City

Berkeley City Council to consider grace period for parking violations

Berkeley City Council will consider a measure that would allow people a five minute grace period to return to their cars before receiving a parking violation.
Gracie Malley/Staff
Berkeley City Council will consider a measure that would allow people a five minute grace period to return to their cars before receiving a parking violation.

The Berkeley City Council will consider a measure at its meeting Tuesday night suggesting that parking enforcement officers allow people a five-minute grace period to return to their cars after their meters expire. The measure, which was submitted by Councilmember Laurie Capitelli, comes amid multiple complaints from Berkeley patrons and Read More…

City

Council holds hearing for third phase of West Berkeley Project

The Berkeley City Council held a public hearing at its meeting Tuesday night to discuss the third phase of the West Berkeley Project, an existing long-term plan that encourages new business growth by easing the city’s permit application process. At the hearing, mixed feelings were voiced by both city residents Read More…

Crime & Courts

Oakland Court

4 Occupy Cal protesters’ criminal charges dropped

Following the direction of UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau, the criminal charges against four protesters involved in the Nov. 9 Occupy Cal demonstrations were dropped Wednesday in court. The decision to drop the charges against UC Berkeley students Ashley Pinkerton, Justin Tombolesi, Ramon Quintero and Ricardo Gomez comes after charges Read More…

City

The western view of the building.

Plans for vacant Telegraph lot meet obstacles

The designs for a new project that would fill a long-vacant lot on Telegraph Avenue have been completed but will have to face some obstacles before any plans can come to fruition. Although it has been empty for about 20 years, the lot — at 2501 Haste St. — could soon Read More…

Notes from the Field

Annotated agenda for April 3 Berkeley City Council meeting

Tuesday night’s Berkeley City Council meeting will cover issues ranging from a possible raise in the city’s Parks Tax to altering transparency guidelines for campaign contributions. Read an annotated version of the agenda below: <br /> <a href=”http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/330509/berkmtg-04-03.pdf”>Agenda for April 3 Berkeley City Council meeting (PDF)</a><br /> <br /> <a Read More…

City

The downtown area, formerly its own business district, will now become part of the city-wide Berkeley Tourism Business Improvement District.

City Council approves Berkeley’s Downtown Area Plan

Today, Downtown Berkeley is an eclectic mix of small businesses in small storefronts, with only a few buildings that jut out above the skyline. But now, that could all change. At its meeting Tuesday, Berkeley City Council approved its long-contended Downtown Area Plan, which aims to provide guidance for revitalizing Read More…