Berkeley Unveils Climate Action Plan Based Around TOD

In Nov, 2006, the residents of Berkeley approved a measure requiring the city to reduce GHG emissions by 80% by the year 2050. The draft plan has been released, and unlike an earlier version, this one emphasizes transit oriented development as key.

1 minute read

October 28, 2008, 8:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


"The draft by city climate action planner Timothy Burroughs won the praise of Livable Berkeley, the city's leading "smart growth" advocacy group" and the scorn of the commission's resident policy analyst, an outspoken minority member of a commission dominated by a development-friendly majority. "Its motto is build, baby, build," said the retired academic.

Livable Berkeley had been less kind to the earlier draft, citing its failure "to challenge the status quo, leaving out any real discussion or education on the importance of increasing urban density on major corridors," and neglecting to "unequivocally state that increased density near transit provides the most significant greenhouse gas reduction."

"Commission Chair James Samuels congratulated Burroughs for creating a plan he said "is very well done."

"The goal of increasing density along transit corridors has been around a long time without ever achieving this level of clarity," he said.

Burroughs said density wasn't the plan's goal. "The goal is getting people to move around without a car," he said.

Thanks to Bay Area Transportation News

Thursday, October 23, 2008 in The Berkeley Daily Planet

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