Resolution 14495CITY OF ALAMEDA RESOLUTION NO.
ADOPTING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS RELATED TO OPEN SPACE
AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE NORTHERN WATERFRONT
WHEREAS, the northern waterfront of the City of Alameda is experiencing
land use changes as older and long term industrial uses terminate operations; and
WHEREAS, many of these former industrial uses have left behind
contaminated sites, hazardous materials, and vacant and often dilapidated
buildings which are a detriment to the adjacent neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, the General Plan provides a roadmap for conversion of these
properties on the northern waterfront to a new and vibrant district with a variety of
uses that are compatible with the waterfront location and adjacent neighborhoods;
and
WHEREAS, the General Plan establishes residential and public waterfront
open space as priorities for the community along the northern waterfront; and
WHEREAS, the policies to be amended were originally adopted in 1991
and at that time the community's priorities were to purchase 10 acres on the
Northern Waterfront for an "estuary park "; and
WHEREAS in 1991 the community assumed that the proposed 10 acre
park acquisition was the "last opportunity" to add public open space in the area;
and
WHEREAS, in 1991 the community did not anticipate that the United States
Navy would be leaving Naval Air Station ( "NAS ") Alameda and providing
opportunities to develop over 150 acres of waterfront open space; and
WHEREAS, in 1991 the community did not anticipate that the Alameda
Beltline Railroad would be leaving Alameda and leaving behind opportunities to
develop over 20 acres of land for public park use; and
WHEREAS, in 1991 the community did not anticipate that the City would
develop a new two acre park along the waterfront as part of the "Marina Cove"
project; and
WHERAS, in 1991 the community did not anticipate that opportunities may
arise to create a continuous waterfront public promenade and open space along
the entire northern waterfront from the Fruitvaie Bridge to the western tip of
Alameda Point; and
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WHEREAS The City of Alameda made a number of attempts to raise funds
to purchase the 10 acre "estuary park" envisioned in the 1991 General Plan but
those attempts were not successful; and
WHEREAS, in 2010 the City of Alameda's financial resources to purchase
and maintain additional public open space is extremely limited; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental
Quality Act (Public Resources Code section 21000 et seq.; "CEQA ") and the State
CEQA Guidelines (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, section 15000 et seq.),
the City prepared and Environmental Impact Report ( "EIR ") evaluating the
environmental impacts of the proposed General Plan Amendment and residential
redevelopment of the site, which had been envisioned as a 10 -acre park; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Board held a duly noticed public hearing on June
21, 2010 to consider the Boatworks Residential Project EIR (State Clearinghouse
No. 2009102040) and the proposed General Plan Amendment; and
WHEREAS, the subject property is located within the Business and
Waterfront Improvement Project (BWIP); and
WHEREAS, the Planning Board has made the following finding:
1. The Planning Board has been advised that subject to meeting City
standards and requirements, the proposed General Plan
Amendment would substantially conform to the adopted Community
Improvement Plan (CIP) for the Business and Waterfront
Improvement Project (BWIP), as proposed to be amended, and the
General Plan policies incorporated by reference within the CIP; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Board has made the following findings relative to
the General Plan Amendment:
1. The proposed General Plan Amendment is consistent with the other
policies and objectives of the General Plan.
2. The proposed General Plan amendment will support the City's Housing
Element and Open Space Element policies and objectives.
3. The proposed General Plan amendments will have beneficial effects on
the general welfare of the community because they will facilitate
development of an underutilized site with residential and open space
uses.
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4. The proposed General Plan amendments are necessary to clarify City
policy regarding investment in waterfront open space and enable the
appropriate development and maintenance of property on the northern
waterfront.
5. The proposed General Plan amendments are in the public interest
because they support redevelopment of former industrial sites with open
space and residential use.
WHEREAS, after consideration of the Final EIR and the record of
proceedings, the City Council certified that the Boatworks Residential Project EIR
was prepared in compliance with CEQA, adopted Findings and a Statement of
Overriding Considerations, and adopted a Mitigation Monitoring Program.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of
Alameda hereby adopts the General Plan Amendments as shown in Exhibit A.
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Exhibit A:
1. The description of the MU -5 area in the Land Use Element shall be amended as
follows:
"MU -5 Northern Waterfront, Willow Street to Oak Street: The change anticipated in this
segment provides an opportunity for Alameda to add highly desirable housing, stimulate
improvement of housing east of Oak Street that is currently zoned for commercial-industrial
use, and to provide an Estuary Park waterfront access and open space. Half of the north
frontage of Clement is occupied by the Naval Reserve Training Center, which will remain.
Other uses are steel fabricating, mini- storage, a dredging equipment yard, and a boatyard.
The four blocks on the south side of Clement Avenue are occupied by a boat storage
building /yard, Thompson Field (Alameda High School athletic field adjoining . McKinley
Park), a full block of housing, and a 5 -acre site occupied by a die - casting plant and an
automobile service establishment."
2. Land use Policy 2.6.e shall be amended as follows:
Willow Street to Oak Street (Northern Waterfront): Provide for redevelopment of existing
industrial sites for up to 300 _ ! e _ _. •.•. e _ mily residential units, treating the area north of
Clement Avenue as an extension of the residential neighborhood to the south.
The proposed Business and Waterfront Improvement project would provide public actions
to stimulate development of the site.
3. Land use Policy 2.6.f shall be amended as follows:
2.6.f Willow Street to Oak Street (Northern Waterfront): Create a continuous 300- foot -wide
"marina green" shoreline access park along the Estuary from the Miller Sweeney Bridge to the
western tip of Alameda Point.
4. Land use Policy 2.6.j shall be deleted.
5. Open Space Policy 6.1. e shall be amended as follows:
6.1.e Acquire and develop an Estuary Park of 10 or more acres.
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6.1. e Work with property owners, Tidelands Lease holders, the Army Corps of Engineers,
BCDC, the Coastal Conservancy, open space advocates, non - profits, and agencies, and to
create a continuous shoreline access and park areas along the northern waterfront.
Policy 2.6.f calls for a continuous shoreline access along the Estuary from the western tip of
Alameda Point to the Miller Sweeney Bridge. Successful implementation will require that each
new project approved on the waterfront provide public shoreline access improvements, that
each new Tidelands Lease executed by the City attempt to provide for shoreline access and
improvements wherever .possible (some uses, such as industrial maritime uses may not be able
to allow public access along the entire length of their frontage for safety reasons), that the City
work closely with the Army Corp of Engineers to provide public access on Army Corp Lands,
and that the City identify critical shoreline properties for acquisition. Local funding sources could
include income from leases of public property to adjacent private property owners. Where
provision of public access to the shoreline is infeasible, lease payments could include an amount
to be used to provide shoreline access at another location
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I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and
regularly adopted and passed by the Council of the City of Alameda durin g g
the Regular
Meeting of the City Council on the 5 th day of October, 2010, by the followin g vote to wit:
AYES: Councilmembers deHaan, Gilmore, Matarrese, Tam
and Mayor Johnson - 5.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
ABSTENTIONS: None.
IN WITNESS, WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of
said City this 6th day of October, 2010.
Lara Weisiger, City
City of Alameda