Estuary Park remediation and improvements are at risk! The City Council approved the Estuary Park Master Plan on January 21, 2025. But the Brooklyn Basin developer is asking City approvals to build 134 private units on a large part of the park site, Parcel N. 

UPDATE—Oct. 8, 2025. City of Oakland Planner Christopher Tan asked that the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission continue the Estuary Park item until “a date uncertain” without giving details and without quoting the request from the developer. Brian Mulry from the city attorney’s office was present. The developers didn’t attend. We do not know what gave rise to this request. The PRAC passed the motion after a response to their questions that no further information was available. As of about Oct. 20 a brief statement on the city’s Accela site says that the Parcel N proposal is “on hold.” Many thanks to all who wrote letters, had planned to come to the meeting, and talked to others!

In July the PRAC was asked for feedback on 3 redesigns offered by the developer. No vote was taken. All three showed 134 units in two 5-story structures. The developer’s proposal would eliminate the dog park, and shrink the picnic area and multi-use lawn that are Parcel N features of the EPMP. The condos would block the view of the Estuary from Embarcadero. Condos on Parcel N aren’t compatible with the region-serving, expanded Estuary Park called for in the EPMP.  And: this proposal does not offer new housing; it would move housing approved at Brooklyn Basin to this park site. You can listen here to a recording of Item C about Parcel N at the PRAC meeting (consultant presentations at 1.26.20, public comment at 1.44.30, Commissioners’ questions at 2.23.28).

The developer stated the intention to sell Parcel N as soon as certain requirements in the current Development Agreement are lifted. They don’t want to remediate Estuary Park and Parcel N, and don’t want to offer Parcel N to the City for park expansion. We oppose these changes. The City should require that remediation begin now. Developers have delayed remediation and they ask to be released from deeding Parcel N to the City for park expansion, both required in the Development Agreement. Filling Parcel N with expensive condos would invalidate the already-passed $1.4M EPMP. We’d lose green areas, parking, food truck plaza, family picnicking adjacent to a water-wise/habitat garden, a multi-purpose area for lawn games, an enclosed dog park, and restrooms. The park would be invisible from Embarcadero Road. Redesign is costly, wasteful, and would require repeating community participation and making major regulatory changes. And it risks loss of $13 million in Measure DD funds!

The Estuary Park Task Committee of the Measure DD Community Coalition urges you and your organization to help save and revive our major park on the Estuary. Let’s ensure the Master Plan is carried out, not cover Parcel N with units intended for the existing Brooklyn Basin parcels.