The San Mateo City Council will discuss its controversial North Central Bike Lanes Project and housing topics around Senate Bill 9 and ADUs at its upcoming Tuesday, Feb. 22, meetings.
The project in North Central proposes building bicycle lanes on East Poplar Avenue from El Camino Real to North Delaware Street, North Delaware Street from East Poplar Avenue to Indian Avenue, and Humboldt Street from Peninsula Avenue to Fifth Avenue. A bicycle boulevard would be added on Indian Avenue from Delaware Street to North Humboldt Street, Poplar Avenue from Delaware Street to Eldorado Street, and Eldorado Street from Poplar Avenue to Indian Avenue. However, the city would have to remove 214 parking spaces due to limited road width.
Many residents in the neighborhood oppose the project, leading to more public outreach from the city to find potential parking mitigation measures. Those against the project worry about removing parking in an already crowded area where parking already causes issues. Others have also criticized how many working-class people in the neighborhood would be affected, while those more privileged could more easily transition to bikes and alternative transit modes.
Those for the project note it would improve connectivity and sustainability between parks, schools and transit. It would also improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians in an area with several serious collisions between bicyclists and cars. Environmental benefits and an increased bicycle infrastructure to encourage bike use are also positives. The Feb. 22 meeting will provide an update and the City Council will provide staff with project direction and potential support programs.
The council will also debate an ordinance for an appropriate height limit for accessory dwelling units in San Mateo and if there should be daylight plane restrictions. ADUs are secondary housing units on a property that shares the same lot as a single-family home. Discussions will also include how to regulate decks on two-story ADUs. The city has received 174 applications for ADUs since 2020, with 18 being two-story. Currently, the draft ordinance calls for a size limit of 650 square feet for JADUs and no size limit for ADU, under certain restrictions. The city is updating its rules to comply with recently passed state legislation that updated regulations and created minimum standards around ADUs.
Recommended for you
The council will talk about housing development standards for an upcoming city ordinance that addresses SB 9 requirements. The much-debated state bill that went into effect Jan. 1 allows additional housing units in single-family residential zones by allowing for lot splits. The state passed the law to increase housing stock amid a state housing shortage. Topics include whether ADUs should be permitted on lots created by an SB 9 lot split with an SB 9 duplex, demolition limits, floor area limits and a potential neighbors notification process. Once the council provides direction, staff will start preparing amendments to the zoning code for eventual council approval.
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO
personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who
make comments. Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. Don't threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Anyone violating these rules will be issued a
warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be
revoked.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.