On June 23, the Alameda Planning Board approved a Design Review and Use Permit for an Aquatic Center at 800 Atlantic Avenue. The approval was made with amendments to the number of allocated parking spaces—decreased from 71 to 67—and adjustments to existing signage. It passed in a 5-0 vote with two abstentions.
Planning Board workshops were held on December 9 and March 10, and the Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) submitted revised plans reflecting feedback from workshops and an addendum to the Mitigated Negative Declarations (MND). The addendum noted that the project does not raise important new issues about environmental impact and can proceed without further review.
The Board last met on March 29 to discuss the aquatic center, which will lie on the west end of Jean Sweeney Open Space Park. Its design includes a 30-meter by 25-yard competition pool with 12 lanes as well as an activity pool with a zero-beach style entry and three lap lanes.
ARPD Director Justin Long and project architect Clarence Mamuyac, who serves as President of ELS Architecture and Urban Design, presented the revisions made to the design since the March workshop.
A grade-level change was made to the interior pool area, so it is entirely level. The plaza path was modified to reduce soil excavation and preserve existing oak trees in the area, and stay closer to the building. Four new EV parking stalls were added to the parking area, along with eight new bicycle parking spaces and lockers. Off-street adjustments were made as well, such as flashing lights and a striped crosswalk.
There is a corrugated, perforated green metal on the perimeter of the building, save for one non-perforated corrugated section that aims to reduce noise pollution from one of the pools. A vinyl-coated chain link fence will surround the center, but Mamuyac noted that a hedge has been planted that, when grown, will visually shield the fence. This barrier will also act as a windbreaker.
Board and public discussion
Board Member Andy Wang brought up concern with the 125 allocated overflow parking spaces. College of Alameda will have priority to these spaces during special programming, and usage of the spaces is not expected to be extensive, Long said. Long also clarified that the number of parking spaces—71—was set to accommodate both the aquatic center’s needs and those of a community garden that will be on the southeast corner of Jean Sweeney Park.
Cyndy Johnsen, a representative of Bike Walk Alameda, said the center could be better designed for sustainable transportation, and noted that several specific suggestions have been shared in a letter to the board.
Wang brought up the topic of sustainability again, asking why such a “transit-rich” area was chosen for construction—it is right on the Cross Alameda trail—if the predicted number of trips to the center are 92% auto trips. He added that the board could’ve been better prepared for the discussion if the project’s transportation and parking memorandum factored in the community garden and how that impacts parking.
In addressing criticism over excessive parking, Henry Dong from the Alameda Planning, Building and Transportation department said they are meeting Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) requirements with the parking as shared use and will be implementing Transportation Demand Management Measures, so the combination of those affecting factors should be kept in mind.
Sunny Tsou echoed Wang’s comments, and said reducing trips via TDM (Transportation Demand Management) measures could be a viable solution.
Board Member Hansom Hom pointed out that, from a pedestrian perspective, the entrance to the building on Atlantic Avenue has larger signage than the actual main entrance beside the parking lot, and should be better distinguished.
The architect said the signage is larger to be clear to the traffic on Atlantic Avenue, but agreed with Hom that the hierarchy of signage will be clarified.
Board President Xiomara Cisneros brought the conversation back to parking, stating that she was “torn,” but agreed with Wang’s comments and wanted to explore creative alternatives to the amount of parking provided.
Board Member Teresa Ruiz then motioned to approve the Design Review and Use Permit Application with two conditions—updating the transportation memorandum to confirm multi-use parking requirements, and working with staff to show hierarchy in design and signage.
Discussion was then redirected back to the transportation and parking memorandum and its chart on parking demand, to see if the number of parking spaces could be decreased.
“Once the project is built and the facilities in use, we could continue to monitor the parking and see if it is too much supply or too little supply,” Dong said. “Another option is to stick with the plan the City approved in 2015 and have 60 spaces.”
Wang said he would support going back to the 60 spaces, and a TDM plan that included incentives for those traveling by bike and bus. He emphasized that it’s the City’s responsibility to embody a culture of transportation mode shift.
However, Asheshh Saheeba said he would support 67 parking spaces, and said that the center is a destination-type facility that will receive a lot of people traveling by car.
Ruiz amended her motion to include 67 spaces, and the board then passed the Design Review and Use Permit Approval 5-0 with two abstentions.
Sindhu Ananthavel is a contributing writer to the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Sindhu-Ananthavel.
