A state appellate court on Friday evening issued a final ruling that stops the University of California, Berkeley from building badly needed student housing on People’s Park and opens controversial new paths to stop development using the state’s environmental law.
UC Berkeley said it would appeal the ruling and reiterated its commitment to reshape the park into a space for student dorms and supportive housing for low-income residents. The plan also includes the creation of a commemorative display honoring the park’s iconic legacy for free speech and civil rights and an open space with landscaping and trees.
Two nonprofits, however, filed a lawsuit to stop the plan, saying it would rob neighbors of green space, damage the park’s historic value and bring more noise and other disruptions to the area.
