Progress with The Station Development at 25A Orinda Way

    A long vacant parcel of land in Orinda is another step closer to development after the City Council adopted a resolution to suspend parking in-lieu fees for the site.
    The Station, located at 25A Orinda Way, originated in 2015 when developer Paul Ugenti submitted an application for an 18,600-square-foot building that included retail, restaurants, office space and parking on the second floor and roof.
    After two revisions to the project, The Station’s current iteration is a two-and-a-half-story building spanning 18,287 square feet.
    An underground parking garage was included with the initial project plans, but was later eliminated due to increased construction costs, which would then require the developer to pay significant in-lieu parking fees.
    Parking has been one reason behind the development’s delays, said Orinda Associate Planner Darin Hughes.
    “I think, basically, parking has been the biggest issue, from what I’ve seen,” he said.
    In 2022 the state passed Assembly Bill 2097 which prohibits the imposition of minimum parking requirements for developments that are within a half mile of major public transit, which applies to The Station.
    The developer wanted to be able to take advantage of that new law, said Hughes, which led them to having staff propose the resolution to City Council that would waive parking in-lieu fees for projects subject to AB 2097.
    At a May 21 City Council meeting, developer Ugenti voiced his appreciation for the council’s consideration of the parking fee holiday that aligns with the recent change in state regulations.
    Ugenti confirmed the details and scope of The Station will remain as they were approved by the planning commission in July 2022, and emphasized the time, money, energy and effort, and the 14-month process, already behind them at that point.
    “The outcome of this greatly accelerates our success,” said Ugenti, of the proposed resolution. “It accelerates our timelines.”
    Public concerns regarding the issue of parking have been raised, with planning commission staff receiving messages about the project approval process, the parking in-lieu fee, overflow parking and lack of parking. Messages supporting The Station were also received.
    When faced with the decision to either put the project developer back through the application process or approve the fee-holiday resolution, the council ultimately adopted the resolution at the May 21 meeting with a 4 to 1 vote, waiving $823,810 in-lieu parking fees.
    The Station’s current proposal features a ground-level floor with 1,200 square feet of retail, a fitness facility spanning 2,800 square feet and a market hall with individual food stalls covering 2,555 square feet.
    A 1,251-square-foot mezzanine with space for office use and an elevated deck and a second floor with 9,560 square feet of office use, along with allowances for maintenance and rest rooms, round out the latest plan.
    According to The Station’s website (thestationorinda.com), the mixed-use facility will offer “a true sense of place in today’s new Downtown Orinda.”
    Director of Planning Lashun Cross confirmed that securing and finalizing tenants for The Station is ongoing.
    “Planning continues to reach out and determine if at any point we may be of further assistance as the project moves forward,” she said.
    Approval from county waste management for the proposed location of trash dumpsters, prior to submitting for building permits, is required. The project is nearly ready for approval, said Hughes, with Republic Services seeking to get some questions clarified by the applicant.
    The replacement of trees on the lot is another condition of approval. As per municipal code, each six inches, or fraction thereof, of the total diameter of trees slated for removal must be replaced with a native tree with a diameter of at least 0.75 inches. Native shrubs can also be considered replacement for at least a portion of the requirement.
    The developer has the choice of either submitting landscape plans for the 24 required replacement trees or paying an in-lieu fee of $3,000 prior to building permit issuance.
    Before the issuance of building or grading permits, a bond agreement, already drafted with the Department of Parks and Recreation, is needed for the maintenance and preservation of street trees during construction.
    Included in the proposal is the removal of all six trees on the property, five in the rear and one in the front. Four street trees have also been requested for removal to allow for fire code requirements.
    Once financing, tenants and final approvals are secured, “From breaking ground to completion, they’re looking at about a year for that project,” said Hughes, mentioning that work on the property at 31 Orinda Way, the former Bank of America building, is “probably on a pretty similar timeline.”
    The Station’s proximity to civic infrastructure, such as the library and community center, as well as to other developments immediately adjacent to it, will work to “jazz up” the area, he said, and “kind of liven up that whole corner.”
    “From the city standpoint, this is something that is actually very exciting,” said Hughes.
    “Orinda really looks forward to The Station being built and providing new amenities for the community,” said Mayor Darlene Gee. “The city has done everything possible to support this development, and we are eager to see it come to fruition.”