HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - CC - 1995.04.22313
CITY OF BURLINGAME
JOINT CITY COUNCIL/PLANNING COMMISSION STUDY MEETING
Saturday, Apil22, 1995
Holiday Inn CrownePlaza Board Room
Mayor Marti Knight convened the joint study session of the Burlingame City Council and
Planning Commission on the above date in the Holiday Inn CrownePlaza Board Room at
9:03 a.m.
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PLA].INING COITIUTSSTONERS: ELLIS, GELTTC.EN, JECONS, KTY, MTIVT<
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The Mayor revised the order of the agenda to first discuss Item 3, parking demand in
downtown in Burlingame.
3. PnnxrNc DeunNo rN DowxrowN BuRtncnur
The city planner reviewed her staff report which summarized the parking variances granted
by the council and planning commission in Burlingame Avenue commercial area subareas A
and B during the period January 1982 to March 1995. She also discussed the current north
and south distribution of public off-street parking and the increase in the parking supply
which the city has created in the last five years. Mayor Knight questioned whether we
should limit additional restaurants in subarea B or in some way extend subarea A.
Councilwoman O'Mahony noted that we may have problems if we extend subarea A, but we
needed a study of the demands of 9-and lO-hour parking places, hour-by-hour, Monday thru
Friday. The city manager noted that the city has expended $5 million in the last five years
to add 189 parking spaces on Broadway and Burlingame Avenue, and our current charge is
10 cents per hour while our cost for adding a new parking space is over $26,000.
Councilman Harrison felt we needed to look at the revenue side and that possibly a 25-cent
per hour charge might be more realistic. Councilman Spinelli agreed noting that many
people use quarters for convenience rather than dimes. He felt we also needed to look at
adding more 24-minute meters in certain areas very close to commercial uses in order to
increase turnover. Vice Mayor Pagliaro noted that the purpose of subarea A was to
encourage retail and commercial activity. He Favored changing all the existing parking to 2-
hour to force longer term parking into spaces further out. He also felt we needed to look at
double decking certain lots. Councilwoman O'Mahony felt that the future of the fire site was
important to parking in the area. Mayor Knight had heard that the Pottery Barn to be placed
on this site will be orienting its building toward the Donnelly side.
Planning Commissioner Key felt that we needed to look at parking abuse by employees as
one part of the parking study. She noted most of the Donnelly frontage is owned by one
landowner. Planning Cornmissioner Galligan thought the city should approach the property
owners on Burlingame Avenue and Donnelly and encourage them to increase the parking for
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the area. Planning Commissioner Jacobs felt we needed to look at the one-way street
proposal for Donnelly very carefully to be sure it doesn't disrupt the traffic flow. Planning
Commissioner Ellis noted that the parking demands of today are different than the past and
will be different in the future.
The city manager reviewed the city council discussion of valet parking at the prior meeting
where it was noted we will be evaluating making Donnelly a one-way street in order to add
parking. At that same meeting, council introduced an ordinance to regulate valet parking.
Planning Commissioner Mink noted that we do not have a long-term vision and plan for the
downtown area. We need to be more proactivc to use parking to encourage the type of
commercial development we would like to see. Councilman Spinelli agreed we should be
looking to the future so the city can take a lead and look at more ways to encourage
development in the Howard Avenue area. Planning Commissioner Mink felt that we should
be planning for mixed use from Burlingame Avenue all the way to Peninsula in the old area
which was called subarea C.
Mayor Knight agreed that we should be looking at the zoning and land uses in subarea B and
C along Howard and the potential for mixed uses. She also said council had received a letter
from a merchant on Burlingame Avenue, Meyer Bunje, suggesting the city put long-term
parking away from the downtown area and remove meters. Councilman Harrison noted that
the city manager has estimated that by increasing parking rates from 10 cents an hour to 20
cents an hour, we could raise approximately $400,000 a year for additional parking. It was
also noted that the current l-hour free parking on Burlingame Avenue and Broadway cost the
city approximately $40,000 a year in lost revenue. Councilwoman O'Mahony questioned the
logic of the l-hour free parking on Burlingame Avenue and stated that times have changed.
Council asked Sam Malouf for his comments. He conveyed that the merchants seem to
support the idea of more 24-minute meters; they also feel that there should be 2-hour parking
on Burlingame Avenue and the side streets where we currently have 1-hour parking. He
noted people need more than one hour to eat and shop. Also people like to shop for more
than one thing. He thought thatZl cents per hour may be acceptable if more parking was to
be added. Mayor Knight said we may need to look at a third deck on the library parking lot.
Councilman Spinelli would like to look at purchasing additional property along Donnelly so
that we have more parking options in the future. Councilman Spinelli would like to see
more of the merchants along Donnelly encouraged to fix up the backs of their property.
Councilman Harrison felt that we may be able to put a structure on lot C and link it over the
street to lot A, but we needed to be careful of the aesthetics. Planning Commissioner Mink
would like to see the city have a 25-year plan similar to Santa Barbara where the businesses
are assessed based on gross sales to pay for additional parking. He noted in Santa Barbara
the first 1% hours are free, but over that time, parking is expensive. Planning
Commissioner Key stated that Monterey also uses bridges over the street in the Doubletree
Hotel/Convention Center area and has not fould a problem. Mayor Knight indicated that she
would like the merchants' input about the proposal for changing Donnelly to one way. Sam
Malouf mentioned that the merchants are meeting regularly about the parking issue, and they
currently seem in favor of the one-way Donnelly idea. Councilwoman O'Mahony would like
to see the Chamber of Commerce take a bigger role in keeping the merchants apprised of
their concern and improving communication. Sam Malouf said there is much parking abuse
on Burlingame Avenue which should be addressed by stricter enforcement.
Council and commission moved to the next agenda item
315
GAME
The city manager reported on the city council action of April 17 where they requested
proposals from twelve firms for a study of the streetscape in the Burlingame Avenue and
Broadway commercial areas and parking in the Burlingame Avenue commercial area. It was
noted item 5-the source of financing portion of the study-had been deleted by the city
council. Proposal deadline is May 31.
Mayor Knight indicated that many merchants do not understand the process and would like to
see more handouts made available to them. Vice Mayor Pagliaro supported the concept of
extended hours for permit applications and aslied for a feasibility report from staff. Planning
Commissioner Mink asked if there was any way to simplify our procedure for informing
people about appeal rights to reduce repetitiveness at our meetings. The city attomey
suggested that we may want to add a note to our agendas on this subject.
2. THE SrGN CopE
The council and commission next discussed the sign code and the issues of freeway oriented
signs and auto row signs. Currently our code prohibits freeway oriented signs. Council and
commission discussed the difficulty in defining when a sign is freeway oriented or not and
whether the company name is used for destination identification or product advertising.
Planning Commissioner Ellis asked if we should revise our code so that freeway-oriented
signs are not strictly prohibited since we have been approving signs which some would feel
are freeway oriented. Planning Commissioner Galligan thought our code was prohibiting
billboard type signs. He felt we should either try to eliminate all freeway-orientated signs
with some type of amortization program, or we should revise the code to allow them within
certain standards. Planning Commissioner Jacobs mentioned she liked the variation that has
developed in signage. The city planner asked if we wish to allow offices the same parapet
signage we have allowed with hotels. After additional discussion, it was concluded that the
code regarding freeway-oriented signage should stay as it currently exists.
With regard to auto row signs, Planning Commissioner Galligan asked whether we care that
they look as bad as they do and whether the auto dealers ought to get together to decide what
they would like to see. After additional discussion, it was agreed that auto row is over
ll
AVENUE AREA AND BRoADWAY CoMMERCIAL AREA
I. UPDATE oN ZoI.IING AND PRoCESSING SIMPLIFICATION
The city planner reviewed the staff report and the curent items in process which are trying
to simplify our processes and asked the council for any additional suggestions. Councilman
Harrison said he would like to try and reduce the processing time by adding more discretion
for staff on simple items and increasing the number of items which may be taken care of
over the counter. Councilwoman O'Mahony would like to see a one-stop permit center and
that more projects be discussed in an office environment rather than over the counter. She
felt we needed to increase our customer orientation and would like to consider some type of
flex time to expand the office hours available homeowners and other applicants to receive
permits. She continued to be very upset by what happened at 1232 Cabrillo. Planning
Commissioner Key believed the city should undertake some type of public relations program
to indicate how we have improved our services and to begin to reverse the negative
reputation that we have acquired in some circles.
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signed; but we did not wish to address the issue at this time.
5. Housnc ElruBn'r Uponrr-Wonr PnooRnu
The city planner noted that under our housing element the city has an obligation to annually
review our progress and review the work program for the coming year. This is our
opportunity to do the review. A list of programs for 1995 was presented. Planning
Commissioner Key said her priority would be to try to get the current nonconforming second
units incorporated into our housing stock. Councilwoman O'Mahony would like to see some
type of fee based residential inspection program. Councilman Harrison stated his three
priorities were the nonconforming second units into the housing stock, increased use of
mixed commercial residential projects, and encouragement of development on the five sites
identified for affordable housing. Planning Commissioner Galligan thought San Francisco's
required inspection on sale was a good idea. It would force increased compliance with the
health safety and zoning items. Vice Mayor Pagliaro would like to see the city consider
affordable housing using air rights over current city parking lots such as lot G behind
Brothers rest;aurant. He asked that staff review the feasibility of this and report back to
council. Councilwoman O'Mahony agreed with Councilman Harrison's three points. She
asked staff to check to see if the Bridge Housing nonprofit housing group is still active.
Mayor Knight asked that the senior commission continue to be consulted about the housing
element. Staff noted that the element included a program to provide information on housing
options and alternatives for seniors. The recreation department now prepares and distributes
some of the information to the senior population. The commission could assist them by
organizing volunteers if they wished. The housing element's requirements are presently
being met by the handout.
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There being no other discussion, Mayor Knight opened the meeting to public comment.
FRorrr rHg FLooR
There was no public comment.
AnrouRtttvtplrT
The meeting adjourned at 11:39 a.m.
v
Judith A. Malfatti
City Clerk