2708 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94704

Residential Southside District - Hillside Overlay Zone

The purpose of the Residential Southside (R-S) district is to: Implement General Plan and Southside Plan policy by encouraging relatively high and moderate-density, multi-Story residential development close to major shopping, transportation, and employment centers; Make housing available for persons who desire a convenient location with relatively small amounts of usable open space, yet assure adequate light, air, privacy and usable open space to promote and protect their physical and mental health; Protect adjacent properties from unreasonable obstruction of light and air; Permit the construction of residential structures, such as apartments, and residential hotels, which will provide housing opportunities for transient or seasonal residents; Encourage the construction of new housing on vacant properties and surface parking lots; Encourage the redevelopment of single-Story structures that are not historically significant resources with more dense housing development; and Protect and enhance historically and architecturally significant buildings by ensuring that new development and alterations complement their existing architectural character.; The purpose of the Hillside (H) overlay zone is to: implement General Plan policies for hillside development; protect the safety and health of residents where steep topography, unusual street conditions and proximity to the wildland-urban interface create severe risk from wildfire; protect the character of Berkeley's hillside areas and their immediate environs; give reasonable protection to views yet allow appropriate development of all property; and allow modifications in standard setback and height requirements when justified because of steep topography, irregular lot pattern, unusual street conditions, or other special aspects of the hillside areas.