Land Use & Urban Design

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Richmond General Plan Update

Issues & Opportunities Paper 1: Land Use & Urban Design

DRAFT

Prepared In May 2006 by

Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc.

City of Richmond General Plan Update

CONTENTS

1.1 THE REGION______3

1.2 LAND USE IN RICHMOND ______5 1.2.1 The Past 100 Years: History, Change and Recent Trends ______5 1.2.2 Land Use Distribution ______9

1.3 URBAN DESIGN______16 1.3.1 City Structure & Physical Identity ______16

1.4 EXISTING PLANS______20

1.5 KEY PLANNING ISSUES/CONSIDERATIONS/OPPORTUNITIES _____ 27

2 DRAFT Issues & Opportunities: Land Use & Urban Design

1 LAND USE & URBAN DESIGN Land use and urban design are the fundamental building blocks of a city’s physical environment and character. Together, they create a citywide framework that supports and guides all development and growth. The types of uses permitted in a given area, the relationship between one use and another, the interaction between private and public lands, community character and a sense of place are all byproducts of a land use and urban design framework. To create a cohesive community in which each new development project fits into a greater community vision, the land use and urban design framework must be community-driven, comprehensive, consistent and inclusive.

The City of Richmond is well positioned to redefine and strengthen its land use and urban design framework. Despite a somewhat piecemeal approach to land use planning over the past decades, the community’s distinct history, active neighborhoods, location within the Bay Area region, desire for change and recent successes set the stage for creating a cohesive and dynamic city structure and community place.

1.1 THE REGION

The City of Richmond is situated between San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay and the San Pablo Ridgeline in the westernmost portion of Contra Costa County. Richmond sits along Interstate 80, directly across the water from the City of San Francisco, at a central axis of the San Francisco Bay Area region (see Map 1.1 - San Francisco Bay Area).

As a region, the Bay Area is an idyllic place to work, shop, live, learn, and play. In North America and within the context of the Pacific Rim, the Bay Area is a major economic and cultural center. The region’s natural beauty, mild climate, location on the West Coast and position as a gateway between North America and Asia has long made it an international destination for tourists, businesses and people looking for a new place to call home. Over the years, this diverse influx of people has itself become part of the Bay Area’s character and is arguably one of the region’s strongest assets.

Though composed of 101 cities, 9 counties, and nearly 7 million residents, in several manners the Bay Area functions as a single, integrated place. It is not rare for someone to live in one county, work in another county, and go for weekend hikes in an entirely different county, all within the region. Regional transportation options such the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), a regional open space and park network, consolidated infrastructure systems and facilities, and regional planning agencies are some of the initiatives that connect the many distinct parts of the Bay Area together into one regional place.

DRAFT 3 City of Richmond General Plan Update

Map 1.1 – San Francisco Bay Area

4 DRAFT Issues & Opportunities: Land Use & Urban Design

In recent years, the Bay Area, along with many other places along the West Coast, has experienced extreme population growth. Between 1980 and 2000 the population grew by approximately 30% from 5,179,780 residents to 6,783,760 residents1. Over the next 20 years the region’s population is projected to increase by another 14% to approximately 8 million residents2. While some of the region’s cities and counties have been more significantly impacted by this growth than others, every part of the region has somehow been affected.

The demand for more housing, jobs, services and amenities continues throughout the region. While several of the outermost located jurisdictions have the option to accommodate these demands by placing new development along the edges of existing development, many of the Bay Area’s cities and counties have already grown as far their jurisdictional or urban growth boundaries permit. Without the possibility of outward expansion, these cities and counties have to respond to growth demands through other means such as growth control measures or incentives for infill development.

Jurisdictions choosing infill development as a solution are changing their land use regulations to allow for more intense utilization of already developed land. Tapping into existing infrastructure, amenities and services, infill development strategies are being implemented with success throughout the region and beyond. The cities of El Cerrito, Emeryville, Walnut Creek, Oakland, and Berkeley are amongst the many cities in the Bay Area encouraging infill development as a way to revitalize their urban areas, make efficient use of land, and accommodate growth demands.

Bay Area jurisdictions have a unique opportunity to learn from one another and work together to address regional issues. Building on existing partnerships and joint planning efforts, collaboration between the various jurisdictions and agencies is increasing. The 580 and 80 freeways, the San Pablo Avenue Corridor, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, the Richmond Line BART terminus, multiple rail lines and the Richmond Port are all integral pieces of the regional transportation network located within the Richmond’s city limits means. This important regional infrastructure along with Richmond’s location, amenities, and physical shape, which borders six different jurisdictions, make it a key regional player and an inherently strong candidate for participation in collaborative planning efforts.

1.2 LAND USE IN RICHMOND

1.2.1 The Past 100 Years: History, Change and Recent Trends Richmond’s land use pattern and character has largely been shaped by the city’s history as an industrial center and transportation. The natural shoreline and easy access to both the Bay and the rest of the country, set Richmond up to become a center for industry before it was incorporated as a city in 1905. In the late 1880’s, as jurisdictional

1 Bay Area Census: Population by County, 1860-2000, Association of Bay Are Governments, 2005 2 Bay Area Regional Projections, Association of Bay Area Governments, 2005

DRAFT 5 City of Richmond General Plan Update boundaries were formally recognized, land ownership disputes were settled and the Santa Fe railway was laid down through the countryside with its terminus at Richmond’s shoreline, the original ranch owners began to sell their properties to speculators who, upon purchasing it, subdivided it into small lots ready to be improved into workforce housing and town amenities.

In 1901, Pacific Coast Oil (later to become Standard Oil and then Chevron) opened an oil refinery close to Point Richmond. At the time, Point Richmond and the surrounding lands were both remote and distant enough from the emerging metropolis of San Francisco to be inexpensive and inconspicuous and close enough to the major transportation nodes to be productive and efficient. The refinery became the largest employer in Richmond and expanded to encompass nearly 1,800 acres of land. In addition to Pacific Coast Oil, other port, industrial and manufacturing uses established themselves along or near Richmond’s waterfront. Residential and other uses needed to support the industrial businesses were established in the flatlands to the east, beyond the original city site in Point Richmond. As the industrial businesses and transportation industries increased their capacity, and the need for more worker housing and amenities grew, the residential and commercial area now known as Central Richmond expanded. By second decade of the 20th Century, MacDonald Avenue was the recognized city center, hosting all the major civic and commercial uses.

While growth in Richmond was steady for the first 4 decades of the 20th Century, the City’s population spiked dramatically with the commencement of the Second World War, increasing 330% from 23,642 residents to over 101,000 in under 7 years3. Men and women from all over the United States came to Richmond to work at Henry Kaiser’s shipbuilding yards and other wartime industries operating out of Richmond’s waterfront. The demand for housing, services, and amenities brought about by the arrival of workers and their families sharply outpaced the supply. Hasty new construction intended to temporarily serve the wartime workers took place throughout the city.

After WW II, the need for war-serving industries dropped off sharply. Richmond was left with a large population comprised primarily of workers with very limited skills and inadequate infrastructure. In an effort to progress forward and to meet the needs of its new residents, the city began a series of expansions, annexations and redevelopment projects that significantly changed the city’s structure and character (see Map 1.2 - Annexation History).

A steady decrease in population between the end of the 1940’s and the beginning of 1970’s meant that the housing, shopping and service capacity built up during the war and immediately postwar era became less utilized. Residential and commercial vacancy rates soared in Richmond until the 1980’s when the regional residential real estate boom began to impact the city. Interest in Richmond’s existing housing stock and undeveloped land, both of which were very affordable in comparison to housing and land available in other coastal cities in the region, finally brought the population back to its historic WWII peak.

3 1943 & 1947 Special Federal Census Count; US Census; City of Richmond

6 DRAFT 4

TEN

N EN SYCAM OR T A E AVE

VE Figure 1.2

E R AV EF Annexation History O UG L IO AB P VA AN L S Y LE W Y

AN I HERCULES

k COUNe TY APP Re e fug San Pablo Bay r io C C ree ty P ri I-80 k r I a N

G O

L Original City E Annexations

A Y L W L K PINOLE P E Y D R N D ANX_DA O M H 1905 - 1945 IC R R P in D o l E e 0 C M r ee U COUNTY k L B A LHAM 1946 - 1971 BRA R ILLTOP DR V D h H A 1 - 1905 e em Cre V LL ek Y A EY W L R N L D IA E Y IANT R PP G A V I E W 1906 - 1945

R 1971 - Present

D Creek VD San Pablo MRILL BL RU 1946 - 1971 COUNTY COUNTY AM RD BR R O D OO RD 20 D PABL KS EL PORTA L SAN ANCH RD Y IDE R DR TRO W CAS 1972 - 2006 SAN PABLO Highways COUNTY RICHMOND PK Major Arterials CONTRA COSTA Local Roads E T AV COUNTY BRYDE MC

13TH S T BART Alignment and Stations

3RD S A

2 ANO SOL COUNTY

BARR Richmond ET D T AVE W V MACDONALD AVE BART Station ildc at C BL re D ek AR R R

A Y G BART - Richmond Line C I-580 ARLS San Pablo

OUR W A RL O IN N BL El Cerrito Del Norte G Reservoir T O HARB BART Station WEST CUTTING B VD N LVD CUTTING 10 BLVD B L V D 5 ACRES POTRERO AVE EL CERRITO S A N P N AB

L O A LN I-80 R VE ESE 0 0.5 1 2 MILES San Francisco Bay MO

KENSINGTON VE Richmond Inner Harbor AL A AVE CENTR NT MOU FAIR El Cerrito Plaza BART Station

ALAMEDA COUNTY

Source: City of Richmond, Contra Costa County, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Thomas Bros. Maps, US Census, State of California, MIG Inc. Thomas Bros. Map data reproduced with permission granted by THOMAS BROS. MAPS. THOMAS BROS. MAPS data is copyrighted by THOMAS BROS. MAPS. It is unlawful to copy or reproduce all or any part thereof, whether for personal use or resale, without the prior, written permission of THOMAS BROS. MAPS. City of Richmond General Plan Update

8 DRAFT Issues & Opportunities: Land Use & Urban Design

Along with the new residents, the new development projects began to redefine parts of the city. The Hilltop Regional Shopping Center development, in particular, reorganized the city by drawing the commercial emphasis away from MacDonald Avenue and the Civic Center. Other developments such as the Easter Hill planned residential community and the Harbor Redevelopment Project diversified Richmond’s residential and recreational opportunities.

Though population growth in Richmond is projected to remain slower than that of many of the Bay Area’s other cities, the steady growth expected over the next decades marks a new era for the city. Richmond is growing and, unlike in the city’s past, the growth is not driven by heavy industry. Instead, the growth is being driven by people’s desire to own homes, raise families, open businesses, participate in innovative companies, and be part of the existing Richmond community.

While industrial uses still occupy much of Richmond’s waterfront lands and continue to represent an important part of the city’s economy and identity, land use trends in Richmond are changing. There is a strong interest in allowing for a variety of residential, commercial, and mixed use development that support and address community needs and desires unrelated to heavy industry. Many examples of this type of development are already well established in Richmond. Among these are Marina Bay, the Richmond Transit Village, and the AF Evans mixed use project on 12th Street and MacDonald Avenue. Realized in these developments is the emerging trend toward projects that provide walkable environments, a mix of land uses and building types, quality design, and safe community amenities, such as parks and entertainment opportunities, that are accessible to all residents.

1.2.2 Land Use Distribution The distribution of land use in Richmond is intimately tied to both the city’s industrial and port history and the geography that initially inspired development in the area.

Water and transportation-dependent industrial uses established between the beginning of the 20th Century and the end of WWII still line much Richmond’s shoreline. Residential uses that initially supported housing for city’s first generations of workers spread inward from the industrial uses to the flatlands, along a traditional city grid street network. Newer residential areas annexed and developed in a piecemeal fashion after WWII spread out into areas of diverse elevations and topography and that are almost entirely disconnected from the other parts of the city. Though commercial uses still exist in the city’s historic city centers of Point Richmond and MacDonald Avenue, newer commercial uses have settled into the Hilltop area, along major arterials, and in the research and development area near the Inner Harbor. The majority of the remaining land within the City boundaries has, over time, been turned into open space or recreation uses, much of which are located at Richmond’s extremities (see Map 1.3 - Existing General Plan Land Use and Figure 1.1).

DRAFT 9 City of Richmond General Plan Update

Figure 1.2: Land Uses as % of Total City Land*

3.6% 4.4% Commercial Industrial 19.4% Mixed-Use Residential Public and Institutional Parks and Open Space 0.56% 49.3%

20.6%

2.2%

*Approximation based on City of Richmond Geographic Information Systems land use data

Residential Uses Residential uses account for approximately 20% of land uses in Richmond Approximately 70% of the residential uses are low density4 (5 to 9 dwelling units per acre) or very low density (0 to 5 dwelling units per acre). Low density residential is concentrated in Central Richmond, south of Hilltop Regional Shopping Center, in the El Sobrante Valley, and in the South area of the city on either side of Interstate 80. Very low density residential is primarily located in the hills and in Point Richmond.

Medium density (9 to 28 dwelling units per acre) residential constitutes the second largest portion of the residential uses in Richmond, accounting for approximately 20% of all residential designated land. Medium density residential parcels are found in clusters in several areas of the city including Point Richmond, Central Richmond, along the El Cerrito border, the Brickyard Cove/Seacliff area, around the Richmond Country Club, and close to Hilltop Drive.

Approximately 8% of residential land in Richmond is designated as high density (28 to 43 dwelling units per acre) residential. Groupings of high density residential parcels are

4 The 1994 Richmond General Plan uses net acreage to calculate density. Net acres include lot area available for development and do not include roads, easements, floodways, etc. According to the 1994 Richmond General Plan “net acreage for residential densities is assumed to constitute 75 percent of gross acreage for all uses, except for multiple family development, where it is assumed to comprise 80 percent.”

10 DRAFT 4

TEN

N Figure 1.3 EN SYCAM OR T A E AVE VE EXISTING GENERAL PLAN

E R AV EF O UG BL IO A V (1994) P A N L SA Y L EY W R HERCULES D

k COUNe TY APPIAN Re e fug San Pablo Bay r io C C ree ty P ri I-80 k r I a N

G O City of Richmond

A Y L W L K PINOLE P E Y General Plan Land Use D R N D O City Center M H General Commercial IC R R P Neighborhood Retail in D o l Neighborhood Retail /Industrial/Office Flex E e C M r Regional Office/Shopping ee U COUNTY k L General Commercial /Medium (9 to 28 DU/Acre) Residential B ALH General Commercial /Industrial/Office Flex AMB R RA Rh HILLTOP D VA General Commercial /Light Industry e em Cre V LL ek Y A EY Water Related Commerce & Commercial Recreation W L R N L D Light Industry IA E Y PP Heavy Industry GIANT RD A V I E Industrial/Office Flex W

Industrial/Office Flex /Light Industry /General Commercial /Water Related Commerce & Commercial Recreation / R D Industrial/Office Flex /Light Industry blo Creek VD San Pa Industrial/Office Flex /Light Industry /Port/Marine Terminal/Ship Repair MRILL BL RU Industrial/Office Flex /Regional Office/Shopping General Commercial /Light Industry /Port/Marine Terminal/Ship Repair COUNTY COUNTY AM RD BR R O D Port/Marine Terminal/Ship Repair OO RD 20 D PABL KS EL PORTA L SAN ANCH RD Y IDE R DR TRO Public & Institutional W AS C Very Low (0 to 5 DU/Acre) Residential Low (5 to 9 DU/Acre) Residential SAN PABLO Medium (9 to 28 DU/Acre) Residential Low (5 to 9 DU/Acre) /Medium (9 to 28 DU/Acre) /High (28 to 43 DU/Acre) Residential COUNTY High (28 to 43 DU/Acre) Residential

RICHMOND PK Low (5 to 9 DU/Acre) Residential /Preservation/Resource Areas Recreation Lands (incl. Community Parks & Facilities, Regional Parks & Facilities, Community Open Space, Trails, & Golf Courses) Recreation Lands /Preservation/Resource Areas CONTRA COSTA Recreation Lands /Water Related Commerce & Commercial Recreation E Recreation Lands /Water Related Commerce & Commercial Recreation /Light Industry /Industrial/Office Flex /General Commercial T V COUNTY A Other Types of Open Space (incl. Sanitary Landfill, Cemeteries, & Water) BRYDE MC Preservation/Resource Areas (incl. Ag. Lands, Mineral Resources, Salt Marshes, Mudflats, & Creek Corridors)

13TH S T

3RD S A

2 ANO SOL COUNTY

BARRE Richmond T D T AVE W V MACDONALD AVE BART Station ildc at C BL re D ek AR R R

A Y G BART - Richmond Line C I-580 A RLS San Pablo OUR W A RL O IN N El Cerrito Del Norte G Reservoir B T O HARB L BART Station 10 WEST CUTTING B V N LVD CUTTING D BLVD B L V D 5 ACRES

POTRERO AVE EL CERRITO S A N P N

L O A LN I-80 R 0 0.5 1 2 MILES VE ESE San Francisco Bay MO

KENSINGTON

AVE Richmond Inner Harbor AL TR AVE CEN NT MOU FAIR El Cerrito Plaza BART Station

ALAMEDA COUNTY

12 DRAFT Issues & Opportunities: Land Use & Urban Design

located in the Marina Bay development, between Barrett Avenue and MacDonald Avenue, along Carlson Boulevard, and around the Hilltop area.

While each residential density land use category is assigned a density range, there are no enforced minimum densities. As a result, development can occur at densities lower than the suggested range in any residential land use category. The same does not apply to maximum densities. Maximum densities are enforced and can only be surpassed with the awarding of a density bonus.

Figure 1.2: Residential Densities as % of Total Residentially Designated Land*

Very Low (0 to 5 DU/Acre) 0.7%

7.8% 14.5% Low (5 to 9 DU/Acre)

20.0% Low (5 to 9 DU/Acre) / Preservation & Resource Areas

Medium (9 to 28 DU/Acre) 0.3% 56.7% Low (5 to 9 DU/Acre) / Medium (9 to 28 DU/Acre) / High (28 to 43 DU/Acre) High (28 to 43 DU/Acre)

*Approximation based on City of Richmond Geographic Information Systems land use data

Transit-Oriented Development Uses While certain parcels and areas of the city have been designated for more than one land use, the land use categories themselves are usually defined singularly as residential, commercial, industrial or open space/recreation. The most notable exception to this is the City Center land use category.

This City Center category was adopted as amendment to make the 1994 General Plan consistent with the 2001 City Center Specific Plan with the general intent of supporting high intensity, mixed use, transit-oriented, residential and commercial development in the downtown. Along with the specific plan, this use category covers the area of Richmond, roughly enclosed by 6th Street, Barrett Avenue, 21st Street, and Bissell Avenue. Both the central portion of MacDonald Avenue and the Richmond BART and Amtrak Station are located in the City Center area. The 2001 City Center Specific Plan describes the land use

DRAFT 13 City of Richmond General Plan Update regulations for this area in greater detail (see Issues & Opportunities Paper 7: Zoning Diagnostic & Specific Plans Analysis).

Commercial Uses Commercial uses account for approximately 4% of all land uses in the city5. The majority of the land solely designated as commercial is located in one of Richmond’s commercial centers or along the city’s main arterial roadways, and is categorized as Regional Office/Shopping, General Commercial, or Neighborhood Retail.

Regional Office/Shopping provides for large-scale retail, high quality office and mixed use development with a maximum floor area ratio (FAR)6 of 2. Development in this category is primarily characteristics by auto-oriented, department (or “big box”) stores with extensive parking and landscaping. Regional Office/Shopping land is consolidated along Interstate 80 near the Alameda County boundary, at Hilltop Regional Shopping Center, near Point Pinole, and West of the junction of MacDonald Avenue and Interstate 80.

With a maximum FAR of 2.0, the General Commercial use category supports a variety of commercial uses that are more oriented to freeway traffic, such as gas stations and motels, to uses that are compatible with a pedestrian-oriented environment, such as small- scale restaurants and shops. Most of Richmond’s commercial corridors, including San Pablo Avenue, MacDonald Avenue, and 23rd Street, are predominantly designated as General Commercial. Commercial development along most of these corridors can be described as either being low intensity, auto-oriented, and “strip mall” in character. However, some of the development in the historic commercial areas of Richmond is better described as small-scale, resident-serving shops.

The Neighborhood Retail use category is intended to support commercial uses that meet the retail needs of the immediate neighborhoods in which they are located. Small corner stores and barbershops are typical uses found in area designated as Neighborhood Retail. Unlike Regional Office/Shopping and General Commercial, Neighborhood Retail is primarily located in small clusters or strips near to arterial interceptions. The maximum FAR for this use category is 2.0.

Water Related Commerce and Commercial Recreation is the lowest intensity commercial use category in Richmond with a maximum FAR of 0.6. Land designated as Water Related Commerce and Commercial Recreation is located in groups along or near the shoreline. In addition to Richmond’s marinas, boat sales, sail making and fish markets are among the uses intended for this commercial use category.

5 The commercial uses in Richmond include both office and retail uses and, according to rough calculations, constitutes approximately 5% of the land in the city. However, it is important to note that much of the land designated as retail or office is also designated as light industrial or industrial/office flex. Likewise, much of the land designated as industrial is also designated as commercial. Therefore, it is difficult to calculate exactly how much land is one use or the other. Much of the land near the Inner Harbor designated as both commercial and industrial is intended to accommodate quasi uses such research and development. 6 Floor area ratio (FAR) is the ratio of a building floor area to the total site area. For example a one story, 500 sq. ft. building on a 1000 sq. ft. lot has an FAR of 0.5. Similarly, 2 story, 1000 sq. ft. building on a 1000 sq. ft. lot has a FAR of 1.0.

14 DRAFT Issues & Opportunities: Land Use & Urban Design

Research and Development Uses Research and Development, like Transit-Oriented Development, is not an official land use category in the Richmond. Despite this, Richmond is home to several large and small-scale research and development and/or biotech businesses. These businesses are predominantly located South of Interstate 580 and along the Richmond Parkway in areas designated as industrial, commercial, or both.

Industrial and Port Uses Industrial and port uses account for approximately 19% of all land uses in Richmond, encompassing a diversity of uses ranging from warehousing and biotech campuses to ship repair and fossil fuel refineries. These uses are concentrated along the city’s shoreline and railroads, where they have been located for more than a century. However, the introduction of other land uses into the shoreline areas has begun to fragment the historical industrial and port land use pattern.

Industrial/Office Flex allows for an FAR of up to 0.50 and permits uses such as light manufacturing, product development and testing, engineering and sales development, printing & publishing, and small distribution facilities. The majority of land designated as Industrial/Office Flex or a similar use is located close to the shoreline, South of Interstate 580.

Light Industry allows for an FAR of up to 0.65 and permits uses as diverse as light manufacturing, warehousing, research, commercial nurseries, and printing and publishing. Light Industry uses are primarily located close to Interstate 580, adjacent to the railroads, and in other industrial and commercial use areas. “Buffer” uses, such warehousing, are intended to occupy Light Industry designated sites that border non- industrial site. This is meant to ensure compatibility between uses.

Heavy Industry uses are predominantly found on or near the land owned by Chevron, North of Interstate 580 and West of the Richmond Parkway. Heavy Industry uses include oil refineries, storage yards, warehouses, machine shops and other larger scale heavy industrial uses. Small-scale retail and specific kinds of commercial nurseries are also permitted in this category. This designation allows for an FAR of up to 0.5.

Lands designated as Port/Marine Terminal/Ship Repair are concentrated around the Santa Fe Channel and dot other parts of the City’s shoreline. This use designation is intended to support municipal and private marine terminals and port-related or port-dependent uses such ship repair, cargo handling, and ancillary manufacturing. However, in addition to appropriate port-related uses, uses not requiring proximity to the Port occupy land in this use category. An example of this is automotive storage and other types of warehousing. The maximum FAR is this land use designation is 0.5.

Public Uses Non-open space public land uses account for only a small portion, approximately 2%, of the total land uses in Richmond. Parcels in this land use category are scattered throughout

DRAFT 15 City of Richmond General Plan Update the city and host both local and regional public uses, as well charitable, non-profit and religious uses (see Issues & Opportunities Paper 5: Community Facilities).

Open Space Uses Open space uses comprise approximately 49% of all land uses in the City of Richmond, making it Richmond’s largest overall land use category. Included in this category are preservation and resources areas, recreation lands, archeological and cultural resources, and other types of open space such as sanitary landfill and water. While much of Richmond’s open space lands permit public recreation and provide for ecological preservation, many of the open space designations support the opposite by allowing for uses including mineral excavation and industrial.

Open space uses, including recreation, are disproportionately located, serving some areas of the city much better than others. The majority of parks and other open space are located at Richmond’s extremities, away from the City’s central area where most of the population lives. Expansive areas of open space and parks are located in Wildcat Canyon, Point Pinole, Point Molate and the Miller-Know Regional Shoreline near Ferry Point. Smaller community serving parks and recreation uses are located along the eastern portion of the Inner Harbor and scattered throughout the city (see Map 1.4 – Parks & Open Space).

1.3 URBAN DESIGN

1.3.1 City Structure & Physical Identity As with its land use pattern, Richmond’s city structure has been directly influenced by the city’s natural setting and industrial history. The area’s varied topography and shoreline, the City’s many incremental annexations, dredging and filling along the waterfront, and the location of major transportation corridors have all contributed to what turns out to be an unusual city form and jurisdictional boundary. The city’s large, disjointed shape meanders from the Bay up into the hill, surrounding the City of San Pablo, whole portions of Contra Costa County, and the majority of the City of El Cerrito.

A result of Richmond’s fragmented city structure is the city’s discontinuous physical identity. No clear physical indicators or cohesive design features exist to differentiate Richmond from other places or unite it as a whole. While some parts of the city, such Point Richmond, the Chevron tank farms, and Rosie the Riveter Park, seem to be distinctly Richmond, other parts are nearly impossible to distinguish from El Cerrito, Pinole, Albany, San Pablo, or Contra Costa County. The outcome is a mélange of corridors and districts wanting a unifying identity.

16 DRAFT Foxboro Park 4

BayfrontParkTEN San Pablo Bay San Pablo Bay N Regional Shoreline EN SYCAM Regional Shoreline OR T A E AVE Figure 1.4 VE Refugio Fernandez Park Point Pinole Valley Park Woodfield Regional Shoreline Ohlone Park Park E R PARKS & OPEN SPACE AV Meadow EF Montara Bay O UG L Park IO Community Ctr AB P VA N L SA Y L Louis Francis EY Montavin W Park RD Park HERCULES

k COUNe TY APPIAN Re e fug San Pablo Bay r io C C ree ty CANYON DRIVE PARK P ri I-80 k r I a N

G O City of Richmond

Richmond Sarah Drive V

A Y Country Club Park L W L K PINOLE P E Y D R N Hilltop Lake Park D O Other Jurisdictions M H Amber Swartz IC Park Parchester R R Pi Hugh Young Park D n o l Open Sapce E e C M r Hilltop Green ee U k L Park COUNTY B ALH Regional Parks AMB R RA R ILLTOP D Pinole Park VA he em C H V L re Hilltop Park A L ek Y EY W L R N L D IA E Y PP GIANT RD A V I Rolling E W City and County Parks Hills Lamoine Park Fairmede Park R Contra Costa Memorial D VD Pablo Creek College Park San Sobrante Ridge MRILL BL (West Campus) RU Regional Preserve COUNTY COUNTY AM RD BR R O D OO RD 20 D PABL Waterbodies KS EL PORTA L SAN ANCH RD Y IDE R DR TRO W John Hubert Rain Cloud CAS Davis Park Saint Joseph Park North Richmond Cemetary Ball Park SAN PABLO Olinda School Field COUNTY

RICHMOND PK Streams Alvarado Shields-Reid Park Park CONTRA COSTA Highways E Kennedy Grove T AV Regional Recreation COUNTY BRYDE MC Area Major Arterials Belding- Kern 13TH S T Wendell Park Point Molate Garcia Playlot Lucas Park Beach Park Park Playground Humbolt Park VE Local Roads 3RD S A

2 ANO Burg Park SOL Wildcat Canyon Regional Park Elm Solano COUNTY Stewart Playlot Playlot BART Alignment and Stations Playgroud Tiller Park Richmond BARRE TT AVE W D MACDONALD A Richmond Mira Vista il V VE BART Station dca Other Railroads BL Park t C Nevin Park City Hall Center re D Memorial Tassajara ek AR Atchison Village Park Nicholl R Park R Park Park

A Y Mira Vista Country G BART - Richmond Line Club & Golf Course C I-580 A Canyon Trail RLS San Pablo OUR W Park A RL Martin Luther O IN Reservoir Point Richmond Boorman N John F El Cerrito Del Norte G King Memorial Park B T Park Kennedy Park O Civic Triangle WEST CUT HARB LV BART Station Hillside Natural 10 TING BLVD D N CUTTING BLVD Abraham Area B L Washington Park Braxton Park V D 5 ACRES Plaza One Park Arlington POTRERO AVE EL CERRITO Park Castro Hillside Natural Booker T S A Park Area Anderson Jr Park N P N

AB Miller / Knox Marina L Casa Cerrito Regional Shoreline Park & Green Crecent Park O A Rec Ctr LN Rosie the I-80 R MILES VE SE 0 0.5 1 2 E Cerrito Huber San Francisco Bay Riveter Park MO Vista Park Park Monterey Playlot Sheridan Point Park Tilden Vincent Park Regional Park Fairmont Park KENSINGTON

AVE Sunset View Richmond Inner Harbor AL TR AVE Cemetary CEN NT OU Point Isabel M FAIR El Cerrito Plaza Regional Shoreline BART Station

Brooks Island

East Bay Shoreline State Park ALAMEDA COUNTY

18 DRAFT Issues & Opportunities: Land Use & Urban Design

Richmond’s Transportation Corridors: Paths & Edges Entire sections of the city are physically connected to the rest by little more than a roadway. Other sections are disconnected from the rest of the city by roadways. It is in this manner that Richmond’s transportation corridors serve as both physical paths and edges.

Paths connect one area to another, facilitate movement within an area, and provide a visual queue of where to go. Edges do the opposite by indicating where an area ends and providing a visual queue of where not to go.

Depending on their design and location, roadways and transportation corridors can be paths, edges, or both. The majority of Richmond’s key paths are the city’s arterial roadways and the central city’s local grid street network. These paths allow movement from one area of the city to another and within each area they traverse. The interstate freeways, railroads, and the Richmond Parkway, on the other hand, act as physical edges, disconnecting sections of city from one another, and providing direct access to only a limited amount of the areas they cross through (see Map 1.5 – Transportation Corridors: Key Paths & Edges).

Several other paths exist in Richmond that, though they are much less apparent than large streets and freeways, have an important impact on the development of the city’s structure. Particular among these is the San Francisco Bay Trail. The Bay Trail connects portions of Richmond to a network of regional walking and cycling trails. Though presently incomplete, the Richmond sections of the trail are planned to eventually be continuous and will predominately run along the shoreline (for more information on transportation see the Issues & Opportunities Paper 8: Transportation & Circulation).

Neighborhoods & Districts The majority of the residential development is organized into 36 distinct, City-recognized neighborhoods, predominantly located in Central Richmond, around the Hilltop Regional Shopping Center and the Richmond Country Club, in the El Sobrante Valley, and on either side of Interstate 80 in the southern portion of the city (see Map 1.6 – Neighborhoods). The neighborhoods range in age and character from historic, low density, single family homes to newly built, mixed density, waterfront developments.

Richmond’s primary physical organizing elements – its natural setting, transportation corridors, and the city’s neighborhoods – in combination with its land use pattern provide the basis for 5 broad city districts (see Map 1.7 - Districts). Areas within each district share similar land uses, geographic location, and are similarly impacted by paths and edges.

DRAFT 19 City of Richmond General Plan Update

1.4 EXISTING PLANS

Many land use and urban design plans have been adopted by the City of Richmond. In addition to four specific plans (see Issues & Opportunities Paper 7: Zoning Diagnostic & Specific Plans Analysis), four other plans continue to bear particular importance and remain relevant to development in Richmond.

MacDonald Ave Economic Revitalization Plan The MacDonald Avenue Revitalization Plan is a conceptual plan adopted in 2004 to “provide a vision and a plan to promote and sustain economic development” along MacDonald Avenue, Richmond’s main downtown street. The plan is intended to guide long-term development along this corridor by providing revitalization strategies and a framework for investment. Opportunity sites, planning subareas, development prototypes and streetscape improvements are identified and described in the plan.

Point Molate Reuse Plan The Point Molate Reuse Plan is a conceptual land use plan adopted in 1997 to guide long term civilian reuse of the Point Molate Navy Fuel Depot site in Richmond. The plan is intended to expand Richmond’s economic base, regional presence and recreation opportunities through the creation of a new mixed use neighborhood. The plan’s overall concept involves retaining and reusing many of the site’s historic buildings and constructing new buildings and open space areas.

Civic Center Master Plan The Civic Center Master Plan was adopted in 2003 as a study of the feasibility of rehabilitating and replacing Civic Center structures and an implementation plan for the recommended alternative. The plan recognizes the Civic Center as a key component to the revitalization of MacDonald Avenue and downtown Richmond. The final plan includes recommendations for the Civic Center to remain in its existing site, the structures to be retained and rehabilitated, parking to be consolidated into a single structure, onsite public and open spaces to be renovated, and for private and public residential and mixed use development to be accommodated.

Shaping Our Future Shaping Our Future is a regional planning effort coordinated by Contra Costa County. The outcomes of this effort are intended to be a unified, regional vision and implementation strategies for guiding the next 30 years of growth in the County. Richmond’s Hilltop area was used as a “test site” in a workshop meant to illustrate the potential for efficient land use.

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N EN SYCAM OR T A E AVE

VE Figure 1.5

E R AV EF Transporation Corridors: O UG L IO AB P VA AN L S Y LE W Y

RD Key Paths & Edges AN I HERCULES

k COUNe TY APP Re e fug San Pablo Bay r io C C ree ty P ri I-80 k r I a N

G O

V City of Richmond

A Y L W L K PINOLE P E Y D R N D O Key Paths M H IC R R P in D o l Key Edges E e C M r ee U COUNTY k L B A LHAM BRA R ILLTOP DR V D h H A e em Cre V LL ek Y A EY W L R N L D IA E Y IANT R PP G A V I E W

D Creek VD San Pablo MRILL BL RU COUNTY COUNTY AM RD BR R O D OO RD 20 D PABL KS EL PORTA L SAN ANCH RD Y IDE R DR TRO W AS C Streams SAN PABLO

COUNTY Highways

RICHMOND PK Major Arterials CONTRA COSTA E T AV COUNTY Local Roads BRYDE MC 13TH S T BART Alignment and Stations VE

3RD S A

2 ANO SOL COUNTY Other Railroads

BARR Richmond ET D T AVE W V MACDONALD AVE BART Station ildc at C BL re D ek AR R R

A Y G BART - Richmond Line C I-580 ARLS San Pablo

OUR W A RL O IN N BL El Cerrito Del Norte G Reservoir T O HARB BART Station WEST CUTTING B VD N LVD CUTTING BLVD B L V 10 D

POTRERO AVE 5 ACRES EL CERRITO S A N P AB N L O A LN I-80 R VE SE San Francisco Bay OE M 0 0.5 1 2 MILES

KENSINGTON VE Richmond Inner Harbor AL A AVE CENTR NT MOU FAIR El Cerrito Plaza BART Station

ALAMEDA COUNTY

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N EN SYCAM OR T A E AVE Figure 1.6 VE

E R NEIGHBORHOODS AV EF O UG L IO AB P VA N L SA Y L EY R HERCULES D

k COUNe TY APPIAN W Re e fug San Pablo Bay r io C C ree ty P ri I-80 k r I a N

G O City of Richmond

A Y HILLTOP L W L K PINOLE PARCHESTER P E BAYVIEW Y VILLAGE D R N D O Other Jurisdictions M H IC R R P in D o l E e C M r ee U HILLTOP COUNTY k L HILLTOP B GREEN ALH City-Defined Neighborhoods AMB VILLAGE R RA Rh HILLTOP D VA e em Cre V LL ek Y A EY W L R N L D IA E Y FAIRMEDE/HILLTOP PP MAY VALLEY GIANT RD A V I E W

D Creek VD San Pablo EL SOBRANTE MRILL BL RU HILLS CARRIAGE COUNTY COUNTY AM RD HILLS NORTH BR R O D OO RD 20 D PABL KS EL PORTA L SAN ANCH RD Y IDE R DR TRO POINT SAN PABLO W CAS COUNTRYSIDE SAN PABLO GREENBRIAR CARRIAGE HASFORD GREENRIDGE COUNTY HILLS SOUTH HEIGHTS HEIGHTS

RICHMOND PK SHIELDS- REID CONTRA COSTA E T AV COUNTY BRYDE MC

13TH S T BELDING NORTH & EAST FOREST PARK WOODS VE 3RD S A

2 ANO SOL IRON COUNTY TRIANGLE EAST RICHMOND BARRE T D T AVE W V MACDONALD AVE ildc at C BL re D ek AR METRO R CITY R ATCHISON RICHMORE VILLAGE A Y G VILLAGE CENTER C I-580 A RLS PULLMAN San Pablo OUR W A SANTA FE RL O PARK IN N G Reservoir CORONADO B PLAZA T O HARB L 10 WEST CUTTING B V N LVD CUTTING D BLVD B L V EL CERRITO D CORTEZ/STEGE LAUREL PARK B 5 ACRES A R POTRERO A T VE - Ri EAST- S chmond A SHORE N P N

AB POINT PARK VIEW L L i O A n RICHMOND e LN I-80 R MILES VE SE 0 0.5 1 2 San Francisco Bay OE MARINA PANHANDLE M BAY ANNEX

RICHMOND ANNEX KENSINGTON

AVE Richmond Inner Harbor AL SOUTHWEST TR AVE CEN NT ANNEX MOU FAIR

ALAMEDA COUNTY

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N EN SYCAM OR T A E AVE

VE Figure 1.7

E R AV EF Districts O UG L IO AB P VA AN L S Y LE W Y

AN I HERCULES

k COUNe TY APP Re e fug San Pablo Bay r io C C ree ty P ri I-80 k r I a N

G O

L City of Richmond

A Y L W L K PINOLE P E Y D R N D O M North DH istrict Other Jurisdictions IC R R P in D o l E e C M r ee U COUNTY k L B A LHAM Parks BRA R ILLTOP DR V D h H A e em Cre V LL ek Y A EY W L R N L D IA E Y IANT R PP G A V I E W

R Waterbodies

D Creek VD San Pablo MRILL BL RU COUNTY COUNTY AM RD BR R O D OO RD 20 D PABL KS EL PORTA L SAN ANCH RD Y IDE R DR TRO W CAS Streams

SAN PABLO Highways COUNTY RICHMOND PK Major Arterials CONTRA COSTA Local Roads E T AV COUNTY BRYDE MC

13TH S T BART Alignment and Stations

3RD S A

2 ANO East District SOL Other Railroads COUNTY

B Richmond ARRE TT AVE W D MACDONALD A il V VE BART Station dca West District BL t C re D ek AR R R

A CenY tral District G BART - Richmond Line C I-580 ARLS San Pablo

OUR W A RL O IN N BL El Cerrito Del Norte G Reservoir T O HARB BART Station WEST CUTTING B VD N LVD CUTTING 10 BLVD B L V D 5 ACRES POTRERO AVE EL CERRITO S A N P N AB

L O A LN South District I-80 R VE ESE 0 0.5 1 2 MILES San Francisco Bay MO

KENSINGTON VE Richmond Inner Harbor AL A AVE CENTR NT MOU FAIR El Cerrito Plaza BART Station

ALAMEDA COUNTY

26 DRAFT Issues & Opportunities: Land Use & Urban Design

1.5 KEY PLANNING ISSUES/CONSIDERATIONS/OPPORTUNITIES

Map 1.8 – Draft Issues & Opportunities illustrates the key citywide land use and urban design planning issues, considerations and opportunities in the City of Richmond. Issues, considerations, and opportunities are also outlined below.

• Vision. A citywide vision for Richmond is needed in order to create a relevant development framework for guiding future growth. This vision must be community-driven and inclusive.

• Cohesive & Predictable Development Framework. Richmond’s existing development framework provides an ambiguous and piecemeal approach to growth. This has created an unpredictable environment for both residents and developers. An understandable, comprehensive and community-supported framework is required to support cohesive land use development and quality design outcomes.

• Land Use Compatibility. Richmond’s diverse range of land uses present the community with the issue of land use compatibility. Many areas of the city that were historically isolated from the rest or that supported only one primarily type of use now host of a range of uses, some of which conflict with each other. Mediating these conflicts and addressing land use compatibility is essential to creating a safe, legible and enjoyable physical environment for residents, visitors, and businesses.

• Identity & Character. Richmond’s rich history, idyllic location, and distinct neighborhoods provide a solid foundation from which to grow a stronger city identity. A strong city identity will connect the various parts of the City to one another and create a greater sense of place. Clear design standards, the creation of community gateways, strong connections, and destination corridors will increase the physical legibility of Richmond and help create a pleasant, enjoyable urban environment.

• The Waterfront. Richmond’s shoreline is one of the city’s greatest assets. Many different, and sometimes conflicting, land uses currently occupy the waterfront. Can the waterfront become a catalytic area of Richmond while accommodating all of these uses? Both a vision and clear plan need to be established for this part of Richmond to ensure that whole community is able to benefit from this great opportunity.

• Downtown Richmond. Downtown Richmond was once the heart and soul of the community. Revitalizing MacDonald Avenue and Richmond’s urban core is critical to the overall rejuvenation and development of the city.

• Corridors. Richmond’s main arterial corridors, MacDonald Avenue, San Pablo Avenue, 23rd Street, and Cutting Boulevard, provide great opportunities for enhancing the physical legibility, connectivity and identity of Richmond. These corridors have the potential to become destinations in themselves, attracting visitors and serving residents.

DRAFT 27 City of Richmond General Plan Update • Amenities. Richmond has a wealth of community amenities. However, some amenities, such as City parks, are disproportionately distributed in the city. A more equitable distribution of amenities is required to better serve all of Richmond’s residents.

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ENT AVE SYCAMO R E AVE Figure 1.8

E DRAFT Issues & Opportunities R AV EF O UG L IOV AB NP A SA LLEY R D N WY HERCULES

Center? COUNTYk e APPIA Re Prison e fug San Pablo Bay r ioCr C ee ty P ri I-80 k Established Neighborhoods/Neighborhoods r I a N G OLE Not Anticipating Change

A Y L W L PINOLE K E P Y R * D O M Opportunity Areas H C R R Pin D o leC E

Hilltop M re U * e COUNTY k L B ALHAM BRAV Compatibility/Connection Issue Areas Rh HILLTOP DR A e em Cre V LL ek A EY Connection L R L D E Y V GIANT RD * APPIAN WY I E W

R Opportunity Corridors * * D Creek San Pablo RUMRILL BLVD Servicing COUNTY C OUNTY AM RD BR OD OO RD 20 PABL Difficulties KS EL PORTA LDR SAN ANCH RD Y I DE DR O R * CASTR Gateways & Service SAN PABLO O Gaps *

MO COUNTY RICHMOND PKW PKW Casino City Center Winehaven CONTRA COSTA & Land Use COUNTY Point Molate * YDDE AVE BRY Compatibility MC City of Richmond

13TH ST

*D ST *

23R SO Civic Center COUNTY Other Jurisdictions BARRETT AVE D W VD MACDAC ONO LDD VE ild MacDonald cat BLVD Cr Avenue eek RRARD BLVD Entrance * Creeks & Waterbodies I-580 San Pablo AR BOUR WY Nicholl Park LI El Cerrito Del Norte NG Reservoir * T BART Station O CUTTING N CUTTING B D BLLVDVD B L V D Parks * Marine/Port POTRER Uses O AVE EL CERRITO * * SAN PABLO AVE

Ford * Peninsula *I-80 R LN 10 San Francisco Bay Tanks, MOESE Campus Bay Potential Planning 5 ACRES Connection /UC Field Connection Partnership with the West Station City of El Cerrito Shoreline KENSINGTON N VE Richmond Inner Harbor VE CENTRALC A 0120.5 MILES FAIRMOUNT ElA Cerrito Plaza ** BART Station ALAMEDA COUNTY