North Rollins Road in Burlingame slated for thousands of new homes

The city’s general plan, adopted in 2019, calls for nearly 3,000 units of housing to be added citywide, the Rollins Road area to account for 1,200 of them. But with housing affordability worsening and state goals released indicating Burlingame will need to permit 3,257 units of housing between 2023 and 2031, the city is eyeing the area to expand its original projections.

“This is a crucial and very exciting endeavor by the city,” said Councilmember Michael Brownrigg. “If every city created a general plan that imagined growing its population by 20% in 10 years, we’d solve the housing crisis.”

The council hopes to adopt a specific plan for the neighborhood by spring of next year, a document that will provide detailed guidelines and design standards for developers to follow.

At least two projects in the area have already been approved, a 265-unit building at 1 and 45 Adrian Court and a 298-unit building at 30 Ingold Road. Construction on the projects, which will integrate some commercial uses, is expected to begin in coming years. A third submitted project by developer Hanover Company looks to build another 420 units at 1855 to 1881 Rollins Road.

“As jobs continue to increase, we need more housing for the people taking those jobs.” said Community Development Director Kevin Gardiner. “The City Council has been very cognizant of the need to balance the workforce numbers with the housing numbers and have Burlingame provide its fair share of housing.”

Additionally, falling short of the state goal, called the Regional Housing Needs Allocation, could result in the ability of developers to leverage state laws to force the city to approve developments without them being subject to the city’s usual planning process. It could also limit the city’s ability to receive certain state funding.

While Burlingame hopes to keep the Rollins Road neighborhood mostly residential, it will join with an area also in the process of a massive transformation in Millbrae. The plans for Millbrae to develop the area surrounding the BART and Caltrain station, which is also planned as a future high-speed rail stop, with multiple biotech campuses, office and retail space, hotels and housing. 

Gardiner compared the Rollins Road transformation to the Dogpatch neighborhood in San Francisco, an area transitioning from aging industrial buildings to include housing along with large-scale commercial uses. 

“The Rollins Road area in general seems to capture people’s imaginations in that it will be a unique neighborhood unlike anything else in Burlingame,” said Gardiner “It’s a coexistence of industrial uses and residential uses which is unique. That will appeal to other types of households than in other parts of Burlingame, and I think that’s part of the point.”

With the neighborhood bordered by Highway 101 and train tracks, a pedestrian bridge or tunnel is also being explored to link the site with California Drive to the west. Mayor Ann O’Brien Keighran emphasized the need for the future residents to be integrated with the rest of the community.

“We want them also to visit the rest of Burlingame and not be isolated in their own neighborhood,” she said. “I do think Broadway can really benefit from developing this neighborhood.”

Councilmember Donna Colson thanked Burlingame residents for having “open hearts and open minds” and not “battling” the city on the expansion.

“I hope that when people look at the City Council in Burlingame, the city doesn’t get cast as a ‘not in my backyard’ city,” she said. “This is a yes in my backyard.”

corey@smdailyjournal.com

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