Public Comment

New: Berkeley Residents Should Study "One Bay Area Plan"

By Martha Nicoloff

Friday July 12, 2013 - 06:50:00 PM

Only recently has the text of "One Bay Area Plan" been available. Berkeley citizens complain they have not had enough time to study the 155 page document. Throughout the text were an incredible number of acronyms, (see list below) almost like a code for planners.

One Bay Area Plan includes nine counties, 101 cities, 7,000 square miles, and 7,000,000 people. By 2040 the population of the Bay Area is expected to reach 9,000,000, and the optimistic projection is made for new jobs at 1,100,000, mostly in the south Bay.

65% of the new housing will be multi units for "families"; many will be immigrants with large families and little education.

The plan expects them to be at the lower end of the work force.

To receive funding multi-units must contain low income units to house the work force closer to jobs.

The following counties are projected to have the greatest population growth: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and Santa Clara.

"Build housing and jobs will come", the Plan assures us that tech industries will expand Future development will be a more compact pattern, in "Priority Development Areas" along high quality transit corridors, and within a half-mile from BART stations.

The Plan defines medium density as up to 40 units per acre; this is about four times the number allowed in Berkeley's Zoning Ordinance. The planners want new development in the "Priority Development Areas" to be free of a required Environmental Impact Report; they claim it is a tool used by opponents to halt projects. The permitting process also must be expedited, Public Hearings and Appeals are expensive delays for the developer.

Six hundred and seventy one miles of existing roads, rail and shore line could be flooded by sea-rise as a consequence of global warming. Affected freeways must be redesigned and funding could be a problem. To Increase taxes to pay for the road improvements a measure must receive 2/3 vote on the ballot. The planners want approval to be changed to 55% of the vote.

ABAG and MTC admit they will work strategically to replace the Redevelopment Agency as a funding source (page 129)and other powers as well.

Call your Representative in City Hall and tell them to oppose the Plan, scheduled for passage on the 18th of this month.

LIST OF ACRONYMS USED IN PLAN

ABAG - Association of Bay Area Governments

BAAQMD - Bay Area Air Quality Management District

BRT - Bus Rapid Transit CEQA - CaliforniaEnvironmental Quality Act

CHA - Congestion Management Agencies

FPI - Freeway Performance Initiative

GHG - Green House Gasses

GRP - Gross Regional Product

HOT- High Occupancy Toll

HOV - High Occupancy Vehicle