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It’s the biggest mystery swirling through Berkeley City Hall these past few days. What possessed Councilmember Margaret Breland to sack her appointee to the Planning Commission, John Curl, one day before the Wednesday night meeting where Curl appeared set to be elected vice chair of the commission? 

“She was talking to someone who convinced her to make a change,” said Councilmember Linda Maio, who, like many of her colleagues on the City Council, had many questions but no definitive answer for why the progressive councilmember from the flats of Southwest Berkeley would dump a kindred spirit in favor of Tim Perry—a moderate stalwart from the Berkeley Hills. 

The political intrigue could have lasting implications for development in West Berkeley. The West Berkeley Plan is up for review next year, and developers are actively seeking new projects on Ashby Avenue and Gilman Street.  

Curl, a woodworker based in West Berkeley, had fought to preserve the area’s industrial roots. Perry, on the other hand, has promoted new development especially along Gilman Street, where he hopes a new ferry terminal will one day be located.  

Breland, who has historically voted to preserve manufacturing in West Berkeley, refused to return calls to the Daily Planet. 

Maio said that in recent conversations Breland, the West Berkeley councilmember told her that she had made the switch because “there was too much politicking going on in the Planning Commission.” Maio also said that Breland, who remains home recovering from a mild stroke and may not seek reelection in November, had assured her that Perry was a temporary appointment. 

The brewing controversy, however, appears likely to exacerbate the commission divide, which has its own groupings of progressives and moderates independent from the councilmembers who appointed them. The nine-member body is torn between a faction of four progressive commissioners that included Curl. To varying degrees, these progressives want to closely manage development, especially in West Berkeley. On the opposite side is a group of four moderates who actively promote development. The ninth member, Jerome Wiggins, does not fall into either category.  

With Harry Pollack, a moderate, assured the deciding fifth vote from Wiggins for commission chairman, Curl appeared to have the five votes necessary to defeat moderate David Stoloff for vice chair. Stoloff is a Mayor Tom Bates appointee.  

Pollack was elected chair. But with Curl off the commission at Wednesday night’s meeting, his replacement, Perry, cast the deciding fifth vote for Stoloff, who progressives believe had a role in ousting Curl. 

Stoloff told the Planet Thursday that he had campaigned hard for the post, but never wanted Curl replaced. “I asked several people to support my being Vice Chair. I expect at least one person did talk to Margaret, but I can’t say who or what the conversation was about,” Stoloff said. 

“Stoloff has no pull over Margaret,” said Councilmember Kriss Worthington. “That’s why this secret person is such a big question. Was it Patrick Kennedy? Was it Gordon Choyce (Breland’s pastor who reportedly help secure her support for a project for Temple Beth El)? Whoever it is, the person should come forward and confess.” 

Curl suspects the invisible hand belongs to Bates. 

“All I can come up with is that Tom wants his appointee to be vice chair of the Planning Commission and that’s what it’s about,” Curl said.  

That’s a charge the mayor denies. “I was very surprised [Breland] made that change,” he said. Bates added he had never spoken to Perry, who in 2002 supported Bates’ rival, former mayor Shirley Dean, during the hotly-contested mayoral race. 

Curl thought his commitment to West Berkeley also played a factor in his ouster. Asked if Breland had explained her decision to him, he replied, “There was no need to. We both know what this is about. I represent West Berkeley as it is. I think it’s a dynamic place that works. I don’t want to that be swept away by a building boom,” he said. “Margaret is lining herself up with the winning team. Tom’s got a big agenda and he’s pushing it through. He’s very good at getting things done.” 

Last spring, Curl, and Commissioners Gene Poschman and Zelda Bronstein prepared a report on implementation of the 1993 West Berkeley Plan that sought to protect Berkeley’s industrial base from office encroachment. 

Pollack won a 5-4 vote to table discussion of the report. He told the Daily Planet Friday that the report focused too much on office space and didn’t reflect the West Berkeley Plan’s emphasis on providing a balance of uses. 

Stoloff said he expected the commission to revisit the plan this year. The commission might also take up a proposed new Berkeley Bowl store and distribution center on Ashby Avenue. Curl had opposed that project at its presently proposed scale. 

The vice chair position is largely ceremonial, but Stoloff expects to wield some authority. “I hope to be much more active,” he said. “Harry and I will form a team to work with staff and make sure we’re working collaboratively on development issues in an orderly and an expeditious way.” 

He criticized the outgoing leadership of the commission for wasting time fighting with planning staff. “We have a mile long list of zoning amendments that haven’t been acted on,” he said. “[Outgoing Chair] Zelda [Bronstein said it wasn’t proper to meet with staff in private. That makes it hard to get work done.” 

Bronstein, who often clashed with former Planing Director Carol Barrett, said she conferred frequently with her successor, Dan Marks, and challenged Stoloff’s assertion about work not getting done. 

“Let’s talk about who among the planning commissioners really does work on the Planning Commission,” she said. “Certainly John Curl was one of the hardest working commissioners.”