Oakland Planning Appeals Board

Hello BPN, 

By any chance have any of you gone before the Oakland Planning and Zoning Commission's Board of Appeals? If so, did you find the process to be fair and well-intentioned, or did it seem biased or Kafkaesque? How long from the time the neighbor's appeal was filed until the in-person hearing? Did either side bring an attorney? Does the Board sometimes make applicants alter their plans? If there is anything you could share about your experience I would greatly appreciate your perspective, since I know nothing about how this will work. Thank you very much.