War of Words

Since the Safeway Working Group presented their findngs to the joint Planning Commission & City Council study session in September there has been a flurry of emails and letters to and from council members and Safeway.

Mayor O’Mahony recently circulated a letter to select residents urging them to voice their opinion on issues relating to the Safeway development. 

In the Mayor’s opinion, neither Safeway nor the City should include underground parking in this development because underground parking ‘…. is unsafe and I personally will not use it’. The Mayor is urging people to tell the council not to ‘waste money on underground parking’.

Unfortunately the Mayor is out of step with the recommendations of the Safeway Working Group, the work of the citizens advisory group for the downtown specific area plan, and the recommendations of both the City’s economic consultants and it’s parking consultants who have reported on the long term future parking needs over the past few years.  

In addition the Mayor is at odds with the exciting visions that came out of the SOBA charrette that was held in 2006. Simply put, massive surface parking no longer makes sense in a downtown business district—the land has become too valuable, it detracts from the pedestrian experience and it is very unsightly.

Under the Mayor’s vision more than 60% of the Safeway / City land would be dedicated to ‘at grade’ parking .. a true ‘sea of parking.’ And that doesn’t include the at-grade parking that Safeway is proposing under their podium (‘store on stilts’) plan.

There is a better way, one that more closely aligns with the eight design criteria put forward by the Safeway Working Group, and one that will both enhance Safeway’s economic return and improve our downtown. It all has to do with efficient land use.

Safeway is currently proposing a podium store for Burlingame as they have proposed in other communities like Albany & Berkeley. Their current thinking is that the store would be positioned in the north west corner of the Safeway / City land. However if that store were positioned closer to Howard and El Camino, with retail along the ground floor on Howard, the portion of the land along Howard and Primrose would be alive with active retail and provide a positive pedestrian experience.

Additionally the main parking for the Safeway store would be accessible from both El Camino and Howard and clearly visible from El Camino. With retail lining both Primrose and Howard the pedestrian experience will be enhanced, the economic vitality of the area increased and the visual appeal improved.

And underground parking can be a feasible component of the development for the betterment of Safeway and the City. Let’s look at the economics of underground parking. Every square foot of developable land in the Burlingame downtown core is worth anywhere from $200 to $250 / per square foot on the open market. Undergrounding costs approximately $150 / square foot and the beauty of underground parking is the surface can still accommodate additional retail, offices or other economic activity or be left open for public access and pedestrian flow. Clearly the economics work for undergrounding.

In addition the City of Burlingame in a private / public partnership could fund additional public parking on the combined Safeway / City site with the City’s contribution coming from development of some of the outlying, lesser utilized parking areas such as parking lot F on Park Road behind Howard. With the funds generated from developing that land the City can well afford to address its public downtown parking needs on the Safeway / City land. The Safeway / City site could easily accommodate more than 400 cars underground still leaving the vast majority of the Safeway / City land for surface development including some ‘at grade’ parking.

No one is suggesting that all parking should be undergrounded. More than 50% of Safeway parking requirement can still be met ’at grade’, more than enough for individuals reluctant to park underground to get their groceries.

The Citizens for a Better Burlingame has been proposing for a number of years that we should increase the livability and economic vitality of our downtown through smart and sustainable development. The Mayor’s reaction is the antithesis of that.

Would you prefer to have a sea of parking at the very entrance to Burlingame that for the most part will be sparsely utilized--or a more vibrant economic hub and pedestrian friendly experience? 

The City Council will be meeting to discuss this issue in a special study session next Monday, October 6^th at 6:00 p.m. Let the council know your opinions.

• Let the council know that as stewards of our land they should be looking for highest and best use of all our downtown properties.
• Let the council know that underground parking can be a feasible and desirable component of any vibrant downtown experience.
• Let them know that not everyone is afraid of underground parking and that sensible development can accommodate a broader range of options.

You can email the council at council@burlingame.org.

If we don’t act now we can’t say in 10 to 30 years time: “What were they thinking?” We can either keep on accepting the kind of communities we get, or we can start creating the kind of communities we want.

Speak up now. Come to the meeting or send an email stating your views.