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Sponsored by = THe RockriIpGE Covmeunrry PLANNING Councte * 5856 Cortrce AVENUE #1308 OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA ® 94618

February 17, 1990

Vol. 4 No. 10 Issue No. 44

Circulation: 4,500 Residences; 200 Businesses

Legal Fund Tops
Halfway Mark!

Thank you, everyone who has con-
tributed toward the $10,489 collected
for the legal fund drive to date. The
goal 1s $20,000 and we're halfway
there!

More donations are urgently needed
to meet the continuing costs of the legal
challenge to the City’s EIR prepared
for the Dreyer’s project. If every
household in Rockridge donated just
$10... If you have not yet contributed,
please do so now: costs are mounting.
There is a convenient coupon on page 3
available for your immediate use.

Do It Now!

.

*

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1990 RCPC Beard Election

x VOTE x

It’s time again to vote for members
of the RCPC Board of Directors. Over
the past year, there has been a lot of
discussion about the validity and sup-
port neighborhood organizations are
accorded by residents in a given area.

RCPC is committed to improved
planning procedures that take neighbor-
hood wishes into account. This is your
chance to send a message to the City
Council about your support for the
importance and appropriateness of
neighborhoods planning for their fu-
ture. Take a moment on Saturday,
February 17 between 10 a.m. and 2
p.m. or on Wednesday, February 21,
7:30 p.m. at the College Avenue Pres-
byterian Church, 5951 Coilege Avenue

See “Vote,” page 7

City Decision Challenged

RCPC Pushes
EIR Suit

RCPC is moving forward with the
suit challenging the City of Oakland's
certification of the Environmental Im-
pact Report (EIR) prepared for the
Dreyer’s project that the organization
considers inadequate for the scale and

scope of the project.

On January 16, RCPC filed for a
preliminary injunction to prevent con-
struction on the project from beginning
until the hearing on the merits of the
case was held. Following a hearing on
the injunction, the Superior Court de-
nied the motion. RCPC has filed an
appeal with the State Court of Appeals

and is currently awaiting a decision.
See “Suit,” page 7

Anderson, Gussman Leave RCPC Board

RCPC Chair Barbara Anderson and Boardmember John Gussman are leaving the Board
effective with the election of the 1990 Board of Directors. They will be missed.

Barbara Anderson

Thank You, Barbara, for more than
three years of tireless and selfless work
on behalf of the Rockridge area.

As an RCPC Board Member since
January 1986 — and Chair since De-
cember 1986 — Barbara has worked to
expand the organization’s focus from
that of a group dealing mainly with
planning and zoning applications to one
that looks at the broader context and
implications of community planning.

Examples of the scope she has
brought to the organization include

See Anderson, page 7

John Gussman

John Gussman, board member for
the past two years, Rockridge News
block captain, member of the RCPC
Legal Advisory Committee, and Zon-
ing Committee Co-chair has been indis-
pensible.

Though he’s leaving the Board, he
will continue as Co-chair of the Zoning
Committee and on the Legal Advisory
Committee. John’s exacting attention
to detail, his time and effort on land use
matters, and his work revising the by-
laws have helped sharpen RCPC’s post-
tions On many issues. Thanks, John!

Dates Calendar Events Calendar Dates

Saturday Feb 17

Wednesday Feb21 7:30 PM
Monday Mar5 7:30 PM
Wednesday Mar21 = 7:30 pM

10 am -2 pM First polling day of RCPC Election. College Avenue Presbyterian Church, 5951 College Avenue
RCPC General Meeting/Election: 2nd pollimg day. College Avenue Presbyterian Church

RCPC Board Meting
RCPC General Meeting. College Avenue Presbyterian Churck

Page 2

Library Petition
Drive Begins

Will you collect cight signatures for
the new library to be located at College
and Manila?

The petition drive to collect signa-
tures requesting that the formation of
an assessment district be put on the
November 1990 Municipal ballot be-
gins this week.

To get this measure gets on the bal-
lot, we need signatures of 10 percent of
the registered voters within the district.
This amounts to about 900 signatures.
The assessment, on residential parcels,
will be up to, but no more than, $25 per
year, and for a maximum of 30 years,
raising about $1 million of the total
project cost of $2.5 million, including
land costs. State library development
funds (Proposition 85) will be sought to
supplement funds already allocated by
the City for property acquisition and
library operation.

The petition drive is a vital step in
proving that Rockridge residents are
committed to ensuring a permanent
branch library for our community. You
can help by signing a petition and by
asking your neighbors to sign also.

Call Nancy Dutcher at 653-6018 to
receive a petition, a fact sheet and a
boundary map. You can also sign and
pick up petitions when you vote in the
RCPC general election, Saturday,
January 17 or Wednesday, February
21 at the College Avenue Presbyterian
Church. Signatures need to be collected

by the end of March.
— Nancy Dutcher

Next Month In The Rockridge News

Rockridge’s Urban Creeks

Ou Nol! Can’t FIND
Your Keys AGAIN?

Stressed from the mess?
Overwhelmed by paperwork?
Restore order to your

office or home.

Quick, painless help from
a professional
organizational consultant.

Rockridge resident 654-5264

The Rockridge News

February 17, 1990

S upport, Suggestions For Permit
Parking Voiced At City Hearing

by Bill Manley

Residential Permit Parking (RPP) in
Rockridge was supported by 23 speak-
ers and opposed by seven others at a
public meeting held January 31 by the
city’s Traffic and Engineering Depart-
ment.

Punctuated by controversy since its
first implementation two years ago, the
program has come under increased
scrutiny in recent months as it expands
in the Rockridge area.

CoMPLAINTS AND Kupos

Complaints as well as kudos sur-
faced at the meeting. One College
Avenue merchant presented a petition
she said contained the signatures of 425
College Avenue employees opposed to
RPP expansion. One commuter from
the Upper Rockridge area complained
that since bus service has been cut back,
he has had little option other than to
drive his car to BART and park on the
Street. There were also complaints
about alleged improprieties in signature
gathering and program administration.

However, most of those who spoke
expressed adamant support for the pro-
gram. One resident of Mystic Avenue
said RPP was “the single most popular
program” the City had ever made avail-
able for the residents on that street.
Other speakers in support of the pro-
gram vividly described problems of
carrying their groceries or children long
distances because long-term parkers
filled all the spaces in front of their
residences. There were many com-
plaints also of driveways blocked by
inconsiderate long-term parkers.

In addition to Rockridge, speakers
from two other regulated areas — 17th
Street and the area around Head Royce
School — voiced their support for the
program. As the major generator of
traffic in the area, Head Royce School
itself pays for the parking permits of
local residents,

BART Anp AC Transit Hir

BART and AC Transit came under
substantial criticism from speakers who
pointed out the lack of cooperation be-
tween the agencies, and BART's lacka-
daisical efforts to fully utilize its cur-

rent lot by restriping, creating carpool
spaces, and installing a token system,
BART did not speak at the meeting, but
has stated its opposition to RPP expan-
sion in other forums, citing inadequate
parking at BART lots.

CasuaL CarPoo.Linc A Prosiem

Another target of substantial criti-
cism was casual carpooling, which
brings long-term parkers into residen-
tial areas to take advantage of the free
convenient commute to San Francisco's
Financial District. Traffic and Engi-
neering Chief Michael Pickering heart-
ily welcomed suggestions to deal with
casual carpooling.

CHANGES SUGGESTED

Among changes suggested for the
RPP program were: changing the limit
from 2 - 4 hours to accommodate local
employees; restricting only one side of
regulated streets, possibly on a rotating
basis; tightening of the petition require-
ments to ensure more widespread sup-
port on a given street; providing park-
ing access not only to the residents of a
regulated street, but to residents — or
employees — of adjacent streets.

Not all speakers saw a need for
change. A number of people simply
spoke to thank the city for the program,
and pleaded that it be maintained as-is.

While Oakland's street-by-street
sign-up approach is admittedly more
costly to administer, some felt that it
was more democratic than the blanket
approaches taken by San Franctsco and
Berkeley.

ComMMENTS Or SUGGESTIONS?

If you have some suggestions or
questions about the program, please
write to:

Michael Pickering

City Traffic Engineer

7677 Oakport Street 10th Floor
Oakland, CA 94621

or call:

Michael Pickering or Kevin Cum-
mings at 273-3466.

Next Month In The Rockridge News

Recycling sources in
Rockridge and nearby.

——

ry

February 17, 1990

The Rockridge News

use by zoning regulation.

The RCPC Zoning Committee is
meeting this week and will make a rec-
ommendation to the board prior to the

Menpicat Insurance EXCHANGE
OF CaLirornia (MIEC)

6250 Claremont Avenue

(ER 84.42 CMD 89-317)

As reported in the October 1989 hearing.
Rockridge News, the City determined a
that an Environmental Impact Report ne
. 6030 Claremont Avenue
(EIR) was required. Mr. Charlie Bryant (D90-22)

of the City Planning Office said the City
has hired an ESA to prepare the EIR.
The notice of preparation will be issued
very soon enabling citizens to provide
input on the issues to be addressed.

If you have questions, call Mr.
Bryant at 451-6321,

This design review application is for
a proposal to complete the north side of
the existing building which is now ex-
posed due to the Dreyer’s demolition.

The front of the building will be
remodeled consistent with the newer
portions of the building. The remodel-
ing does not increase the restaurant or
Night Spot’s floor area. The RCPC
Board is not opposed to the proposed
changes.

5349 CoL_LEeGE AVENUE
(Former location of
Julliette’s Dressmaking Shop)
(CM 90-36)

An application for a major condi-
tional use permit to allow non-retail use
in the C-31 Retail Commercial zone
will be heard before the Planning Com-
mission on February 21, 1990, 6:30
p.m., at the Lakeside Garden Center,
666 Bellevue Avenue, across from
Fairyland at Lake Merritt.

The applicant is requesting a condi-
tional use permit for a medical office
within the first 20 feet of the ground
floor of the building, reserved for retail

6076 CLAREMONT AVENUE
(Next to the Shell station)
(D90-26)

The applicant proposes to rebuild a
one-story tin shed at the rear of an ex-
isting building into a two-story work
area (office). The City Planning staff is
reviewing the application for compli-
ance with parking requirements. The
RCPC Design Review Committee is
also reviewing the application.

Use Tuts Coupon For Your Donation To THE LEGAL FUND

‘Room

C COMMUNITY i: HANS ‘Counts

Tala:

Enclosed i is my y check amit to the RCPC C Neighborhood Legal F Fund to sid
cover expenses in the RCPC vs. City of Oakland suit (Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream,
Inc. project approval). I understand this is a tax-deductible donation.

|
{|
JI
|
|
|
(Of course, donations to |

| $s NEIGHBORHOOD LEGAL FUND | jhe RCPC General Fund are |
|

|

|

|

|

|

also welcome!)

Name: _ -_
ee Mail to: |

: — Rockridge Community

| City/Zip: _ _ Planning Council

5856 College Avenue #130
| Phone Oakland, CA 94618

| Thank you for your support! 1 |

Page 3

RCPC Board Votes
Bylaws Update

Over the past year, the RCPC Board
of Directors has been reviewing the
organization’s bylaws for compliance
with the California state Corporations
Code and to bring them in line with
previous amendments and actual board
practice.

MEETING TIMES

The provisions regarding member-
ship and board meetings now reflect
actual practice. For example, the by-
laws now specify monthly membership
meetings (except August). The changes
also specify meeting dates: general
meetings to be held the 3rd Wednesday
of each month and board meetings to be
held on the lst Monday of each month.

FILLING VACANCIES

This section has been changed to
conform to Corporations Code Section

5224 (a).
COMMITTEES

The Board added a provision to
enable creation of committees at an-
nounced general membership meetings,
when a majority of members determine
a need for a particular committee.

Also added was a requirement that
all recommendations to the Board from
committees should be in writing and
signed by a majority of the committee
members in attendance.

—_— sind

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Rosen Method Bodywork

A gentle, precisely attentive
bodywork which facilitates and
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¢ the release of physical and/or
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* the release of muscular tension
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insurance available

Rockridge News Production Committee

ee

a ae
Ce
|
La

* Lisa: Curet’ ‘Advertising - , a

_ Mark Grissom” Word processing | on :
“Don Kinkead: Editing, layout “

Paged 4

The Rockridge News

Earthquake Preparedness: The Best
Insurance Bargain Around

by Drew Shagrin

Let’s play a game: an earthquake
measuring 7.5 occurs on the Hayward
Fault right now as you're reading this
newsletter, Do you have water?
Canned goods? Cash? A three day
supply of vital medications? Now you
smell gas — do you know where to turn
it off? Do you know how? What if it’s
from the house next door? Will some-
body know to check on your child if
you're at work? How about the dis-
abled person down the street? If the
phones are out, how will the fire depart-
ment know there’s a fire on your block?

This game isn’t any fun at all! We
don’t like to think about it, a “big one”
will hit this region sometime in the fu-
ture, and it really could be tomorrow or
next week. Because denial could have
catastrophic consequences, we must
take action now to prepare our house-
holds and neighborhoods.

PREPAREDNESS Is INSURANCE

Preparedness is not about living
your life in a state of paranoia. Rather,
preparedness 1s like health insurance.
Just as it’s a fact that everybody gets
sick sometime, it’s almost inevitable
that an earthquake will rock the East
Bay again. And, just as we usually
don't go around with a mask on to avoid
getting sick, we shouldn’t go around
with a hard hat on to avoid injury from
falling bricks in an earthquake. But
while most of us who can afford it pre-
pare for that day when we’ll be sick by
buying health insurance, too few of us
prepare for a major quake with the in-
surance of basic preparation. For ex-
ample, even after what happened on
October 17th, can you honestly say that

a

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(415) 653-6916

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Opening up spiritually,
spiritual emergencies, and Kundatint.

Heartsong Bookstore
1412 Solano Avenue, Albany

7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. $10.

your houschold and your neighborhood
are prepared for a Hayward Fault
quake?

ForMING A PREPAREDNESS GFROUP

If you can’t, then consider joining OF
forming a neighborhood earthquake
preparedness group. The Rockridge
Community Planning council’s newly-
formed Community Earthquake Prepar-
edness Committee, which I chair, can
help you form a new group, or, if
you’ve already got a group, the Com-
mittee can hook you up with other
groups.

Our next meeting will be held Thurs-
day, March 1, 7:30 p.m., in the Sunday
School Room of the College Avenue
Presbyterian Church, 5951 College
Avenue. All are invited. (Especially
welcome are architects, structural engt-
neers, contractors, organizers, and
people with special earthquake prepar-
edness related skills. Call me at 653-
7376 for more information.)

What can a neighborhood group do?
Let me tell you about the group on my
block, which established task forces to
tackle four problem areas.

ESTABLISHING TASK FORCES

¢ First, a building safety task force
will help neighbors identify structural
weaknesses in their homes, and plan
and implement a strengthening program
in an affordable fashion. This task
force will also give advice about fur-
nishings and teach how to shut off the
gas.

¢ Second, a provisions task force
will help neighbors figure out what they
need to keep on hand — not just water,
food, a flashlight, a radio, and batteries,
but also a 3-day supply of vital medica-
tions, cash, gas in the car, and so on.

February 17, 1999

The task force's research on prices
and suppliers will make buying Many
of the necessary items faster and more
affordable, and some people might even
take advantage of the economies of
scale in bulk purchasing.

« Third, an information task force
will compile neighborhood information
about special needs and special Skills,
where the gas cut-off is in each build.
ing, and so on. Special needs include
being disabled, having young children,
or not speaking English, while special
skills include having medical or first
aid skills, speaking another language,
or having a ham radio hobby,

* The fourth task force area is devis.
ing a general neighborhood plan, be-
cause having a plan will bring predicta-
bility and stability to what might other.
wise be chaos. One home can be desig-
nated a neighborhood headquarters anq
message center, another designated a
child care center. A team of neighbors
can hike to the nearest fire station to
report the neighborhood's situation jf
communication links are gone. Another
team can go house-to-house to check on
individual situations, administer first
aid, shut off gas, and so on.

An unrelated issue area that some
neighborhood preparedness groups may
want to pursue 1s crime control, A
Neighborhood Watch/Home Alert pro-
gram is easy to implement once the
neighborhood has agreed to come to-
gether.

Think about your preparation insur-
ance. Are you under- or un-insured? If
so, start preparing soon! The premium
for this insurance is a small amount of
work divided among neighbors. The
renewal premium could be a yearly
neighborhood barbecue that doubles as
an updating session for earthquake pre-
paredness.

Maybe this game isn’t so bad after
all!

Michael Kilian, CPA

College
Avenue

AND

PREPARATION

On Specializing in
Tax PLANNING

Chimes Block Building
5290 College Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
(415) 652-8393

February 17, 1990

fees) ________The RoekriigeNews Pa

The Rockridge News

Water Quality In Urban Creeks: You Can Make A Difference

It is hard to pinpoint which of the Bay
Area's natural treasures is under the great-

ast threat from growing population pres-
sures: the hills, the fresh air, the Bay.

Minimizing the effects of this growth will
rake broad efforts on a regional basis and
individual efforts by each of us.

For example, the Bay, downhill from the
changes, absorbs all the trash and pollution
washed through storm drains by rainfall
and other runoff. This article provides some
suggestions about what can be done to con-
trol damage to one of our greatest treas-
ures. —Editor

by Larry Kolb, of the Regional
Water Quality Control Board

Water quality in urban creeks can
generally be assessed from two perspec-
tives: is the water safe for people? and,
does the water provide good habitat for
wildlife?

UrspaN CREEKS AND Punic HEALTH

In terms Of public health, urban
creeks usually have bacterial counts
which do not meet safe standards of
drinking or swimming, but it should be
possible to make creeks and streams
free of real danger to children and oth-
ers who have incidental contact with
the water.

Sources of bacterial pollution can be
from human sewage, usually from unin-
tentional cross-connections of sanitary
sewage lines to storm sewers, from
animal waste from birds and small
mammals, and to some extent, from soil
bacteria. Special problems occur in wet
weather, when, In some areas, sanitary
sewers back up and even overflow into
streets, drain into storm sewers, and
eventually into urban creeks. Even
where this problem does not exist, wet
weather can bring a heavy input of
wastes from dogs and cats. However,
high bacterial counts during wet
weather are no more basis for paving
over a creek than for paving over San
Francisco Bay, which has similar prob-
lems in wet weather.

Urspan CREEKS AS HABITATS

In terms of wildlife habitat, urban
creeks often provide the only fresh
water around during dry weather
months, and many are bordered by
heavy vegetation. This makes many
urban creeks attractive habitat for many
types of wildlife: invertebrates, frogs,

birds and small mammals. The latter
include raccoons, mice, and often feral
dogs and cats.

Fish life in urban creeks is highly
variable, influenced by physical barri-
ers to migration or reaches which have
been converted into covered storm
sewers. The aquatic life in urban creeks
is subject to discharges of pollutants
into storm drains, such as waste oil.

Sources Or Potziution IN CREEKS

In general, the most serious inci-
dents of pollution come from busi-
nesses rather than from homeowners.
Such discharges are generally illegal,
and violations of both the Federal Clean

Water Act and the California Water
Code.

DETECTING PoLLUTION
People whose homes are near

creeks, or who
walk or hike
along creeks
are quite often
those who can

quickly spot suspect pollutants which
have discharged into the stream. Ex-
amples of typical discharges are heavy
foaming, usually from cleaning prod-
ucts such as soaps and detergents, dis-
colorations of various kinds, odors from
gasoline, solvents, or sewage, and oily
films on the water.

Locating the source of a discharge 1s
not always easy, but it is often possible
to at least identify the storm drain input
from which the pollution seems to be
coming. Since most illegal discharg-
esare intermittant, it 1s extremely help-
ful if their sources can be located while
they are occurring.

REPORTING POLLUTION

In the Bay Area, the agency respon-
sible for enforcing laws on water pollu-
tion is the San Francisco Bay Regional
Water Quality Control Board, with of-
fices in Oakland. With a staff of about
100, the Regional Board does not have
resources to aggressively inspect and
monitor creeks for sources of pollution.
The Board does, however, respond to
urgent citizen complaints. First alert
for the Shell Oil spill in April of 1988
and on a recent spill from a PG&E pipe-
line in Contra Costa County were made

by a citizen. Complaints may be made
to the Regional Board at 464-1255.

EFFECTIVE REPORTS

Complaints are especially useful
when they are specific enough to pro-
vide a good chance of identifying the
responsible party; for example:

Good complaint: “Water with the
smell of gasoline coming from an 8 inch
Steel pipe coming out of a hillside on
the west side of ABC Creek, about 100
feet south of where First St. crosses the
creek.”

Not so good complaint: “An oily
sheen on the water in ABC Creek in the
portion of the creek just south of where
First Street crosses over.”

Worker complaint (usually anony-
mous): “I work for an auto repair shop,
and the foreman keeps flushing out
radiators onto the parking lot where the
water gets into the storm drain. I’ve
told him this could get us in trouble and
he ignores me. This happens most
weekdays around 11 AM.”

Any complaint can be given anony-
mously if there is some reason to fear
reprisals. This is very common, The
best way to ensure that a Regional
Board field inspector locates what you
observe is to arrange to meet the in-
spector on the scene. In summary, the
protection of urban creeks from pollu-
tion is critical to shaping the public at-
titudes that affect whether creeks will
be saved from physical destruction.
Pollution control efforts depend to a
large degree on public reports rather

than on agency initiative.

Agencies who receive pollution com-
plaints:

¢ Oakland Police Department, Sgt.
Alan Whitman, 273-3539. (Editor's note:
The City of Oakland ts the only area munict-
pality with a police officer assigned to envi-
ronmental investigations.)

¢ Regional Water Quality Control
Board 464-1255.

- Alameda County Health Depart-

ment 271-4348.

(This article ts reprinted with permis-
sion from the author and from CREEK CUR-
RENTS, newsletter of the Urban Creeks
Council.

For further information on the Council,
contact them at 2530 San Pablo Ave.,
Berkeley, CA 94702 or phone 540-6669.)

ee —_

wee “ee ot

Page 6 The Rockridge N

ews

In My View..
Comments by

-

axge Gibson-Haskeil
City Council, District 1

Looking At
Residential Design Review

The City Council passed a six-month interim Resi- |
dential Design Review ordinance on February 6. The or-
dinance is the result of noteworthy efforts on the part of
both the neighborhood and development communities.

THe Neep For Desicn REVIEW

About eighteen months ago, a seemingly sudden on-
slaught of cheap factory-built housing (unsightly boxes
dropped on pads with parking lots in front) caused neigh-
bors to complain to their councilmembers, Although
these houses met minimum Federal standards, they were
so below community standards that they could not com-
mand market rents. In fact, they were built for Section 8

February 17, 1990

almost time for Spring cleaning.
Remember last year when a cheery
bunch of neighbors came by on a
garbage truck to pick up your yard
debris, leaves, twigs, etc., for
FREE? Well, it’s that time again.
It’s that time, but it may not happen
unless someone steps forward to
coordinate the program in Rock-
ridge. Take the time and interest to
help organize this valuable annual
public service.

Call Gity Baxter at 652-8419 for
details, or write to RCPC, 5856 Col-

rental purposes only. The Council tried to stanch the lege Avenue, Box 130, Oakland, CA
stream of shoddy clones. The State, however, in a mis- | —,

guided effort to increase the stock of affordable housing,
mandated that cities may not pass ordinances specifi-
cally discouraging factory-built housing. Thus, in order
to combat this new urban blight, the City was compelled
to adopt a city-wide design review ordinance applicable
to all types of residences.

ComMMUNITY Groups SEEK SOLUTION

: We were in a quandary because Oakland has diverse
neighborhoods, and a catch-all ordinance that serves the i d eds 4

objective of maintaining minimum design standards U nig ue, Unisex Swed fs
would not adequately address such issues as netghbor-
hood context and would not promote diversity in those
| areas where the architecture is varied but compatible.
As a stop gap, the Council imposed a moratorium on
factory-built housing, while City staff and the interested
community groups tried to work out an acceptable solu-
tion.

On January 16, the Council took an advisedly calcu- |
lated risk when it allowed the moratorium to lapse for a
short period of time, but was determined to resolve the
problems with discretionary design review quickly be-
fore any building applications could be processed.

INTERIM ORDINANCE HIGHLIGHTS

I think that risk has been well rewarded. Roger |
Swanson and Frank Bergamaschi, who actually wrote
the draft guidelines, should be commended for crafting a
quality product that has received the support of the AIA,
neighborhood associations, and the Oakland Develop-

- All Cotton Fabrics
- Pre-shrunk
- Fashion Colors

-Updated and
classic styles

-Great Values for
comfortable
tops, pants,

lackets, shorts
and much more!

"You'll want
fo live in
these sweats!’

nn: Open
ment Council. Some of the highlights of the interim Mon-Sat The
ordinance are: It maintains a two-track system, with Sun 12-5

both a checklist and a discretionary procedure at the
option of the applicant. The checklist procedure applies

We accepi
@x
only to new construction of one or two units. It will be

a
Visa, MC &@& Am

administered by a specially hired design professional in §407 College Ave Oakland
the Planning Department. Buildings of three or more (415) 661-1131

(Next to Hudson Bay Cafte!)

See “Haskell,” page 8

ay Se

February 17, 1990 The Rockridge News Page 7
Suit Vote Rockridge’s Regal
from page | from page I Rummage Succeeds

Meanwhile, the date for the hearing
on the merits of the case should be set
within the next week. Following the
hearing on the merits, the court will
decide whether or not the EIR must be
re-done and whether Dreyer’s may use
the residential lots on Chabot for non-
residential uses.

RCPC intends to pursue all avenues
of litigation, contending the EIR was
inadequate and that use permits for the
project were therefore unlawfully is-

sued.

Anderson
from page I
RCPC’s involvement with the Rock-

ridge Area Specific Plan, the City
budget process, sponsorship of Candi-

to cast your ballot in favor of neighbor-
hood planning. The League of Women
Voters is overseeing the election, in-
cluding preparing ballots, counting
ballots, securing the ballot box, and
handling any challenges.

The six candidates running for five
positions are: Elizabeth Allen, Lisa
Curet, Nancy Dutcher, Alisa Michaels
Metzer, Ronnie Polonsky and Shelley
R. Poticha.

Please Vote—It does count, it is
important!

dates’ Nights for city elections, plan-
ning for the new Rockridge Library, and
the Clean Communities program, to
name just a few projects.

Barbara will continue to participate
in RCPC at the committee level.

— Advertisement ——

Consumer-Oriented Real Estate

Why pay a realtor a 6%
commission to sell yourhome when,
in most cases, Realty Advocates
provides the same full service for
4%’ Realty Advocates, headed by
brokers Hal Feiger and Brett
Weinstein, is currently the only East
Bay brokerage to promote high
quality real estate services at
reduced fees.

"The real estate business is not
truly competitive,” explains Brett
Weinstein, “when you realize that
most brokerages offer identical
services and charge identical fees
(usually 6%)." In contrast, Realty
Advocates offcrs a_ flexible
arrangement of services and fees to
better suit each of their client's
individual needs and budget.

Realty Advocates’ 4% full service
program is comparable to what's
offered by other reputable realty
agencies. When asked how they can
afford to charge so much less than
other companies, broker Hal Feiger
replics “given the fact that Bay Area

Call 428-0757 for more information.

Services by Realty Advocates

home prices have gone up so much
in recent years, it's really more
appropriate to ask other realtors
how they can still justify charging
so much.”

Realty Advocates also offers
several low-cost programs to assist

For Sale by Owners. "We can help
in marketing their home in the
Multiple Listing Service (MLS),
and are also available to handle the
paperwork and other technical |
details once a buyer 1s found,” says
Feiger.

As for buyers, Realty Advocates
has a rule whereby none of their
agents can work with more than
four buyers at any given time, and
of those four, none will be looking
for the same type of property.
Feiger explains: "this way, our
buyer clients are assurred of getting
the most conscientous and ethical
service."

As our many clients will attest:
"You'll be Giad to Have a Realty

Advocate on Your Side.”

Neighbors responded to the needs
of others by contributing “regal rum-
mage” last fall during the Harvest Days
Festival.

Inner-city Oakland missions (Har-
bor House, Oakland Peniel Mission,
House of Prayer) were able to distrib-
ute $600 worth of food, temporary and
emergency shelter, and clothing as a
result of the participation by Rockridge
Neighbors.

College Avenue Presbyterian
Church plans a similar rummage sale
next fall. By saving your good quality,
unwanted items now, you'll be ready to
help when the call goes out next Sep-

tember.
—- College Avenue

Presbyterian Church

Be A Tax Early Bird!)
Make your appointment
to prepare your :
1989 tax return now!

Halliburton
Financial Services

wor ae

+
ee

Listed below are standing committees of the
Rockndge Community Planning Council with
heir respecuve Chairs and Co-Chairs. Please call
any of the individuals listed if you have questions
br problems with what’s going on:

COMMITTEE
CiEaN Rockripce Gity Baxter

Cuairn/Co-Cuams

652-8419
634-5953
653-7376
654-6787
653-6018
420-1593
655-7474
658-2419
653-5312
655-8817
653-7522

Desicn Review Glen Jarvis
EARTHQUAKE Prep Drew Shagrin
LIBRARY Marc Beyeler
Nancy Dutcher
Andréa Walhof
Don Kinkead
Bill Manley
David Reinke
John Gussman
Brooke Levin

RASP

Rockripce News
TRAFFIC

ZONING

Storage Space Available
in garage...

Claremont-Rockridge area.

Cal! 547-8070.
{Not suitable for automobiles.}

Page 8

The Rockridge News

ig oe a ee

February 17, 1990

Haskell

from page 6

units (formerly five) or four or more contiguous lots are
subject to discretionary design review by Planning Depart-
ment Staff. There are clear, detailed instructions in lay
terms in the use of the checklist procedure. To determine
whether a proposed building needs to address neighborhood
context, the criterion of lot slope is used. Thus, planned
residences in flatland areas appropriately take context into

FAX & TELEX SERVICES

* COMPUTER CLASSES
& CONSULTING

¢ COMPUTER/GRAPHIC
DESIGN

« WORD PROCESSING

« UPS SHIPMENTS * BUSINESS, OFFICE &

* PRIVATE MAIL BOXES COMPUTER SUPPLIES

654-6504

5856 College Avenue M-Th 8am-Spm
Oakland, CA 94618 Fri 8am-8pm

(1 Block to Rockridge BART) Sat Sam-7pm
FAX: 415-654-1133 Senn Een een

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

HIGH QUALITY COPIES
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consideration, yet creative design in hill areas is not sufled.

DESIGN VALUES SUPPORT OBJECTIVES

Importantly, the ordinance translates design values on
which most community members can agree into objectives
to be preserved and fostered: unique character of neighbor-
hoods with strong positive existing context (such as Rock-
ridge); diversity in other neighborhoods (especially hill ar-
eas); natural features such as trees and creeks; visual archi-
tectural interest of buildings; and more landscaping, less
parking.

The interim ordinance achieves the goals of assuring
that: 1) factory-built housing is reviewed, and 2) its applica-
tion city-wide is equitable to Oakland’s varied neighbor-
hoods.

If you have any questions or comments, call me or my
assistant Winkie Campbell-Notar at 273-3266.

Ss

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Chimes thanks the Rockridge ).
Community for its generous
donations to the Red Cross

Earthquake Fund.

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Because of your generosity,
the Red Cross received over
$1,250 to help Oakland
residents recover from the
damage caused by the quake.

New Sunday Hours! ) —

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Lie lel ial

.. 7AM to Midnight | Monday-Friday... _

~ 9AMtoMidnight Saturday -.°).
- . 9AMto9PM = Sunday im, 7%

5642 College Avenue. _— At Rockridge BART

sey Spectals: good with this ad only. One coupon per customer!

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shousehold. Expires in 30 days unless otherwise stated. This ad |:
‘suSpupersedes all others. Prices subject to change without notice.

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The Rockridge News is published monthly in Oakland except in
August and ts sponsored by

The Rockridge Community Planning Council.

Goi something planned you'd like to have The Rockridge News
fellabout? CallDon Kinkead at 655-7474 or write to5626 OakGrove |
Avenue, Oakland 94618 (of course!) and let us know.

2 March issue deadline is March 9th.