Measure C and the Albany Waterfront District
The Waterfront District is comprised of the Albany Bulb, land owned by the State known as Eastshore State Park, and
the race track (currently owned by Magna Corp.). In June 1990, Measure C was approved by the voters. This measure constrains
the allowable uses of the Waterfront to the following:
Commercial Uses:
- Commercial Recreation, including horse
racing, golf, tennis, swimming, and other commercial or spectator or participatory activities and uses which in the opinion
of the Planning Commission are of a similar nature.
- Waterfront- and sports-related commercial sales and services.
- Restaurants/Bars.
- Commercial parking lots.
Public and Quasi-Public Uses:
- Marinas
and boat launching ramps and related uses.
- Parks, golf courses, open space areas and other recreational facilities.
- Public utility and public service structures and installations.
Measure C also requires voter approval
for any of the following:
- Any amendment to the land-use designations for the Waterfront in the City’s General
Plan.
- Any amendment to the Waterfront Master Plan or other specific plan for the Waterfront.
- Any amendment
to the zoning ordinance for the Waterfront, including changes to the text and changes to the map of the Waterfront area.
- The entry into any development agreement with any developer for the Waterfront Area.
For any new development,
current CEQA law would require an environmental study, including an EIR. Current estimates of the cost of this process range
up to over $1,000,000, depending on the scale of the development project. If a developer files an application, they pay
for all costs, including reimbursing the City for all processing costs. The City would hire the consultants, conduct the hearings,
and control the process. The developer pays for it but cannot direct the City or the consultants hired by the City.
If
the City commenced its own waterfront planning process to initiate a waterfront and/or specific plan for the privately held
lands, it would use City funds to pay for it. This process could easily cost $1,000,000. The largest cost would be the
CEQA law and the EIR report would provide essential information necessary for the preparation of any plan. If the Council
committed the funds, then environmental, planning, and economic studies would be done. Public hearings would be held. The
voters would have to adopt the plan.
Any developer/owner would need to obtain a conditional use permit for those uses that
are already permitted under Measure C (see above).
Example: The racetrack owner requests approval for a permit
to construct a restaurant overlooking the track. This request would be processed like any other use permit and would require
CEQA review.
Any use not currently permitted, for example a large general-purpose retail development, would require voter
approval. The voters would also have to approve any change to land-use designation, change in zoning, amendment to
the Master Plan, and any development agreement that such a development would entail.
Example: The racetrack owner
submits an application for construction of a large retail/residential development, which would require voter approval under
Measure C. Although Measure C requires any necessary zoning or general-plan changes to be approved by the voters and not the
City Council, the City would process this request. This type of application would require legislative decisions (as
distinct from an application for a use permit which is an administrative process).
Legislative acts are not mandatory
and do not obligate any approvals, even after a full review and processing. That is, the Council would not be obligated to
pass the necessary legislation to move the process forward. Thus, an application could become permanently stalled. (This
is why Caruso Affiliated sought an agreement from the Council that it would process its application and that, after dealing
with any EIR mitigations, it would submit the necessary changes to the voters. The Council failed to provide this; so Caruso
did not submit its application.)