RCPC BOARD Fires Editors of The Rockridge News

Dear Rockridge Neighbors, 

We were shocked to be informed that on October 5th the RCPC board has ended the employment of both editors for the Rockridge News, Anna Marks and Jo Ellis, for unspecified reasons. The RCPC  board has hired an interim editor, Liam Pierce, who for the first time in Rockridge News’ history, does not actually live in Rockridge, and appears to have scant ties to our community (other than perhaps a friendship with one or more members of the RCPC board). 

The RCPC board provided no community-wide public notice to our neighborhood on this decision. 

Casey Farmer, current RCPC board chair, also gave no explanation to Anna and Jo why the long-time editors were dismissed, or what the “new direction” that the Rockridge News would be taking. 

We greatly appreciate Anna and Jo’s hard work and dedication to publish a wide range of opinions and news items that impact our neighborhood. 

We are increasingly concerned that RCPC and the Rockridge News are moving away from their original mission of representing the entire Rockridge community, to a new mission of simply pushing the will of the board by decree without community input. This is not ok. We are worried that the traditionally editorially independent Rockridge News will now be used as a mouthpiece for board politics without transparency to the community. 

We are concerned that the RCPC board is restricting information about events impacting Rockridge as well as limiting community participation. For example, the RCPC Committees for Land Use, Communications, and Transportation appear to have not met for more than half a year. 

It is important to the entire Rockridge community that the Rockridge News remains an independent news source and not one beholden to the current RCPC board. This provides appropriate checks and balances.

We want to know more about the RCPC board’s decision to fire Anna and Jo and encourage you to write letters to the following people, cc’ng UBAoakland@gmail.com and bcc’ng our friends at The Oakland Heritage Alliance info@oaklandheritage.org

A. Letters to the Editor of Rockridge News editor@rockridge.org, and chair@rockridge.org 

B. The Current RCPC Board:

Casey Farmer <caseyfarmer@gmail.com> RCPC Board Chair

Eli Kaplan <elikaplan90@gmail.com> 

Gary Barg <gary.barg@gmail.com> 

Jana Good <janagood18@gmail.com> 

John Gussman <jbgussman@yahoo.com> 

Kim Suczynski Smith <smith@pyatok.com> 

Kristen Belt <kristenbelt@mithun.com> 

Mark N Aaronson <aaronson@uclawsf.edu> 

Muhammad Alamedin <muhammadalameldin@berkeley.edu> 

Paul McDonnell <pauldermac@icloud.com> 

Robbie Tasker <ctaskerr@gmail.com> 

Star Lightner <starlightner@gmail.com> 

Thomas Lollini <tom@studiolollini.com> 

Zach Walton <walton.zachary@gmail.com> 

C. The Oaklandside Newsletter Katie Christensen, Assistant to the Editor katie@citysidejournalism.org

For a vibrant community lead Rockridge, please:

1. Be an active community member

2. Participate in community forums and events

3. Write letters to RCPC board, the Rockridge News, and public officials

4. Run for RCPC board positions (deadline to declare your candidacy is generally end of February)

5. Vote during RCPC elections (generally in April)

Thank you for making your voice heard.

Yours in Community,

UBA Steering Committee
 

Janis Brewer
Jennifer McElrath
Joe Johnston
Kirk Peterson
Merideth Marschak
Michael Reardon
Naomi Schiff
Nicole Lazzaro
Steve Cook

NEWS:

UBA TURNS OUR ATTENTION TO THE VACANT LOT AT “THE RIDGE”:
site utilization survey and report, May 2021

TRC Retail, the holder of a 90 year lease on the “The Ridge” site at Broadway and Pleasant Valley, recently made public three options for development of the long-neglected corner section: 1.) an automobile dealership; 2.) a big box store; 3.) ”drive-thru” restaurants; and possibly 4.) additional retail shops similar to those next to Safeway.


UBA conducted a site utilization survey of nearby residents to gauge support for the three uses TRC proposed, and included space for respondents’ own ideas. All three of TRC’s options were resoundingly rejected: UBA’s survey showed that out of 249 responses, on a scale of 0 to 5, an automobile dealership scored 0.4, a “big box” store scored 1.2, and drive-thru restaurants scored 1.1. Survey respondents’ own suggestions included such uses as local (i.e., not large chain) shops, parks, recreation, and housing.

At the follow up meeting with TRC, UBA presented survey results which did not favor their options but rather some mix of commercial and housing. Furthermore, code and/or conditional use permit restrictions would probably hamper development of the three options they proposed. TRC acknowledged these. Although UBA has stated its strong support for residential construction at this site, TRC reiterated that their lease does not permit residential use of this property.

We advised City Councilmember Dan Kalb of our meetings with TRC and of our survey results. He agrees that residential use is a priority, and will do what he can to seek a change in the lease.

UBA also contacted PANIL as both neighborhood groups have shared concerns: traffic, congestion, blight, and the future development of this corner property. PANIL then conducted their own survey and reported much the same data as UBA’s. Survey results for The Ridge site utilization are combined here.

UBA informed the Oakland Planning Commission of neighbors’ concerns about the future development of this key site in the hopes of garnering City support for residential construction. It is clear that this entire area at a main anchor point in the geography of Oakland urgently needs a carefully considered area plan that will preserve neighborhood character while managing development and the increased density that we know is coming. City Planning has informed us that this site is on their list of areas to address, but there are no immediate plans to do so.

Meanwhile, the community is asking for the blighted lot to be cleaned up and the fencing replaced. It has stood empty for more than 5 years.