Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) AT EL CERRITO PLAZA BART


BACKGROUND


Assembly Bill 2923 San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District: Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)
On September 30, 2018, Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 2923 to allow for development streamlining and TOD standards for BART located property within ½ mile of stations in Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco counties. This legislation is intended to create new housing opportunities near transit in order to support California’s housing and climate crisis. BART’s systemwide goal is to produce 20,000 homes with 35% earmarked as affordable on its properties by 2040.

A brochure describing AB 2923 and how it affects BART’s TOD Program may be downloaded here.

For additional information, please visit https://www.bart.gov/about/business/tod/ab2923

El Cerrito Plaza BART Station



In 2019, BART kicked off a series of community engagement and City Council meetings to discuss TOD at El Cerrito Plaza Station. The preliminary community input received was used to develop TOD Goals & Objectives as the guiding vision for El Cerrito Plaza Station.In January 2020 the BART Board of Directors authorized staff to proceed with the next phase of this project which included a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to identify a development team that was released in July 2020. On November 19, 2020 the BART Board selected the development team - Holliday Development, Related California and Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA) - to advance development at El Cerrito Plaza BART and entered into a Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA). This project will integrate community benefits and amenities for El Cerrito including affordable housing, public open space and art, and multimodal transportation infrastructure improvements. During the predevelopment process, the development team and City will study the feasibility of including a new library at the site (City Council Resolution 2016-68 and Resolution 2019-66). BART also received State and Federal grant funding to study/identify parking and transportation strategies to enhance station access in addition to the parking studies undertaken by the City. With both a developer on board and grant funding to continue to work on parking and circulation, City staff and BART will host numerous community engagement and input opportunities.

The City and BART are also continuously updating a list of Frequently Asked Questions here.

To learn more, please visit BART’s website at www.bart.gov/about/business/tod/el-cerrito-plaza.

San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan
The San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan (Plan), adopted by the City Council in 2014, fosters new housing opportunities in Priority Development Areas connected to transit and commercial uses. The Plan encourages high-density, mixed-use multi-family housing projects that will include affordable and market rate housing units as well as new commercial/retail space. Projects in the Plan area that are centered around the two BART stations (Transit oriented Higher-Intensity Mixed Use district) are permitted to build up-to 65’ by right and other areas up-to 55’ by right with reduced parking requirements. There are some exceptions that could allow up-to 85’ or 65’ if project qualifies under the State Density Bonus Program. For information about Specific Plan projects, visit our major projects page at www.el-cerrito.org/MajorProjects.

The City is currently working to update components of the Plan. To learn more about this effort and how you can participate, please visit www.el-cerrito.org/SPASPCurrent.

The selected development team will design a project that aligns with the City’s San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan, Climate Action Plan, Affordable Housing Strategy and Economic Development Plan, TOD Goals and Objectives, and AB2923.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

BART’s Berkeley-El Cerrito Corridor Access Plan (BECCAP) 

Online Open House starts July 2 – August 20, 2021

BART has launched an online open house to solicit community feedback on walking, biking, rolling, taking transit, and driving to BART stations in Berkeley and El Cerrito. This feedback is needed because BART plans to build around 2,500 affordable and market rate homes on three station parking lots at El Cerrito Plaza, North Berkeley, and Ashby. Click here to view the flyer.

To give people ample time and flexibility to participate, the online open house will be open from July 2 until August 20 at www.bartberkeleyelcerritocap.participate.online. The open house will give community members the ability to learn about the Berkeley-El Cerrito Corridor Access Plan and provide input.

The online open house is similar to an in-person meeting. You can move between the virtual “stations” to 

  • Learn more about planning efforts for how people will get to and from BART
  • Fill out a survey and interactive map to express needs, concerns, and ideas for accessing BART

Spanish and Chinese written translations will be provided for key sections of the virtual open house. BART plans to host virtual office hours during July and August. You can drop in to meet the project team, ask questions, and share input. 

Visit the project website - for dates and times of the virtual office hours as well as other future opportunities for residents and BART riders to ask questions, learn, and share comments with the project team. 

Brochure: A printable, two-page summary of the BECCAP can be found here.

The City also has a dedicated page - www.el-cerrito.org/parkingstudies - where you can learn more about parking studies undertaken at El Cerrito Plaza station.

UPCOMING MEETINGS
BART Board of Directors Meeting: El Cerrito Plaza TOD Goals & Objectives
Date: Thursday, October 28, 2021
Time: 9AM
Location: BART Board TV – click here

BART owns four parcels constituting 8.3 acres and the site is zoned for 6-8 stories.

Plaza TOD (2)

Links to past meetings and materials

BART Community Meeting
Date: Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Location: Teleconference – See event flyer
The meeting materials are available here.

City Council and Planning Commission: Joint Study Session
Date: August 17, 2021
Time: 7PM
Location: Teleconference
The meeting materials are available here.

Development Team Introduction and Community Meeting
Date: May 25, 2021
Time: 6:00 - 7:30pm
Location: Teleconference
Click here to view the event flyer.

City Council Presentation
What: BART: El Cerrito Plaza TOD Development
Date: May 4, 2021
Time: 7PM
Location: Teleconference
Click here to view the City Council meeting materials.

BART Board of Directors Meeting
What: El Cerrito Plaza TOD Development
Date: November 19, 2020
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Teleconference
Click here to view the meeting materials.

BART Board of Directors Meeting
What: El Cerrito Plaza TOD Development
Date: January 9, 2020
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: 2040 Webster Street, Oakland
Click here to view the meeting materials.

City Council Presentation
What: BART: El Cerrito Plaza TOD Development
Date: November 19, 2019
Time: 7PM
Location: City Council Chambers
Click here to view the City Council meeting materials.

Community Open House #2
BART and City staff will be on hand to answer questions related to the development process and talk about issues related to housing, parking, transportation, and access.
Date: October 3, 2019
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 PM (come by anytime during these hours)
Location: Hana Gardens Senior Center, 10870 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito
Click here to view the event flyer.

Meeting Materials
BART Presentation Boards
San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan Project Slideshow

Community Open House #1
What: BART Open House about El Cerrito Plaza TOD
Date: August 14, 2019
Time: 5 – 7PM
Location: El Cerrito Plaza Station
Click here to view the event flyer and click here to access the meeting materials.

July 27 and July 29, 2019 – San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan Workshops
BART staff participated in two workshops hosted by the City to discuss their Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) goals at El Cerrito Plaza station. You can review this information here.

City Council Presentation
What: BART Plaza Access and TOD Development – Request for Proposal Update
Date: February 5, 2019
Time: 7PM
Location: City Council Chambers
Click here to access the City Council meeting presentation.


QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
To receive information about this effort, please subscribe to our Community Development E-Newsletter at: www.el-cerrito.org/CommDev. For questions or comments, please contact the Community Development Department at community@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us.