Title
Staff Report for Overview of the Proposed General Plan Map Amendment and Rezone to Develop a San Leandro Shoreline Development Plan that Includes an Office Campus, Hotel, Conference Center, Housing, Restaurants, Parking Structure, and Other Related Amenities and Improvements. This is a public/private partnership with the City on 52 acres of the City-owned land at the Shoreline. Applicant: Cal Coast Companies, LLC; Property Owner: City of San Leandro.
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This report is for information only. It is intended to update the City Council and the community on the planned General Plan Map Amendment and Rezone for the proposed Shoreline Development Plan. , The public is invited to comment on the General Plan map amendment and rezoning prior to public hearings scheduled for June and July 2015 before the Planning Commission and City Council, respectively, for the Shoreline Development Final EIR and the entitlements.
BACKGROUND
The proposed project is to redevelop the 52-acre site land area and 23-acre water area that encompasses the San Leandro Marina and surrounding properties, all of which is owned by the City, with residential, commercial, and public recreational uses. Implementation of the project would involve the removal of some structures on site, including the existing El Torito restaurant building, the Mulford Branch Library building, and the San Leandro Yacht Club building. The San Leandro Shoreline Development Project Conceptual Site Plan is included as Exhibit A.
The harbor masters office, the fuel pump/dock, and the 462 existing boat slips in the harbor basin would eventually be removed by the City at such time as safe and navigable boating operations cease to exist. Additionally, five of the tees/holes on the nine-hole Marina Golf Course would be reconfigured in order to accommodate housing that is proposed to be built on the golf course; however, no tees/holes would be eliminated as part of the project. The existing Marina Inn and Horatio's restaurant buildings on the site would remain a part of the project area.
New features on the site as a result of the project include a 150,000-square-foot office campus, a 200-room hotel, a 15,000-square-foot conference center, 354 housing units, three new restaurants totaling 21,000 square feet, and a new parking structure. To accommodate this growth a variety of public amenities would be installed. Some amenities include a new 2,500-square-foot community library/meeting space, an aquatic center/dock, bocce ball courts, outdoor recreational areas, picnic areas, a perched beach, pedestrian piers, two miles of public promenade, a natural shoreline element along the interior of the harbor basin, a pedestrian/bicycle bridge, a boardwalk/lookout pier, several small finger piers, and refurbishment of existing public restrooms on site.
Work on the proposed project began in 2005. In 2008, the City entered into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with Cal-Coast Development for development of the site. Also in 2008, a 35-member Citizen's Advisory Committee (CAC) was created to provide input to Cal-Coast and the City on the project. Working together over a three year period, Cal-Coast, the City and the CAC developed the project, which is currently in the final stages of environmental review. The objectives of the project are to:
· Build an economically viable and vibrant mixed-use development that provides amenities and services, including:
o A banquet/conference facility for residents and others to hold large parties such as weddings, graduation parties, and other events in San Leandro. The banquet/conference center would also support tournaments at the Tony Lema Golf Course.
o A hotel, with limited food and beverage service to hotel guests.
o Multiple dining options.
o Housing units responsive to market demands to increase City housing stock for moderate to above moderate income units.
o Class A office space to attract innovative businesses and quality jobs.
o An enhanced library/community building.
· Ensure the project uses are synergistic and create a regional destination for dining, lodging, entertainment and recreation.
· Provide recreation opportunities such as bocce ball courts, a small boat launch and public gathering spaces, a 20-foot-wide public promenade including lookout stations, to increase and enhance public access to the San Francisco Bay.
· Multiple areas for the public to enjoy scenic views and interact with the San Francisco Bay.
· Enhance connections between the San Leandro Shoreline and the San Francisco Bay Trail.
· Remove current blight, including the former Blue Dolphin site pillars and fencing and the fenced former Boatworks site.
· Ensure the redeveloped portion of the San Leandro Shoreline compliments existing amenities and provides connection between the amenities and current shoreline uses.
· Ensure that development is provided in an environmentally sensitive manner, and promotes the latest trends in energy efficiency.
To date over 65 public meetings to discuss the project have been held and additional meetings are planned, including public hearings. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on January 15, 2015 to provide and receive input on the Draft Environmental Impact Report. The recommended General Plan Amendment and Rezone is tentatively scheduled to return to the Planning Commission on June 18, 2015 along with the Final Environmental Impact Report.
PROPOSAL AND STAFF ANALYSIS
General Plan Map
The Project will require a series of planning entitlements, including a General Plan Map Amendment to change the land use designation in portions of the nine-hole golf course from Parks and Recreation to Medium Density Residential. The land mass containing Mulford Point Drive and Pescador Point Drive, encompassing the boat harbor, is already General Commercial and will remain as designated. The Proposed General Plan Amendments Draft Map is attached as Exhibit B.
The Medium Density Residential along the east edge of Monarch Bay Drive and the interior of the nine-hole golf course would conform to the proposed townhomes and mix of small-lot single-family homes and townhomes. The remaining area of the nine-hole course would stay as the existing Parks and Recreation land use designation under the existing General Plan. The existing land mass encompassing the boat harbor, designated General Commercial, would conform to the office campus, hotel, conference center, multi-family residential housing, restaurants and parking structure in the proposed Shoreline Development Plan.
Zoning Map
The other planning entitlement includes a rezone (Zoning Map change) of the aforementioned land area from Commercial Recreation (CR) District to Community Commercial, Planned Development [CC(PD)] Overlay District, and the proposed residential development areas in the nine-hole golf course from Commercial Recreation (CR) District to Residential Multi-Family-2000, Planned Development Overlay [RM-2000 (PD)] District. The area remaining for the nine-hole course will remain Commercial Recreation (CR) District and the existing Mulford Branch Library will remain Commercial Recreation, Planned Development [CR(PD)] Overlay District. The Proposed Zoning Map Amendments Draft Map is attached as Exhibit C. These proposed changes are required and consistent with the General Plan Map amendments described above to entitle the various elements of the Shoreline Development Plan.
The approval of the Final EIR as well as the recommended General Plan amendment and rezoning is the first phase of the entitlement approval process for the Shoreline Development Plan. Phase 2 includes approval of the Planned Development and the Development Agreement. Specific issues regarding site planning, architecture, open space, landscaping, outdoor furniture and other details will be addressed during the phase 2 process.
ATTACHMENTS
· Exhibit A - San Leandro Shoreline Development Project Conceptual Site Plan
· Exhibit B - Proposed General Plan Map Amendment Draft Map
· Exhibit C - Proposed Zoning Map Amendments Draft Map
PREPARED BY: Elmer Penaranda, Senior Planner, Community Development Department