Flying under the radar is a nascent city proposal to allow community gardens – and various other uses – throughout downtown Oakland.
Currently, gardens and other similar uses are not allowed on vacant lots in downtown because the city would rather see tall buildings 
constructed on those sites. The thinking is that new buildings will attract residents and jobs to downtown and generate revenue for the city.
But given the current economic climate, the City Council may consider allowing surface parking lots, community gardens, parks, recreational uses, farmer’s markets and a variety of other uses that don’t represent the “highest and best use” of downtown sites. These uses would only be allowed temporarily – meaning that once the real estate market recovers, the gardens, farmer’s markets and surface parking lots would have to go away.
OaklandSeen.com
I am not sure where the author of this post got the idea that the T-CUP proposal would bring community gardens downtown.
When this report was presented to the Zoning Update Committee in February, staff made it very clear that they had no expectation whatsoever of adding any community gardens downtown under the proposal. In fact, it was stated repeatedly during the meeting that the only use anyone expected to take advantage of the permits, and the only interest anyone had shown in them, would be surface parking lots. Land owners present said that the would be unlikely to apply for a garden permit even in the event one were offered, and the Commission members seemed very skeptical.
Additionally, the presentation made it clear that there were a lot of problems with the proposal, like the fact that the City had no means of knowing when the temporary permits expired. The report will be returning to ZUC in April.
[...] is necessary. Oakland simply cannot continue down the current path of transportation planning. From city planners using community gardens as a flimsy cover for a pro-parking lot agenda to Building Services seizing Measure DD’s widened sidewalks to provide parking for the Lake [...]
Hello V Smoothe:
The post you refer to does not report that community gardens are definitely coming to downtown Oakland. The post states that the city is currently exploring the idea, which it is. Page 3 of the above referenced staff report states that “uses such as outdoor recreation, cultural and community gathering areas, retail vending and gardens” in addition to surface parking lots may be considered for the short-term.
OaklandSeen does not report solely on proposals coming from city staff that we know in advance are sure bets for city council adoption. We will continue to report on policies and ideas coming out of City Hall that are being discussed, debated and considered.