Meeting raises growth concerns in Burlingame

While the session served primarily as an opportunity for residents living between Highway 101 and downtown to air grievances, officials did provide some potential solutions for addressing their problems.

Establishing a permit program designed to discourage nearby workers and travelers from parking in the neighborhood and implementing traffic calming measures intended to reduce cut-through traffic were among some of the fixes suggested by officials.

Public Works Director Syed Murtuza showed optimism for the potential effectiveness offered by launching a parking permit program to rectify the frustrations some residents have with the ongoing lack of available street spaces.

“I have some good news — there is a solution,” said Murtuza, to the crowed packed in the Burlingame Recreation Center.

He said other Burlingame neighborhoods abutting commercial districts such as Burlingame Avenue or Broadway have seen success in limiting overflow parking on residential streets by establishing similar programs and encouraged Lyon Hoag residents to consider such an initiative.

Lyon Hoag residents have also complained about travelers who will park for extended periods of time in the neighborhood then catch a ride to San Francisco International Airport, which is easily accessible through the neighborhood’s proximity to Highway 101.

To launch a parking program, Murtuza said residents would need to collect a supermajority of the neighborhood’s support through a petition. The permit application would then be vetted by the city’s Traffic, Safety and Parking Commission before going to the City Council for final approval.

If ultimately implemented, the permit would cost a house about $54 and allow two cars per household to park on the street, said Murtuza.

As residents noted though, it is an imperfect solution, because more homeowners are subdividing lots to build a second unit, which could invite additional demand needing to be addressed through the permit program.

The issue is compounded by construction of accessory dwelling units, or granny units, which some have identified as a low-cost solution to addressing the region’s housing crisis.

Beyond parking issues, construction more generally was a frequent issue raised at the meeting as residents cited ongoing development as the source of their many quality of life concerns.

Many residents questioned why officials continued to approve commercial development in Burlingame, as the resulting job growth led to worsening traffic conditions, more parking problems and construction of large buildings some considered incompatible with the community’s character.

Growth also invites cut-through traffic in the neighborhood, claimed Lyon Hoag residents who said too often streets near their homes are flooded with speeding cars headed to one of the city’s shopping or commercial districts.

To address those issues, officials suggested infrastructure improvements such as traffic circles or bulbouts may be in order to slow down drivers. Officials have budgeted about $200,000 in the capital improvement plan to further study the matter.

Regarding general growth criticism though, officials noted they are limited in their authority to deny development proposals, and instead seek to manage building in the most responsible fashion possible.

“As frustrating as this can be, it’s a balancing act,” said Planning Director Kevin Gardiner, recognizing the concerns shared by some residents.

Looking ahead, officials said the feedback they received during the discussion would inform some of the planning decisions they will make in the future. One mechanism through which the perspectives can be addressed is the city’s General Plan, as officials are in the process of updating the community’s future master development policy, said Gardiner.

For his part, Mayor Michael Brownrigg said he appreciated the opinions shared by residents during the discussion and committed to working to ameliorating their concerns.

“There are a variety of ways to address these issues and this is just the first step,” he said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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