The Oakland A’s were thrown in a curveball in their desire to build a waterfront baseball stadium, high-rise condominiums and retail complex at what is the current the site of the Howard Terminal.
The Seaport Planning Advisory Committee of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) recommended the commission at large vote against supporting the A’s proposal. Members of the committee were concerned the port would be giving up valuable waterfront property used for truck and container parking.
Who is BCDC? They are state agency with regulatory responsibility over shoreline development in all nine Bay Area counties. Their mission is to protect and enhance the San Francisco Bay and encourage the Bay’s responsible and productive use for this and future generations. BCDC, and its Seaport Planning Advisory Committee, have been integral in working with the port and providing a regional seaport plan to guide port expansion in an environmentally sound way.
While the full BCDC has the authority to approve or deny the A’s proposal, having the “no” recommendation from the Seaport Planning Advisory Committee is good thing for those of us opposing the project.