Planning Commission Limits Public Input

The Oakland Planning Commission voted in August to limit public testimony at hearings to one minute per speaker, and limit the number of speakers from a group who may testify. The vote came quickly and with little public notice, as Sunshine laws do not require the same public notice standards for internal procedures as for other agenda items. The new procedures also severely limited the time for developer presentations and for Planning and Zoning Department staff presentations discussing the potential impacts and staff’s recommendations.

The Commission states that it wants to review all this information in writing before the meetings. This is a laudable goal with large flaws.

• Public notice of an issue does not allow adequate time to research a project, organize a meeting of neighbors, write a complete and coherent response, and still allow time for these written materials to be included with the formal "packet" of reports the staff provides to Commissioners in preparation for each hearing. Most of the current Commissioners are newly appointed by Mayor Brown; but they do not have a history of involvement in neighborhood groups and do not understand these logistical problems.

• Developers and their lawyers are given a large advantage—they know the project is in the works long before neighbors do, and can prepare their arguments, and can lobby the Commissioners during the daytime. Development becomes more of a "back-room" activity.

• Neighborhoods which have tried to give testimony under the new rules have found that even carefully organizing a small group of speakers who each make one point does not allow for a coherent statement of facts, impacts and requested modifications to a project.

• Many neighborhoods have large numbers of concerned citizens with limited writing or even spoken English skills. Verbal testimony, sometimes with translators, has been their only real chance to have input on projects effecting their neighborhood.

• The number and variety of Oaklanders who watch hearings on KTOP (cable TV) is surprising. With oral staff reports truncated, as well as other testimony, all Oaklanders are less informed of developments effecting our city.

• Finally, we regret to state that at past hearings (with other Commissioners) we have seen ample evidence that some of the Commissioners had not read our materials. While we believe the current Commission is earnest in its intent, we are concerned that this may happen with future Commissioners.

Opposition to the new rules is growing from groups and individuals. Contact Valerie Winemiller at 653-4552 for further information.