1996-04-09 Joint ARRA CC Minutes UNAPPROVED
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
ALAMEDA REUSE AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
in conjunction with
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
ALAMEDA CITY COUNCIL
Tuesday, April 9, 1996
The ARRA meeting convened at 5:33 p.m. with Vice Chair
Swanson presiding.
The Alameda City Council meeting convened at 5:35 p.m. with Vice-Chair Mannix presiding.
1. ROLL CALL
ALAMEDA REUSE AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Present: 7 - Vice-Chair Sandré Swanson, 9th Congressional District (left at 5:45
p.m.; replaced by Alternate Roberta Brooks); Alternate Lee Perez for Chair
Ralph Appezzato, City of Alameda; Vice-Mayor Charles Mannix, City of
Alameda; Councilmember "Lil"Arnerich (left at 8:00 p.m.; replaced by
Alternate Daysog), City of Alameda; Councilmember Albert DeWitt, City of
Alameda; Alternate Greg Alves for Councilmember Karin Lucas, City of
Alameda; Supervisor Wilma Chan, Alameda County Board of Supervisors,
District 3; Alternate Ardella Dailey for Ex-officio Member Barbara Rasmussen
(arrived at 5:45 p.m.), Alameda Unified School District.
Absent: 2 - Alternate Henry Chang, Jr., City of Oakland; Mayor Ellen Corbett, City of
San Leandro.
ALAMEDA CITY COUNCIL
Present: 3 - Councilmembers Arnerich, DeWitt, and Mannix.
Absent: 2 - Mayor Appezzato and Councilmember Lucas.
2. CONSENT CALENDAR
Executive Director Miller stated that a situation requiring immediate attention had arisen
regarding BCDC since the agenda was posted and asked that it be added to the agenda after
item 3-E. Member Arnerich stated that he objected to any late agenda item that has not been
duly posted for public and press notice. Assistant General Counsel McLaughlin explained that
according to the Brown Act an agenda item could be added by a two-thirds vote if the need to
take immediate action arose after the agenda was posted. Vice-Chair Swanson postponed
action on the request until after item 3-E.
Vice-Chair Swanson called for discussion on the Consent Calendar. Member Chan indicated
that Alameda County supports item 2-A (AB 3129 - Lee) but that item 2-B (AB 2736 -
Weggeland) allows a redevelopment project area to include land outside of the Base and the
County agencies feel that makes it very open-ended in terms of economic analysis and she
could not support the bill without an amendment. Vice-Chair Swanson set item 2-B aside for
further comment.
2-A
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Regarding item 2-C, Member DeWitt expressed his appreciation to the Commanding Office at
NAS Alameda—Captain Dodge—on his continuing, innovative ideas to help smooth the
transition of NAS Alameda. He further stated that Captain Dodge’s plan to open the Officer’s
Club to the public on a trial basis is yet another example of his cooperation with ARRA and, in
a time when politics seems to confuse many things, Captain Dodge is doing his best to make
the transition as smooth as possible.
Speakers:
William M. McCall, Sr. McCall, an Alameda resident for 82 years, stated his support for
opening the Officer’s Club to the public.
Mr. Tony Daysog, an Alameda resident, stated that he was terribly concerned about the fiscal
impact of the special legislation for NAS Alameda and its impact on the general fund. He
voiced his concern about the lack of a sunset provision in AB 3129 and his opinion that ways
must be found for NAS Alameda to reimburse the general fund.
Member DeWitt stated that he did not understand what Mr. Daysog was saying to the public
when he asks for a way for NAS Alameda to reimburse the general fund of the City of
Alameda because the NAS is part of the City of Alameda.
Member Mannix moved approval items 2-A and 2-C of the Consent Calendar. Member
Arnerich seconded the motion, which carried the following voice vote: Ayes: 7. Noes: None.
Absent: 2 - Alternate Chang and Member Corbett. Items so enacted or adopted are indicated
by an asterisk.
*2-A. Recommendation from the Executive Director that the ARRA Support State
Legislation for Use of Redevelopment Law at NAS Alameda (AB 3129 - Lee). Approved.
*2-C. Report and Recommendation that the ARRA Endorse the NAS Alameda Base
Commander’s Plan to Open the Officer's Club to the Public Beginning in May 1996.
Endorsed.
2-B. Recommendation from the Executive Director that the ARRA Support State
Legislation for Use of Redevelopment Law at Closing Military Bases Generally (AB 2736 -
Weggeland).
Executive Director Miller stated that Member Chan’s concern about the AB 2736 - Weggeland
bill including land outside of the Base is a correct assessment of the scope of the bill. She
further stated that AB 3129 - Lee, which had just been approved, was the bill ARRA had asked
representative Lee to carry for us. The Weggeland bill is a generic bill that would apply to
military bases throughout California. One provision of that generic bill would allow
redevelopment areas to go beyond the boundaries of the military base. The idea of
recommending both AB 3129 and AB 2736 is precautionary in case the bill specific to NAS
Alameda—AB 3129 - Lee—does not pass. Ms. Miller suggested that it would be appropriate
to amend ARRA’s support of AB 2736 to state that the provision allowing the redevelopment
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project area to go beyond the base boundaries was unacceptable. Member Chan stated that
their lobbyist would be working on amending that provision and it might be possible, as the
author was somewhat open to amending the bill.
A motion to support item 2-B—if amended to confine the redevelopment project area to the
base— was made by Member Chan and seconded by Member DeWitt. It carried by the
following voice vote: Ayes: 7. Noes: 0. Abstain: 0. Absent: 2 - Alternate Chang and
Member Corbett.
3. ACTION ITEMS
3-D. Report from the Executive Director Recommending that a Letter be Sent from
ARRA Requesting the Secretary of the Navy to Convey the FISC Alameda Property Under
the §2834(b) Authority of the 1995 Defense Authorization Act Allowing a No-cost
Conveyance of the Property.
Executive Director Miller amended the report title to read the “1996" Defense Authorization Act
and discussed the details as outlined in the staff report.
Speakers:
William M. McCall, Sr., an Alameda resident, again spoke in favor of the Officer’s Club
being open to the public beginning May 1996.
ARRA ACTION
Hearing no other discussion, Vice-Chair Swanson asked for a motion to approve on behalf of
ARRA. Member Arnerich moved that the letter be sent from ARRA Requesting the Secretary
of the Navy to convey the FISC Alameda property under the §2834(b) authority of the 1996
Defense Authorization Act allowing a no-cost conveyance of the property. Member Mannix
seconded the motion, which carried by a unanimous voice vote: Ayes: 7. Noes: 0. Abstain:
0. Absent: 2 - Alternate Chang and Member Corbett.
CITY COUNCIL ACTION
On behalf of the City Council, Councilmember Mannix asked for a motion that the Alameda City
Council approve the letter and instruct that it be sent. Councilmember Arnerich moved that the
letter be sent as recommended and Councilmember DeWitt seconded the motion, which carried
by the following voice vote: Ayes: 3. Absent: 2 - Mayor Appezzato and Councilmember
Lucas.
3-E. Recommendations Regarding the Structure and Budget for BRAG April 1996 to
April 1997.
Executive Director Miller explained that the OEA would no longer fund the BRAG since the
Community Reuse Plan had been completed. Member Arnerich moved that the
recommendations regarding the structure and budget for BRAG be approved and Member
Mannix seconded the motion. The motion carried by a unanimous voice vote: Ayes: 7. Noes:
0. Abstain: 0. Absent: 2 - Alternate Chang and Member Corbett.
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Vice-Chair Swanson asked Executive Director Miller to explain why a late agenda item for
action on BCDC should be entertained. Ms. Miller explain that the emergency item concerned
the BCDC port priority designation on 220 acres at NAS Alameda. Supervisor Chan had
received a communication on April 8 from the Executive Director of BCDC proposing some
compromise language to the Seaport Advisory Plan. This compromise language required an
official position from ARRA for the BCDC Board vote on April 18. Ms. Miller further
explained that she wanted to suggest a counter-proposal to the BCDC’s proposed language.
Member Arnerich stated that, as a matter of policy, he did not participate in “last ditch” measures
that precluded the proper input, public notification, and preparation necessary to take informed
action. After due discussion, Alternate Alves moved that the item to discuss the BCDC
compromise language be added to the evening’s agenda. Supervisor Chan seconded the motion.
Member Arnerich stated that he did not understand how they could intelligently discuss a
paragraph they had just been given twenty minutes before. Member Mannix pointed out that,
while he fully understood Member Arnerich’s stand, this was an item that ARRA had already
taken a very strong stand on and that this was just a “fine tuning” of that stand which needed to
be done that evening. Alternate Perez agreed.
Speaker:
William M. McCall, Sr. stated that he strongly disagrees with Supervisor Chan’s position on
port priority designation at NAS Alameda.
Vice-Chair Swanson asked for a vote on the motion that ARRA discuss a response to the BCDC
proposed language. The motion passed by the following voice vote: Ayes: 5. Noes: 1.
Abstain: 1 - DeWitt. Absent: 2 - Alternate Chang and Member Corbett. On being advised
by the Assistant General Council that 6 votes were needed to discuss the issue, Member DeWitt
changed his vote from Abstain to Aye for the following count: Ayes: 6. Noes: 1. Abstain: 0.
Absent: 2 - Alternate Chang and Member Corbett.
Emergency Action to Receive Direction from the ARRA on the San Francisco Bay
Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) Request for Compromise Language.
The governing body discussed BCDC’s proposal for compromise language and a possible
counter-proposal.
Speakers:
Bill Garvine, Alameda Chamber of Commerce, encouraged ARRA to consider an even stronger
response to eliminate the port priority designation altogether.
Carol Gottstein, an Alameda resident, asked that ARRA be sensitive to the need to reserve
shoreline areas.
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After further discussion, it was decided that ARRA’s strong, unanimous opposition to BCDC’s
plan for port priority designation on 220 acres at NAS Alameda would stand as previously
decided; no motion was offered on compromise.
4. ORAL REPORTS
4-F. Briefing by CAPT Christiansen, Navy Public Works on Request for Additional
Military Housing.
Captain Christiansen informed ARRA that at a March 8 meeting of various branches of the
military, it was decided that no supplemental requests for housing at NAS Alameda would be
made. Also, the military population at NAS is falling faster than originally anticipated and the
East Housing area is already 35% vacant; that percentage will go up sharply during the summer.
Executive Director Miller stated that East Housing has 588 units with 90 units designated for the
Homeless Collaborative. It was assumed that ARRA would be responsible for approximately
300 housing units of West housing. ARRA is now looking at assuming responsibility for
upwards of 800 units of housing. A request is in to the State of California to fund a housing
feasibility study to look at the entire range of options for that housing.
4-G. Briefing by Mike Petouhoff on Status of Hazardous Materials Cleanup Effort.
Lieutenant Commander Petouhoff presented a four-fold strategy by the Navy to pursue early
transfer actions; create leasing opportunities; implement cleanup which is cost-effective,
sustainable, and protective; and, promote active public involvement.
Speaker:
Bill Smith, an interested citizen, stated that we need to lobby to have recycling and reuse
legislation designate funding for manufacturing facilities.
4-H. Briefing by Doug Sidon, District Director; Mike Anderson, Chief Planner; and Peter
Sarna, Chief of Public Safety for the East Bay Regional Parks District on Proposed Plans
for a Recreational Vehicle Park at NAS Alameda.
Mike Anderson, Chief Planner and Peter Sarna, Chief of Public Safety, outlined plans for 225
RV spaces and a dry boat storage area and addressed traffic impacts and safety measures at the
proposed RV park. Significant discussion with the ARRA governing body followed, with
concern over EBRPD’s increasing the originally proposed 135 spaces to 225, the newly added
dry boat storage area, lack of public input into park rules, the fact that EBRPD was only offering
to pay for maintenance of the trail system and not Point Alameda Park, and lack of any
revenue-sharing plan with the City of Alameda. Executive Director Miller stated that this
property is not being conveyed to EBPRD but rather to the City of Alameda for lease to EBPRD
and it is still just a conceptual proposal. Any final proposal will need to have a City use permit
and comply with future zoning.
Speakers:
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Genevieve Chessler, an Alameda resident, voiced her strong opposition to the RV park.
Tony Daysog, an Alameda resident, voiced his strong opposition to the RV park.
Bill Smith, a concerned citizen, raised issues both for and against the RV park.
Bill Garvine, Chamber of Commerce, spoke in favor of the RV park and offered to be part of the
process.
4-I. Oral Report from the Executive Director.
Executive Director Miller briefed the ARRA on the following issues: (1) Fish & Wildlife
consultation has begun and the size of the habitat will hinge on predator management control; (2)
the financing workshop will be held on Wednesday, April 10 from 8:00 a.m.–12:00 noon at the
Oakland Airport Hilton; (3) ARRA staff has invited the West End Neighborhood to a briefing on
the plan and has offered to facilitate a meeting between them and EBRPD and she was renewing
that invitation; (4) Captain Dodge would shortly be announcing that the base will be open to the
public on weekends beginning the first weekend in May; and, (5) Josi Jose, BRAG secretary, will
be leaving ARRA staff April 26 to move to Florida and a replacement is being recruited.
5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS, NON-AGENDA (PUBLIC COMMENT)
Earl G. Peacock, Alameda resident, stated that there are too many committees and boards
involved in base reuse and that the Executive Service Corps needs to be brought in to get
things done quickly on the base.
Bill Smith, a concerned resident, spoke about container transportation, BCDC port priority
designation, state involvement, and advertising.
6. COMMUNICATIONS FROM GOVERNING BODY
7. ADJOURNMENT
The ARRA meeting was adjourned at 8:18 p.m.
The City Council meeting was adjourned at 8:18 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Margaret E. Ensley
Secretary
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