FriendOfBerkeley.com |
Berkeley, CA Archive of local public decision-making. Misc. applications of solid modeling. Last updated 9/20/2018 |
| Passionate but well-substantiated accounts of public decision processes in which the author has participated or which (i.e. BART) the author reveres. Vigils concerning decisions pending (i.e., BRT in Berkeley.) Documents pertinent to still-born decision processes. "Pre-emptive concern addressing" defined. This site is maintained by Bruce Wicinas | |
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Archive: Berkeley Unified School District Integration Makeovers - 1991-2004A history manuscript - draftScans of many pre-electronic document |
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BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) Decision History"A History of the Key Decisions in the Development of Bay Area Rapid Transit." McDonald & Smart, 1975. .pdf; 32 mbytes.A "must-read" for anyone interested in once-in-two-generation, unprogrammed public decision-making on regional scale. Also of interest to transportation planners. Never before available except as request for photocopy from the National Technical Information Service, this document has languished in a file cabinet at the BART system library since 1975. |
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Birth of a 100% Citizen Initiated Park
Convert an unneeded, grease-stained city-owned parking lot
in a residential area into a park? Easier dreamed than done!
Follow the three year story of how a neighborhood
perservered and at last prevailed over resistance from the
quarter least suspected - local city government. |
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The founding of the Berkeley City Arts District
Coming soon. (See also Places
Journal, Volume 20, Number 2, 2008 Article: Community
Activism vs. Community Design) |
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BRT in BerkeleyThis is a long-running struggle. Much hangs on the outcome. But it is a broken process. Those in harm's way - home owners and businesses along the corridor other than speculators - are mostly not enagaged and not even aware. The zealous advocates - the mayor, city council, local "green" and "walkable city" enthusiasts, are not owners near the corridor and will suffer no personal cost. The planning establishment and transportation vendors anticipate a time of plenty and have contributed large sums toward silencing dissent. Is public money well spent and mass transportation well served by a route that duplicates that of BART? Read more! |
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BRT in Downtown Berkeley
"Locally preferred alternative?" Convince us! |
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The DBA Design Committee, 2003-2008
During the tenure we saw presentations of downtown projects
in the works, raised the alarm about BRT beginning in 2004,
"daylighted" the proposal to "daylight the creek" in Center
Street, wrote much about transit, parking and BART plaza,
attempted to launch a civic "Downtown Visioning" exercise
and design charette - until we were discouraged and depleted
by DAPAC. |
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U.S. Closed "Pedestrian Streets"
(Incomplete study.) A local grassroots movement wishes to
close to vehicle traffic the most commercially successful
block in downtown, promising that closure would enhance life
and activity in the downtown.. To inform the decision
process the author commenced a study of the successful
closed blocks in the U.S. It was intended to uncover the
logic by which a few closed blocks have succeeded but
hundreds have failed and re-opened. (for Downtown Berkeley
Association, 11/2006) |
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Center Street 3D Models(3D modeling study.) A local grassroots movement proposed to depave, trench and add flowing water to the most commercially successful block in downtown. No drawings or diagrams of the proposal had ever been produced. The author suspected that everyone's personal visioin of the idea varied from the reality of the dimensions of the street and adjacent buildings. This study aimed to give a sense of the pedestrian experience of the proposed ravine. (for Downtown Berkeley Association, 10/2006) |
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DBA: "Visioning a Downtown"Berkeley contains far more than its share of opinions and of talented people. But the population is of many mind. How can a fresh and mobilizing vision for downtown be harvested? (Proposal. For Downtown Berkeley Association, 8/2005) |
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BHS
Milvia Street "Parking Structure"
Background Document. Prepared for Downtown Berkeley
Association and for Berkeley Unified School District. |
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Berkeley Unified Citizens' Construction Advisory Committee (CCAC) Archive |
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BHS Master Planning Archive |
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BUSD Auditorium Stages |
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BUSD "Orange Book"
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Musical Theater in Berkeley in the '00s
In 1999-2005, |