BAC

Berkeley Art Center

To: The Zoning Adjustment Board City of Berkeley

From: Robbin Henderson, Executive Director, Berkeley Art Center

Re: Congregation Beth El Synagogue and Religious School at 1301 Oxford Street.

January 11, 2001

I am sorry that other commitments prevent me from attending tonight's meeting of the Zoning Adjustments Board. The Berkeley Art Center, which functions as Berkeley's municipal art gallery, has been conducting cultural events at 1275 Walnut Street since 1967. We at the Berkeley Art Center are concerned about the effect on parking availability around Live Oak Park and the impact that the proposed new construction of Temple Beth El will have on our operations. There are rarely more than four parking spaces available on the block of Walnut--between Rose and Eunice Streets during our regular hours of operation: Wednesday through Sunday 12 to 5 p.m. Our patrons, which in November and December of 2000 averaged 50 per day, find parking difficult, especially so during special events which occur on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings. Presently, our patrons often cannot find space to park on weekends between noon and I p.m. or at other times when the Berkeley-Richmond Jewish Community Center, a block away, hosts special events.

We are very concerned that week-end, evening and afternoon events at the proposed temple will make parking impossible for our patrons, especially when the temple's programs expand to accommodate their projected growth. Many of our visitors are elderly or disabled, so close, available parking determines their attendance.

Furthermore, our constituents are very concerned about the health and viability of Cordonices Creek. They believe that creeks should be daylighted, not covered. Our watershed is precious to our constituents. We believe that an accurate study would show the parking problems which already exist and the potential for even worse conditions with more than 200 cars jockeying for space during weekends, evenings and for special events. When our programs coincide with Beth El's events or other events in Live Oak Park, parking will be impossible!

Hopefully, any plans to build on the proposed site will accommodate a major portion of the additional parking which will be required.

Sincerely,

Robbin Henderson

Executive Director

1275 Walnut Street

Berkeley, California 94709

T 510 644 6893

F 510 540 0343