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BEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR OAKLAND'S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Following are five major programmatic blocks depicting the best opportunities for implementing the Sustainable Development Initiative. Each programmatic block displays the corresponding target audiences, implementing activities, and the appropriate lead agencies, department, or need for involvement by the Sustainable Development Coordinator.

Key :
* Designates a City activity already underway.
CEDA: Community & Economic Development Agency
ESD: Environmental Services Div. of PWA
HCD: Housing & Community Development
LEA: Life Enrichment Agency
PWA: Public Works Agency
SDC: Sustainable Development Coordinator

 

I. Green Building for Major New Development & Renovations

Targets: City facilities, Redevelopment projects, OBRA, "10K", Planning Dept.’s Major Projects

Activities:
  1. *Green Building guidelines
  2. *In-fill housing
  3. *Lead by example in Redevelopment, HCD, Port, & major private projects
  4. Green Builders Attraction Conference
  5. Laney building trades curriculum
  6. Green Resource Directory of local designers & material sources
  7. Green Building Advisory Council
  8. Outreach & promotion

Leads: SDC, Recycling, Energy Management

 

II. Responsible Business & Government

Targets: New business, existing business

Activities:

Attraction/Retention

  1. Develop & apply economy/ jobs/ environment yardstick
  2. Link NCR business improvements with transportation & street tree activities

Environmental impact
  1. * Recycling/reuse activities
  2. * Climate Wise assistance
  3. * Energy/water efficiency improvements

Operations

  1. Adopt "best practices" in all City operations
  2. *Business referral services for SD practices

Employment

  1. * Workforce Investment Board – Work-force Devel. & Oak. Priv. Industry Council

Leads: Econ. Development; w/ SDC, PWA/ESD

 

III. Transportation Management

Targets: encourage non-auto travel, reduce vehicle miles traveled, and use clean fuels

Activities:

  1. * Promote mixed use development
  2. * Establish Transit Villages
  3. * Pedestrian plan
  4. * Greening of City Fleet
  5. City as model for trip reduction & "clean" commuting
  6. Transport/traffic mitigation from large development projects
  7. *Facilitate transit (e.g. *12th Street BART transit/streetscape improvements)
  8. Downtown parking/circulation plan
  9. * Bicycle paths & lanes
  10. Promote Commuter Check to business

Leads: PWA and CEDA transportation planners, with Redevel. & SDC

 

IV. Quality of Residential Life

Targets: Existing neighborhoods and residents

Activities:

  1. *Develop and carry out affordable housing plan
  2. * Improve quality of existing housing
  3. * Prioritize and address neighborhood environmental health problems
  4. Implement Estuary Plan
  5. Incorporate SD principles into literacy programs and cultural/environmental education

Leads: CEDA/HCD and LEA/Library and AHHS; also CEDA/Planning; LEA/Parks & Rec.; PWA Env. Services (with Alameda County)

 

V. Tracking Progress & Community Outreach

Targets: City staff; non-profit environmental groups, business community; environmental professionals, and community development groups

Activities:

  1. Attain inclusion of SD objectives in OSV Citizens Academy and annual review process, & in City service delivery strategies
  2. Organize quarterly City agency technical "champions forum"
  3. Produce & distribute quarterly progress bulletin
  4. Contribute SD dimension to an Oakland community performance indicators effort
  5. Participate in regional & national leadership, exchange & action fora

Leads: SDC in coordination with City Manager’s Office & other agencies
BACK

 

HIGHLIGHTS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE

#1 Economic Development

  • Energy conservation assessments were offered on a pilot basis to businesses in NCR areas. This was supported first via USDOE-funded Re-Energize East Bay project (conducted by Community Energy Services Corporation [CESC]) and now via the PG&E-funded Third Party Initiative program (conducted by Aspen Systems and CESC).
  • On-site technical assistance with environmental pollution prevention and energy management for metal-finishing, printing, and food-processing industries via USEPA-funded Climate Wise program (administered via International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives and conducted by MANEX and Natural Logic).
  • Redevelopment Agency staff inclusion of sustainable development and green building principles in ENAs and DDAs for development projects (e.g. Shorenstein office buildings, Uptown project, and other upcoming 10K projects).
  • CEDA staff-seminar by Cornell University expert on eco-industrial park principles and opportunities that could be applied at the Army Base site.

 

#2 Education and Employment Training

  • Organizational and implementation plan for Workforce Investment Board via $8.3 million annual funding.
  • Library’s Second Start Literacy program, involving 400 adult students, supported by 170 volunteer tutors.
  • ASSETS Senior Employment Program with 250 participants and 67 placements so far in FY 2000.
  • Welfare to Work enrollment of 239 residents with 65 placements so far in calendar year 2000.
  • Head Start and Early Head Start programs serving 1595 clients per year.
  • Oakland Museum educational programs addressing skill-building for critical thinking and motivating student learning for some 29,000 Oakland youth.
  • Museum exhibitions promoting awareness, respect and stewardship of the region’s cultural heritage and natural environment attended by thousands of Oakland residents.

#3 Mixed-Use Development, In-Fill Housing, and Sustainable Building

  • Opening of the Green Building Resource Center for public use adjacent to the City’s planning and zoning permit counters.
  • Receipt of a state grant for a green building trades curriculum at Laney College and for a Green Builders Attraction Forum to be held in the coming months.
  • Adoption of the Construction Debris and Demolition ordinance that requires all new development and sizeable remodeling projects to reuse or recycle 50% or more of their waste and debris.
  • A re-invigorated commitment to affordable housing via the $40 million Redevelopment Agency bond to be administered by HCD.
  • Preliminary design for the Uptown project proposed to include over 2000 units of higher density in-fill housing close to downtown, and with 20% of these at affordable rents.
  • Patronage of over 300 lunch-time riders per day of the Broadway Shuttle -- intended to support mobility and errands by downtown workers who commute to work by transit or ridesharing.

#4 City Operations

  • Adoption of the Environmental Opportunities section now included in all staff reports to Council. This was accompanied by guidelines to help departments to identify these opportunities as well as names of internal staff experts who can offer assistance.
  • Significant progress in energy management and operating cost savings from energy-efficient design of new facilities and retrofit and other improvements to existing facilities. (See Attachment 1 regarding accomplishments for Recommendation #4 regarding energy).
  • Selection of public benches and street litter containers made from recycled content materials, placed in the Frank Ogawa Plaza area, along selected bus routes, and parks.
  • "Greening" of 5% of the City’s fleet so far with CNG (and a few electric) vehicles, with a goal of 9% by June 2001.

#5 Community Participation

  • Successful conclusion by Council adoption of Housing Task Force recommendations to ensure greater quantity of affordable housing and quality housing services.
  • Incorporation of Oakland Sharing the Vision functions and 2002 strategic community plan within City Manager’s Office.
BACK

 

GREEN BUILDING IN OAKLAND (October 2000)

Green Building Policies and Guidelines

  • City Council adoption of Sustainable Development Initiative in 1998 including:

#1 Implement a sustainable development strategy as an overarching principle guiding Oakland’s economic development program

#3 Encourage affordable in-fill housing, mixed use development, and sustainable building practices.

  • AIP/APA Ahwahnee Award for Smart Growth for Oakland’s Land Use and Transportation Element of General Plan, for transit-centered mixed use development & in-fill housing.
  • Green building guidelines for City projects
  • Signed agreement June 2000 to purchase City’s 9 MW power requirements via 100% Green-e certified Green Power via ABAG POWER and Calpine.
  • Adopted construction & demolition debris ordinance requiring 50% recycling/re-use from large construction projects, effective July 2000.
  • Administrative policy requires all new/remodeled City building projects to capture eligible PG&E rebates and be 10% better than NEW Title 24 energy code
  • Developing boilerplate RFP and contract language for use by facility project managers; will beta-test green building guidelines in new/renovated City facilities.

Implementation

  • Disposition and Development Agreements: City Redevelopment Agency staff negotiates sustainable design standards into their DDAs. City helps identify and coordinate free or low-cost technical assistance, when needed. Example projects: Oakland Army Base Reuse Plan, new downtown office towers; "Uptown" (large housing/ commercial/ theaters project)
  • Developing strategy to attract "green" developers to work in Oakland, particularly for "10K" goal (10,000 new residents in 6,500 housing units). Planning regional developers forum for Jan. 2001 via CIWMB grant.
  • Application of GB goals & guidelines in significant public projects (e.g. new school, large new police substation); will encourage green building designs for City’s $40 million toward $120 million of affordable housing development.
  • Developing GB curriculum for Laney Community College Building Trades vocational education program training 250 students per year, via CIWMB grant.
  • A Green Buildings Resource Center opened February 2000 adjacent to the Zoning and Building Permit Counters. Offers displays, videos, web-links, and printed matter on site design, building products, energy/water efficiency, solid waste management & de-construction.
  • Energy efficiency: Energy performance contracting on new design/build facilities; 50 kW cogeneration system at Oakland Museum; lighting retrofit specifications
  • Monthly lunch training sessions for City staff in green building & purchasing strategies
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PRIORITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION IN 2000-01

  1. Green building guidelines
  2. Energy efficiency and renewable energy
  3. Promotion of in-fill housing
  4. Leading by example with City & Port development
  5. Yardstick for 3Es in economic development
  6. Workforce development
  7. "Best practices" plans & "champions" in all City agencies and departments
  8. Transportation demand management for large developments
  9. Downtown parking/ circulation/ transit/ pedestrian plan
  10. Progress with five Transit Village development plans
  11. Executing affordable housing plan
  12. Open space plan implementation for Lake Merritt and the Estuary area
  13. Incorporating SD in literacy and cultural/ environmental education
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APPLYING THE "3 Es" TO DEVELOPMENT – ENVIRONMENT, EQUITY, ECONOMY

Environmental Element

  • Site development
  • Water impacts
  • Energy impacts
  • Interior environmental quality
  • Materials use
  • Waste management strategies
  • Transportation facilities

    Social Equity Element

  • Community-serving
  • Environmental health
  • Personal health
  • Open space & recreation
  • Cultural enrichment

    Economic Element

  • Mixed-uses
  • Local employment & living wage
  • Responsible site activities (products, operations, process, services)
  • Transportation demand management
  • Financial contribution to local economy and City revenues

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