Greater Grand Lake Action Coalition

Question 6: How can the "Smart Growth" principles advocated by environmentalists be applied in District 2?

One, by emphasizing the preservation and strengthening of neighborhoods (and increasing their participation in the democratic process) so they have a say in what kind of growth is compatible to their neighborhood and quality of life.

Two, by focusing on and sustaining "small businesses" throughout the District 2 and rejecting "big box and franchise" operations.

And finally, by passing an inclusion ordinance in Oakland so citizens and the City can examine the full impact and benefits to be derived from development (before they are allowed to develop) and to require developers and corporations to examine the question of how they can be "part" of the community; as opposed to viewing us as merely a "cash cow" for the corporate bottom line.

Smart Growth principles are easily applied to the neighborhoods of District 2. As I have said before, the future of Oakland lies in building up all the neighborhoods of the City. That means we focus on new and sustainable business opportunities for our residents, not look to large scale corporate employers. That means we focus on smaller development projects both by and for the residents of Oakland , using local developers and small developers to increase and redevelop housing and business in the City. By taking a neighborhood by neighborhood approach to growth, we keep alive the cultural assets that are so strong in our community, and we are better able to manage the environmental impact of growth. It is a lot easier to mitigate the environmental problems caused by a 20 residential unit development project then a 2,000 unit project.

District 2 has some golden examples of the “walkable communities” envisioned by Smart Growth principals. Chinatown, the Eastlake, and Lakeshore are ideal transit villages where good transportation, existing infrastructure and open space serve a dense, but sustainable community of residents and neighborhood-serving merchants. I worked hard to complete several projects which have further enhanced these areas as walkable communities:

The new Splashpad Park and related street and crosswalk improvements have greatly improved pedestrian access to the park and under the freeway, and with the Farmers market in operation creates an exciting urban village.
In the Eastlake shopping district, the recently completed streetscape with beautiful palm trees and re-designed sidewalks (International and E. 12 th between 5 th and 8 th Avenues) was funded by a highly competitive grant called “Transportation for Livable Communities.” International Blvd has the most heavily used public transit lines in all of Alameda County .
Chinatown is the epitome of Smart Growth--people living, shopping, and working in the same neighborhood without having to drive. With my help, a major project to improve pedestrian safety in Chinatown is underway with funding from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. This project is a partnership by our City Council office with Asian Health Services and the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce.

Future development in District 2 should adhere to these same Smart Growth principals. Density is a good thing in an urban area, but only if it is located near transit and other amenities that make communities truly livable.

The pressures of dense population demand that we maintain and upgrade our public infrastructure, parks, and libraries. That is why I helped draft and campaigned for Measure DD, which provides $200 million to upgrade Lake Merritt (our “ Central Park ”) and open access to our 19-miles of waterfront. That is also why I served on the Library Commission to establish a funding plan to renovate our branch libraries.

We must make sure that City Hall budgets enough dollars to maintain our parks, fix the potholes and fix our flood-control systems. We must also make sure our police and fire fighters are able to respond promptly to our residents.

Only with solid planning and funding of these fundamental services can we sustain a walkable and liveable “smart growth” community.

Smart Growth principles are very important to the future of District 2, and our city and region as a whole. Smart Growth means that we acknowledge the need for more housing and local businesses and services, while at the same time insisting that this "growth" be done in a way that benefits, rather than harms, our community and our environment. Examples of good Smart Growth ideas includes trying to use old buildings for new purposes instead of paving over what is left of our green space, and it includes making sure that housing is closely connected to public transit, pedestrian safety, and bike lanes, so residents don't need to drive to get around. It also means working to have services and shops located near housing, so people can buy food and other necessities right in their own neighborhoods. When making plans for developments in our district (including the Oak-to-9th project) we should require that Smart Growth principles be used. I consider "Smart Growth" to be both an environmental issue and an issue of improving the quality of life for all of our residents. We are lucky in Oakland to have many dedicated Smart Growth experts located right here in our community, and we should make sure to use their input in our planning.

District 2 is very fortunate to have a development pattern that is consistent with many smart growth principles. We have relatively dense neighborhoods that are oriented towards neighborhood commercial districts, the Grand/Lakeshore area being the best example. We have good public transportation, particularly by bus. We have a population that appreciates urban life and doesn't want to live a suburban, car-based existence.

The keys to good development are careful planning, creativity and community participation. We should not push for development at any cost. We need to support thoughtful development that looks good, benefits local businesses and is pedestrian friendly.

The proposed McDonald's on Lake Park is a perfect example of what we do not need in District 2: a car-based franchise business selling an unhealthy product. I believe the Albertsons on East 18th will be a major improvement to the neighborhood's commerce, but from a smart growth perspective it was lacking: there is still a huge parking lot in front (and on the neighboring Walgreens), even though smart growth tells us to build at the sidewalk's edge to be inviting to pedestrians. The IDistrict project on 14th Avenue is a great example of smart growth: dense housing on a major transit line.

District 2 needs a Councilmember who knows the ins and outs of zoning, planning and development. My years working for the City Council have focussed on the development of everything from single family homes in the hills, to small businesses and restuarants in Rockridge to major projects like Uptown. It's complicated stuff and the process is difficult to get a hold of. Our neighborhoods will only benefit from smart growth principles if they have a Councilmember who knows those principles and can work with the community to apply them.

Oakland neighborhoods are eager for smart growth development that delivers attractive, walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods. Unfortunately, current zoning codes and land development regulations present major impediments to making smart growth a reality. In District 2, the 23rd Avenue corridor has tremendous potential to be a smart growth development area where shaded walkways, outdoor cafes, youth centers, libraries, small businesses create an enjoyable and walkable center of neighborhood life.

The city council should prioritize making the zoning changes necessary to approach development in a way that supports and sustains our neighborhoods.

Smart growth principles apply around transit hubs and underutilized spaces in the developed parts of the City in order to 1) prevent sprawl into suburban and rural areas and 2) maintain the existing open spaces that City dwellers need. After that it gets fuzzy. Was then the Leona Quarry project infill development? I think other factors have to be taken into account, like the viability of the land itself and the effects of development on surrounding neighborhoods. At the Leona Quarry both were very problematic. Smart growth applies well at a place like the Kwik Way, where parking now takes up most of the space. A well designed project will bring in the appropriate small scale retail with some housing since it is a transit corridor and a retail area.

The three principles of Smart Growth –efficient infill development, environmentally sound development and equitable development—must all be adhered to for Smart Growth to be truly smart. We must do better at addressing the Third E --equity -- of Smart Growth principles. I will work to promote policies that encourage infill developments to provide jobs and housing opportunities, help develop our small businesses and create amenities for Oakland ’s existing residents while at the same time bringing new residents to Oakland .