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When residents and merchants of North Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto walked into the North Shattuck Plaza workshop on Wednesday evening, the walls were sans plans, sans easels. 

“We had promised the community we would start from ground zero and we have kept our word. There are no design plans for the plaza tonight. We will start from scratch,” said North Shattuck Plaza Inc. (NSP) chair David Stoloff. 

Wednesday’s workshop—organized by NSP and the North Shattuck Association (NSA)—was an exercise in finding common ground about the proposed $3.5 million plaza that would be constructed on what is now a paved service road adjacent to the existing shops on the east side of Shattuck Avenue between Vine and Rose Streets.  

After more than two hours of tussling, it was agreed that a steering committee would be formed from members of NSP, NSA and the Live Oak Codornices Creek Neighborhood Association (LOCCNA). All three, it was decided, would work jointly on the North Shattuck Plaza plans. 

This agreement, however, did not come easily.  

Boos, jeers, catcalls and hisses were aimed at the organizers and some community members turned hostile when the organizers proposed to break up the gathering of two hundred into smaller groups for discussions. 

“Divide and conquer, is that what you want to do? We don’t want small groups,” said a visibly angry Steve Martinot, a neighbor. 

At least four dozen people shared Martinot’s apprehension but in the end small groups were formed to address some of the key issues. 

Art Goldberg, a north Berkeley resident, addressed one of the concerns of his group. 

“Keep parking convenient,” he said. “There should be no decrease in parking.” 

Parking and traffic were the two main issues on everyone’s mind at the workshop. Some merchants feared the loss of angular parking that runs from Coldwell Banker’s to Longs Drugs would affect businesses negatively. 

The proposed plan replaces the current angle parking and access lane along the eastern side of the avenue with a 50-foot-wide pedestrian walkway with landscaped plantings, two rows of trees and benches, something that has been opposed vehemently by Allen Connolly of the Earthly Goods clothing store. 

“Seventy-five percent of the merchants have signed a petition opposing the development. We want extra parking. If you want to convert that triangle in front of the stores to extra parking, then that’s welcome,” Connolly said.  

Pete Jensen, who has lived in the neighborhood for 45 years, told the organizers that taking parking away from the already struggling independent stores would kill them.  

Goldberg’s group also wanted to know whether the plaza was a precursor to high-rises along Shattuck. 

“What about the proposed restrooms on the plaza. Who is going to maintain them?” asked another group. 

Heather Hensley, executive director of the North Shattuck Association Business Improvement District, said that a coalition of the three groups would be useful. 

“My board doesn’t want to go ahead and put money on a project where the major stakeholders disagree with it,” Hensley said. 

There were those, like area resident Michael Katz, who pointed out that successful institutions such as Chez Panisse and the Cheese Board Collective were living proof that the area needed no changes. 

“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” he said. 

Kim Marienthal of the Coldwell Banker real estate company voiced his support for the plan. 

“I would love to see the plaza develop,” Marienthal said. “There’s a net loss of three parking spots and yes, we might see homeless problems increase, but I am ready to take chances. My favorite cities in the world are those which have plazas.” 

Also ready to go ahead with the plaza plans were Karen Adelman and Peter Levitt, owners of Saul’s Deli on Shattuck. 

“I see people eating pizza on that strip and it makes me sad,” Adelman said. “I am willing to do anything to improve the area.” 

Sally Heinman, who lives a few blocks down from the Gourmet Ghetto, said that she had no place to eat and play with her six-year-old when she was shopping in the area. 

“I can’t believe they are fighting over one strip of land. Especially something that could be a great asset to the community,” Heinman said. 

A deep mistrust of the organizers, Goldberg told the Planet, was the reason behind the current scuffle over the plans. 

“The neighborhood is deeply divided. We don’t want this private self-selected group telling us what we need. The plan that was approved by the city council in 2000 at least had some public input,” he said.  

Rodney Wong, a long-time resident of the North Shattuck area said that the project was receiving so much attention from residents because the neighborhood had a character of its own. 

“We have lots of leaders in North Shattuck, veterans of the ‘60s movement. They are not scared to speak up against councilmembers or the city,” Wong said.  

Julie Ross, representing LOCCNA, said that the neighborhood group wanted to improve the area but unlike the workshop organizers did not have an agenda. 

“LOCCNA wants to make sure that the plan reflects the ideas of residents and merchants. We want to make sure that the process is equal. This group cannot come from outside and tell us what to do. Our distrust in outsiders rises from when the Temple Beth El was built,” said LOCCNA member Margot Smith. 

LOCCNA members locked horns in the past with members of the Beth El congregation over a plan to build a temple on Oxford Street behind Codornices Park. 

“We would like to see a consensus come out of the deep distrust the community has for some of the people,” said Smith. 

Rita Maran, a former member of the Peace & Justice Commission, condemned the entire process that was being followed with respect to the proposed Plaza. 

“How can a group of people take it upon themselves to decide what to do with a strip of land that belongs to the city.” Maran asked standing up at the end of the meeting. 

“The process has not been democratic from the very first.”