Ice rink site owner ups cash offer: San Mateo’s Bridgepointe seeks retail instead of recreational use

The City Council will finally weigh in on the controversial proposal at a meeting Monday, April 18, that’s anticipated to attract hundreds who’ve fought hard to reopen the rink since SPI closed it in 2013.

SPI’s Gary Miranda wrote to the council Friday, a day after city staff released a report suggesting the council side with the Planning Commission’s recommendation to deny the proposal. Miranda wrote SPI would give $1 million to PAL’s programs for underserved youth.

“The San Mateo PAL provides inclusive recreational opportunities for the underserved youth of San Mateo. The additional $1 million charitable donation would assist the PAL in offering recreational programs benefiting a much larger group of San Mateo children,” Miranda wrote, adding it is contingent on SPI being allowed to wash its hands of the rink.

San Mateo Police Chief Susan Manheimer, also a member of the PAL Board of Directors, said the offer came as a complete surprise and she would be delighted by the donation but emphasized that the organization is a nonprofit and not part of the city organization.

“We are independent and not part of any deliberations or negotiations with the city or SPI,” Manheimer said.

In its letter to the council Friday, SPI also confirmed what supporters have feared — they do not plan on reopening the rink even if the council denies its request. Instead, SPI has suggested they would seek an alternate recreational use on the site, which is permitted so long as it receives the approval of the Planning Commission — an appointed group of citizens who’ve twice publicly chastised the owner for closing the rink.

“If the council declines to delete the condition requiring a recreational use, as we have previously indicated, we will not be reopening a skating rink, but rather will be returning with an alternate recreational use consistent with the current condition,” according to SPI’s letter.

If that were to occur, it’s likely a robust debate would ensue about what other use could be offered that compares to the rink.

Save the Bridgepointe Ice Rink supporters Dina Artzt and Len Rosenduft said it’s unfortunate that the owner is continuing to play hardball and is unwilling to truly collaborate with the city and community. The duo said they believe SPI could redevelop the site, increase the building footprint as well as height and create both retail and an ice rink.

“The $1 million to PAL represents a one-time payment, the ice rink will be gone forever. The community has already expressed their outrage at how SPI has conducted this process,” Rosenduft said, adding this 11th-hour proposal should be evaluated by planners. “We would hope that rather than dribble out these [proposals], trying to see what sticks, that they would simply sit down with the community and try to find a win-win solution.”

Artzt added the offer seems like a political ploy, as the council may fear it would look improper to turn down money for PAL. But in reality, Artzt said SPI has shown little true concern for the community.

Monday marks the first time the council formally weighs in on SPI’s proposal that continually sought to demolish the rink, but offered varying incentives along the way.

Initially, SPI suggested possibly funding artificial turf and restroom replacements at a city-owned site. It then came back with a preliminary application suggesting the city come up with its own demands before the commission responded extremely unfavorably to SPI’s pre-application. The owner then came back offering $3 million last year — a proposal it increased to an overall $4 million offer on Friday.

SPI and a city-hired economic analyst have stated the $3 million is in line with what the council can charge per state case law, which limits the city’s ability to demand more than what it would cost to place a similar zoning restriction on another property. It also prevents the city from asking for the actual cost of replacing the rink — which could take an estimated $10 million, minimum.

The Planning Commission questioned whether the economic analysis was flawed — a point Mayor Joe Goethals picked up on. If SPI is absolutely unwilling to reopen the rink, focusing on the economic analysis will be important, he added.

Regardless, Goethals said he’s committed to ensuring the vision that the former council had in the late ’90s when it first required the rink remain as the community benefit that mitigated the environmental impacts of redeveloping the site.

“I said all along that I was going to do what was best for kids in San Mateo and for recreational opportunities in San Mateo,” Goethals said, noting Belmont is also losing an ice rink and it may be time to actively look at means to create a rink within the region, even if it’s not within the city.

Open to hearing further proposals from SPI, Goethals acknowledged he wants developers to recognize the city’s interest is serving its residents.

“I certainly would be proud of any City Council that put recreation above retail,” Goethals said. “But there’s a point where the money you could get from SPI would give you enough opportunity for recreation … . We have good economic conditions right now, this is a great opportunity for a win-win.”