Burlingame OKs general plan update

Under the decision, development regulations in certain portions of the city will be loosened as officials look to accommodate residential growth as a means of addressing the affordable housing crisis.

For her part, Mayor Donna Colson expressed her admiration for the countless hours spent by residents and officials in advance of the final approval vote.

“This is the single most important piece of legislation this council will produce or has produced in the last five years,” she said, according to video of the meeting. “It is the absolute road map for how we will address many, many concerns and many, many issues going forward into the future of Burlingame.”

Councilman Ricardo Ortiz also lauded the vision and hard work sunk into approving the update expected to last until 2040.

“This is a document we can all be really proud of,” he said.

Under the approval, officials made way for changes in the city’s northern portion near Rollins Road and the Millbrae border by allowing for taller and denser residential development.

The update also allows limited residential development on the upper floors of the Broadway commercial district aims to inject vibrancy into the area, while preserving the existing space for shops, restaurants and services along the street.

With an eye on accommodating transit-oriented development near the Millbrae BART and Caltrain station, officials are hopeful to establish new neighborhoods in the area primarily occupied by industrial uses.

The Rollins Road area is designed to transition into an area accommodating live-work spaces while nearby the zoning regulations along El Camino Real are amended to allow bigger residential projects.

Beyond their approval of the general plan, officials also accepted an urgency ordinance seeking to update the zoning in the Rollins Road and north Burlingame areas.

The urgency ordinance was recommended partially in an effort to assure any projects proposed in the area could move ahead while the general plan came into effect.

Terms of the ordinance are only temporary though, as councilmembers agreed more discussion is in order to assure all zoning regulations for the growth area are appropriate.

To that end, Councilman Michael Brownrigg wanted to assure that any large residential projects built in the area include appropriate amounts of open space.

“We need to be mindful of creating really good open space,” he said.

Councilmembers also agreed policies in the area needed to be examined assuring large residential developments will include a reasonable amount of affordable units. With more discussion on the horizon, officials unanimously approved the urgency zoning regulations.

While officials amended development policies in certain portions of the city, other segments such as neighborhoods, downtown and the Bayside were preserved.

Broadly as it relates to the general plan and variety of related zoning updates, Vice Mayor Emily Beach said she appreciated the many perspectives which were considered in the process.

“I think we can be really proud of this document,” she said.

Meanwhile, Brownrigg lauded the local control exercised in the effort to move Burlingame into the coming decades.

“This is allowing a city to determine how it wants to grow, and not the one-size-fits all approach that is often suggested by Sacramento,” he said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 105