City of Berkeley Downtown Area Plan

The City of Berkeley embarked on a two-year planning effort to update and expand the Downtown Area Plan. There have been significant changes in the downtown area’s economics and demographics since the current Downtown Area Plan was adopted in 1990. The City of Berkeley Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee (DAPAC) was created to guide the city and the University of California, Berkeley, to discuss key issues and develop specific goals and policies that would culminate in a draft plan. The DAPAC held public outreach events, including a community workshop that allowed concerned citizens to discuss key issues surrounding the project.

These maps were prepared to depict various land use intensities, including building height and locations, and aided the community to understand the benefits and ramifications of higher density in the downtown area. In addition, several maps illustrate existing conditions of land use in the area including ground-floor uses, parking access, retail and residential spaces, and offices. These maps created an important framework for other dimensions of the Downtown Area Plan.

Courtesy of Amy Y. Lee, City of Berkeley.