Parts of a planned facelift for the Burlingame Caltrain station are facing opposition from business owners on West Lane, who say their parking lot next to the train tracks might be taken by Caltrain.
The plan calls for a new northbound platform, the closing of South Lane and the closure of a footpath across the tracks leading to the station. It would also build a 118-space parking lot and reduce the width of West Lane to 18 feet, removing a parking lot owned by Caltrain the businesses use.
Caltrain spokeswoman Jayme Kunz said the plan, to be discussed at a Burlingame City Council meeting Nov. 15, is preliminary. Kunz hopes a solution can be worked out.
Gary Doss, owner of The Museum of Pez Memorabilia at 214 California Drive, organized shop owners on West Lane like Rock 'n Roll Auto Stereo and the Bark Station Dog Grooming Salon to stop the expansion. Doss and landlord Sam Samson met with Caltrain Senior Engineer Al Fung Oct. 27.
"They showed us a very nice aerial photo with their plans on it," Doss said. "They were very polite but they made no promises."
Doss was also told that the parking lot is owned by Caltrain, which had authority to take it.
"We're not trying to disenfranchise any business owners," Kunz said. "We want the best possible compromise."
Doss said he was encouraged by Mike Harvey Honda's recent negotiations with Caltrain, in which the transit authority made some concessions. Harvey's land straddles the tracks.
Doss and other business owners presented their concerns to the City Council Monday, and met with Public Works Director George Bagdon.
Bagdon told Doss he was concerned they had not showed up for Caltrain meetings about the plan, Doss said, but it could be reconciled.
The business owners' proposed solution is to move the planned parking lot to the north side of the station.
With the Burlingame City Council's approval of the closure of South Lane, Kunz said Caltrain planned to start construction by mid-2005.
Stephen Baxter can be reached by e-mail at stephen@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 109. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.
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CA Is Burning said:
The ideological blind sheep are editing & endorsing. When will integrity and honesty return to newspapers, large and small?
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