Resolution 14189CITY OF ALAMEDA RESOLUTION NO. 14189
ADOPTING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, PLN07-0077 AMENDING
SECTION 2.5 RETAIL BUSINESS AND SERVICES OF THE LAND USE
ELEMENT OF THE CITY OF ALAMEDA GENERAL PLAN
WHEREAS, the Retail Policies General Plan Amendment is the result of
a community planning process initiated by the City of Alameda City Council in
2003; and
WHEREAS, the City Council accepted the Citywide Retail Po icy Report
in 2004; and
WHEREAS, the Citywide Retail Policy Report recommended amending
the 1991 General Plan Retail Business and Services section to reflect current
City of Alameda community priorities and goals as articulated in the 2004
Citywide Retail Policy Report; and
WHEREAS, the proposed General Plan amendment PLN07-0077 was
reviewed by the community, the Economic Development Commission, and the
Planning Board; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Retail Policy General Plan Amendment
includes policies to guide the future development and improvement of retail
business and services in manner consistent with the public welfare and the
community's vision for the existing and future retail areas; and
WHEREAS, on January 14, 2008 and January 28, 2008, the Planning
Board of the City of Alameda held public hearings on the proposed General
Plan Amendment, and examined pertinent maps, drawings, and documents in
connection with the application; and
WHEREAS, on January 28, 2008, the Planning Board approved a
resolution recommending that the City Council approve the proposed General
Plan Amendments; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has made the following finding regarding the
California Environmental Quality Act:
The project is Categorically Exempt from review under the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15305, Minor Alterations in Land
Use Limitations and 15061(b)(3) Review for Exemption. The proposed General
Plan amendment would not permit or prohibit any land uses that are not
currently permitted or prohibited under the General Plan or Municipal Code. As
described above, the intent of the proposed amendments is to provide for
greater policy direction about the design, location, and character of retail
development that should be encouraged to locate in Alameda. Therefore, the
proposed amendments do not have the potential to cause changes to the
physical environment that could result in significant adverse environmental
effects within Alameda or other jurisdictions. Consequently, the proposed
amendments are Categorically Exempt from environmental review pursuant to
the CEQA Guidelines Section 15305, Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations;
and Section 15061(b)(3), Review for Exemption; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has made the following findings relative to
the General Plan Amendment:
1. The project will have no effect on the integrity of the General Plan.
The proposed General Plan Amendment updates and clarifies the policies of
the General Plan that pertain to retail development. The proposed
amendments are the result of a community process and are designed to
reinforce and improve the General Plan's policy guidance regarding retail
development in Alameda. The proposed General Plan amendments are
consistent with the policies and intent of the General Plan. The City's General
Plan policies focus on five broad themes that strengthen awareness of the
City's island setting, its small town feeling, respect for history, de- emphasis of
the automobile, and retention of multi -use development. The proposed
amendment is consistent with these themes.
2. The proposed amendment will have a positive effect on the general
welfare of the community.
The proposed General Plan Amendment will have a positive effect on the
general welfare of the community, as it will assist in the implementation of the
community's vision and goals for retail development in Alameda.
3. The proposal is equitable.
The proposal is equitable because i reas of the city with
commercial land use designations.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City
of Alameda hereby adopts General Plan Amendment, PLN07 -0077 as shown in
Exhibit A.
it will apply to all a
Exhibit A:
2.5 RETAIL BUSINESS AND SERVICES
Convenient and pleasant shopping is important to residents. Because shopping districts are
prominent visual features and major destinations, their appearance and quality influence how
people feel about their community. Retail businesses are essential to the City's fiscal health.
A Strategic Plan Committee appointed by the City Council in 1988 gave Alameda a "C" for
retail shopping, and conducted a survey of issues that identified "improved shopping /more
convenient shopping" as a major need and opportunity. A question is how much more business
can be attracted to Alameda, which is out of the way for nonresidents and does not have a large
enough population to support large department stores or high - volume discounters. Three
sources of increased sales will be new residents,' nonresidents attracted to restaurants and
boating - related businesses, and the rising per capita disposable income ` of existing residents.
Improved merchandising can capture sales made to Alamedans at off-Island locations.
In an on -going effort to ensure the General Plan remains current, the City undertook a review of
retail policies and strategies that included several community forums in '2003. The 2004
Citywide Retail Policy Report recommended additions and modifications to the General Plan to
refine and expand existing policy. The Report evaluated existing policy and suggested the
consideration of additional policies and ` implementing policies around retail design and
development. In 2008, the General Plan was amended to incorporate the major policy
recommendations from the 2004 Citywide Retail Policy Report and amend the policies as
necessary to reflect current Alameda goals and priorities for Alameda's retail business areas.
developed) has J.C. Penney and MeiaPiRIS as
center in Alameda.
Community Shopping Centers: Fermi Shopping Ceuter (98,0440 square feet), Marina
The 17 compact corner business districts, 19 e€ there at fencer Red Trams stations, are important
components of the City's traditional, amlice. Mest have a small grecery, a laundromat
off street parking.
2.5. Guiding Policies: Retail Business and Services
2.5.a Provide enough retail business and services space to enable Alameda to realize its full
retail sales potential and provide Alameda residents with the full range of retail business
and services.
Many Alameda residents travel to
neighboring to find the retail and businesses services they need. This
results in a loss of retail sales tax to other cities that is needed to fund City of Alameda
services and facilities, such as police, fire, and recreational services, and it results in
additional traffic at the City's limited number of Estuary crossings.
2.5.b Revitalize Alameda's historic Main Street business dewatewn-shopiaiftg districts on
Park Street and Webster Street while maintaining their small -city scale and character.
The Main Street Business Districts on Park Street and Webster Street provide the
primary concentration of specialty shops and a wide range of retail sales, services and
entertainment uses to meet community -wide market demands.' These districts are
pedestrian- oriented districts with historical patterns of development that limit building
form and limit the ability of individual businesses to provide off - street parking. The
work of the Alameda Main Street Project is evident in both districts. The Park Street
Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places.
2.5.c Continue to support and promote Park Street as Alameda's downtown, the
entertainment, cultural, social and civic center of the City, by providing a wide variety
of commercial, retail, cultural, professional and governmental services.
2.5.d Continue to support and promote Webster Street as the shopping, dining, entertainment,
and community service center for present and future residents west of the West End.
2.5.e Discourage D43-fie offices from occupying ground floor space suitable for retail
within the Main Street business districts and the Neighborhood business districts.
Interruptions' to the continuity of retail frontage decrease pedestrian traffic and
diminish the synergy essential to a successful retail district. However in some cases,
office uses may be appropriate on side streets or in particular buildings that are not
able to successfully attract retail tenants. Currently, a conditional use permit is
required for any office use proposed on the ground floor in the Main Street or
Neighborhood business districts.
2.5.f Encourage continuing improvements to the Alameda Towne Center, formerly known as
South Shore Center, and other shopping centers.
Alameda Towne Center attracts both Alamedans and customers from a larger trade
area. The original design turned its back on the Bay and devoted little attention to
landscaping. New development should take advantage of view, and landscaping
should be appropriate to the scale of the buildings.
2.5.g Maintain neighborhood business districts for small stores that attract mainly pedestrian
traffic and can be acceptable neighbors for nearby residents.
The 17 compact corner, neighborhood business districts, 10 of them at former Red Train
stations, are important components of the City's traditional, historic, pedestrian- scaled
ambience. They provide retail sales and personal services primarily for the
surrounding residential areas. The neighborhood districts usually have little or no off -
street parking, so neighborhood business district businesses must rely mainly on
customers who walk their homes.
2.5.h Consider amendments to the Municipal Code to encourage mixed use development
including retention and addition of housing, childcare centers, and community meeting
rooms and services in retail areas. Park Street, Webster Street, Neighborhood Busine;
Districts.
Current (1990) zoning regulatiens allew dwellings as conditional use in both the C 1
Housing provided above retail space or on the rear
half of parcels can add patrons and expand housing opportunities, provided tenants
accept an environment in which commerce has priority. The proposed Business and
Waterfront Improvement Project would- can provide actions and financing to facilitate
affordable housing where appropriate in commercial districts. accomplish this in the
districts.
2.5.i Support, encourage and foster new retail development to serve the West End of
Alameda.
2.5.j Maximize opportunities for retail development at Alameda Point to support creation of
a mixed use, transit oriented community at Alameda Point as envisioned in the Alameda
Point General Plan policies.
2.5.k
Pursue and encourage new retail development that is consistent with the retail policies
of the General Plan and Economic Development Strategic Plan; primarily serves the
community or addresses a high priority local retail or service need; and will not have a
significant long term deleterious effects on existing retail areas and/or the local
economy.
2.5.1 New commercial /retail development along the waterfront should be consistent with best
practices for waterfront - oriented development including providing_waterfront public
access, attractive architectural elevations facing the street and the water, and where
possible, uses that will activate the waterfront and support public access to the
waterfront.
Implementing Policies: Retail Business and Services
2.5.m Implement the 2005 Webster Street Strategic Plan.
Webster Street Business District
The 2005 Webster Street Business District Strategic Plan includes a series of retail
development, marketing, parking and public improvement recommendations which
serve as a guide for the revitalization of Webster Stree
2.5.n To maintain the historic urban form and character of Park Street and Webster Street
business districts, limit Limit building heights on i the Park Street and Webster Street
business districts to three stories above grade, measuring 35 to 40 feet, depending on
roof configuration. Parking structures are to be limited by height only, regardless of the
number of parking levels.
2.5.o
See Policy 3.4.d and 3.3.h in the City Design Element. Current zoning (1990) permits
100 foot buildings inconsistent with small -city character in some areas. Zoning text
revisions should be written to avoid nonconforming status for the small number of
existing buildings that would not conform to the new height limit.
Protect residential areas adjacent Retail Business Districts by discouraging conversion
of residential structures in adjacent residential zones for retail, commercial, or business
service use.
2.5.p. Limit the size of stores in Neighborhood Business Districts in order to avoid traffic and
parking demand inconsistent with residential character.
To avoid transforming pedestrian -scale business districts into auto- oriented shopping
centers, businesses that outgrow the existing small retail spaces should be encouraged
to find sites elsewhere in Alameda where adequate off- street parking can be provided.
Where only small stores are permitted, a lower ratio of parking spaces to floor area
than is required in larger commercial areas may be reasonable.
2.5.q To maintain the historic character of a retail district and support General Plan policies
encouraging trip reduction,_ transit- first, support for alternative modes of transportation,
and minimize overflow parking in the neighborhoods consider reduced off - street
parking requirements for proposed projects or alternative methods of providing parking
on- and off -site, including payment of in lieu fees for transit or the provision of off -site
public parking.
The Alameda Municipal Code currently requires a minimum of five off-street parking
spaces for each 1,000 square feet of retail space, which exceeds the
recommendations of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for urban shopping
districts and the findings of the Institute of Transportation Studies:
2.5.r Plan for multilevel and shared parking to serve the intensively developed retail
segments of Park and Webster streets. Encourage construction of multilevel parking
and shared parking in shopping centers where necessary to enable them to reach full
potential. Provide retail uses in the front portion of the parking structures' ground floors
where necessary to provide continuity of ground floor retail uses or to connect such
uses where they are now separated.
Ia. ILL
overall need for 100 200 spaces in each of the Min Street business districts. In the
2.5.s Improve public transit service and transit facilities in retail areas. to shopping area'.
Transit use can be encouraged by providing bus shelters, by locating store entrances
on the street with parking at the side and rear, and by charging for parking. Fees paid
in lieu of on -site parking project related transportation demand management
mitigations, and/ or parking meter revenue should be used for transit improvements,
shopper shuttles, dial -a -ride, and /or intra- island shuttles.
2.5.t
2.5.0
.To facilitate pedestrian,
bicycle, and transit modes of transportation to and within new retail developments,.
discourage construction of new large surface parking fields: If large quantities of off
street parking are required to serve the development, parking should be woven
throughout the project in smaller parking pods. . Parking pods should not be located
between the buildings and the public street. Parking pods should located behind the
buildings. Locating parking pods adjacent to the building and adjacent to the street
should be avoided, unless not other option is available.
street parking.
Require that new retail projects be pedestrian- oriented and designed in a manner that is
architecturally, aesthetically, and operationally harmonious with the community and
surrounding development. Retail developments should include:
1. Wide sidewalks on both sides of the street and other improvements to accommodate
pedestrian traffic and promote strolling, window - shopping and sidewalk dining.
2. Clearly marked and well - designed pedestrian paths and sidewalks with enhanced
crosswalk paving and a minimum number of curb cuts.
3. Well designed parking pods that allow for inte
minimum of pedestrian automobile interface.
al auto
obile circulation with a
4. Major new internal roads which serve as major public spaces and organizing features of
the development should be dedicated public roads maintained by the project with
sidewalks on both sides and a minimum number of curb cuts.
5. Large - growing trees maintained in a manner that preserves and promotes natural form
to shade parking and pedestrian areas.
6. Street trees, Bay Friendly landscaping, pedestrian scaled street lighting, and street
furniture, such as benches, trash receptacles, planters, newspaper vending machines,
kiosks, and bus shelters.
7. Facilities for bicyclists and transit users, such as bike lockers and racks, bus transit
centers and turnouts.
8. Well- designed public signage including street signs, directional signs, gateway markers,
street banners, and pedestrian- oriented directories.
9. Varied building facades that are well articulated, visually appealing at the pedestrian
scale, and architecture that is site - specific and incorporates design themes and features
that reflect Alameda's unique character and history.
10. New streets should generally provide on- street parking and provide for a 150 to 400
foot long block similar to the typical block lengths on Park Street and Webster Street. In
some locations with minimum thru traffic, on- street parking may be removed if desired
to improve or increase the pedestrian realm.
11. Utility boxes and trash enclosures should be screened from public view and should not
be located adjacent to the public right of way unless no other location is feasible or
possible.
2.5.v
Projects within the Main Street Business Districts and in the Neighborhood Business
Districts should be designed with attractive street frontages that are pleasant for
pedestrians with entrances and storefront windows directly on the street, wherever
possible. Parking should not be located between the buildings and the public street.
Parking should be located behind the buildings. Locating parking adjacent to the
building and adjacent to the street should be avoided, unless not other option is
available.
2.5.w Develop a pedestrian oriented town center at Alameda Point with community retail
shops and services in close proximity to transit, ferry, and other transportation facilities.
2.5.x Complete the new Park Street and Webster Street streetscape projects in order to
improve the pedestrian environment.
2.5.y Expand the City's technical assistance programs to support existing businesses in
reaching their potential and meeting local demand.
2.5 z Establish Green Building and/or Sustainable Design standards to be applied to all new
retail developments and major retail additions and remodels.
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and
regularly adopted and passed by the Council of the City of Alameda during the Regular
Meeting of the City Council on the 18th day of March, 2008, by the following 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 19th day of March, 2008.
Lara Weisiger, City C e:
City of Alameda