The city has asked the community to help reimagine how Civic Center works with the goal of transforming it from a largely empty space into Berkeley’s “main square.”
A group of local residents celebrated three years ago when plans for a Verizon cell site in their neighborhood were dropped. Now, many of them are back at it.
It will take a year for changes to come before the Berkeley City Council, but they could include room for three more high-rise residential buildings.
A number of property owners are challenging how the city assesses special taxes. They believe they have been overcharged and are seeking redress.
The California Restaurant Association filed a lawsuit against the city of Berkeley in federal court Thursday over its decision in July to ban natural gas in many new buildings.
The sale transfers 314 units around downtown that mostly house students and could bring over $4 million in transfer taxes to the city.
Since 2014, there have been 1,022 housing units built, across 17 projects, according to the latest “housing pipeline” report issued by the city. About 842 units, in 15 projects, are expected to be done by 2020.
The city of Berkeley will no longer allow natural gas pipes in many new buildings starting Jan. 1, 2020. It’s the first city in California to pass such a law, officials said.
To the potential dismay of cooks and chefs, Berkeley City Council is set to discuss an ordinance that would prohibit natural gas infrastructure in new buildings.
In 2013, the Rent Board voted that a “natural person” must own a golden duplex to keep it exempt from rent control. That has caused issues for owners who put their homes in revocable living trusts.
The Alameda County Transportation Commission and Caltrans are working with officials from Berkeley and Emeryville to improve safety and traffic flow where Interstate 80 meets Ashby Avenue.
The new proposal could result in hundreds of housing units on the Ashby BART parking lot, narrower tree-lined streets, and new intersections. Learn more at a community meeting tonight.
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