Judge to rule Monday on Berkeley oaks, facility

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jan 24, 2007

An Alameda County Superior Court judge will decide Monday if a development plan at the University of California, Berkeley, can move forward pending several lawsuits trying to stop it.

In an all-day hearing in a Hayward courtroom Tuesday, Judge Barbara Miller heard from university lawyers and representatives for three of the four different groups that have filed lawsuits against UC Berkeley.

The groups hope to stop construction of a $125 million sports training facility, offices and a 900-space parking lot.

Some of the groups also are trying to save a grove of historic oak trees.

The judge took the testimony under advisement and will issue a written ruling Monday. A temporary restraining order barring construction has been in place for several weeks.

The UC Board of Regents unanimously approved the plan in December.

A short time later, the Panoramic Hill Association, the city of Berkeley and a group of 12 plaintiffs that include the California Oak Foundation and Save the Oaks at the Stadium, filed lawsuits to stop the project because of safety and other concerns. The area is on an active earthquake fault line.

A group called Save Tightwad Hill later filed its own suit because the group claims that renovations at Memorial Stadium will block their free view of home games.

University spokeswoman Marie Felde said the university wants to build the new sports training facility and upgrade Memorial Stadium to make it safer for everyone.

"If we don't make improvements then the current situation will continue to exist. The fact is there is an earthquake fault, and we need to improve the facilities there to improve life safety," she said.