Ahead of June vote, BCDC staff recommends moving A's Howard Terminal ballpark plan forward
Report says moderate growth through 2050 will still yield a surplus of port land without Howard Terminal
—BCDC STAFF GIVES A-OK—San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) staff issued a preliminary recommendation in support of removing Howard Terminal from its Port Priority Use Plan. If approved by the full commission next month, the determination would amount to another hurdle cleared for the proposed future home of the Oakland Athletics at the 50-acre Howard Terminal waterfront site.
—News of the report’s findings was well-received by Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, a major proponent of the ballpark project that also includes 18 acres of city parks and 3,000 units of new housing. “Today’s report is great news for Oakland and our region. I appreciate the BCDC staff’s due diligence and their preliminary recommendation to move this project forward and open Oakland’s waterfront to the public,” Schaaf said in a press release on Monday night.
—The 96-page staff report released on Monday estimates that without Howard Terminal as a port use, growth will increase at a moderate rate by 2050, resulting in an surplus of 22 acres of port land for all types of cargo. Port of Oakland and Oakland Athletics officials had previously argued for a slower rate of growth resulting in a much larger surplus of port land by 2050.
—BCDC staff determined that “removing Howard Terminal from Port Priority Use would not detract from the region’s capability to meet the projected growth in cargo, and has demonstrated that the cargo forecast can be met with existing terminals.”
—In March, the ballpark project took a slight hit after a majority of the Seaport Advisory Committee disagreed with the growth estimates offered by port and A’s officials.
—The committee voted 5-4 with one abstention to recommend the full BCDC deny removal of Howard Terminal from the Port Priority Use Plan because the port and applicant failed to show the ballpark project “would not detract from the regional capability to meet the projected growth in cargo, the request does not include an adequate justification for the proposed deletion and does not demonstrate that the cargo forecast can be met with existing terminals.”
—In making the recommendation, BCDC staff, however, acknowledged that its analysis was rushed by the existence of AB 1191, legislation authored by then-Assemblymember Rob Bonta and voted into law that requires BCDC to make a finding about Howard Terminal’s Port Priority Use within 140 days after the Oakland City Council certifies the ballpark project’s final Environmental Impact Report. The Oakland City Council certified the EIR on Feb. 17, meaning the BCDC’s deadline is July 7.
—BCDC staff’s differing view from that of the advisory committee buoys the hopes of the port, A’s and its fans ahead of the BCDC’s public hearing scheduled for June 2 and a vote, possibly on June 30. Approval to remove Howard Terminal from Port Priority Use would allow the ballclub to begin the permitting process required for construction of the proposed 35,000-seat waterfront ballpark.
—In addition, three separate lawsuits aiming to block the ballpark project have been filed. Perhaps, most important of all, is ongoing negotiations between Oakland officials and the Athletics over a community benefits package that includes affordable housing.