Politics & Government
Rockridge Shopping Center, Lifestyle Safeway Plan Up for Approval Soon
The Oakland Planning Commission will likely consider whether to approve the proposed reconstruction and expansion of the Rockridge Shopping Center in June, a city planner told Patch Wednesday.
The final environmental impact report (EIR) for an – including a "Lifestyle" Safeway – is expected to be completed in time for the project to be considered for approval by the Oakland Planning Commission in June, a city planner said Wednesday.
The city has been reviewing the "Safeway Redevelopment Project" proposal for four years. The draft EIR for the plan, which describes the project and potential impacts, is available on the city's website.
The 15.4-acre Rockridge Shopping Center is located at Broadway and Pleasant Valley Avenue. The development proposal – submitted in early 2009 by Safeway affliate Property Development Centers, Inc. – would tear down all 185,000 square feet of existing buildings at the center, whose master lease holder is a Safeway supermarket. The center also includes a large CVS Pharmacy and several other commercial tenants.
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The rebuilt center would have 322,500 square feet of new commercial space, representing an increase of about 75 percent. Buildings would range in height from one to four stories. It would include 967 parking spaces, up from the current 615.
It would remove the current Safeway and put a new Lifestyle Safeway of 65,000 square feet where CVS is currently located.
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The city received about 40 written comments on the Draft EIR, and 10 speakers gave feedback at a public hearing on the plan held by the Planning Commission on Feb. 20, said Darin Ranelletti, the city planner assigned to the project. Those comments and responses to them will be included in the final EIR, Ranelletti said.
The final EIR is expected to be released for public review three weeks before the Planning Commission meets to consider approving the project, Ranelletti said.
Any decision by the Planning Commission can be appealed to the Oakland City Council.
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