The future of growth in downtown Berkeley is uncertain, with zoning changes on the November ballot. Photo: Louie Kablooie The future of growth in downtown Berkeley is uncertain, with zoning changes on the November ballot. Photo: Louie Kablooie The lure of an open Berkeley City Council seat has turned the race to replace Gordon Wozniak in November into a big bucks […]
Measure R
Posted inCity
Wording of Berkeley ballot initiative headed to court
Downtown Berkeley, May 2014. Photo: Emilie Raguso The backers of a downtown Berkeley initiative that voters will consider in November plan to file a lawsuit next week to force the city to change the wording in the ballot measure. They contend that the summary is inaccurate, biased and misleading. The decision to go to court […]
Posted inCity
City Council member says Berkeley’s ballot is biased
A battle is brewing over the wording that will be used to describe the downtown initiative on the November ballot. Photo: Emilie Raguso Berkeley Councilman Jesse Arreguín has asked the city attorney’s office to amend the wording that will be used to describe the downtown initiative in an election pamphlet because it is “inaccurate,” “misleading” and […]
Posted inBerkeleyside, City, Events, Housing & Development
At B-Side: Implications of downtown Berkeley initiative
At the first B-Side forum co-sponsored by The Hub and Berkeleyside, participants debated the merits of this fall’s downtown initiative. From left, Lance Knobel of Berkeleyside, Berkeley Councilman Jesse Arreguín and Eric Panzer of Livable Berkeley. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel At the first B-Side forum co-sponsored by The Hub and Berkeleyside, participants debated the merits of […]
Posted inCity, Housing & Development
Downtown initiative on ballot; Berkeley city, schools may lose millions in fees
Downtown Berkeley, May 2014. Photo: Emilie Raguso The majority of the Berkeley City Council exerted its political muscle Tuesday night by voting for a ballot description for the downtown initiative drawn up by Mayor Tom Bates that is less flattering than the ones offered by the city attorney and Councilman Jesse Arreguín, the main proponent […]
Posted inCity
Berkeley mayor to push for civic center overlay, also hopes it will reduce support for downtown ‘green’ initiative
Bates wants the City Council to adopt a zoning overlay to protect historic buildings in the civic center area, like Veterans’ Memorial Hall. He admits he hopes the push will undermine support for a downtown zoning initiative scheduled for November’s ballot. Photo: Wikimedia Commons Bates wants the City Council to adopt a zoning overlay to protect […]
Posted inCity, Housing & Development
2 citizen initiatives on course to make ballot in Berkeley
City Councilman Jesse Arreguín and his aide Anthony Sanchez turned in 3,900 signatures Tuesday that they hope will qualify their Green Downtown and Public Commons for the November ballot. Photo: Tom Hunt At least two measures backed by Berkeley residents appear to have collected enough support to make them likely to be on the November […]
Posted inHousing & Development
Would new green initiative kill 2 downtown high rises?
Downtown Berkeley as seen in 2012 from the top of the Chase building on Shattuck Avenue. Photo: Tracey Taylor Update, June 14: The initiative has qualified for the November 2014 ballot. Original story: As volunteers man the entrances to Berkeley Bowl, wander the farmers markets, and stop people on the street to collect signatures for […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-ed: Beware deceptive ‘Save Post Office’ ballot petition
Berkeley’s downtown. Photo: Tracey Taylor Berkeley’s downtown. Photo: Tracey Taylor Don’t be deceived. Backers of a proposed measure for the Berkeley ballot in November are circulating voter-signature petitions under the guise of “saving the Post Office.” But the main thrust of the measure is to impose prohibitively restrictive fees and requirements on new projects in […]
Posted inCity, Housing & Development
Initiative aims to tighten ‘green’ parts of Downtown Plan
Four years after voters adopted a new vision for downtown Berkeley, they may be asked to refine it. Photo: Tracey Taylor Update: 6//14: The initiative has qualified for the November 2014 ballot. Original story: City Councilman Jesse Arreguín, some members of the environmental community, the labor community, and preservationists are circulating a ballot initiative that […]
Posted inCity, Housing & Development
After 7 years, Berkeley gets a new downtown plan
A view of Berkeley’s downtown from the Skydeck. Photo: Tracey Taylor A view of Berkeley’s downtown from the Skydeck. Photo: Tracey Taylor After hundreds of meetings, seven years of contentious debate, and the sting of a ballot referendum still fresh, the Berkeley City Council on Tuesday night adopted a new plan for its downtown. The […]
Posted inCity, Housing & Development
Taller buildings, open spaces on the cards for downtown
The downtown plan establishes a new Commerical-Downtown Mixed Use zoning district, which permits a number of taller buildings After seven years of trying, including an approved plan that was then rescinded in 2009, a Downtown Area Plan for Berkeley (DAP) looks close to passage. At the City Council meeting on Tuesday night, the plan was […]
