October 2008
Fern Tiger Associates Submittals

April 2008
Fern Tiger Associates Submittals

March 2008
Waterfront Committee Meeting Wednesday, March 5, 2008

February 2008
Consultant Selection Interviews held Wednesday, February 27, 2008 @ 7PM in the City Hall Council Chambers

January 2008
Statement of Qualifications from Consultants

December 2007

November 2007
City Council Meeting Tuesday, November 7, 2007

Unfinished Business: Item #7-1: Acceptance of Neuwirth & Associates Waterfront Planning Report, Referral of the Initial Steps of Implementation to the Waterfront Committee, and Dissolution of Waterfront Planning Consultation Selection Group.

  • For Neuwirth & Associates Preliminary Report, please see above under December 2007
  • For Neuwirth & Associates Final Report, please see above under December 2007 

    Waterfront Committee recommendation: In summary, the Committee recommends that the Council should proceed with Scenario #3 "A Grounded Visioning Program for the Waterfront".

    Planning & Zoning Commission recommendation: Although the Commission did not formally vote on endorsing any particular alternative, there was a consensus of support for the consultant's final recommendation.

    Staff recommendation: That Council proceed pursuant to the Waterfront Committee recommendation and the discussion at the Planning and Zoning Commission, as follows: 1) The Council accept the Neuwirth & Associates Preliminary and Final Report. 2) The Council refer initial steps of Scenario #3 to the Waterfront Committee for implementation including consultant solicitation and making a recommendation to the City Council on the selection of a consultant, detailed scope of work, budget, etc. 3) Dissolve the Waterfront Planning Consultant Selection Group.

June, July and August 2007
The City hired Neuwirth & Associates to prepare a draft work program for waterfront planning to present to the City Council. Attached is the scope of work for drafting the work program.

The following meetings between Don Neuwirth and City commissions and committees were held:

June 7: Waterfront Committee, Council Chambers, 7 p.m.
June 19: Waterfront Committee, Council Chambers, 7 p.m.
June 26: Planning & Zoning Commission, Council Chambers, 7:30 p.m.
July 4: Mr. Neuwirth was at a City booth at the Albany July 4th celebration in Memorial Park from Noon to 2 p.m.
July 11: Social & Economic Justice Commission, 8 p.m.
July 12: Parks & Recreation Commission, Community Center, 7:15 p.m.
July 23: Traffic & Safety Commission, Council Chambers, 7:30p.m. 

A Community Open House on the Waterfront Planning Process was held on August 4th at the Albany Community Center from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The commission and committee meetings with Don Neuwirth are being videorecorded for broadcast on the cable public access Channel 33. DVD copies of these meetings are also available for loan from the Albany Library, or for purchase from City Hall.

January 2007
City Council Meeting January 22, 2007

New Business: Item 8-1. Resolution #07-2 - A Resolution of the Albany City Council to Oppose Water Transit Authority Study of a Ferry Terminal Site at Buchanan or Gilman Streets.

November 2006
The Waterfront Planning Consultant Selection Group met on November 16, 2006 to finalize questions to be asked of the potential consultants during the interview process, confirm the consultants to be interviewed, and discuss final arrangements for the interviews.

Listed below are the consulting firms who submitted statements of qualification stating interest in serving as the City’s planning consultant. Copies of the Statements of Qualifications are available for review in the Community Development Office and CDs with electronic versions of the statements are available at no charge.

October 2006
The City received eight statements of qualification from consultants interested in serving as the City’s planning consultant. 

Please note: these SOQs are large PDF documents and may take a few minutes for it to open.

September 2006
City Council Meeting September 18, 2006

Consent Agenda Item #3-9: Televising the City-Initiated Waterfront Planning Consultant Selection Process.

Staff recommendation: Approve the televising of the City-Initiated Waterfront Planning Consultant Selection Process, which is scheduled for October 4, 2006, at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber.

Planning and Zoning Commission Recommendation to City Council
Agenda Consent Item: 3-16. Update on City-initiated Waterfront Planning Consultant Selection Process.

Staff recommendation: Provided for information only.

August 2006
In mid-August, a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) will be circulated to numerous consulting firms. The RFQ will request consultants to submit information about their technical abilities, experience, and interest in preparing plans for the future of Albany’s waterfront. They will also be asked to comment on how best to proceed with a planning process that includes a range of community viewpoints. The process of selecting a consultant will involve the Planning and Zoning Commission and other commissions and committees, and is expected to begin this fall.

Court Ruling on Albany Shoreline Initiative. On August 1, 2006, a court ruling determined that the initiative proponents had not taken the appropriate steps to publish and post the initiative, thereby prohibiting the initiative from appearing on the November ballot.

July 2006
On July 24, 2006, the Albany City Council adopted Resolution #06-50 authorizing a City Initiated planning process to generate a range of plans for the waterfront that would include the property owner, potential developer, proponents of the initiative, and other community members. The Council also authorized City staff to facilitate Planning and Zoning Commission sponsorship of the process in consultation with other commissions and committees, including soliciting qualifications and/or proposals from consultants.

Caruso Affiliated proposal
On July 18, 2006, Caruso Affiliated indicated they no longer intended to file a development application for the Golden Gate Fields property.


City Council Meeting Monday, July 17, 2006

3-1. Elections Code Section 9212 Report on the Albany Shoreline Specific Plan Initiative.

3-2. Proposal to process a development application by Caruso Affiliated for the Golden Gate Fields property that would lead to a completed Final Environmental Impact Report, and/or proceeding with a City-initiated Waterfront Planning Process.

  • Staff Report
  • Resolution 06-46
  • Letter From Caruso Affiliated to Councilmember Okawachi
  • Resolution 06-20

    Staff recommendation:

    1) If the City Council wishes to endorse a complete processing of the Caruso Affiliated application for Golden Gate Fields, including an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), staff recommends that (rather than adopting the attached Resolution #06-46), Council pass a motion to this effect and direct staff to return on July 24 with an implementing resolution: Note: If the City Council does not wish to endorse a complete processing of the Caruso Affiliated application, no action is necessary. The applicant continues to have the right to file an application, but understands that the City is not obligated to proceed to a final EIR.

    2) Regardless of whether the City Council wishes to commit to processing an EIR, staff would still like direction as to whether the Council desires to proceed with a City initiated Waterfront Planning Process. [If that is the case, staff recommends that the Council pass a motion directing staff to proceed with a separate planning process funded by the City, as opposed to being part of the EIR process funded by the applicant, and return on July 24 with an implementing resolution and funding plan.]