A Community Vision for the Ashby and North Berkeley BART Station Areas

Developing housing at the Ashby and North Berkeley BART stations is a once in a generation opportunity. These two sites represent the best opportunity to achieve the most affordable housing. With Berkeley’s population having increased by ten percent over the last decade, the reality is more housing is needed to accommodate this growing population and address the housing needs of people who live and work here now. As we face a severe climate crisis, the most environmentally friendly way to develop housing is to have transit oriented development, reducing reliance on motor vehicles, with transportation accounting for 60% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Learn more about this process and the sites below.

• Background

• The Community Process

• Timeline of Actions

• Ashby BART

• North Berkeley BART

In September 2018, a new state law, AB 2923, was approved, creating zoning standards for BART-owned property within a half mile of BART stations. Under AB 2923, jurisdictions must adopt zoning requirements consistent with BART’s Transit Oriented Development standards. For Ashby and North Berkeley, the State-imposed standards are construction of buildings with a minimum height of seven stories, a minimum density of 75 units per acre, and a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of at least 4.2. This would create approximately 1,200 units per station.

When BART was first constructed over 50 years ago, it tore apart many neighborhoods throughout the region. Eminent domain was invoked to buy whole blocks of homes, and housing and businesses were destroyed and people displaced. In Berkeley, community activism led to the undergrounding of the BART tracks in Berkeley to minimize physical and economic segregation. Despite these efforts, homes were still destroyed and neighborhoods, especially along the predominantly African American community in South Berkeley, were severely impacted. Understanding this legacy and those impacts is important in making sure that future development on these sites is equitable and helps remedy those adverse impacts. That is why increasing the number of truly affordable homes is essential at these two sites.

To learn more about the history of the redevelopment of the BART station sites through to June 2022, read the Mayor’s newsletter on the subject.

Community interaction and input has been at the forefront of the proposal to redevelop the BART Station sites since day one, even before AB 2923 became law. Since discussions first began, there have been dozens of public forums, committee meetings, and Council and BART meetings in which the public has had an opportunity to weigh in.

The Community Advisory Group (CAG) was established in 2020 for the purposes of drawing broad community participation and providing valuable input to the Planning Commission as it considers zoning standards that will be consistent with the City’s obligations under AB 2923 for the Ashby and North Berkeley BART station areas. Members of the CAG have been appointed with an eye toward ensuring a diversity of views, perspectives, and experiences, including: representing all geographic areas of the city on which station area development would have an impact such as immediate as well as commuter neighborhoods; reflecting a wide-range of relevant expertise in areas such as city planning, architecture, transit, and environmental sustainability; and incorporating diverse life experiences.

After eight community meetings from June 2020 through December 2021, the CAG’s recommendations were sent to the Planning Commission, which in turn voted on submitting recommendations to Council in April 2022. Council then took action in June 2022 over zoning standards for the sites. For a complete list of CAG meetings and minutes, click here.

For more information about the history of the community process, click here.

• March 2014: Adeline Corridor process launches, with affordable housing at Ashby BART identified as a goal.

• March 2018: First community meeting on the subject of building housing at North Berkeley BART.

• September 2018: State bill AB 2923 is signed into law, which requires BART and cities to adopt new zoning standards for parcels of land owned by BART within a 1/2 mile of a BART station, such as parking lots.

• December 2019 - January 2020: BART and the City agree to a Memorandum of Understanding that identifies a shared vision and priorities for development at the BART sites, and provide clarity on timelines.

• December 2020: Adeline Corridor Plan approved, with a goal of 100% affordable housing at Ashby BART.

• April 2021: The City Council approves $53 million, including $40 million from Measure O, to guarantee at least 35% of housing be affordable at both sites.

• June 2022: The City Council adopts zoning standards for both sites, including a height limit of seven stories and a total unit count of 2,400, which could go up to twelve stories and 3,600 with the state density bonus.

• December 2022: BART selects BRIDGE Housing, an affordable housing non-profit, the develop housing at the North Berkeley BART Station site.

As described in the Draft Adeline Corridor Plan (2-22), “The Ashby BART subarea is comprised of two large parcels adjacent to the Ashby BART Station, as well as the public street right-of-way and station area between them. The two parcels are owned by BART, but the City retains an option to the ‘air rights’ over the parcel on the west side of Adeline. The parcel on the east side of Adeline is a 1.9-acre surface parking lot. The parcel on the west side is a 4.4-acre surface parking lot, the northern portion of which is used by the Berkeley Flea Market on weekends. Beyond the parking lots, this subarea consists of wide, busy streets, with high volumes of station-bound pedestrian, bicycle, and bus traffic. The streets are not as conducive to safe and comfortable pedestrian activity as they might be. There are grade changes and design features that limit the visibility and accessibility of station entrances.”

The Community Advisory Group’s discussions connect to the “big ideas” from the Adeline Corridor Plan, which include neighborhood priorities and amenities such as the Berkeley Flea Market, South Berkeley Farmers’ Market, Ed Roberts campus, and others in the context of requirements stipulated by AB 2923 TOD zoning standards.

See Chapters 3, 4 and 7 of the Draft Adeline Corridor Plan for more on the Ashby BART Station Area.

The North Berkeley BART Station sits on approximately 8.1 acres of land in residential Northwest Berkeley, bounded by Sacramento Street on the east, Virginia Street on the north, Acton Street on the west, and Delaware Street on the south (with the exception of additional side parking lots abutting the Ohlone Greenway).

In December 2022, BRIDGE Housing, an affordable housing non-profit, was chosen to develop housing at the North Berkeley BART Station site.

The City and BART both acknowledge that the region faces a shortage of affordable homes and a climate crisis that requires a significant reduction in vehicle miles traveled, and both entities have adopted policies that prioritize creating affordable homes and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Publicly-owned land at the Ashby and North Berkeley Stations provides a rare opportunity to meet the objectives of both the City and BART.

A significant benefit of the collaboration with BART is the opportunity to identify and make infrastructure improvements in order to enhance station access for all Ashby and North Berkeley BART riders using all modes, including pedestrians, bicyclists, community members with access and functional needs, shared mobility users, and patrons using public and private transportation.