City awash in housing plans

The Treetops, near the corner of Skyline Boulevard and Sharp Park Road, is planning to build 532 new apartments and possibly demolish the 308 already built.

About 200 of those apartments are filled now, Treetops staff said, and residents would be moved to other parts of the complex as new units are built.

The environmental review process for the Treetops began Wednesday, which usually takes more than a month followed by public review and a probable environmental impact report.

"San Bruno is undervalued now, and financing terms are quite good," said Terry Jackson, interim community development director.

Jackson and Aknin said developers have been inundating the city with calls.

"Every time we pick up the phone it's something — somebody even called from Florida today," Jackson said on Thursday.

The Crossings development completed 300 apartments last month, and another 185 apartments are planned adjacent to its recreation center. Twenty percent of those will be set aside for affordable rents.

A senior village of 228 units is also expected to be built along with 240 condos, Aknin said.

Mixed-use plans are also likely at Lunardi's supermarket at 100 Sky Crest Shopping Center, where the strip mall could be demolished to build 27 houses. Lunardi's would not move, but it could have the option to buy the land it now rents.

The city heard architecture review for the project Thursday night, and it is expected to be considered by the Planning Commission soon.

Seven townhouses are also in the works for 599 Cedar Ave., where the Peninsula Christian Fellowship building stood before it burned down in February of 2002. Environmental studies on it are nearly finished, Aknin said.

The city's staff described housing projects to the City Council at its meeting Tuesday night, and Councilman Chris Pallas expressed concern schools might not be able to accommodate more students.

School enrollment experts in San Mateo have said houses, rather than apartments, often bring more students. More apartments than houses are being built in San Bruno.

The city also weighs factors like traffic, access to water, schools, aesthetics and the environment when considering new housing.

Vice Mayor Irene O'Connell said environmental impact reports often shape development decisions in the city of about 40,000 residents.

"I don't want to people to get all panicky," she said Tuesday night.

Twenty-two acres near College Drive and Skyline College are being developed into 115 single family homes, 80 of which are built and are occupied, Aknin said.

Conceptual plans are also drawn to build 15 to 20 apartments at San Bruno Avenue and Glenview Drive, where a gas station once was, and 588 and 598 San Mateo Ave. are also being explored for renovation.

City Manager Connie Jackson said the plans showed the city's economic health.

"We're very pleased to have the development community's interest," she said. "The property owners are viewing San Bruno as a place to invest."

Stephen Baxter can be reached by e-mail at stephen@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 109. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.