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1997-10-09 ARRA Minutes APPROVED MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ALAMEDA REUSE AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Thursday, October 9, 1997 SPECIAL SESSION The special session was convened at 5:30 p.m. with Chair Appezzato presiding to address the following: CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR Property: Alameda Naval Air Station Negotiating parties: ARRA and U.S. Navy Under negotiation: Economic Development Conveyance of property at NAS Alameda Conference with Real Property Negotiator pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 54956.8 Attendees: Chair Appezzato, Vice-Chair Swanson, Alternate Ornelas, Alternate Friedman, Member Daysog, Member DeWitt, Member Kerr, Alternate Sweeney. Absent: Alternate Chang. Chair Appezzato adjourned the special session at 6:35 p.m. Chair Appezzato convened the regular meeting at 6:48 p.m. He announced that the board had met in closed session and gave instructions to its negotiating team to begin negotiations with the Navy on the Economic Development Conveyance. ROLL CALL Present: Chair Ralph Appezzato, Mayor, City of Alameda Sandré Swanson, District Director, 9th Congressional District Albert DeWitt, Councilmember, City of Alameda Barbara Kerr, Councilmember, City of Alameda Tony Daysog, Councilmember, City of Alameda James Sweeney, alternate to Karin Lucas, Councilmember, City of Alameda Mark Friedman, alternate to Wilma Chan, Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 3 (relieved by Supervisor Chan at 7:10 p.m.) Kathleen Ornelas, alternate to Ellen Corbett, Mayor, City of San Leandro Absent: Henry Chang, Jr., alternate to Elihu Harris, Mayor, City of Oakland Ex-officio: Lee Perez, Ex-officio, Base Reuse Advisory Group Ardella Dailey, Ex-officio, Alameda Unified School District CONSENT CALENDAR 3-A. Approval of the minutes of the special meeting and the regular meeting of August 6, 1997. 3-B. Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of September 3, 1997. 3-C. Approval of the minutes of the special meeting of September 25, 1997. 3-D. Recommendation that the ARRA become an associate member of the Alameda Education, Technology, and Business Consortium. 2-A _recycled paper Alternate Friedman moved approval of the Consent Calendar. The motion was seconded by Member DeWitt and passed by the following voice vote: Ayes: 7. Noes: 0. Absent: 2 - Member Swanson had left the room momentarily and Alternate Chang was absent. ACTION ITEMS 4-E. Report recommending authorization for the Executive Director to finalize and execute a ten- year lease for the Officers’ Club with the City of Alameda. Speakers: Charles Millman, Alameda resident, asked if this was “a finalization between the City and the Navy or the Navy and a sublessee.” Executive Director Miller explained that this is an action between the ARRA (who leases the property from the Navy) and the City of Alameda. Mr. Millman stated that this action was repetitious because on April 17, 1997, Addendum 3 to the Large Parcel Lease was signed between the Navy and the ARRA. The Executive Director clarified that the addendum to the large parcel lease was the document by which the ARRA leased the land from the Navy. This current action is for the ARRA to sublease the O’Club to the City of Alameda. Mr. Millman closed by admonishing the ARRA to take their position seriously because they have made agreements with the Navy to adhere to certain rules and regulations and stipulated certain rules and regulations with subleasees. He further stated there have been infractions of rules in the double-digits. He admonished the ARRA to stop the infractions with the Navy and the City of Alameda. Chair Appezzato offered Mr. Millman the opportunity to meet with the City Attorney’s office. Ann Mitchum, an interested citizen, cited her interest in leasing Building 75, the former bath house next to the Officers’ Club. She had been told that it was not for lease because it would be part of the City’s sublease of the O’Club and she was unclear whether this action included that building. Member DeWitt motioned that ARRA authorize the Executive Director to finalize and execute a ten-year lease for the Officers’ Club with the City of Alameda. The motion was seconded by Alternate Sweeney and passed by unanimous voice vote: 7. 4-F. Report recommending authorization for the Executive Director to finalize and execute a ten- year lease for building 530 with Tower Aviation Services. Chair Appezzato welcomed Tower Aviation, whose president lives in Alameda, clarifying that the firm repairs spare parts and would not be flying in any aircraft. They will bring 100 employees and will expand to 250 employees within five years. He complemented staff and BRAG for bringing this company from Oakland Airport to Alameda Point. In response to questions posed from Member Daysog regarding the equipment appraisal, Ed Levine, ARRA Facilities Manager, answered that the appraisal has been done on a large portion of the equipment with some additional appraisal work to be finished before executing the lease. The practice is to establish the value of the equipment based on the appraisal. The lease allows for adding and deleting equipment over the term of the lease and is a dynamic process for amortizing the appraised value of the equipment over the term of the lease. Member DeWitt stated that this is going to be one of our major tenants and is the first opportunity for former Depot employees to work at the base again in their trade and skill. Member Daysog motioned that ARRA authorize the Executive Director to finalize and execute a ten-year lease for building 530 with Tower Aviation Services. The motion was seconded by Alternate Sweeney and passed by unanimous voice vote: 7. _recycled paper 4-G. Report from the Executive Director recommending authorization to finalize negotiations and execute a 15-year interim lease with the San Leandro Shelter for Women and Children. Executive Director Miller stated that this is identical to the action taken the previous month for United Indian Nations. Having been accepted for funding from HUD, the San Leandro Women’s Shelter must demonstrate site control to receive the funding. The property includes the Navy Lodge and its associated parking lot. Member Daysog motioned that ARRA authorize the Executive Director to finalize and execute a 15-year interim lease with the San Leandro Shelter for Women and Children. The motion was seconded by Member Swanson and passed by the following voice vote: Ayes: 7. Noes: 1 - Kerr. 4-H. Recommendation to the ARRA on prioritizing Navy environmental cleanup projects to support the Economic Development Conveyance business plan/application. Executive Director Miller stated that this does vary from the Navy plan in order to synchronize it with the development phasing plan contained in the EDC business plan. It gives formal notice to the Navy the order of cleanup needs to be changed slightly to correspond to development. Specifically, cleanup of Operational Unit #2 is not as high a priority to ARRA as Operational Unit #3 and those two priorities should be switched. Also, the refuge landfill cleanup should be undertaken after some of the development priorities. Chair Appezzato added that this was an action to ask the Navy to clean up those areas which we want to develop first. Member Daysog stated that he preferred the Navy’s timetable in large part because of its proximity to the neighborhoods, which he would like to see cleaned up first. Member DeWitt moved the recommendation, which was seconded by Member Chan and passed by the following voice vote: Ayes: 7. Noes: 1 - Daysog. 4-I. BRAG recommendation to the ARRA on the appointment of a new BRAG Vice-Chair and Community Involvement Work Group Chair. Member Daysog motioned acceptance of the appointments. The motion was seconded by Member DeWitt and passed by unanimous voice vote: 8. Diane Lichtenstein, new Vice-Chair of the BRAG and Andrine Smith, new Chair of the Community Involvement Work Group accepted their appointments and expressed their appreciation for the opportunities presented. Chair Appezzato expressed his regret over the resignation of Helen Sause because of a possible conflict of interest presented by her recent promotion. He restated that the ARRA would not be where it is today without the BRAG and thanked them for their continuing commitment. ORAL REPORTS 5-H. Oral report from the BRAG updating the ARRA on current activities. BRAG Chair Lee Perez thanked the governing body for accepting the BRAG’s recommendation on the two position replacements. He stated that Helen Sause will continue her input as a citizen and the BRAG wishes her every success in her new position with the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. This month, several BRAG members met with Jim Flint, City Manager and Bob LaGrone, Deputy City Manager, Alameda Point to discuss where the BRAG is and how to improve communications, as well as to discuss the future role of the BRAG in relation to City boards and _recycled paper commissions. Work Groups continue to work on the airfield and concerns with Fish & Wildlife and are working on a recommendation regarding the museum proposal. The September 25 Town Meeting was the best town meeting thus far. Mr. Perez ended by stating that the BRAG feels very comfortable with where they are and look forward to redefinition of their role. 5-I. Written report from the Executive Director. Speaker: Gary McAfee, an interested citizen, stated that the base is a very unusual site for tourism not only in the area but in the world. He has submitted applications to test his theory that museums can come together to form a central entity to use most, if not all, of the base for ships, planes, trains, household artifacts, etc. but has received no cooperation the BRAG and the ARRA. He has also had no cooperation from labor or non-profit groups with a high quality of artifacts because they are uncertain about working with other groups in a commercial venture. He stated that developing the FISC would cripple any potential for tourism on the base. Executive Director Miller offered to answer any questions on her written report. She stated that the letter from Fish & Wildlife mentioned in item 3—their response to our use of the airfield— had been received today and copies were distributed to the ARRA. Chair Appezzato stated that he and the Executive Director had met with Deputy Secretary of the Interior John Garamendi and officials of the Fish & Wildlife Service, who had indicated that they will not allow aviation activities on the refuge runway. They indicated that if we wish to use the East/West runway parallel to the Estuary (runway 7-25), they would work with ARRA on determining leasing arrangements for the portion of the runway that falls within the refuge. In conjunction with item 6, the BCDC designation, the seaport designation has been lifted from that 220 acres so that it is now available for the City of Alameda to develop, with the possibility of a golf course or other uses. At this point, aviation use for aircraft at the base is non-existent. Member Kerr mentioned that there might be a serious objection to use of the east-west runway because the planes would have to come in very low and loud along the estuary. Member Swanson indicated that if there is a public and political will to push this issue, the Fish & Wildlife Service position does not necessarily have to be the final decision. However, if there is no will to pursue this, then a final decision on the airfield issue must be made so that we can go forward with a leasing strategy. Member Kerr stated that Fish & Wildlife based their analysis on a maximum of 30 flights a day and 727s and 737s leasing the hangars. She feels that there is some “wiggle room” in the letter and agreed that a decision needs to be made. Member Chan requested that staff write thank you letters to Congressman Dellums, Senator Lee, Assemblyman Perata, and the Port of Oakland because it was a very difficult year-and-a-half battle for all involved and their participation should be recognized. Member DeWitt asked that EBCRC, who conducted the study that showed a port was infeasible, also be thanked. Executive Director Miller agreed that without this tremendous collaborative effort, we would not have succeeded in getting the port priority designation lifted. Member Daysog moved to send a letter of thanks to all parties involved in the collaborative effort to get the seaport designation lifted. The motion was seconded by Alternate Ornelas and passed by unanimous voice vote: 8. _recycled paper Vice-Chair Swanson requested a friendly amendment that the BRAG also receive a letter of thanks for their work and support in helping get the seaport designation lifted. Member DeWitt asked for an update on the status of the application by the Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation (ACHF) to obtain the Hornet from the ship donation program. Executive Director Miller stated that she had heard from the Hornet Foundation that NAVSEA has informally told ACHF that their recommendation to the Secretary of the Navy will be for approval of the Hornet donation. The question of whether they can get a waiver from the 60-day Congressional Review is yet to be resolved. Vice-Chair Swanson indicated that staff in Congressman Dellums’ Washington, D.C. office is working with ACHF to obtain the waiver. 5-J. Oral report from the Executive Director (non-discussion items). Executive Director Miller introduced Nanette Banks, the ARRA’s new Sr. Management Analyst (replacing Julie Mantrom), who will be working on the OEA, EDA, and other grants and tracking budgets. Ms. Miller expressed her regret that Norma Bishop, our Base Transition Coordinator, was not at the meeting to officially say goodbye to the ARRA. The Executive Director proposed that a resolution be presented for board approval at the November meeting. The Base Transition Coordinator position has been invaluable in problem-solving with federal agencies and running interference with the Nav. Even though Ms. Bishop is gone, her contribution should be recognized. Chair Appezzato requested that a resolution be prepared. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS, NON-AGENDA (PUBLIC COMMENT) Speakers: Richard Neveln, co-founder of Nimitz Airfield Society and environmentalist, stated that it is human activity on the most active runway (runway 3-1) that has contributed to the safety of the least terns by keeping the raptors away. Due to the inactive airfield, Golden Eagles were able to decimate the canadian gosling population this year. He suggested that minimal use of the airfield was necessary for preservation purposes. Ann Mitchum, Alameda resident, stated that base closure is besieged by politics, urged citizens to attend the ARRA meetings the first Wednesday of each month to participate in the decision-making process, and asked why the City is getting into the catering business with the O’Club sublease. Bill Smith, interested citizen, addressed the problem of East Housing, recycling and reuse, and fixing up the units to provide alternative housing for employees working on the base. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE GOVERNING BODY Chair Appezzato read a commendation from Clifford Archer, President of Tower Aviation Services, expressing his appreciation for the outstanding effort, innovative leadership, problem-solving, and “dogged determination” of Ed Levine in negotiating and putting together Tower’s lease at Alameda Point. Vice-Chair Swanson stated that the EBCRC has been working actively to help base workers become business owners and the commission has helped start twelve businesses to date. Continuing that effort, EBCRC has won a grant to assist other base workers to become business owners. He announced that tomorrow morning, October 10 at 10:00 a.m. at the Oakland Federal Building, there will be a bidder’s conference for those business planners who would be interested in working with this project. There is about $350,000 in contracts available for business planners. _recycled paper Member Sweeney indicated that he would like an agenda item and staff report concerning an aggressive national search for a well-funded, accredited educational institution. This might include using the internet or a slick brochure. Chair Appezzato requested a staff report be prepared. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned by Chair Appezzato at 7:49 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Margaret E. Ensley ARRA Secretary _recycled paper