Santa Cruz Homeless Issues Task Force Final Report

I was interested in learning more about how to develop downtown Berkeley in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. I found an organization called Livable Berkeley that supports development in Berkeley in ways with the least environmental impact. Their website had a brochure that described many of their goals and objectives.

They envisioned downtown Berkeley with more tall, mixed-used buildings and more attractions for shoppers, residents, and workers. They believe that a key to sustainable development is ensuring that people live close to public transportation.

They listed 12 goals for development in downtown. Those goals are:

1. Create a downtown that more accurately reflects the heart and culture of Berkeley,
2. Create new shopping, services, and offices to attract the private sector and residents of all ages,
3. Support grocery stores and retail shops to attract people during the day and encourage night-time activity such as entertainment and dining to attract people at night,
4. Develop an economy in downtown that can help support social change for the homeless and mentally ill,
5. Work with the University to serve city needs and integrate the University into downtown by re-designing Oxford Street into open space,
6. Re-design Shattuck Avenue into a pedestrian friendly area,
7. Create a unified transportation and parking plan that integrates city and University needs through such programs as ride-shares,
8. Preserve historic buildings in downtown and promote greater density for new buildings,
9. Create usable green spaces,
10. Promote architectural variety,
11. Promote more retail in downtown to capture Berkeley’s wealth, and
12. Encourage owners to redevelop under-utilized properties

The brochure also listed seven ways to make downtown a destination. Those ideas are:

1. Encourage the use of alleys to open up downtown for pedestrians,
2. Make Oxford Street narrower and widen the sidewalks,
3. Encourage the university to re-design Oxford Street to create more usable open space,
4. Re-design Shattuck for more pedestrian use,
5. Create larger parking lots on the edges of downtown,
6. Increase residential density downtown, and
7. Re-develop buildings north of University into denser retail and office spa

http://www.cabinc.org/Research/HTFFinalReport.htm