A pilot program allowing Burlingame restaurants to place seating in parking spaces during the pandemic as a way to keep them in business will be extended another 18 months while city officials gauge community needs.
As of Sept. 6, there are 34 parklets in the Broadway and downtown districts. Those parklets account for a loss of 74 parking spaces.
The City Council meeting on Monday addressed issues and concerns regarding ADA compliance, aesthetics and cleanliness from the meeting as they formulated a plan before the Dec. 31, 2022 deadline.
“We think we should have a more citywide conversation whether these should be permanent, but we thought 18 more months with COVID in the rear[view] mirror we would be able to come to that conversation and say, yes they should be permanent,” said Vice Mayor Michael Brownrigg. “Heck, maybe one of these streets should be shut, [but] there can be a larger, wider conversation about how we want our streets to evolve, rather than making that decision right now.”
A communitywide survey gauged thoughts on the future of the parklet program. The results yielded 506 responses, 70.48% indicated they would support an extension or moving to a long-term program. Approximately 83.3% of the respondents were residents, and approximately 21.5% identified as business owners, according to the staff report.
However, not all the feedback received was in favor of permanent parklets.
“We received pretty significant feedback from the non-restaurant businesses that if we turned this into a permanent program they would be very unhappy,” said Councilmember Donna Colson.
Councilmember Emily Beach raised concerns for existing parklets that are not being used regularly.
Public Works Director Syed Murtuza responded his staff is working on getting parklets not being used regularly to either be used or taken down. Additionally, he mentioned they have not received any complaints from nearby businesses but are actively working on the situation.
Colson said there was also concern about aesthetic standards, regarding design, fresh paint and dead plants, which are an eyesore.
“That has been a recurring theme and comment amongst naysayers that one of the reasons they didn’t like them is that some of them [parklets] were not held to the same high aesthetic standards as others and maybe even cleanliness,” said Colson.
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Murtuza responded that it is the responsibility of the merchants to keep their parklet up to date and safe.
“We don’t go into defining the details of the aesthetics as the belief that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but we do want to make sure they are kept up,” said Murtuza, adding there will be conditions on general maintenance if the council extends the program.
Councilmember Ann O’Brien Keighran expressed her concern for cleanliness, ADA compliance, overall walkability and the aesthetic design of the parklets.
“Sometimes by midday the sidewalks look like they have been destroyed,” said O’Brien.
Even though it costs more money, is it possible to clean more than once a day, or have the merchants raise their awareness and take part in cleaning as well, she added.
“I worry also about slipping and falling with some of the substances I’ve walked down Burlingame Avenue,” said O’Brien.
Over time, she said there can be a further discussion of how to restructure Burlingame Avenue with the parklets.
The pilot parklet program has been charging $1,500 per year rent for the parklet since January 2022 and collecting cleaning fees of $250 per month since April 2022.
Rent and cleaning fees from the 34 parklet users will add up to approximately $51,000 and $102,000, respectively, which would help offset city costs to maintain the current level of service per year, according to the staff report.
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(2) comments
So in addition addition to the $1500 annual rent and $250 monthly cleaning fees, now merchants are responsible for keeping their parklet up to date and safe, including aesthetics and plants? And now the city wants merchants to clean their sidewalks more than once a day? What is the $250 monthly cleaning fee for, if not cleaning? Seems like the city is continuing to pass costs onto struggling merchants – you know, the struggling merchants who were shut down through no fault of their own. I’d recommend that Burlingame merchants explore whether the grass is greener down the street in another city. A city that doesn’t treat you as an ATM so you’re able to enjoy more of your own green.
$375 / month is an amazing deal. I'm surprised it's so cheap. Makes sense to hold users to a high standard when the economics of the deal is so favorable
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