Extra

Tuesday evening was an uncommon, decidedly rare event; the Hearst Avenue neighbors won against lead developer Mark Rhoades in the Berkeley City Council appeal of 1155-1173 Hearst Avenue. The final vote was 8 to 1 to support the appeal by requiring an Environmental Impact Report before the Zoning Adjustment Board reconsidered granting the 5 special permits needed for the project. Arreguin, Bartlett, Davila, Harrison, Hahn, Kesarwani, Robinson and Wengraf voted for the Hahn-Arreguin motion. Droste was the lone dissent.

Hahn’s detailed analysis of the legal case, which supplemented and corrected a weaker one from the City staff, as contrasted with the toe-dancing of developer Rhoades, was spectacular. Hahn validated the meticulous documentation supplied by appellants and neighbors and the experts they hired. Look for the full motion and video later this week https://cityofberkeley.info/citycouncil/

Thursday, January 31, 6:00 pm, at 1231 Addison, the City Council will hear the appeal of 2190 Shattuck Avenue, the development that will block 75% of the view from Campanile Way at the base of Sather Tower.  

Putting preservation of views in context, the Berkeley City Council spent somewhere between 1 1/2 and 2 hours on September 20, 2018 on protection of the private view of the Golden Gate from a private residence in the Berkeley Hills. Maio, Hahn, Wengraf, Droste and Arreguin voted to require modification of a proposed addition to preserve the private Berkeley Hills view. 

But on the next agenda item, the preservation of the public view of the Golden Gate from Campanile Way through landmarking, Maio, Wengraf, Worthington, Droste and Arreguin voted against the public. 

Lurking behind the scene in this decision was the proposed 2190 Shattuck Avenue development , which will privatize the Golden Gate view by adding an over-size new building to block it, leaving only a sliver for the public to see. 

Stopping the privatization of public resources is a continual battle, and that fight has come home to roost in Berkeley. Please come Thursday evening January 31 at 6:00 pm! It is the only agenda item and it will be a tough fight. 

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