Campus Expansion Plan Ignites Battle of Berkeleys

The city of Berkeley sued UC Berkeley on Wednesday in an attempt to block a controversial university expansion plan.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Alameda County Superior Court, argues that the final environmental impact report for the expansion plan is legally inadequate. The university denies that contention.

The report is part of the university’s 2020 Long Range Development Plan, which was approved by a Board of Regents committee Jan. 19.

The lawsuit names the regents and university as defendants.

Among its complaints, the city contends that the development plan lacks specific details about the actual projects, including when they would be built.

The city also contends that the university intends to exempt projects under the plan from any “real environmental evaluation” and that the report inadequately assesses the expansion’s environmental impact.

The plan calls for 2.2 million square feet of academic and research facilities to be built over the next 15 years.

Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates said that for nearly two years the city sought to resolve traffic, air quality and infrastructure concerns through discussions, but that the university failed to address the city’s concerns.

“We really feel the university needs to plan with us and not just announce programs,” said Bates, adding that he fears that the expansion would increase vehicle congestion in the city.

“I’m a proud alum from the UC Berkeley ... and I’m not opposed to expansion,” Bates said. “I’m just opposed to the way it’s being handled now.”

Janet Gilmore, a university spokeswoman, said the plan would meet all requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act.