Fifty years ago, Rockridge neighbors proactively petitioned Oakland to create a new neighborhood-oriented commercial zone and residential zones that protected and enhanced the historical housing stock needing repair and upgrades.
The Rockridge community also led the efforts to build the new library and Frog Park. These efforts contributed significantly to the success of the district: Rockridge became a popular place to raise a family, and the demand for housing went up.
Recently, Oakland’s new General Plan increased the allowed building heights along College Avenue from 35 feet to 55 feet tall (not including state density bonuses) and the residential district from 30 feet to 35 feet tall as a way to allow for development of multiples of our current housing stock.
At the same time, the California State Senate has passed many housing bills overriding local zoning, the most recent being SB79, allowing 8 and 9 stories on any street within a half mile radius of the BART station. The first preliminary application being senior housing towers, 25 and 31 stories at the Trader Joe’s site.
Both SB79 and the senior towers are not based on our local regulations. They attempt to add housing without recognizing the local conditions that make Rockridge work, and they have significant problems. My comments follow:
Location:
This site by the BART station is excellent for housing commuters, and especially affordable housing. However, seniors need a grocery store more than BART, and the neighborhood needs Trader Joe’s. There are other “opportunity sites” in Rockridge that are closer to a grocery store and can better serve the daily needs of seniors.
The proposal creates a grocery store monopoly. Removing Trader Joe’s leaves Rockridge with only the two Safeway stores, and no incentive for expanded food choices and competitive prices.
The proposal claims to add 200+ jobs. The jobs stated are mostly service employees with lower incomes. These employees will increase our affordable housing deficit (the same number of jobs will be lost due to the closure of Trader Joe’s).
The proposal does not address emergency evacuation. Emergency exiting for seniors is a problem in tall buildings. When a building is evacuated, the elevators stop, the staff leaves, and the infirm have been left on their own. Senior housing should be limited to heights that the fire department can access from the street.
Is there a soils report? This site was once the bank of Temescal Creek, and the soils could be subject to liquefaction.
How can we visualize these heights? These towers are taller than the residential towers at the MacArther BART, and they directly adjoin the residential housing zone. The drawings do not realistically show the proposed heights in relationship to the adjacent family homes. What buildings in Oakland are this height that we can visit and experience from the street?
Sustainability?
As our climate continues to change, what sustainable features will these buildings have? How will they affect the adjoining homes and the individual investments in solar power? In addition to these existing solar electric systems installed in Rockridge, the California Energy Commission mandates houses in the Rockridge RM residential zone transition to Zero Net Energy whenever a building permit is required.
However, these rules do not apply to commercial and large apartment buildings, which presently are not required to generate their own power, making these buildings less sustainable. How does the proposed 25+ story building coordinate with existing solar electric systems and the ongoing requirement for all new construction?
All things considered, other options for quality senior housing development in our area should be explored.
Glen Jarvis
Rockridge Resident
