- Opposition To UC Berkeley’s Gill Tract Commercial Development Plan Warms Up On Planning & Zoning Commission -
In the above video was Albany, CA Planning & Zoning Commissioner, Phillip Moss:
“When I’d asked, many times, whether there were any radioactive experiments going on at that site, the UC said ‘NO.’ I’m totally shocked to find out tonight that there were”
SPOILER - He went on to vote they recommend the plan to City Council (after seemingly buying that there were no longer any unsafe radiation levels on site).
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On June 27th, Albany, CA City Hall council chambers overflowed as the Planning and Zoning commission was presented with the development agreement pertaining to UC Berkeley’s commercial development on the Gill Tract. This was the same development agreement (which includes putting grocery/retail and senior living facilities on site) which prompted ‘Occupy The Farm’ activists to create a farm on the site beginning on Earth Day back in April. (They were eventually sued, removed/arrested by UCPD, and threatened with an injunction, only later to have all lawsuits, charges, and injunctions dropped by the UC). To be decided this night was whether or not to recommend this development agreement to Albany City Council.
After hearing from the UC representative, Kevin Hufferd, and Albany’s Planning and Building manager, Jeff Bond, the commission heard from proponents and opponents in the community (including many members of Occupy The Farm who made clear they had options to keep the development from going forward including legal and direct action). The committee ultimately decided to move it on to City Council, which has scheduled an emergency meeting on July 9th.
To hear from some community members who spoke at the meeting:
‘For A Bit More Context’ on YouTube
To come to or simply know when the next City Council meeting is, here’s the:
