Page One

Bates, Maio Urge Implementation Of University Avenue Plan

Mayor Tom Bates
Tuesday November 18, 2003

Editors, Daily Planet: 

The future for University Avenue cannot be wall-to-wall five-story buildings. Eight years ago, merchants, property-owners, and residents came together and created the University Avenue Strategic Plan. It calls for four-story buildings at certain “nodes” and three-story buildings on most of the avenue. It envisions an improved streetscape with landscaping and pedestrian amenities. It is sensitive to adjacent residential neighborhoods, directing that the height of University Avenue buildings should step down near adjacent smaller houses and that those buildings be designed to respect their neighbors’ privacy. The plan got a lot right. However, the plan was written before the State Affordable Housing Density Bonus law.  

The State Density Bonus was enacted to stimulate affordable housing in cities that skirted the need to build such housing. The law requires cities to loosen zoning rules to encourage the building of affordable housing. Berkeley is a town that supports affordable housing. Long before the state passed the density bonus law, we were working to encourage affordable housing. But the density bonus law applies to us the same as it does any other city. In some cases, the result is large, blocky buildings which are too big for the lot and overwhelming to neighbors and the street. 

Our town is as lovely as it is because we pay attention to how our buildings look and feel. We have a design review committee. We pay attention to aesthetics, to architectural design, to amenities like trees and landscaping, to blending with the neighborhood context, to the interface between commercial and residential, to how a building impacts the streetscape. That is why we labored over the University Avenue Strategic Plan.  

We need attractive new buildings on University Avenue and other major corridors where development is likely. New buildings in Berkeley need to respect adjacent homes and protect their sunlight and privacy—not loom above and overwhelm their neighbors. Several things have to happen make sure this happens.  

First, we need to incorporate the University Avenue Plan into the zoning ordinance. We will work closely with city staff and the Planning Commission to accomplish that in the coming months.  

Second, we are examining changes to our permit process to provide greater neighborhood notification of proposed buildings and to strengthen design review. 

Third, we will carefully scrutinize the state density bonus law. It was designed for cities that are skirting their affordable housing requirements. Berkeley should not be penalized for having done the right thing to begin with. 

We should all realize that our major corridors are where new affordable housing can and should be built. But we must respect the context of the street and neighborhood and ensure that new buildings do not make a significant imposition on their neighbors. 

Mayor Tom Bates 

Council Member Linda Maio