‘We have to sometimes be inconvenienced’

The two-and-a-half-year battle is emblematic of the growing pains a suburban city like San Mateo faces, as it begins to feel the effects of denser neighborhoods and larger housing developments, while also accommodating demand for better non-vehicle infrastructure, such as bike lanes. Still, the lack of parking has been a longstanding problem. The houses tend to have a higher number of family members compared to other single-family home neighborhoods, and commercial vehicles, including landscaping and food trucks, take up significant portions of some of the streets. 

For many, the city’s removal of the parking spaces to install bike lanes was tone deaf at best, discriminatory at worst, and inflamed tensions among many North Central residents, reinforcing the perception that the needs of the neighborhood are often overlooked to accommodate more affluent residents from other communities. 

“We’re so tired of people outside of our district, that are privileged, go home to their big houses that have driveways you could fit four or five cars into, and making decisions for us,” said North Central resident Trina Pierce during a Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission meeting Dec. 10. 

Others, however, have stated that the bike lanes are critical for many San Mateo residents, including those living in North Central — as many do not have a car — and that they have a right to bike safely to their homes, school or work, which also alleviates parking issues. 

“The parking in front of my house was removed on my side of the street, and I don't want you to give it back to me,” said Kevin Simpson, another North Central resident. “This is really important for the future of our city.”

The current and prior city councils have been split on the issue with some in favor of keeping them as is and others, including Deputy Mayor Nicole Fernandez — whose district encompasses North Central — wanting to see at least a partial removal of the bike lanes. 

If the bike lanes are removed, Engineering Manager Jay Yu confirmed the city would likely not have to pay back the grant money it received to install them, but it could impact prospects for future grant applications and would cost about $1.5 million to restore the segment of the road where the lanes are removed. 

“If we do go ahead and propose another project of this nature, if we did remove a bike lane, we've been told that that's something [the Department of Housing and Urban Development] would consider,” Yu said. “Qualitatively there is potential reputational impact, but that is yet to be seen.”

To address both parking and cycling concerns, commissioners supported keeping the bike lanes but encouraged city staff to commit to alleviating the parking problems, such as implementing a permit program or even exploring a one-way street on Humboldt.

“Parking in North Central is a perpetual issue. It has been an issue for years. It was an issue before the bike lane, and it's an issue after the bike lane,” Commissioner Kimiko Narita said. “I would encourage the council to spend significant resources exploring parking strategies holistically in North Central in general.”

While it’s garnered the most controversy in the last few years, the project is by no means the only bike lane effort that has faced pushback. In fact, some of the bike lane infrastructure discussions have started to rival age-old debates over new housing — proponents reiterating the need for safer, connected bike routes, while impacted neighbors lament their congestion or parking concerns aren’t adequately considered. Some residents opposed the new bike lane on Delaware Street this year, and another proposed installment on 19th Avenue and Fashion Island Boulevard has sparked concern. 

Almost all commissioners responded to a brewing sentiment among those opposed to the bike lanes — as the city inevitably grows, residents have to share the space, including streets, and tradeoffs must be made. Living near vibrant areas like downtown has its benefits, but it also means accepting more surrounding noise, for instance, Narita said. 

“Some of the comments that we heard use language that makes it sound like that square footage of the street in front of someone's home belongs to them,” Narita said. “It is the definition of living in community that we have to sometimes be inconvenienced for the sake of fellow community members … I have to be chill when the spot in front of my house is utilized by someone else.”

State-mandated housing goals are more ambitious than ever, and just in the last year, the city has received a couple massive development proposals that would build more than 800 housing units on each site, not to mention several others that would each build more than 200 housing units. The city is changing and must accommodate growing populations, Commissioner Rich Kranz added. 

“We’re going to be building seven- to nine-story apartment buildings,” he said. “We are going to be getting more people.”

The City Council will discuss the item in February.