The city of Berkeley, which pioneered detached zoning as an exclusive tool in the early 20th century, is working to reverse decades of restrictions where multi-family development is limited.
According to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle by Darrell Owens, Berkeley began allowing high-density apartments in the 2000s, but continued to limit them in most areas. On the other hand, single-family homes are out of reach of the majority of residents, with median selling prices of $1.6 million. “On Thursday, Berkeley City Council is poised to rectify this unfortunate history by voting for the final draft of the “Middle Housing” ordinance.
For Owens, “Berkeley’s plan is better than the strategy of adding accessory housing units behind the residential lot.” Owens also points out that multifamily buildings have lower carbon footprints.
The city council unanimously supported the ordinance, but there was debate over the high density. For Owens, the key is that all neighborhoods have the same density limit. “That’s the key point: to eliminate exclusive zoning.”
The ordinance, approved by the city council on Thursday, allows up to three-storey buildings and up to eight units of buildings in a typical 5,000-square-foot lot. The ordinance applies to the entire city, except for urban hilly areas where dense development can increase fire risk.
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