COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

DATE:

July 23, 2003

BOARD MEETING DATE:

August 12, 2003

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Neil R. Cullen, Director of Public Works

SUBJECT:

Declaring Lawndale Boulevard (formerly Hickey Boulevard) to No Longer be a County Highway and Relinquishing the Road to the Town of Colma

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution:

1.

declaring Lawndale Boulevard, formerly Hickey Boulevard, from Hillside Boulevard to Mission Road, to no longer be a County Highway;

2.

relinquishing said road to the Town of Colma; and

3.

directing the Clerk of the Board to file a certified copy of the resolution with the County Recorder and the Town Clerk.

Previous Board Action

1.

Acquired property from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese within the Town of Colma to provide the right-of-way for Lawndale Boulevard from Hillside Boulevard to Mission Road.

2.

Adopted Resolution No. 28816 in 1971 designating the area, now known as Lawndale Boulevard, from Hillside Boulevard to Mission Road as a County highway and requesting the consent of the Town of Colma.

Key Facts

1.

The Town of Colma consented to the area being declared a County highway subject to the Town approving the project and having the right to inspect the construction.

2.

Section 1700 et. sec. of the State of California Streets and Highways Code provides that a board of supervisors may relinquish a county highway located within a city and that all right title and interest of the county in said highway shall then vest in the city.

3.

Lawndale Boulevard was recently completed and we are recommending that the road and right-of-way be relinquished to the Town to clarify that the County is not responsible for the maintenance of the road.

Discussion

The Hickey Boulevard Extension(Lawndale Boulevard) was first proposed in the “City-County Highway Plan for San Mateo County”, a study of proposed road improvements throughout the County, that was prepared in 1962. The County acquired the right-of-way for a portion of the extension from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, but actual design and construction of the project did not go forward at that time.

The City of South San Francisco (South San Francisco ) reactivated the project and in 1994 the portion of Hickey Boulevard between El Camino Real and Mission Road was constructed as part of the BART to San Francisco Airport Project which included the South San Francisco Station that is located between Mission Road and El Camino Real.

South San Francisco approached the County on constructing the portion of the extension between Hillside Drive and Mission Road, as South San Francisco was concerned that Evergreen Drive, a residential street in South San Francisco just south of the Lawndale Boulevard right-of-way, would be impacted by traffic expected to be generated by the BART Station as well as from other developments.

It is our understanding that South San Francisco and the Town of Colma subsequently entered into an agreement for the construction and maintenance of the road. The road has been completed and is open to the public and we believe that it is now appropriate to relinquish the road back to the Town of Colma in order to clarify that the County has no responsibility or authority for the road or the right-of-way.

Vision Alignment

We believe our recommendation is consistent with the Shared Commitment to be a “responsive, effective and collaborative government,” and Goal Number 22, “County and local governments effectively communicate, collaborate and develop strategic approaches to issues affecting the entire County,” as relinquishing Lawndale Boulevard back to the Town will complete the collaborative process which began with the County's acquisition of the right-of-way over 25 years ago.

Fiscal Impact

Relinquishing the road will transfer land valued at $284,682 in 1972 dollars to the Town of Colma.

Supervisors Church and Nevin also negotiated an agreement in principle with South San Francisco which provides that the County will finance $815,318 of the City’s cost of constructing Lawndale Boulevard in exchange for South San Francisco assuming maintenance of the catchment basins on San Bruno Mountain that are associated with the South Slope Development. The South Slope Development was agreed to by South San Francisco and the County.

The right-of-way was acquired using Road Funds and the County contribution for a portion of the construction costs are also proposed to be financed with Road Funds.

There is no impact to the General Fund.

A form of resolution has been approved by County Counsel.