From: Jennifer Ott
To: Irma Glidden; Ashley Zieba
Cc: Yibin Shen; Abby Thorne-Lyman
Subject: FW: Protected views at Alameda Point
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 12:48:37 PM
Attachments: image001.png
From:
Jennifer Ott
Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 11:10 AM
To: CityCouncil-List <[email protected]>
Cc: Abby Thorne-Lyman <[email protected]>; Allen Tai <[email protected]>; Alesia Strauch <[email protected]>; Steven Buckley <[email protected]>; Annie Cox <[email protected]>
Subject: Protected views at Alameda Point
Mayor and City Council:
In
response
to
questions
from
Councilmembers,
City
staff
wanted
to
provide
additional
information
regarding
questions
about
protected
views
at
the
Alameda
Point:
1. The
character-defining
features
of
the
base
include
the
spatial
organization
and
arrangement
of
buildings,
which
create
strong
vistas
and
view
corridors
both
internal
to
the
site
and
offsite
to
the
surrounding
water
and
skyline.
This
is
documented
in
the
National
Register
of
Historic
Places
nomination
for
the
Naval
Air
Station
Alameda
Historic
District
National
Register
Nomination
(linked
here).
2. The
view
corridors
extend
between
the
seaplane
hangars
along
W.
Tower
Avenue
and
the
landplane
hangars
along
Monarch
Street.
Some
of
these
are
terminal
views
of
access
roads,
such
as
along
Lexington
and
Saratoga
Streets.
Others
are
perpendicular
to
the
frontage
road,
between
buildings
but
not
along
a
distant
axis.
3. The
preservation
of
these
view
corridors
is
achieved
by
preventing
new
buildings
from
being
constructed
within
the
view
corridors
themselves.
In
the
Seaplane
Lagoon
area,
this
is
accomplished
through
building
setbacks
established
in
the
Waterfront
Town
Center
Precise
Plan.
The
intent
is
to
preserve
visual
access
to
the
sides
of
the
hangers,
as
well,
since
the
large
doors
are
a
character
defining
feature
that
should
remain
visible
and
functional.
See
page
134
of
the
Plan
(linked
here) for an illustration of how infill development could occur.
4. There
are
no
building
setbacks
established
in
zoning
for
the
landplane
hangars
along
Monarch
St
except
where
adjacent
to
public
park
/
open
space
or
on
corner
lots
–
AMC
30-
4.24, Alameda Point zoning district. (The regulation of street side yards is more applicable to corner
lots
found
in
the
interior
of
the
district,
not
along
the
hanger
row.)
5. Therefore,
the
general
use
of
the
spaces
between
the
seaplane
and
landside
hangars is governed by the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, which state: "A property will be used as it was historically or be given a new use that requires minimal change to its distinctive materials, features, spaces, and spatial relationships." Historically, the Navy utilized the spaces around the hangars for miscellaneous equipment, storage and other ancillary uses, as evidenced by historical photographs (see provided example below).
6. Projects that require a building permit are subject to design review; projects that physically affect the historic contributor buildings require HAB review; outdoor activity that is not strictly ancillary to a primary use requires a use permit.
In addition, the Biological Opinion will also be considered and restrictions on landscaping, light poles and structures vary depending on the location. Staff consults with the City’s biological consultant that assisted the City in negotiating the Biological Opinion and supports the City in complying with it.
In summary, while the view corridors themselves are protected from new construction of buildings, the spaces between the buildings can be utilized in ways that are compatible with the historic use of the area. The ancillary use of the spaces between hangars that we see today represent minimal alterations to the distinctive spatial relationships that contribute to the historic character of the district, and generally do not constitute a use that requires further review.
Allen Tai
, AICP | Director
City of Alameda
Planning, Building & Transportation Dept.
510.747.6888
alamedaca.gov/PBT