Alameda intends to bypass housing ban, develop ex-Navy base City intends to go around popular 40-year ban on new condos, apartments

The city is planning a development at Alameda Point with stores, offices and at least 800 housing units. The city is planning a development at Alameda Point with stores, offices and at least 800 housing units. Photo: Tim Hussin, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Tim Hussin, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 27 Caption Close Alameda intends to bypass housing ban, develop ex-Navy base 1 / 27 Back to Gallery

Alameda's 40-year ban on new multiunit housing appears headed for the scrap heap as the city embarks on an ambitious plan to build more than 800 apartments and condominiums - and not one single-family home - at its former Navy base overlooking San Francisco Bay.

Alameda opened its doors to developers on Thursday for proposals to build on two large bayfront parcels in the heart of Alameda Point, a 1,500-acre shoreline expanse that covers about one-third of the island and offers spectacular views of the bay, the East Bay hills and San Francisco.

The move comes as the demand grows for housing in San Francisco and Oakland, and it's expected to draw strong opposition from residents due to the limited access - three bridges and a tunnel - to the city.

The first project is 68 acres along the main thoroughfare and Seaplane Lagoon. It would include ground-level retail shops, offices, hotels and at least 800 apartments and condominiums. The second project is 82 acres reserved for corporate campuses or a large regional shopping outlet. That project includes no housing.

"The economy is very good right now, and we want to take advantage of that," said Alameda Point's chief operating officer for the city, Jennifer Ott. "Our hope is that these projects serve as a catalyst for the rest of the Alameda Point development."

Ultimately, Alameda Point will include 1,425 housing units, 250 acres of open space and a mix of light industry, offices and retail. Google recently signed a lease at the point for a renewable energy lab.

Alameda Point has been mostly vacant since the Navy left in 1997. At least two master developers pulled out of plans to build there in part because Alameda's 1973 ordinance, called Measure A, bans new apartments and condominiums on the island.

The last developer, SunCal of Orange County, tried to overturn the law in 2010, saying any profitable development at Alameda Point would be impossible without multiunit housing. Voters defeated that proposal by 85 percent.

After SunCal pulled out, the city took over as the master developer. To get around Measure A, the city is asking potential developers to apply for a state exemption to local land-use laws by including a certain number of affordable units for low-income residents, Ott said. The process is called a density bonus application.

"We went through a very thorough public process on this, and no one's challenged it," Ott said. "The opposition to SunCal's plan was based more on traffic and the sheer number of units - 4,800, compared to the 1,425 we're proposing."

Still, some residents mourned the apparent end of Measure A, which they credit with maintaining Alameda's small-town feel amid one of the most densely populated regions in the country.

"Measure A has become archaic. That's unfortunate, because that's what's saved this city," said Nancy Hird, a 15-year resident and community activist. "This housing plan totally violates what local people want, and there's nothing we can do about it. I think that's crummy."

Traffic and crowds are residents' primary gripes. Alameda, with about 75,000 residents, has only four land routes off the island. When one of those becomes clogged, the others almost instantly do, too.

When it's compete, Alameda Point will have about 4,000 residents and 9,000 workers, most of whom would rely on the Webster Street tunnel to get on and off the island. That tunnel is already near capacity, according to traffic analyses.

Alameda plans to give free bus passes to every resident and worker at Alameda Point and provide a free shuttle to Oakland's 12th Street BART Station, Ott said.

Thursday's announcement is a significant milestone in Alameda's long and contentious planning process for the point. The city has spent years negotiating with the Navy, developers and community groups over the fate of the land, which is among the largest, most scenic and most centrally located properties in the Bay Area.

Eugenie Thomson, a longtime Alameda resident and Measure A advocate, said she worries most about the traffic. Because Alameda is surrounded by water, options are limited. Widening the tunnel and bridges or adding a BART station would be extremely expensive and such a move is highly unlikely at this point, she said.

"I asked (city staff), how long will it take to get off the island? No response. How long will it take to get to work? Get across town? What if there's an accident in the tube? City Hall is just ignoring it," she said. "Will this change Alameda? Yeah, big-time."

The deadline for developers to submit plans is June 16, and the City Council will vote on the winners this fall.