With stakeholders wanting more time to review documents, Oakland is recommending this hearing be continued to September 17.

Because Oakland staff has heard from a number of stakeholders that they’d like more time to review the documents, they will be recommending to the Planning Commission that the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan hearing being continued to the September 17.

Oakland has released the final environmental report for the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan and its traffic analysis clears the way for Oakland to stripe buffered bike lanes on several streets. Your help and support is needed as we push Oakland to build these new bikeways in 2015.

Lane reductions and new bikeways are coming to 8th and 9th Streets between Fallon and Harrison; Webster and Franklin between 9th St and 14th St; Oak and Madison the whole way and of course you are already enjoying expedited buffered bike lanes on 10th St. In addition, look for BART to increase bike parking at the Lake Merritt BART Station, which is overflowing with parked bikes.

Come to the Wednesday, September 17, 6:00pm Planning Commission meeting and voice your support for a more bike-friendly Downtown Oakland.

While a good plan, Bike East Bay and Walk Oakland Bike Oakland will continue to work for improved bike access in the heart of Chinatown to connect Chinatown and Old Oakland. The Chinatown Chamber of Commerce has concerns about existing loading zones where bike lanes could be striped. And Don’t concern yourself with the Plan?s arterial bikeway indicated for 14th St.?Bike East Bay has much more ambitious plans for this key route, which you can help make happen by volunteering on our 14th St Bikeway Campaign.

The Lake Merritt Station Area Plan green lights new bikeways on many streets around the Lake Merritt BART Station, which is going to fill out a substantial section of Oakland’s bikeway network in the Downtown area. New bikeways are proposed for Oak and Madison Streets, 8th and 9th Streets, and the already installed buffered bike lanes on 10th Street. We will push Oakland to install these new bikeways in 2015.

• Final Station Area Plan document, Related Actions
• Final Environmental Impact Report for Lake Merritt Station Area Plan

The Final Plan incorporates feedback from stakeholders that was received following publication of the December 2012 Public Review Draft Lake Merritt Station Area Plan. All comments that were received during the DEIR public comment period have been compiled and responded to in the Response to Comments (RTC) Document, along with changes and clarifications to the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). The RTC Document, together with the DEIR, constitutes the Final EIR (FEIR) for the Station Area Plan. Concurrent, but separately, the project also includes adoption of associated General Plan amendments, Municipal Code and Planning Code amendments, Zoning Maps, Height Maps and Design Guidelines (collectively called Related Actions).

Copies of the FEIR will be available for review or distribution to interested parties at no charge at the Planning and Building Department, 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 3315, Oakland, CA 94612, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Additional reference copies of the FEIR and Final Plan will be available for review at the Oakland Public Library, Social Science and Documents, 125 14th Street, Oakland CA 94612 and at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 9th Street #290, Oakland, CA 94607.

The Final Station Area Plan document, Related Actions, and other project information will be available at the project site.

The FEIR, Notice of Availability and Draft EIR will be here.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the following upcoming hearings and provide comments. If you challenge the EIR or other actions pertaining to this Project in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues raised at the public hearings described above or in written correspondence directed to Christina Ferracane, Planning and Building Department, 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 3315, Oakland, CA 94612, and received by 4:00pm on September 3, 2014. For further information please contact Christina Ferracane at (510) 238-3903 or via email to cferracane@oaklandnet.com

Comments must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. on September 3, 2014. Please refer to case number ER11-0017.

Upcoming Public Hearings:

• Wednesday, September 3, 2014 at 6:00 pm ? The Oakland City Planning Commission will hold a public hearing toconsider certifying the FEIR, and recommending to the City Council adoption of the Final Station Area Plan and Related Actions in Hearing Room 1(1st floor), City Hall, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, CA 94612
• September and in October 2014 ? The City Council meeting dates are tentatively set to occur at the end of September and in October. M more details will be sent out closer to meeting dates.