UBA in Action
first we gathered COMMUNITY INPUT
In the summer of 2019 UBA held two open community meetings to gather the peoples’ feedback about the proposed development at the CCA campus. In general, people embraced the need for denser housing. Affordable housing was high on many priority lists, with desired percentages ranging from 5% to 40% of new units to be built. Many, many people felt the scale of the development and height of the proposed buildings as well as the architectural style were out of character and proportion with the surrounding Rockridge neighborhood. There were many concerns about negative impacts on traffic, parking, transportation, fire safety. Participants wanted to see how this project fits into Oakland’s land use planning and overall long range development goals. And many placed significant emphasis on environmental sustainability. They feared the loss of trees and public green space.
Go to our Community Input page to see results of our community poll with pie chart, bar chart and summarized comments.
credit: A. Hart UCB School of Journalism
2. Then community members sent letters to the Oakland City Planner…
After the community meetings, more people met us through Rockridge Out & About and NextDoor, learned about the project, and then submitted letters and comments to the City.
In the first batch of 87 letters, 77 were opposed to the project as proposed; only 10 letters called for approval. More letters were sent before the public comment period ended. All are available on the City’s website. (Use this link, then click on “Record Info” and select “Attachments.” There may be several pages.)
3. we attended the city’s Landmarks Preservation advisory board meeting…
The LPAB met to develop a list of historic elements to be considered in the EIR. On September 23, 2019 the LPAB heard public comments. UBA and other community members were there to voice our opinions about the historic and cultural legacy of CCA and its 4.5 acres of mature plantings. In addition the Oakland Heritage Alliance addressed the importance of the landmark status of the buildings, trees, and CCA campus to Oakland and to California. The Landmarks Board in turn commented, echoing some of our concerns.
The Treadwell Mansion/Macky Hall on the campus has City Landmark status. Its associated Carriage House are on the National Register of Historic Places, and, with its rich, almost 100-year cultural legacy and historic landscaping the entire campus might be eligible as a historical landmark.
-see the city’s historic resource study here.
-see the report on CCA presented to the city by the Oakland heritage alliance here.
If the proposed destruction of the CCA campus is to occur UBA believes it is imperative to establish the value of the features and processes to be lost. How can there be mitigations commensurate with the loss of cultural and historic resources without an understanding of those resources?
Contact the Planning Commissioners and your City Councilmember
4…and the Planning Commission’s meeting about the eir
Next, the Oakland Planning Commission met on October 16, 2019 to establish the scope of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the CCA project. UBA was well represented among the approximately 70 community members who gave input on subjects that should be included in the EIR process.
UBA requested these subjects in particular be covered in the eir:
Site planning, including pedestrian and vehicular use, patterns of use, usable open spaces, and planting areas
Traffic study, by a traffic engineer not to be hired by the City, not the developer
Solar shadow study
Tree and landscape study
5. We have ideas for alternative proposals
Based on our community outreach we have determined that the following studies would greatly benefit the CCA site, the neighbors, and local businesses, particularly in light of the unprecedented zoning changes the developers are requesting:
Study 1: Examine alternatives that provide significantly more affordable units.
Study 2: Consider alternatives to reduce the height of the proposed buildings along Broadway, with setbacks to reduce visual impact and better preserve the character of the CCA site.
Study 3: Research a proposal that includes 7% of housing units for families (2 and 3 bedroom units) for people with moderate incomes. These units could house our teachers, single parents and the elderly. It’s crucial that these proposed units attract not just wealthy singles and couples. As our population ages, affordable senior units will become even more in demand. The Alameda County Plan for Older Adults estimates the following: By 2050, Alameda County will have almost 100,000 elders over the age of 85. Shouldn’t the City of Oakland be more proactive and begin to anticipate how to house all these people? We think so, and this development could kick off a City-wide effort.
Study 4: When designing alternatives, provide a description of how the units will integrate with the social fabric of the city, including likely age profiles, school attendance, and need for other social services.
Study 5: Interview affordable housing developers as potential partners or advisors to this project. They have the expertise and practical skills to determine what affordable units should look like based on demographics of potential residents. Oakland and the wider Bay Area have many accomplished affordable housing developers to choose from. They know how to get these units approved and built.
Study 6: There should be a requirement to examine the vacant site at Broadway and Pleasant Valley into consideration as a second housing site developed in tandem with the CCA site and review how the entire area could become a model affordable housing center.
6. ENGAGING WITH DEVELOPERS and community
In May 2020, UBA representatives heard an update to plans presented by Emerald (developers) to the Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC.) We followed up with a meeting directly with Emerald to discuss the new draft proposal, ask questions, and provide our feedback.
We contact our mail list regularly with any reports or updates, and we continue with more community outreach and education. We will be doing our own research during the next year while the Environmental Impact Report is prepared. Join us! Become informed! Get on UBA’s email list of neighbors working for smart development in Oakland.