Extracted text · highlighting “Oakland Department”

_ ine Rockridge News

Sponsored by = THE ROCKRIDGE COMMUNITY PLANNING COUNCIL # 5856 COLLEGE AVENUE #130" OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA ® 94618

Vol. 4 No. 3 Issue No. 37

June 17, 1989

Circulation: 4,500 Residences; 200 Businesses

Staff Report Disregarded

Planning Commission Certifies Dreyer’s EIR

Despite a planning staff report that
found the Dreyer’s Environmental Impact
Report lacks meaningful traffic, circula-
tion and parking analysis, the Planning
Commission voted 5 to 2 to certify the
EIR as fulfilling required standards at its
meeting Wednesday, June 14.

The vote, which came at the end of two
hours of strenuous debate, astounded
Rockridge Neighbors and RCPC Board
members who had expected the Commis-

sion would call for a fuller report on the

proposal’s anticipated impacts.

Granting additional time for a fuller
report — a possibility raised by Commis-
sioner Black — was denied by Dreyer’s
representatives who insisted on sticking

to the timetable activated when the corpo-
ration invoked a state law requiring that
projects be acted upon within a year of
their filing or be deemed automatically
approved.

At the meeting, the Planning Commis-
sion also heard debate on the Conditional
Use Permits required by the Dreyer’s
proposal and directed planning staff to
prepare findings and conditions for proj-
ect approval at the Commission’s June
28th meeting.

Opening discussion on the EIR, Plan-
ning Director Alvin James stated that staff
felt the shortcomings of the document
rendered it uncertifiable (see story, page
2). Mr. James pointed out that Commis-

sion members had four options: disagree
with staff and certify the EIR; accept the
staff recommendations and not certify the
EIR; deny the project because of the lack
of EIR certifiability; or arrange with
Dreyer’s to extend the time before a
decision was required, in order to prepare
a more complete report.

Area residents and RCPC Board
members spoke in support of the staff
recommendations, and called for addi-
tional work on the EIR to more fully
address impacts a project this size would
bring to College Avenue and to propose
mitigations to lessen those impacts.

Dreyer’s Chairman T. Gary Rogers
supported the findings of the EIR and said

Dreyer’s Today And Tomorrow?

A Correction

FA FER
aah

FTIEE ETE EH ERD ERE En
TPE Fe BE

sos

E

D. Kinkead

Left panel shows College Avenue frontage of present Dreyer’s headquarters facility. The right
panel shows how the same section of College Avenue might look if the building were built according
to current plans. Last month’s Rockridge News showed the view that would be visible from the
Presbyterian Church. The Rockridge News apologizes to its readers and to Dreyer’s for the error.

he felt the project would improve College
Avenue by providing more parking, more
commercial store frontage, and more
business for the area.

Commissioners Jones, Mar, Gudger,
Henderson, and Ortiz voted for certifica-
tion.

Commissioners Black and Rowe
voted against certification.

When the Commission turned to the
use permit actions required by the project,
Planning Director James again cited the
lack of sufficient environmental informa-
tion in the EIR preventing the staff from
determining that the project would not

See Dreyer’s, page 5

Dates Calendar Events Calendar Dates

Wednesday June21 7:30pm
Friday June 23 6:00 pm
Wednesday June28 1:30pm
Wednesday July19 7:30 pm

RCPC General Meeting College Avenue Presbyterian Church, 5951 College Avenue
Dreyer’s Update, St. Albert’s Update

Sanitary Sewer Improvement Program. See article page 4.
College Avenue Presbyterian Church, 5951 College Avenue.
City Hall, Room 115: Dreyer’s Zoning Proposals

RCPC General Meeting College Avenue Presbyterian Church, 5951 College Avenue

Public Meeting

Planning Commission

Page 2

The Rockridge News

June 17, 1989

Planning Staff
Faults Final EIR,
Wants Dreyer’s
Cooperation

The Final Environmental Impact Re-
port (EIR) prepared for the Dreyer‘s pro-
posal should not be certified and the
Corporation’s project should be denied if
the company will not agree to additional
time for further project review, according
to the Planning Department staff report
prepared for the Planning Commission.

Released June 9, the staff report finds
wide fault with the adequacy of the Final
EIR and concludes that it is not in compli-
ance with the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA). The EIR address-
esses comments made by speakers at the
May 24 public hearing, twenty-six letters
submitted to the department by Neighbors
and public agencies, and observations by
the project sponsor.

The staff report also notes that
Dreyer’s has made a public notification to
start a 60-day “clock” period under State
law so as to require that the project be
acted on by the City by July 31, 1989, or
be deemed automatically approved.

Pointing out that the project has the
potential to make a significant and posi-
tive contribution to College Avenue if
“very real concerns” are addressed, staff
recommended denial of the project unless
Dreyer’s agrees to an extension of time to
address those concerns.

Discussing the EIR, staff said, “...the

See EIR, page 7

Listed below are standing committees of
the Rockridge Community Planning Council
with their respective Chairs and Co-Chairs.
Please call any of the individuals listed if
you have questions or problems with what’s

going on:

CoMMITTEE Cuatr/Co-Caairs
CLEAN RockripcE Gity Baxter 652-8419
Desicn REvIEW Glen Jarvis 654-5953
LiBRARY Mare Beyeler 654-6787

Nancy Dutcher 653-6018
RASP Andréa Walhof 420-1593
Rocxripce News Don Kinkead 655-7474
TRAFFIC Bill Manley 658-2419
David Reinke 653-5312
ZONING John Gussman 655-8817
Brooke Levin 653-7522

RCPC Stance Anti-Dreyer’s,
Claims Local Paper

In a recent editorial, Montclarion owner and publisher W. A. “Chip” Brown and Mary
Brown wrote that Dreyer’s “...may have to leave its home on College Avenue...” because of
what they described as RCPC's “...relentless and unyielding fight against the proposals of the

Dreyer’ s management team...”

The RCPC Board feels the editorial misrepresents the facts of the matter, the chronology
of the proposal and the Neighborhood's response. The following reply was published in The
Montclarion on June 13th. Copies have been forwarded to the Mayor, City Council and

Planning Commission members.

Dear Montclarion Editor:

Your recent editorial (6/2/89) suggests
it’s High Noon at the OK Corral on Col-
lege Avenue in Rockridge and the six gun
totin’ RCPC outlaws are aiming to run the
nice ole Dreyer’s cowpokes out of town!

For the record, the Rockridge Com-
munity Planning Council has never sug-
gested that Dreyer’s leave Oakland. For
the past fifteen years, RCPC has worked
successfully with many developers to
realize projects acceptable both to the
applicants and the goals of the neighbor-
hood, as the dozens of new buildings and
businesses on College Avenue will attest.

Together with the College Avenue
Merchants Association, RCPC works to
encourage the vitality and quality of the
College Avenue community shopping
district, whose retail sales nearly match
those of Montclair Village. Recent neigh-
borhood-wide surveys of hundreds of
commercial property owners, merchants,
renters and homeowners show strong
support for preserving the diversity,
smaller scale, and pedestrian-oriented
character of its mix of apartments and
offices over shops and cafes.

RCPC also has worked hard to main-
tain the livability of the adjacent residen-
tial neighborhoods. We have fought con-
sistently to retain individual homes threat-
ened by conversion to commercial use in
Rockridge and elsewhere in Oakland.

According to the Browns, “Dreyer’s
has modified its requests over the years
and has met virtually all conditions of
RCPC.” Not true. They still want to
remove homes and use residentially-
zoned land for commercial purposes.
They have even increased the size of the
office building including 17,000 sq. ft. of
speculative offices. Their Walnut Creek
suburban style design hasn’t changed
either.

Dreyer’s so-called concession, the re-
moval of the factory, was based on corpo-

rate needs, not those of RCPC. The Union
City factory site was purchased two years
before the College Avenue project was
proposed. Dreyer’s now threatens they
will bring the factory back if they don’t
get their way.

Dreyer’s current project fails to ad-
dress Rockridge neighbors’ two main
complaints: 1) it removes houses to put a
parking lot on residentially-zoned land;
2) the 50,000 sq.ft. office component is
just too big for College Avenue. The
Final EIR provides ample evidence that
the current project will have significant
adverse impacts, and is in conflict with
the Oakland General Plan and Zoning
regulations.

Even so, we think the Dreyer’s pro-—

posal has the potential to meet the needs
and goals both of Dreyer’s Grand Ice
Cream Inc., and the Neighborhood.
How? a number of suggestions are al-
ready on the table:

« downsize the building by eliminating
the speculative offices and build only
what Dreyer’s needs;

« redesign to break up and spread the
bulk of the project over the entire site;

* increase the mixed use character of
the project, for example, with a housing
component,

* accommodate employee parking on
existing commercially-zoned property.

There certainly are other possibilities
for softening the project impacts. Other
developers have done it. Why can’t
Dreyer’s? The choice is clear: either
design a smaller, more sensitive project
compatible with College Avenue and
adjacent residences, or find a more appro-
priate site, such as Downtown Oakland,
for the present design.

Sincerely,
Barbara B. Anderson, Chairperson
for the Board of Directors of the

ROCKRIDGE COMMUNITY
PLANNING COUNCIL
June 17, 1989

The Rockridge News

Page 3

AC Transit
_ Rethinks Routes

The Comprehensive Service Plan (CSP) of
AC Transit, Phase 1, affecting North Oakland
was officially adopted by the AC Transit Board
on May 24.

In last month's Rockridge News, the ten-
tative plans for routes through the Rockridge
area were briefly described. At that time, we
had no idea how really tentative they were.

Here are the latest revisions to the CSP.

The 51, the very popular College
Avenue bus, will continue to run its old
course, and a limited-stop 51L will now
be added. Also, the 7 bus will now serve
a good portion of the route previously
handled by the 65, and like the old 7, will
continue to run to El Cerrito. The 7 will
also be the bus to serve Chabot Road, es-
sentially duplicating the old 17 path above
College.

The original CSP removed all bus
service from Chabot Road east of Col-
lege, but a petition appeal by concerned
Chabot Road residents convinced AC
planners to continue at least some service
along the corridor. The new 17 will loop

Around the westem half of the BART
parking lot and run to the shopping areas
of Emeryville.

As stated last month, the E will be
eliminated, but the EX will continue to
function as the 105X.

A disappointing feature of the revised
CSP was the lack of expanded service to
the Rockridge BART station. Commuters
from Montclair and the Broadway Ter-
race areas — many of whom use Rockridge
BART - will not get much help from AC
Transit. The 52 line, which in the original
CSP was to run from North Berkeley to
the “Montclair Transit Center” via the

onorkridge BART station at 15-minute

intervals, will now never get out of
Berkeley. The 5 Van, originally planned
to run down Broadway Terrace to Rock-
ridge BART, may eventually travel that
route in “Phase 3” for which we have no
timetable.

RCPC and the City of Oakland have
consistently emphasized the need for
greater feeder service by AC to the BART
Stations, in the hope that such service
could alleviate parking demands of casual
carpoolers and BART patrons.

AC Planners are postponing the 52
link between Montclair and Rockridge
until the Highway 24/13 interchange is
completed, which may happen in this
century. If you think the need is more
urgent, write or telephone your AC Tran-
sit District Board Member, Michael
Winter at the address below.

More information can be obtained by
writing AC Transit, 1600 Franklin Street,
Oakland 94612, phone 891-4777.

— Bill Manley, Chair, RCPC Traffic

and Transportation Committee

State Sets Audit For
RCPC Publications

The Charitable Trusts section of the
California Attomey General’s office has
notified RCPC of its intent to audit the or-
ganization for the periods ended Decem-
ber 31, 1986 and 1987.

Specifically, the auditor has requested
records pertaining to printing and publica-
tions expenditures for both years under
Teview.

Samples of the literature produced, a
description of how RCPC obtains public
financial support, and a copy of the by-
laws have also been requested.

The Board is assembling the informa-
tion for the auditor’s office.

RCPC Urges: “More
Money For Planning

Department”

In a recent letter to the Oakland City
Council, the RCPC Board urged support
for increasing the 1989-90 Budget alloca-
tion for the Planning Department.

Planning Director Alvin James is re-
questing funds to hire ten more staff
members to help his department more
efficiently handle its existing workload,
and to address future planning issues,
including neighborhood planning and
rezoning.

There is still time to make your state-
ment: the Budget will be adopted by the
City Council on June 27. Write today to
the Council concerning Budget priorities.
Write to: City Council, 1 City Hall Plaza,
Oakland, CA 94612.

Donations

Rewarding Response

And the beat goes on!

Thanks to those Neighbors who took
advantage last month of the pre-addressed
donation envelope in their newsletter,
RCPC received more than $900 in dona-
tions in May.

It’s a new month, now, and not too
late to locate last month’s envelope or to
use one of your own to make your dona-
tion toward the costs of producing The
Rockridge News and meeting the other
costs associated with publicizing plan-
ning issues and neighborhood concerns.

Please take a moment now to fill out
the coupon below and return it with your
check for an appropriate amount. This is
a tax deductible donation.

— Don Kinkead, Treasurer, RCPC

( Rockripce COMMUNITY PLANNING CoUNCIL DONATION Form]

Yes!

Enroll Me as a Supporting Donor to the Rockridge Community Planning Council!
I have enclosed a check payable to RCPC for my tax-deductible donation for a year’s registration

and other support areas I have checked off:

Suggested minimum; $10 per category

| Name:
| Address: L $________ Registration Donation 5626 Oak Grove Avenue
os Oakland, CA 94618
Cit c >
| City/Zip [| $ Rockridge News Donation
| Phone: Thank you!
va aaa ES SS SS

Page 4

The Rockridge News

June 17, 1989

5819 Lawron AVENUE
Fite No. V89-105

The applicant’s request for a variance
to exceed the 30 foot height limit was
denied by the Planning Commission’ on
May 10, 1989.

The Commission’s decision is final as
there is no appeal to the City Council on
minor Variances.

As of June 11, 1989, the matter had not
been abated.

Dreyer’s Granp Ice Cream INc.
Fite No. ER88-17;CMD86-101
If the Planning Commission decision
of June 14, 1989 is appealed to the City
Council, it most likely will be scheduled
for Public Hearing in late June or July.
The City Council does not meet in the
month of August. See article on Page 1
for current status of the Dreyer’s project
application.

MIEC/BLoop Bank EXPANSION
6250 CLAREMONT AVENUE

Developers of the Medical Insurance
Exchange/Blood Bank building still are
working on plans for a proposed expan-
sion. To date, details of the project have
not been released.

Persons interested in participating ina
meeting for preliminary “scoping” of the
project should contact RCPC Zoning Co-
Chair Brooke Levin at 653-7522.

Recently, a number of merchants have
been robbed at gunpoint. While we are
concerned about the outbreak, we applaud
the fine job our police department is doing
to reduce crime in Oakland. The Oakland
Police inform us that all of the suspects in
the robberies have been captured.

We have sent a letter to Chief George
Hart, asking him to maintain our walking
beat officer on a full-time basis.

The continued presence of a walking
patrol officer has significantly reduced
crime in Rockridge.

We appreciate your comments about
CAMA.

— Eddie Zeidan, President
428-9256

Old Merritt College Building
Wins Reprieve From Wrecker

The old Merritt College Building in
North Oakland — slated for demolition in
a controversial development proposal —
was granted a reprieve late in May that
could lead to the inclusion of all of or a
portion of the main building in the final
development.

The reprieve came in the form of a
decision by the City to conform to the
historical review guidelines mandated by
the use of funds provided by the Depart-
ment of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) for the City’s purchase of the
property in 1980.

During the review process, the Ad Hoc
Committee to Save the Old Merritt Col-
lege Building will monitor the City’s
compliance with the Fire Marshall’s re-
port calling for “immediate” improve-
ments to secure the building from van-
dals. As recently as early June, doors on
the ground floor and basement levels of
the building remained unsecured and

Sewer Construction
Impact Meeting
Scheduled

An informational meeting to discuss
the impacts of construction of flood con-
trol and sewer line improvements along
College Avenue will be held June 23,
1989, 6:00 p.m., in the Sanctuary Room of
the College Avenue Presbyterian Church,
5951 College Avenue.

This meeting is for the benefit of those
Rockridge residents who will be affected
by the construction activities, particularly
the merchants of College Avenue be-
tween Chabot Road and Miles Avenue,
residents on Oak Grove Avenue, and
residents on Miles Avenue between be-
tween College and Forest Avenues.
Residents on adjacent streets that will take
the traffic spillover may also wish to at-
tend.

Representatives from the Alameda
County Public Works Construction De-
partment will be at the meeting to explain
the project and to answer questions.

Call Public Works Inspector Susan
Spott at 670-5591 for further information.

perimeter gates were loose. As an added
deterrent to vandalism and as a way to
underwrite security measures, the Com-
mittee encouraged the City to consider
renting out the shop buildings and gymna-
sium portions of the building.

In its broad approach to this conserva-
tion task, the Ad Hoc Committee has
formed other committees to work on dif-
ferent aspects of the project. The Political
Committee is co-chaired by Cecilia Kil-
martin (653-2321) and Arnold Luft (543-
0760, work). The Design Review Com-
mittee is co-chaired by Paula Hansen
(653-3105) and Terry Meyerson (655-
8495). Both committees meet regularly
and encourage participation by Oakland
residents. A newsletter to be printed and
distributed in Mid-June will announce the
location for a general meeting to be held
June 28. Call the Ad Hoc Committee at
655-3841 for additional information.

— Robert Brokl

Merritt College Building

RCPC Supports
Renovation
Concept

Renovation and utilization of the old
Merritt College Building in North
Oakland as an integral part of any devel-
opment on the site was endorsed as a
concept by the RCPC Board of Directors
at its June monthly meeting.

Citing its efforts to present and con-
sider both sides of the issue prior to taking
a formal position, the Board pointed out
that members of the Ad Hoc Committee to
Save the Old Merritt College Building
spoke at the April RCPC General Meeting
of their efforts to promote development
plans that would include all or a portion of
the historic main building already on the
site.

Representatives of North Oakland
Redevelopment Associates (NORA) — the
site’s proposed developer — were invited
to address the April RCPC meeting but
had to postpone. Scheduled for the May
meeting, they did not appear.

June 17, 1989

The Rockridge News

Page 5

Garage/Redecorating Sale
Livingroom furniture, clothes, baby items,
kitchenware, housewares, office supplies.

5421 Belgrave Place
(off Broadway Terrace, near Broadway).
June 24-25 10 A. - 4 P.M.

ROCKRIDGE MONTESSORI
CHILDREN’S HOUSE

Helping your child
excel in a warm and nurturing

environment
e

NOW ENROLLING
Full Day Program 7:30am to 6:30pm
Ages 2-4
e

652-7021

Dreyer °S, trom page 1 Budget Committee

harm the environment.

Without knowing the effects of the
project, he said, approval is not pos-
sible and the project would have to be
denied.

Calling for comments, the Com-
mission heard RCPC and Neighbor-
hood speakers point out the conflict
between elements of the City’s Gen-
eral Plan and the project.

Dreyer’s representatives and sup-
porters spoke in favor of the project
and asked for permit approval.

Staff's recommendations will be
considered at the June 28th Planning
Commission Hearing. Rockridge
Neighbors are encouraged to send
their comments on Use Permit condi-
tions of approval to the Planning
Department, 1 City Hall Plaza,
Oakland, 94612.

Plan to attend the June 28 meeting,
1:30 p.m., Room 115 City Hall.

Goes To Work

Growing out of an idea proposed
more than a year ago at an RCPC
General Meeting, the Citizen’s Advi-
sory Committee on the budget was
formally named in April and has al-
ready held five weeks of meetings.

North Oakland representatives to
the Committee are Randy Hamilton,
Professor of Public Policy at U.C.
Berkeley and Golden Gate University,
and Theresa Nelson, marketing and
finance executive in private industry
and public entities.

Committee action includes support-
ing the revised Landscape and Lighting
Assessment District proposal, discus-
sion of Fire and Police Department
funding, and clarifying the City’s goals
and objectives to bring them into line
with budget priorities.

Details of the final report for this
period will be completed in the next
few weeks and excerpted in future
issues of The Rockridge News.

— Theresa Nelson (420-0539)

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Page 6 The Rockridge News

In My View...
Comments by Marge Gibson-Haskell

City Council, District 1

DREYER’S PROPOSAL

Whether you are for the proposed Dreyer’s project or
against it — and from the nature of the letters I am receiving,
I must conclude that most who read this column are against the
project — the thing that must be understood in the next few
months are the dynamics of the City of Oakland and how they
will play out with regard to this project.

First, there are those who will believe that this should be
treated by the City Council as any other neighborhood project
and that my views as the Council representative (which, under
Council Procedures, I am not legally entitled to give without
risk of disqualification until the close of the City Council
Public Hearing which may be held for this proposal) should
prevail. Regrettably, this may not be the case since this project
is not viewed as solely a neighborhood project.

Dreyer’s has become a larger than life symbolic project. It
is viewed by some outside Rockridge as a classic case of
NIMBY (Not In My Backyard). (See Tribune Letters to the
Editor, May 31, 1989.) The Chamber of Commerce and the
Montclarion (June 2, 1989) yiew it as a test case for the greater
world. For them the issue is whether Oakland is truly friendly
to business and whether we really want to retain and attract the
headquarters of companies with national reputations.

The decision actually will be made by all the residents of
this city who either cry out to maintain the integrity of neigh-
borhoods or sit on their hands.

Rockridge residents have a critical role in this process.
They must clearly define what is acceptable or not about this
Project, prioritize the issues, develop concise statements and
reach out. If you reach out now to other City groups with
whom you have built strong ties of support, you can prevail.
Get them to talk to their representatives. It is the only way.

THE BUDGET

. For once we have a balanced budget and, with the help of
Theresa Nelson and Randy Hamilton, North Oakland residents
who serve on the Citizen’s Budget Advisory Committee, we
will continue to have one in the future. At this year’s budget
hearings we will try to maintain priorities that reflect your
concerns, but the only way I will know them is for you to tell
me. Are police services high on your list? What about
Libraries? The Museum? Others? Let me know.

Wuen A Tax Is Not A Tax

The public hearing on the Landscape and Lighting Assess-
ment District has been held. My perception after that hearing
is that many people still do not realize that, 1) this assessment
is to be in place of the Municipal Services Tax, not in addition
to; 2) it is fairer than the prior measure because it reaches both
residential and commercial properties; and, 3) it is cheaper to
administer because existing agencies can implement it.

If you wish to express your preferences, please call me or
my administrative assistant, Bill Lowe, at 273-3266.

June 17, 1989
wo
ne
i
NSA 2 ———
rT hs
= aT
ASK
Support

Local Merchants
And Businesses:
Shop In The
Rockridge Area

FIRST FEDERAL

SAVINGS & LOAN ASSOCIATION OF SAN RAFAEL

Sewing the Bay Area for 26 Years.
Member of College Avenue Merchants Association

Personal Services Available:
* Safe Deposit Boxes __« Travelers Checks
+ 2 Notary Publics

* Money Orders

+ Competitive Rates
+ Convenient Hours

Hours of Service:

Monday through Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

First Federal
Savings and Loan Association of San Rafael

6058 College Avenue - Oakland, California 94618
(415) 652-9500

Patricia Tucker. Branch Manager

June 17, 1989

The Rockridge News

Page 7

The City Council Recently...

Design Review
For Residential

Construction

The City Council has requested that
the Planning Commission begin consid-
eration of city-wide design review guide-
lines for all new construction of single
family homes in Oakland.

The call for design review guidelines
grew out of widespread community con-
cer for the lack of design principles
associated with the factory-built and
manufactured housing units cropping up
in Oakland neighborhoods.

City-wide design review guidelines
would apply equally to all new residential
construction because State law prohibits
singling out any one type of housing for
special regulations.

Public hearings will be scheduled on
this issue. Contact the Planning Depart-
ment at 273-3911 to request notification
of dates and times.

Multi-Bedroom
Conversions

The City Council voted unanimously
on June 6, 1989 to approve an Ordinance
requiring a Major Conditional Use Permit
for alteration of an existing dwelling unit
to create a total of five (5) or more bed-
Toom, and exempting owner occupants
from such regulation.

Owner occupants must be able to
prove they have owned and occupied the
subject residence for one year.

Final passage of the ordinance was
scheduled for June 13, 1989.

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EIR,

from page 2

Final EIR does not respond to many of the
comments in a substantive manner. In
fact, in several instances it does not re-
spond at all.”

In particular, staff reported the EIR
does not respond to 23 of the 54 com-
ments submitted by the City Traffic
Engineer, or responds inadequately.

Staff also felt the EIR responds inade-
quately to traffic and circulation concerns
raised by the public.

Finally, the staff report calls for revi-
sion of the Air Quality and Noise analysis
sections because the EIR consultant did
not consider a “worst case” possibility of
250 employees and presents an incom-
plete study of traffic circulation. In addi-
tion, mitigations for identified potential
problems are not discussed.

Staff concluded that other portions of
the document “essentially and adequately
respond to the concerns” raised by mem-
bers of the public.

Very REAL CONCERNS

In its review of the Major Conditional
Use Permits and Design Review approval
required by the project, planning staff de-
termined that the project was consistent
with some of the City’s Comprehensive
Plan goals and in conflict with others.

According to the report, benefits cited
by the project applicant that are consistent
with the City’s goals are increased busi-
ness taxes and property valuation, new
employees, and the furtherance of
Oakland’s image as a center of commerce
and industry.

However, staff said, the project as
currently proposed would undermine the
City’s commitment to preserve existing
housing and to create attractive and con-
venient environments with good housing.

The project would also have negative
effects on surrounding properties in terms
of the building’s scale and bulk and its
contrast with existing College Avenue
storefront design.

In closing comments, staff cited the
lack of adequate traffic, parking and cir-
culation analysis in the EIR as the biggest
obstacle to approval of the zoning appli-
cations since the impacts of these factors
on the area cannot be determined at this
time, and therefore conditions cannot be
established.
Page 8 The Rockridge News June 17, 1989

Project Yes Hires Students

This Summer, Project YES (Youth Engaged in Service) at the
East Bay Conservation Corps, will employ 50 students ages 12 to
14 from Claremont Middle School in a variety of community
service projects including litter and weed abatement, landscaping,
grafitti removal and mural painting. Work begins July Sth and
tuns through August 18th, four days a week. Crews of ten students
will be supervised by an adult.

Work projects are still being scheduled for the summer. For
more information, call Michael Hendrix at 272-0222.

Congratulations to our

12 raffle winners! including:
D. Stevens of Benicia,
who won a new VCR!
and
T. Lynn of Oakland,
who won $200 in CASH!
Plus, ten other winners of free goods!

The Full Service Copy Center

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video department:
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7AM toMidnight Monday-Friday
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ousehold, Expires in 30 days unless otherwise stated. This ad
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The Rockridge News is published monthly in Oakland
except in August and is sponsored by The Rockridge
Community Planning Council.

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