Ballers Hit a Home Run as Planning Commission Approves Permanent Alcohol Sales at Raimondi Park

Oakland's Planning Commission moved quickly through a light agenda Wednesday night, unanimously greenlighting permanent beer and liquor sales for the Oakland Ballers and dispatching a four-year zoning dispute over a Grand Avenue restaurant — but the most charged moments came during open forum, where Rockridge neighbors mounted an organized offensive against a proposed 8-story senior housing tower they say is too tall, too dense, and too dangerous.

• Oakland Ballers win permanent alcohol sales permit at Raimondi Park, replacing monthly special-event renewals with a single conditional use permit tied to the team's license agreement

• Four Rockridge residents blast proposed 80-foot senior housing project at 6230 Claremont Avenue, presenting a 1,000+ signature petition and challenging the developer's density calculations, fire safety, and shadow impacts

• Mimosa on Grand confirmed as a restaurant, not a bar, as commission unanimously denies an appeal from an absent challenger, ending a four-year code enforcement saga

• City Council adopts SB 79 map following Planning Commission's lead, keeping MacArthur, Ashby, and Rockridge BART stations open to streamlined housing development over staff objections

• Council Member Ken Houston flags deplorable conditions at a formerly deed-restricted senior housing building in East Oakland

Ballers Lock In Alcohol Sales as West Oakland Partnership Deepens

Why it matters: The Oakland Ballers have become a rare bright spot in Oakland's sports landscape — investing $3 million in a public park while other franchises flee. A permanent alcohol sales permit removes a bureaucratic headache and signals the city's commitment to the partnership.

Where things stand: Staff planner Corey Alvin presented the conditional use permit for three concession stations behind the dugouts at Raimondi Park (1689 20th St.) in West Oakland. The Ballers have been selling alcohol under monthly special-event permits; the CUP simply makes the arrangement permanent. Sales would begin one hour before games or events and end before the top of the eighth inning for games or one hour before event end for other activities. The permit terminates when the Ballers' license agreement with the city ends.

General Manager Laura Geist detailed what the independent Pioneer League team has poured into the neighborhood: "In the past two seasons, we have made over $3 million in physical improvements, including a professional grade field, dugouts, state of the art press, box fencing, and batting cages." She described partnerships with more than 60 community organizations, 2,000-plus donated tickets, 100-plus Little League events, playground safety upgrades, and plans for permanent bathrooms, LED lighting, a dog park, and Oakland's first Miyawaki forest. Revenue from the license flows into Fund 1820, a park-specific revolving fund — not the general fund.

Commissioner Alex Randolph offered some of the meeting's most enthusiastic remarks, drawing on his background working with public-private park partnerships in San Francisco: "I remember what the park and neighborhood looked like only a couple years ago and the need that the neighbors and others had for a thriving, active park." He added: "When we need sports in Oakland, others are leaving. You are coming and investing in our city and our community."

Joe Ernst, managing owner of the adjacent Prescott Market, endorsed the Ballers as tremendous partners for the neighborhood and urged support. Commissioner Josie Ahrens, who said she bikes to Ballers games, confirmed that park revenue stays in a dedicated fund rather than the general fund, then offered her own endorsement: "Even if I had never been to one of your games, I would be supporting it because it's consistent with our plans and our codes, and it's just an extension of what you already have in place."

Decision: Approved 5-0 (For: Randolph, Robb, Ahrens, Sandoval, Renk; Absent: Li). The decision is appealable to City Council within 10 days.

Rockridge Neighbors Mount Coordinated Fight Against 8-Story Senior Housing Tower

Why it matters: A proposed 80-foot luxury senior housing facility at 6230 Claremont Avenue — the former Red Cross Building site — would be among the tallest structures in Rockridge. Four residents used open forum to build a detailed, multi-front case against the project before it even reaches formal review, signaling a contentious design process ahead.

The basics: The developer proposes roughly 300 senior units, including memory care, in an 8-story building. Neighbors argue the project relies on a flawed mixed-use density classification to justify its scale. No formal hearing is scheduled yet; these comments were delivered during the general public comment period.

Where things stand: The speakers were organized, technically sophisticated, and covered distinct ground:

Allison Hightower, a 35-year Rockridge resident, focused on fire safety. She argued the building's 5-foot setback from homes on Auburn Avenue would leave no room for fire truck ladders to reach upper floors: "In an emergency, fire trucks will need 29 feet to accommodate the truck and be able to extend their ladders at a safe angle to reach residents at the higher floors." She warned that 300 elderly residents would place disproportionate demand on already-strained emergency services.

Jeremy Evnine, a Florio Street resident, addressed shadows, traffic, and neighborhood character. He presented a petition with over 1,000 signatures requesting a smaller building footprint and lower height, and pushed back against the notion that opposition is reflexive: residents support the building type, he said, but oppose the maximal size, which they believe serves only developer profits.

Jack Gerson, an Auburn Avenue resident, went after the developer's density math. He argued the project incorrectly claims mixed-use classification to access higher density allowances: "They claim that because they have both residential apartments and memory care rooming units that they qualify for mixed use. They have no rooming units. Rooming units by code must not have kitchens. Every one of their units has a kitchen. Therefore this fails immediately." He added that the project lacks the commercial, pedestrian-oriented character required by the general plan's neighborhood center mixed-use designation.

Ken Zhong, also of Auburn Avenue, demanded three specific studies before the project advances: an economic analysis proving building step-backs are infeasible, a quantitative solar access study, and verification that base density calculations use city code section 17.33 rather than policy guidance. He warned the building would obliterate sunlight in the surrounding area: "The proposed structure would also negatively impact the Safeway Plaza, the only public space in Rockridge's College Avenue corridor that receives direct morning sunlight. It would plunge this public plaza into total shadow during the winter months."

Lynn Harlan, another Auburn Avenue resident, cited documented crash history at the Claremont/College intersection and argued California duty-of-care obligations should prevent the city from placing a vulnerable senior population in a known hazardous traffic environment without a comprehensive safety plan.

What's next: The project has not been formally calendared for the Planning Commission. Given the organized opposition, a petition exceeding 1,000 signatures, and the technical specificity of the challenges — particularly to the density classification — expect a prolonged and closely watched design review process.

Commission Ends Four-Year Zoning Dispute, Confirms Mimosa on Grand Is a Restaurant

Why it matters: A neighborhood complaint that Mimosa on Grand at 3320 Grand Avenue was operating as a bar or nightclub — not a restaurant — triggered years of code enforcement inspections and a formal appeal. The commission's unanimous denial draws a line under the dispute.

Where things stand: Contract planner Jana Wismer of Interwest Group explained that Mimosa on Grand has operated since 2015 and received zoning clearance in 2021 with a Type 41 alcohol license (beer and wine with meals). Code enforcement inspections investigated potential violations, but the zoning manager ultimately determined the establishment functions as a full-service restaurant. The appellant, who alleged the business operates more like a nightclub with neighborhood noise impacts, did not attend the hearing despite multiple outreach attempts. Staff confirmed the appellant indicated the prior evening he would not appear — the second consecutive hearing he missed.

Restaurant owner James Rochelle briefly addressed the commission, saying simply: "This has been hanging over my head" — for four years.

Decision: Appeal denied 5-0 (For: Randolph, Robb, Ahrens, Sandoval, Renk; Absent: Li). Vice Chair Natalie Sandoval moved; Commissioner Maurice Robb seconded. This decision is not appealable.

Council Backs Planning Commission on SB 79, Opens BART Stations to Streamlined Housing

Why it matters: Where Oakland draws the boundaries of SB 79's streamlined housing provisions will shape development near the city's busiest transit corridors for years to come. Council's decision to keep key BART stations in — over staff objections — is a significant win for housing production advocates.

Where things stand: Deputy City Attorney Michael Branson reported that City Council adopted SB 79 implementation measures on March 16, largely following the Planning Commission's earlier recommendation not to exclude MacArthur, Ashby, and Rockridge BART station areas from the law's corridor provisions, while maintaining a historic resource exclusion. Staff had opposed the commission's direction. "The staff was opposed to the direction that was received from the Planning Commission. The Council overruled that. So the Council followed the Planning Commission's recommendation related to MacArthur, Ashby, and Rockridge," Branson reported.

Council also adopted two amendments expanding SB 79 coverage: one removing the exclusion for the eastern portion of the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan (past Laney College to the east side of Lake Merritt up to San Antonio Park), and another opening a small area near Coliseum BART between 66th Avenue and Hegenberger Road to SB 79 projects.

Minor Items

• S14 overlay zone amendments approved by Council: City Council adopted targeted changes to the S14 housing opportunity overlay zone — covering portions of Telegraph Avenue and other major streets — to allow a conditional use permit process for complementary commercial uses that support housing on the ground floor.

• Council Member Ken Houston (District 7) asked the commission to investigate the Oakland Station at 1428 105th Ave., a building originally deed-restricted as senior housing that has since converted to general housing. Houston described roaches, a non-working elevator, and a broken trash chute: "It's just so unfair for our seniors to have to live in this condition." Secretary Katherine said staff is aware of the site and offered to report back at the next meeting.

• Zoning Manager Robert Merkamp honored upon retirement: Secretary Katherine praised the longtime Bureau of Planning staffer as a mentor who shaped current commission procedures, trained multiple planners, and still supports meetings in real time by texting code section references during hearings. Merkamp thanked the commission, calling his Oakland service transformative both professionally and personally.

• February 18, 2026 meeting minutes approved unanimously, 5-0.