WEBAIC  West Berkeley Artisans and Industrial Companies

working together for a sustainable future

About Webaic


The City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development initiated the creation of the West Berkeley Association of Industrial Companies (WEBAIC) to give West Berkeley’s industrial community an organized voice. WEBAIC's creation was officially called for in the 1993 Development Agreement between the City of Berkeley and Miles (Bayer) Corporation “in recognition of the importance of promoting businesses and manufacturing jobs in West Berkeley.” The Development Agreement stipulated that Miles (Bayer) would “agree(d) to participate in a forum to be convened by the City” and was required to “match any fund for this effort…”.

 

The City of Berkeley maintained financial support for WEBAIC until 2004 when the City Planning Department undertook an effort to rezone industrial areas of West Berkeley to retail uses.  In response to this effort WEBAIC undertook the beginnings of an educational and organizational campaign to support and maintain an affordable, appropriately zoned land base for its membership and constituency which it continues to this day. 

 

As part of its efforts to maintain supportive land use policies for its membership and constituency, the WEBAIC steering committee came to understand that artisans and artists had the same requirements for appropriately zoned and affordable industrial space as industry.  In response to this awareness WEBAIC opened its membership to artisans and artists and changed its name to West Berkeley Artisans & Industrial Companies.  Since that time WEBAIC has been working hard to fulfill its mission to support a sustainable industrial and arts economy and culture in West Berkeley.