PARC Park Ave Residents’ Committee

Co-Chairs Donna Briskin: 1500 Park Avenue donnabriskin@gmail.com

Paul Germain: Emeryville Artists Cooperative pgermain999@gmail.com

Member Representatives: Marianne Clark Horton Street Lofts mclark632@gmail.com John Bauters Blue Star Corner jbauters@gmail.com Bryan Hord: Blue Star Corner feralbeagle@gmail.com

Kevin Kellogg: Horton Street Lofts kk@kellogg-associates.com

Mike McConnell: 1500 Park Avenue zmcconnell@aol.com

Sharon Wilchar: Emeryville Artists Cooperative swilchar1@aol.com

08 August 2016

Attn: Kevin Ma, Lennar and Associates

Subject: City Council consideration of Sherwin Williams EIR Certification

PARC has asked the Planning Commission and intends to ask the City Council to deny certification of the EIR and recirculate it to correct what we believe to be deeply flawed traffic and parking models. The result of certifying the EIR, we believe, would negatively impact the living conditions for those already living in the neighborhood.

It must be understood that we want this project to move forward, but only if it enhances, not detracts from, the neighborhood. We are also encouraged by the fact that ongoing talks with Lennar have produced improvements in the planned project to date. Therefore, we hope that it might be possible to arrive at an agreement with Lennar prior to the August City Council meeting (or, failing that, no later than the September meeting) that would allow this project to stay on track.

In order to facilitate this, we are writing to propose accommodations that would, in our opinion, move this project to the condition of enhancing the neighborhood for all now living here. PARC believes that such commitments would allow the project to move past the EIR stage. This would not be a blanket approval of the project by PARC since it has not yet been fully detailed, and PARC will still take advocacy positions on other elements during the entitlement process, but these commitments would allow us to withdraw our objections to certifying the EIR.

1. PARC is seeking commitment that a one­time writing of checks allowing the project to be constructed in lieu of de facto community benefits not be pursued by the developer.

2. All community benefits should be in place when construction begins or upon completion of construction and prior to any occupancy.

3. PARC’s research into Nelson Nygaard has revealed that they are capable of producing award­winning TDMs. We believe that the current TDM is not award­winning. PARC is requesting that the TDM be re­written and strengthened to produce a 40% reduction below the expected traffic without a TDM. (We understand that the currentanticipated level is a 17% reduction, so this is a more than doublingof the effectiveness of the TDM plan.) We are requesting that the re­written TDM consider the following ideas (among others):

a. Include 10 permanent car­share parking spots regardless of the initial commitment by car­share providers ­ not counted against other on­site parking quotas, if possible;

b. Facilitate resident transport to West Oakland BART, such as EGR, shuttles, and/or Bike Share at the BART station;

c. Seek to provide transportation options to the neighborhood, thereby reducing already­existing traffic, but without attracting outsiders to drive to the neighborhood to access it, as AC Transit riders already do.

PARC is seeking commitment that the re­written and enhanced TDM will be published as part of the PDP submission and included in the application for approval of the PDP.

4. PARC is seeking commitment that the project comply with the Park Overlay District guidelines and that the developer Honor the history of the neighborhood and respect the architectural integrity of nearby buildings including Emeryville Warehouse Lofts, the Pelco Building at the corner of Park Avenue and Halleck Street and the Editions building at 1545 Park Avenue. We would like commitment that a contemporary design reflects the scale, massing and quality of materials of these buildings and uses materials with integrity such as brick, concrete and iron which are compatible with the surrounding older buildings in the neighborhood.

5. PARC is seeking commitment that all parking and material deliveries during construction be within the project and not on public streets.

6. The City does not have a parking plan for the neighborhood, parking is already a problem and restricted parking areas are not enforced. PARC seeks a commitment, in place prior to construction, between the City and the developer, requiring on­site parking for construction workers during construction, and also funding for parking enforcement in the Park Ave District both during construction and long­term, after occupancy.

7. First­floor parking in the project shall be shared between residents, workers, guests, shoppers and diners, and also with the neighborhood so that (for example) vacant commercial parking spots at night may be used efficiently when residents’ parking is filled.

8. PARC is seeking commitment that utilization of railroad services for a minimum of 50% of construction materials transportation be utilized during construction.

9. PARC is seeking commitment that the design shall include a public

"pass thru" in the existing building to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists.

10. PARC is seeking commitment that the final project shall have a permanent art gallery with a community meeting room. The site shall be an irrevocable license for the year­round use of the space as an art gallery.

11. PARC is seeking commitment for a public process for the design of the public aspects of the project including the parks, bike path and streetscape. These are going to be in public ownership or have public easements and deserves a public workshop to program the spaces.

12. PARC is seeking commitment that at least 17,000 sq feet be dedicated to true retail/cafe and that at least one space be outfitted with an infrastructure and appropriate utilities meeting current health department standards..

13. PARC is seeking commitment that the units in Parcel C will be sold as ownership units as soon as they are constructed.

14. PARC is seeking commitment that Hubbard, Sherwin Way and Horton Street be upgraded with underground utilities and new sidewalks per the recommendations provided in the Park Overlay District guidelines.

15. PARC is seeking agreement that Lennar submit a complete design for the project during the PDP process. Providing full­size, to­scale, Floor Plans with examples of unit plans, design mix of each building, programming of ground floor activated spaces, locations and layouts of parking garages, locations of lobbies and exit corridors, podium open space, balconies,, trash enclosures, loading areas. Provide accurate enlarged plans and sections.

We understand that time is short, and now that we have reached consensus on these points, and will make every effort to meet with you and/or Nelson Nygaard as often as necessary over the days and weeks to come, to reach agreement on proceeding.

Please contact Paul Germain regarding schedules, as Donna is unavailable for the next week.

Thank you. We look forward to working with you to create a great development.

Paul Germain, Donna Briskin, PARC Co­chairs