Reviewing West Midway Phase A, tree replacement for Clement/Tilden
On December 8, the Planning Board will consider approving the design, map, and new street names for Phase A of the West Midway Development at Alameda Point and will also consider approving the removal of 65 trees and the planting of 101 new trees related to the construction of the Clement Avenue/Tilden Way Improvement Project.
Below is a summary of what will be discussed and how to participate in the meeting.
Reviewing West Midway Phase A
The Planning Board will consider approving the Design Review, Vesting Tentative Map, and new street names for Phase A of the West Midway Development, a 12.4-acre section of the 26-acre project at West Midway Avenue and Main Street.
Phase A proposes 284 housing units in 62 buildings, including duets, three-story townhouse condominiums, and four-story condominium buildings. This follows the Board’s 2023 approval of the West Midway Development Plan for 478 units, parks, streets, bicycle trails, and 10,000 square feet of non-residential space.
Staff report that the proposal complies with the General Plan, the Main Street Neighborhood Specific Plan, the Zoning Ordinance, and the Development Agreement, and also conforms to the City’s Objective Design Review Standards. Architectural requirements—including varied sub-neighborhoods, articulated frontages along West Tower Avenue, enhanced elevations along West Midway, and front-facing entries at public streets—have been met.
The Affordability Plan adopted as part of the project’s Development Plan requires 39 moderate-income units and 44 workforce units across Phases A and B. Phase A delivers two moderate-income homes; Phase B will provide the remaining required units. Together with the RESHAP (Rebuilding Existing Supportive Housing at Alameda Point) project’s affordable units, the development meets the 25% affordability requirement.
Universal Design provisions include 50 universal units (homes built so that people of all ages and mobility levels can use the home) and 263 visitable units (homes designed so that persons with limited mobility can visit the home) across both phases.
Staff recommends approval, concluding the project provides high-quality architecture, public access, sustainable design, and critical housing capacity in alignment with adopted City policies.
Tree Replacement for Clement/Tilden
The Planning Board will also review staff’s recommendation to approve the removal of 65 trees of various species between 1 and 38 inches in diameter and the planting of 101 new trees related to the construction of the Clement Avenue/Tilden Way Improvement Project.
The project proposes major transportation, safety, and open-space upgrades at the East End of Alameda, including a new roundabout at Tilden Way/Blanding Avenue/Fernside Boulevard, safety enhancements at Tilden Way/Broadway, an extension of Clement Avenue from Broadway to Tilden Way, improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and a new open-space dog park. To build these improvements and conduct the required environmental cleanup, the City seeks authorization to remove 65 trees and plant 101 new trees, while preserving 91 existing trees.
The project requires tree removal primarily to build the roundabout, extend Clement Avenue, construct sidewalks and cycle tracks, perform earthwork, and complete soil remediation mandated by the California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC). Six of the 65 removals are needed specifically for DTSC-required excavation of contaminated soil along the former Union Pacific railroad right-of-way. Four of the trees scheduled for removal are Coastal Live Oaks, which are protected under Alameda’s Municipal Code and require Historical Advisory Board approval.
The City has planned this corridor for more than two decades as part of the Cross Alameda Trail, a continuous, low-stress bicycle and pedestrian route across the island. Between 2021 and 2023, the City negotiated the purchase of the right-of-way, completed community outreach, received endorsements from key commissions, and advanced engineering design. The dog park component stems from direction from the Recreation and Parks Commission.
Staff recommends that the Planning Board support the finding that the work is covered by the previously certified 2009 Transportation Element EIR and forward its recommendation to the City Council.
How to participate
The meeting will be held on Monday, December 8, at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, located on the third floor of City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Avenue.
Members of the public may participate in person or via Zoom. They may comment on the Non-Agenda, Consent Calendar, and Regular Agenda portions of the Meeting Agenda (link downloads document).
The Non-Agenda portion of the meeting provides an opportunity to address the Board regarding any matter not on the agenda over which the Board has jurisdiction. The Consent Calendar is for routine items approved by a single motion. The Regular Agenda is the central portion of the meeting, during which each issue receives a presentation and time for Board discussion and public comment.
Make requests for reasonable accommodation by completing an online form.
For Zoom registration, click here. Information to assist with Zoom participation is here. The Zoom phone number for telephone participants is 669-900-9128, and the Meeting ID is 815 3979 3319.
The meeting can also be viewed on the City of Alameda’s Facebook page, but comments posted there are not monitored.
Community members may also email Board Members before the meeting.
Contributing writer Karin K. Jensen covers boards and commissions for the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at https://linktr.ee/karinkjensen and https://alamedapost.com/Karin-K-Jensen.
