Using Boulevard Saint-Germain in Paris as a model, Millbrae city planners envision a pedestrian-friendly downtown that provides safer roads for cyclists and connectivity to the neighborhoods.
But it will mean El Camino Real through Millbrae will scale down its six lanes to four. The plans call for a “reimagining” of the street, including wider sidewalks, improved crosswalks, more trees and better lighting are some of the aspects that will have both commercial and residential developments. The concepts are part of the city’s General Plan, which sets the stage for future development and other changes in the city through 2040. The General Plan was discussed by the city’s Planning Commission Oct. 6.
Part of the changes also mean El Camino Real could see some higher densities and taller buildings. The maximum height allowed on El Camino Real is a mixed-use area reaching up to 125 feet immediately south of Center Street. In an effort to break down the massing, the buildings north and south of the building step down to 85 feet between the intersections of Capuchino Drive and Victoria Avenue. On the west side of the BART station, the height allows 121 feet and across the street on the west side of El Camino Real, the massing steps down to 65 feet. On the west side of the train tracks along Murchison Drive, the height ranges from 85 feet to 100.
“It’s really about creating a lively pedestrian-oriented downtown that supports higher density mixed-use development,” said James Stickley, urban designer for Wallace Roberts and Todd Planning and Design.
Planning Commissioner Christopher DelNagro expressed concerns about bike lanes with parking spaces next to it along El Camino Real.
Commissioner Nathan Chan said Caltrans sent a letter to the city that stated they believe a Class 4 bike lane, which is a lane that can be separated by various types of barriers, is safer for cyclists than the proposed lanes protected by parking spaces.
Some of the details left DelNagro scratching his head.
The one-way street on Victoria Avenue plans to have a one-way bike lane; however, DelNagro argued the intermodal station and downtown will gain more connectivity if there were two bike lanes in opposite directions.
“People aren’t going to go down to Millbrae Avenue to cross and if they go back down to Hillcrest that’s not really leading into the very tip of downtown, that’s leading to the middle downtown and keeping you away from the end,” said DelNagro.
Vice Chair Alan Wong said another major connectivity issue is in the area surrounding Lomita Park Elementary school, which is wedged between the east side of El Camino Real and the train tracks, that will serve some of the high-density residential developments.
“I don’t see any easy traffic car route to get there,” said Wong, who is concerned that the children attending that school will have a far walk to get there from their neighborhood across Bayside Manor Park.
“We should make it easier for them to access,” said Wong.
DelNagro said that the high-speed rail would only exacerbate the issue.
“Even the crossing at the end of Hemlock that goes across Santa Paula Lane may be lost,” said DelNagro. “That community is going to get more and more isolated and this city needs to plan.”
They are going to be stuck with one way in and one way out which, he added, is a hazard.
“We need to connect probably the Bayside and the Marina Vista communities with some type of crossroad in order to provide safety for these two communities,” said DelNagro.
The general plan was last adopted in 1998, with amendments related to housing and circulation in 2006, 2009, 2103 and 2015. It is required to be updated regularly to comply with changing state law. The city decided in 2015 to initiate a comprehensive general plan update along with a downtown and El Camino Real specific plan and related environmental reports. It also includes multifamily residential design standards and the housing element update. It includes land use, circulation, housing, economic development, noise, safety and recreation and arts. The comprehensive plan was unanimously approved and now heads to the City Council for further review.
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