Restaurant owners voiced concerns that if the quota were relaxed, other restaurants would enter an already competitive environment, which would hurt their businesses. Multiple restaurant owners, including those of Gypsy’s Trattoria Italiana and Pappy’s Grill and Sports Bar, spoke at the meeting in opposition to removing the system.

“I strongly disagree with the proposal,” said Jahanshah Jowharchi, owner of Gypsy’s. “Our restaurant has suffered tremendously in the last two years … Many of us are going out of business due to overpopulation of restaurants.”

Currently, the city has quotas limiting the number of businesses, such as restaurants, barber shops and gift shops, that operate in the Telegraph commercial area. The proposal, if approved, would relax the restaurant quota system for the next three years.

Alex Popov, manager of Pappy’s, initiated a petition against removing the quota system. He also created the Telegraph Restaurant Association last week to voice the sentiments of local restaurant owners.

Thai Basil, CREAM and La Burrita are among 34 local restaurants that have signed the petition in favor of keeping the quotas.

“When I explained to (business owners) the issue, especially to those who are mom and pops, they said, ‘How are we going to survive if this passes?’” Popov said. “(Even) talking to nonfood businesses — they are concerned.”

Yet other business owners, such as Craig Becker of Caffe Mediterraneum — who is also president of the Telegraph Business Improvement District — think the quotas have done more harm than good.

“I think the government has a big role in making any commercial district successful, but I just don’t think that the quotas are the right way to go about it,” Becker said.

Due to time constraints, the council did not debate the restaurant quota matter and decided not to approve it at this time.

“If they would have taken a vote last night, we would have prevailed,” Popov said. “The fact that we didn’t get everything done in one meeting is not that big of a deal, but as long as we’re continuing to have Telegraph in the spotlight … It might take a long time, but as long as we’re looking at ways to improve the business district.”

The City Council voted, in one motion, to adopt of a number of the other items pertaining to Telegraph, such as looking into the financial impact of converting Bancroft Way and Durant Avenue into two-way streets and of creating parklets.

Gladys Rosario covers academics and administration. Contact her at grosario@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @gladysrosario93.

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Today is April 20, a national holiday for all those who like to kick back, roll a joint and get high. Yes, I know, we have a reputation as a hippie school, considering our liberal town, the large homeless community and our counterculture history. Now, not all UC Berkeley students are pot smokers. Many choose to abstain from this herbal delight, and they face no admonishment for it. Berkeley, after all, is a place to be who you are, smoker or not.

I’m proud to be able to say, however, that those of us who do smoke maintain the tradition of lighting up on Memorial Glade together once a year to get high, enjoy the sunshine and come together as a community. You’ll notice people passing colorful glass pieces around in a circle, laughing with one another and making new friends. To call it a simple act of drug use is unjust. Some may find the spectacle distasteful, to say the least, but the stoners on campus know better. This is a unique opportunity for our visitors to not only become acquainted with our world-famous academics but also our distinct student body.

Most of the time, we’re busy studying for midterms and finals, writing papers, doing research in labs that produce innovations every other day and penning the next great American novels. Today, we kick back and remember how to enjoy the simpler things in life: the sun’s warmth on our skin, the gorgeous view from the Campanile, an ice cream sandwich from C.R.E.A.M. All work and no play makes Oski a dull bear. We’re not bashful about our love for marijuana. After all, isn’t college a time to begin our journeys of self-discovery?

One step of such a journey may involve trying something new with an open mind and coming to our own conclusions about it. Students on Memorial Glade are doing just that, and the rest of the country seems to be joining our love affair with pot. Eighteen states have made medical marijuana legal, and several others have decriminalized it. Not to mention this is a perfect learning experience for our students. You’ll notice that many student groups are out today, not just to share information about their causes but also to sell a mountain of sweets. Some of us smoke and then get the munchies, and others on campus jump on the opportunity to fundraise. How resourceful!

If I am coming off as too laissez-faire, allow me to bring your attention to a few scholarly publications about our friend Mary Jane. A Harvard study showed that THC, the active compound in marijuana, is effective in reducing the size of lung cancer cells in mice. Pot is also effective for treating seizures, migraines, multiple sclerosis, PMS, ADD and Alzheimer’s. Other studies have shown that the cannabinoids in marijuana help protect brain cells.

Berkeley is place where all sorts of people come together to learn, whether about astrophysics, English literature, women’s studies or the beauty of a well-rolled joint. The stoners here at Cal welcome you and hope you enjoy the beautiful day. We only ask the same in return.

Contact Elisabeth Bahadori at The Beserkeley High appeared first on The Daily Californian.