City of Oakland releases Draft EIR for A’s waterfront ballpark

The City of Oakland’s Draft Environmental Impact Report, which the city released today, offers an incredibly thorough analysis showing the path forward for the Oakland A’s privately financed project at Howard Terminal that will be important to the environmental, transportation and housing future of Oakland. 

The Draft EIR illustrates how current and future Port activity and a new neighbourhood can not only coexist but also thrive.

Oakland A’s President, Dave Kaval, said:

The release of the Draft EIR is another important step forward in the process of building a new privately financed ballpark at Oakland’s Howard Terminal.

The analysis shows, along with the plans the Oakland A’s have unveiled, how a once-in-a-generation project like this can contribute to the health and vitality of Oakland, including improved infrastructure and transportation solutions, measures to improve air quality and supplying additional housing.

The DEIR outlines the following key areas:

Opening the Waterfront to the Community

• Creates public waterfront access and more than 18 acres of new waterfront parks and open space areas
• Improves Oakland’s resilience against sea-level rise
• Transforms an under-utilised industrial site into a sustainable community at no expense to taxpayers

Forward-looking Transportation Plan

• A transit-first approach, the plan reduces car trips by 20 percent, expands public transportation options, and invests in bike safety and infrastructure, and pedestrian walkways and bridges
• Separates ballpark and development transportation from Port of Oakland traffic to safeguard the Port and provide greater efficiency for trucks to access the Port

Caring for the Environment for Generations

• Achieves net zero greenhouse gas emissions and numerous other long-term health benefits for residents
• Invests in electric vehicle chargers, solar options, public transportation

Creating Homes for Oaklanders

• Proposes 3,000 homes, including affordable housing, in an area that the City of Oakland designated as a “Priority Development Area” by the Plan Bay Area 2040 vision for long-term growth

Kaval said:

The Athletics are the last professional sports team in Oakland. We employ thousands of Oakland and Alameda County residents, and local businesses, the City, and County derive significant economic benefits and revenue from our games. While the release of the draft environmental report is a great milestone, it is imperative that the City Council take a vote on the project this year. We look to the City for their support and partnership to keep the A’s in Oakland for generations to come.

For more information on the A’s new ballpark plans, visit WeAreRooted.com.