Oakland Planning Commission Meeting – March 19, 2026
Oakland Planning Commission Meeting – March 19, 2026
The Oakland Planning Commission met on March 19, 2026 (the transcript indicates the meeting was held on March 18, 2026, but the user specified March 19). The meeting included recognition of retiring zoning manager Robert Murkamp, public comments on a proposed senior housing project at 6230 Claremont Avenue, approval of a conditional use permit for alcohol sales at Raimondi Park, denial of an appeal regarding a restaurant on Grand Avenue, and updates on city council actions.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Alison Hightower (35-year Rockridge resident) expressed concerns about the proposed 8-story luxury senior residence at 6230 Claremont Avenue (Red Cross Building). She noted a 5-foot setback from adjacent homes, insufficient for fire truck access (needing 29 feet), and a disproportionate load on emergency resources. She urged the commission to require fire truck access and funding for city emergency programs.
- Jeremy Evnin (Florio Street resident) stated opposition in principle is not the issue, but the building's 82-foot height and scale would cast shadows and increase traffic. He presented a petition with over 1,000 signatures requesting a smaller building, possibly reduced by one story.
- Jack Gerson (Auburn Avenue resident) argued the developers incorrectly interpreted mixed-use zoning to qualify for higher density. He claimed all units have kitchens, disqualifying them as rooming units, and the project lacks commercial and pedestrian orientation, contradicting the neighborhood center mixed-use classification.
- Lynn Harlan (Auburn Avenue resident, 30+ years) raised legal and safety concerns about pedestrian crashes at the Claremont/College intersection and emergency response delays. She asked for a comprehensive traffic safety plan before approval.
- Ken Dreong (Auburn Avenue resident) criticized the lack of transition to lower-density homes, misleading shadow analysis, and incorrect base density calculations. He requested a full visual impact analysis, quantitative solar access study, and economic analysis of stepbacks.
- Councilmember Ken Houston (District 7, speaking as a regular citizen) raised concerns about 1428 105th Avenue (Oakland Station), a senior housing building with deed restrictions that converted to regular housing, with violations including roaches, non-working elevators, and trash chute. He asked the commission to investigate.
Discussion Items
Recognition of Robert Murkamp
The commission honored Robert Murkamp, retiring zoning manager and former planning commission secretary, for his mentorship and service. He was presented with gifts and gave brief remarks.
Item 1: Conditional Use Permit for Alcohol Sales at Raimondi Park (6089 20th Street)
Staff planner Corey Alvin presented a request by the Oakland Ballers to establish alcohol sales at three concession stands at Raimondi Park. Sales would begin one hour before games and end before the top of the eighth inning (or one hour before event end for other events). The permit would run concurrent with the license agreement. Staff found it consistent with general plan policies and recommended approval. Laura Geist, general manager of the Oakland Ballers, highlighted over $3 million in improvements, community partnerships, and youth programs. Public comment: Joe Ernst (owner of Prescott Market) supported the proposal. The commission unanimously approved the conditional use permit.
Item 2: Appeal of Zoning Manager Determination for 3320 Grand Avenue (Mimosa on Grand)
The appeal, continued from February 4, 2026, concerned a zoning manager determination that the business operates as a full-service restaurant, not a group assembly or alcohol sales activity. The appellant did not attend and did not request further continuance. Staff recommended denial. The applicant, James Rochelle, requested closure after four years of proceedings. No public comment. The commission unanimously denied the appeal, affirming the zoning manager's determination.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of Item 1: Motion to approve the conditional use permit for alcohol sales at Raimondi Park (Commissioner Randolph, seconded by Vice Chair Sandoval) passed unanimously (5-0). Decision appealable to City Council within 10 days.
- Denial of Item 2: Motion to affirm staff's environmental determination and deny the appeal (Vice Chair Sandoval, seconded by Commissioner Robb) passed unanimously (5-0). Decision not appealable.
- Approval of Minutes: Minutes from February 18, 2026, approved unanimously.
- City Council Actions Update: Staff reported that the City Council adopted the planning commission's recommended exclusions for SB79 (MacArthur, Ashby, and Rockridge BART stations) and added two additional amendments (Lake Merritt Station area and Coliseum BART/International Boulevard area). Also, the council approved targeted amendments to the S14 overlay zone to allow conditional use permits for complementary uses supportive of housing.
Note: The meeting date in the transcript is March 18, 2026, but the user specified March 19, 2026. This discrepancy is noted.
Meeting Transcript
We're waiting for one commissioner, so we're gonna give it a cup. And there he is. Okay, well, wait a minute. Good afternoon, everyone. I'd like to call the March eighteenth, twenty twenty-six Oakland Planning Commission meeting to order and welcome everyone today. Here. Commissioner Marie Thobb. Here. Commissioner Josie Aaron's here. Vice Chair Natalie Sandoval. Here. Each chair, Jennifer Rank. Here. You have a quorum. Thank you. Okay, we'll move along to Commission Business. Um for agenda discussion. I think we were going to take a little time for Catherine to uh recognize the former planning commission secretary who's retiring. Yes, I will. And I would like to call Robert Murkamp up, uh, partially for the embarrassment factor, but also to honor him. And I I I'm gonna have to figure out how to use the the floating mic, so give me one moment. I hear that. Sure. I did want to take a moment, hello everybody, uh, to both introduce Robert Murcamp and say goodbye to Robert Murkamp. So Robert Mercamp is currently the zoning manager. So he has a huge role here in the Bureau of Planning, and you've seen his signature on many of the reports that you review and make decisions based upon. And more importantly, to this group, he previously was the planning commission secretary. And many of the procedures we follow today, particularly those that contribute to the efficiency of how you operate and also ensuring that you understand your role and it is contained within the directives of the planning code come from Robert. And whether they come from Robert from his time serving as a secretary, or in his much longer time being my mentor and teaching me how to do this part of my job, as well as maybe every other portion of my job, uh, he's had a very vital role here. And so while you may not have worked with him directly, you have worked with him directly. And I thought it was important to honor his work here. And I do want to note that he knows you really well. He watches our meetings and he often texts me, not to micromanage, but every time, every time we have someone get up and open forum and state they have a code enforcement issue. I see a text pop up reminding me what the code enforcement phone number is. Um or if you're asking about uh code, code language or a code section, he'll text me the link. And so not only has he been a teacher and a mentor, he's also been an amazing partner and support, uh, not just to me, but actually to all of you. And I do want to honor Robert uh for that, but also he has been my personal mentor and very important in my growth and willingness to stick around and work for for a long time. And I very much appreciated Robert's professional partnership partnership and his friendship. Uh, for example, he taught me that uh everything that you and we do, uh it's no secret. It's all actually in the planning code, and we're always trying to keep you within the planning code. So he repeats that kind of messaging. He also reminds me what my role is all the time in the uh most essential of language. I am a uh unappreciated event planner, is what the planning commission secretary is. And I uh it's hard to say goodbye to the wonderful people you've worked with over the years. It doesn't quite feel so bad right now because Robert has trained people you'll see presenting items today, as well as many other staff. He's been a mentor to so many of us, so I know his good work will continue forward. And I know that Robert, you and I will get to remain friends into the future, and I'll get to hear all your tales of retirement as I live vicariously. So with that, we'd like to honor you with a we we've got a we got a couple things for you, and you may have some words. You you may want to correct my grammar at this point, and thank you for all that you've done and how your contributions will continue to serve Oakland into the future for the next 26 years. Oh my god.
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