COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

DATE:

April 8, 2002

BOARD MEETING DATE:

April 30, 2002

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Neil R. Cullen, Director of Public Works

SUBJECT:

No Parking Zone, Bulb-Outs and Signing on East Selby Lane - Redwood City Area

Recommendation

1)

Determine if a no parking zone on East Selby Lane, County Road No. 409, should be established and if bulb-outs should be constructed and signs installed in order that motorists are aware that they are approaching neighborhood streets if they continue onto Dexter or Markham Avenues.

2)

If your Board determines that a no parking zone should be established and bulb outs constructed and signs installed:

a)

adopt an ordinance establishing a no parking zone on both sides of East Selby Lane from the alley behind the businesses that front the El Camino Real to the mid point of the curves onto Markham and Dexter Avenues;

b)

direct the Department of Public Works to:

1)

construct bulb-outs on East Selby Lane as shown on the attached sketch; and

2)

install "Neighborhood Street" signs in the bulb outs.

Previous Board Action

Approved entry gates on other streets in the unincorporated area of North Fair Oaks and West Menlo Park.

Authorized the closure of Glendale Avenue at Berkshire Avenue to limit cut through traffic through this neighborhood.

Key Facts

The Selby Park Homeowners Association (Association) has requested through Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson's office that parking be restricted on East Selby Lane as they believe parking on this street poses a traffic hazard for residents using this street.

The Association has also requested that "bulb-outs" be installed on East Selby Lane to facilitate the installation of street signs to identify that neighborhood streets lie ahead.

Discussion

Selby Park is comprised of the Dumbarton Park Subdivision and is bounded by the Caltrain railroad tracks, Fifth Avenue, El Camino Real and Berkshire Avenue. Previous traffic counts taken on streets in this area indicate that the majority of the traffic is generally associated with this neighborhood since Glendale Avenue was closed. However, the Association has expressed their concern about traffic that can enter through an alley that runs from Berkshire Avenue to East Selby Lane and about traffic that is generated by a restaurant located on the corner of East Selby Lane and El Camino Real.

We have suggested alternatives to allay the Associations' concerns. However, they believe that the best alternative is the no parking, bulb-out and signing as previously described.

The North Fair Oaks Council has reviewed various alternatives as suggested by the Association and we believe the Council concurs in the requests that have been made by the Association to Supervisor Jacobs Gibson.

Vision Alignment

The Association believes that the no parking and other recommendations will improve the safety of the area and therefore their recommendation would be consistent with your Board's Goal Number 7, "Maintain and Enhance the Public Safety of All Residents and Visitors" of the Shared Vision Commitment to "Ensure Basic Health and Safety for All."

Fiscal Impact

Installation of no parking signs, extruded curbs and signs is estimated to cost $2,500 and can be funded by County Service Area 8 funds or Road Funds. The Association may wish to plant trees or other vegetation behind the extruded curbs and can apply for an encroachment permit for this work in compliance with the tree planting policies adopted by your Board for the North Fair Oaks Area.

There is no impact to the General Fund.

A form of Ordinance has been prepared and approved by County Counsel if your Board determines to implement no parking on the street, and we have sent a copy of our staff report to the adjacent property owners and the North Fair Oaks Council, and will report any comments that we receive.