A few months ago, the planning commission approved a proposal to make the Claremont Hotel, which has been a historic site in Oakland for nearly 90 years, a landmark. The preservation advisory board wanted to make the entire hotel property a landmark, as well. However, before the proposal made its way to the city council, the item was removed, and the planning commission barred the landmark preservation advisory board from having any authority in preventing new development because of landmarks.

However, the commission has proposed regulating future development on the Claremont property, which would only allow development projects that were complementary to the old hotel.

The hotel owner, KSL Corp., would benefit from this because it would not have to follow guidelines for regulating new development at a historic site. However, any new development, including adding about 140 rooms to the property, would have to enhance the beauty of the current hotel.