There will be two meetings during August at which rezoning at Lake Merritt will be discussed. The first will be the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board (LPAB) on August 11 at 6:00 pm in Hearing Room One at City Hall. Rezoning of the entire Central Business District including Lake Merritt will be discussed. August 11, 2008, LPAB Staff Report
The LPAB has been asked by the Zoning Update Committee to make recommendations regarding historic preservation issues to be considered in the downtown rezoning the CBD. CALM will make a presentation about the history of the park land at Lakeside Drive and also about the historic buildings within the 300' zone where heights should be limited. We will ask the LPAB to recommend adoption of our 55' height limit proposal at Lakeside Drive to the zoning committee.
The second meeting will be walking tour sponosored by City of Oakland for the Zoning Update Committee. This tour will be on Monday, August 18 from 5:30 - 7:30. As part of the rezoning process for the Central Business District, staff will be leading a walking tour of a portion of downtown near Lake Merritt. More information will be circulated including a map and meeting location as things get finalized. The walking tour will discuss issues such as historic buildings, height and bulk regulations, building design, and other subjects related to the proposal. August 18, 2008, ZUC Walking Tour
Friday, August 1, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Zoning Update Committee Meeting-July 16
The Zoning Update Committee will again consider and take public comments regarding rezoning of the Central Business District on Wednesday July 16 at 4:00 pm at City Hall in Hearing Room One.
CALM will make a detailed presentation at the meeting and we are asking everyone who supports building height limits at Lake Merritt to send messages to the Commissioners. For those who can attend the meeting, you are encouraged to do so, to speak, or to otherwise express your support.
MICHAEL COLBRUNO (Chair)Email: michaelcolbruno@clearchannel.com
DOUGLAS BOXER Email:dboxer@gmail.com
ANNE E. MUDGE Email: amudge@coxcastle.com
Neil Gray, Planner III, City of OaklandEmail: NGray@oaklandnet.com
CALM will make a detailed presentation at the meeting and we are asking everyone who supports building height limits at Lake Merritt to send messages to the Commissioners. For those who can attend the meeting, you are encouraged to do so, to speak, or to otherwise express your support.
MICHAEL COLBRUNO (Chair)Email: michaelcolbruno@clearchannel.com
DOUGLAS BOXER Email:dboxer@gmail.com
ANNE E. MUDGE Email: amudge@coxcastle.com
Neil Gray, Planner III, City of OaklandEmail: NGray@oaklandnet.com
Friday, July 11, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Community Meeting at Snow Park, July 12
CALM is sponsoring a community meeting at Snow Park near the corner of 19th and Harrison Streets on Saturday July 12 at 1:00 pm. We will be providing further information and updates on our effort to limit building heights at the downtown edge of Lake Merritt. We hope you can join us for this short time so that we can meet one another and build support for this effort.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Staff Reports on Rezoning the Central Business District
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Contacts for the Next Zoning Update Committee
For a number of years, it has been apparent to many Oakland residents and Lake-users that building height limits are needed along the edge of Lake Merritt. Because the City of Oakland is currently rezoning the edge of the Lake, now is the time to accomplish this. Tribune Article
On July 16, 2008, the Zoning Update Committee (ZUC) will again discuss rezoning in the Central Business District (CBD). As you know, the Coalition of Advocates for Lake Merritt (CALM) is spear-heading an effort to rezone the edge of Lake Merritt for lower building heights. We are asking for heights to be limited to 55' or 5/6 floors within 300' of Lakeside Drive along the length of Lakeside Drive from 14th Street at the Fire Alarm site to Snow Park. This area is also known as the Gold Coast neighborhood.
WE ARE ASKING EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTS LIMITING BUILDING HEIGHTS AT LAKE MERRITT TO NOW PLEASE EXPRESS THIS TO THE ZONING UPDATE COMMITTEE.
Following are some of the important reasons why CALM is making the proposal for height limits:
-Tall buildings are often out of context with many of the historic buildings in the Gold Coast neighborhood.
-Allowing new tall buildings will encourage the destruction and replacement of lower, historic buildings.
-Views looking toward and away from Lake Merritt are obstructed by tall buildings and create a "wall" at the edge of the Lake.
-Sunlight and solar access are blocked by tall buildings, which also degrade the open space of park lands surrounding the Lake or next to tall buildings.
Below is the contact information for each ZUC member and also for Neil Gray, the City of Oakland planner who works directly on the rezoning.
DOUGLAS BOXER (Chair)
Phone: (510)286-2937, Fax: (510)835-0415
Email: dboxer@gmail.com
MICHAEL COLBRUNO (Vice-Chair)
Phone: (510)835-5900; Fax:(510)663-4662
Email: michaelcolbruno@clearchannel.com
ANNE E. MUDGE
Phone (415) 392-4200; Fax: (415) 392-4250
Email: amudge@coxcastle.com
Neil Gray, Planner III
City of Oakland
Phone: (510)238-3878
Email: NGray@oaklandnet.com
CALM is asking everyone to call, write or email each member of the ZUC and Mr. Gray. This is one of the most important steps to take in getting the height limits: we must let the ZUC and the City know who we are and know what we want for this area of the Lake.
We suggest that you include any or all of the points mentioned above or you may copy from the following short statement (which is from CALM's petition). Of course, feel free to express your own thoughts on the subject to the ZUC as well:
"The Gold Coast is a diverse urban community with an abundance of culturally-significant buildings two to six stories in height which should be preserved and enhanced. High-rise buildings in close proximity to the Lake will have severe and damaging impacts on the character of this community and will also degrade the natural environment and open space of Lake Merritt and its adjacent park lands."
"I/we urge the Zoning Update Committee to adopt CALM's proposal to limit building heights within 300' of Lakeside Drive at Lake Merritt to no more than 55' or 5-6 stories."
Whatever you do in this regard, whether you call, write, or email, will be greatly appreciated.
Finally, CALM is planning a short community meeting on Saturday July 12 in the Lake area to get to know each other and to share information and contacts for the rezoning effort. We will let you know the time and location as soon as possible but please reserve a little time that day, if you can.
On July 16, 2008, the Zoning Update Committee (ZUC) will again discuss rezoning in the Central Business District (CBD). As you know, the Coalition of Advocates for Lake Merritt (CALM) is spear-heading an effort to rezone the edge of Lake Merritt for lower building heights. We are asking for heights to be limited to 55' or 5/6 floors within 300' of Lakeside Drive along the length of Lakeside Drive from 14th Street at the Fire Alarm site to Snow Park. This area is also known as the Gold Coast neighborhood.
WE ARE ASKING EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTS LIMITING BUILDING HEIGHTS AT LAKE MERRITT TO NOW PLEASE EXPRESS THIS TO THE ZONING UPDATE COMMITTEE.
Following are some of the important reasons why CALM is making the proposal for height limits:
-Tall buildings are often out of context with many of the historic buildings in the Gold Coast neighborhood.
-Allowing new tall buildings will encourage the destruction and replacement of lower, historic buildings.
-Views looking toward and away from Lake Merritt are obstructed by tall buildings and create a "wall" at the edge of the Lake.
-Sunlight and solar access are blocked by tall buildings, which also degrade the open space of park lands surrounding the Lake or next to tall buildings.
Below is the contact information for each ZUC member and also for Neil Gray, the City of Oakland planner who works directly on the rezoning.
DOUGLAS BOXER (Chair)
Phone: (510)286-2937, Fax: (510)835-0415
Email: dboxer@gmail.com
MICHAEL COLBRUNO (Vice-Chair)
Phone: (510)835-5900; Fax:(510)663-4662
Email: michaelcolbruno@clearchannel.com
ANNE E. MUDGE
Phone (415) 392-4200; Fax: (415) 392-4250
Email: amudge@coxcastle.com
Neil Gray, Planner III
City of Oakland
Phone: (510)238-3878
Email: NGray@oaklandnet.com
CALM is asking everyone to call, write or email each member of the ZUC and Mr. Gray. This is one of the most important steps to take in getting the height limits: we must let the ZUC and the City know who we are and know what we want for this area of the Lake.
We suggest that you include any or all of the points mentioned above or you may copy from the following short statement (which is from CALM's petition). Of course, feel free to express your own thoughts on the subject to the ZUC as well:
"The Gold Coast is a diverse urban community with an abundance of culturally-significant buildings two to six stories in height which should be preserved and enhanced. High-rise buildings in close proximity to the Lake will have severe and damaging impacts on the character of this community and will also degrade the natural environment and open space of Lake Merritt and its adjacent park lands."
"I/we urge the Zoning Update Committee to adopt CALM's proposal to limit building heights within 300' of Lakeside Drive at Lake Merritt to no more than 55' or 5-6 stories."
Whatever you do in this regard, whether you call, write, or email, will be greatly appreciated.
Finally, CALM is planning a short community meeting on Saturday July 12 in the Lake area to get to know each other and to share information and contacts for the rezoning effort. We will let you know the time and location as soon as possible but please reserve a little time that day, if you can.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Views of the Current Situation
Looking east toward Lake Merritt from Jackson Street. Although the "wall of buildings" facing the lake on Lakeside Drive is very evident, there are still significant view corridors to be preserved (click on the images for close-up views).
View corridor at the corner of 17th Street & Lakside Drive. Both apartment buildings face Lakeside Park which is immediately across the street.
Looking north along Jackson Street and outward toward Lake Merritt from inside the Gold Coast neighborhood. Note the predominate low-rise character of the area and the row of high-rise structures at the edge which is Lakeside Drive and 19th Street.
Looking east toward Lake Merritt from Madison Street with the Scottish Rite Temple to the far right. Madison Street in this area is comprised almost entirely of low-rise apartment buildings. This picture clearly shows a portion of the "wall of buildings" which block views and access to Lake Merritt.
View corridor along 17th Street looking toward Lake Merritt. Replacing the short, blue building on the lower left of the picture with a 10-12 story structure would create a "street wall" along this section of 17th Street. (See below)
Under the current rezoning proposal for this section of 17th Street, the short pale-blue building on the left (17th & Jackson Streets) could be replaced by a 10-12 story building which is the height of the building immediately behind it. The buildings on this street are all within 300' of Lakeside Drive.
The pictures above and below show view corridors and historic properties which can be preserved by limiting building heights along Lakeside Drive.
Cameron-Stanford House at 14th and Lakeside Drive.
View corridor from Madison Street toward Lake Merritt
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