3.1 21-0482 Subject: Appeal Of 1396 5th Street Project
From: Planning & Building Department
Recommendation: Conduct A Public Hearing And Upon Conclusion Adopt One Of The Following Three Options:
1) A Resolution Denying The Appeal By East Bay Residents For Responsible Development And Thus Upholding The Planning Commission's Environmental Determination And Approval Of A Proposal To Construct 222 Dwelling Units On The Existing Vacant Lot Located At 1396 5th Street, Oakland CA (Project Case No. PLN20-101); Or
Like many others here, I would urge you to deny this appeal and uphold the Planning Commission's decision to approve the project. In order to meet our climate targets as a society, we need to stop allowing frivolous challenges to attempts to build dense housing near transit. We need to bring additional housing units online, which decreases competition over existing units and lowers prices for all. Let's do our part to decrease the cost of housing and ensure that our lower-income neighbors can afford to stay here.
Deny this appeal and Uphold the Planning Commissions unanimous decision.
As a resident of West Oakland. I have been actively tracking the projects at the West Oakland Transit Area, specifically the project located at 1396 5th Street
I am not an expert on the California Environmental Quality Act, but I did read the staff report would have to agree that the appeal is frivolous at best.
Attempting to understand why the East Bay Residents for Responsible Development would file an appeal, I realized they are a coalition of trade unions, and I am appalled.
Reading through the lines I'm sure the unions are trying to leverage the developer for something but is this what the California Environmental Quality Act was intended for?!
This site was previously remediated before an attempt to build was thwarted by arsonists.
The developer should be applauded for not abandoning the site vacant and blighted, or worse selling it to be used for truck parking.
I am not anti-labor, but I am pro West Oakland and pro improvements to my neighborhood!
Now we all know the unions make campaign contributions, but I ask you to do what your constituents elected you to do... the right thing and make Oakland better!
Deny this appeal and Uphold the Planning Commissions unanimous decision. Don't undermine PC staff & members.
Oakland desperately needs housing at all income levels. Please DENY this appeal! This will also provide affordable housing as well which will benefit the local community.
As an Oakland resident, I am keenly aware that Oakland needs more quality housing of all types--across the income and affordability spectrum--especially near transit. This project provides exactly that. I urge you to deny the appeal and uphold the planning commission's unanimous approval.
Please deny the appeal of this residential project - it is a thinly veiled challenge by a competing interest. I am an Oakland resident and land use attorney. The City's staff has written a thorough and well-supported report explaining that the appeal utterly lacks merit. This much-needed housing will help the City meet its RHNA goals, help address the Statewide housing crisis, and bring much-needed housing to the West Oakland community. It also must be upheld pursuant to State housing law, including the Housing Accountability Act. Please accept staff's recommendation and adopt the resolution denying the appeal.
Sincerely,
Genna Yarkin
2302 Valdez Street
Oakland CA 94612
I am writing as a West Oakland Resident and Urban Planner to express my full support for the proposed residential units at 1396 5th Street. The proposed development is consistent with the goals for development of this area outlined in the West Oakland Specific Plan adopted by the city of Oakland department of Building and Planning June 2014. Our neighborhood has for too many years disproportionally been negatively impacted by the industrial uses of West Oakland. The CEQA appeal being considered is another example of how west Oakland residents continue to be negatively impacted by our industrial use neighbors. The time for questioning housing has passed, Oakland is in desperate need of housing. I strongly urge council to reject this appeal and allow the much needed residential units to move forward in our neighborhood - consistent with the city adopted West Oakland specific plan.
Please deny the appeal, and uphold the planning commission's approval! We desperately need more housing in the region, please please do not let frivolous lawsuits derail this objective. Please approve the project!
We need deeply affordable housing, not more market rate housing and development that pushes out the people of Oakland.
John Sander, Wood Street Community Action Group - Lead
over 3 years ago
I am the lead for the adhoc Wood Street Community Action Group of 40+ neighbors and homeowners (we focus on development, improvements and a look towards a thriving future of the Wood Street corridor from Emeryville to 7th Street and with an interest in all development in West Oakland and in the vicinity of the Prescott neighborhood).
We strongly support the Golden West Development at 500 Kirkham, and ask that you uphold the planning commission’s unanimous approval on March 3, 2021 allowing Golden West to move forward with construction.
In a related item, as a community we’ve been deeply involved in the truck management plan, trucking in our neighborhood and associated traffic and air quality issues. The lot for this development is currently leased for truck parking, which is disrupting 7th West Bar, Restaurant, and Event Venue operations with noise, vibration and poor air quality. This trucking operation is in direct opposition and violation to the work we’ve done. We don’t want another truck parking lot in West Oakland/Prescott neighborhood!
What’s needed in our neighborhood is housing and the Golden West development for 500 Kirkham is an approved project and could begin construction in 9 months.
Please deny the appeal and let them begin this project!
Please approve this project. We need housing at all levels. We've under built housing for the last 40 years, while continuing to add jobs, causing our housing shortage. Estimates say we need to build 1.8 to 3.5 million new units to catch up in California.
In addition, climate change has become a major issue in the past few years, and since this project is near transit, we can also promote a car-free lifestyle.
We do not need more market rate housing in Oakland, especially not in West Oakland. This development would displace a homeless encampment while not providing housing that any of the existing residents could even come close to affording. Please prioritize housing working-class Oaklanders, not tech billionaires or giant corporations. There are so many vacant market-rate units littering our city, this development would be tantamount to illegal dumping.
I support having this project built. We need more housing to start bringing down housing prices which I am sure the council wants too. We really need the 16 units of very affordable housing. Please let this proceed.
Dear Councilmembers,
Like many others here, I would urge you to deny this appeal and uphold the Planning Commission's decision to approve the project. In order to meet our climate targets as a society, we need to stop allowing frivolous challenges to attempts to build dense housing near transit. We need to bring additional housing units online, which decreases competition over existing units and lowers prices for all. Let's do our part to decrease the cost of housing and ensure that our lower-income neighbors can afford to stay here.
Thank you,
Charlene
Deny this appeal and Uphold the Planning Commissions unanimous decision.
As a resident of West Oakland. I have been actively tracking the projects at the West Oakland Transit Area, specifically the project located at 1396 5th Street
I am not an expert on the California Environmental Quality Act, but I did read the staff report would have to agree that the appeal is frivolous at best.
Attempting to understand why the East Bay Residents for Responsible Development would file an appeal, I realized they are a coalition of trade unions, and I am appalled.
Reading through the lines I'm sure the unions are trying to leverage the developer for something but is this what the California Environmental Quality Act was intended for?!
This site was previously remediated before an attempt to build was thwarted by arsonists.
The developer should be applauded for not abandoning the site vacant and blighted, or worse selling it to be used for truck parking.
I am not anti-labor, but I am pro West Oakland and pro improvements to my neighborhood!
Now we all know the unions make campaign contributions, but I ask you to do what your constituents elected you to do... the right thing and make Oakland better!
Deny this appeal and Uphold the Planning Commissions unanimous decision. Don't undermine PC staff & members.
Oakland desperately needs housing at all income levels. Please DENY this appeal! This will also provide affordable housing as well which will benefit the local community.
We badly need the housing. Please deny the appeal.
As an Oakland resident, I am keenly aware that Oakland needs more quality housing of all types--across the income and affordability spectrum--especially near transit. This project provides exactly that. I urge you to deny the appeal and uphold the planning commission's unanimous approval.
Dear Councilmembers,
Please deny the appeal of this residential project - it is a thinly veiled challenge by a competing interest. I am an Oakland resident and land use attorney. The City's staff has written a thorough and well-supported report explaining that the appeal utterly lacks merit. This much-needed housing will help the City meet its RHNA goals, help address the Statewide housing crisis, and bring much-needed housing to the West Oakland community. It also must be upheld pursuant to State housing law, including the Housing Accountability Act. Please accept staff's recommendation and adopt the resolution denying the appeal.
Sincerely,
Genna Yarkin
2302 Valdez Street
Oakland CA 94612
Dear Council Members,
I am writing as a West Oakland Resident and Urban Planner to express my full support for the proposed residential units at 1396 5th Street. The proposed development is consistent with the goals for development of this area outlined in the West Oakland Specific Plan adopted by the city of Oakland department of Building and Planning June 2014. Our neighborhood has for too many years disproportionally been negatively impacted by the industrial uses of West Oakland. The CEQA appeal being considered is another example of how west Oakland residents continue to be negatively impacted by our industrial use neighbors. The time for questioning housing has passed, Oakland is in desperate need of housing. I strongly urge council to reject this appeal and allow the much needed residential units to move forward in our neighborhood - consistent with the city adopted West Oakland specific plan.
Daniel Cunningham
1695 15th Street
Oakland CA
Please deny the appeal, and uphold the planning commission's approval! We desperately need more housing in the region, please please do not let frivolous lawsuits derail this objective. Please approve the project!
Deny the appeal and uphold the Planning Commission’s unanimous approval!
We need deeply affordable housing, not more market rate housing and development that pushes out the people of Oakland.
I am the lead for the adhoc Wood Street Community Action Group of 40+ neighbors and homeowners (we focus on development, improvements and a look towards a thriving future of the Wood Street corridor from Emeryville to 7th Street and with an interest in all development in West Oakland and in the vicinity of the Prescott neighborhood).
We strongly support the Golden West Development at 500 Kirkham, and ask that you uphold the planning commission’s unanimous approval on March 3, 2021 allowing Golden West to move forward with construction.
In a related item, as a community we’ve been deeply involved in the truck management plan, trucking in our neighborhood and associated traffic and air quality issues. The lot for this development is currently leased for truck parking, which is disrupting 7th West Bar, Restaurant, and Event Venue operations with noise, vibration and poor air quality. This trucking operation is in direct opposition and violation to the work we’ve done. We don’t want another truck parking lot in West Oakland/Prescott neighborhood!
What’s needed in our neighborhood is housing and the Golden West development for 500 Kirkham is an approved project and could begin construction in 9 months.
Please deny the appeal and let them begin this project!
Please approve this project. We need housing at all levels. We've under built housing for the last 40 years, while continuing to add jobs, causing our housing shortage. Estimates say we need to build 1.8 to 3.5 million new units to catch up in California.
In addition, climate change has become a major issue in the past few years, and since this project is near transit, we can also promote a car-free lifestyle.
Please deny the appeal and uphold the Planning Commission’s unanimous approval
We do not need more market rate housing in Oakland, especially not in West Oakland. This development would displace a homeless encampment while not providing housing that any of the existing residents could even come close to affording. Please prioritize housing working-class Oaklanders, not tech billionaires or giant corporations. There are so many vacant market-rate units littering our city, this development would be tantamount to illegal dumping.
I support having this project built. We need more housing to start bringing down housing prices which I am sure the council wants too. We really need the 16 units of very affordable housing. Please let this proceed.