City Government

Port Businesses Dispute Proposal for A’s Stadium on Oakland Waterfront

Published

11 years ago

April 3, 2014

A plan to build a new A’s stadium on the downtown Oakland waterfront just west of Jack London Square is drawing opposition from major port-related companies that fear a stadium could undermine industrial and transportation operations at the nation’s fifth-largest container port.

The letter was signed by representatives of Schnitzer Steel, Union Pacific Railroad and the California Trucking Association, who say they speak for “a diverse array of companies that have collectively invested millions of dollars into the industrial and transportation infrastructure of the Oakland waterfront.”

Their letter, addressed to Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, requests a meeting with the mayor, who is on record as an enthusiastic backer of the Howard Terminal move.

The 38,000-seat, 14-acre stadium would be built on the 50-acre industrial site at a cost of about $500 million. The proposal already faces significant environmental and regulatory hurdles.

The writers of the Feb. 25 letter point out that companies currently located near the terminal include a electrical substation, a metal recycling and exporting terminal, a power plant, two separate major trunk pipelines, a mainline portion of the country’s largest Class I railroad, as well as Amtrak and Capitol Corridor passenger trains.

These heavy industrial uses require industrial zoning and are not compatible with the “new walkable and stadium-supporting community and businesses” proposed for the terminal site, the letter says.

“What consideration has been given to the energy infrastructure surrounding the Howard Terminal location?” The letter writers ask.

In addition, the letter says, “Short-sighted designs and plans (can) create chronically unsafe interactions between incompatible modes of transportation and conflicting uses, which unfortunately result in thousands of accidents each year.”

“Are the city or stadium proponents actually considering relocating any uses from their locations near or adjacent to this proposed stadium site?” Asks the letter, which questions who would pay for these companies to move.

Before the mayor and proponents make any decisions, the letter asked them to address “the very serious questions included in this letter.”

“We respectfully request you provide us with preliminary answers to our questions,” they wrote.

Backed by Mayor Quan, the Howard Terminal proposal is supported by the Save the A’s group — spearheaded by Clorox chairman Don Knauss, T. Gary Rogers of Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream and local developers Doug Boxer and Mike Ghielmetti.

The group has hired Manica Architecture to promote their vision. “The site is perfectly situated along the waterfront near downtown Oakland,” Manica told SI.com.

“The design concept seeks to capture the unique history of the site by maintaining the port cranes as an integrated part of the iconic design.”

However, A’s owners John Fisher and Lew Wolff remain skeptical of the proposal. Wolff – a longtime backer of moving his team to San Jose – told the SF. Chronicle, “It would be easier to build on Treasure Island.”

“All I care about is getting a new home for the A’s in the best possible circumstances – and under any circumstances, Howard Terminal would be as close to impossible as anything.”

The Post did not receive a reply when it requested Mayor Quan’s reaction to the concerns raised by the port businesses.

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City Government

San Pablo Appoints New Economic Development and Housing Manager

Kieron Slaughter has been appointed as the economic development & housing manager for the City of San Pablo. Since 2017, Slaughter has served as chief strategic officer for economic innovation in the City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development. Previously, he served in a 2.5-year appointment in the Pacific West Region as one of 10 Urban Fellows in the United States National Park Service.

Published

16 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Kieron Slaughter. Photo courtesy of the City of San Pablo

The Richmond Standard

Kieron Slaughter has been appointed as the economic development & housing manager for the City of San Pablo.

Since 2017, Slaughter has served as chief strategic officer for economic innovation in the City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development. Previously, he served in a 2.5-year appointment in the Pacific West Region as one of 10 Urban Fellows in the United States National Park Service.

Before that he was an associate planner in the City of Richmond’s Planning and Building Services Department from 2007-2015.

San Pablo City Manager Matt Rodriguez lauded Slaughter’s extensive experience in economic development, housing and planning, saying he will add a “valuable perspective to the City Manager’s Office.”

Slaughter, a Berkeley resident, will start in his new role on Nov. 12, with a base annual salary of $164,928, according to the City of San Pablo.

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City Government

Aaron Osorio Rises Up Ranks to Become Richmond’s Fire Chief

For Aaron Osorio, it started with a ride along on a firetruck at age 10. “I thought it was the coolest job,” he said, adding, “I knew being in fire service would make a big difference in the community.” Now a 27-year fire service veteran, Osorio appears to approach his work with the same youthful exuberance. And that’s good for the city as Osorio was recently named chief of the historic Richmond Fire Department.

Published

16 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Richmond Fire Department Chief Aaron Osorio. Courtesy photo

By Mike Kinney

The Richmond Standard

For Aaron Osorio, it started with a ride along on a firetruck at age 10.

“I thought it was the coolest job,” he said, adding, “I knew being in fire service would make a big difference in the community.”

Now a 27-year fire service veteran, Osorio appears to approach his work with the same youthful exuberance. And that’s good for the city as Osorio was recently named chief of the historic Richmond Fire Department.

Osorio is a San Francisco native who rose up the ranks in the Richmond Fire Department over the last 21 years before being elevated to chief.

He joined the department in 2002 and has served in multiple roles including firefighters, engineer, captain, battalion chief, training director and deputy fire chief. He said he truly loves working in this community.

While it isn’t common for a fire department to hire a chief that came up through its ranks, Osorio was credited by the city for serving Richmond well during uncommon times.

The city lauded him for developing internal policies and vaccination clinics during the initial COVID response, for supporting activation of the emergency operations center in response to a potential mudslide disaster in Seacliff last year, helping to draft mutual aid agreements and working to increase fire response capabilities for industrial incidents.

He’s also led departmental hiring and recruitment since 2018.

Osorio said it is an honor to be hired as chief and has big plans for the department moving forward. He said he wants to continue hiring and promoting for vacant positions, and also completing a strategic plan guiding the direction of the organization.

He also aims to replace and renovate a number of fire department facilities placed on the Capital Improvement Plan and create new ways to recruit that will enhance the diversity of the department.

Osorio said his experience within, and love for, the city of Richmond puts him in a good position to lead the department. He says he knows what is needed and also the challenges that are unique to the city.

“I look forward to utilizing that institutional knowledge to move the fire department forward in a positive direction and enhance the services we provide to the community,” the chief said.

Osorio holds a bachelor of science degree in Fire Administration and is also a California State Fire Marshal-certified chief officer, company officer, and state instructor.

He also holds numerous certifications in fire, rescue, hazardous material, and incident command.

The chief has been married to his wife, Maria, for 26 years and they have two sons, Roman and Mateo.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Oakland Awarded $28 Million Grant from Governor Newsom to Sustain Long-Term Solutions Addressing Homelessness

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the City of Oakland has won a$28,446,565.83 grant as part of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program. This program provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses.

Published

17 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the City of Oakland has won a$28,446,565.83 grant as part of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program.

This program provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses.

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the Oakland City Administrator’s Office staff held a press conference today to discuss the grant and the City’s successful implementing of the Mayor’s Executive Order on the Encampment Management Policy.