APPENDIX - WATERFRONT POSITION

Position recommended to the membership by the Board of the League
Of Women Voters Of Oakland for Adoption at Annual Meeting (6/5/93).

Waterfront Land Use Planning

1. Land Use Master Plan: Development of the Waterfront should be guided by a master plan including the land within Port jurisdiction, adjacent land within City jurisdiction and land within Department of Defense jurisdiction. This master plan should seek to maximize the economic, recreational and aesthetic potential of the Waterfront, including:

a) recreation, sporting and pedestrian access to the water and the shoreline.

b) housing opportunities in the waterfront area.

c) important vistas of natural areas, the waterway and constructed industrial features, such as the harbor.

d) pedestrian and bicycle circulation along the shoreline and between

the Waterfront and important inland paths.

e) buffering of industrial areas from adjacent residential areas.

f) maximizing the economic vitality of a variety of commercial and industrial uses which are appropriate for the Waterfront.

2) The LWVO specifically supports the following activities which can improve land use planning of the Waterfront:

a) revision of the Land Use Element and the Open Space and Recreation Element of the Oakland General Plan to contain a master plan which includes the Waterfront.

b) development of the East Bay Trail through the Waterfront and the creation of mini-parks and vista points along the shoreline trail.

c) establishment of vista points and fishing piers within the Waterfront, including re-establishment of the Seventh Street Waterfront Park.

d) coordination of land use decisions between the City Planning Commission and the Board of Port Commission, and increased public participation in planning decisions of the Port of Oakland.

e) establishment of a continuous pedestrian path between Lake Merritt and Jack London Square and Estuary Cove.

Economic Development

 1) Economic Development Strategy: The LWVO supports coordinated economic development planning and activities involving the Port of Oakland, the City Oakland and the County of Alameda. This planning should specifically seek to maximize the indirect impacts of the transportation terminals and the commercial opportunities derived from the unique assets of Oakland's Waterfront.

2) Specifically, economic planning related to the transportation terminals should encompass such aspects as:

a) business attraction - identifying the types of businesses which gain an advantage from locating near marine/land/air transportation, and

systematically seeking to attract such businesses to Oakland.

 b) air distribution and maintenance - expansion of distribution and

maintenance facilities in the airport and marine terminal areas.

c) traveler services - improvement of the identification and promotion of the Hegenberger Road and Embarcadero Cove traveler services in relation to the Oakland International Airport.

d) direct economic impacts - maximize the local economic impacts of the operation of the airport and marine terminals, such as local purchasing and hiring, creation of training opportunities and entrepreneurial programs in commercial areas, such as the airport concessions.

3) Education and training opportunities: The LWVO supports activities which utilize the heritage and the economic and ecological opportunities of the Waterfront in the education of students. These opportunities include:

a) vocational education - opportunities such as vocational academies and targeted training programs can increase the likelihood that Oakland students will ultimately be hired into occupations which are available on the Waterfront.

 b) unique educational opportunities - learning about activities of the harbor and the associated training activities, visits to natural marine areas and other educational opportunities which are uniquely available in Oakland can inspire students and provide a laboratory for learning.

c) heritage - knowledge of Oakland's Waterfront heritage, such as transcontinental railroad, shipyards, Waterfront authors and adventurers, early aviation history , containerization shipping innovations and other Waterfront history should be incorporated in local educational programs to demonstrate the historic importance of Oakland.

Military Base Conversion Planning

The Oakland Army Base and Naval Supply Center ultimately can provide space for secondary industries which can provide important job opportunities and for other activities that increase the variety of activities on the Waterfront and enhance the West Oakland neighborhood. The LWVO supports early and thorough contingency planning of future uses of the two installations and public participation in the planning process, in accordance with the federal military base conversion statutes.

Public Involvement

1) Citizen Advisory Committee: Because there has previously been little coordinated review of the Waterfront's economic, recreational, aesthetic and educational potential, the LWVO supports formation of a temporary public advisory committee to define the Waterfront's potential and a strategy for increasing its value as asset of Oakland.

2) The LWVO supports increased public involvement in planning and land use decisions of the Port of Oakland.

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