Berkeley public meetings in 2020
10 substantive meetings from 2020, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.
ZAB
The Zoning Adjustments Board will hold a public hearing on a use permit to convert a single-family dwelling into a child care center at 1500 Tyler Street. The board will also consider approval of November 12 meeting minutes and a correction to August 27 minutes. The meeting is held virtually due to COVID-19.
- Public hearing on Use Permit #ZP2020-0023 for a child care center at 1500 Tyler Street
- Approval of action minutes from November 12, 2020
- Correction to August 27, 2020 minutes
- Consent calendar process for items with no public speakers
ZAB
The Zoning Adjustment Board will hold public hearings on several land use permits. The most notable is a proposed six-story mixed-use building at 1200-1214 San Pablo Avenue with 104 units (including nine very low income units), a restaurant, and parking. Other items include a home addition at 170 Hillcrest Road, a rooftop wireless facility at 2607 Ellsworth Street, and a scoping meeting for a 30-year extension of a Development Agreement at 800 Dwight Way for Bayer HealthCare.
- 1200-1214 San Pablo Ave: 6-story, 104-unit mixed-use building with 9 very low income units, restaurant, and 55 parking spaces
- 170 Hillcrest Road: 1,531-sq-ft addition to single-family dwelling
- 2607 Ellsworth Street: Rooftop wireless facility with 12 antennas for Verizon
- 800 Dwight Way: Public scoping for EIR on Development Agreement amendment extending 30 years for Bayer HealthCare
ZAB
The Zoning Adjustment Board will hold public hearings on two use permits: a three-story addition at 2435-2437 Virginia Street (two new units, five parking spaces) and a seven-story mixed-use building at 2210 Harold Way (38 dwellings, 135 bedrooms, no off-street parking). The board will also receive a presentation on UC Berkeley's Long Range Development Plan update and two housing projects. The meeting is conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2435-2437 Virginia Street: Use Permit #ZP2018-0113 for a three-story addition to a triplex, adding two dwelling units and three parking spaces.
- 2210 Harold Way: Use Permit #ZP2020-0011 to demolish an existing commercial building and construct a seven-story, 75-foot mixed-use building with 38 units (135 bedrooms), 652 sq ft commercial space, 48 bicycle storage, and no off-street parking.
- UC Berkeley Long Range Development Plan update and housing projects #1 and #2 presented as an informational item.
- Consent Calendar includes approval of action minutes from October 8, 2020.
ZAB
This meeting includes public hearings on three land-use permits and one appeal. The board will decide whether to approve a use permit for a third-story addition at 1920 Vine St, a pet store at 1510 Walnut St, and an appeal of an administrative use permit for a home expansion and accessory dwelling unit at 2221 Carleton St.
- 1920 Vine St: Use permit for third-story addition, rear decks, and a three-car garage exceeding height and setback limits
- 1510 Walnut St: Use permit to establish a pet store with grooming in an existing 1,833 sq ft retail space
- 2221 Carleton St: Appeal of a permit to expand a single-family dwelling, add a bedroom, and construct an 849 sq ft ADU
- Consent calendar includes approval of minutes from September 24, 2020
ZAB
The Zoning Adjustments Board will hold public hearings to decide on three use permits. These include a residential addition on Mabel Street and bedroom increases for two multi-family buildings on Arch Street.
- 2724 Mabel Street: Proposed 846 square-foot second-story addition to a single-family dwelling
- 1850 Arch Street: Proposed addition of 18 bedrooms to a 10-unit building (total 30 bedrooms)
- 1862 Arch Street: Proposed addition of 15 bedrooms to a 10-unit building (total 25 bedrooms)
ZAB
The Zoning Adjustments Board is reviewing several land use applications, including a proposed senior community care facility and various residential modifications. The board will also consider an appeal regarding a second-story balcony and hedge construction.
- 2000 Dwight Way: Proposed six-story, 113-unit Community Care Facility for seniors
- 2523-2525 Tenth Street: Conversion of a 451 sq. ft. garage to a dwelling unit
- 1229 Neilson Street: Construction of a 598-square-foot second-story addition
- 12 Indian Rock Path: Appeal regarding a 74 sq. ft. second-story balcony and hedge
- 600 Addison Street: Project preview for an R&D campus with 521,810 square feet of floor area
ZAB
The Zoning Adjustments Board will vote on two use permits on the consent calendar: a five-unit building at 2795 San Pablo Avenue and an oncology testing lab and research space at 3100 San Pablo Avenue requiring a variance to allow medical use. The board will also consider a continued application for a 42-room group living building at 2435 San Pablo Avenue and hear a project preview for a 521,810-square-foot research campus at 600 Addison Street.
- Approve use permit for five-unit mixed-use building at 2795 San Pablo Avenue
- Approve use permit and variance for 17,700 sq ft oncology lab and 69,800 sq ft R&D space at 3100 San Pablo Avenue
- Continued consideration of use permit for 42-room group living and retail at 2435 San Pablo Avenue
- Project preview for demolishing an 8.67-acre industrial site to build a 521,810 sq ft R&D campus with 1,044 parking spaces at 600 Addison Street
ZAB
The Zoning Adjustment Board will meet exclusively via videoconference and teleconference due to COVID-19 restrictions. The agenda includes approving minutes, continuing use permit applications for residential additions, and holding public hearings on housing and zoning appeals.
- Approval of July 23, 2020 Action Minutes
- 1328 Oxford Street: Use Permit for 2nd story addition and dormers
- 2956 Hillegass Avenue: Use Permit to convert basement to habitable space
- 2716-2718 Durant Avenue: Public hearing on Use Permit/Variance for multi-story dwelling
- 2870 Webster Street: Appeal of Administrative Use Permit for home remodel
BZO presentation
The Zoning Adjustments Board is reviewing several applications for residential modifications, including second-story additions, basement conversions, and new single-family dwellings. The agenda includes public hearings for multi-unit developments and an appeal regarding a home remodel.
- 1328 Oxford Street: Proposed 234 square-foot second story addition and attic conversion
- 2956 Hillegass Avenue: Proposed basement conversion to habitable space and bedroom increase from 3 to 5
- 1531 Summit Road: Proposed new 2,393 square-foot two-story single-family dwelling
- 2716-2718 Durant Avenue: Proposed three-story dwelling and construction of two new dwellings
- 2870 Webster Street: Appeal of a Zoning Officer decision regarding a home remodel and addition
2020 July 15_Rental Housing and COVID-19 Webinar_CAPTIONED video
This informational webinar held by the Berkeley Rent Board staff covers the city's COVID-19 Emergency Response Ordinance, which bans most evictions during the local state of emergency and allows tenants to delay rent payments due to pandemic-related income loss. Topics include covered reasons for delayed payment, repayment timeline (up to 12 months after emergency ends), prohibition of late fees, and temporary rent reduction agreements. The session also reviews housing retention grants and rules for showing rental units during shelter-in-place.
- Most evictions banned except under Ellis Act or health/safety necessity; COVID-19 exposure does not justify eviction
- Tenants unable to pay full rent due to COVID-19 must notify landlord within 7 days and provide documentation within 45 days of request
- Unpaid rent becomes consumer debt after 12 months post-emergency; late fees prohibited during and after emergency
- Landlords and tenants may agree to temporary rent reductions under Rent Board Regulation 1017.5 without affecting permanent rent ceiling
- COVID-19 Housing Retention Grants available through Eviction Defense Center to prevent imminent housing loss