Livable Berkeley Activities and Initiatives
Here's a quick glance at the things we are working on. Click on the activity title to see a longer description.
Climate Action Plan
In November 2006, Berkeley voters issued a bold call to action on global warming - to reduce our entire community's greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. In March, 2008, the City released its Draft Climate Action Plan for public comment. View the revised draft Climate Action Plan:
http://www.berkeleyclimateaction.org/Content/10054/Climate_Action_Plan.html
Comments will be received until January 16, 2009.
Livable Berkeley has written detailed comments on the first draft of the Plan, co-signed by our partner groups, Greenbelt Alliance, Transportation and Land Use Coalition and the Berkeley Design Advocates. The full comment letter can be found on the next page.
Downtown Area Plan
Important Planning Commission Meetings for the Downtown Plan:
Jan 14: Building Heights
Feb 4+18: Revised Chapters based on Planning Commission comments.
These meetings are extremely important for determining the future of Berkeley's Downtown. The Planning Commission needs to hear from residents throughout the city speaking in support of environmentally responsible density and an economically healthy and socially diverse downtown. All meetings at the North Berkeley Senior Center, Hearst and MLK, 7pm. Send comments: JHarrison@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Background:
On November 29, 2007, DAPAC (the Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee) adopted a draft Downtown Area Plan. During the Summer and Fall of 2008 the Planning Commission will work with Planning Department staff to: develop implementation measures, guide the environmental review process, and suggest refinements to goals and policies.
Livable Berkeley Board members served on the Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee and Livable Berkeley held its own Community Workshop early in the DAPAC process. Throughout the process, Livable Berkeley has been advocating for development levels in the downtown that would accommodate a significant amount of new housing to help achieve the sustainability goals of the Plan.
Density Bonus Modifications
A “Joint Subcommittee” of the Planning Commission, Zoning Adjustments and other bodies has developed proposals to reduce density on Berkeley’s arterials by imposing new development controls. These policies are an over-reach of the Subcommittee's task and inconsistent with Berkeley's goal to reduce greenhouse gases.
Bus Rapid Transit Project
Livable Berkeley supports Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and has been working with the Friends of BRT to advocate for the system in Berkeley. Now that the voters of Berkeley rejected Measure KK, the City Council will take up the merits of the BRT project proposal and will be selecting a “local preferred alternative” at the beginning of next year to guide AC Transit’s completion of the Environmental Impact Report. Once that’s in place, the city can finally vote to approve, downgrade or deny the actual project.