Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Executive Summary The Richmond Bay Specific Plan (RBSP) documents the This Specific Plan focuses on ways the City of Richmond The Plan articulates a clear vision for the area as a series community and stakeholder-driven long-term vision can capitalize on planned development at the Richmond of distinct, walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods that can for a 500-acre portion of Richmond’s Bay. Once home Bay Campus as well as future ferry service and other accommodate over 5.6 million square feet of research to the Kaiser Shipyards and supporting industries, the area assets to create a sustainable, waterfront community and development uses, 720,000 square feet of retail and area has declined as industrial uses have transitioned. over time that will provide increased jobs and housing services, over 4,000 housing units, and 145 acres of public Development of UC Berkeley’s Richmond Bay Campus opportunities, improved transportation options, and and natural open space. creates an opportunity for the area to leverage much- access to entertainment and recreation for the city and needed economic investment and intensification. region. Figure 1.1: Bird’s eye view of Sub-Area 4 adjacent to the Richmond Bay Campus 1-2 | Richmond Bay Specific Plan Chapter 1: Introduction 1.3 Purpose and Intent of the Specific Plan 1.3.1 LOCATION AND OVERVIEW 1.3.2 SOUTH RICHMOND PDA 1.3.3 RICHMOND BAY CAMPUS DESIGNATION The Plan Area is located south of Interstate 580 and is defined The University of California (UC) owns properties at by two change areas in the Richmond 2030 General Plan and General Plan 2030 Change Areas 15 and 16 also form part 1301 South 46th Street and 3300 Regatta Street (known adjacent shoreline open space: of the larger South Richmond Priority Development Area as the Richmond Field Station and Regatta properties) (SRPDA), a 1,350-acre portion of the south Richmond within Change Area 16 totaling approximately 143 acres. The Regatta/Marina Bay Change Area (CA-15) is shoreline extending westward to the Port of Richmond In 2013 the Richmond Field Station was selected by the bounded by Regatta Boulevard to the south, Interstate and the future ferry terminal at the foot of the Ford UC Regents to house a new joint research campus for UC 580 to the north, Marina Way to the west and Sycamore Building (Craneway Pavilion) and northward across Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Avenue to the east (see Figure 1.2). A mix of large-scale interstate 580 to incorporate portions of the South (LBNL), and in 2014 UC Berkeley and LBNL jointly office, light industrial and some commercial development Richmond neighborhood between South Ohio Street, prepared a “Long Range Development Plan” (LRDP) for defines the character of the area. 23rd Street, and Harbour Street (see Figure 1.2). The the Richmond Bay Campus (RBC) to reflect their joint SRPDA is one of over 100 locally-identified sites within development goals for the site, which included over 5.4 The Southern Gateway Change Area (CA-16) is located to the San Francisco Bay Area for infill development and million square feet of research and development facilities the south and west of Interstate 580 and east of 32nd Street intensification through the Metropolitan Transportation intended to accommodate a daytime population of over (see Figure 1.2). The area is composed of several large parcels Commission (MTC) and Association of Bay Area 10,000 people. that house industrial and office uses including the Campus Governments’ (ABAG) Plan Bay Area, which encourages Bay Business Park and the Harbor Front Tract. The Campus growth of jobs and housing production in infill areas Later in 2014, the University announced their intentions Bay properties include 87-acres of vacant brownfield supported by existing or planned amenities and to establish the Berkeley Global Campus at Richmond sites formerly occupied by a succession of chemical infrastructure. Designated as a Transit Neighborhood, Bay (BGC) which reoriented the vision for the Richmond manufacturing companies, most recently Zeneca, Inc. the SRPDA envisions improvements that will promote Bay Campus toward an international research hub that mixed-use development and redevelopment, and enhance would be developed with the participation of research Immediately adjacent to the Campus Bay Business Park is multi-modal connectivity and mobility. universities around the world. While in August 2016, the 143-acre site for the planned Richmond Bay Campus the University indefinitely suspended plans for the BGC (RBC - see Section 1.3.3), which includes existing research due to budgetary issues, it did affirm a commitment to facilities and undeveloped land supporting natural resource continue to explore options for the site that reflect new conservation. priorities for the campus around enrollment growth and housing, including, potentially, finding an anchor tenant for the site. With this in mind, the Specific Plan seeks to provide a long-term, mixed-use vision for the Plan Area that can fully leverage the Campus’ economic potential. 1-4 | Richmond Bay Specific Plan Chapter 1: Introduction 1.5 Relationship to Other Relevant Plans This Plan was prepared in the context of several 1.5.2 RICHMOND PLANS AND consulted as an important reference as new parks and concurrent local and regional planning initiatives that REGULATORY DOCUMENTS recreational facilities are designed and developed in the assist in guiding development in the Plan Area, including South Richmond Transportation Connectivity future. Should any conflict exist between this Specific the following plans discussed below. Plan (SRTCP), Richmond Bicycle Master Plan, and Plan and the Richmond Parks Master Plan, this Specific Richmond Pedestrian Plan Plan shall govern. 1.5.1 RICHMOND BAY LONG RANGE DEVELOPMENT PLAN (LRDP) These three related documents guide multimodal Knox Freeway Cutting Boulevard Specific Plan connectivity within and to the Plan Area. The Richmond The Plan Area was initially studied as part of the Knox In 2014 UC Berkeley and LBNL jointly prepared a Bicycle Master Plan, adopted in 2011, establishes a Freeway/Cutting Boulevard Specific Plan, which was Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) and Program proposed bicycle network through the Richmond Bay adopted in 1991 to guide development across an 1,895- Environmental Impact Report for the Richmond Bay area and guidelines for implementation of bicycle acre portion of South Richmond. Upon adoption of Campus to reflect joint development goals for the facilities. This Specific Plan implements these and other this Specific Plan the policies and standards for parcels Richmond Field Station and Regatta properties. Approved bicycle facilities in Chapter 3. included herein shall supersede those found in the Knox in May 2014, the LRDP initially provided guidance Freeway/Cutting Boulevard Specific Plan; if any conflicts for the development of over 5.4 million square feet of The Richmond Pedestrian Plan (adopted in 2011) and exist between this Plan and the Knox Freeway/Cutting research and development facilities at the Richmond Field the SRTCP (developed concurrently with this Specific Boulevard Specific Plan, this Specific Plan shall govern. Station that would establish a “second campus” for UC Plan) provide guidance for enhancing connections Berkeley and LBNL. Although the plan was reimagined for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit traveling to and Richmond Zoning Ordinance in late 2014 as the Berkeley Global Campus (BGC), which from the Plan Area, and establish detailed, short- and Chapter 4 of this Specific Plan provides development intended to establish a global college in partnership with long-term strategies to implement public infrastructure standards for the Plan Area intended to supersede the foreign research institutions and private companies, this projects. zoning designations described in Chapter 15.04 of the vision was indefinitely suspended in 2016. The LRDP Richmond Municipal Code, unless specifically referenced may be amended as the University continues to explore Parks Master Plan and Urban Greening Master Plan in Chapter 4. Should any conflict exist between standards options for the site that reflect new priorities around The Richmond Parks Master Plan, adopted in 2010, found in this Specific Plan and those found in the enrollment growth and housing. provides guidance to implement General Plan 2030’s Richmond Zoning Ordinance, this Specific Plan shall Parks and Recreation Element and related policies govern. As entities of the State of California, UC Berkeley and found in the Community Health and Wellness Element LBNL are not subject to local land use and zoning through descriptions, performance standards, and design East Bay Regional Park District Master Plan and controls. This Specific Plan provides guidance with guidelines for park classifications. Chapter 4 of this McLaughlin Eastshore State Park General Plan regards to the physical interface between the Richmond Specific Plan establishes a Civic Space Regulating Plan Adopted in 2013, the East Bay Regional Park District Bay Campus and adjacent development and suggests ways that identifies new opportunities for an interconnected Master Plan defines the vision, mission, priorities for in which the University and the City can collaborate to network of approximately 145 acres of new parks future development and maintenance of the East Bay achieve the goals of both plans. and open space within the Plan Area and defines Regional Parks District (EBRPD) which