West Berkeley’s Retail Future
This article reviews what might be in store for west Berkeley in the coming years.
This article reviews what might be in store for west Berkeley in the coming years.
Aug. 19, 2005
Update: Flint Ink may become the new location for Weatherford BMW. The incredibly large dealership is currently located at Ashby and Second Streets.See also Berkeley Daily Voice Article.
July 5, 2005:
Once their clean-up/remediation is complete in January 2005(give or take a month), the two large Flint Ink lots along Camelia between 3rd and 5th will be on the market…keep your eyes and ears peeled for news on proposed developments for the site.
August 15, 2005 Update
Per Mark Rhoades (Planning Dept Manager), this project will likely NOT have an Environmental Impact Study/Review. He says this is due mostly to its “scale.” This is frustrating considering it will impact traffic and air quality.
August 5, 2005
Apparently this project is moving ahead. It may be a bit worrisome considering the multiple point and mobile pollution sources already concentrated in this area. Since Jan. 2005, the city of Berkeley is no longer using 100% Bio-diesel. Even if all the buses are using the 50/50 Low Sulfur blend, 32 or so buses reving up their motors every morning and afternoon isn’t going to be pleasant. The project will likely start up in Nov. with Design Review/ZAB hearings.
Neighbors within a 300 ft. radius should be notified for ZAB etc. Or if you’d like, email Chris Wolf for more info: CWolf@ci.berkeley.ca.us
UPPH(Use Permit Public Hearing)# 04-10000141
DRCL(Design Review Committee Level)# 04-30000097
Related Info and Articles:
Zelda Bronstein Daily Planet Article
Older Description from BUSD (see page 5)
Articles regarding the timeline and fate of the Drayage warehouse:
Aug. 9, 2005 Daily Planet
July 26, 2005 Daily Planet
April 22, 2005 Chronicle
Drayage Homepage (more news articles)
If you like perusing the police blotter as much as I do, you’ll love this:
http://www.incidentlog.com.
It will show you the most recent 50 police events, and their locations around town. Click on each map marker for more specific info. A little clearer than the raw PDF logs from the Berkeley Police Dept. website.
This project by Hudson Mcdonald is currently under construction. It contains “15 commercial condominiums”. It is not clear to me whether or not people will be living in them. I’m guessing not, since it is in a MULI zone.
April 2005 City Council Packet
You may have noticed that the amount and duration of train whistles has picked up the past few months. One of the reasons for this is the new federal law that went into effect June 26: http://www.alaskarailroad.com/pdf/PROJ_2005_Wide_WhistleReduction_Facts.pdf “Federal regulations and Alaska Railroad rules require trains to sound their horns when approaching a public crossing and to continue sounding the horn until the crossing is reached. Beginning June 26, 2005, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will enforce a new rule requiring train engineers to sound the horn at least 15-20 seconds before the crossing and to continue sounding the horn until the crossing is reached. Given significant consequences for not complying (monetary fines to the railroad and suspension of train crews), train engineers have no choice but to blow the horn as required —day and night.” More specific info can be found on the FRA website: http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/1318 Related June 14, 2005 Daily Planet Article If you would like to encourage the City of Berkeley to set aside some money in the City’s budget for the above mentioned (see link) whistle controls, let Council Member Linda Maio (LMaio@ci.berkeley.ca.us) know, or shoot Sandy Simon (sandy@traxgallery.com) an email. She’s in charge of a petition to help lessen the impact of train whistles. *You can put your name on the petition via email.
For those of you who are in favor of the whistles in their current form, I do not know who to point you towards. If I find out I will let you know.
…and it bothers you…emotionally, physically, or economically, call:
1 - 8 0 0 - 3 3 4 - O D O R
See this link for official complaint guidelines.
Photo of plant 3 (the unfiltered one)
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