Latham Square Community Design Workshop

On Saturday, February 23, the City of Oakland’s Public Works Agency will host a community design workshop to redesign Latham Square into an active, community-centered pedestrian plaza. Located at the intersection of Telegraph Avenue and Broadway and flanked by the Latham Fountain and the Cathedral Building, Latham Square is an important part of Oakland history. The design process will seek to create a plaza that builds on this unique history and serves as a focal point for the re-birth of this part of downtown Oakland. The workshop will be held at the Cathedral Building, 1615

Broadway, from Noon to 4:00 p.m. Community members of all ages are encouraged to attend
and may drop-in at any time for interactive exercises asking participants to imagine the future of
Latham Square. No prior design experience is necessary.

For more information visit the project website at ww.oaklandnet.com/LathamSquare.

More Bicycle Lanes – Fewer Traffic Lanes

The Public Works Committee of the Oakland City Council is considering a plan to reduce the number of traffic lanes and the creation of bike lanes along some heavily traveled routes in Oakland.  Among the changes to be discussed at the committee meeting at 9:30 this morning:

•             MacArthur Blvd.  – along Mills College (Richards Rd. to Seminary) 4 lanes down to 2 – one lane of traffic in each direction and eliminate parking on the Mills College side of road – add bike lane in each direction

•             Broadway – from 30th up to Broadway Terrace 6 lanes down to 4 – 2 lanes of traffic in each direction – add bike lane in each direction

•             East 12th St. – from 14th Ave. to Fruitvale 6 lanes down to 4 – 2 lanes of traffic in each direction – add bike lane in each direction

Oakland City Council Committee Meetings on March 27, 2012

Public Works 10:30 am  Chair – Nancy Nadel

No items to highlight

Finance & Management  Noon  Chair – Ignacio De La Fuente

-              Require City Administrator to get Council approval before extending banking contract

-              Open Data Policy (from Schaaf) get city info on web for people to access

Community & Economic Development  2pm  Chair – Jane Brunner

-              Lake Merritt BART Preferred Development plan

-              Economic Development Strategy for the City

-              Review schedule to declare Enforceable Obligations – shutting down Redevelopment Agency

-              $873,497 from Army Base lease revenue to keep staff members

Life Enrichment  4pm   Chair – Desley Brooks

Meeting Cancelled

Public Safety  5:30 pm    Chair – Patricia Kernighan

-              Cabaret Hours Pilot Program – set to expire April 2012 extend it to May 2014

Mobile Food Vending and Transportation Projects

Two topics of interest on City Council Committee agendas tomorrow. 

At 10:30 the Public Works Committee will look at the Alameda County Transportation Expenditure Plan.  The County Transportation Commission plans to go to voters next year and ask for a renewal and increase in the sales tax to fund transportation projects.  The City would like to add projects to the list of what will get funded if the tax measure passes.  Three projects considered tomorrow include Coliseum Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Lake Merritt BART Station Area TOD and a Broadway Corridor and “Streetcar” project.   

At 2pm the Community & Economic Development Committee will review a resolution to allow limited mobile food vending in Council Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 through a special events permitting process.  The permits would allow “Food Pods” (clusters of two or more mobile food vendors) on a pilot basis in a Commercial, Industrial or Open Space zoning district.  The special “Food Pod Event” business permit would allow the event no more than two days a week and no more than 40 times in a calendar year.  

It is not clear where these pods would be allowed nor in what proximity to existing restaurants.  Costs are not explicitly addressed in the proposal.