Last month, the City of Berkeley approved rezoning the Southside neighborhood, opening up the potential for over 2,500 more units to be developed. The updated map has increased the allowed building height across the UC Berkeley-adjacent district and rezoned several blocks to allow the highest possible density. New illustrations from Studio KDA show how this could materialize on each block.
Southside R-3 base zoning, illustration by Studio KDA
Southside R-S allowable development using State Density Bonus, image by Studio KDA
The most immediate change across the neighborhood was to designate eight full or partial blocks as Residential Southside Mixed-Use, or R-SMU zoning. Three blocks along Haste Street between Dana Street and Folton Street were rezoned from R-3 to R-S zoning. The updated rules shift the potential construction height on those three blocks from 35 to 55 feet under base zoning.
The illustrations shared by Studio KDA provide a glimpse of the dramatic visual change for a typical 50 x 135-foot lot. Before the rezoning, R-3 blocks could see a base zoning of three floors, with a density bonus to expand the overall square footage by covering more of the lot. Now, R-3 zoning could rise six floors. On top of that, the new R-S designation means the three blocks limited to three-story apartments could now rise eight stories.
Southside approved zoning map, image from City Council documents
Southside zoning graph, image by Studio KDA
The highest density for Southside has been increased to allow 85-foot development using base zoning. Developers that include affordable housing can use the State Density Bonus program to boost that to 12 stories.
Earlier this year, the City agreed to upzone several wealthy neighborhoods in Berkeley. The city’s recently adopted eight-year housing plan commits to rezoning around busy streets including College, Solano, and North Shattuck.
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It’s nice to see some upzoning but it’ll take developers decades before you see true changes. By then – will 8 stories be enough? It took Oakland nearly 50 years of BART before finally building housing around the stations. Berkeley is now starting to finally upzone. Might be too late, but it’s at least a good start.
It’s a good start and I’m more than happy to celebrate progress but I can’t help but think that this won’t be enough. They really need to allow the city center to spread out more, else Berkeley will become a time-capsule of bad housing policy in region plagued with the kind.