COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

 

PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT

 
 

DATE:

October 10, 2008

BOARD MEETING DATE:

October 28, 2008

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

 

FROM:

Lisa Grote, Director of Community Development

 

SUBJECT:

Consideration of a resolution endorsing the Guiding Principles of the Grand Boulevard Initiative, and directing that the principles be incorporated into future plans involving El Camino Real.

 
 

County File Number:

PLN 2008-00330

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Adopt a resolution endorsing the Guiding Principles of the Grand Boulevard Initiative, and directing that the Principles be incorporated into future plans involving El Camino Real.

 

VISION ALIGNMENT

 

Commitment: Redesign our urban environment to increase vitality, expand variety, and reduce congestion.

 

Goal: Goals 10, 11 and 12, which state that: public transportation choices should be convenient, affordable, accessible and safe; new housing should be clustered with jobs and commercial services along transportation corridors, and that land use decisions should consider transportation and other infrastructure needs as well as impacts on the environment and on surrounding communities.

 

Response: The Grand Boulevard Initiative Guiding Principles encourage: targeting housing and job growth in strategic areas along El Camino Real; developing El Camino as a balanced multi-modal corridor to maintain and improve mobility of people and vehicles along the corridor; promoting compact mixed-use development; and pursuit of environmentally sustainable and economically viable development patterns along the corridor.

 

The El Camino Corridor is one of the County’s primary transportation and transit routes. By encouraging targeting of housing and job growth along the corridor, the Principles would help to increase the convenience, affordability, accessibility and safety of public transit for residents and employees along the corridor. In addition, encouraging housing and job growth and compact mixed-use development on El Camino Real matches the County’s goal of clustering new housing with jobs and commercial services along transportation corridors. By supporting these types of development along El Camino Real, the Principles also encourage land use decisions that take into consideration transportation and infrastructure needs. By prioritizing compact development, the Principles would help limit impacts on the environment.

 

BACKGROUND

 

Proposal: Adoption of a resolution endorsing the Guiding Principles of the Grand Boulevard Initiative, and directing that the Principles be incorporated into future plans involving El Camino Real.

 

Report Prepared By: William Gibson, Project Planner, Telephone 650/363-1816

 

Applicant: Project initiated by San Mateo County Planning and Building Department staff

 

Location: The 1/4-mile area on either side of El Camino Real for its entire length throughout the entirety of San Mateo County. The portion of El Camino Real passing directly through unincorporated San Mateo County consists of two areas: unincorporated Colma, from just south of Valley Street to approximately D Street, and North Fair Oaks, from Northumberland Avenue to just northwest of Wilburn Avenue.

 

Size and APNs: The 1/4-mile area on either side of El Camino Real for its entire length throughout the entirety of San Mateo County; multiple APNs.

 

Existing Zoning: The zoning of the portions of the El Camino Real Corridor in the unincorporated County varies.

 

General Plan Designation: The General Plan Land Use designations of the portions of the El Camino Real Corridor in the unincorporated County vary.

 

Sphere-of-Influence: The Boulevard passes through multiple jurisdictions and spheres of influence, including most incorporated cities within the County, as well as unincorporated County territory. The portion of El Camino Real passing directly through unincorporated San Mateo County consists of two areas: unincorporated Colma, from just south of Valley Street to approximately D Street, and North Fair Oaks, from Northumberland Avenue to just northwest of Wilburn Avenue. The portion in

unincorporated Colma is in Daly City’s sphere of influence. The portion in North Fair Oaks is in Redwood City’s sphere of influence.

 

Existing Land Use: Varies

 

Water Supply: Various

 

Sewage Disposal: Varies

 

Flood Zone: The Boulevard extends north-south throughout the entire County, and passes through multiple flood zones, including areas of minimal flooding and some areas subject to potential flooding. The portion of El Camino Real in unincorporated Colma is in Flood Zone X, low flood potential (FEMA Community Panel 0603160000B). The portion in North Fair Oaks is in also Zone X, low flood potential (FEMA Community Panel 0603110252B).

 

Environmental Evaluation: The resolution endorsing the Guiding Principles does not constitute a “project” as defined by CEQA. In addition, no specific projects are proposed as part of the endorsement, by the Guiding Principles, or by the Grand Boulevard Initiative as a whole. Should the County endorse the Principles, any projects subsequently proposed in relevant locations would be evaluated pursuant to CEQA at the time of proposal, by the appropriate jurisdictions involved, in the usual manner.

 

Setting: El Camino Real runs north-south through the entirety of the County. Within the unincorporated County, the areas along the El Camino Real Corridor are primarily moderately urbanized, characterized by a mix of residential uses at various densities, with some commercial and other uses.

 

DISCUSSION

 

A.

BACKGROUND

   
 

The Grand Boulevard Initiative (GBI) is a collaboration of 19 cities, the counties of San Mateo and Santa Clara, local and regional agencies, private business, and labor and environmental organizations united to improve the performance, safety and aesthetics of Highway 82 on the Peninsula from Daly City to downtown San Jose. The Initiative encompasses 43 miles of El Camino Real, from its northern end beginning in Daly City, where it is known as “Mission Street” and ends in San Jose, where it is known as “The Alameda.” The study area boundaries also extend for 1/4 mile on either side of El Camino Real, forming the “El Camino Real Corridor.”

   
 

GBI utilizes a committee system to assure widespread participation in developing specifics of the Initiative. The Task Force, made up of elected officials and executive-level staff from regional agencies and CalTrans, sets policies and makes policy decisions. Detail work is performed by the Working Committee, which is made up of assigned staff members from the member agencies. San Mateo County is represented on the Task Force and the Working Committee, as well as GBI subcommittees.

   
 

The first major work of the GBI was creation of The Existing Conditions Report, which examined City and County planning documents related to El Camino Real in various jurisdictions, and identified common themes throughout the entirety of the corridor. These themes formed the basis for the Guiding Principles.

   
 

The following are the Guiding Principles of the Grand Boulevard Initiative:

   
 

1.

Target housing and job growth in strategic areas along the corridor.

 

2.

Encourage compact mixed-use development and high quality urban design and construction.

 

3.

Create a pedestrian-oriented environment and improve streetscapes, ensuring full access to and between public areas and private developments.

 

4.

Develop a balanced multi-modal corridor to maintain and improve mobility of people and vehicles along the corridor.

 

5.

Manage parking assets.

 

6.

Provide vibrant public spaces and gathering places.

 

7.

Preserve and accentuate unique and desirable community character and the existing quality of life in adjacent neighborhoods.

 

8.

Improve safety and public health.

 

9.

Strengthen pedestrian and bicycle connections with the corridor.

 

10.

Pursue environmentally sustainable and economically viable development patterns.

     
 

These Guiding Principles have been approved and recommended by the Grand Boulevard Initiative (GBI) Task Force. They define the GBI vision that, “El Camino Real will achieve its full potential as a place for residents to work, live, shop and play, creating links between communities that promote walking and transit and an improved and meaningful quality of life.” These general Principles set policy for the Grand Boulevard Initiative, affording each jurisdiction maximum flexibility in determining how to implement them, while adhering to a set of common core principles.

   
 

While the Initiative focuses on the entirety of El Camino Real, only two portions are in unincorporated County jurisdiction: unincorporated Colma, from just south of Valley Street to approximately D Street, and North Fair Oaks, from Northumberland Avenue to just northwest of Wilburn Avenue. Endorsement of the Guiding Principles, for purposes of land use policy and decision-making, would only have direct, on-the-ground impacts on the County in these two areas. Both areas are already relatively high-density areas of the County, with existing public transit access and multi-modal and mixed-use development, and both areas have land use priorities and policies that are similar in many respects to the Principles. The Principles are entirely consistent with those already adopted by the County in the Colma Area Plan, which guides land-use policy and planning for this area. The North Fair Oaks Community Plan has not been updated since 1979, but the County is currently in the initial stages of an update to the plan, and input from North Fair Oaks residents gathered during a series of outreach meetings in 2007 indicates that community desires are consistent with the Guiding Principles.

   
 

Beyond any direct impacts to unincorporated County territory, the Initiative Guiding Principles are intended to be collaborative, multi-jurisdictional principles that will inform policies and planning for all jurisdictions encompassing portions of El Camino Real, while still providing the flexibility for each jurisdiction to plan for development of the corridor in appropriately community-specific ways. The County’s endorsement of the Guiding Principles would signal its support for these principles along the entirety of the El Camino Real Corridor.

   
 

Endorsement of the Principles is consistent with the County’s housing, transportation, and environmental policies and goals, and a resolution of endorsement would express the County’s continued support for these goals, and support for prioritization of the El Camino Corridor as an appropriate location for infill, mixed-use, and transit-oriented development. The County previously endorsed C/CAG’s successful application for the designation of the El Camino Real Corridor as a Priority Development Area (PDA), a designation awarded by ABAG and MTC that prioritizes the corridor as a location for infill, mixed-use and transit-oriented development, and makes the corridor eligible for priority Federal and State funding for planning or development projects involving these types of development. The County Board of Supervisors also approved the County’s successful application for a separate PDA designation for the North Fair Oaks area, and the Board also approved the County’s successful application for Federal funding based on this PDA designation. The North Fair Oaks PDA funding awarded to the County is targeted to the creation of a new community plan for the North Fair Oaks area, with an emphasis on transit-oriented development. Endorsement of the GBI Guiding Principles is consistent with the County’s prior support for PDA designation for the corridor, and for PDA designation and PDA-related funding for the North Fair Oaks area, which contains one of the two segments of El Camino Real in the unincorporated County.

   

B.

KEY ISSUES

   
 

Conformance with the General Plan

   
 

Endorsement of the Guiding Principles for the El Camino Real Corridor conforms with the following General Plan goals and policies:

   
 

7.3, Infrastructure, calls for distribution of land uses where public services and facilities exist or can be feasibly provided. The Guiding Principles support prioritization of development along the El Camino Real Corridor, where public services and facilities are in many cases already located.

   
 

Land Use Patterns, emphasizes the designation of land uses in order to achieve orderly, understandable, coherent and workable land use patterns. Designation of the El Camino Real Corridor as a site for prioritization of compact, mixed-use development is consistent with this goal.

   
 

7.16, Location of Land Use Designations, emphasizes locating land use designations in a way that discourages urban sprawl. By targeting housing and job growth in strategic areas along the El Camino Real Corridor, the Guiding Principles help achieve these goals by promoting development contiguous with other areas designated for development, promoting density near transportation routes, and promoting development adjacent to existing infrastructure.

   
 

As noted in the Background Section above, endorsement of the Guiding Principles is also consistent with the policies of the Colma Area Plan, which calls for planning for mixed-use development that allows more efficient use of land, and higher density development, and with the community opinions expressed by North Fair Oaks residents during outreach meetings in 2007.

   

C.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

   
 

The resolution endorsing the Guiding Principles is not a project under CEQA. In addition, no specific projects are proposed as part of the endorsement, by the Guiding Principles, or by the Grand Boulevard Initiative as a whole. Should the County endorse the Principles, any projects subsequently proposed in relevant locations would be evaluated at the time of proposal, by the appropriate jurisdictions involved, in the usual manner.

   

D.

PUBLIC COMMENT

   
 

No public comment received.

   

E.

REVIEWING AGENCIES/OTHER REVIEWING ORGANIZATIONS

   
 

San Mateo County Counsel

 

San Mateo County Housing Department

   

FISCAL IMPACT

 

The proposed project would have no direct fiscal impact on the County.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

A.

Recommended Findings and Actions

B.

Resolution Endorsing the Ten Guiding Principles of the Grand Boulevard Initiative

   

Attachment A

 

COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT

 

RECOMMENDED FINDINGS AND ACTIONS

 

Permit File Number: PLN 2008-00330

Board Meeting Date: October 28, 2008

 

Prepared By: William Gibson, Project Planner

For Adoption By: Board of Supervisors

 
 

RECOMMENDED FINDINGS

 

Adoption of the attached resolution (Attachment B) is consistent with the County’s General Plan and the Goals and Commitments contained in the County’s Shared Vision 2010.

 

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

 

Adopt the attached resolution (Attachment B) endorsing the Guiding Principles of the Grand Boulevard Initiative, and directing that the Principles be incorporated into future plans involving El Camino Real.