Column: Council Decisions About University Village Development Raise Questions

[Editor's Note: Learn about the proposed . The council is scheduled to vote Monday night . Albany Patch welcomes guest columns and letters to the editor via email at albany@patch.com.]

“The City of Albany is dedicated to maintaining its small town ambience, responding to the needs of a diverse community, and providing a safe, healthy and sustainable environment.” This statement is included on the agenda for City Council meetings.

The irony of the council that is three times the size allowed by current zoning, and to exempt the project from parking requirements that were passed through an election, has me wondering why they are aligned with a land developer.

It seems that throughout the process, many community concerns have been ignored. Rather than representing and negotiating for the people, the staff seems to have been directed to advocate for , in spite of the acknowledged environmental impacts, which may be far more significant than stated in the . The potential benefits of the project are highlighted while negative consequences and shortcomings are summarily dismissed.

Only a small percentage of Albanians have attended public meetings and I have found that very few people are even aware of the size of the development project. Many people like the idea of a new Whole Foods and senior housing. However, most folks that I have spoken with do not support the scale of the project as proposed. The council has passed on the responsibility of reigning in the project to the citizenry through the court system.

Some of the many questions that come to mind:

• Early in the process, a community member suggested an alternative plan that would include a 25,000 sq. ft. grocery store and senior housing. If evaluated in the EIR, CEQA seems to require that this alternative would be favored over the developer’s proposal. Why was this common sense alternative not evaluated?
• At least two attorneys cautioned the council that the EIR was problematic and would certainly face a judicial challenge. Why wouldn’t the council delay the vote, meet with those attorneys, and attempt to fix the EIR to avoid litigation? Who will pay for the city’s legal expenses?
• Is there an explanation for re-zoning the project to allow for a 55,000 sq. ft. grocery store when UC’s lobbyist has said that Whole Foods will be building a 42,000 sq. ft. store?
• The developer claims that will allow senior residents to remain in Albany. Albany residents will be given priority for 17 units. Are there 17 Albany residents who will be able to afford to live at Belmont Village?
• Are the minimum requirements for public notice enough to inform the community, especially those living between I-80 and San Pablo, about such a significant project?
• Has any polling taken place regarding the specifics of the project? If not, why?
• What is the intent of current zoning regulations and why are they being disregarded?
• Excluding the “outsiders,” a to the project as proposed. Why are their opinions being ignored?
• Is there a macro economic model of the project to support the assertion that it will contribute $200,000 annually to the city’s coffers?
• Who are the tenants that UC hopes to attract for the 30,000 sq. ft. of retail space that will not be a Whole Foods?
• What will be the financial impact of the project on locally-owned businesses?
• Aside from the grocery store, is more retail space needed in Albany?
• What has the city been doing to attract new businesses to fill currently vacant spaces?
• Are city resources spent supporting the developer taking away from efforts to stimulate spending at existing businesses?
• Why did the council approve a project without affordable housing?
• Could the council have requested some subsidy for Albany seniors?
• Having acquiesced to almost all of the developer’s plans, why not require the farmland be saved?

Frequently, UC’s relationship with Albany has been highlighted. Not mentioned:

• Children from University Village attend Albany schools, but the property is exempt from taxes that support the schools.
• The threat of removing the decades-old , which serves the children of University Village as well as the surrounding communities, is being used to divide people.
• UC has allowed the gateway to Albany to become blighted. The weeds and grasses are overgrown and graffiti on the fence is rarely cleaned. 

I hope that everyone with an opinion will come to this Monday’s meeting to express themselves. I feel that Albany’s small town ambience, as well as the healthy and sustainable environment, are in jeopardy.

--David Krebs

Albany Patch welcomes guest columns and letters to the editor via email at albany@patch.com.

Click the "Keep me posted" button below for an update when we publish future stories on the Whole Foods project. Learn about the proposed .