25A Orinda Way: Planning commission here they come

Correction: In today's email we incorrectly stated the next planning meeting would take place on Thursday, February 23rd. The meeting is in fact on Tuesday, February 23rd. Now, onto the good stuff...

Back in December we wrote about proposed plans for a new commercial building at 25A Orinda Way, the empty lot across from the Orinda Library and Community Center. As previously mentioned, should this development become a reality, it would be the first new commercial building on the Village side of Orinda since the city was incorporated in 1985. 

In short, it's a big deal.

Last week we went down to the planning department for an update. What we found was that developer, Tandem Real Estate Company, submitted updated renderings and a vote will be taken on Tuesday, February 23rd by the planning commission at 7:00 PM at the Orinda Library auditorium. Draft plans are available to the public at the Planning Department at 22 Orinda Way, open 8-5 daily, closed for lunch 12-1. 

UPDATE: The final plans are now available online. 

The latest proposal shows that Tandem and the architect incorporated some suggestions from the December 8th public study session, and left out others. For example, the facade is now broken into varied finishes and materials with a clock tower added. 

They have widened the sidewalk to incorporate four existing street parking stalls into the design, reimagining them as additional outdoor seating.

And they have moved the parking lot entrance from Orinda Way around to the side of the building so cars will enter and exit via the same driveway used for the Vintage House.

They did not scale back the project in terms of height or setback from the street, as some had suggested. Nor did they incorporate more Spanish style elements to tie into Orinda's history. The design looks essentially the same as in December.

We are in support of downtown revitalization and hope that all stakeholders - the city, the developers and the community - are advocating for beautiful, high-quality design that will be attractive to an excellent tenant mix and fit in with Orinda's "village" character. After all, the building will be a cornerstone for decades to come.  It's important to get it right. 

We will be attending the planning meeting on the 23rd to ask some questions we have heard posed on the street. For example, 

• We'd love to see some "story poles" erected to show the scale of the project before it is approved. If you've ever seen a rough framework of 2x4s showing height and width of a new building or addition prior to construction, these are "story poles". This is an important way to see how the final building will scale in proportion to the lot itself, to pedestrians, neighboring structures and drivers.

An example of story poles from a project in Moraga

• Has enough space been allotted for commercial loading and unloading, and what is the plan for trash removal? Currently one parking space is designated as a loading zone. Will this be sufficient to support five retail/restaurant businesses plus office space upstairs? 
• We know that the developers can't lock up leases until the space exists, but we are curious to hear how they plan to excite and attract tenants. Based on many conversations we've had, we know that Orindans would love to support boutiques, small businesses and regional operators. Is there evidence from similar developments that the current design is conducive to attracting these types of tenants? 

Given all of this information, we are wondering how you are feeling about this project. If you have thoughts, we encourage you to get involved in the following ways: 

• Email feedback or questions for the planning department and commission to Derek Farmer (dfarmer@cityoforinda.org) and Tiffany Morlin (tmorlin@cityoforinda.com). They are very open to community input. Feedback sent before 5pm on the 17th will be passed along to the planning commission in the February 19th packet along with the final plans. All items submitted before noon on the 23rd will be passed along to the commissioners to consider prior to the meeting.
• Join our group at the planning meeting on February 23rd. There will be time for public comments at that meeting.
• Or send us an email to info@whatsupdowntownorinda.com with your thoughts or questions, we may be able to voice them at the meeting. 

Thanks for reading!

Welcome (back) to Orinda's new Planning Director

The City of Orinda has announced that Drummond Buckley, who served as Senior Planner in Orinda from 1996 through 1999 and subsequently Interim Planning Director, will be returning to Orinda as Planning Director effective February 29, 2016. 

We welcome Mr. Buckley back to Orinda and look forward to a new era of city planning.

According to a recent Contra Costa Times news brief, City Manager Janet Keeter wrote in a statement that "As we work together to discuss the future of Orinda, we need an individual at the helm who brings both fresh ideas and an intricate understanding of our city's complex planning process."  Ms. Keeter says "Mr. Buckley's experience both here in Orinda and in other communities will add tremendous value to our city's planning efforts."

Mr. Buckley served as Planning Director for the City of Sausalito from 2001 through 2004.  Of Mr. Buckley's background, local community organization Orinda Vision reports that he helmed his own consulting practice in San Francisco from 2004 to 2010 and that Mr. Buckley was most recently employed as Civilian Master Planner for URS Corporation with whom he served in Afghanistan, embedded with the US Air Force Base Engineer Emergency Force Squadron. In this role, he developed some 20 Base Master Plans throughout the country.

Mr. Buckley succeeds Interim Planning Director, Victor Carniglia, who temporarily assumed the role when Emmanuel Ursu retired in September of 2015 after a fifteen year run as Orinda's Planning Director.

We'll be on the lookout for signs of progress from Mr. Buckley and his team come March! 

Parking passion

Last week, What's Up Downtown attended a public information session on an upcoming parking study for downtown and impacted neighborhoods. If you’ve even scratched the surface on city issues, you know that parking is a complicated but key factor in improving our downtown. In fact, there was so much parking passion in the room we wish we had brought some popcorn!

The meeting was the first opportunity for the broader community to give input to TJKM, the contractor hired to gather parking data and make recommendations to the city on how to improve both parking and traffic flow. TJKM has also gathered with what seems to be a well-rounded stakeholder committee of neighborhood reps, city officials and a BART liaison.

Of the more than 50 people in the room, around 20 commented on a broad range of parking and traffic-related issues:

• Residents of the Bates/Muth and Brookwood areas lamented they are unable to park in front of their homes due to Bart overflow and 4 hour parking rules. Both have representatives on TJKM’s stakeholder committee.

• Did you know that it is the partial duty of just one Orinda police officer to enforce parking in downtown and surrounding neighborhoods? To us, this seems inadequate.

• One gentleman pushed for more bike and motorcycle parking to be a strong consideration of the study, pointing out how bike and moped adoption has increased as congestion has grown.

• Some lamented that if BART was to ever build a multi-story parking building, it would be used up by non-locals. “If you build it they will come,” they said. To which others replied, “If you don’t build it, they will still come and clog up our neighborhoods. In fact they already are!” Most agreed that priority parking for Orinda residents was an impossible battle to win. “After all, it is called BAY AREA Rapid Transit,” pointed out one attendee.

• What’s Up Downtown took the opportunity to let TJKM know just how long the Orinda BART monthly permit waiting list really is… currently 3+ years. That, coupled with a lack of enforcement downtown, means our commercial areas are bound to be clogged up with all-day parkers until something changes. Who is leaning on BART to fix it’s parking issue? What’s Up Downtown has previously heard it suggested that Steve Glazer could be the right person to convince BART to take action. City council member Eve Phillips let us know she is diving into the issue too. 

• Another gentleman passionately lamented the city leadership’s lack of forethought and that it should have been laying plans for more parking 20 years ago. “Stop kicking the can down the road!” he pleaded.

• Most agreed that coin operated meters are in opposition to the village character Orinda strives for. One attendee suggested coupling license plate reading technology with hourly limits, thereby eliminating the need for coin meters and circling meter maids, while another begged TJKM to spend some time in Lafayette to see what a nuisance meters can be.

• We also heard ideas for encouraging the owners of nearby private parking lots, many of which sit empty daily, to monetize their spaces rather than discourage parking. Seems smart to us, but it may only be a band-aid on a much larger problem.

• Not surprisingly, young families were noticeably under-represented at the meeting. Aren’t the non-retired the most likely to need BART or downtown parking every day to commute to and from work?

There will be more public forums as the study progresses and before final recommendations are made to the city.  We’ll keep you posted on those meetings. In the meantime, the consultants in charge seemed very open to input. Questions, suggestions and ideas can be directed to Tanya Gilmore tgilmore@cityoforinda.org who will pass them along to TJKM.

Of course, the big question is what the City will or won’t do with TJKM’s recommendations later this year.  We’ll be watching.

A three-hour tour

As we continue to educate ourselves about why our commercial area is what it is, we sought the expertise of residents who have been involved in Orinda’s downtown issues for years. Some were kind enough to join us on a walking tour of both the Village side (from the Country Club end of Orinda Way to the Shell gas station) and the Theater District. Over the course of nearly three hours we heard about almost every commercial property including who owns what, and the history of past efforts for improvement, investment, and redevelopment.

We came away from the tour feeling both energized by what COULD be, and depressed by the historically strong opposition to progress - even basic progress - among the stakeholders of our city. Here are some interesting highlights:

Country Club Area

Properties in the Country Club area from Camino Sobrante heading north along Orinda Way, including Avenida de Orinda, are good candidates for revitalization. The Phair's building, which was on the market for years, stands a better chance of being demolished and assembled with nearby properties in a new redevelopment plan.  Most of the these buildings date back to the 1940's-1950's with little attention paid to building facades, storefronts, ADA compliance and seismic upgrades. But the charming location, with exposure to the golf course, would benefit from a new retail/restaurant merchandizing plan. Concerns about this being a flood zone would have to be addressed, but this is not insurmountable and FEMA, for one, would like to get this area taken care of. 

Of note: One Camino Sobrante (the building across from Safeway where Starbucks is located) is a perfect example of positive change. Purchased in 1997, the current owner redeveloped a dilapidated property using a respected retail design firm and a local retail real estate company to market and lease the space. This is the only privately owned property in the Downtown Commercial District to be redeveloped in 30 years since the City's incorporation. 

The Village

We’ve all noticed the glaring incompatibility between Village Square (McCaulou's, Village Cafe), Bank of America and the Rite Aid/Post Office properties. Why can't the three property owners at least engage in a comfortable traffic and parking plan instead of the existing rat maze? Better yet, these properties are perfect candidates for assemblage, at least with Rite Aid, Post Office and BofA. We would think that if the businesses are part of a new development that looks attractive while maintaining its Village character, everyone would win. What if these funky, asphalt-heavy parcels (watch out for the transmission lines!) were purchased and redeveloped as a Town Square with grass and the old oak trees in the middle, retail and parking all around - similar to Healdsburg or Sonoma? Sounds heavenly to us!

The U-shaped combination of #17 Orinda Way (Clean Cleaners), #19 (Village Pizza, Parker Thatch) and #21 (Hilton House, UPS) fits well and looks like it belongs in the Village. Those older buildings are nothing fancy, but they are clean and well maintained with a nice tenant mix. The parking lot is even convenient with it’s well-defined entrance and exits, too.

Theater District aka "The Crossroads"

You may or may not be aware that the City has commissioned a study on downtown parking. (We attended last night's meeting and will give an update here soon). It turns out that 72% of the Theater District is covered with buildings, compared with 32% in the Village and 57% in the Country Club Plaza area. Four (4) two-story buildings on the east side of Moraga Way have no off-street parking which adds to the demand for street parking stalls. The Theater District is short by over 200 stalls, 100 of which are the result of the CVS, BevMo, Europa, Nations block. This block has the ability to add 300 below-ground parking stalls if a redevelopment plan is pursued by property owners, while at the same time creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment. 

Merchant Disinterest Amplifies the Problem

A number of Orinda retail and food businesses are closed on Sundays, the second busiest retail day of the week: McCaulou's, Hollyhock, Orinda Beauty Supply, The Medicine Shoppe, Turquoise Mediterranean Grill (also closed Saturday), Maya Mexican Grill, Morrison's Jewelers (also Monday), and Hilton House. We like these shops and restaurants but wonder if Sunday closings add to Orinda residents' disinterest in the Downtown, and give them more reasons to shop in Lafayette and Walnut Creek instead. Do Sunday closings communicate that Orinda is not open for business? Conversely, ground floor businesses at One Camino Sobrante (housing Starbucks mentioned above) are required to be open 7 days a week. 

Our biggest takeaway from the tour was that property owners hold the keys to our Downtown, and their way of looking at their properties determines whether we have a Downtown that is just occupied, or one that is vibrant and alive. And now the question becomes...what are Orindans going to do about it?

Thanks as always for following along, and please remember to tell friends and neighbors about our group, or share our posts on Facebook or NextDoor. 

What happened at 51 Moraga Way?

51 Moraga Way, one of Orinda’s most attractive commercial buildings, sits in a prime location next to Peet’s Coffee and front and center in the always-busy Crossroads/Theater district. For years the ground floor space was occupied by real estate offices, most recently Better Homes and Garden Real Estate.  Better Homes left in 2013, and their ground floor space sat empty for 1-1/2 years before another real estate firm relocated from Theater Square. 

Most visitors to Orinda’s Downtown probably noticed this in an off-handed way and moved on. We did. But What’s Up Downtown recently learned that this particular space is what the city code refers to as Type 1 space: "a retail floor of a building that faces or abuts a street" (17.8.5).  Retail and restaurants are allowed in Type 1 space, real estate offices are not allowed.  Further review of Orinda’s Municipal Code (Section 17.19) clearly states that a real estate office in a Type 1 space is "non-conforming", and if abandoned may not be reestablished. (17.19.5). 

So, what happened? This prime retail space sits vacant for over a year and in comes another non-conforming business. How did this happen without a formal approval process? We checked with the City of Orinda and their documentation on this seems flimsy at best, and still they Ok’d it. Essentially this issue hinges on what constitutes abandonment. 

We see this as a huge missed opportunity for Orinda. What if that charming storefront housed toys, clothes, housewares, or something for foodies like a bakery or a salad and sandwich shop? There are other non-conforming businesses in Orinda, what happens when they move out? Has a precedent been set?

If the City is not going to enforce its own codes, no wonder residents are frustrated with a lack of attention to the Downtown. Please call on City Council members and the Planning Department to ask why this was not enforced and how they plan to do better in the future. Please also share this story with your friends and neighbors, and if you haven't already, stay informed on What’s Up Downtown by signing up for more from us. 

25A Orinda Way: banal or progressive? You decide.

Close your eyes and imagine this: a new building in downtown Orinda across from the library and community center that is home to several retail and restaurant offerings. A place with adequate (and out of sight) rooftop parking. The businesses are immediately adjacent to the sidewalk, and store fronts boast giant bi-fold doors which open fully to allow for an active and engaging experience. Dining al fresco in downtown Orinda? Maybe in the near future. 

Renderings for a new development at 25 Orinda Way

This is the experience that developers Dana and Paul Ugenti of Tandem Real Estate Company hope to bring to Orinda. It's no wonder that both the planning commission and community members expressed their pleasure following Mr. Ugenti's presentation at the Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, December 8th.

The commission praised that the building incorporated rooftop parking and maximized use of a narrow lot. The five community members who opted to speak were in favor for the plan, with a caveat, or two. 

This was a study session, the purpose of which was to hear initial concepts and provide feedback, and as such, both the planning commission and the community had the opportunity to voice concerns and strong objections to the design of the building presented by the architect, Dave Johnson of Johnson Lyman Architects. Commissioner Katherine Hearey Faix went as far as to say that the structure looked like the type of "banal" buildings one might see in Walnut Creek. Ouch.

Both the commission and the commenters encouraged the developer to revise the design of the building to capture more of the "charm" and "village" feel that Orinda strives for. This, of course, means different things to different people. Some want the project to tie into the Vintage House aesthetic, while others wanted it to mirror the theater and library's art deco style. Spanish anyone, to work back to the Community Center, Orinda Motors, Orinda Country Club and many other nostalgic buildings in Orinda? Others still suggested that it could marry several of the the styles of architecture seen in Orinda Village in a way that suggests that the building grew organically over time. Just don't suggest Traditional style as Mr. Johnson did, only to be told that Traditional isn't a style, it's actually an adjective used to describe several styles of architecture. 

View of the proposed development from the Orinda Library

All-in-all, everyone who voiced an opinion at last night's session seemed enthusiastic about many aspects of this proposal. The developer reiterated that project he presented was an initial concept and his group is very open to input and design changes.  

Next steps for the project, TBD.  Let's hope we see some revised plans in the new year.  As vice chair Michael Hoeffel pointed out, if this project moves forward, this would be the first new commercial development on the Village side of Orinda since the town was incorporated in 1985. 

No pressure. 

(Project renderings can be reviewed here and feedback/comments can be sent to dfarmer@cityoforinda.org to the attention of the Planning Commissioners.)

This is happening

Thanks so much for visiting WHAT’S UP DOWNTOWN. We know from our conversations with friends and neighbors and the outpouring of support for the recent petition regarding downtown renewal that it is a topic you care about, deeply.

You want a more beautiful downtown. So do we. You want new retail options, a great gourmet market and new restaurants. So do we. You want a place to meet friends for a drink (gasp!). So do we. Let's work together to make this happen.

Good news! A groundswell of interest in downtown renewal is happening at a time when conditions are ripe for revitalization:

• The city council is ready to turn its attention to this topic and is in the final stages of hiring a new city planner
• Recent articles in the Contra Costa Times, Lamorinda Weekly and The Orinda News highlighted the support this issue is receiving from the community and the city council
• Many properties downtown that have been vacant or undeveloped have recently changed hands
• Long term commercial leases are coming up
• Plans to refresh the Brookwood Mini Park are currently being reviewed by city council members
• The city is about to embark on a parking study of downtown Orinda and adjacent residential neighborhoods
• Nearly 700 Orinda residents have signed the Downtown Petition initiated by Monica Fitzsimmons
• Local action groups have requested that the city continue forward momentum in this process

Our group’s goal is to keep our community informed and engaged in this process so that we see downtown Orinda reach its greatest potential.  

STAY INFORMED: We are leading busy lives in busy times and we understand that it can be challenging to stay in the loop.  Can't attend city council meetings in the evening?  We'll go for you and send you the scoop.  Don't have the time to follow the play by play of commercial real estate transactions, development plans and leasing turnovers downtown?  We'll do our best to find out and let you know what's going on. What are other local groups and community members saying and doing about downtown renewal?  We'll share that, too. 

BE ENGAGED: At key junctures, we'll seek your support and involvement via petitions, letter writing campaigns, meetings or email campaigns. Care to contribute a column to our WHAT'S UP NOW page or send us a news idea? Fantastic.  Just want to hear the latest? That's fine, too. Sign up to STAY INFORMED and we will send you updates.  

For you social types, we’re on Facebook and Instagram (@whatsupdowntownorinda).

We hope you’ll join us in making downtown Orinda a place to be proud of!