Thursday, June 26, 2025 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 1
A N N O T AT E D A G E N D A
S P E C I AL M E E T I N G O F T H E
B E R K E L E Y C I T Y C O U N C I L
Thursday, June 26, 2025
6:00 PM
SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD ROOM - 1231 ADDISON STREET, BERKELEY, CA 94702
TELECONFERENCE LOCATION - 1032 BANCROFT WAY, BERKELEY, CA 94710
ADENA ISHII, MAYOR
Councilmembers:
DISTRICT 1 – RASHI KESARWANI DISTRICT 5 – SHOSHANA O’KEEFE DISTRICT 2 – TERRY TAPLIN DISTRICT 6 – BRENT BLACKABY
DISTRICT 3 – BEN BARTLETT DISTRICT 7 – CECILIA LUNAPARRA DISTRICT 4 – IGOR TREGUB DISTRICT 8 – MARK HUMBERT
This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid model with both in -person attendance and virtual participation. Live captioned broadcasts of Council meetings are available on B -TV (Channel 33) and via internet video stream at http://berkeley.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=1244. All Council meetings are recorded.
To access the meeting remotely use this URL: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1612354681. To request to speak, use the “raise hand” function in Zoom. To join by phone: Dial 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free) and enter Meeting ID: 161 235 4681.To provide public comment, Press *9 and wait to be recognized by the Chair. To submit a written communication for the public record, email [email protected].
This meeting will be conducted in accordance with the Brown Act, Government Code Section 54953. Any member of the public may attend this meeting, however, if you are feeling sick, please do not attend the meeting in person.
The City Council may take action related to any subject listed on the Agenda.
Pursuant to the City Council Rules of Procedure and State Law, the presiding officer may remove, or cause the removal of, an individual for disrupting the meeting. Prior to removing an individual, the presiding officer shall warn the individual that their behavior is disrupting the meeting and that their failure to cease their behavior may result in their removal. The presiding officer may then remove the individual if they do not promptly cease their disruptive behavior. “Disrupting” means engaging in behavior during a meeting of a legislative body that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting and includes, but is not limited to, a failure to comply with reasonable and lawful regulations adopted by a legislative body, or engaging in behavior that constitutes use of force or a true threat of force.
Government Code Section 84308 (Levine Act) - Parties to a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use are required to disclose if they made contributions over $5 00 within the prior 12 months to any City employee or officer. Parties and participants with a financial interest are prohibited from making more than $500 in contributions to a decisionmaker for the 12 months after the final decision is rendered on the proceeding.
The above contribution disclosures and restrictions do not apply when the proceeding is competitively bid, or involves a personnel or labor contract. For more information, see Government Code Section 84308.
Thursday, June 26, 2025 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 2
Preliminary Matters
Roll Call: 6:11 p.m.
Present: Kesarwani, Taplin, Tregub, O’Keefe, Blackaby, Lunaparra, Humbert, Ishii
Absent: Bartlett
Councilmember Bartlett present at 6:13 p.m.
Action Calendar – Public Hearings
1. Zoning Ordinance and General Plan Amendments Relating to Middle Housing From: City Manager
Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing, and upon conclusion:
1. Adopt first reading of an ordinance amending Berkeley Municipal Code Title 23 (Zoning Ordinance) and the Zoning Map, for the purposes of encouraging development of “middle housing” in areas currently zoned R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-2A and MU-R (“low-density residential districts”), with an effective date of November 1, 2025; and
2. Adopt a Resolution amending the General Plan for the same purpose.
Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Jordan Klein, Planning and Development, (510) 981-7400
Recess 7:42 p.m. – 7:56 p.m.
Recess 9:53 p.m. – 10:02 p.m.
Action: M/S/C (Kesarwani/O’Keefe) to suspend the rules and extend the meeting to 11:45 p.m.
Vote: All Ayes.
Action: M/S/C (Tregub/Kesarwani) to suspend the rules and extend the meeting to 12:15 a.m.
Vote: All Ayes.
Public Testimony: The Mayor opened the public hearing. 128 speakers.
M/S/C (Tregub/Taplin) to close the public hearing.
Vote: All Ayes.
Action: M/S/C (Kesarwani/Bartlett) to:
1. Adopt first reading of Ordinance No. 7,978–N.S. as proposed in the item from the City Manager including further changes in the supplemental material from Councilmember Kesarwani in Supplemental Communications Packet #2 with the following amendments:
• Establish a limit of 70 dwelling units per acre in all applicable zones: R-1, R-2, R- 2A, and M-UR.
Action Calendar – Public Hearings
Thursday, June 26, 2025 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 3
• Incorporate the request from Councilmember Tregub to consider results from other comparable jurisdictions in the annual report from the Planning Department.
• Incorporate Councilmember Humbert’s amendment to direct Planning Staff to return to the City Council by April 1, 2026 and annually thereafter with a simple, quantitative report listing for the present year and all previous years, beginning in 2025: 1) The number of middle housing project applications; 2) The total number of units proposed within those middle housing project applications; 3) The number of middle housing projects/units granted building permits, and 4) The number of middle housing projects/units granted certificates of occupancy.
• Modify the direction on the equity report to remove the fixed date and direct staff to return to Council with the equity report within 12 months of the City reaching the threshold of 25 middle housing project applications being received by the Planning Department or two years (whichever comes first).
• Incorporate the following request from Councilmember Tregub’s supplemental item: To the extent feasible, the objective design standards referral should consider loss of open or permeable yard space, solar access, privacy, tree canopy, biodiversity, and opportunities for stormwater runoff mitigations with consideration of costs and not reducing the development potential of the ordinance as proposed.
• Further, to make corresponding edits to the General Plan to reflect the amended density standard. And direct that the second reading be scheduled for July 8, 2025 regular meeting agenda.
2. Adopt Resolution No. 71,863–N.S. amending the General Plan for the same purpose.
Vote: All Ayes.
Adjournment
Action: M/S/C (Humbert/Kesarwani) to adjourn the meeting.
Vote: All Ayes.
Adjourned at 11:50 p.m.
Thursday, June 26, 2025 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 4
Communications
Item #1: Zoning Ordinance and General Plan Amendments Relating to Middle Housing
1. Jennifer Fisher
2. Anne Weinberger
3. Lisa Friedlander
4. Leni Siegel
5. Aubrey Grove
6. Jane Martin
7. Lauren Parsons
8. Wade Skeels
9. Carol Hirth (2)
10. Lisa Bruce
11. Colleen Whitney
12. Virginia Browning
13. Eva Herzer and Dechen Tsering
14. Daniel Borgstrom
15. John Oram
16. Neelam Patil
17. Leah Kaizer
18. Bill Kristy
19. T.M. Scruggs
20. Jane Freeman
21. Kathy Stuart
22. Marissa Moss
23. Janice Murota
24. Kori Kody
25. Silvia Turchin
26. Lynn Sherrell
27. Micky Duxbury (4)
28. Julie Lamont
29. Matt Wickland
30. Julie Kramer
31. Merle Lustig
32. Julie Weeks
33. Barbara Erickson
34. Susan Brooks
35. Toni Mester
36. Janice Schroeder
37. Fred Krieger
38. Gael Alcock
39. Christopher Hamilton
40. Darlene Bronson
41. Chris Hudson
42. Jed Harris
43. Lance Williams
44. Kenneth Laws
45. Katherine de Runtz
46. Joan Garvin
Thursday, June 26, 2025 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 5
47. Alison de Runtz
48. Berkeley Neighborhoods Council Executive Committee
49. Toni Casal
50. Laura Klein
51. Mimi Moungovan
52. David Whipple
53. Elsie Martinez
54. Stephanie Lim
55. Dr. Bruce Feingold
56. Lisa Vogel
57. Robert Riemer
58. Summer Brenner
59. Cindy Shamban
60. Helen Guerrant Toy
61. Dr. A. Boersma
62. Virginia Warheit
63. 36 Similarly worded form letters “I’m writing to urge you to pass…”
64. 95 Similarly worded form letters “Please DO NOT PASS…” Supplemental Communications and Reports 1
65. Jacqueline Wish
66. Michael Tompkins
67. Gael Alcock (2)
68. Desiree Oliver on behalf of the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Chair and Commissioners
69. Cindy Shamban
70. Morgan Maxwell
71. Michael John Weber
72. Rachel Katz
73. Walter Wood
74. Tamara Birdsall
75. David Meyer
76. John Coveney
77. Felix Brenner
78. Rob Kirby
79. Leonard Pitt (2)
80. Vicki Sommer
81. John Hagopian
82. Marvin Snow
83. Margret Leventhal
84. Michael Frantz
85. Shirley Kirsten
86. Paul Valenstein
87. Laura Klein
88. Summer Brenner
89. Bruce Bagnell
90. Kenneth Yip (2)
91. Jaime Perkins
92. Tony Corman
Thursday, June 26, 2025 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 6
93. Clifford Fred
94. Sharon Entwistle (3)
95. Damien Curry
96. Alma Prins
97. Teal Major
98. Helen Stroud
99. Brad Gibson and Nina Zolotow
100. Micky Duxbury
101. Farah Entezami
102. Liz Ozol
103. Tashi Namling
104. Bernard
105. Usha Lama & Dorji Lama
106. Ross Bernet
107. Anuja Mendiratta (2)
108. Kera Binns
109. Jai Jai Noire
110. Mary Claire Heffron
111. Sam Greenberg on behalf of East Bay for Everyone and East Bay YIMBY 112. Charlie Koven
113. Phoebe Thomas Sorgen
114. Mary Wrenn
115. Councilmember Rashi Kesarwani
116. Dietmar Lorenz
117. Bonnie Mattison
118. Corey Busay
119. T. Michai Freeman
120. Zipporah Collins
121. Susan Henderson
122. Cheryl Fippen
123. Evelyn Strickland (2)
124. Lori Pepe-Lunche
125. Brianna Morales on behalf of the Housing Action Coalition 126. Molly Miller
127. Mathison Ott
128. Paola Laverde
129. Peggy Radel
130. Grace Munakata
131. Wade Skeels
132. Jennifer Kelly-DeWitt
133. Veronika S. Fukson
134. Louise Rosenkrantz
135. Glen Hauer
136. 18 Similarly worded form letters “I urge you…”
137. 38 Similarly worded form letters “I support…”
138. 75 Similarly worded form letters “Please DO NOT PASS…”
Thursday, June 26, 2025 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 7
Supplemental Communications and Reports 2
Item #1: Zoning Ordinance and General Plan Amendments Relating to Middle Housing
139. Revised agenda material submitted by Councilmember Rashi Kesarwani, Councilmember Ben Bartlett, Councilmember Cecilia Lunaparra and Mayor Adena Ishii
140. Revised agenda material submitted by Councilmember Igor Tregub 141. Supplemental agenda material submitted by the Planning and Development Department
142. Victor Ichioka
143. Amy Leventhal
144. Teresa Clarke (2)
145. Sallie Hanna-Rhyne
146. Jeanne Clinton
147. Chris Hudson
148. Toni Mester
149. Bernard Marszalek
150. Oren Cheyette
151. Bruce Alexander
152. Steve Robey
153. Sally Hughes
154. Jennifer Cole, Gordon Glasgow, Eve Papajak, Cees-Bart Breunesse, Rodriguez Family, Anuja mendiratta, Moni Gangopadhyay, and Davinder Gabhi 155. Laura Spiekerman
156. Alfred Twu
157. Ben Paulos
158. Nico Calavita
159. Steve Wertheim on behalf of Assemblymember Buffy Wicks 160. Larry Orman
161. Jane Diamond
162. Build a Better Berkeley
163. Joel Myerson
164. Michelle Haner
165. Debbie S.
166. Karen Fiene
167. Karen Chapple
168. Christopher Kroll on behalf of Berkeley Neighborhoods Council 169. Robin Rudy
170. Jacqueline Beth
171. Yes Duffy
172. Matthew Ostrowski
173. Jack Kurzweil (2)
174. Farah
175. Kathryn Jordan
176. Stephen Menendian
177. Mary Siegal and Aimee Baldwin
178. Christina Vecchiato
179. Amy Hill
180. Anne Weinberger
Thursday, June 26, 2025 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 8
181. Charlene M. Woodcock
182. Elana Auerbach
183. Lisa Park
184. Dan Kammen
185. Esther Lerman
186. Kate Stillwell
187. Sofia Zander
188. T Anne Richards
189. Aimee Baldwin
190. J. Ruth Gendler
191. Judy Bertelsen
192. Grace Munakata
193. Kathy Stuart (2)
194. Olga Bolotina
195. Virginia Warheit
196. Zelda Bronstein
197. Mary Claire Heffron
198. Kurtis Bonano
199. Margaret Leventhal
200. Theo Posselt, Alden Mudge, Ben Gould, Jeff Baker, and Libby Lee-Egan 201. Joan Sprinson
202. Veronika Fukson
203. Serena Hu
204. Mariah Wood
205. Collin Barnwell
206. Virginia Browning
207. Ryan O’Connell
208. Nancy Rader
209. Stephen Bedrick
210. Barbara Hadenfeldt
211. Nancy Carleton
212. Zelda Bronstein
213. Peg Bogle
214. David Brandon
215. Gabriel Abud
216. Anne Sturbaum
217. Emily McAfee
218. Donna DeDiemar
219. Isaac Warshauer
220. 36 Similarly worded form letters “As a committed supporter…” 221. 44 Similarly worded form letters “Please DO NOT PASS…” 222. 28 Similarly worded form letters “I support…”
Supplemental Communications and Reports 3
Item #1: Zoning Ordinance and General Plan Amendments Relating to Middle Housing
223. Presentation, submitting by Planning and Development Department 224. Oskar Cross
225. Leonard Pitt
226. Nico Calavita (3)
Thursday, June 26, 2025 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 9
227. Dean Metzger, Claremont Elmwood Neighborhood Association 228. Andrew Fox
229. Maria Kolakowska
230. Rosamond Smith
231. Kelly Hammargren
232. Gael Alcock
233. Rachel Fishman and Adam Lieber
234. Nina F. Ichikawa
235. Yassine Hamdouni Alami
236. Sarah Bell (2)
237. Zach Franklin
238. Juli Dickey
239. Ben Gerhardstein and Charles Siegel for Walk Bike Berkeley (2) 240. Mary Tatmon and Yvette Tatmon
241. Diana Maria Rossi (2)
242. Mary Jo Huetteman and William Huber
243. Barbara Rydlander
244. Ava Mohsenin
245. David Mayer
246. Sean Kennedy
247. Justin Quimby
248. Gale Garcia
249. Lisa Park
250. Carol Hirth
251. Candace Hyde-Wang
252. Hal Leventhal
253. Susan Hunter
254. Dietmar Lorenz
255. Julian Kraus-Polk
256. Alexander Stec
257. Mike Dunham
258. Christine Cosgrove
259. Sheila Moran
260. Chuck Cornwall
261. Chrissy Hoffman
262. Jeanne Schuman and William Pollock
263. Bonnie Borucki
264. Pam Zelnik
265. Nola Burger
266. Pamela Rudd
267. Ed Weiss
268. Madeleine Nicoloff
269. Ross Bernet
270. Cees Breunesse
271. Sharon Richey
272. Kamala Visweswaran
273. Cielo Rios
274. David Lerman
275. Wm Di Napoli
276. Winthrop Eliot Jordan
Thursday, June 26, 2025 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 10
277. Andres Douzoglou
278. Stephanie Thomas
279. Elana Auerbach
280. Moni Law (2)
281. Philip Soffer
282. Masha Lifshin
283. Virginia Warheit
284. Donna DeDiemar
285. 5 Similarly worded form letters “As a committed supporter…” 286. 7 Similarly worded form letters “I support…”
287. 8 Similarly worded form letters “Please DO NOT PASS…”