2.3.8. opportunities and needs survey - berkeley, california · 2.3.8. opportunities and needs...

Adeline Corridor Specific Plan Chapter 2: Community Input

City of Berkeley DRAFT | August 2015 2-17

2.3.8. Opportunities and Needs Survey

The project team collected community input through an Opportunities and Needs Survey that focused on understanding assets, issues and opportunities within the Plan Area. The survey launched on April 20, 2015 and closed on June 30, 2015. The survey was distributed electronically and paper versions were distributed at senior centers, the Adeline Community IDEA Center, outreach events (e.g., Juneteenth Festival, South Berkeley Farmers Market) and through direct outreach to community organizations, residents, businesses and business patrons. The Plan Team promoted and publicized the survey through a variety of outreach channels including the City of Berkeley website, flyers, partnerships with community-based organizations and local businesses, regular e-blasts to the Adeline Corridor mailing list and elected officials’ mailing lists, social media, and local media outlets. The survey was also distributed and administered directly throughout the Plan Area by the Plan Team, the Adeline Community Outreach Team (ACOT), and youth workers and volunteers at Youth Spirit Artworks (YSA).

A total of 1,118 surveys were collected (see Table 2.5) from the public including residents, businesses, youth, students, non-profits, community advocates, families, community-based organizations and seniors. The survey provides essential input on community values and priorities to help shape the development of the Plan.

Table 2.5: Adeline Corridor Community Survey (March 2015 – June 2015)

Online Surveys Print Surveys Total

551 567 1,118

Key Findings (Community Survey)

The Opportunities and Needs Survey text and complete survey data can be found in Appendix A. This section summarizes the key survey findings based on responses to 10 questions. The survey analysis is divided into five parts:

Part 1: Survey Participant Profile Part 2: Assets, Needs and Opportunities Part 3: Character of the Corridor Part 4: Visions for the Future Part 5: General Comments

As shown in Table 2.6, the total number of responses varies for each question because some participants did not answer all of the survey questions.



Table 2.6: Opportunities and Needs Survey Response Summary

Question 1 2 3.a 3.b 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Average

Answered 1,118 876 873 446 1,118 942 956 800 777 742 386 821

Skipped 0 242 245 672 0 176 162 318 341 376 732 297

% Response 100% 78% 78% 40% 100% 84% 86% 72% 69% 66% 35% 73%

Note: Survey questions 3, 5 and 6 allow respondents to select multiple options. As a consequence, the response

count total is larger than the number of respondents.

Part 1: Survey Participant Profile (Questions 1 through 4)

Survey participants were asked to share basic demographic information. o Out of 1,118 responses, 73% live in the Berkeley; 31% work in Berkeley; 27%

attend school in Berkeley; 8% own a business in Berkeley; 11% neither live, work, study, or own a business in Berkeley.

812 participants indicated they live in the City of Berkeley in Question 1. However, 873 participants responded to Question 3a: “If a resident, how long have you lived here?”

o Out of 873 responses, 10% of respondents have lived in Berkeley for 30 years or more; 17% of survey participants have lived in Berkeley for16-29 years; 31% of respondents have lived in Berkeley for 6-15 years; 21% have lived in Berkeley for 3-5 years; and 20% have lived in Berkeley for less than 2 years.

354 participants indicated they are employed in the City of Berkeley in Question 1. However, 446 participants responded to Question 3b: “If employed, how long have you worked here?”

o Out of 446 responses, 35% have worked in Berkeley 2 years or less; 20% have worked in Berkeley for 3-5 years; 25 % have worked in Berkeley for 6-15 years; 14% have worked in Berkeley for 16-29 years; and 7% have worked in Berkeley for 30 years or more.

o Out of 1,118 responses, 21% survey participants were under the age of 20; 17% were between 20-29; 19% were between 30-39; 18% were between 40-49; 12% were between 50-59; and 12% were 60 or older.



Figure 2.7 Participants’ Relationship to the Adeline Corridor Plan Area

Participants were also asked to share the nearest intersection to where they live or work. Figure 2.8 illustrates the geographic distribution of survey respondents.

73%

32%26%

8%11%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Yes, live Yes, work Yes, School Yes, own a business

No

Do you live, work, attend school or own a business in the City of Berkeley?



Part 2: Assets, Needs and Opportunities (Questions 5 and 6)

Survey participants were asked to identify the assets and opportunities within the Adeline Corridor, as well as needs for improvement (survey questions 5 and 6).

Question 5: What do you like about the Adeline Corridor? (see Figure 2.9)

Participants were allowed an unlimited number of answer selections in identifying the assets of the corridor, including a write-in option. Neighborhood character was a major theme highlighted in responses to this question. The most frequently selected responses are included below:

● History and culture (49%)

● Local and creative businesses (48%)

● Pedestrian, bicycle, and transit friendly (44%)

● Mix of commercial and entertainment services (44%)

● Well-established neighborhoods (42%)

● Building and neighborhood character (40%)

● Attractive streets (trees, art, etc) (39%)

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AshbyBart

Ed Roberts

Campus Greg Brown

Mini Park

63rd Street

Mini ParkPrince Street

Mini Park

GrovePark

TimMoellering

Field

BerkeleyBowl

Tarea Hall

PittmanLibrary

South Berkeley

Senior Center

AIM MontessoriSchool

Malcolm X Arts and

Academic Magnet

School and Park

BerkeleyTech

Academy

Carleton St

Ward St

Stuart St

Oregon St

Fulton St

Lorina St

Walker St

Newbury St

Tremont St

Whitney St

Dover St Dover St

Emerson St

Essex St

Prince St

Woolsey St

Woolsey St

Prince St

Tyler St

Fairview St

Harm

on St

Harm

on St

63rd St

63rd St

62nd St

62nd St

Poirier St

61st St

63rd St

62nd St

61st St

61st St

City of BerkeleyCity of Oakland

Russell St

Harper St

Otis St

Ellis St

King St

Milvia St

Grant St

Parker St

Blake St

Haste St

Derb

y St

Dw

ight W

ay

Ashb

y Ave

Ashb

y Ave

Alcatraz A

ve

Alcatraz A

ve

MLK Jr. Way

MLK Jr. Way MLK Jr. Way

Adeline StStanford Ave

Shattuck Ave

Adeline St

Shattuck Ave Adeline St

N 0 100 200 400 Feet

City of BerkeleyAdeline Corridor Specific Plan

Data Sources: City of Berkeley GIS

!1-3 surveys

4-8 surveys

9-18 surveys

19-33 surveys

34-55 surveys

Nearest Cross Street of SurveyRespondents

City Border

Plan Area

Legend

Figure 2.8

Adeline Corridor Specific Plan Existing Conditions Report

City of Berkeley - DRAFT | August 2015

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Approximately19% of respondents selected the ‘Other’ option and chose to write-in their own responses (response data can be found in Appendix A). Many write-in responses reflected assets available from the multiple choice selections, but were much more specific.

43%

49%

41%

34%

44%

38%

48%

39%

44%

26%

24%

19%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Well-established neighborhoods

History and culture

Building and neighborhood character

Mix of housing options (rental, ownership, etc.)

Mix of commercial and entertainment services (shops, restaurants, theater, etc.)

Long-time residents

Local and creative businesses

Attractive streets (trees, art, etc)

Pedestrian, bicycle and transit friendly

Easy and safe access to public parks and community amenities

Safe streets (street lighting, crosswalks, etc)

Other (please use lines below for comments)

What do you like about the Adeline Corridor?

Figure 2.9 Assets of the Corridor



Question 6: What would you like to improve about the Adeline Corridor? (see Figure 2.10)

For this question, participants were asked to select three responses. In the online version of the survey, participants were not allowed to continue the survey until they had narrowed their responses to three selections. In the print version, many survey participants selected more than three responses. To reconcile this issue, the Plan Team tallied the additional responses from the print surveys and combined those responses with the online responses to identify the most frequently selected improvements.

The top four selections were:

Enhanced opportunities for affordable housing (37%) Retail, restaurant, and entertainment opportunities (35%) Enhanced public spaces (parks, plazas, civic spaces, etc.) (30%) Local jobs and employment opportunities (28%)



Figure 2.10 Improvements Needed in the Corridor

Approximately 20% of respondents also chose to write in their own responses with the open-ended ‘Other’ option. The Raw Data from Community Survey contained in Appendix A includes write in responses.

37%

35%

28%

30%

20%

17%

24%

14%

12%

15%

17%

20%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Enhanced opportunities for affordable housing

Retail, restaurant and entertainment opportunities

Local jobs and employment opportunities

Enhanced public spaces (parks, plazas, civic spaces, etc.)

Improved access to community amenities (grocery store, senior center, library, etc)

Enhanced opportunities for local and creative businesses

Pedestrian and bicycle safety

Appearance of Adeline Street (sidewalks, medians, etc.)

Better ways to cross Adeline Street

Better utilize Adeline Street to increase public amenities (trees, useable open

spaces, etc)

Neighborhood safety

Other (please use lines below for comments)

What would you like to improve about the Adeline Corridor?



Part 3: Character of the Corridor (Question 7)

Question 7 was designed to understand community perceptions of the Plan Area without preset response limits.

Question 7: If you had to describe the Adeline Corridor to someone from out of town, what would you say? What does it look like? What can you do there?

For this question, participants were asked to describe the Adeline Corridor (as it exists today) to a visitor. This open-ended question generated a wide variety of responses, with several key themes emerging.

Streetscape Design o Wide boulevard with several traffic lanes o Major North-South corridor o Fast moving and noisy auto traffic o The corridor divides and segments the neighborhood o Adeline Street is a freeway used for pass-through traffic o Needs complete streets policy o Designed strictly for motor vehicles

Restaurant and Retail Options o Tuesday Farmer’s Market o Ashby Flea Market o Many local restaurants and coffee shops o Independent and creative retail options

Limited Amenities o Lack of healthy food options o Excess of liquor and corner stores o Lack of grocery stores

Arts District o Art galleries, studios and artist collectives o Independent community theaters o Street art and murals

Ashby BART o Proximity to BART as primary neighborhood amenity o Concerns regarding ease of street-level access from Adeline o BART parking lot is underutilized

Neighborhood Character o Residents are very diverse o Strong sense of community and neighborliness o Rapidly gentrifying o Great neighborhood for arts and artists

Disinvestment and Neglect of the Corridor o Struggling to harness full potential o Many empty and vacant storefronts o Fairly run-down neighborhood o Potential to be a neighborhood epicenter o Feels dirty due to litter in the streets

Safety o Crime rates have improved in recent years



o Still has high level of street crime o Feels unsafe, especially at night

Poverty and Homelessness o Neighborhood needs homeless services o Many panhandlers along Adeline Street

Part 4: Visions for the Future (Questions 8 and 9)

Two additional open-ended questions focused on a community vision for the future of the Adeline Corridor. Question 8 asks participants what changes or improvements they would make to a vacant lot or building along the corridor.

Question 8: If you could improve an underutilized or vacant lot/ building in the Adeline Corridor, what changes would you make?

Many participants suggested adding more public spaces along the corridor. Several survey participants responded that they did not see any need for improvement along the Adeline Corridor, or that they did not know of any vacant lots or buildings along the Corridor. Major themes from the responses are presented below:

Public Uses o Public Parks

Baseball field, soccer field, basketball courts and skate parks o Community Gardens

Increases availability of healthy food Creates community gathering place

o Community Spaces Co-working space (e.g., Impact Hub Oakland) Library Youth activity center Senior center

Housing o Need for affordable housing was emphasized o Multi-family housing needed o Ground floor commercial/ retail space with housing above o Increase housing density o Live/work studios

Restaurants and Cafes o Local and non-franchised businesses were emphasized o Outdoor and sidewalk seating for cafes o Utilize empty lots for food truck events

Retail and Commercial Amenities o Movie Theater o Shopping center and plazas o Ensure that new shops are affordable

Social Services and Non-Profits o Homeless shelters and services o Drop-in center o Community development corporation/ land trust



Arts o Public space for community art o More art galleries and studios o Non-profit and community performing arts studio/rehearsal space

Specific Locations in Need of Improvement o Vacant lot on west side of Adeline Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Way

intersection2

o Ashby BART station parking lot o Automobile dealerships on Shattuck Avenue between Blake Street and Ward

Street

Question 9: What creative ideas of elements from other corridors could be integrated into the long term vision of the Adeline Corridor? (Public art, plazas for socializing, improved bicycle and pedestrian paths, sustainable development, etc.)

Participants were invited to suggest ideas from other corridors that could be integrated into the Adeline Corridor Plan. Responses are categorized below.

Bicycle Amenities and Infrastructure o Dedicated on street bike lanes o Protected bicycle lanes on Adeline o Bicycle and pedestrian paths (e.g., Ohlone Greenway) o Increased bicycle parking o Traffic barriers and bollards

Pedestrian Amenities and Infrastructure o Benches to rest while walking o Improved pavement on sidewalks o More frequent and easier street crossings o Pedestrian bulb-outs at street crossings

Public Art o Emphasize and honor the history of Lorin District o Murals on buildings and walls o Community-based art o Employ local/ neighborhood artists

Landscaping/ Greenery o More street trees o Improve and maintain planter boxes o Urban farms and community gardens o Greenways

Sustainable Development o Rain gardens o Drought-friendly landscaping

Public Spaces o Open plazas on sidewalks with seating o Outdoor seating at cafes and restaurants o Provide central square or park area o Parks, playgrounds, and parklets along corridor o Skate parks

2 This is the site of the planned Harper’s Crossing/SAHA Project discussed in Chapter 3



o Re-purpose parking spaces for parklets or outdoor seating o Public pool

Public Safety o More street lighting o Increase police presence in the community o Reduce crime around Ashby BART

Traffic and Transportation o Focus on moving people instead of cars o Transit village o Traffic calming and road diet strategies o Ashby BART could be car-sharing node

Retail and Commercial Buildings o Street level store fronts o Grocery stores o Renovate run-down buildings o Maintain historic character of commercial buildings

Streetscape Improvements o Reduce street width o Cleaner streets o Improve road surface and eliminate potholes o Provide maintenance and ambassador service similar to Downtown Berkeley o Better use medians

Public Events o Street fairs and festivals o Outdoor movie nights o Food-truck festivals

Part 5: General Comments (Question 10)

In this section, participants were asked to share any additional comments or ideas regarding the Adeline Corridor. Approximately one-third of all total participants answered this question and responses covered a wide range of topics and issues. Most of these comments echoed themes found in responses to earlier questions. The summarized responses are presented below, including:

Maintain housing affordability for current residents Include the community in the planning and implementation process Reduce traffic speeds along Adeline Street Increase services for homeless persons Lower violent and property crime rates in the area Reduce gentrification Coordinate with neighboring cities (e.g., Oakland and Emeryville) Maintain current building heights along Adeline Street Help to foster neighborhood identity through placemaking initiatives Expand study area to include Ashby Create a shopping and retail center Eliminate loitering in front of corner stores Increase safety around Ashby BART station

2.3.8. opportunities and needs survey - berkeley, california · 2.3.8. opportunities and needs...

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