WEBAIC  West Berkeley Artisans and Industrial Companies

       working together for a sustainable future

Planning Commission Hearing Tomorrow, June 1st on

The Definition of Arts & Crafts Studios June 1, 7:15, City Council Chambers


Preserve Arts & Crafts Studios

for Artists and Artisans that Need Industrial-type Studio Space


To Achieve This, Please Tell The Planning Commission Tomorrow Night To KEEP THE LISTS OF PERMITTED & NOT PERMITTED USES IN THE ARTS & CRAFTS DEFINITION


WHY: Keeping these lists in the Arts & Crafts Studio Definition in the Zoning Ordinance is essential to maintaining West Berkeley industrial-type studio spaces as affordable and available for Arts & Crafts requiring this space.

There are two sets of lists in the Arts & Crafts Definition originally proposed by the Civic Arts Commission: 1). Examples of Arts uses allowed under the definition, and 2.) Examples of uses not allowed.

Development interests want to remove these essential lists from the definition, opening the door to commercial uses the development interests seek to install. Instead of removing them, staff has proposed moving the lists out of the Zoning Ordinance and into the “Administrative Guidelines”, an action that would weaken the definition, and importantly, allow the Zoning Adjustments Board to modify or even throw them out at their pleasure. Keeping the lists in the Zoning Ordinance, as at present and as the Arts Commission has recommended, would mean that only the Planning Commission could change them. This is a higher bar and the proper place for a potential land use decision of this import.


The Larger Situation: WEBAIC has finally convinced the City to permit arts and crafts into protected manufacturing and warehouse space (after 15 years of WEBAIC and community effort). This should permit a flourishing of art and craft that for years has had almost no available and affordable new space to locate in.

Unfortunately, at the very time this opportunity is opening, development interests are pushing the city to change the definition of Arts & Crafts Studios to allow commercial uses such as architects and software designers that operate in office environments to occupy this protected industrial space intended for art & industry. This could have a profound affect on rent levels and harm arts and crafts, manufacturing, and all industrial space users. Additionally, staff has proposed reconfiguring the definition’s sections in ways that would weaken it, most importantly by moving the lists.


What the Arts Definition Is & Isn’t: The definition of an Art & Craft studio is not meant to be a comprehensive definition of “Art” or “Craft”. It is meant to define what type of artistic endeavors are appropriate for the limited amount of industrial-type space that exists in West Berkeley and just covers West Berkeley’s four industrial zones. The current, near 12% Office vacancy rate in West Berkeley and Downtown (Cassidy Turley Eat Bay Office Market Snapshot – Q1 2011) provides ample opportunity for commercial and other uses that operate in office environments to locate in West Berkeley and the City at large.

Come Support: For the first time the Arts/Crafts Definition includes Rehearsal Space, now allowing it into Protected Space