Staff Response

On Nov 14th, we received the City Staff report recommending the rezoning request be denied. Here's a PDF of the full report.

Things to note from the Nov 14th Staff report (we added the bold):

Under Summary and Recommendation:

Staff recommends the Planning Commission consider a denial of the proposed Rezoning, Planned Development and Site Plan Review application on the grounds that the proposed mass, scale and density of the project is incompatible with the surrounding neighborhood and that the rezoning to DA-3 is incompatible with the General Plan, Downtown Transit Oriented Development Strategy, and Zoning Code.

Under Staff Analysis:

... staff finds that the proposed density and massing unacceptably challenges the scale and character of the surrounding residential neighborhood. Furthermore, staff finds the application of the proposed DA-3 zoning, intended for the higher density core of the City’s downtown rather than the periphery, does not provide an appropriate transition of density to the adjacent single family residential properties.

Under Residential Neighborhood:

... the [residential area east of Downtown] remains a mix of lower multi-family and single-family residential. The General Plan states that “development in this area should be lower in scale than in the Downtown Core, recognizing the proximity to nearby single family neighborhoods.” With few exceptions, the existing land use pattern east of Bancroft Avenue up to the MacArthur Boulevard commercial corridor is primarily low density residential.

Existing General Plan policy emphasizes that projects should enhance the quality of the area. This is achieved by upholding community aesthetic standards, protecting neighborhood character, and beautifying city streets. For neighborhoods with distinct architectural character, special care must be taken to preserve their scale and form.

Under Rezoning:

The Zoning Code specifies the location of DA-3 zoning as being intended for areas adjacent to the Downtown retail core. The lower density DA-2 zoning, which is not being proposed, is identified for locations along Downtown’s periphery. The DA-3 zoning’s purpose states that “Infill development shall respect the scale and fabric of the neighborhood while increased building height and higher residential densities are allowed.” (Z.C. Section 2-600). The Downtown San Leandro Transit Oriented Development Strategy defines the TOD Strategy study area applying to those properties located within the one-half mile radius circle around the intersection of East 14th and Davis Streets. The proposed project is on the outer limits of the qualifying radius (Downtown TOD Strategy page 2, Figure 1).

The rezoning would accommodate the proposed application comprising a four-story building (47- to 53-feet high) with large floor plates of 26,000- to 34,000- square feet. The resulting in-fill development would be taller than the surrounding properties and bulky, resulting in a design and massing out of scale and out of character with the adjacent one- to two-story tall single-family residences primarily found on Estudillo and Joaquin Avenues east of Bancroft Avenue. This would be an abrupt transition from the prevalent pattern of existing low density housing, with a low profile, smaller footprints, and modest separation and spacing, to high density multi-story housing occupying a single building.

...

The 146 spaces are achieved through the use of parking stackers, some of which are inappropriately located along the eastern property boundary adjacent to existing single family homes. The applicant’s proposed solution to the placement of the stackers along the eastern property line is to construct an abnormally high screening wall which further impacts the adjacent residences. As the project is located about one mile from the San Leandro BART station and has limited access to bus transit routes, residents would be primarily dependent on their private vehicles.

Under Site Plan Review:

Staff is particularly concerned with the project’s proposed 49.5- to 52-foot height as measured from the parapet, as it is substantially taller than surrounding single family residences and other buildings.

On May 19th, the City Staff sent a letter to the developer responding to the proposal. Here's a PDF of the actual letter.

On July 27th, the developer submitted revised plans. The revisions did not address Staff's primary concern: "Staff strongly recommends that the project be reduced to 31 units so that it conforms to the maximum density of 24 units per acre". The developer submitted two documents to the City: Resubmittal 1388 Bancroft Dev Plan Set and Resubmittal Revised Plan Set 1388 Bancroft Proposal.

On Aug 25, the City Staff deemed the application complete and sent the developer another letter. Here's a PDF of the actual letter.

Things to note from the Aug 25th letter:

"... because the Staff report will be a recommendation to deny the proposed project ..."
The proposal is now on the agenda for the Nov 16th Planning Commission meeting.

Things to note from the May 19th letter:

"... your application is determined by this office to be incomplete as submitted"
"In order to proceed with your project as proposed, you will need to file an amended Planning Application requesting to rezone the parcel from P Professional Office District to DA-3(PD), Downtown Area 3 with Planned Development Overlay District".
The following deficiencies were noted:
"Staff is concerned about the 50 foot height of the proposed building in relation to the surrounding development."
"... a prior proposal to rezone the property was unsupported. The City received community input during the June, July and September 2016 public meetings regarding staffs prior recommendation to rezone the P Professional Office zoning district for the Downtown East area (the approximately 20 parcels on Estudillo Avenue and Bancroft Avenue, including 1388 Bancroft Avenue."
"Consistent with feedback provided at the recent pre-application meetings between Eden Realty, Axis Architecture, and the City Staff, Staff will not recommend approval of the 73-unit multi-family project. Staff strongly recommends that the project be reduced to 31 units so that it conforms to the maximum density of 24 units per acre."

Summary

The 2016 proposal to rezone 20 parcels on Estudillo and Bancroft was unsupported. This was primarily due to community input regarding 1388 Bancroft. In 2017 a bigger, denser proposal for 1388 Bancroft has been made, one that would not fit in DA-2 and requires DA-3. Mind boggling.

Keep 1388 Bancroft Zoning Compliant -- Evan Adams, Dave Ruedi