Oakland Planning Commission Meeting - September 2, 2026

The Planning Commission met on September 2, 2026, at 3:00 PM at City Hall, Hearing Room 1. The meeting included recognition of outgoing commissioners, public comments on a proposed senior housing project, a staff presentation on SB 79 zoning amendments, and a discussion on data center zoning. The meeting adjourned at 4:00 PM.

Commission Matters: Recognition of Commissioners Sandoval and Robb

• Chair Ahrens and other commissioners expressed gratitude to Commissioner Sandoval (present) and Commissioner Robb (listening via phone) for their service over the past three years. Sandoval was praised for transparency and putting Oaklanders first. Robb was recognized for his architectural expertise and contributions to the Design Review Committee. Staff also thanked them for their work on the general plan updates and objective design standards. Certificates were presented.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jack Gerson (Rockridge Neighbors for Sensible Housing, nearly 2,500 signatures on a petition) opposed the proposed senior care facility at 6230 Claremont Avenue, arguing it is too large. He claimed staff overestimated allowed units by more than 75% due to improper application of gross-to-net and mixed-use conversion factors. He warned that if allowed, the College Avenue corridor would see buildings over 100 feet tall, harming small businesses.
• Tanya Pampoloni (Harwood Avenue resident) opposed the eight-story, 200+ unit building, citing parking impacts, loss of neighborhood character, and the fact that $13,000/month rent is not affordable for seniors. She requested fewer stories, stepbacks, ample parking, and design that reflects the neighborhood.
• Michael Mayer (35-year resident) supported housing on the site but opposed the mass of the building. He noted the developer sought waivers from height and setback limits, making the project inconsistent with the general plan. He urged the commission to challenge the developer to prove that modest design modifications cannot pencil out.
• Ellen Kohler (55-year resident) raised traffic safety concerns, citing two pedestrian deaths on Claremont Avenue in 2025-2026 (Roderick Nared, 67, and Billy Grant, 72). She noted seniors are three times more likely to be killed in traffic and urged the commission to require a binding traffic safety mitigation plan before approval, including daylighting, protected crossings, and speed reduction.
• Paul Friedman (attorney) echoed traffic concerns and argued that the city's reliance on an administrative zoning bulletin for density bonus calculations is legally flawed. He said the density bonus exceeds what the general plan permits and urged the commission to hold the project to legal standards.
• Connor (No Data Center Oakland Coalition) stated the coalition's petition has reached 7,000 signatures opposing data centers in Oakland. He urged the commission to consider community concerns about tech billionaires exploiting the city.
• Khalid supported the data center opposition and asked that if data centers are inevitable, the city require resources for life skills classes and job training for underserved communities to prevent gentrification and displacement.

Discussion Items

• Update on 6230 Claremont Project: Chair Ahrens asked staff for an update. Staff reported the project is still under review, a completeness letter was sent, and the zoning consistency review is ongoing. The environmental document (SQL) is in draft form and not yet public. The project is not using AB 1398 (state streamline) but is being processed under SB 79.
• SB 79 Zoning Amendments (Agenda Item #2): Kelly Cha presented staff recommendations to amend Planning Code Chapter 17.86 (SB 79 Combining Zone) to bring the city into full compliance with state law. The amendments address comments from HCD and MTC received in June 2026. Key changes include:
  • Removing AC Transit Tempo 20th Avenue stop (clerical error).
  • Removing open space and industrial zones from the list of ineligible sites, as HCD determined they allow commercial uses and thus must be subject to SB 79.
  • Adding parcels over which the city does not have zoning authority (e.g., state parcels, port properties) as ineligible.
  • Redesignating certain industrial parcels in the Coliseum BART and 14th Avenue stop areas as excluded pending the alternative plan process.
  • Aligning maps with MTC's regional SB 79 map and adding four new transit stops (Uptown Transit Center).
  • Staff confirmed that HCD has indicated these changes will bring the city into full compliance.
  • Commissioners discussed the relationship between SB 79 and the General Plan Phase 2, noting that the alternative plan will allow more nuanced density distribution. The commission also briefly discussed the potential for height waivers under density bonus law on top of SB 79.

Key Outcomes

• SB 79 Amendments: The commission voted unanimously (4-0) to forward staff's recommendation to the City Council. The motion included acceptance of the updated maps. The item will go to the Community and Economic Development Committee on September 22 and to City Council on October 6, with adoption anticipated on October 20.
• Approval of Minutes: The commission unanimously approved the minutes from the July 15, 2026 meeting.
• Data Center Zoning Discussion: Vice Chair Randolph raised concerns about the lack of a specific zoning category for data centers. He noted existing data centers operate under various permits and that there is no way to track or adequately review impacts on community, environment, and infrastructure. He requested a future informational item to discuss adding a data center use category to the zoning code for transparency and equitable management. The commission agreed to take this forward.

Next Meeting

The next regular meeting is scheduled for September 16, 2026, but it was noted that the September 16 meeting is canceled. The next meeting will be a special meeting on September 23, 2026.