Resolution 15683CITY OF ALAMEDA RESOLUTION NO. 15683
DENYING APPEAL AND APPROVING DESIGN REVIEW APPLICATION
NO. PLN20-0047 TO ALLOW THE REHABILITATION OF AN
APPROXIMATELY 50,517 SQUARE FOOT EXISTING BUILDING FOR
ADAPTIVE REUSE AS A SENIOR LIVING CONVALESCENT HOME AT
1245 MCKAY AVENUE
WHEREAS, Doug Biggs for Alameda Point Collaborative submitted an application
on January 28, 2020 requesting Design Review to allow the rehabilitation of an
approximately 50,517 square foot existing building for adaptive reuse as a senior living
convalescent home on approximately 3.65-acres located at 1245 McKay Avenue; and
WHEREAS, the application was accepted as complete on March 4, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the subject property is designated as Office on the General Plan
Diagram; and
WHEREAS, the subject property is located within the AP, Administrative
Professional Zoning District; and
WHEREAS, public notices were duly distributed and the Planning Director approved
Design Review Application No. PLN20-004 7 on March 16, 2020, to allow the rehabilitation
of an approximately 50,517 square foot existing building for adaptive reuse as a senior
living convalescent home; and
WHEREAS, on March 26, 2020, Mr. John Healy (Appellant) filed a timely appeal of
the Planning Director's decision to approve the project, and submitted supplemental
materials on April20 (collectively, Previous Appeal); and
WHEREAS, after giving due notice to the appellants, the applicant, all interested
parties, and the public, the appeal was considered by the Planning Board at a public
hearing on June 8, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the appellant, the applicant, supporters of the application, those
opposed to the application and interested neutral parties were given the opportunity to
participate in the public hearing; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Board held a de novo public hearing on June 8, 2020, on
the design review application at which time the Planning Board considered the entirety of
the record, including all submitted materials and public comments regarding the
application; and
WHEREAS, the public hearing on the appeal was closed by the Planning Board on
June 8, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Board considered the appeal, the public testimony, and all
pertinent maps and reports and evidence in the record as a whole, and adopted Resolution
No. PB-20-12 with the necessary findings to deny the appeal and uphold the Planning
Director's decision to approve the Design Review application; and
WHEREAS, on June 18, 2020, Appellant filed a timely appeal of the Planning
Board's decision to approve the project (Appeal); and
WHEREAS, after giving due notice to the appellants, the applicant, all interested
parties, and the public, the appeal was considered by the City Council at a public hearing
on July 21, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the appellant, the applicant, supporters of the application, those
opposed to the application and interested neutral parties were given the opportunity to
participate in the public hearing; and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a de novo public hearing on July 21, 2020, on the
design review application at which time the City Council considered the entirety of the
record, including all submitted materials and public comments regarding the application;
and
WHEREAS, the public hearing on the appeal was closed by the City Council on July
21,2020;and
WHEREAS, the City Council considered the Appeal, the public testimony, and all
pertinent maps and reports and evidence in the record as a whole, and made findings to
approve Design Review Application No. PLN20-0047 as set forth below.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council finds denying the
Appeal and approving Design Review Application No. PLN20-004 7 for a permitted use is
not subject to CECA. McCorkle Eastside Neighborhood Group v. City of St. Helena (2018)
31 Cai.App.5th 80, Public Resources Code Section 21080. As a separate and
independent basis, a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) was adopted by the City
Council on December 4, 2018 for the McKay Well ness Center in accordance with CEQA
and no further review is required pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21166 and
CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 because the environmental effects of the project were
considered and disclosed in the MND and there have been no changes to the project or
the circumstances in which it is undertaken that would result in new significant or
substantially more severe environmental effects than was identified in the previously
adopted MND; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council, having conducted a de novo
hearing and independently heard, considered and weighed all the evidence in the record
presented on behalf of all parties and being fully informed of Design Review Application
No. PLN20-0047, the Planning Board's decision, and the Appeal, hereby deny the Appeal
and approve Design Review Application No. PLN20-0047, subject to the findings for
approval and conditions of approval in this Resolution; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in support of the City Council's decision to
approve the Design Review application, the City Council makes the following Design
Review Findings:
1. The proposed design is consistent with the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and the
City of Alameda Design Review Manual, because the senior living convalescent home
is a permitted use in the A-P, Administrative Professional Zoning District. Uses that are
permitted in the respective zoning district are also consistent with the General Plan.
The proposed project consists of rehabilitation and minor alterations to an existing
building, and the proposed physical improvements to the building are consistent with
the design guidelines for alterations to existing buildings set forth in the Design Review
Manual. The project is compliant in all categories of the Objective Design Review
Standards adopted on February 10, 2020 except for standards 1 A regarding gates
obstructing private streets, and standard 3.A.1 regarding front entrances facing the
public street. The Planning Board finds through discretionary Design Review that the
design of the McKay Avenue elevation establishes sufficient window transparency and
architectural articulation to maintain interaction with the public street despite not having
a physical entrance on the street facing side of the building. In addition, the Board also
finds that maintaining the gate located at the private street into the facility is an existing
condition, is consistent with existing wrought iron fencing on site, and on adjacent
properties, and serves to provide security for the seniors at the facility.
2. The proposed design is appropriate for the site, is compatible with adjacent or
neighboring buildings or surroundings, and promotes harmonious transitions in scale
and character in areas between different designated land uses. This project involves
rehabilitation of an existing building for adaptive re-use as a senior living convalescent
home, replacement of the exterior siding with new horizontal tile siding, replacement of
the existing windows with new fixed/awning windows, a redesigned exterior entrance on
the south elevation, and a new interior walkway connecting two wings on the north
elevation. The project increases the existing building footprint by 1, 141-square feet,
which is a negligible, approximately 4%, expansion of the existing building footprint.
The floor area expansion is primarily achieved by enclosing existing staircases,
breezeways, and balconies around the building, which does not affect the overall scale
and character of the building. The proposed modifications maintain the defining
elements of the existing building such as the long horizontal form, the continuous ribbon
style windows, the overhanging flat roof, and the horizontal projecting sunshade
feature. Also, the exterior changes do not exceed the existing height of the structure,
and therefore the project maintains the existing character of the building. The proposed
project does not change the building's relationship with adjacent or neighboring
buildings, nor does it affect the transitions in scale and character of existing buildings in
the neighborhood.
3. The proposed design of the structure and exterior materials and landscaping are
visually compatible with the surrounding development, and design elements have been
incorporated to ensure the compatibility of the structure with the character and uses of
adjacent development. The proposed modifications are designed to be compatible with
the existing building and will utilize the similar fixed/awning windows, horizontal exterior
siding, and decorative wood cladding around the building which are also compatible
with the design elements found on buildings in the surrounding neighborhood; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Alameda hereby
approves Design Review Application No. PLN20-004 7 subject to the following conditions:
1. This approval is valid for two years and will expire on July 21, 2022, unless
construction has commenced under valid permits. The approval may be extended
by the Planning, Building and Transportation Director for two years to July 21, 2024,
upon submittal of an extension request and payment of the associated fee.
2. The plans submitted for building permit and construction shall be in substantial
compliance with plans prepared by Pyatok Architects, dated January 28, 2020, and
on file in the office of the City of Alameda Planning, Building and Transportation
Department, except as modified by the conditions listed in this resolution.
3. This approval is limited to the scope of the project defined in the project description
and does not represent a recognition and/or approval of any work completed without
required City permits.
4. A copy of the project conditions shall be printed on the cover of the final Building
Permit plans.
5. CEQA Mitigation Measures: Prior to issuance of a Building Permit or Site
Improvement Permit, the Applicant shall submit a Mitigation Measure Compliance
Checklist confirming compliance to date with all required environmental mitigation
measures contained in the MMRP adopted by the Alameda City Council on
December 4, 2018 for the McKay Well ness Center. The checklist shall be printed
on the Building Permit plans.
6. Building Permit plans shall incorporate the approved window schedule.
7. The final plans submitted for Building Permit approval shall conform to all applicable
codes and guidelines.
8. A site inspection to determine compliance with this Design Review Approval is
required prior to the final building inspection and/or to the issuance of a Certificate
of Occupancy. The applicant shall notify Planning staff at least four days prior to the
requested Planning Inspection dates.
9. Modifications: Minor project design details requested by the applicant may be
established, modified, and approved by the Planning Director. Engineering
standards and specifications requested by the applicant may be established,
modified and approved by the Public Works Director or designee. Major
modifications that are not consistent with this design review approval or these
conditions shall be subject to review and approval of the Planning Board; and
10. HOLD HARMLESS. The applicant shall defend (with counsel acceptable to the
City), indemnify, and hold harmless the City of Alameda, the Alameda City Council,
the Alameda City Planning Board and their respective agents, officers, and
employees from any claim, action, or proceeding (including legal costs and
attorney's fees) against the City of Alameda, Alameda City Council, Alameda City
Planning Board and their respective agents, officers or employees to attack, set
aside, void or annul, an approval by the City of Alameda, the Planning, Building &
Transportation Department, Alameda City Planning Board, the City of Alameda City
Council relating to this project. The City shall promptly notify the applicant of any
claim, action or proceeding and the City shall cooperate in such defense. The City
may elect, in its sole discretion, to participate in the defense of said claim, action, or
proceeding.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the record before the City Council relating to the
design review approval includes, without limitation, the following:
1. The application, including all accompanying maps and papers;
2. All plans submitted by the applicant and its representatives;
3. The Appeal and all accompanying statements and materials;
4. All final staff reports, final decision letters, and other final documentation and
information produced by or on behalf of the City, including without limitation
all related/supporting final materials, and all final notices relating to the
application, Appeal and attendant hearings;
5. All oral and written evidence received by the City Council during the public
hearing on the Appeal; and all written evidence received by relevant City staff
before and during the public hearing on the Appeal; and
6. All matters of common knowledge and all official enactments and acts of the
City, such as (a) the General Plan; (b) the Alameda Municipal Code; (c) all
applicable State and federal laws, rules and regulations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the custodians and locations of the documents
or other materials which constitute the record of proceedings upon which the City Council's
decision is based are located at the Office of the City Clerk located at 2263 Santa Clara
Avenue, Room 380, Alameda, CA 94501; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the recitals contained in this Resolution are true
and correct and are an integral part of the City Council's decision.
NOTICE. No judicial proceedings subject to review pursuant to California Code of Civil
Procedure Section 1 094.5 may be prosecuted more than ninety (90) days following the
date of this decision plus extensions authorized by California Code of Civil Procedure
Section 1 094.6.
NOTICE. The conditions of project approval set forth herein include certain fees and other
exactions. Pursuant to Government Code section 66020(d) (1 ), these Conditions
constitute written notice of a statement of the amount of such fees, and a description of the
dedications, reservations and exactions. The applicant is hereby further notified that the
90-day appeal period, in which the applicant may protest these fees and other exactions,
pursuant to Government Code section 66020(a) has begun. If the applicant fails to file a
protest within this 90-day period complying with all requirements of section 66020, the
applicant will be legally barred from later challenging such fees or exactions.
*****
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly
adopted and passed by the Council of the City of Alameda in a regular meeting of the City
Council assembled on the 21st day of July, 2020, by the following vote to wit:
AYES: Councilmembers Knox White, Oddie, Vella and Mayor Ezzy
Ashcraft -4.
NOES: Councilmember Daysog -1.
ABSENT: None.
ABSTENTIONS: None .
IN WITNESS, WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal
of said City this 22"d day of July, 2020.
Lara Weisiger, Ci
City of Alameda