Sunday February 14, 2021 - 12:41:00 PM
The Berkeley Neighborhoods Council (BNC) is writing this letter because of deep concerns expressed by many Berkeley neighborhoods over the increasing threat to the well-being of residents and the unshakable hope that the year 2021 will provide the opportunity for a fresh start for cities everywhere. While these concerns include the broad spectrum of urban life issues, this letter focuses on existing land use policies, procedures and practices that affect the daily lives of residents in every part of our City. The Berkeley Neighborhoods Council is not anti-development, anti-housing or anti-business, we are pro-people.
These concerns have been expressed over a long period of time, mostly at meetings of the Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) and on appeals to the City Council. Today, they have grown to the extent that there are increasing calls for a holistic approach, a new visioning of our City that considers social, economic and age diversity, public health and safety, racial justice, livability, climate change and resilience, in a process driven by residents, not by paid consultants, nor the preconceived concepts of City staff. On January 9, 2021 at the regular meeting of BNC, we heard loud and clear the voice of the people in neighborhoods throughout the City.