Single-family homes proposed in San Bruno

The proposed project on two parcels spanning more than t3 acres is the resurrected version of an earlier, similar development design which was dropped in 2006.

The most recent applicant purchased the properties and is again seeking to push ahead the proposal, though Community Development Director Darcy Smith noted no public hearings for the projects are yet scheduled.

For her part, Smith said the proposal is in sync with the existing neighborhood design, and noted the relative rare nature of a single-family home development during a time when so many builders are constructing more dense projects.

“There is a market for them and they are rare but I just want to emphasize that we look at the zoning and this is a compliant use with the surrounding single-family home neighborhood,” she said.

One property eyed for redevelopment on San Bruno Avenue West is vacant while another, larger piece of land at 850 Glenview Drive is occupied with a church, parking lot and single house, both of which are vacant. Skyline Drive runs nearby and Lunardi’s Market is just south.

Each project will have a two-car garage and a driveway that can accommodate two more cars. A total of 20 guest spaces are spread across the development as well.

Near to the property identified for development is the Crestmoor neighborhood, site of the 2010 Pacific Gas and Electric gas line explosion and fire which killed eight and injured dozens more. Work to rebuild the infrastructure in the area is still underway, though many fixes have been completed over the years.

Also neighboring the site is open space preserved in Crestmoor Canyon and the San Andreas faults runs adjacent to the property, requiring the developer to hire geotechnical experts to analyze the safety of building new homes.

A similar development on a lot divided by a fault line was approved in South San Francisco, where officials earlier this year allowed construction of 22 single-family homes at the corner of Westborough Boulevard and Oakmont Drive.

For the San Bruno development, Smith noted a segment of the property is zoned for more dense construction but regulations cannot be further amended per the city’s general plan.

A city ordinance limits land use densities according to a ballot initiative which regulates building heights in the area to three stories, unless a change is approved by a majority of voters.

While the project is unique, Smith took time to note there is no momentum currently pushing the development toward the approval process required prior to construction.

“We don’t have any dates for meetings or when that will be done,” said Smith.

Regarding projects which could be moving toward the approval process more rapidly though, Smith noted the Mills Plaza development may be heading before officials later this summer.

Applicant Signature Development Company has expressed interest in building a vast residential development offering 400 new apartments and 45,000 square feet of retail space spread across roughly 4.5 acres of property near City Hall at the corner of El Camino Real and San Bruno Avenue.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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