It’s taken three years, hundreds of volunteer hours, thousands of dollars and some not-so-pleasant neighborhood meetings, but Berkeley’s Congregation Beth El has passed a major hurdle in its plans to build its dream synagogue.
The draft environmental impact report released on July 21 by the city of Berkeley concluded that with a few modifications, the proposed synagogue would have no significant environmental effect on the neighborhood.
Harry Pollack, a past president of the synagogue and member of the building committee, is obviously pleased with the report.
“It’s striking how little potential environmental impact there is from the design,” he said, referring to the report’s conclusions. “It’s really a hats off to our many volunteers and the synagogue consultants and architects who successfully worked to develop an environmentally sensitive site design and building.”
The report suggests modifications to the drainage system and noise barriers. The synagogue will also have to prepare parking and traffic management plans as well as a building plan to minimize disruption to the neighborhood during the construction phase. Given the scope of the proposed project, these are minor changes.
It’s no accident that Beth El came through the first phase of the environmental impact process with flying colors. It did its homework.
Anticipating that in environmentally conscious, growth-sensitive Berkeley there would be objections to the proposed project, the synagogue from the get-go hired a firm of well-respected environmental consultants. Along with members of the synagogue, the consultants began meeting with area residents even before the property at the corner of Oxford and Spruce Streets was purchased.
According to Pollack, there have been 15 meetings during which neighbors voiced a variety of concerns. They ranged from noise abatement to traffic and parking congestion, from restoration of the largely underground Codornices Creek to potential damage to wildlife. All of these concerns were taken into account and addressed in the environmental impact statement submitted by Beth El.
“I think it has been a thorough job,” said Steve Solomon, a senior planner in Berkeley’s Planning and Development Department. “If [Beth El] hadn’t done a good job there may [have been] significant changes.” He added that people often misunderstand the purpose of an environmental impact report. “It’s just to provide opinions — not to control development.”
Beth El has been at its present location at the corner of Arch and Vine Streets for about 50 years. Many of the congregants live in the area.
Originally built to accommodate 250 families, the Reform congregation has grown to a membership of almost 600 households and has long outgrown its present space. The new 2.2-acre site was purchased in 1997 from the Chinese Alliance Church. The planned structure includes classrooms, a social hall, sanctuary and library, and will occupy 26 percent of the site, as compared with the 40 percent allowed by zoning laws.
The building is designed to fit in with the character of the neighborhood and complement the bucolic surroundings.
The plan also provides for an onsite 35-car parking lot, a circular driveway for drop-offs and pick-ups, restoration of the portion of Codornices Creek that is at ground level, and landscaping that includes indigenous plants.
Although Beth El has passed a major hurdle, given the findings in this report, it still has a way to go.
The report stays open for 45 days from the date of issuance in order to give the public a chance to examine it and submit written comments. When the period closes on Sept. 8, the city’s planning department will schedule a public hearing for more comment. The environmental consultants, which are hired by the city but paid for by Beth El, will respond to the comments and then together with the planning department will prepare a final EIR. Anyone objecting to the final report can file an appeal with the City Council.
Once the final report is issued, the project goes to a hearing before Berkeley’s Zoning Adjustments Board, which issues the use permit constituting the actual go-ahead.
The congregation will also have a hearing before the Landmark Preservation Board because the site, once the homestead of Berkeley’s first settler, Napoleon Bonaparte Byrne, has been designated a historic landmark. Although the Byrne structure burned down long ago, the Landmark Preservation Board will have to pass on the project.
Beth El is not seeking any zoning changes or variances. So, according to Solomon, as long as the final building plans are consistent with the conditions set forth in the final EIR, the issuance of the use permit is not a discretionary matter.
Beth El’s consultants are still reviewing the almost 300-page tome and will come back with proposed modifications that are consistent with the EIR recommendations.
“This is a big step forward to have this [report] out for the city and the public and the congregation to see and confirm the quality of the application,” said Pollack, who hopes construction can start sometime next year.