The UC, Qualcomm and the Redwood Grove

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The UC, QUALCOMM and the REDWOOD GROVE

The University of California wishes to remove 16 redwood trees at Ridge Road and Le Roy Ave, in Berkeley.  The trees stand in a lot behind Soda Hall.

The university has plans to replace the trees with the $20 million dollar, privately funded 'Jacobs Institute for
Design Innovation' - named after and paid for by Paul E Jacobs, the former CEO and now currently executive chairperson of Qualcomm.  Jacobs is a son of the founder of Qualcomm, Irwin Jacobs.

Qualcomm has direct representation in the UC Regents, through Sherry Lansing who is both a regent and board member of Qualcomm.  Lansing recieves a $135,000 director's fee from Qualcomm and over $1million in stock options.  After Lansing joined the Qualcomm board, the UC invested $397million in Qualcomm.

UC Berkeley claims the trees in the redwood grove are "not doing well", but in actuality the trees appear healthy.
The City of Berkeley claims the trees in the redwood grove are obstructing the public right of way for pedestrians on the Ridge Road sidewalk.  However the trees are not placed directly at the sidewalk, and the trunks of the trees do not lean into the sidewalk as to be an obstruction.  There are branches shading the sidewalk on Ridge Road, but the branches overhanging the sidewalk are up high enough that pedestrians walk underneath them with plenty of clearance.

Sources:
http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/02/18/new-uc-berkeley-building-comes-under-fire/
http://spot.us/pitches/337-investors-club-how-the-uc-regents-spin-public-funds-into-private-profit/story

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Save the Redwood Grove
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Berkeley City Government contact info:
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Roster.aspx

Mayor Tom Bates
Email: mayor@CityofBerkeley.info
Phone: (510) 981-7100
2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704

City Councilperson of District 6 Susan Wengraf
Email: swengraf@CityofBerkeley.info
Phone: (510) 981-7160

UC Berkeley Chancellor Nick Dirks
Email: chancellor@berkeley.edu
Phone: (510) 642-7464
Office of the Chancellor
200 California Hall #1500
Berkeley, CA 94720-1500