The City of Oakland began efforts to complete a Citywide Zoning Update in 2007 to bring the zoning regulations and designations in line with the General Plan Land Use and Transportation Element that was adopted in 1998. In June 2008, the Oakland City Council adopting new zoning for the city's industrial areas. This summer, it adopted new zoning for the Central Business District.

The current zoning update process began in September 2008. City officials say the existing framework of 12 residential and 20 commercial zones is not consistent with the General Plan and has not been comprehensively updated since 1965. In addition to soliciting feedback from the general public two Technical Advisory Groups act as a sounding board for, and provide input to, city staff.

The current draft proposal includes changes to zoning for most of the areas along major corridors or commercial areas, according to a PDF file of the presentation provided to GlobeSt.com. Zoning would change to accommodate higher density residential on major corridors, it says, and new auto-related uses would be restricted to Community Commercial areas or Neighborhood Center Mixed Use areas near freeways.