Tag: general plan

General Plan Update – Draft Land Use Framework

.Reading time 9 minutes.
Map of Key Transportation Strategies as part of the General Plan Update

At the March 19, 2026 BPAC Agenda BPAC meeting, Members of the General Plan Update team in Oakland’s Planning and Building Department, will present on the recently released Draft Land Use Framework. The Draft Land Use Framework for Oakland’s General Plan Update connects the community’s vision for the city with updates to topics like land use, transportation, parks and open space, and public facilities. It explains how we can meet community priorities, such as adding more housing and services near transit and jobs, taking better care of parks and open spaces, making streets safer, and improving public transit.

The Draft Framework builds on the community’s preferred Option, “City of Neighborhoods,” by encouraging walkable, mixed-use neighborhood centers with housing, services, transit access, and community spaces across the Town. It also includes top ideas from other Options, like creating a network of greenways to connect neighborhoods and improving access to the waterfront.

An excerpt is below, followed by the full presentation.

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General Plan Update Overview

.Reading time 7 minutes.

At the November 12, 2024 BPAC Policy and Legislative Committee meeting, Oakland Planning Bureau staff provided an overview of the General Plan Update, with a focused discussion on the LUTE’s role in promoting active transportation and welcomes feedback from the BPAC.

The City of Oakland is currently updating its General Plan and wants to hear from community members. The Oakland General Plan Update will set forth a vision for Oakland’s future development that reflects community priorities and values. We aim to create livable and connected neighborhoods where people have access to everything they need, such as grocery stores, entertainment, stores, libraries, parks, and safe transportation. Once adopted in 2026, the General Plan will guide the city’s development for the next 20 years.

The Oakland General Plan Update process has two phases. Phase 1 began in November 2021 and concluded in October 2023. We adopted the Housing, Environmental Justice, and Safety Elements. Phase 2, initiated in Fall 2024, focuses on the Land Use and Transportation Element (LUTE), Open Space, Conservation, and Recreation (OSCAR) Element, Noise Element, and the Infrastructure and Capital Facilities Element.

The LUTE designates the kinds, location, and intensity of land uses, as well as appropriate zoning controls to achieve development policies. It also sets the policy foundation for a safe and reliable transportation system that facilitates the efficient movement of goods and people.

An excerpt is below, followed by the full presentation.

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General Plan Update

.Reading time 3 minutes.

At the April 21, 2022 BPAC meeting, Strategic Planning Manager for the City of Oakland Planning Department, Laura Kaminski, presented on the upcoming General Plan update. The presentation and summary of discussion are below.

The City of Oakland is undertaking a comprehensive General Plan Update process in two phases. Phase I includes the update of the Housing and Safety Elements of the General Plan; creation of the City’s first Environmental Justice Element; associated amendments to other Elements of the General Plan, along with Zoning Code and map updates; Racial Equity Impact Analysis, and an Industrial Land Use Study. Phase I is anticipated to be completed by early 2023.

Phase II includes the update of the Land Use and Transportation Element (LUTE); Open Space, Conservation, and Recreation Element (OSCAR); Noise Element; and the development of a new Infrastructure and Facilities Element. Phase II work also includes zoning updates and CEQA review. The Phase I process will help inform the components of Phase II. Phase II is anticipated to be completed by mid-2025.

The Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element is currently open for public review from May 12, 2022 to June 13, 2022.

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Annual Report from Strategic Planning

.Reading time 6 minutes.

At the June 17, 2021 BPAC meeting, Laura Kaminski, Acting Strategic Planning Manager, gave an update on existing and new projects including: the Downtown Oakland Specific Plan, an Impact Fee Update, and a General Plan Update.

Downtown Oakland Specific Plan (DOSP) — Mobility Objectives:

  • Improve access and safety for pedestrians;
  • Create a world-class transit network linking Oaklanders to downtown
  • Develop a connected network of low-stress bicycling facilities
  • See map (in presentation) of Proposed Low-Stress Short-Term and Vision Bicycle Networks

Transportation Impact Fee 5-Year Update:

  • Update fee schedule from 2016 nexus study based on inflation along with Appendix B – what is necessary to fund cumulative CEQA traffic mitigation costs.
  • Provide additional fee schedule to fund list of potential citywide transportation projects not included in Appendix B.
  • Provide additional fee schedules to fund list of specified transportation projects included in the (1) Downtown Specific Plan (DOSP) and (2) Waterfront Ballpark District at Howard Terminal Project (offsite transportation projects, not direct impacts of Howard Terminal project)

General Plan Update Schedule

  • 2021 spring and summer: Approach and Consultant Team Selection
    • General Plan Update Memo
    • RFP for Consultant Team (Council – September)
    • Backbone CBO as part of consultant team
  • 2021 fall: Official Kick-off
  • 2023, January: Adoption of Housing, Safety, and Environmental Justice Element
  • 2025, July: Adoption of Land Use, Transportation, Noise, Open Space, Conservation, and Recreation Elements

The full presentation is below.

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