Excerpt:

The City Council has moved to take ownership of about 1,370 acres of the former Alameda Naval Air Station from the federal government, the first phase in the eventual transfer of the entire site to the city.

The step, which the council approved unanimously Tuesday, helps clear the way toward redeveloping the property, which is divided into 66 parcels. It consists of 509 acres of land and 870 acres under San Francisco Bay just off the former military base, now known as Alameda Point.

Approving the conveyance from the U.S. Navy is "a major milestone" for transforming the area, Councilwoman Lena Tam said.

The parcels have restrictions on how they may be redeveloped based on what they were once used for and how much environmental clean-up they need.

By dividing up the property, city officials expect it will be more attractive to investors over having fewer and larger parcels, according to Jennifer Ott, chief operating officer for Alameda Point. The goal is reduce uncertainty around the environmental issues, she said.

The property is expected to be turned over to the city in early June.