I. Regional and City Context
Oakland Central Estuary – Existing Conditions I. Regional and City Context The Oakland Estuary waterfront is a significant citywide and regional resource that connects the City of Oakland and the surrounding region to the San Francisco Bay. The Central Estuary, the focus of this study, is an area generally encompassed by 19th Ave. to the north, 54th Ave. to the south, I-880 to the east and the Oakland Estuary to the west. The Plan Area is roughly 416 acres, of which approximately 319 acres are made up of individual parcels and the remainder are public rights-of-way. The Oakland Estuary waterfront has experienced significant development interest in recent years. However, a number of physical and policy challenges, including conflicting land use priorities and essential infrastructure deficiencies, have highlighted the need for a formal and district-wide planning process. A significant citywide challenge of the last decade has been the importance of preserving a healthy diversity of employment and industry in Oakland. Historically, many industries have depended on waterfront access for raw materials or distribution, and some of the industrial uses in the Estuary Area do to this day. As a result, the area was historically predominantly zoned for industrial use, and a number of well-established industrial uses remain. In recent years, residential development interests have focused on industrial areas throughout the City because of the relative affordability of large land parcels, and the Estuary waterfront has been particularly appealing because of its attractive views and central location. At the same time, the desire to increase public access to and recreational use of the City’s waterfront adds another potentially conflicting demand on this area.
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