Presenter: Vice-Mayor Lori Droste

Discuss decision to begin the process to revise Berkeley’s Zoning Code allowing property owners to build more than one unit per parcel.  

This has been called “eliminating single-family zoning” or “abolishing exclusionary zoning.”  Another way to consider the proposal is as a reasonable expansion of property rights that aligns private incentives  in creating income and wealth with the public interest in providing housing for people in all income levels.

The Council’s action initiates a zoning update process that could take at least 18 months.  Sponsored by Vice-Mayor Droste and Council Members Rashi Kesarwani and Terry Taplin, the Council directed the Planning Commission and staff to revise the Zoning Code (with final action by the Council) to allow duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in neighborhoods that currently have single-family zoning (typically R1 and R1A).   

The Council’s action responds to the region’s recently adopted Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).  The new requirements mandate Berkeley to amend the housing element in its General Plan and create about 9,000 more units in various income levels in the next several years (Berkeley has about 28,000 parcels and about 40,000 units).

BDA has a long history in advocating for additional housing and density throughout the city.