Objectives - City of Oakland€¦ · in the Embarcadero Cove area offers moder-ately priced rooms on the waterfront with good freeway accessibility and proximity to the Oakland Airport

Section II: Objectives 21

ObjectivesII

22 Oakland Estuary Policy Plan

The Estuary shoreline will support a broad range of land uses and activities.


Land UseDuring the past several decades, with the ad-vent of containerized cargo handling facilitiesand the development of the Inner and Outerharbors at the Port of Oakland, the traditionalrole of the mid Estuary shoreline as a place formaritime trade, transportation, commerce, andindustry has declined. Although the only cargohandling facility remaining in the Estuary plan-ning area is the Ninth Avenue Terminal, anumber of industries still remain that were oncewater related or provided support services foran economic base that has now shifted else-where. The closure of large military bases onthe waterfront is likely to further the trendtoward consolidation of maritime industriesto the west, and could open up new marketopportunities for the future of the Estuaryshoreline.

MARKET TRENDS

Traditional Heavy Manufacturing. As inother urban areas, older heavy industrial usescontinue to decline along the waterfront asmarkets change, facilities become obsolete, andthe region expands outward. Existing opera-tions remain because of significant investmentsin facilities and continued good proximity andaccess to markets and suppliers. The enclaveof food-related businesses in the San Anto-nio/Fruitvale area is an example where someolder operations have remained and newer,more specialized operations have moved inbecause of the availability of facilities and goodproximity to markets. The Owens-Brockwayfacility is an example of a large production fa-cility with significant capital investment thatis likely to remain viable.

Warehouse, Distribution, and Storage. Ware-housing, distribution and storage activities areprominent along the waterfront as well as inother industrial areas of Oakland. The seaport,the airport, major freeways, and a central lo-cation in the region are the factors supportingthe transportation and wholesale trade indus-tries in the planning area. Facilities are gener-ally characterized by large land areas and rela-tively minimal warehouse structures and dock-ing facilities. While there is a demand for suchfacilities, the planning area does not offer sig-nificant locational advantages over other loca-tions in East Oakland, West Oakland, and else-where along the I-880 corridor. Over time,improvements that capitalize on the water-front location and enhance the attractivenessand value of the planning area for other usesare likely to make the area less desirable forwarehouse, distribution and storage activities.




Construction Industry. The construction in-dustry has remained healthy in Oakland. Thereare a number of construction-related businessoperations in the planning area. These busi-nesses are there because of the area’s centrallocation, freeway accessibility, and availableland. Investment in capital facilities is notsubstantial in most cases. Like the warehouse,distribution and storage uses, the planning areano longer offers significant locational advan-tages for construction uses, and water access isnot as critical. It is likely that, over time, theplanning area will become less desirable forsuch uses.

Wholesale Produce Industry. The wholesaleproduce industry in Oakland is centered at theOakland Produce Market in the Jack LondonDistrict. However, market operations are notexpected to remain there over the long term.A recent City study identified that physicalconditions of the existing facilities are inad-equate for modern, efficient operations, andthat the type of modern distribution facilityneeded cannot be provided at the current lo-cation. Eventual relocation of the wholesaleproduce market will offer opportunities forreuse of the area.

Light Industrial Activities. Within the plan-ning area, there have been some transitionsfrom heavier industrial to lighter industrialuses. Examples of light industrial uses in thearea include light manufacturing firms, boatrepair and sales operations, artisans, graphicsand printing businesses, construction contrac-tors and special trades, and security and busi-ness service firms. Most of these types of useshave located in existing older buildings, adapt-ing space as needed, although the stock of large,older buildings is not always well-suited forthis market.

There is the potential for future growth oflight industrial activities in the planning area.Development of flex-type space that allowsbusinesses with different activities and func-tions would be desirable, as would improve-ments to enhance the desirability of older in-dustrial areas by providing some level of ame-nity, upkeep, and security.

Research and Development. Research andDevelopment (R&D) and various high-tech-nology uses have been expanding in the innerEast Bay as growth continues in these sectorsthroughout the region. Campus-type businesspark development is desired by many of these

uses. Locations in the planning area with thestrongest potential for such development in-clude those offering an attractive, high-ame-nity environment; good access and proximityto services; a quiet, somewhat contained sitearea; and a certain critical mass or minimumscale of development.

A waterfront setting, views, recreation facili-ties, and open space all enhance the market-ability for such uses. Although Oakland hasnot established itself in the R&D market, at-tributes of portions of the planning area couldbe competitive.

Office. Office uses have been growing withinthe planning area. The mix of uses and his-torical quality of the Jack London Districtsupport a less-traditional office niche in closeproximity to the Oakland Central BusinessDistrict (CBD). The area’s convenient loca-tion and its opportunities for new space, forinteresting space in older industrial buildings,and for owner-occupied office space have at-tracted a wide variety of smaller office ten-ants, including architects, consultants, media-related firms, and insurance, law, and otherprofessional service firms. The demand foroffice space is expected to continue to grow.


Lower cost office space in the EmbarcaderoCove area has also attracted office uses. Thatlocation’s relative isolation from other officeactivities has been offset by a waterfront set-ting and lower cost space with surface park-ing.

Commercial. A range of commercial uses andactivities exist along the waterfront, and havebeen increasing in importance over time. Po-tential exists for increased commercial activitythroughout the planning area.

As a destination for dining, entertainment andretail uses, Jack London Square’s performancehas improved significantly since the early1990s. Major new attractions (Jack LondonCinema, Barnes and Noble, Yoshi’s), estab-lished restaurants, and numerous special eventsnow bring thousands of people to the area.There is momentum to build on and greatpotential to strengthen and expand the area asa stronger and desirable destination for retail,dining and entertainment activities.

Additional unique uses and attractions, as wellas physical improvements, will be importantto create a more inviting “people place” thatbetter capitalizes on its waterfront setting.

Outside of Jack London Square, eating anddrinking establishments that take advantageof water views and ambiance are evident, butnot plentiful. There is potential for growthof these uses as new development occurs, pub-lic access and open space improvements aremade, and larger numbers of people are attractedto the waterfront.

Larger scale retail uses also have been success-ful in the planning area. A mix of retailers of-fering home furnishings, children’s and spe-cialty items, and off-price goods provide ashopping attraction in the Jack London Dis-trict. Retailers are doing well and sales havebeen increasing. There is potential to add simi-lar types of retailers nearby. Oakland and theinner East Bay are very underserved in goods re-tailing.

Good freeway accessibility and visibility, theavailability of a large, formerly industrial sites,and a location on a major route (I-880) arekey factors in the recent development of a largenew retail uses such as the Super K-Mart inthe San Antonio/Fruitvale area. Other largeretailers (e.g. Arvey’s Paper) have located in themore industrial areas of the Jack London Dis-trict because of freeway accessibility, proxim-

ity to downtown, and the availability of largewarehouse buildings. These types of locationsin the planning area are likely to remain at-tractive to larger retail uses.

Hotels/Motels. Hotels and motels in the plan-ning area have been very successful. Lodgingin the Embarcadero Cove area offers moder-ately priced rooms on the waterfront withgood freeway accessibility and proximity tothe Oakland Airport. Additional hotel devel-opment will soon be under construction inthat area. Lodging in the Jack London Dis-trict includes moderately priced hotel/motelunits and a full-service hotel at the waterfront.Potential exists for a higher amenity waterfronthotel in the Jack London District. Over time,hotels are a potential use for other waterfrontlocations, particularly in the Oak -to- Nintharea, after new open space and recreation usesare developed there.

Housing and Work/Live. Residential uses inthe planning area range from single-familyunits in the Kennedy Tract neighborhood tohigher density units and loft housing in theJack London District and work/live units intransitioning industrial areas. The mixed-usecharacter of the planning area makes it attrac


tive for work/live activities, which are com-patible with both the industrial and residen-tial areas. Work/live studios in the older in-dustrial waterfront areas are relatively afford-able among such uses in the East Bay, and areattractive to artisans and craftspeople workingon the premises as well as to incubator-typebusinesses. Work/live and loft housing in themore central portions of the Jack LondonDistrict is more attractive to East Bay artisansand entrepreneurial professionals, and com-mands higher prices and rents. Throughoutthe planning area, work/live and loft housinghas been developed through the conversion andrehabilitation of older warehouse and indus-trial buildings.

There is the potential for more work/live usesand housing in the planning area in the fu-ture. Improvements that capitalize more onthe waterfront location in the San Antonio/Fruitvale District could enhance the attractive-ness of that area for additional conversions ofexisting buildings to work/live activities. Thedevelopment of new housing in this formerlyindustrial area would require public investmentin infrastructure and amenities, and wouldneed to be done at a scale large enough to cre-ate a neighborhood identity.

There also is the potential for additional work/live and loft housing in the Jack London Dis-trict in the future. There are some opportuni-ties for additional conversions of warehousebuildings to work/live lofts and some oppor-tunities for new construction. Prices and rentsin the area will eventually reach levels highenough to cover the costs of newly constructedloft housing and work/live projects. Thedistrict’s industrial/artistic feel, its mix of uses,and its urban development pattern are impor-tant aspects of the area’s desirability for urban,nontraditional types of housing.

ISSUES & OPPORTUNITIES

With the decline of its historic industrial, ware-housing and commercial uses, there is the op-portunity to establish a new role for the Estu-ary—one that emphasizes a publicly spiritedplace that is tied more closely to the surround-ing neighborhoods and districts.

In the future, successes in certain areas (such asJack London Square) can be extended, exist-ing residential neighborhoods reinforced, newmixed-use neighborhoods established, viableindustries supported, and incompatibilitiesbetween heavy industrial uses and residential

neighborhoods mitigated. The new uses canhelp to strengthen the economy of the cityand shape Oakland’s identity as a waterfrontcity an identity that will be a source of prideand enjoyment for residents and visitors foryears to come.

More specifically, the Estuary Policy Plan rec-ommends reconfiguring land use patternsalong the shoreline, to build upon the follow-ing opportunities:

!!!!! Urban Entertainment and Mixed UsesExtending from the Waterfront to the CityCenter and Chinatown. The Jack Lon-don District has been established as a re-gional destination for retail, dining and en-tertainment, and as a lively mixed-use dis-trict. There is now the distinct potential tobuild on the successes of the area, create astronger regional destination, and establishactivity centers that benefit the city as awhole. The strength of the entertainment/mixed-use segments of the economy offersan opportunity to realize a long-held cityobjective to connect the waterfront (physi-cally and economically) to downtown Oak-land. Intensifying these uses at Jack Lon-don Square, and expanding them along the


Broadway Street corridor will realize thatobjective.

!!!!! Redevelopment of Declining Commercialand Industrial Areas. Some portions ofthe Estuary shoreline are underutilized, duein large part to the decline of the industrialbase that historically has dominated the Es-tuary. Today, the Estuary provides an op-portunity area for new uses that contributeto and/or benefit from a waterfront envi-ronment. It can also be a valuable resourcein fostering nontraditional land uses withinexisting buildings (such as work/live, arti-san studios, incubator, commercial andR&D).

At the same time, these older buildings rep-resent the history of the city. To the extentpossible, they should be preserved andadapted to contemporary re-use.

!!!!! Reuse of the 5th Avenue to 9th AvenueArea. The possibility of consolidatingmaritime operations in the Oakland OuterHarbor creates opportunities for a majorredevelopment effort in an area extendingfrom the Ninth Avenue Terminal to themouth of the Lake Merritt Channel. This

area offers the largest single opportunity inOakland to provide for dramatic, large-scale economic development, plus a mainpublic space at the waterfront.

A system of inter-connected open spacescan connect the Estuary shoreline with LakeMerritt. There is potential to build upon thediverse nature of the shoreline and providefor a variety of water-oriented recreationalactivities (both passive and active). Theserecreational uses can be complemented bypublic-oriented activities, including hotelsand restaurants, as well as nonprofit insti-tutions, cultural facilities, and existing ar-tisan studios on private property.

LAND USE OBJECTIVES

Objectives for land use recognize the Estuaryas an attractive location for development op-portunities and intensification of a variety ofactivities. They are based on and reinforcedby the objectives in the General Plan Elementsaddressing Land Use & Transportation (1998),Open Space, Conservation & Recreation(OSCAR; 1996), Historic Preservation (1994)and Housing (1992).

Objective LU-1: Provide for a broad mix-ture of activities within the Estuary area.

As the waterfront changes away from indus-trial, warehousing and maritime support uses,a broader range of new uses should be encour-aged that are complementary with the exist-ing uses that remain. Development shouldbuild upon the value of the waterfront as acommunity amenity and attraction.

A variety of uses can contribute in making theEstuary of value to Oakland’s community andan attractive regional destination. A balanceof uses and activities such as commercial, rec-reation, and residential - both traditional andnon-traditional - will add to a dynamic water-front. Additionally, innovative mixes of cul-tural arts, institutions, and events that enticepeople to experience and enjoy the waterfrontin a variety of ways should be included. Mea-sures should be established to protect againstincompatibilities between diverse uses.

Objective LU-2: Provide for public activitiesthat are oriented to the water.

The Estuary waterfront should be developedin keeping with the spirit of the public trust,


Objective LU-3: Expand opportunities andenhance the attractiveness of the Estuary asa place to live.

The Estuary has been a place for people tolive, with neighborhoods established close tojobs on inland sites. The mix of jobs andhousing is characteristic of urban waterfrontlocations, and provides a precedent for modernday mixed use. It should remain so.

In the future, opportunities to develop hous-ing should be supported in the Estuary studyarea. An expanded residential population andassociated services would support commercialand recreational uses, and over time generateneighborhoods. A larger day and night popu-lation would add to the safety and livabilityof the waterfront. Development should bedesigned to avoid the feeling of ‘gated’ or pri-vate communities.1

Objective LU-4: Develop the Estuary areain a way that enhances Oakland’s long-termeconomic development.

The waterfront has historically been, andcontinues to be, an important place to

promote economic development andemployment opportunity in Oakland.

Waterfront locations are attractive areas forbusinesses and commercial uses. Oakland’sEstuary can accommodate a wide variety ofuses which will add to the economic helathand well-being of the City. Opportunitiesrange from hotels, restaurants, andentertainment venues to retail, general officespace, cultural facilities, and business parks. Atthe same time, existing commercial andindustrial uses that are already extablished andwhich also contribute to the City’s tax andemployment base should be encouraged toexpand. These are all ‘growth industries’, whichpresent the opportunity for Oakland’sresidents and business community to receivedirect and indirect economic benefits.

Employment opportunities, the tax base, andspin-off activities should expand with theintroduction of new waterfront developments.In addition, the tax revenue derived from newdevelopment will add to the ability to developthe open space and other amenities which areenvisioned.

All of this economic activity will succeed inthe Estuary area because of the unique businessenvironment created by the waterfront’samenities. Strong economic links should beforged between the waterfront and the rest ofthe City, so that the benefits derived fromwaterfront development are realized in theEstuary study area and beyond.

Objective LU-5: Provide for the orderlytransformation of land uses whileacknowledging and respecting cultural andhistorical resources.

Transformation of the Estuary should takeplace in an orderly fashion, incrementally, andin consideration of the long-range goals of thecity.

The Estuary Policy Plan calls for changes inland use and new development projects thatwill be implemented over an extended timeframe, within the context of a dynamic urbanenvironment. Infill of vacant and underutilizedparcels, as well as demolition or buildingsadapted for reuse should occur while respect-ing cultural and historic resources, when ap-pl icable .

1 See Oakland General Plan, Land Use Transportation Element, Policy W9.3.


The waterfront is one of the city’s most his-toric areas. There are several districts, sites and/or buildings of significance, which should berespected, assessed, and preserved, if feasible.2

Objective LU-6: Create greater land usecontinuity between the Estuary waterfrontand adjacent inland districts.

The historic development patterns in theEstuary study area have resulted in a uniquejuxtaposition of industrial, residential, andcommercial uses, plus divisive transportationcorridors. It is an objective of the Estuary Planto minimize the adverse impacts associatedwith incompatible uses.

Currently, there is a break in the land usepattern as it meets the Estuary shoreline.Adjacent neighborhoods and districts areinterrupted by transportation corridors, thusexaggerating the contrast between activitiesalong the shoreline and those in inland areas ofthe city.

While the regional transportation corridors arehere to stay, local-serving roadways and streets

should be aligned and designed to enhancegreater continuity of land use. This will allowthe Estuary area to become a more integralpart of the city. More specifically, Broadway,Webster, Fifth, 29th, Fruitvale, 42nd and HighStreets should be assessed and carefully de-signed when they are reconstructed to promoteclear and safe means of access from inlandneighborhoods to the waterfront.

2 See Oakland General Plan, Historic & Preservation Element, Policies 3.0 series.


The Estuary shoreline will include a wide range of open space experiences.


Shoreline Access & Public SpacesThe planning of open space in Oakland haslong focused on the physical features of thecity—in particular, the creeks and canyonsleading from the hills to the Estuary.

Over 100 years ago, in 1888, landscape archi-tect Frederick Law Olmsted made a proposalfor a “wildwood” chain of parks throughoutthe city. Later, in the early 1900s, Mayor Mottengaged the world-famous planner CharlesMulford Robinson to prepare a plan for thecity. The 1905 Robinson plan established asystem of parks and playgrounds under thenewly created Oakland Park Commission, andlaid the foundation for a regional park sys-tem. Following bond approval, a period ofpark development ensued. Lakeside Park sur-rounding Lake Merritt was developed, andLake Merritt itself became the first officialwildlife refuge in the state of California.

However, Robinson identified a significantproblem which has only partially been re-solved: Residents had “no access to their glo-rious waterfront on one of the most beautifulbays of the world.”

Although Lake Merritt, the creeks and hill-sides were viewed as important elements inOlmstead’s chain of parks and open spaceswithin the city, the shoreline was not origi-nally conceived in open space terms. At theturn of the century, when parks and play-grounds were being built in inland areas, docksand wharves, were being constructed on thewaterfront. Although the Robinson plan hadidentified the concept of building a recre-ational pier at the foot of Broadway, the wa-terfront was principally seen as a place of com-merce.

However, recreational activities such as fish-ing, viewing, sitting, bicycling, jogging, andwalking, have increased in recent years, alongwith recognition of the shoreline’s value ashabitat for wildlife and as a place forbirdwatching, nature walks, and interpretiveand educational experiences.

SHORELINE ACCESS

Efforts to develop public access along theshoreline have been guided by BCDC, which(in a joint effort with the City and the Port) iscurrently preparing a public access plan for theentire Oakland waterfront, including the Es-tuary shoreline. In addition, the EBRPD isdeveloping plans to extend the Martin LutherKing, Jr. Regional Shoreline (an environmen-tal reserve on the eastern end of the planningarea).




San Francisco Bay Trail

Regional interest in a continuous pedestrianand bike path along the bay has resulted inefforts coordinated by the Association of BayArea Governments (ABAG) to create a 400-mile Bay Trail in nine bay counties. In Oak-land, 21 miles of the Bay Trail are planned,but only 8.5 miles have been completed, pri-marily on existing public streets in the Em-barcadero Cove and Jack London Square ar-eas.

Water Spaces

Certain recreational activities fit well withinthe confines of protected water of the Estu-ary. Small boat sailing, rowing, canoeing, andkayaking established a presence along the wa-terfront, and are activities well suited to thecalm, smooth waters of the Estuary. The tra-dition of rowing dates from the early 1900s,when the University of California (Cal Crew)located its boathouse in the area amid ware-houses and agricultural industrial businesses.Recreational interest in the shoreline has in-creased with time, particularly as industrial andwarehouse activities have shifted away fromthe mid Estuary to the western periphery of

the city. In particular, recreational boating hasexpanded dramatically.

Plans are underway by the Port, City, and otherentities to improve and expand boating facili-ties. Specifically, the Port is rebuilding its 160-berth marina at Jack London Square and CalCrew has proposed the relocation and expan-sion of its boathouse within the Union Pointarea. In addition, a new Aquatics Center isplanned in Estuary Park, which would expandthe programs that currently take place on LakeMerritt and provide boating instruction andsimilar activities.

Special Events

Through the efforts of the Port of Oakland,the waterfront has increasingly developed intothe primary location for Oakland’s civicevents, community celebrations, and culturalactivities. Some of these are major events at-tracting several thousand people, such as Cir-que du Soleil, the Fourth of July fireworks,lighting of the Christmas tree, and boat pa-rades.

Others are large events that are somewhat lessintensive, and may be spread out over the en-

tire Jack London waterfront and occur over aday or weekend (such as the boat show, Festa,etc.). Major concerts have been very success-ful, and over the past three years, attendancehas tripled to crowds as large as 15,000. Otherevents include weekly farmers’ markets, con-certs, special celebrations and rallies, whichtypically attract around 1,000 people and aretypically staged at the foot of Broadway.


What was evident to Charles Robinson in1905, to the League of Women Voters in 1993,and to the General Plan Congress in 1996, isstill an issue today. Although several placesexist where public waterfront access has beenprovided (eg., MLK Regional Shoreline, JackLondon Square, Estuary Park, Portview Park,several fishing piers, etc), the Estuary shore-line is not a cohesive open space system.

Existing sites are isolated from one anotherand from the rest of the city and often notwell identified or developed. Open space is fre-quently shared with automobile traffic. Theonly existing city park within the area, Estu-ary Park, is difficult to find and is poorly main-tained. Furthermore, some of the prominent


spaces that are used for major civic celebra-tions and events are subject to future develop-ment.

Despite tremendous community interest in ex-panding open space and recreational opportu-nities along the Estuary, the creation of a co-hesive open space system has been stymied byexisting ownerships and water-related busi-nesses, interrupted roadways, and barriers cre-ated by rail spurs.

Yet, the waterfront offers many opportunitiesto add to the amount and quality of publicrecreational space. It has the capability to sup-port a wide variety of recreational activities,(particularly water sports), and the potentialto provide visual relief, opening up intenselydeveloped urban areas to the bay. A numberof opportunities exist to create a “necklace” ofopen spaces along the Estuary. As changes inland use occur, continuous public access punc-tuated by larger open spaces and linked to therest of the city, will become an attractive ele-ment of a revitalized waterfront.

Opportunities to establish a larger and morecoherent network of shoreline access and publicrecreational spaces include:

!!!!! Continuous Shoreline Access / Fill In Gapsin the Bay Trail. A continuous Bay Trailimmediately adjacent to the shoreline, witha separated pedestrian path (where physi-cally feasible) as well as a continuous recre-ation-oriented boulevard that accommo-dates pedestrians and bicyclists and providesfor vehicular and transit access.

!!!!! Waterfront Parks. New waterfront parksalong the Bay Trail, ranging from additionalurban spaces for intensive recreational ac-tivities to large open areas for performances,competitive events, or civic celebrations.

!!!!! Boating and Water-Oriented Recreation.Additional facilities for boating, in particu-lar, to facilitate the transition of smaller craft(canoes, rowboats, kayaks) into the water.

!!!!! Link to Lake Merritt. A public open spaceand pedestrian linkage along Lake MerrittChannel between Estuary Park and LakeMerritt, to build upon the recreationalvalue of the lake and the Estuary, and tocreate stronger ties with the surroundingcommunities, in a manner that maintainsthe high quality of regionally significantwildlife habitat.

!!!!! Tidelands Enhancement. Additional tidalmarshland enhancement areas to providevaluable habitat for birds and other wild-life species, and new opportunities for birdwatching and other educational/interpretiveexperiences.

!!!!! Connections to New Parks and OpenSpaces. Connections to new parks andopen spaces planned along the oppositeshore, in Alameda and on Coast Guard Is-land, to reinforce the Estuary as a primaryopen space for the communities adjoining it.

SHORELINE ACCESS &PUBLIC SPACE OBJECTIVES

Objectives for access and public spaces recog-nize the emerging role of the waterfront as akey place for open space and recreation withinthe city and region. It builds upon the objec-tives for public access, open space, and recre-ation articulated in various planning docu-ments, most notably the Open Space, Conser-vation and Recreation Element (1996) and theLand Use and Transportation Element (1998)of the General Plan.


Objective SA-1: Create a clear andcontinuous system of public access along theEstuary shoreline.

Provision of continuous shoreline access is animportant goal embraced by both regional andlocal communities. Futhermore, it is a spe-cific mission of BCDC and ABAG’s Bay Trailprogram, and a prime objective of the EastBay Regional Park District. In the Oaklandsegment, the intention is to provide a con-tinuous system of public waterfront spaces,and to provide for a continuous open spacenetwork which connects all waterfront ele-ments, which provides a variety of waterfrontexperiences.

Within the parameters of safety and security,development of public facilities should be un-dertaken according to site-specific standards,based on the physical capacities and program-ming needs of the particular site.

There is a diverse sequence of spaces along theshoreline, including the protected nature ofthe Lake Merritt Channel; the marshy habitatthat extends to Damon Slough; the expansive-ness of the Fifth Avenue Point shoreline edge;the sheltered character of the Embarcadero

Cove, Brooklyn Basin and Coast Guard Is-land; and the lively areas within the Jack Lon-don District. Each of these special qualitiesshould be reflected in the design of parks,promenades, and open spaces.

General objectives for the provision/enhance-ment of open space and associated facilities atall locations include:

!!!!! Preservation and protection of the natural features, wildlife and vegetation;

!!!!! An easily identifiable standard sign systemthat can be implemented throughout theopen space system, to provide directional/orientation/interpretive information;

!!!!! Physical improvements to increase visitorcomfort, safety, and pleasure (eg. separatedpaths, landscaping, lighting, observationpads, comfort stations, trash receptacles,furniture, emergency services, vehicularparking, etc.)

Objective SA-2: Punctuate the shorelinepromenade with a series of parks and largeropen spaces.

A number of parks and larger open spaces areproposed that would build on the intrinsiccharacter of the shoreline and provide for awide range of recreational experiences. Theintent is to create series of parks and otherpublicly accessible spaces, capable of accom-modating a wide variety of recreational activ-ity, connected by a shoreline promenade.These could include:

!!!!! A portion of the “Meadow” in front ofthe Port Building in Jack London Square;

!!!!! A new “Green” to anchor Phase 2 devel opments at Jack London Square;

!!!!! A new “Greenway” extending along WebsterStreet to connect Jack London Square tothe inland neighborhoods;

!!!!! Expansion of Estuary Park;

!!!!! A series of parks in the 5th-9th Avenue area;

!!!!! A new park at Union Point; and

!!!!! Expanded and improved facilities along the MLK Regional Shoreline.


Objective SA-3: Emphasize visual corridorsand open space links to surrounding inlandareas.

To make the Estuary shoreline more accessible,links to inland areas should be strengthened.Visual corridors and physical links to the wa-ter should be provided at regular intervals alongthe shoreline, using the grid of city streets intheir full widths, to enhance the connectionbetween inland areas and the water. In addi-tion, the design of open spaces should pro-mote opportunities to appreciate views andwaterfront amenities from inland areas. Atthe same time, key corridors should be extendedoutward to the Estuary itself, to provide view-ing experiences that are unique to the Estuary.

Objective SA-4: Develop opportunities forrecreational activities that are oriented to thewaterfront and serve identified neighborhoodneeds.

Recreational areas along the waterfront shouldmeet the needs of the region and the city as awhole, as well as specific adjacent neighbor-hoods and districts. Programming of largerrecreational areas should be undertaken in con-

junction with the EBRPD, neighborhood or-ganizations and other interested parties to en-sure that the recreational activities providedhelp to meet identified needs.

Objective SA-5: Enhance natural areas alongthe shoreline.

There are significant opportunities along theEstuary shoreline and Lake Merritt Channelto enhance remnant tidal marshes and othernatural areas. These areas can add to the visualenjoyment and diversity of the shoreline, andexpand wildlife habitat for birds and otherspecies. They can also create outdoor areas fordirect learning and experiences related to na-ture.

Objective SA-6: Encourage the developmentof educational and cultural programs andinterpretive facilities that enhanceunderstanding of the waterfront environment.

The Estuary shoreline is an ideal site for learn-ing about nature, the history of the city, theeconomic activities supporting it, and theunique recreational and leisure activities avail-able to residents. In order to enhance public

awareness and understanding of the contribu-tion the Estuary makes to the quality of life inOakland today, all waterfront facilities shouldbe considered as potential visitor centers. Tothe extent feasible, significant historic sites andbuildings should be preserved, adapted for re-use, and explained. Open space and shorelineaccess areas should be programmed to includeeducational and interpretive elements.. Ac-tivities such as historic walks and self-guidedtours should continue to be offered. Plaquesor appropriate markers that recognize andcommemerorate the waterfront’s historyshould be encouraged.3

To the extent feasible, significant historic sitesand buildings should be preserved, adapted forre-use, and explained. Open space and shore-line access areas should be programmed to in-clude educational and interpretive elements.

3 See Oakland General Plan, OSCAR Element, OS 7.3.




A continuous waterfront parkway will provide for pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular movement along the Estuary shoreline


Regional Circulation & Local Street NetworkSoon after its inception in 1852, Oakland (andthe waterfront in particular) became a majorcrossroads within the region, state, and nation.An early catalyst for economic developmentoccurred in 1869 with the establishment ofOakland as the western terminus of the trans-continental railroad. Subsequent developmentof transportation infrastructure focused on therailroad terminus: steam trains and ferries totake passengers to San Francisco, wharves andsteamers to move freight, and additional railconnections to distribute goods up and downthe coast.

In the years since, Oakland’s strategic locationhas helped to enhance the city’s role as the hubof a transportation network serving the city,the San Francisco Bay region, and entire West-ern half of the United States. BART, Amtrak,aviation services all have joined the historic

freight operations as major components ofOakland’s transportation function.

While Oakland’s comprehensive system of pas-senger and freight transportation representsimportant economic arteries for the Bay Re-gion, it has been developed at the expense ofthe local circulation system.

BARRIERS

In the Estuary area, the sheer magnitude ofthe regional transportation infrastructure hascontributed to the fragmentation of the localstreet system, and created a physical and psy-chological barrier between the city and its wa-terfront.

For example, railyards separate the waterfrontand the city, penetrable only at specific grade

crossings along the line. But the difficultiesposed by the rail network for local circulationwere magnified by construction of the I-880freeway, which parallels the railroad right-of-way. The combination of the freeway, the railcorridor, and the BART corridor creates aphysical barrier to auto traffic as well as pedes-trians and bicyclists.

Additionally, the juxtaposition of the freewaysystem over the city grid has created a series ofoddly-shaped land parcels that are hard tomake use of. Confusing interchanges, sub-standard ramps, and circuitous routing of traf-fic are disorienting to travelers in the Estuaryarea. The confusing nature of the circulationsystem creates safety problems and disincen-tives for those unfamiliar with the area to visit.


Furthermore, it is not possible to walk, bi-cycle, or drive directly from one end of theEstuary to the other. Crosstown routes thatlink the hills and the bay are ambiguous, andmeet the Estuary shoreline in an awkward orinterrupted fashion.

Crossings of the Estuary to Alameda andwaterborne connections to the larger regionare fairly limited, considering the proximityof destinations in the two cities. Three bridgesand the two tubes provide vehicular accessbetween Oakland and Alameda, and a ferryterminal at Jack London Square provides ac-cess to Alameda and San Francisco. However,these connections are clustered at the ends ofthe Estuary, leaving a large reach of the shore-line (Jack London Square to Fruitvale) with-out connections across the water that link itto Alameda or the larger Bay Region.


It is absolutely necessary to clarify and improvethe circulation system to and along the water-front in order to meet the objective to enhancethe image and identity of the Estuary area andmake the waterfront a more integral part ofthe city. Several opportunities exist to create a

more comprehensible and amenable circula-tion system that ties together the various at-tractions of the waterfront, and reconnects themto the city. These include:

!!!!! Embarcadero Parkway. A continuousparkway connecting Oak Street on the westwith 66th Avenue on the east could be cre-ated. This parkway would not only pro-vide a critical link in the circulation net-work, but would also provide a sense oforientation, connect diverse open spaces,and provide paths for strolling and passiverecreation.

The parkway could be designed to accom-modate a full range of transportationmodes, including automobile, transit, bi-cycles and pedestrians, but managed as a“slow street” to discourage through move-ment of truck traffic.

!!!!! Freeway Access. Simplifying and enhanc-ing freeway access to and through the areacould be achieved by consolidating freewayramps and linking them to major thor-oughfares. Existing on and off-ramps oc-cur in a seemingly haphazard manner, anddo not meet current standards. Although

interchange improvements can only be un-dertaken with Caltrans’ approval and in-creasingly must rely upon nontraditionalsources of funding, consideration shouldbe given to the creation of full-movementinterchanges at selected points along thefreeway (Caltrans standards suggest one-mile intervals) and to the removal of sub-standard on and off-ramps.

As an integral part of these improvements,it is important to enhance parallel circula-tion on both sides of the I-880 corridor,but away from the Estuary shore.

The absence of direct connections from I-880 (Cypress Freeway) to Downtown Oak-land and Jack London Square is a concernto the city. Efforts must be made imme-diately to rectify this severe problem, andmake the waterfront accessible from theregional freeway network.

!!!!! Local Access. Local access corridors acrossthe freeway that enable motorists, pedes-trians and bicyclists to reach the water couldbe constructed. Once freeway ramps areconsolidated at the major interchanges,opportunities to create and enhance links


to inland neighborhoods can be maxi-mized.

!!!!! Waterborne Transportation. New linksby waterborne transit (eg. ferries, watertaxis and shuttles) that utilize the Estuaryas a corridor for circulation, and which con-nect future activity centers on both theAlameda and Oakland sides, can be estab-lished.

Ferry service from existing terminals is ex-pected to increase between Oakland/Alameda and San Francisco, as well as toTreasure Island, Angel Island, and otherrecreational destinations.

In addition, there is the potential for watertaxi and shuttle service in the upper reachesof the Estuary, linking activity centers asthey develop. While expanded water taxiand ferry service has long been pursued inthe Estuary, this may be an opportune timeto tie it more closely to new developmentopportunities.

!!!!! Transit Loop. A trolley line along theBroadway spine, connecting the Jack Lon-

don Square with the City Center and be-yond, could be implemented. Althoughmore difficult to accomplish, there is alsoan opportunity to establish a rail transitlink between the Fruitvale BART stationand Alameda along an existing rail right-of-way on Fruitvale Avenue, which crossesthe Estuary into Alameda.

!!!!! Parking. As land uses change in the Estu-ary area, adequate parking will be requiredto support new uses. Parking areas shouldbe strategically located, in accordance withurban design objectives for the area. Park-ing facilities should be evenly distributedand accessible, while avoiding prime wa-terfront spaces and pedestrian precincts.

REGIONAL CIRCULATION &LOCAL STREET NETWORK

OBJECTIVES

Objectives for regional circulation and localstreet networks recognize the importance ofcirculation and access to support the objectivesfor land use, public access and public spaces.These add specificity to a number of objectives

reflected in the General Plan Land Use &Transportation Element and Bicycle &Pedestrian Plan.

Objective C-1: Improve and clarify regionalaccess to Oakland’s waterfront.

Interchanges along the I-880 freeway shouldbe consolidated at arterial roadways andbrought up to current standards to improveaccess to and within the Estuary area.

The I-980 connection to the Alameda Tubesat the Jackson Street off-ramp currently routestraffic through city streets, and should be im-proved to alleviate congestion on local streetsand clarify access routes to Alameda and onOakland local streets.

Improved freeway interchanges should be con-sidered at 5th Avenue, 23rd Avenue, Fruitvale,and High Street/42nd Avenue. A new inter-change should be investigated to provide di-rect access from I-880 to Jack London Squareand downtown Oakland.




Objective C-2: Establish a continuouswaterfront parkway; a safe promenade forpedestrians, bicycles, and slow-movingautomobiles.

For the most part, vehicular circulation shouldbe accommodated on existing roadways.However, a continuous waterfront parkway isa top priority in the Estuary Policy Plan. TheParkway should take advantage of and staywithin the Embarcadero right-of-way, extend-ing from Jack London Square to Park Street.

Beyond Park Street, it may be necessary topurchase additional right-of-way to allow theparkway to be connected through to FruitvaleAvenue and beyond to Tidewater Avenue and66th Street.

West of Oak Street, the parkway should meetthe city grid, providing several routes west toMandela Parkway.

The configuration and cross-sectional charac-ter of the roadway will likely vary, dependingon availability of right-of-way, adjoining landuses, and traffic conditions. The parkway andall other waterfront roads should treated withappropriate landscaping, lighting, signage, rest/

overview areas, and, where appropriate, park-ing, and other features which provide a con-tinuous parkway character for pleasant driv-ing, walking, and cycling. The parkway shouldbe slow-moving. The roadway should be ac-companied by separate or contiguous bicyclingand pedestrian paths where feasible.

Objective C-3: Balance through movementwith local access along the waterfront.

In many urban waterfronts, shoreline trans-portation corridors have been allowed to be-come freeway-like environments, providingthrough movement at the expense of local ac-cess. The concept of the Embarcadero Park-way, described above, aims to properly bal-ance local access with through movement.

Traffic-calming methods should be incorpo-rated into roadway design throughout thestudy area, to ensure that vehicular movementis managed in consideration of recreational andaesthetic values. The parkway should not be-come an overflow or alleviator route to the I-880 freeway, and it should prohibit throughtruck movement.

Objective C-4: Strengthen local circulationconnections between Oakland neighborhoodsand the waterfront.

With anticipated improvements to the re-gional transportation system, better connec-tions can be made between the waterfront andinland neighborhoods.

Specifically, emphasis should be placed onimproving those connections which alreadyexist: Washington, Broadway, Webster,Franklin, Oak, 5th, 16th, 23rd, 29th Avenues,Fruitvale and High Streets. These links can bestrengthened through alterations of streetalignments or extensions of existing roadways,relocating parking areas, and improving pedes-trian facilities.

Objective C-5: Promote transit service to andalong the waterfront.

Land and water-based transit services shouldbe extended to and along the waterfront. Tran-sit services should be focused along Broadway,Washington, Franklin, Third, and Fruitvale.


A special transit loop linking Jack LondonSquare with other significant activity centers(eg., Old Oakland, the Oakland Museum,and the Lake Merritt and City Center BARTstations), should also be encouraged. Passen-ger rail service between Fruitvale BART andAlameda should be studied further.

Redevelopment on both the Oakland andAlameda sides of the Estuary may, in the future,warrant increased ferry and water taxi service.Water taxis can link activity centers on bothsides of the Estuary, transforming the water-way into a viable boulevard that brings togetherthe Oakland and Alameda waterfronts.

Objective C-6: Improve pedestrian andbicycle circulation.

Bicycle and pedestrian networks should beextended throughout the waterfront. By en-hancing the Embarcadero Parkway, a continu-ous pedestrian path and bicycle route can beestablished along the waterfront. Links fromthe parkway to upland neighborhoods are pro-posed along connecting routes, including Oak,Lake Merritt Channel, 2nd Street to 3rdStreet, Fifth, Fruitvale, and Alameda to High,as well as the grid of streets in the Jack Lon-don District.

Objective C-7: Provide adequate parkingwithout diminishing the quality of the urbanenvironment.

In the Jack London District in particular, pro-vision of adequate parking is critical toaccomodate both existing and future demands.Several sites currently used for surface parkingare subject to future development. In addi-tion, parked vehicles are ‘spilling over’ intopedestrian areas, to the detriment of theDistrict’s attractiveness. To resolve this, a com-prehensive parking management strategyshould be developed to plan for and provideadequate parking.


Documents

Objectives - City of Oakland€¦ · in the Embarcadero Cove area offers moder-ately priced rooms on the waterfront with good freeway accessibility and proximity to the Oakland Airport