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Council votes to reopen Dorothea to vehicles temporarily while pursuing activation plans
Summary
The Berkeley City Council approved motion M11124 to reopen Dorothea to vehicular traffic in the near term, while directing staff to plan short-term activations and continue work on a long-term master plan; the vote passed 5–2 after public comment from a nearby business owner who said the closure had hurt foot traffic.
The Berkeley City Council voted to reopen Dorothea to vehicular traffic in the immediate future while pursuing short-term activations and consulting on a long-term plan. The motion, presented to the council as M11124 and reflecting a petition from the Downtown Development Authority, passed 5–2 on roll call.
Miss Van Vleck read the DDA’s request to reopen Dorothea and to ‘‘consider upcoming seasonal temporary closures and public space activation’’ while remaining ready to determine a long-term plan. She reminded the council that an existing traffic-control order remains in effect for one year, which allows short-term pilots without immediately changing that order.
Council members debated what ‘‘activation’’ should mean in practice. One councilor asked to confirm that approving the motion would not foreclose a permanent closure, and Miss Van Vleck answered that long-term decisions remain with the council and that the DDA and city master plans include a potential permanent closure as an option. Several council members emphasized the need for a concrete activation plan, including a timeframe and responsibility for programming and community engagement, before any enduring changes are made.
During public comment, Matthew Castle, co-owner of Bombshell Treat Bar at Coolidge and Dorothea, told the council the closure has hurt his business and local traffic flow. "The shutdown of Dorothea has hurt my business," Castle said, asking the city to reopen the street ‘‘as soon as possible, until a plan can be put into place to create a more permanent solution that fits in with the city master plan.’’
On the roll call, council members Belani, Gavin, Hennen, Patterson and Dean voted yes; council members Baker and Black voted no. The motion’s passage authorizes the city to reopen the street in the short term and directs staff to coordinate pilot activations and continue planning toward a longer-term decision.
Council members agreed that any short-term activations should be paired with robust public engagement and clear metrics so the city can evaluate impacts on businesses, traffic and public space use. The council did not set a definitive activation schedule at the meeting; next steps include staff-level planning and follow-up briefings to the council.
The council took the vote at the Dec. 16 regular meeting and adjourned later that evening.
