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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - CC - 1978.04.07129 BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA APRIL 7, 1978 CALL TO ORDER A special meeting of the Burlingame City Council was held on the above date in City Hall Council Chambers for the specific purpose of going over the Burlingame Bayfront Reports. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Wm. J. Crosby at 8:10 P.M. HEARING BURLINGAME BAYFRONT REPORTS: Mayor Crosby noted that a letter from the Anza Shareholders Liquidating Trust and a copy of the minutes of the Traffic, Safety & Parking Commission of 4/4/78 had been received by him. City Planner Swan reported that the City Planning Commission had met on April 6, 1978 and had formed a committee of their Commission, consisting of Commissioners Mink and Sine; also that Commissioners Jacobs and Sine were in attendance at this meeting. He summarized Planning Commission's recommendations regarding the Bayfront property as follows: 1. Maintain the open space character and provide maximum public access to the shoreline and recreational areas. 2. Recognize traffic as the major problem with a need for staged access to the property. (a) Recommend staged growth. (b) Permit mixed use with interim uses so that some development may proceed as soon as possible. (c) City is obligated to provide street improvements and services. 3. Planning Commission tilts toward Bayfront Alternatives 1 and 2 away from residential land uses. 4. Land uses in the Bayfront area should be self-sustaining (with tax revenue greater than municipal costs). Planning Commissioner Jacobs added that she felt the Commission did not have enough information relating to the residential issue at this time. Mayor Crosby asked how the Council members felt about forming a committee on the subject. Councilwoman Barton said she had no objection but felt another committee might prolong the study. Councilman Martin thought Council should first decide if they wanted residential land use. If they did not, then two of the four plans could be eliminated. He strongly felt Council should establish guidelines for a committee, with which that committee could work and bring Council's feelings to the other committees. Mayor Crosby felt that Council should determine which plan they would go with and that the safest plan might be a combination of the four, or a fifth plan. Councilman Mangini thought a committee should be formed after more formal input. He stated he had been closed -minded regarding residential. However, perhaps the best means of mitigating the traffic problem would be with some residential. Councilman Amstrup stated he did not want to make a decision merely on the question of traffic but rather what is the best use of the land for the City of Burlingame. He believed that pushing for the Peninsula Avenue overpass would be the best way of mit- igating traffic problems. Councilwoman Barton favored Plan 2 but would like to see if Blayney Associates could change it to a minimum amount of res- idential. Councilman Mangini said he was not interested in maximum residential. 130 Director of Public Works told Council that, if they were to get improvements, it would be necessary to act aggressively as a City with the State Division of Highways and other agencies in- volved. He reported that staff had met with County Engineers and others and they jointly went to the Division of Highways to ask for a study on Peninsula Avenue and they now have a pre- liminary plan. He added further that Caltrans will only work on Peninsula Avenue if they can get Federal Funds and, therefore, the City should push that as a high priority. The Traffic Commission, he said, wanted a minimum traffic level and develop- ment should be staged to meet any improvements. Councilman Martin suggested that, since the City seemed to be at Plan 1, and Plan 4 was the furthest one from that, Plans 1 and 3. might be eliminated with concentration on Plans 2 and 4. Mr. David Keyston noted that hotel -type land use for a given area would take 5 years to absorb, an office building, 130 years. He felt there was a certain advantage to the City of Burlingame to get some money now than perhaps a little more money 125 years from now. Councilman Martin emphasized he was not worried insofar as the developer was concerned but rather what will be best for Burlingame. He added he was for hotels, motels and restaurants with a few office buildings and no residential, because ultimately motels and restaurants bring the greatest revenues. Councilman Amstrup thought Council should go on record first for improvement of traffic flow and then go from there. Councilwoman Barton thought Council should come to an overall opinion and then Blayney could come up with a final plan. Councilman Martin felt more input would be needed by Council before that could happen. Councilman Amstrup favored bay -oriented uses -restaurants, hotels and motels and some office buildings, but saw nothing but problems with residential. Commissioner Sine pointed out that,properly, Council should go for the wye from a priority standpoint; that could be in use with- in 2 to 3 years, and, concurrently, push for the Peninsula Avenue Overpass in order to get on a priority list with the State. Commissioner Sine said the wye would stimulate traffic flow. Mayor Crosby asked Director of Public Works if staff was having on-going meetings with the State. He replied they had met last year and State had made application for Federal Funds. He noted this type of improvement would not be funded by the State. They do have a preliminary plan but they must be guaranteed some funding before they go any further. He felt if Council took an aggressive position they could get the wye very shortly. It was Mayor Crosby's feelings that there should be a policy statement and Director of Public Works said staff would meet and make recommendations for specific actions and a plan of strategy. Councilman Martin thought there should be policy on a whole series of items of which the wye is only the first step. Mayor Crosby then asked for a policy statement for the wye with an overall plan for Peninsula Avenue and eventually the Broadway Overpass. John Raiser, Raiser Construction Co., said he tried to determine of the major hotel and motel chains who might be interested in developing on the property. Most knew of the area but none had expressed an interest in building a motel or hotel there at this time, nor were such projects in their long-range planning. Councilman Amstrup asked for clarification on the type of condo- miniums or townhouses planned for that area. Councilman Mangini envisioned the same style as Woodlake. Mr. Keyston thought they would be 9 stories, 2 towers. He felt it might be wise for the high rise to be built north of the road and a low rise of 3 or 4 stories south of the Airport so the view would not be obstructed. Director of Public Works advised Council that if they wanted residential, they could then establish what kind of condominiums HE or townhouses they preferred, but that the basic decision was residential or not. Councilwoman Barton said she envisioned town- houses similar to those in Foster City. Director of Public Works commented this would result in less cost, less income and more traffic. He said that as the density per acre goes up, the actual trips per unit goes down. Mr. Keyston suggested that the drive-in theater and parking lot be held for possible future hotel use. There was some discussion re- garding incremental land use and Councilman Martin objected to the rest of the land in office use. Councilman Mangini asked if the park and golf course would be part of a final plan and Council agreed these were already provided for. Councilwoman Barton suggested eliminating Plans 1 and 4. Councilman Amstrup asked if she meant in total. She said she thought Plan 4 was too heavy residential. It was then brought to her attention that it was Plan 3 that had heavy residential and she revised her suggestion to elimination of Plans 1 and 3 (not Plan 4 as she originally requested). Mayor Crosby polled the members re their feelings on residential and in summary Councilmen Martin and Amstrup opposed residential while Mayor Crosby, Council- man Mangini and Councilwoman Barton were willing to consider it. Plans 1 and 3 were then eliminated with considerations of Plans 2 and 4 or a combination of the two. Councilwoman Barton wanted it known that by residential she con- sidered townhouses. Councilman Mangini said by residential he was not committed to townhouses. Councilman Martin said he felt a committee was necessary to work out the details on the development of this property, inasmuch as it effected traffic, incremental development and other related matters. Director of Public Works added that once the decision is made on the mix of land use other important matters must be decided- them i.e., locations of the various uses. Mr. Keyston suggested that in Plan 2 'only offices" could be eliminated and residential substituted, there would then be greater financial benefit than any one of the other 4 plans. Councilman Mangini asked if any oft and had already been committed. Director of Public Works/'s` `a f would provide Council and committee with information on permits issued and what is under consideration. Councilman Martin would like the committee to consider parking -- should all parking be underground or should it be restricted, etc. He said this is the type of thing the committee should consider. He said committee could be instructed to go with Plan 2 but con- sider residential. Mayor Crosby appointed Councilman Amstrup and Councilwoman Barton for the committee. Councilman Amstrup asked that anyone who had suggestions or information to put them in writing and submit to the committee. He said this would be of great help.` It was agreed that all the committees would meet on Tuesday, April 11, 1978, at 7:30 p.m. There being no further business to discuss, Mayor Crosby adjourned the meeting at 10:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Evelyn H ! Hill, City Clerk