ITEM 7-C. CITY OF ALAMEDA Memorandum. Honorable President and Members of the Planning Board. From: Andrew Thomas City Planner

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1 CITY OF ALAMEDA Memorandum ITEM 7-C To: Honorable President and Members of the Planning Board From: Andrew Thomas City Planner Jennifer Ott Chief Operating Officer Alameda Point Date: Re: Public Hearing to Endorse the Alameda Point Conceptual Planning Guide and Provide Initial Comments on Draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment for Alameda Point BACKGROUND The City of Alameda is preparing a comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Amendment, Master Infrastructure Plan (MIP), Town Center and Waterfront Precise Plan (Town Center Plan) and environmental impact report (EIR) to implement General Plan and Reuse Plan policies for the reuse and redevelopment of Alameda Point. In January 2013, the Planning Board reviewed and commented on an initial draft of the Zoning Ordinance Amendment. These initial comments revealed the need for a comprehensive vision statement, or planning guide, for Alameda Point to ensure that all of the City s efforts (i.g., Zoning Ordinance Amendment, MIP, and Town Center Plan) work together in a coordinated fashion to achieve a common vision for Alameda Point. In May 2013, the Planning Board reviewed and commented on a draft of the conceptual Planning Guide (Guide) that includes a vision statement, an explanation and depiction of the planning approach and concepts for Alameda Point, and detailed sub-area descriptions. DISCUSSION Conceptual Planning Guide: In May, the Planning Board and the public reviewed and commented on the draft Guide. Although the comments were generally positive, the Planning Board did suggest a number of final changes to complete the Guide. The final revised Guide is attached (Exhibit 1). In addition to a number of smaller text amendments, the revised Guide includes the following significant improvements:

2 The open space diagram was revised to remove a number of the internal neighborhood parks. Ultimately, the exact location of these parks will be determined in more detailed, site development plans. The reference to the precise amount of development within Alameda Point was eliminated. The exact amount of development permitted at Alameda Point will be determined by the General Plan, conveyance agreements, and development plans. A map of proposed transit routes within Alameda Point was added. The Implementation Opportunities and Challenges section was moved to the end of the document. A map and explanation of the Public Trust lands at Alameda Point was added. The Building Types table was removed. It will be added to the Zoning Ordinance Amendment. Street cross-sections for typical commercial, residential, and adaptive reuse areas were added as well as a cross-section of Main Street. (All final street cross-sections will be included and approved in the MIP). Section 4.0 of the document was expanded to describe the relationship between the Guide and the proposed Alameda Point Zoning Ordinance Amendment was added. Alameda Point Zoning Ordinance Amendment: The draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment for Alameda Point is attached as Exhibit 2. The draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment provides the land use regulations necessary to ensure that the redevelopment of Alameda Point occurs in a manner consistent with the General Plan and Guide. To achieve this objective, the Zoning Ordinance Amendment (Article ): Creates an Alameda Point Zoning District. Establishes a number of sub-districts within the Alameda Point District, each with its own regulations and standards. Establishes a table of permitted building types for each sub-district. Establishes form-based standards for each sub-district. Establishes a table of permitted and conditionally permitted uses for each subdistrict. Requires preparation of a master plan, specific plan or precise plan for the Town Center area (currently underway) and the Main Street Neighborhood Residential area. Item 7-C Page 2 of 5

3 Additionally, staff has attached two additional maps previously requested by the community that are intended to depict the Zoning Amendment map overlaid with the environmental conditions of the site: (1) a map of the Zoning Amendment overlaid with the conveyance phases, given that the subsequent phases (Phases 2-4) represent areas yet to be cleaned up by the Navy (Exhibit 3); and (2) a map of the Zoning Amendment overlaid with areas where land use restrictions exist on the Phase 1 conveyance area due to environmental conditions (Exhibit 4). Only 27 acres will contain restrictions on land use in the Phase 1 conveyance footprint (i.e., no residences, hospitals, schools or day care facilities). Typically, these restrictions are located in areas that do not affect the City s future development plans (Exhibit 4). The land-use restrictions on approximately 13 of these acres are temporary and are expected to be removed within a few years (Exhibit 4). Next Steps: At the Planning Board meeting, staff is requesting that the Planning Board: 1) Endorse the Conceptual Planning Guide: Staff is requesting that the Planning Board review and endorse the Guide. If the Planning Board endorses the Guide, staff will present the Guide and any additional Planning Board amendments to the City Council on July 23, The purpose of the July 23, 2013 City Council presentation is to ensure that the City Council agrees with the planning principles and the vision described in the Guide. If the City Council is in agreement with the Guide, then staff and the Planning Board can proceed with the Zoning Ordinance Amendment, MIP, and Town Center Plan with the assurance that the City Council is expecting these documents to implement the vision articulated in the Guide. 2) Comment on Alameda Point Zoning Ordinance Amendment and Establish Planning Board Sub-Committee: Staff is requesting that the Planning Board review and provide initial comments on the draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment and establish a Planning Board sub-committee to work with staff on the next draft of the ordinance. The Planning Board cannot recommend adoption of the draft ordinance until the final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is complete, which is not expected to occur until this fall. Therefore, the sub-committee will have time to work with staff to make changes to the draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment to reflect Planning Board comments, identify appropriate times for full Planning Board review and feedback, and assist with the identification of any major planning issues that will require full Planning Board discussion. Tentative Schedule for 2013: Staff is also currently working on the draft EIR, Town Center Plan and MIP. Staff is planning to have these draft documents ready for public and Planning Board review on the following schedule: Early August: Draft EIR released for public review with draft Town Center Conceptual Framework and draft MIP. Item 7-C Page 3 of 5

4 August 21, 2013: Planning Board special meeting to discuss draft MIP and draft Town Center Conceptual Framework. September 9, 2013: Planning Board public hearing on Draft EIR, draft MIP, draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment, and draft Town Center Conceptual Framework. September 25, 2013: Special Joint Meeting with the City Council and Planning Board to discuss Alameda Point planning and development objectives relevant to draft EIR, MIP, zoning, and Town Center Plan. October 2013 (Tentative): Planning Board public hearing on draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment, draft MIP and draft Town Center Plan. November/December (Tentative): Planning Board public hearing on EIR, draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment, draft MIP, and draft Town Center Plan. December: (Tentative) Planning Board public hearings for final recommendations to City Council. December/January: (Tentative) City Council public hearings on EIR, MIP, Zoning Ordinance Amendment, and Town Center Plan. Environmental Review Endorsing the conceptual plan requires no environmental review as such action is statutorily exempt from such review, CEQA Guidelines, Section This plan serves as a planning and feasibility study for possible future actions which the City has not approved, adopted or funded. Endorsing the conceptual Planning Guide does not legally bind the Planning Board, the City Council, or City staff to any possible future action. The Planning Guide will inform the project description for the environmental impact report that is being prepared for the subsequent approvals described in this report. RECOMMENDATION 1) Endorse the Alameda Point Conceptual Planning Guide; and 2) Provide Comments on Draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment for Alameda Point. Item 7-C Page 4 of 5

5 Respectfully submitted, Andrew Thomas City Planner Jennifer Ott Chief Operating Officer Alameda Point Exhibits: 1. Alameda Point Conceptual Planning Guide 2. Draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment 3. Map of Zoning Amendment Overlaid with Conveyance Phases 4. Map of Zoning Amendment Overlaid with Phase 1 Land Use Restrictions Item 7-C Page 5 of 5