The April 28 Daily Journal discusses a 23.7% office vacancy rate in San Mateo County, equaling 425,650 square feet of space. The applications for more buildings continue, the latest on East Fourth Avenue. This includes 108,000 square feet of commercial space and 236 apartments. An application pends for development of the lot at West Third Avenue and El Camino Real into 28 condominiums with first floor retail space. This development proposes 16 parking space for 28 units. A 28-unit residential building needs 50 parking spaces, not 16; the unhoused cars will park on West Third or Arroyo Court except no space is available.
Imagine the cars and traffic from 500+ residents from the Fourth Avenue property. The idea these people will all use public transportation is ludicrous; the train station is not close. Public transport is not the answer as people want their cars. Most buses run empty.
Residents of these buildings will exacerbate traffic congestion and parking problems in San Mateo. El Camino Real is pothole laden, crowded and dangerous. Traffic in San Mateo is horrible; parking is worse. The problem in San Mateo is not enough housing or commercial space; it is too many people. Cramming more buildings and people into a nonexpandable land mass destroys the quality of life and the environment.
The city and county must show some backbone, and prohibit or inhibit new commercial buildings and new developments. This will reduce the influx of people to the area, permit the infrastructure to catch up to past growth and improve the quality of life for all residents.
(1) comment
The fourth avenue development is right on El Camino, where multiple buses pass by. It is a ten minute walk/3 minute bike from San Mateo Caltrain, providing convenient connections to SF and SJ. Why isn't this development conducive to public transit? Why does every user need to drive there?
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