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By Kristen Belt

by Kristen Belt, RCPC Board How is it that the proposed project at the Trader Joe’s site on College Avenue can be more than 20 stories taller than the 95’ zoning limit and still be considered code compliant? (A similar question was posed regarding the sen...

By Kristen Belt

by Kristen Belt and Casey Farmer, CVP Co-Chairs meetings and robust resident feedback. It is a framework for initiatives led by the RCPC board, in collaboration with the broader Rockridge community. The CVP has five focus areas: Mobil­ ity, Open Space/Gre...

By Kristen Belt

Rockridge Community Vision Plan Has Officially Launched: Time to get involved! by Kristen Belt, RCPC Co-Secretary and Casey Farmer, RCPC Chair

Kristen Belt.............................................Vice Chair Scan this QR Code to purchase Kitchen Tour tickets. Garrick Monaghan Beyer........................Secretary help with tasks the week before the Tour and act as “runners” to troubleshoo...

By Margaret McCarthy

...Rockridge News Production Ryan Phillips.........................Editor & Layout Artist Susan Montauk...............Business & Distribution Mgr. RCPC Board of Directors, 2026 Jana Good...................................................Chair Kristen Belt.............................................Vice Chair Garrick Monaghan Beyer........................Secretary Paul McDonnell.......................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Gary Barg, Sam Fishman, David Hatfield, Star Light...

...Rockridge News Production Ryan Phillips.........................Editor & Layout Artist Susan Montauk...............Business & Distribution Mgr. RCPC Board of Directors, 2026 Jana Good...................................................Chair Kristen Belt.............................................Vice Chair Please email kitchentour@rockridge.org to volunteer. ● Garrick Monaghan Beyer........................Secretary Paul McDonnell.......................................Treasurer Mark Aaron...

...presentation of neighborhood interests. Rockridge News Production Ryan Phillips.........................Editor & Layout Artist Susan Montauk...............Business & Distribution Mgr. RCPC Board of Directors, 2026 Mark Aaronson, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt, Sam Fishman, Jana Good, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Paul McDonnell, Garrick Monaghan Beyer, Natalie Musick, Brian Stromquist, Robbie Tasker

Paul McDonnell......................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Tom Lollini, Robbie Tasker, Zack Walton, Kim Suczynski Smith. Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Contacting The Rockidge News Are there topics you’d like to see covered in the Rockridge ...

...ou will find bios for each of our new board members. Congrats to those by Robbie Tasker joining us for the first time: Natalie Musick, Brian Stromquist, Sam Fishman, Garrick Monaghan Beyer and to our returning board members Tom Lollini and Kristen Belt! I would also like to thank those who are stepping down from the RCPC board after multiple years of service: Zack Walton, Eli Kaplan, Muhammad Alameldin, Kimberly Suczynski Smith and especially our board chair Casey Farmer. ● Natalie Music...

....................Chair Star Lightner.........................................Vice Chair Jana Good.............................................Secretary Paul McDonnell......................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Tom Lollini, Robbie Tasker, Zack Walton, Kim Suczynski-Smith. Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Contacting The Rockidge News Are there topics you’d like to see covered in

Gary Barg Kristen Belt Eli Kaplan Tom Lollini Zack Walton Kim Suczynski-Smith Karen Ivy Morgan Molvig

Paul McDonnell......................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Tom Lollini, Robbie Tasker, Zack Walton, Kim Suczynski-Smith. Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Contacting The Rockidge News Are there topics you’d like to see covered in the Rockridge ...

...Lightner.........................................Vice Chair Jana Good.............................................Secretary Paul McDonnell......................................Treasurer SUBMITTING BLOGS AND EVENTS Mark Aaronson, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Tom Lollini, Robbie Tasker, Zack Walton, Kim Suczynski-Smith, Muhammad Alameldin. BLOGS: • Articles should focus on issues that are important to our community, for example: safety, housing, sustainabil- ity and transportation....

...r Lightner......................................... Vice Chair Jana Good.................................................Secretary Paul McDonnell.......................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Robbie Tasker, Zack Walton, Kim Suczynski-Smith

............................................Vice Chair Jana Good...................................................... Secretary Paul McDonnell............................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Robbie Tasker, Zack Walton, Kim Suczynski-Smith Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Contacting The Rockidge News Are there topics you’d like to see covered in ...

By Don Kinkead

......................Chair Jana Good...................................................... Secretary Paul McDonnell............................................Treasurer RCPC’s 40th, see next page Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Kim Suczynski-Smith, Robbie Tasker, Zack Walton

..........................................................Chair Kim Suczynski-Smith................................... Secretary Paul McDonnell............................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt, Jana Good, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Robbie Tasker, Zack Walton Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Contacting the Rockidge News Are there topics you’d like to see covered in the Rockri...

..........................................................Chair Kim Suczynski-Smith................................... Secretary Paul McDonnell............................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt, Jana Good, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Robbie Tasker, Zack Walton Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Contacting the Rockidge News Are there topics you’d like to see covered in the Rockri...

By Casey Farmer

by Casey Farmer and Kristen Belt, CVP Co-Chairs, RCPC Board Members

Photo: Kristen Belt CVP, continued from front page 2) Housing Opportunities: How can we support housing development at “Opportunity Sites” identified by the City of Oakland? 3) Rockridge’s Sustainability and Resilience Plan: What should be included as part of...

..........................................................Chair Kim Suczynski-Smith................................... Secretary Paul McDonnell............................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt, Jana Good, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Robbie Tasker, Zack Walton Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Contacting the Rockidge News Are there topics you’d like to see covered in the Rockri...

By Casey Farmer

Community Vision Plan: What We’ve Done So Far; What’s to Come by Casey Farmer and Kristen Belt, CVP Co-Chairs, RCPC Board Members

..........................................................Chair Kim Suczynski-Smith................................... Secretary Paul McDonnell............................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt, Jana Good, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Robbie Tasker, Zack Walton Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Contacting the Rockidge News Are there topics you’d like to see covered in the Rockridge News? Hav...

By Casey Farmer

Listening Sessions and Pop-ups Inform Rockridge Community Vision Plan by Casey Farmer and Kristen Belt, CVP Co-Chairs, RCPC Board Members

By Don Kinkead

...ich..................................................... Vice-Chair Kim Suczynski-Smith................................... Secretary Louisa Bukiet.................................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Zack Walton through our survey, which you can access via the QR code on the front page, or at www.Rockridge.org. n Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Contacti...

By Don Kinkead

Louisa Bukiet.................................................Treasurer Get Involved: Attend An Event or Pop-Up Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Zack Walton RCPC is excited by the energy that was brought to the first meeting, and we appreciate our neighbors’ thought- ful comments. We encourage the community to get involved. Join a Steering C...

...r distribution, etc.). Please see Rockridge.org for more information and examples of the organization’s impact. Email Chair@Rockridge.org to learn more about the election process and how to participate. n Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Zack Walton What is the Scope of RCPC? Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org We’re your official neighborhood association focused on land use, development, trans...

.................................... Vice-Chair Kim Suczynski-Smith................................... Secretary Louisa Bukiet.................................................Treasurer Photo by Anna L. Marks Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Zack Walton Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org In 2015, owner Lise Dale fell in love with the Bittersweet Café while working for the owner, and took it over w...

By Don Kinkead

...lready reshaping the way people think about what they throw away, and as the organization continues to grow, so too does its impact… one forgotten curbside find at a time. n Stooping Club, from front page Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Zac Unger, Zack Walton operates worldwide, including new branches opening as far away as Ethi-

...ich..................................................... Vice-Chair Kim Suczynski-Smith................................... Secretary Louisa Bukiet.................................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Zac Unger, Zack Walton infrastructure bonds with a 55 percent vote. This measure removes a systemic barrier that has for too long blocked communities’ ability to meet their affordable housing and in...

...ich..................................................... Vice-Chair Kim Suczynski-Smith................................... Secretary Louisa Bukiet.................................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Zac Unger, Zack Walton Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Urgent Call for Docents Lastly, the RCPC Kitchen Tour committee still needs MANY more volunteer doce...

...ich..................................................... Vice-Chair Kim Suczynski-Smith................................... Secretary Louisa Bukiet.................................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Zac Unger, Zack Walton Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Contacting the Rockidge News Are there topics you’d like to see covered in the

.................................................... Vice-Chair Kim S. Smith................................................. Secretary Louisa Bukiet.................................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Zac Unger, Zack Walton, Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Contacting the Rockidge News Are there topics you’d like to see covered in the Rockridge News? Have...

...eard — the second largest turnout ever! Bambino Thrift Shop volunteers (left to right) Dee McDonough, Lou Gates, and Carol Maes are making big plans for the store’s anniversary later this month. Casey Farmer (incumbent) 288 Zack Walton 269 Kristen Belt 255 Eli Kaplan 255 Muhammad Alameldin 241 Kim S. Smith 237 Bambino Thrift Shop: A Beacon of Support For Thirty Years infants and young children, regardless of their ability to pay. This dream became a reality in 1914 when Wright founded Ba...

.................................................... Vice-Chair Kim S. Smith................................................. Secretary Louisa Bukiet.................................................Treasurer Mark Aaronson, Muhammad Alameldin, Kristen Belt, Eli Kaplan, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini, Zac Unger, Zach Walton, Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org For information: info@rockridge.org Contacting the Rockidge News Are there topics you’d like to see covered in the Rockridge News? Have...

...all, or online neigh- borhood groups… or maybe you don’t! A Lawton homeowner since 2011, UC Berkeley grad, California native, ex-Silicon Valley entrepreneur, author, connector, and local real estate agent, I love Rockridge and our history. Kristen Belt As an architect and urban designer, I have dedicated my career to the development of sustainable urban places with an empha- sis on affordable housing. For 25 years, I’ve worked hand in hand with nonprofit developers, city officials, and n...

By Jack Soares

...omotion on social media. Word-of-mouth referrals were successful in increasing the number of buyers as well as donors. The shelves in the Tool Library’s office overflowed into the garages and workshops of FOTLL’s small group of volunteers. Kristen Belt 61st Street

Jo Ellis �����������������������������������Advertising &  An enthusiastic crowd dedicated the latest Rockridge public art project “Views of the Greenbelt” by artist Mark Brest van Kempen on a rainy day in Rockridge. Installed between Hardy and Redondo Parks along the Greenbelt (see accompanying map, page 11), the strategically placed sculptures of native flora and fauna, sculptural viewing devices ...

...ognized public artist, has developed a design that will focus on natural and man-made elements found in the park now and in the past, using a series of telescopes and a periscope. The sculptures will be located along the length of the greenbelt, and be oriented towards park users young and old. A community meeting for the project was held May 25. For more project information, contact Jennifer Cooper or Kristen Zaremba, city of Oakland Acting Assistant Public Art Coordinator, at 510/238-2...