Category: Articles

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People’s Park and Neighborhood Groups Challenge UC’s 2021 LRDP

In a lawsuit claiming the nearly total inadequacy of the University of California’s Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on its 2021 Long Range Development Plan and Housing Project #1 and Housing Project #2 (LRDP) a team of lawyers representing Make UC a Good Neighbor and the People’s Park Historic Advocacy Group (PPHDAG) are seeking to void approval of the LRDP and the EIR, and thereby stop all activities proposed in that LRDP. This legal action is of great importance to supporters of People’s Park since it would mean significant delays for any attempts to destroy the Park by erecting three buildings on that beloved site. It would also keep our friends at 1921 Walnut Street in their rent controlled homes for the time being.

The lead attorney in this suit, Thomas Lippe, has prevailed in two California Environmental Quality Act cases against the University of California and, because his most recent victory against UC concerned plans to build on Upper Hearst, Mr Lippe is very familiar with the 2021 LRDP. This suit wast filed on August 20, 2021 in the Superior Court of California in and for the county of Alameda.

It describes the nearly total failure of the EIR for the 2021 LEDP to adequately either describe or address the environmental effects caused by the program or projects proposed in the LRDP. Among its contentions are that the EIR fails to make required findings, fails to propose and evaluate adequate mitigation measures, fails to respond in good faith to the public comments received in response to the draft EIR, and fails to lawfully assess the LRDP’s effects on traffic, noise, air pollution, population and housing, parks and recreation, or historic and cultural resources.

This site will post any response from UC or upcoming court dates as they are announced.

— joe liesner, secretary People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group

Donate to Lawsuit at:
People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group
P.O. Box 1234
Berkeley, CA 94701-1234

More information at peoplesparkhxdist.org

Full text PDF:
Make UC A Good Neighbor, et al., v The Regents – LRDP Petition.pdf

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New artist feature videos about Berkeley artist and long-time friend of People’s Park, Ed Monroe

We are happy to present two new artist feature videos about Berkeley artist and long-time friend of People’s Park, Ed Monroe, produced by Abdul Guidoum, Alicia Perkins, and Fernando Ramos.

Ed Monroe: Berkeley, California street artist. Film by Abdul Guidoum

Ed Monroe Documentary on the wonderful artist, Ed Monroe, of Berkeley, California. — UC Berkeley 2014, Alicia Perkins, Fernando Ramos


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Email action for People’s Park: Contact Berkeley City Council

Hey all,
The folks at 1921 Walnut are urging everyone to bombard the Mayor and City Council with emails regarding the possible settlement of the City’s lawsuit against UC. Please share widely.

BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO ACT NOW

UC Berkeley wants to demolish the rent-controlled building at 1921 Walnut St./displace the long standing community there and destroy our public space at People’s Park. If this is allowed to happen, UC will be able to DEMOLISH ANY RENT CONTROLLED BUILDING or PARK IN BERKELEY. This would raise rents for everyone and destroy historic spaces that we all enjoy.

Berkeley Mayor Arreguín and City Council can stop them!

How? City of Berkeley is in a settlement negotiation with UC. City of Berkeley needs to withhold any settlement unless UC agrees to SAVE 1921 WALNUT and DEFEND PEOPLE’S PARK

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

CALL TO ACTION: EMAIL, CALL and TWEET at Mayor Arreguín and your City Councilmember AND SUPPORTERS OF PEOPLE’S PARK

More information

University of California released its new 2021 Long Range Development Plan. This plan includes:

  • demolishing 1921 Walnut St and evicting tenants
  • destroying People’s Park
  • building 8.1 million sq. ft. of new campus facilities (equivalent to 6 Salesforce towers)
  • adding 14,750 new students (44% above the current 2005 plan)
  • adding 3,500 new employees and 3,000 new parking spaces
  • adding 800,000 sq. ft. of new facilities in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone-California’s most dangerous fire zone

WE HAVE TO CONTROL THIS EXPANSION, SAVE 1921 WALNUT and DEFEND PEOPLE’S PARK. TELL THE CITY COUNCIL and MAYOR!

Contact them now prior to their settlement decision with UC. Make sure the City of Berkeley stands up for Berkeley tenants and our historic open spaces!

(district, name, Twitter handle, phone number)

Mayor: Jesse Arreguín @JesseArreguin (510) 981-7100

District 1: Rashi Kesarwani @RashiKesarwani (510) 981-7110

District 2: Terry Taplin @TaplinTerry (510) 981-7120

District 3: Ben Bartlett @benbartlettberk (510) 981-7130

District 4: Kate Harrison @KateHarrisonD4 (510) 981-7140

District 5: Sophie Hahn @SophieHahnBerk (510) 981-7150

District 6: Susan Wengraf (510) 981-7160

District 7: Rigel Robinson @RigelRobinson (510) 981-7170

District 8: Lori Droste @loridroste (510) 981-7180

Write to council@cityofberkeley.info to send an email to the Mayor and all Council members.

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Demand of People’s Park Council Regarding Status and Protection of the Park

Introduction

On behalf of the people of Berkeley and the claimant People’s Park Council, Attorney at Law David L. Axelrod has delivered the Demand of People’s Park Council Regarding Status and Protection of the Park to Carol T. Christ, Office of Chancellor, University of California Administration, Hon. Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, and Hon. Michael V. Drake, M.D., President, University of California.

Download the full

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Berkeley students and community reject UCB construction in People’s Park, removing chain link fence.

January 29, 2021 — A large rally, mostly University of California, Berkeley students, and many Berkeley residents, all advocates of People’s Park, gathered at the park on Friday afternoon and delivered a set of rousing speeches, eloquent, educational, historical, spanning generations, inspiring in their ideals and vitality. Social justice was a key theme. The Park had about a third of it’s area blocked off with chain link fence for weeks and students and park users were outraged at the ongoing attempts of UC Berkeley to take away a large part of the historical and living park, a landmark of social justice and people power. The park is a significant and valuable cultural resource, hosting many concerts, social gatherings, educational and recreational activities, sports, community gardening, diverse groves of trees and plants, charitable outreach, and more throughout the year. The park is a creative collaboration of students, faculty, and residents of Berkeley, living and breathing the oxygen of ideas in a public open green space.

At the conclusion of the speeches on behalf of protecting the park from unwanted development, an unexpected and brilliant spontaneous outpouring of action was suddenly engaged and the crowd took to dismantling the chain link fence, efficiently taking it down, and carrying a number of the fence sections in a rousing parade down Telegraph Avenue, chanting, “Whose park? People’s Park!”. The fencing and protest signs were deposited on the steps of the Sproul Hall administration building as a strong message to the University to stop any development of buildings in People’s Park.

The next morning, trucks were seen taking away the fencing from the park. The people, from all walks of life, made a strong statement, once again, in defense of the Park and the park community, and will continue to work to enhance the People’s Park and bring people together to learn and share in the public space in collaboration with nature’s healing power.

Below are are a few photos and videos from the fence removal part of the event. If there are videos or transcripts of the excellent speeches, this site would be happy to post them here. Please contact: greg@imaja.com.

More photos and video at :

Instagram: @peoplesparkberkeley
Tag photos with #peoplesparkberkeley

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New Bulldozer Alarm!

People’s Park now has a Bulldozer Alarm and text alert system so we can let folks know quickly if the Park comes under imminent threat of being fenced, having trees cut down, or literally being bulldozed.

Text SAVETHEPARK to 81257! You will be notified by text if there are threats to People’s Park and/or if we need folks to show up right away!
SAVETHEPARK!

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An Audio Blast From the Past — The formation of People’s Park

Here’s an audio montage Robert A. Beede put together from radio music and dialog from the time of the formation of People’s Park.

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