Dear Source:

Ira Michael Heyman, Chancellor of the University of California at Berkeley, from 1980-1990 and Professor Emeritus of Law and City Planning, died recently at the age of 81. Among numerous accomplishments, he played a major role in authoring the VI Coastal Zone Management Act of 1978. To the present, this statute with its goals and policies undoubtedly brought about effective measures in controlling development of coastal land and water resources while encouraging sound and wise use.

While studying planning at UC Berkeley in 1972, I took a course “Law and City Planning” with Professor Heyman, with whom I was so impressed that I later did an independent study with him focusing on VI submerged lands from a federal prospective in devising a coastal zone management (CZM) land use system for the VI. Later, As Director for the preparation of CZM program at the VI Planning Office, I engaged the services of Heyman, assisted by Attorney Don Gralnek, to analyze all Danish, Federal and Territorial statutes and to draft a comprehensive CZM statute which was later adopted by the VI Legislature and Governor. Yet another role he played, was to review the concessions granted by Denmark to WICO and advised me, then Commissioner of the VI Conservation Department, on the rights of WICO and any legal restrictions. This resulted in a Memorandum of Understanding with WICO and the VI Government which resulted in a substantial reduction in the amount of submerged lands that could be filled or used by WICO to less than 25 percent of the original amount granted by Denmark. Without this reduction, the VI Government would have been hard-put financially to acquire WICO later on.

Heyman graduated from Dartmouth College in 1951 and Yale University Law School in 1956, thereafter, he served as Chief Law Clerk to Chief Justice Earl Warren at the US Supreme Court from 1958 to 1959. He then joined the faculty at Berkeley’s Law School and the Department of Planning. He was named Berkeley’s sixth Chancellor and served in that capacity from 1980 to 1990. Among other positions, he held that of Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution from 1994 to 1990, the first non-scientist in that position. He was also a Deputy Assistant at the US Department of the Interior where he established a methodology for land use planning for ecosystems that has been used across the country.

Heyman is well known for increasing minority representation in the student body and on the faculty during his 10 years as Chancellor. His efforts stirred considerable debate and controversy. He is credited with setting a course for the University which is still evident today, and noted as a prolific fund raiser; raising private gifts from $30 million to over $100 million annually.

I last met with Heyman about 4 years ago at Berkeley‘s Faculty Club. I always had great respect for him as an outstanding land use and environmental lawyer, who would respond whenever I had a very critical legal issue and without any compensation. He truly understood the planning process, and I learned from him that when plans are being devised implementation mechanism ought to be considered at the same time, not after.

Darlan Brin

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