Berkeley City Council has commissioned studies of upzoning on its major thoroughfares. On Tuesday September 29, one of those crucial corridors will come up for a vote - San Pablo Ave. They’ll vote on whether to proceed with the new San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan (link), which, as written, will raise the limits on the transit-rich corridor from 3 stories to 7 stories, along with a variety of other standards and permitting improvements. To make sure this proposal does not get cut down, they need to hear from you.

Why does it matter? San Pablo Ave cuts through Berkeley and has extensive bus coverage, but it is dotted with vacant one-story storefronts and empty lots. Each of these has the potential to yield a lot of homes, and seven stories makes it most likely that construction will actually be financially feasible. The San Pablo Ave Specific Plan also includes permitting changes to help make it easier to run a business on San Pablo, whether it's a popup store, restaurant, or even a large public market. With these fixes and more residents living on these corridors, there will be more support for these commercial blocks to recover, less commuting for employees of these businesses, and more accessibility for the mobility impaired. Finally, there are additional tweaks to sidewalks, crossings, and parklets to turn more of the San Pablo corridor into a destination itself.

If this is a future you believe in, write in to the council to support the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan, without cutting it down or adding more restrictions. It takes two minutes. Click "Start Writing" to send your comment and feel free to customize and sign the letter, ideally before September 29.