Monday, February 23, 2026 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
Monday, February 23, 2026
6:00 PM
SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD ROOM - 1231 ADDISON STREET, BERKELEY, CA 94702
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
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Monday, February 23, 2026 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 2
Preliminary Matters
Roll Call: 6:07 p.m.
Present: Kesarwani, Taplin, Tregub, O’Keefe, Blackaby, Lunaparra, Humbert, Ishii
Absent: Bartlett
Councilmember Bartlett present at 6:07 p.m.
Report from Closed Session:
The Mayor and Council met in closed session and formed an ad hoc subcommittee consisting of Mayor Ishii, Vice Mayor Lunaparra and Councilmember Humbert, to assist with the recruitment of the next Permanent Director of Police Accountability.
Action Calendar – Public Hearings
1. Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2298 Durant, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0126
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion adopt a Resolution denying the appeal and affirming the Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) decision to approve Use Permit #ZP2024-0126 to demolish an existing commercial building, a residential building with 7 rent-controlled dwelling units, and associated parking; merge two lots; and construct an eight story (92 foot), 80,0000 square-foot residential building, with 65 units (5 very low-income, 2 low-income), utilizing a State Density Bonus.
Financial Implications: None
Contact: Jordan Klein, Planning and Development, (510) 981-7400 Action: Item removed from the agenda due to project being withdrawn by the Applicant. (Supplemental material in Supp 2 from Planning & Development Department.)
Action Calendar – Public Hearings
Monday, February 23, 2026 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 3
2. Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2425 Durant Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0162
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion adopt a Resolution denying the appeal and affirming the Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) decision to approve Use Permit #ZP2024-0162, to demolish three existing two-story residential buildings, including 19 rent-controlled dwelling units, and construct a 20- story (208 feet), approximately 148,940-square-foot residential building containing 169 dwelling units, including 6 Extremely Low-Income (ELI), 7 Very Low-Income (VLI), 6 Low-Income (LI), and 13 Moderate Income (MI) units, on a 9,750-square-foot lot.
Financial Implications: None
Contact: Jordan Klein, Planning and Development, (510) 981-7400
Public Testimony: The Mayor opened the public hearing. 24 speakers.
M/S/C (Tregub/Humbert) to close the public hearing.
Vote: All Ayes.
Action: M/S/C (Kesarwani/Lunaparra) to adopt Resolution No. 72,129–N.S. denying the appeal and affirming the Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) decision to approve Use Permit #ZP2024-0162, with amendments to include the correct language for condition #65 and to properly number conditions #66 - #70.
Vote: Ayes – Kesarwani, Blackaby, Lunaparra, Humbert, Ishii; Noes – None; Abstain – Taplin, Bartlett, Tregub, O’Keefe.
3a. Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2029 University Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0182 (Student Housing-Oriented)
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing, and upon conclusion adopt a Resolution denying the appeal and affirming the Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) decision to approve Use Permit #ZP2024-0182, to demolish an existing two-story commercial building and a ten-car garage structure on a 12,385-square-foot lot and to construct a 23-story (256-feet-tall plus a 5-foot parapet) approximately 191,922- square-foot residential building, containing 160 dwelling units including 12 Very Low- Income (VLI), and 12 Moderate Income (MI) units. The proposed project provides 29 off-street parking spaces, 167 Long-term and 10 Short-Term bike parking spaces.
Financial Implications: None
Contact: Jordan Klein, Planning and Development, (510) 981-7400 Action: See action for Item 3b.
Action Calendar – Public Hearings
Monday, February 23, 2026 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 4
3b. Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2029 University Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0181 (Multi-Family)
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion adopt a Resolution denying the appeal and affirming the Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) decision to approve Use Permit #ZP2024-0181 to demolish an existing two-story commercial building and a ten-car garage structure on a 12,385-square-foot lot, and to construct a 23-story (256-feet-tall plus a 5-foot parapet) approximately 190,830- square-foot residential building containing 240 dwelling units, including 18 Very Low- Income (VLI), and 18 Moderate Income (MI) units. The proposed project provides 29 off-street parking spaces, 167 Long-term and 8 Short-Term bike parking spaces.
Financial Implications: None
Contact: Jordan Klein, Planning and Development, (510) 981-7400
Public Testimony: The Mayor opened the public hearing. 9 speakers.
M/S/C (Taplin/Tregub) to close the public hearing.
Vote: All Ayes.
Action: M/S/Failed (Kesarwani/Humbert) to deny the appeal and approve Use Permit #ZP2024-0181 and Permit #ZP2024-0182.
Vote: Ayes – Kesarwani, Lunaparra, Humbert, Ishii; Noes – None; Abstain – Taplin, Bartlett, Tregub, O’Keefe, Blackaby.
Adjournment
Action: M/S/C (Tregub/Humbert) to adjourn the meeting.
Vote: All Ayes.
Adjourned at 8:49 p.m.
Communications
Item #2: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2425 Durant Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0162
14. Jesse Arreguin
15. Mark Rhoades on behalf of Applicant 2425 Durant LLC
Item #3a: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2029 University Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0182 (Student Housing-Oriented) Item #3b: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2029 University Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0181 (Multi-Family)
16. Mark Rhoades on behalf of Laconia Development, LLC
Supplemental Communications and Reports 1
Item #1: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2298 Durant, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0126
17. Jack Farrell on behalf of YIMBY Law
18. Jolene Kramer
Monday, February 23, 2026 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 5
Item #2: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2425 Durant Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0162
19. Jack Farrell on behalf of YIMBY Law
20. Jolene Kramer
Item #3a: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2029 University Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0182 (Student Housing-Oriented)
Item #3b: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2029 University Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0181 (Multi-Family)
21. Paul Menzies on behalf of Laconia Development, LLC
22. Jolene Kramer
23. Jack Farrell on behalf of YIMBY Law
24. Mark Rhoades on behalf of Laconia Development, LLC
Supplemental Communications and Reports 2
Item #1: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2298 Durant, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0126
25. Supplemental agenda material submitted by the Planning & Development Department
Item #1: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2298 Durant, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0126
Item #2: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2425 Durant Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0162
Item #3a: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2029 University Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0182 (Student Housing-Oriented)
Item #3b: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2029 University Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0181 (Multi-Family)
26. James Lloyd on behalf of the California Housing Defense Fund
27. Mark Rhoades
Item #3a: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2029 University Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0182 (Student Housing-Oriented)
Item #3b: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2029 University Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0181 (Multi-Family)
15. Ruhama Tereda on behalf of the North Coast States Carpenters Union Supplemental Communications and Reports 3
Item #1: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2298 Durant, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0126
16. Gregory Kalkanis
Item #2: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2425 Durant Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0162
17. Presentation submitted by the Planning Department
18. Bonnie Zhu (2)
Monday, February 23, 2026 ANNOTATED AGENDA Page 6
Item #3a: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2029 University Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0182 (Student Housing-Oriented)
Item #3b: Zoning Adjustments Board Appeal: 2029 University Avenue, Use Permit Application #ZP2024-0181 (Multi-Family)
19. Presentation submitted by the Planning Department
20. Gregory Kalkanis
21. Kelly Hammargren
22. Scott Littlehale