San Bruno plan aims to shape future development

Mixed-use development, a 20-acre increase in parks and drawing people downtown are all part of San Bruno’s vision for the next 20 years in the updated draft general plan.

After a number of public meetings vetting the 200-page document updating the 1984 general plan, the City Council will hold a public hearing before approving the proposal. Changes include land use, economic development, transportation, open space and recreation, environmental resources and conservation. These were cultivated as a result of community input during the 2002 general plan update committee process representing the city’s plan for the next 20 years, a public comment period of the environmental impact report last year and two recent public meetings. Now, city officials have a chance to revisit the nearly finalized plan. If approved, the plan will go into effect in 30 days.

Mayor Larry Franzella is excited about just getting to this point. Franzella, however, will not be able to vote on the proposal. He has recused himself from conversations and votes due to potential conflicts of interest because he owns multiple properties in the city.

Creating more transit-oriented development while increasing downtown visitors is a main focus moving ahead, said Community Development Director Aaron Aknin. Achieving this goal is aided by promoting housing on El Camino Real north of Crystal Springs Road without retail space. Multi-user buildings will be centered around San Mateo Avenue hopefully drawing more traffic downtown.

Kicking off downtown revitalization are plans to turn an old San Bruno theater and two vacant bars into 48 condominiums and 15,800 square feet of retail space and underground parking creating a new downtown entryway. When approved in January, city officials expressed hope the plans for 406-418 San Mateo Ave. will be downtown’s catalyst for change.

The development will include reworking the intersection of San Mateo Avenue and El Camino Real to increase views onto the avenue.

Adding office space in the Bayhill area is a goal within the plan as well. Demand for space has increased after Google and YouTube moved into the area. The Gap office building has little space for tenants but ample parking. Creating a parking garage and increasing the office space is a possibility down the road.

These projects are connected by the transit corridor. Many shuttles are already in place for office employees from the Bay Area Rapid Transit and Caltrain stations. Building on shuttle services to connect offices with downtown could boost business, said Aknin.

The long-term vision of the transit corridor includes downtown San Bruno (San Mateo Avenue), Huntington Avenue, portions of El Camino Real and San Bruno Avenue. Reports on current conditions are completed and available online at www.sanbrunotransitcorridorsplan.org. These will be reviewed as a starting point during the community meeting. Overall, the goal is to finalize a transit corridor plan by the end of 2009 which will provide more details than the general plan, still undergoing updates. A second community meeting is scheduled for May.

Lastly, the city hopes to create an additional 20 acres of park space by encouraging large developments to cluster housing allowing for pockets of open space.

One new policy resulting from the public meetings was furthering input into reviews of the San Francisco International Airport. Under the new health and safety policy, the city should participate in environmental analyses of the airport to better understand environmental issues affecting San Bruno.

In other business, the council, acting as the Redevelopment Agency, will discuss authorizing a letter setting terms for an owner participation agreement with Stegner San Bruno LLC. The $550,000 investment would aid in efforts to open a casual fine-dining restaurant along El Camino Real at the Crossings San Bruno site. San Bruno worked with Martin/Regis to secure a deal over two years without securing an agreement. As a result, Martin/Regis paid the city $300,000 in liquidated damages. This money and redevelopment tax revenue will be used to cover expenses in opening a restaurant by Marcovici brothers who own the Boulevard Cafe in Daly City.

The council meets 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 24 at the Senior Center, 1555 Crystal Springs Road in San Bruno.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105.

.