This message is from the Upper Broadway Advocates
LAST CHANCE TO COMMENT on the CCA Campus Redevelopment Project
Dear Neighbors,
The Oakland City Council will meet this Wednesday, December 3 at 3:30 p.m. to either approve the CCA Campus Redevelopment Project as it is currently proposed, or reject the current proposal and send it back to the City Planners for revision.
Please urge the Council Members to reject this proposal and demand a better deal!
To accommodate the proposed project, which destroys the registered historic district and creates traffic concerns for local residents, the City is on the verge of granting a variety of land use concessions and benefits, including a General Plan amendment, a zoning change, and an increase in permissible heights, plus multiple exceptions to the City’s development standards for height, number of stories, setbacks, stepdown in height, parking locations, and ground floor residential use. These actions by the City are not required, and they will greatly increase the value of the site. Oakland should receive commensurate benefits in return—In particular, a greater number of affordable housing units. Unfortunately, however, the developer proposes to provide only the legal minimum of affordable housing: Just 5% of the units will be reserved for very low income families.
The City’s planning commission has missed multiple opportunities to affirm Oakland’s stated housing goals, perpetuate Oakland’s arts community, and uphold historic preservation standards. It is the duty of the City Council members to insist on a better deal for our community.
Click here to send an email to District 1 Councilmember Dan Kalb
Click here to send an email to the City Planner
Click here to submit an electronic comment for the City Council meeting
Please urge the Council to require revising the Conditions of Approval to address these issues:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Rockridge has high resources, very few inexpensive apartments, and little diversity. More people who work in this area in low paying jobs would be able to live here if more affordable units were available. It is inconsistent for the City to identify Rockridge as a target for affordable housing, and then neglect to require the developer to provide more than the minimum, in what will clearly be a very high-end (profitable) development.
ARTS PROGRAMS
Because no one knows when construction might actually begin (the developer indicates that it could be many years, and remember that the former Safeway lot next door has been an eyesore since 2016), every effort should be made to offer the site to the arts community in the interim. There are numerous spaces in the existing buildings that artists, arts organizations, schools and businesses might be willing to lease, even in the short term. There are also several dorm rooms that could be added to facilitate the City’s homelessness reduction efforts.
THE PARK
The developer’s assertion that the community will now have a public open space is disingenuous. The CCA campus has ALWAYS been open to the public, and community members have long used it for relaxing, dog walking, enjoyment of nature, and child and youth playtime. The park should be clearly identified at the entrance as “open to the public.”
HISTORIC STRUCTURES
The project will demolish 10 of the 12 historic structures. Efforts to relocate the historic buildings that are marked for destruction should be more robust. The City should require the developer to conduct a good faith, proactive outreach to identify prospective sites for relocation and engage potential recipients.
MAINTENANCE OF THE SITE
The current requirement to maintain the site until construction begins is wholly inadequate. Given the fragility of some of the existing structures, as well as the landscape, the City should require the developer to take more steps to protect against deterioration, fire, vandalism, degradation, damage, and loss.
This could very well be your last chance to impact the future of the CCA campus.
CLICK HERE TO SEND AN EMAIL TO DISTRICT 1 COUNCILMEMBER DAN KALB
CLICK HERE TO SEND AN EMAIL TO THE CITY PLANNER
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT AN ELECTRONIC COMMENT FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
You may also attend the City Council in person, or via ZOOM. If you attend via ZOOM and wish to speak to the Council members during the meeting, you must preregister to be granted time to speak. Click here to submit your Speaker Request Card. You must submit your request at least 24 hours before the meeting. The meeting Agenda, with details on how to attend in person or via ZOOM, is available here.
Thank you,
Upper Broadway Advocates
www.ubaoakland.org
Email: UBAOakland@gmail.com
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