Commercial Zoning Changes Coming for Oakland

OAKLAND, CA-The City of Oakland wants property owners, business owners and developers to attend a workshop this week on proposed zoning changes to the city’s commercial areas that would go into effect in 2010. The proposed changes include a new approach for regulating height, bulk and intensity of buildings along commercial corridors, and new design regulations for the area’s major commercial corridors. The first workshop was held over the weekend. The last one will be held this Thursday.

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.