Oakland Officers Will Launch Ultimate Environmental Influence Report on A’s Proposed Ballpark – CBS San Francisco
OAKLAND (CBS SF / BCN) – It’s finally here: Oakland officials say they expect to release the final environmental impact report on the proposed new stadium for the Oakland A’s at the Howard Terminal on Friday morning.
The report is expected to be posted on the city’s website at 8:00 a.m. City officials will recommend that the Oakland Planning Commission certify the report and send it to the city council for approval.
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The planning commission will take up this recommendation on January 19th and the city council can approve the report in February.
“The release of the final environmental impact report is an important milestone in our journey to building a new waterfront ballpark area that will create up to 18 acres of beautiful public parks, more affordable housing and good jobs for Oaklanders,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf.
Oakland A released renders of their planned new ballpark at Howard Terminal near Jack London Square in Oakland (courtesy Bjarke Ingels Group)
“The 3,500-page document is thorough and comprehensive and ensures that the project is environmentally friendly and sustainable,” said Schaaf. “The completion of the EIR also keeps us on track to bring the 2022 project to the final vote in the city council – and brings us one step closer to keeping our beloved A’s rooted in Oakland.”
The final EIR does not contain any “material” new information and does not need to be re-circulated, thereby delaying a vote on it.
A’s proposal not only envisages a new stadium with around 35,000 seats, but also apartments, a hotel and a performance venue with 3,500 seats as well as commercial space.
The entire development would be on approximately 55 acres in the Jack London Square area.
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The approval of the overall project consists of an environmental assessment, project assessment and project agreements. The city and the A’s are well advanced in the approval process, although the A’s are considering moving the team to Las Vegas.
A’s President Dave Kaval has said it’s Howard Terminal for the A’s or they are moving out of Oakland.
The approval of the final environmental impact assessment by the city council would complete the environmental assessment process.
City officials are waiting for the A’s to revise the plans and present them to the city as part of the project appraisal process. The two now draft and negotiate the project agreements, which are of a financial nature.
A lawsuit could delay the project, but for a limited time. Assembly Bill 734 sets a limit for the duration of a lawsuit over the project.
Frequent questions raised by the draft EIR included railroad safety, parking, bridges over the railroad tracks near the proposed park, and questions about why a ballpark cannot be built at the Oakland Coliseum site. City officials answered any of the questions or concerns.
Answers to these questions were not available on Thursday, but the answers will be part of the final EIR released on Friday. More than 400 comments were made on the draft EIR.
The Oakland A’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the publication of the final EIR on Thursday afternoon.
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