Burlingame housing: Seven story, 144-unit complex planned for 2 Park Road

In addition, the 2 Park Road development is applying Senate Bill 330 to freeze city development standards and streamline approvals, Assembly Bill 130 to exempt the project from environmental review and Assembly Bill 2097 to lighten parking requirements due to proximity to a transit station, although the development will still include 140 parking spots. 

Opinions on the project, which will span nearly an acre of property that includes what is now 12 and 16 Park Road and requires the demolition of the former Crosby-N. Gray & Co. funeral home, fitness space and office, were mixed during the Planning Commission meeting. The planned development has gained the endorsement of Greenbelt Alliance, an environmental and land use organization. 

“A major part of ensuring sufficient environmental protection is also to ensure sufficient housing in our existing communities, and that is exactly what 2 Park Road does,” Andrew Ha, Greenbelt Alliance state and regional senior resilience associate, said. 

Its proximity to the Burlingame Caltrain station qualifies it as a transit-oriented development, Andrew O’Such, Windy Hill Property Ventures principal, said. 

“[We’re] focused on [transit-oriented development] and infill projects that strengthen communities and support sustainable growth,” he said. “Our goal is to be thoughtful developers and focus on urban, transit-oriented sites.” 

Some residents raised concerns about the height of the proposed structure, given that it backends residential homes on nearby Lorton Avenue. Mary Jane Bryce, who lives in the area, said the size of the building was particularly bothersome given residents weren’t asked for their opinions in the planning process. 

“Nice building — too big. Too, too big,” she said. “It is going to overshadow the structure of the homes on Lorton Avenue, including ours. We’re not going to get sunlight.” 

While commissioners made some suggestions around the addition of tree bulbouts on the bordering roads, they emphasized that state laws give local planning commissions no control around building height and size. 

“It could have been a lot worse,” Commissioner Chris Horan said. “Really, local cities don't have a lot of say in the size of these projects. What we do have a say in is the aesthetic and making it as beautiful as possible … on the density side and the height side, we actually have no control over that anymore.”