9/13/23, 10:21 AM Updated General Plan comments - Rajagopalan, Lakshmi - Outlook about:blank 1/1
Updated General Plan comments
Lisjan Nation <[email protected]>
Tue 9/12/2023 5:41 PM
To:Rajagopalan, Lakshmi <[email protected]>
Cc:Michelle Lee LaPena <[email protected]>;Findley, Daniel <[email protected]>;Haynes, Khalilha <[email protected]>;Kaminski, Laura <[email protected]>;Branson, Michael <[email protected]>
1 attachments (2 MB)
Oakland General Plan updates .pdf;
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Dear Lakshmi,
Please find attached new updated General Plan comments from the Tribe. 'Uni (Respectfully),
Corrina Gould, Tribal Chair
Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation
SUPPLEMENTAL EXHIBIT -
COMMENT LETTER FROM
CONFEDERATED VILLAGES OF
LISJAN NATION
ConfederatedVillagesofLisjanNation(510)575-8408 ⬨ POBox6487OaklandCA94603 September11,2023
VIAEMAIL:[email protected]
CityofOakland
BureauofPlanning
250FrankH.OgawaPlaza
Suite3315
Oakland,CA94612
DearHonorableMembersoftheCityCouncilandtheOfficeoftheCityPlanner, Isubmitthesecommentstodaytoaddressacriticalmatterthatrequiresimmediateaction.WearedisappointedwiththelackofproperconsultationwiththeCityofOaklandontheGeneralPlanUpdate,despiteusreachingoutin2021,havingaZoommeetingonJuly15,2021,andourcomprehensiveletterthatwassubmittedtotheCityinOctober, 2021.OurgoalwastoconsultearlyandprovideinputatthebeginningoftheprocesssothattheTribe’sconcerns,whichweremany, couldbeaddressedinatimelymanner. Sadly, oureffortwasawasteofourtimeandresourcesbecauseitappearsthatnooneeverreadourletterorincorporatedanyofourearlycommentsintotheUpdate.
Now, yearslater, wearefacedwiththedautingprocessofreviewingacompletedGeneralPlanUpdatethatdoesnotincludeanyofourinput. AfterameticulousreviewoftheCityofOakland’s2045GeneralPlanUpdate,thereremainsaglaringabsenceofcommitmentfromthecitytosafeguardtribalculturalresources.WeemphaticallyrequesttheinclusionofCulturalResourceprotectionrequirementsoutlinedinSB18,AB52,andAB168beincludedwiththeGoals,Policies,and
ConfederatedVillagesofLisjanNation(510)575-8408 ⬨ POBox6487OaklandCA94603 Actionsofthe2045GeneralPlanUpdate.Ourpleaisbasedonaprofoundhistoricalcontextthatcannotbeignored.
First, itisdishearteningtonotethattherearenoreferencestoCulturalResourceProtectionintheCityPlanningCode,theStandardConditionsofApproval,anyofthenewproposedplans,oranyofthepreviouslyapprovedplans.Theselaws,whicharedesignedtoprotecttheculturalheritageofourNativeAmericancommunities,standasatestamenttoourcommitmenttojusticeandequity.
Second,theCityofOakland’sGeneralPlanUpdateTechnicalMemoofApril4,2021,underscoresaglaringtruth:
“Oakland’scurrentGeneralPlanneitheracknowledgesnoraddressesthedeep-seatedcolonialismandinjusticesinflicteduponnativepeoplesonthisland.Moreover, itfailstorecognizetheircontinuedpresenceinthecity. Theabsenceoftargetedoutreachtotribalmembers,onwhoseancestrallandtheCitywasbuilt,furtherperpetuatesthesehistoricalwrongs.”1 Itisevidentthattheproposedplanfallsshortofaddressingthesegraveinjustices,withanalarminglackofoutreachinthedrafts.WithinthiscomprehensiveGPUdocument, thereareonlyfourfleetingmentionsofnativecommunities,astarkreminderofsystemicneglect.
Third,IdrawyourattentiontoCaliforniaAssemblyBill168(AB168),signedintolawonSeptember20,2020,withthepurposeofsafeguardingtribalculturalresourcesacrossthestate.Precedingthat, in2015,CaliforniaAssemblyBill52(AB52)wasenacted,requiringtribalconsultationduringtheCEQAprocess.TheselegislativeactionsreflecttheState’sfirmcommitmenttocollaboratingwithCaliforniaNativeTribesinpreservingourculturalresources,includingsacredsitesliketheWestBerkelyShellmounds.
ConfederatedVillagesofLisjanNation(510)575-8408 ⬨ POBox6487OaklandCA94603 Fourth,itisimperativetoacknowledgetheconsultationrequirementsdefinedintheStateofCaliforniaSenateBill18(SB18),whichoutlinesacomprehensiveframeworkforconsultationbetweengovernmentalagenciesandCaliforniaNativeTribes.Thislegislationdefinesconsultationas“ameaningfulandtimelyprocessthatinvolvesopencommunication,mutualrespect, andthegenuineconsiderationoftribalperspectivesandconcernsindecision-makingprocesses.”Incorporatingtheseconsultationrequirements,asoutlinedinSB18,intothe2045GeneralPlanUpdateisessentialtoensurearobustandmeaningfulengagementwithtribalcommunitiesinOaklandthatconsistofmorethanoneortwomeetings.Thisstepwillbothalignthecitywithstatelawsandalsodemonstrateagenuinecommitmenttofosteringcollaborationandpreservingourrichculturalheritage.
TheCityofOaklandholdsapivotalroleinensuringthesevitalprotectionsareupheldandenforced.FailuretoincorporatetheseprovisionsintothePlanwouldhinderthesmalltribesfightingtirelesslytoprotecttheirresources.Thismomentousopportunitymustnotbesquandered.
IfthisdocumentistobeemployedbytheCityCouncil,theCityPlanner, developers,andindividualsconsideringrelocatingtoourcity, itmustserveasaresoundingdeclaration.Itmustmakeclearthatthetribeswillplayanintegralpartinanysignificantchangestoourlandscapes,therebyinitiatingtheprocessofrectifyingthehistoricalwrongsaselucidatedintheTechnicalMemo.
WecontinuetoofferouravailabilitytoworkontheGPU;however, wemustexpressourdifficultieswiththecurrentdraft. Itiswithregretthatwefindthedrafttobechallengingtoworkwith,necessitatingadifferentversionthatfacilitateseasiermarkups.WerespectfullyrequestaneditableWordversionofthePlans.
WhilewehaveonlyprovidedafewspecificsuggestionsfortheGeneralPlanUpdate,wemustemphasizeourdissatisfactionwiththePlaninitscurrentstate.Giventheopportunity, wewouldadvocateforacompleteoverhaulofthePlan,onethatreflectstheperspectiveofCaliforniaNativecommunities.Weearnestlyurgeyouto
ConfederatedVillagesofLisjanNation(510)575-8408 ⬨ POBox6487OaklandCA94603 demonstrateyourunwaveringcommitmenttojustice,equity, andthepreservationofculturalheritagebyembracingtheprovisionsoutlinedinAB52andAB168,whilealsoconsideringtheadditionswehavesuggestedbelow. Weencourageourcitytoleadbyexample,acknowledgingoursharedhistoryandsecuringabrighterfutureforall.Together, wecanforgeapaththatupholdstherightsandheritageofCaliforniaNativeAmericans.
Sincerely,
CorrinaGould
TribalChairwoman
Cc:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]
ConfederatedVillagesofLisjanNation(510)575-8408 ⬨ POBox6487OaklandCA94603
RECOMMENDATIONS
ThereisashortmentionoftheOhlonepeopleonpage3underthesubheading“LearningFromthePast”withintheIntroduction.OtherthanbeingacarboncopyofpreviousmentionsofourpeoplefrompastCitydocuments,itspeaksofusaspeopleofthepast. Werespectfullyrequestconsultationtopersonallyupdatethissectionasthecurrentstewardsoftheland.Whatislistedcurrentlyisinaccurate,aswehavebeencontinualstewardsregardlessofcolonialinterruption.
UnderPipelineProjectswerequestthat“therequirementsofAB52andAB168willbeadheredto”beadded.
AtEJ-1.13addAB52andAB168.
AtEJ-4.5addAB52andAB168fornewconstructiononly.
AtEJ-8.5add“ConsultwithNativeAmericanTribes.”
AtEJ-1.12addAB52andAB168.
(BecausealloftheCityDocumentshaveexcludedtherequirements) AtSAF-1addsectionSAF-1.5ConsultwithNativeAmericanTribestogatherTribalEcologicalKnowledge(TEK).
AtSAF-A.12addConsultwithNativeAmericanTribestogatherTribal
ConfederatedVillagesofLisjanNation(510)575-8408 ⬨ POBox6487OaklandCA94603 EcologicalKnowledge(TEK).
ToAppendixA-MitigationMonitoringandReportingaddCUL-3titled“CulturalResourcesTreatmentAgreement.”(ThisagreementwouldservetoaddressthetreatmentanddispositionofculturalresourcesandhumanremainsindefinitetermsbetweentheTribeandtheDeveloper.)