Downtown San Carlos design OK’d

With Laurel Street functioning as a central spine, the plan tackles street improvements to areas between Holly Street to the north and Greenwood Avenue to the south, bounded by El Camino Real to the east and Walnut Street to the west. Cherry Street and San Carlos Avenue are also prioritized segments leading to and embracing the Civic Center. 

“One important part of this concept is that 700 block doesn’t feel like the end of the special place of downtown,” Jim Stickley, landscape architect and urban design consultant, said. “That specialness extends to the 600 and 800 blocks as well.”

Proposed as “The ‘L,’” there is particular focus on flowing travel from the Caltrain station, through San Carlos Avenue, and onto the main Laurel Street strip. Promoting alternative modes of transit, the proposed street designs establish protected bike lanes throughout downtown. 

Arley Lewis, a volunteer with San Carlos Bikes, an organization promoting alternate transportation in the city, said the organization is proud of the safety measures established in this plan. Multiple public commenters expressed they were proponents of the bike lane aspects that specify space for them on the road. 

On San Carlos Avenue specifically, the proposed plan looks to reduce to only one driving lane each way, establish a protected bike lane and move to parallel parking rather than diagonal spaces. There would also be an expansion of the sidewalk space here to accommodate outdoor dining space. 

Council raised concern over the proposed loss of an estimated 50 parking spaces throughout the entire focus area. Stickley said the net loss won’t feel as drastic considering how many spaces in the area are currently used as parklets for dining, which will be removed. 

“If we want all this enhanced pedestrian environment and greening, something has to give,” Stickley said. “The parking removal is going to give us the opportunity to have other things.” 

Also, Stickley pointed out that the loss of parking will ultimately be gradual, as construction and implementation of the overall plan will be conducted in phases over the course of likely many years, allowing residents to slowly get used to what will be available. 

With the move away from parklets, which was once necessary for dining during the pandemic, Stickley said the increase in sidewalk space will ideally compensate for any lost outdoor dining space available. Vice Mayor Sara McDowell said it won’t compare to what is currently used by local businesses. 

“People prefer to eat outdoors,” she said. “With this plan, it just makes me a little sad that we’re really restricting the outdoor dining that our community was pushing for.”  

Concern was also raised by Councilmember Adam Rak about the timeline for this project, which he said is pushed back further each time they’ve been presented the proposal. Porras said the Downtown Specific Plan must follow the upcoming General Plan reset, which serves as the overarching guiding document on capacity and need. 

After Councilmember Pranita Venkatesh asked when the financial component would be ready to be proposed, Porras said staff is working on cost estimates and will present it to the Downtown Subcommittee later this month. 

Stickley said he and city staff will take into consideration concerns raised during the meeting, as the approval is only for the general design intent, rather than specifics. Next, staff will conduct technical studies on traffic and parking to see what will be viable in the area.