DOWNTOWN AREA PLAN June 9, 2009
Issues Identified by Councilmembers Overlap with Southside Plan Southwest Residential Area & Herrick Shadows & Residential Areas Shadows on Streets & Canyon Effect Transit & BRT Center Street Plaza LEED Ratings & Green Building Precedents Labor Jobs-Housing Affordable Housing Contributions from Developers
Southside Plan & Downtown Area Plan Overlapping Area Overlapping Southside & Downtown Area Planning Areas
Areas to Remain Residential Use Southside Plan Place Residential Areas in Southside Plan
Parcel Appropriate as Mixed-Use Use DAP Corridor-Buffer Place Commercial & Potential Mixed-Use in DAP
Potential DAP Mixed-Use BUT Only if Affordable Housing
* Herrick Southwest Residential Area & Herrick
Shadow Impacts on Residential Areas Shadow Impacts on December 21 (worst case) 9am 3pm
Shadows on Streets & Canyon Effect EXISTING ZONING 65 Generally Allowed Height No Hotel Provisions 89 Exceptions 1800 New Dwellings (360 Affordable) DAPAC 85 Generally Allowed Height 225 Hotels with Condos 100 + 120 Exceptions 2700 New Dwellings (540 Affordable) PLANNING COMMISSION 85 Generally Allowed Height 225 Hotels with Condos 120 + 180 Exceptions 3100 New Dwellings (620 Affordable) Existing Zoning 65 Shown DAPAC 120 Shown Planning Commission 85 Base w/ 180 Shown
Shadow Impacts on Streets * Existing Zoning DAPAC Planning Commission * * * Equinox (March/September) at Noon 80 Street Right-of-Way
Policies on Building Form Use Stepbacks Design to Avoid Wind & Solar Impacts Require Solar & Wind Simulations Avoid Abrupt Transitions to Residential (45 max. adj. to resid l) Limits on Number of Tall Buildings Throughout Downtown For Each Narrow Street ** * 180 *
Transit Service & Design BRT-Specific or for All Transit? Proposed Bus Rapid Transit Alignment (AC Transit)
Center Street Plaza Inclusive Decision-Making Closing Center Other Options
LEED Ratings Certified 26 points change in cost -0.4 to +2.0% Silver 33 points -0.3 to + 4.0% Gold 39 points +0.5 to +8.0% Platinum 52 points +4.8 to 8.5% LEED application runs $30,000 to $100,000. GreenPoints or City could provide an equivalent standard. LEED Performance Areas & Prerequisites Site Location/Design (14 points) w/ Prerequisite of Erosion and Sediment Control (also CA State law) Energy (17 points) w/ Prerequisites for Commissioning (10% better than CA Title 24) Materials (13 points) w/ Prerequisite of Space for Recyclables (also CA State law) Indoor Air Quality (15 points) w/ Prerequisite for Ventilation and Smoking Prohibitions Water Efficiency (5 points) w/ No Prerequisites
Best Practices from Other Cities San Francisco Requires LEED Silver for projects over 25,000 square feet Plans to require LEED Gold in 2012 No projects constructed yet under this policy. Albany Requires LEED Gold for projects over 20,000 square feet No projects constructed yet under this policy. Santa Monica Green Building Code requires (among other things): Energy Performance 10% better than Title 24 Green Materials List Construction Waste Diversion Rate of 65% (Berkeley req s 50% mixed 100% asphalt) Downtown Area Plan Significantly exceed Title 24 (both DAPAC & Planning Commission) Set standard at LEED Gold or Greenpoint Equivalent or City Equivalent (DAPAC required while Planning Commission called for its consideration)
Apprenticeships, Local Hiring, Living Wage Both DAP version support job training, apprenticeships, & local hiring.
Jobs-Housing Balance Commute Patterns Synergies with UC Berkeley Limits on Tall Office Buildings Comparison of Employment in Berkeley versus Employed Berkeley Residents
Affordable Housing Affordability through Location Coordination with Housing Element and Housing Ordinance General Affordability Provisions Condominium Conversions Commercial Impact Fees for Housing Specific Workforce & Economic Diversity Targets Actionable by Downtown Area Plan Deeper Affordability for Taller Projects Projects in the Downtown Area (Housing Trust Fund) Encouraging More Projects
Developer Contributions Minimums and/or cumulative Point System? What are your priorities? Affordable Housing Green Buildings Open Space Green Infrastructure Transportation Historic Preservation Cultural Uses
Downtown Area Plan Next Steps
End of Show
VISION STATEMENT Downtown is the heart of Berkeley where people enjoy urban life. Downtown models Berkeley s commitment to sustainability. Downtown seeks to minimize human impacts on the environment, through its emphasis on walking, bicycling, transit, green streets, and green architecture. Downtown is an economically vibrant destination. Downtown increasingly serves Berkeley s residents and visitors with attractive retail, exceptional restaurants, community services, and remarkable parks and plazas. Downtown celebrates its proximity to a public university internationally renowned for its academic accomplishment and its physical beauty. Downtown s cultural, educational and historic assets form the foundation for its success. Downtown is a great neighborhood that is oriented to the pedestrian. It offers diverse housing opportunities for all kinds of people, with an emphasis on affordability and supportive services. Safe and tree-lined streets, shops, services, and amenities make it possible to meet most daily needs on foot.
DAPAC Planning Commission
Project Feasibility (as influenced by building code & construction costs) 55, 75, & 180 heights are likely to be viable in the next market cycle. 140 could be feasible in 10-15 years. Residential projects at 85, 100 and 120 are infeasible in typical situations. x x x 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Stories 1 woodframe over concrete concrete + steel only b1 b2 b3 b4 Underground Parking 55 5-Story 75 7-Story 85 7-Story 100 9-Story 55' 75' 85" 100' 120 11-Story 140 13-Story 180 17-Story 120' 140' 180' Seventeen
Households not accommodated Downtown will be built in locations that are more car-reliant. Driving, Density & Affordability Cost per Mile = 58.5 cents Federal Tax Code for 2008 Suburbs Urban Neighborhoods: $700 per Month City Centers: $200 per Month vehicle-miles traveled = VMT
Enhancements to Streets & Open Space PREVIOUS SLIDE
PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY PLACES New Street Enhancements at End of University Avenue Existing Conditions