New Belmont recreation center plans taking shape

Option A also includes 168 parking spaces, roundabout and drop-off areas along the driveway. A 10,000-square-foot gym, playground, splash pad and athletic courts are between the main building and soccer and softball fields; and the community garden remains in its current location. A play yard would also be adjacent to the preschool space within the community center.

The building is also slated to include a meeting room that can accommodate 300 people and the proposed outdoor pool has six lanes.

Relocating the community center closer to Ralston Avenue than where the existing building sits creates “a strong civic presence” and allows the existing building to remain in use during construction of the new one, said Dawn Merkes, principal with Group 4 Architecture. 

Merkes said surveys suggest residents prefer Option A in part because the dog park is separate from the athletic fields whereas in Option B it would be located at the back end of the property adjacent to the softball field. Residents also liked the parking size and layout in Option A. 

Under both options, 71% the property is devoted to open and recreation space while the building footprint and hardscapes account for 29% of the property. The existing building footprint covers 44% of the property with 56% of it reserved as open space. 

Councilwoman Julia Mates prefers Option A because she expects the roundabout to mitigate traffic backups and does not want the garden adjacent to the parking lot as is the case with Option B. She feels the driveway belongs on the west side of the property. 

“The driveway on the west side makes sense, perhaps because it’s there now and near the commercial side of things,” she said, adding that she looks forward to input from traffic experts.

Councilman Charles Stone and Mayor Davina Hurt also opted for Option A. Vice Mayor Warren Lieberman was absent.

“I lean toward Option A because of the roundabout, the massing of the buildings towards Ralston, the overall feel and pattern of things seem more appropriate to me,” Hurt said, adding that she likes the idea of moving the community center closer to Ralston Avenue. “I think it’s brilliant that you move the massing closer to Ralston with the buildings and I think there’re future phasing options when it’s closer to Ralston versus when it’s more into the neighborhood.”

Councilman Doug Kim, on the other hand, said he leans toward Option B because of what it offers in terms of circulation and parking.

“There’s a lot of conflict in different movements the closer you get to the Carlmont Shopping Center and now you have Chase in there and after-school traffic heading out on Maywood — there’s so much going on,” he said. “I think queuing distance matters. Moving all the access away from the intersection with Alameda de las Pulgas is a good thing.” 

Merkes said the residents have also expressed some concerns with the proposed design. Some are concerned that the pool is located too close to Ralston Avenue, dog owners want a bigger dog park and some neighbors are worried about noise impacts.   

zachary@smdailyjournal.com

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