timing of the project. Staff also met with community members on April 29 and provided an update on the project. Intersection Mixed Use Project ( Maz Site ). Staff met with the applicant and Building Division staff on April 28 to discuss building code issues for proposed commercial tenants. Stanford Health Center, 5800 Hollis Street. A Major Design Review application for new signage and modifications to the public right-of-way along the Hollis Street frontage, including a canopy over the sidewalk and valet parking, was submitted on August 31, The Planning Commission held a study session on March 24, and staff held internal meetings to discuss the project on April 21 and 25. A Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed canopy and building signage is scheduled for May 26, to be followed by a public hearing on the proposed valet parking and signage in the public-right-of-way on June 23, after a traffic study is completed. Pelco Mixed-Use Project, 1550 Park Avenue. A Conditional Use Permit and Design Review application to reuse, and add to, an existing industrial building to create 23 residential and two commercial units was submitted on January 5. This project requires Planning Commission approval and is scheduled for a study session at the July 28 meeting. 6-Unit Townhomes, Doyle Street. A Conditional Use Permit and Design Review application to demolish four existing legal residential units and two existing illegal residential units, and to build six new residential condominiums, was submitted on March 8. This project requires a Planning Commission recommendation and City Council approval because it involves the demolition of residential units. As noted above, the project was reviewed by the Planning Commission at a study session on April 28. Third Dwelling Unit, 5876 Beaudry Street. A Conditional Use Permit and Design Review application to add a new unit to an existing duplex was submitted on April 25. A Planning Commission study session is tentatively scheduled for June 23. April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 4

5 5801 Christie Avenue. On April 21, staff met with Harvest Properties, who recently purchased this large site adjacent to the freeway, near the corner of Powell Street and Christie Avenue. The site, formerly known as the Gateway site, was previously owned by BRE. Harvest is interested in a mixed use commercial and residential development, possibly including a hotel. They are headquartered in Emeryville and previously managed the property for BRE. They indicated that Wells Fargo Bank has five years left on their lease and does not intend to move before then. Harvest will continue to lease out the existing office building for that period of time, but may use that time to develop plans for future development of the site. Emergency Operations Center at Fire Station 35. On April 4, staff participated in a meeting at Fire Station 35 with the architects who have been hired be the City to redesign the Emergency Operations Center. ADMINISTRATIVE CASES AND ACTIVITIES Design Review Fire Station #35 and Emergency Operations Center, 6303 Hollis Street. A Minor Design Review application for exterior modifications to an existing fire station was approved on April 12. Rotten City Pizza Patio, 6613 Hollis Street. A Minor Design Review application to modify the frontage along Hollis Street to accommodate waste stream storage and access to a new outdoor patio area was approved on April 13. Home Depot Tool Rental Center Expansion, 3838 Hollis Street. A Minor Design Review application for exterior changes was submitted on April 16, 2015 (pending). Plum Annex, 4070 Hubbard Street. A Minor Design Review application for exterior changes was submitted on June 18, 2015 (pending). East BayBridge Corner Stores and Plaza, 3889 San Pablo Avenue. A Minor Design Review application for exterior modifications and additional landscaping was submitted on July 7, 2015 (pending). Bridgecourt Apartment Trellis, th Street. A Minor Design Review application to add a trellis to the south side of the building was submitted on January 21 (pending). VOLTA EV Charging Station, 5795 Christie Avenue. A Minor Design Review application for two new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at Powell Street Plaza was submitted on March 22 (pending). Signs FedEx, rd Street. A Minor Sign Permit application for one monument sign was submitted on April 19 (pending). Sally Beauty, 3839 Hollis Street. A Minor Sign Permit application under a master sign program for one wall sign was submitted on April 25 (pending). April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 5

6 Subdivisions Commercial Condominiums, 1555 Park Avenue. A subdivision permit application for commercial condominiums was submitted on September 30, 2013 (pending). ADVANCED PLANNING PROJECTS Caltrans Pedestrian-Bicycle Plan. Staff attended a meeting at Caltrans District 4 offices with several local jurisdictions and agencies, and responded to the question of how Caltrans can work better with local jurisdictions on pedestrian and bicycle improvements. Staff also commented on Caltrans s draft map of state highways that allow bicycles and bikeways near and parallel to freeways. ABAG East Bay Corridors Project. Staff attended a meeting of this working group, which agreed to ABAG staff researching options for programs for seismic retrofit of soft story buildings. I-80/Ashby Interchange Park. Staff ed the Ashby Interchange project manager at the Alameda County Transportation Commission regarding the park that is shown in the interchange in Emeryville s General Plan and Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan. He confirmed that he will make sure the park is included in the interchange. Berkeley Strategic Transportation Plan. Staff joined staff members from Berkeley, Albany, and Oakland to discuss coordination of improvements, mostly on San Pablo Avenue. Sea Level Rise. In response to a question from a Finance Committee member, and in preparation for shoreline projects in the draft budget, staff began summarizing information on sea level rise for a staff meeting in May on adaptation actions. Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Housing Agenda. Staff commented on a draft regional housing strategy, which includes a regional housing trust fund and rent control reform. Climate Action Plan. Staff helped plan outreach, and helped with a presentation at the quarterly all-staff meeting. Short-Term Rentals. Staff met with a company that is launching a web-based service to identify short-term rental addresses. The City Council is tentatively scheduled to hold a study session on short-term rentals on June 7. Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. Staff sent to other staff members draft changes to the City s ordinance and requirements, and a table on how they respond to State and Stopwaste.org changes to the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 6

7 BUILDING DIVISION Permit, Inspection, and Plan Check Activity and Public Contacts The attached tables summarize the tenth month of fiscal year for building permit and inspection activity. Following is a summary of the Building Division s permit, inspection, and plan check activity and public contacts in April: Permits Issued: 79 Total Valuation: About $4.9 million Fees Collected: About $134,000 Inspections: 3,422 (highest monthly number of inspections on record) Major projects: 839 (25%) Other: 2,583 (75%) Fast Track Plan Check: - Same day: 15 applications - Within 2 weeks: 16 applications - Expedited requests: 1 (plan review comments or permit approval within 3-5 days) Public Contacts and Inquiries: - Counter contacts: Telephone inquiries: 118 The large number of inspections in April is due to major new construction projects, including the Hyatt Place Hotel at 5700 Bay Street (where every hotel room requires separate inspections), The Intersection residential project at 3800 San Pablo Avenue, and the 3900 Adeline Street residential project; major tenant improvement projects, including Stanford Health Center in the EmeryStation Greenway building at 5800 Hollis Street, Grifols Project Horizon in the CMF Building at 5350 Horton Street, and various biotech tenants in EmeryStation #1 at 5858 Horton Street; as well as routine on-going inspections of numerous smaller projects throughout the city. Major Projects Under Construction Construction is proceeding on the following major new developments and renovation projects: Parc on Powell (formerly Parkside) Apartments Powell/Hollis/Doyle/Stanford; 168 residential units; 5 live-work units; 3 flex-space units; retail. (TCOs issued in February, June, and July 2015.) Hyatt Place Hotel 175-room hotel at 5700 Bay Street. Doyle Street Lofts 5532 Doyle Street; demolition and replacement of two residential units. LePort Schools 1450 and rd Street; private pre-k through 1 st grade school. (TCO issued on March 11.) Stanford Health Center 5800 Hollis Street; 82,900 square feet of tenant improvements in EmeryStation Greenway building. The Intersection Mixed Use Project (Maz site) 3800 San Pablo Avenue; 105 residential units, 21,000 square feet of retail. April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 7

8 Marketplace Redevelopment Project, Phase IA (EMME Apartments) 64 th and Christie; 190 residential units. (TCOs granted March 3 and March 13, 2015.) Ocean Avenue Townhomes 1276 Ocean Avenue; 5 townhouses. Third floors were added without benefit of permits to Units 3 and 4. Applicant was directed to remove the third floor of Unit 3 and legalize the third floor of Unit 4 before occupancy can be issued for any units in this project. Revision plans for work without permits were submitted on December 16, Pixar Warehouse Phase II 5000 Hollis Street; 28,637 square feet of storage in existing building. (TCO for Phase I granted September 18, 2014). Bridgewater Remodel 6400 Christie Avenue; 63 residential units, podium renovation. 39 th and Adeline Residential Project 3900 Adeline Street; 101 rental apartments, 1,000 square feet of retail, two levels of parking. (TCO for 48 units in Phase 1 granted December 31, 2015; TCO for 35 units in Phase 2 granted March 21, 2016; TCO for 18 units in Phase 3 granted April 15, 2016.) Papermill Park 1330 Stanford Avenue; new park and parking lot. (Final inspections pending.) Construction is also proceeding on the following major construction defect repair projects: Emery Glen 6200 Doyle Street. (Housing Authority of the County of Alameda has resubmitted a permit application to move forward with remedial construction; permits for seven buildings issued April 7, 2016.) Bridgecourt Apartments and th Street. Anticipated Major Development Projects The Building Division anticipates new development projects in fiscal years including: 3706 San Pablo Avenue redevelopment of the former Golden Gate Lock and Key site for affordable housing. Grading, remedial site work completed. Marketplace, Shellmound Site (Parcel A) Shellmound Street at railroad pedestrian bridge; 167 residential units, 14,000 square feet of retail space. Marketplace, Theater Site (Parcel D) Shellmound/new 63 rd /new Market Drive/64 th ; 223 residential units. Building permit application submitted November 13, Issued demolition permit for UA Theater on December 22, Grading permit and site demolition permit applications submitted on February 18, Marketplace, Parcel C new 62 nd and Shellmound Streets; 30,000 square foot New Seasons grocery store and parking structure. Foundation permit application submitted November 24, 2015; building permit application for parking garage and commercial shell submitted April 18, Anton Evolve ( Nady Site ) 6701 Shellmound Street; redevelopment of former industrial site for 186 rental housing units. EmeryStation Transit Center 59 th and Horton Streets; 250,000 square feet of office/lab and retail space, and Amtrak bus bays, in 165-foot high-rise. Grading permit issued July 22, 2015; building permit application submitted November 19, April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 8

9 Pre-Submittal Meetings The Building Division held pre submittal meetings for a number of projects in April. These meetings involve the Chief Building Official, plan check staff, Fire Department staff, and the projects development teams. Their focus is to aid the applicant to identify potential building code issues, alternate materials and methods requests, project scheduling issues, expected fees, and other major building concerns Christie Avenue Demolition of entire existing movie theater building to slab, cap off utilities. Grifols Building N 4560 Horton Street, Building N; Building Occupancy Resumption Program th Street demolish chimney and replace two kitchen windows th Street roof tear off, install 1/4" DensDeck and 60 mil thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO). Tanium 2200 Powell Street, 5 th floor; demolish all existing tenant suites Adeline Street voluntary seismic strengthening. Hilton Garden Inn 1800 Powell Street; drywall repair, insulation rooms 222, 223, and th Street convert existing garage into storage, replace fence th Street replace four overhead garage doors, non electric. Bolt Threads 6250 Overland Avenue; interior demolition Powell St remove shingle roof to solid sheeting. Parc on Powell 1333 Powell Street; add security screens and roll down grid. T-Mobile 4600 Adeline Street; remove and replace three existing antennas with three new 6' antennas st Street demolish existing bathroom and reframe floor joists, install new tile. Emery Glen 6200 Doyle Street, Buildings A, B, C, D, E, F, and G; correct deficient work and complete siding replacement rd Street 210 square foot room addition with bathroom, new handicap ramp. 6 Captain Drive, Unit E434 bathroom remodel, replace shower pan Halleck Street remodel bathroom, relocate toilet and vanity and add shower Park Avenue, Unit 112 kitchen remodel, replace millwork, lighting, appliances th Street, Unit C remodel kitchen, bathroom th Street, Unit B remodel kitchen, bathroom th Street, Unit D remodel kitchen, bathroom. Ike's #A Powell Street, Building A; install two illuminated signs. Apple Store 5640 Bay Street, Building E; tenant improvements, non structural partitions, ceilings. National Mortgage Insurance (NMI) 2100 Powell Street, 11 th -12 th floors; audio-visual infrastructure, electrical supply. Peet's, # Shellmound Street; install three electrical receptacles Park Avenue, Suite H replace damaged electrical panel, modify existing pipes. Pilates Studio 4010 San Pablo Avenue; temporary power Vallejo Street remove and replace wall furnace st Street install seismic shut off valves for gas. April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 9

10 4015 Adeline Street install seismic shut off valves for gas Adeline Street install seismic shut off valves for gas rd Street Private Sewer Lateral (PSL); replace one lateral 4" diameter, High Density Polyethylene (HDPE).and abandon lateral. Construction Meetings Construction meetings (weekly) and site visits were held in April for the following projects: Marketplace Redevelopment Phase 1A (EMME Apartments) 64 th Street and Christie Avenue; 190 residential rental units in five-story building. Hyatt Place Hotel 175-room hotel at 5700 Bay Street. Stanford Health Center 5800 Hollis Street; 82,900 square feet of tenant improvements in EmeryStation Greenway building. Public Market 5959 Shellmound Street; storefront and site improvements. The Intersection ( Maz Building ) 3800 San Pablo Avenue; renovation for 17,158 square feet of retail use. 39 th and Adeline Residential Project 3900 Adeline Street; 101 rental apartments, 1,000 square feet of retail, two levels of parking. IKEA 4400 Shellmound Street; warehouse renovation and loading dock. Projects Completed or Nearing Completion The following projects have received Certificate of Occupancy (CO), Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO), or final building permit sign-off (final) for the month of April: 3900 Adeline Street 101 rental apartments, Phase 3 (18 units). (TCO) Public Health Institute Shellmound Street, Suite 450. (TCO) 26 sub permit types (finals for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, energy, etc.) Code Enforcement/Graffiti Abatement The following cases were handled by the Chief Building Official in April: 9 general code enforcement cases, correspondence for abatement purposes. 27 telephone contacts, relating to code enforcement process and complaint status. Emery Glen Apartments, 6200 Doyle Street, Update. In February 2014, a meeting was held with the Housing Authority of the County of Alameda (HACA), general contractor, architect and Building Division staff to determine an appropriate course of action to provide acceptable remedial construction, inspections and expectations per Building Code requirements as a result of construction work done without permits or inspections. Four of the seven multifamily buildings with remedial construction were completed without benefit of appropriate building permits or inspections. The discussion included further investigation of the completed work, scope of construction, weather proofing, dry rot removal, and re-siding of the seven buildings. HACA was directed to secure the services of a third party testing firm to monitor waterproofing and construction defect applications per special inspection requirements and Building Division policy. Further investigation concluded that the construction work done without permits or April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 10

11 inspections were substantially non-compliant, and the general contractor stated they were not culpable in their actions and reluctant to correct the problems. The general contractor was subsequently dismissed by HACA and reported to the Contractors State License Board. Through the arduous litigation effort of HACA, this project is ready to proceed under new building permits and a new general contractor. Building permits were recently issued for the seven multifamily buildings and a pre-construction meeting was held to discuss the administrative process, required inspections and expectations. Building Occupancy Resumption Program (BORP) The Building Occupancy Resumption Program (BORP), approved by the City Council in March 2013, allows commercial property owners to retain private engineers to expedite evaluation of their buildings following an earthquake or other natural disaster. One BORP permit for Grifols Building N was approved on April 1, and three additional BORP proposals for the Grifols Campus were received for review. Customer Feedback Questionnaire For the month of April one questionnaire was received, indicating positive and excellent in all categories, including customer service levels, staff knowledge, improvements needed, and how the City of Emeryville s counter services compare with other jurisdictions. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING DIVISION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Minimum Wage: No new complaints were filed during the month of April. There remains one open investigation that staff expects to resolve soon. To date, none of the closed investigations have resulted in monetary restitution of back wages owed, and all have been resolved informally. Staff updated all required materials such as posters and Official Notices to reflect the upcoming new Minimum Wage rates, effective July 1, Updated materials were mailed to all Emeryville employers, and are available on the City s website in multiple languages. During the month of April, staff answered 21 inquiries regarding the Ordinance via telephone and . Further information is available at: Broadband. At the end of March, Tellus Venture Associates initiated work for assessing broadband service and infrastructure in the City and developing an implementable plan for improving broadband service. Work is expected to be conducted throughout the spring and summer. Employee Scheduling/Fair Work Week. Staff met internally with the City Manager on April 18 and 21 to discuss San Francisco s Formula Retail Employee Rights Ordinances in preparation for a City Council study session scheduled for May 17. AFFORDABLE HOUSING Residential Tenant Protections and Services. On May 5, 2015 the City Council directed staff to prepare a proposed just cause eviction and harassment ordinance; the concept was reviewed by the Housing Committee on October 7, A City Council study session is tentatively scheduled for June 21. April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 11

12 3900 Adeline Project. Staff worked with the developer to market the five very low income and seven moderate income units. Applications were due March 25, and the developer received over 2,300 applications. Of these, 1,553 were determined to be eligible for the lottery. Of the eligible applicants, 1,265 (81%) applied for very low income units and 288 (19%) applied for moderate income units. Concerning place of residence, 67 applicants (4%) used an Emeryville address, 685 applicants (44%) used an Oakland address, 122 applicants (8%) used a Berkeley address, and five applicants were from out of state. Concerning preferences, 300 applicants (19%) claimed one or more preferences for living, working or having a child in the Emery Unified School District (EUSD); 65 applicants (4%) claimed the EUSD preference; 205 applicants (13%) claimed the work in Emeryville preference; and one homeless person claimed Emeryville preference. Also, 276 applicants (18%) stated that they had Section 8 vouchers. The lottery took place in the Council Chambers on April 22. Applications at the top of the lottery are being reviewed by the developer. The applicants will be contacted in lottery number order and asked to provide a full application with income verification, preference verification, and credit and background checks. Generally about half of the applicants fall out during the full application process because they over- or under-reported their income on the pre-application or because they claimed preference for which they are not eligible. City staff then reviews all applications that are determined by the developer to be eligible San Pablo Avenue. Staff is working on developing a Request for Proposals for a low income senior housing project on the site of the temporary Recreation Center San Pablo Avenue. The project applied for Affordable Housing Tax Credits in the March round. Staff will know in May if the application is awarded. The developer is moving forward with their building permit application. Marketplace Housing Development. Staff is working with the developers to negotiate an affordability agreement and identify the affordable units. Avalon Senior Housing. Staff is working with EBALDC to refinance their mortgage on this mixed use senior housing project. Rehabilitation Projects. Staff is working with one ongoing applicant. Their grant agreement was signed in April and construction is expected to start and finish in May. Staff is working with Rebuilding Together to develop a program to outreach to tenants in need of independent living aids such as grab bars. Rebuilding Together is working on a home rehab on Adeline Street in April and May. The project required three dumpsters. Homeless. Staff continues to work with North County jurisdictions and the County on coordinated efforts regarding people experiencing homelessness. The contract with Berkeley Food and Housing continues to provide services for homeless outreach and case management, including outreaching to homeless during inclement weather. Staff is coordinating with Fire, Police and Community Services to identify and locate people experiencing homelessness in our community and to engage them in an effort to provide harm reduction services and start the process of finding permanent housing solutions. The North County winter shelter closed on April 15. Staff worked with the homeless provider on a proposal for furnishings for its shelters. April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 12

13 BMR Inspections. Staff conducted one Below Market Rate unit (BMR) inspection. Housing Notification. Staff added 145 people to the Housing Notification List. Housing Developers. Staff spoke to three developers interested in developing market rate housing in Emeryville. Public Information. Staff fielded 78 calls and s regarding housing search, many related to the 3900 Adeline Street application process, eight calls and s regarding landlord/tenant issues, and three walk-ins with housing related issues. Alameda County Housing Bond. Staff represented Emeryville in a stakeholder meeting regarding the proposed Alameda County Housing Bond Initiative. First Time Homebuyer (FTHB) and Below Market Rate (BMR) Ownership Programs: BMR Program: One BMR unit sale was completed from the Vacant Housing Program on 63rd Street. Two BMR units are currently for sale in Elevation 22 and Green City Lofts. Buyers have been qualified for the Elevation 22 unit. For Green City Lofts, the first buyer was denied and a new buyer qualification will be considered in May; this will be a short sale. Staff continued working with one BMR homeowner with a Notice of Default on resolving the issue. One BMR homeowner died, and staff is working with legal counsel on options, as the family does not want to file probate due to decedent s debts. One FTHB loan payment was received on April 29 and will be processed in May. Work is ongoing to resolve issues with a FTHB loan that transferred to a new owner during probate; payment is due on May 6. Staff also worked with legal counsel to ensure payoff of one market-rate FTHB loan with a Notice of Default. Subordinations: Two subordination applications are pending. Owner Occupancy Violators: Work on resolving three cases of BMR owner-occupancy violation continued. Owner-Occupancy Monitoring: Staff continued the owner-occupancy monitoring process for program participants. Staff responded to over 100 general inquiries via telephone and from current and potential program participants. CAPITAL PROJECTS Grant Management. In April, Staff continued accounts receivable activities and reporting for capital project grants including: Safe Routes to School Transit Center and adjacent Plaza Greenway Powell to Stanford Christie Avenue Bay Trail Extension Staff anticipates close out of the Housing Related Parks Program grant in May as all funds have been billed and received in April. As noted above, a master funding agreement for the Alameda County Transportation Authority was approved by City Council on April 5. April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 13

14 Christie Avenue Bay Trail Bike Path. In April, staff continued planning for a ribbon cutting for the Christie Avenue Bay Trail project on May 12 at 9:30 am at the northwest corner of Christie Avenue and Shellmound Street. The ribbon cutting is planned to utilize the energizer station at the same location for Bike to Work Day. The event will include 50 water bottles commemorating the opening. The opening includes collaboration with Bay Street, Trader Joe s and the Sheraton Four Points Hotel. This project and a planned path around Golden Gate Fields in Albany will allow cyclists to ride the Bay Trail uninterrupted from Richmond to San Leandro. The project was the highest-ranked bicycle improvement by Bike East Bay when it was proposed for funding with Measure B and Vehicle Registration Fee Bicycle Improvement Funds in Emeryville was first city to complete its bicycle and pedestrian project under the One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) cycle in Alameda County, with funding from the County s Measure B and the Vehicle Registration Fees. Emeryville will join Oakland, Berkeley, and Piedmont in launching new bicycle infrastructure, regionally critical to cyclists safety and access, in celebration of the Annual Bike to Work Day in Alameda County. PUBLIC ART PROGRAM Public Art Master Plan. Outreach continued in April for the Public Art Master Plan. The next public workshops, which will include draft strategies, are planned for a Wednesday Happy Hour on May 11, a community and economic development roundtable on May 13, and a Saturday morning workshop on May 14, including a public art collaborative activity. For more information see: Public Art Master Plan Website: Public Art Master Plan Survey: Registration site for the Public Art Master Plan: An instagram campaign for citizens to post images appreciated in Emeryville or desired to be put in Emeryville was launched as well at #artinemeryville contributions will be requested through June. An interview of staff about the Art in Public Places (AiPP) program s evolution was published in the E ville Eye blog in April. Sign of the Times. Artist Seyed Alavi plans to install 20 new images in May on existing utility boxes. He will rotate four other images and a site specific installation at Doyle Hollis Park will remain. Site preparation is expect the first week of May in which the existing vinyl cutouts will be removed and the boxes repainted. In the second week of May, new vinyl images will be applied and then anti-graffiti coating will be applied. Emeryville Center of Community Life (ECCL) Public Art. Five finalists submitted draft Conceptual Design Proposals for three locations at the ECCL site, including two for the 53 rd Street Gateway, two for the Welcome Center, and one for the Library Commons. Final Design Concept Plans were received by the March 16 deadline and displayed at City Hall until the selection panel convened for final interviews on April 8. Two artists were expected to be nominated for installation, with one at the 53 rd Street Gateway and one either at the Library Gardens Courtyard or in the Welcome Center. However, the Public Art Committee unanimously endorsed the Selection Panel s recommendation that the City Council approve limestone April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 14

15 sculptures in the library courtyard, a wooden and composite materials hung sculpture in the Welcome Center, and a mural on the teen center s west and possibly south wall, by artists Madeline Weiner, Paul Vexler, and Kelly Ording, with no works commissioned for the 53 rd Street Plaza. These recommendations will be presented for action by the City Council on May 17. Shellmound Powell Street Bridge Public Art/Shellmound District Public Art Plan. R&R Studios, the selected artist for the Shellmound Powell Street Bridge Public Art Project and Shellmound District Public Art Plan, received approval of a building permit for the installation of Electric Rainbow on January 19 and was awaiting Public Works issuance of an encroachment permit when the project was reconsidered due to the need for ongoing maintenance, pigeon incursions and traffic closures. Review included consideration of technology for abating the site of pigeons or re-design of the project for a tighter grid. As noted above, at its April 14 meeting the Public Art Committee (PAC) revisited the project alternatives and budget implications, particularly for maintenance, and recommended that the project be stopped. A Draft Shellmound District Public Art Plan was submitted for review on March 30. The PAC was unable to review it at their April meeting, but recommended that the Plan be completed without Electric Rainbow in it. The City Council is expected to approve the District Art Plan in June, pending PAC review in May. BROWNFIELDS 3706 San Pablo Avenue. Weiss Associates are completing the final report for the remediation of 3706 San Pablo Avenue. As noted above, on April 5 the City Council approved additional funds for unexpected costs associated with this reporting. Assessment Grant. Staff expects notification in June from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as to whether the $200,000 applied for in December will be awarded to Emeryville. If so, funding to assess City properties and other prospective affordable housing sites in proximity to transit hubs could be initiated in October. ADMINISTRATION/OTHER American Planning Association National Planning Conference. The Community Development Director attended the annual conference of the American Planning Association in Phoenix on April 1-5. This annual event of the national professional planning organization brought together about 4,300 planners from throughout the United States and other countries to discuss issues of mutual concern and to share the latest information on myriad topics related to city planning. Highlights of the conference included: An orientation tour and mobile workshops to get the lay of the land and view the neighborhoods of Phoenix. These included a trip on the Phoenix light rail system; a tour of the Arizona Biltmore, an elegant resort hotel built in 1929 and designed by architect Albert Chase McArthur in consultation with Frank Lloyd Wright; an afternoon at Taliesin West, Wright s western retreat in the Sonora Desert outside Phoenix, which continues to function as a school of architecture; and a couple of hikes in Phoenix s desert preserve city parks. April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 15

16 An all-day mobile workshop to Nogales, Sonora, Mexico on the Arizona border. This session featured a panel discussion with the mayors of Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora; the U.S. Consulate in Nogales, Sonora; the Port Director from U.S. Customs and Border Protection for the Nogales, Arizona port of entry; and a university professor who specializes in U.S.-Mexico border studies. The panel discussion was followed by a visit to a maquiladora, a factory in Nogales, Sonora, which manufactures promotional materials including canvas shopping bags for Michael s art supply stores and other retailers. The raw materials are shipped in from the U.S., and the finished products are shipped back to the U.S., all duty-free, through the massive border crossing cargo facility about two miles west of downtown Nogales, which is designed to handle thousands of large trucks per day, and which the tour also visited. This entire arrangement is made possible by the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, about which mobile workshop participants had mixed feelings. On the one hand, it has greatly improved the standard of living for the Mexican citizens that were observed working in the maquiladora; on the other hand, it may have cost U.S. citizens the same jobs. The mobile workshop concluded with an on your own walking tour of downtown Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, on opposites sides of the border. Sessions on broadband planning for a sustainable community; planners in urban education; planning ethics; economic development; complete streets; regulating signs after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert; planning commission procedures; and issues facing Arizona planning directors. The annual awards luncheon at which citizens, planners, and public officials were recognized for outstanding achievements. In California, San Diego Port Commissioner Ann Moore won the National Planning Excellence Award for a Planning Advocate; the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation won the National Planning Achievement Award for a Best Practice for its People St program; and the City of San Jose won the National Planning Achievement Award for Environmental Planning for its San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Master Plan. Other notable award winners included NashvilleNext, which won the Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan; the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, which won the National Planning Excellence Award for a Planning Agency; the Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio Homeless Solutions Community 10-Year Plan, which won the HUD Secretary s Opportunity and Empowerment Award; and the Grand Rapids, Michigan Downtown Market, which won the National Planning Excellence Award for Economic Planning and Development. Most sessions were good for CM (certification maintenance) credits, which are required for planners to retain their AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners) credentials. AICP members must earn a total of 32 CM credits every two years, including 1.5 credits in law and 1.5 credits in ethics. The required credits in law and ethics were earned at this year s conference in sessions on Regulating Signs after Reed v. Town of Gilbert, and The Ethical Planning Practitioner, respectively. April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 16

17 Housing California Annual Conference. Housing Coordinator Catherine Firpo attended the annual Housing California Conference held in Sacramento April This conference brings together advocates, consumers, builders, lenders, lawmakers, and other leaders in the affordable housing and homelessness community. Established in 1988, Housing California works to prevent homelessness and increase the variety and supply of safe, stable, accessible and permanently affordable housing through education, advocacy, and outreach. Alameda County Leadership Academy. On April 14, Assistant Planner Sara Billing graduated from the Alameda County Leadership Academy. This seven month program is designed to provide development opportunities, grow networks and interdepartmental relationships, and enhance the leadership skills of participants. Participants attend class for a full day of instruction each month, complete homework assignments, and work on team building activities and a group project. Sara s group completed a research project on shared services that resulted in an informational brochure made available to all city managers in Alameda County. City of Oakland Interview Panel. Senior Planner Miroo Desai participated on an interview panel at the City of Oakland for Planner IV applicants on April 22. Community Expo Day. Economic Development and Housing Division staff participated in the Community Expo Day held on Saturday, April 16 at the Emeryville Center of Community Life gymnasium. This event, sponsored by the Community Services Department, highlighted various programs and services offered by the City. ED&H staff distributed information about the City s housing, public art, and minimum wage programs. Escuela Bilingüe Internacional City Hall Tour. The Community Development Director participated in a program on the workings of City government for a visiting third grade class from EBI on April 27. The Director s presentation focused on the history of development in Emeryville. Management Analyst Recruitment. We are currently recruiting for a Management Analyst in the Economic Development and Housing Division. This is a new position that will provide complex and broad-based program and project management as designated by the Community Development Director and the Economic Development and Housing Manager. Among other managerial support tasks such as contract administration and grants management, the Management Analyst will help to develop and implement programs related to Minimum Wage, Fair Work Week, and small business assistance. The deadline for applications was April 22. Qualifying applications were received from six individuals, who will be interviewed in early May. Budget. Staff of the Building Division met with the Finance Department on April 20 to discuss revenue projections for the Fiscal Year and operating budget. Grants Coordination. At its April 21 meeting, this interdepartmental committee discussed various grant prospects and management of existing grants including the possibility of seeking Active Transportation Program (Cycle 3) state funding for a proposed project for the northern Greenway crossings, additional bike share pods and a bike counter along the Greenway, and April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 17

18 funding for a hydrogen fuel cell bus for Community Services. However, staff subsequently learned that AC Transit has no capacity for additional buses to use their facility. GIS Training. Associate Planner Diana Keena attended a two-day GIS class in Sacramento. Permit Tracking System and GIS. CRW TRAKiT, the Community Development Department s planning and building permit tracking software, has now been live for over five years, since September 2, 2010, and the CodeTRAK and GIS components went live on March 19, Staff has been using the software to track permits and code violations as they travel through the application and abatement processes. The e-trakit module, which allows on-line access to the system, is currently being implemented. In April, staff entered and attached information on Planning projects from 1999 and Staff is working with the Information Technology division to standardize layers and publish data for non-gis staff and the public to view. Cost Recovery. Most major planning applications are funded through a cost recovery system, whereby applicants make an initial deposit and staff bills time and expenses against the project. This requires meticulous record-keeping to ensure that balances remain positive in each cost recovery account, and that accounts are properly closed out upon project completion. Planning staff met internally on April 20 to review the list of projects and collection procedures. Invoices are being prepared as appropriate. April 2016 Progress Report Community Development Department 18