City Council Special Meeting eAgenda September 26, 2023

PROCLAMATION

CALLING A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE

BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL

In accordance with the authority in me vested, I do hereby call the Berkeley City Council in special session as follows:

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

6:00 PM

SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD ROOM - 1231 ADDISON STREET, BERKELEY, CA 94702

TELECONFERENCE LOCATION - 1404 LE ROY AVE, BERKELEY 94708

Jesse Arreguin, Mayor

Councilmembers:

District 1 – Rashi Kesarwani	District 5 – Sophie Hahn
District 2 – Terry Taplin	District 6 – Susan Wengraf
District 3 – Ben Bartlett	District 7 – Rigel Robinson
District 4 – Kate Harrison	District 8 – Mark Humbert

This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid model with both in-person attendance and virtual participation. For in-person attendees, face coverings or masks that cover both the nose and the mouth are encouraged. If you are feeling sick, please do not attend the meeting in person.

Live captioned broadcasts of Council Meetings are available on Cable B-TV (Channel 33) and via internet accessible video stream at http://berkeley.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=1244.

Remote participation by the public is available through Zoom. To access the meeting remotely: Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Android device:  Please use this URL https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1611020299 If you do not wish for your name to appear on the screen, then use the drop down menu and click on "rename" to rename yourself to be anonymous.  To request to speak, use the “raise hand” icon by rolling over the bottom of the screen. To join by phone: Dial 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free) and enter Meeting ID: 161 102 0299 If you wish to comment during the public comment portion of the agenda, Press *9 and wait to be recognized by the Chair.

Please be mindful that the meeting will be recorded and all rules of procedure and decorum apply for in-person attendees and those participating by teleconference or videoconference.

To submit a written communication for the City Council’s consideration and inclusion in the public record, email council@berkeleyca.gov.

This meeting will be conducted in accordance with the Brown Act, Government Code Section 54953 and applicable Executive Orders as issued by the Governor that are currently in effect.  Any member of the public may attend this meeting.  Questions regarding this matter may be addressed to Mark Numainville, City Clerk, (510) 981-6900. The City Council may take action related to any subject listed on the Agenda. Meetings will adjourn at 11:00 p.m. - any items outstanding at that time will be carried over to a date/time to be specified.

Preliminary Matters

Roll Call:

Action Calendar – Public Hearings

-Staff shall introduce the public hearing item and present their comments. For certain hearings, this is followed by five-minute presentations each by the appellant and applicant. The Presiding Officer will request that persons wishing to speak line up at the podium, or use the "raise hand" function in Zoom, to be recognized and to determine the number of persons interested in speaking at that time.

Up to ten (10) speakers may speak for two minutes. If there are more than ten persons interested in speaking, the Presiding Officer may limit the public comment for all speakers to one minute per speaker. Speakers are permitted to yield their time to one other speaker, however no one speaker shall have more than four minutes. The Presiding Officer may with the consent of persons representing both sides of an issue allocate a block of time to each side to present their issue.

When applicable, each member of the City Council shall verbally disclose all ex parte contacts concerning the subject of the hearing. Councilmembers shall also submit a report of such contacts in writing prior to the commencement of the hearing. Written reports shall be available for public review in the office of the City Clerk.

1.-ZAB Appeal: 705 Euclid Avenue, Use Permit #ZP2022-0104
Administrative Record
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing and, upon conclusion, adopt a Resolution to modify and approve the project approved by the Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) for Use Permit (# ZP2022-0104) to construct a new three-story, 4,528 square foot single family dwelling with two parking spaces and associated retaining walls located in the setbacks, on a 6,024 square foot vacant lot, and dismiss the appeal. The original project has been revised, as described in Response 1 of this report, to reduce the maximum building height by approximately two feet (from 41-feet, 11-inches to 39-feet, 5-inches).
Financial Implications: See report.
Contact: Jordan Klein, Planning and Development, (510) 981-7400

2.-ZAB Appeal: 1598 University Avenue, Use Permit #ZP2022-0099
Administrative Record
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing and, upon conclusion, adopt a Resolution affirming the decision of the Zoning Adjustments Board to approve Use Permit ZP#2022-0099, to demolish a non-residential structure and construct a 127,492 square foot, eight-story (89 feet-2 inches) mixed-use residential building containing 207 dwelling units (21 Very Low-Income) and a 5,943 square foot commercial space, with 39 automobile parking spaces and 92 bicycle parking spaces, utilizing State Density Bonus Law, subject to revised conditions of approval.
Financial Implications: See report.
Contact: Jordan Klein, Planning and Development, (510) 981-7400
 

Adjournment

I hereby request that the City Clerk of the City of Berkeley cause personal notice to be given to each member of the Berkeley City Council on the time and place of said meeting, forthwith.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the official seal of the City of Berkeley to be affixed on this September 18, 2023.

Jesse Arreguin, Mayor

Public Notice – this Proclamation serves as the official agenda for this meeting.

ATTEST:

Date:  September 18, 2023

Mark Numainville, City Clerk

NOTICE CONCERNING YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS: If you object to a decision by the City Council to approve or deny a use permit or variance for a project the following requirements and restrictions apply:  1) No lawsuit challenging a City decision to deny (Code Civ. Proc. §1094.6(b)) or approve (Gov. Code 65009(c)(5)) a use permit or variance may be filed more than 90 days after the date the Notice of Decision of the action of the City Council is mailed. Any lawsuit not filed within that 90-day period will be barred.  2) In any lawsuit that may be filed against a City Council decision to approve or deny a use permit or variance, the issues and evidence will be limited to those raised by you or someone else, orally or in writing, at a public hearing or prior to the close of the last public hearing on the project.

Archived indexed video streams are available at:
https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas.
Channel 33 rebroadcasts the following Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. and Sunday at 9:00 a.m.

Communications to the City Council are public record and will become part of the City’s electronic records, which are accessible through the City’s website. Please note: e-mail addresses, names, addresses, and other contact information are not required, but if included in any communication to the City Council, will become part of the public record. If you do not want your e-mail address or any other contact information to be made public, you may deliver communications via U.S. Postal Service to the City Clerk Department at 2180 Milvia Street. If you do not want your contact information included in the public record, please do not include that information in your communication. Please contact the City Clerk Department for further information.

Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection at the public counter at the City Clerk Department located on the first floor of City Hall located at 2180 Milvia Street as well as posted on the City's website at https://berkeleyca.gov/.

Agendas and agenda reports may be accessed via the Internet at:
https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas
and may be read at reference desks at the following locations:

City Clerk Department - 2180 Milvia Street, First Floor
Tel:  510-981-6900, TDD:  510-981-6903, Fax:  510-981-6901
Email:  clerk@berkeleyca.gov

Libraries: Main – 2090 Kittredge Street,
Claremont Branch – 2940 Benvenue, West Branch – 1125 University,
North Branch – 1170 The Alameda, Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch – 1901 Russell

COMMUNICATION ACCESS INFORMATION:

This meeting is being held in a wheelchair accessible location.

To request a disability-related accommodation(s) to participate in the meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact the Disability Services specialist at (510) 981-6418 (V) or (510) 981-6347 (TDD) at least three business days before the meeting date.

Please refrain from wearing scented products to this meeting.

Captioning services are provided at the meeting, on B-TV, and on the Internet.  In addition, assisted listening devices for the hearing impaired are available from the City Clerk prior to the meeting, and are to be returned before the end of the meeting.

Communications

Council rules limit action on Communications to referral to the City Manager and/or Boards and Commissions for investigation and/or recommendations. All communications submitted to Council are public record. Copies of individual communications are available for viewing at the City Clerk Department and through Records Online.

Item #1: ZAB Appeal: 705 Euclid Avenue, Use Permit #ZP2022-0104

1. Shona Armstrong, on behalf of Harper & Armstrong, LLP

Item #2: ZAB Appeal: 1598 University Avenue, Use Permit #ZP2022-0099

2. Nancy Richerson
3. Elizabeth Sharada Kowal