Saturday, June 28, 2014

Changing times, San Bruno ballot initiative will raise downtown building limits to 90 feet


The Daily Journal (San Mateo County), Angela Swartz, 6/26/14.  "San Bruno looking at new height limits:  allowing buildings up to 90 feet could help the downtown grow."

San Bruno downtown
"In an effort to revamp its downtown, San Bruno officials are considering putting a measure on the November ballot to modify its ordinance that limits building heights, potentially raising them from 50 to 90 feet. 

Established in 1977 as a result of a voter initiative, Ordinance 1284 was intended to preserve the existing character of San Bruno by requiring voter approval for high-rise developments, increased density in existing neighborhoods and projects encroaching upon scenic corridors and open spaces. Permits and approvals can’t be issued to allow construction of building taller than 50 feet or that exceed three stories unless approved by a majority of voters at a regular or special election.

The discussion on building heights started in 2012 when the city concluded a strategic vision process with a transit corridor plan, said City Manager Connie Jackson. The transit corridor plan outlines a number of different areas in the transit corridor, including along El Camino Real, San Bruno Avenue and San Mateo Avenue. In the plan, proposed building heights range from three to seven stories in some areas.“The plan is critical to the city’s achievement to transform those key areas of our city into the future,” she said.

....  “There was a strong interest to make sure there was thoughtful integration of new development areas with existing residential neighborhoods,” she said. “Keeping the character and quality and to make sure taller, more densely populated buildings didn’t create a negative impact for neighbors.”   Read more.

Reference -  City of San Bruno.  City-data.com:  population 42,165 (2012), household income $72,185 (2011), per capita $33,339 (2011).  Note photograph:  San Bruno downtown from a County of San Mateo Newsroom article.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The difference between San Bruno and Pacifica.

San Bruno sees a problem and takes action to correct it.

Pacifica sees a problem and sits around and bitches we are a broke city for 30 plus years.

Anonymous said...

How does one become the mayor?
What power does mayor have to change the way the city runs?

Anonymous said...

run for city council 1012, then council takes turns being mayor.


Yeah 617, San Bruno must not have as many hippie nimby gang of no'ers

Anonymous said...

We have a "weak mayor" city.
Jerry Brown was famous in oakland for converting to "strong mayor"...who was sort of a CEO with wider powers than a "weak" ceremonial mayor like we have. our city manager does much of what a strong mayor does.... Jerry Brown was able to get stuff done in Oakland, notably the 10,000 housing units in downtown oakland.

A real leader could do wonders for Pacifica, but instead we get half-baked wastes like Measure V that the councilmembers were meek and afraid to visibly get behind (they got a consultant, outside politicians, kalimah salahuddin and matt levie to support and run the measure v campaign which was worst electoral failure of a tax measure in recent history of san mateo county).

Pacifica mayors, as they are....appoint council members to committees, and are supposed to spearhead and hold the flag around council initiatives. They do not have power to change the way the city runs. They depend on the city manager to run the city.

11:22 you are wrong, they don't take turns, they vote for who will be mayor. I believe Sue Digre recently lost out and did not get to be mayor because they re-voted Mary Ann in instead, who had been mayor before Stone. It's political.

Real Leaders, Please Step up in 2014 to Save this city.