BREAKING NEWS: Storm drain fee floats with Burlingame City Council - Millions needed to fix aging flood control system (by Mark Abramson / Daily News Staff Writer)

The city of Burlingame is taking another stab at raising money to plug up its leaky storm drain system.

Although no official vote was taken, council members decided unanimously during a special study session Monday night that the city should enact a storm drain user fee for 30 years to finance $39 million in bonds.

Council members also considered a $30 million plan, which according to Public Works Director Syed Murtuza, would not pay for all of the needed fixes.

The bonds would be used to repair catch basins, pipes and tackle any other work that is needed to prevent flooding and maintain a system that some people have estimated is 80 years old.

“I agree that the $39 million proposal would be the better one,” Council Member Jerry Deal said. “We need this and I think we have to work hard on this.”

Vice Mayor Ann Keighran said the city has to generate money to maintain its infrastructure because of the state’s financial woes and concerns about how that will impact cities.

Residents at the meeting urged the council to go for $39 million as well. “Of course we should go for the $39 million bond option at this time because it is not getting any cheaper,” Pat Giorni told the council.

Other Peninsula cities are grappling with the storm drain issue as well, one public speaker said. “Since Burlingame is one of the oldest communities on the Peninsula, I think it would be good if Burlingame led the way,” resident Ross Bruce said.

The city is considering a mail-in ballot in early 2008, in which only property owners would be able to vote.

Ideally the city would put the fee on the ballot during the rainy season in February, when it is on voter’s minds, Council Member Terry Nagel said.

If voters approve the fee, it would be based on how much rainwater percolates into the ground on a parcel and how much goes into the storm drain system.

The median fee for a single-family residence up to 5,000 square feet would be $151 a year, and the median fee for a 7,500 square-foot commercial property would be $353.

The council’s decision comes almost two years after a bond measure to fix the storm drains failed to garner the two-thirds of the votes it needed to pass. New property owners in Burlingame opposed the $44 million Measure H initiative. They argued it was unfair since the cost to the taxpayers would have been based on a property’s assessed value.

Measure H also included money to retrofit public buildings.

Great to hear that the fence is finally down and our high school can now be fully appreciated as the beautiful building that it is.

Arsenic-free school (by Heather Murtagh, Daily Journal) (see photo at link)

Fences were removed from the front area of Burlingame High School bringing to an end years of work and delays to remove naturally occurring arsenic from the campus.

When Burlingame High School senior Paris Nejad walked onto campus yesterday, it was not just the first of her last year of high school; it was also the first time since attending classes on campus that the front lawn area was not surrounded by a fence. “It’s so pretty. I noticed it right away,” said the 17-and-a-half-year-old. “It’s so much easier to get to your car now. It’s also very pretty.” Sixteen-year-old junior Pamela Lekhter agreed. “I wanted [the fence] to come down,” she said. Now the students will have an additional area to eat lunch and enjoy the outdoors.

Efforts began in late 2006 to remove arsenic, a naturally occurring carcinogen, discovered in soil directly in front of the school during a reconstruction and modernization project in 2005. Originally, the district planned to be finished March 1 while working on weekends. However, rain slowed the process. At 4 a.m. Monday, the chain link fences came down revealing green grass, trees and not a trace of the large trucks that had been parked there for so long.

Superintendent David Miller was happy to begin the school year with the project 95 percent finished. Landscaping is still needed in a couple areas within the school campus near the quad, he said. Those are slated to be finished in September.

Abnormally high levels of arsenic, a naturally occurring carcinogen, were discovered in soil directly in front of the school during a reconstruction and modernization project in 2005. The three-part process of removing and restoring the lawns and fields was funded with the help of grant money. In total, the project cost $4.38 million, said Deputy Superintendent of Business Elizabeth McManus.

Removing and disposing of effected soil was a major portion of the undertaking. Secondly, the district needed to renovate the back practice field with artificial turf — the option ended up being cheaper than natural grass. Finally, gopher mesh was installed in the front lawn separating the fresh and contaminated dirt.

The district originally planned to clear out the dirt and clean the area over the 2005 winter break. Since then, the price of cleanup has continually risen — from $250,000 two years ago to $500,000 at the end of 2005 to the total cost of $4.38 million. The rising price delayed the project.

In June 2007, the district received a $2.5 million state emergency grant to help cover the cost. A new removal plan was approved by the Department of Toxic Substance Control shortly after.

The 60/40 grant helped the San Mateo Union High School District finish efforts. The 8,000-square-foot lawn in front of the school was fenced off in 2005, eliminating a popular student lunch area. The dirt was determined to contain abnormally high levels of lead-based paint residue and polychlorinated biphenyls — or PCBs. The lead came from paint used prior to the 1980s and the PCBs likely came from the fluid once used in electrical transformers, according to previously published reports from the DTSC.

***

Further article about Superintendent David Miller in Daily Journal

I went to see the horse races Friday afternoon at Bay Meadows as a prelude to going to the county fair that evening. It seemed like the nostalgic thing to do. A sense of finality was in the air as a mostly older crowd watched the races and enjoyed the nice weather. There were a few kids in tow, including my two teenagers, as we parents tried to infuse a little history into the texting and Facebook-obsessed generation—it seemed to work as the raw speed and beauty of the beasts made an impression on them–as it did me.

Friday was so fun that I went back again today—the last day. It was an entirely different feeling. The parking lot was full at 1:30; 15 minutes before the first post time. Once inside, it felt like the county fairs of my youth in Massachusetts with thousands of people basking in the sun and perusing their racing programs. The weather was far better than anything I recall from Great Barrington, Mass. in the ‘60s. And when does a mile and 1/16th ever go by that fast?

The overriding thought was “what if the track owners had taken a different approach to marketing?” A bit of paint, smarter placement of the PA speakers and video screens, a cool slogan, a corporate sponsorship and it might all have turned out differently. I never bowled at the lanes on Howard Ave. in Burlingame. I saw a half dozen movies at the Drive-in theatre on Airport Blvd., saw some great bands at Route 66 and thoroughly enjoyed dinner at the Sherman two weeks ago, but I’m sure another mid-sized sea of condos in San Mateo just won’t make much of a difference to me except when I have to commute through what is already the worst section of 101.

From the weekend edition of the Daily Journal’s “Week in Review":

Woodlake center remodel approved

Major improvements to San Mateo’s Woodlake Shopping Center, and its Safeway and Longs Drug stores, were approved Tuesday by the San Mateo Planning Commission.

The Woodlake Shopping Center, at the corner of Peninsula Avenue and Delaware Street, was built in the mid 1960s and it’s probably been that long since that corner has seen major change. Shopping center owners applied earlier this year for the necessary permits and approvals to revamp the 40-year-old shopping center.

The remodel of the 50,000-square-foot center will include new exterior and new signs, a repaved parking lot, fresh landscaping, a new drive-through pharmacy and redesigned Safeway and Longs.

They should probably plan to change the Long’s sign to a CVS sign while they are at it.

The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival is hosting a very special event in conjunction with their Free Shakespeare in the Park performances of “Pericles” in San Mateo’s Central Park on August 16th (7:30), 17th (5:00), 23rd (7:30) and 24th (5:00):

Monday August 18, 2008
7:00pm
First Floor, Oak Meeting Room
Main Library
55 W. Third Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94402

Call 650 522 7818 for more details. This event is co-sponsored by the San Mateo Library Foundation.

Sf Shakespeare website

Pericle’s is a classic tale of adventure, good versus evil … and pirates. Cast members and staff will explore selected scenes from Pericles, participate in a fun group exercise to explore the plot and learn why the director chose to set this production in frontier America.

This event, like Free Shakespeare in the Park, is free and very kid friendly!

Ideas for Safeway head to Burlingame City Council - Plaza, retail among possibilities for site (by Mark Abramson/Daily News Staff Writer)

Almost a year and nearly three dozen meetings later, the group tasked with creating a vision for the Safeway site in Burlingame is ready to take its ideas to the city council and planning commission.

The Safeway Working Group has come up with six scenarios for redeveloping the site at Howard Avenue and El Camino Real, city officials announced Friday. Group members include residents, downtown property and business owners, chamber of commerce officials, petitioners who have clamored for a new Safeway and representatives of the grassroots group Citizens for a Better Burlingame and Safeway.

Citizens for a Better Burlingame led a campaign in 2004 against plans for a super-sized Safeway that would have been more than 60,000 square feet.

City Manager Jim Nantell, working group facilitator Candace Hathaway and other city officials unveiled the group’s ideas during a press conference and said they will be discussed during a joint meeting Tuesday night of the city council and planning commission.

It could take two years for the store to open, Nantell said, adding that “one clear consensus in the community is we want a new Safeway as soon as possible.”

Group members favor building a 40,000 to 55,000 square-foot supermarket on the north side of the lot facing Howard Avenue. The loading dock, which Hathaway and Nantell said is a major issue, would be located off northbound El Camino Real to keep the larger delivery trucks away from narrow side streets. Safeway would also pay to widen nearby Fox Lane from 18 to 30 feet.

“The most difficult thing was the square footage,” Nantell said.

Working group members also prefer separate retail buildings on the site with office spaces above ground-floor businesses. Schematics presented at the press conference showed two and four separate buildings for retail or mixed-use.

“(Mixed-use with housing) really wasn’t a good mix with the Safeway,” Burlingame Planning Manager Maureen Brooks said. Housing on the site is not feasible because of parking and other issues, city officials said.

The group also agreed there should be a public plaza at the corner of Howard Avenue and Primrose Road and that the oak tree along Primrose should be kept. Group members also want to have pedestrian pathways and possibly rooftop parking.

The parking still needs to be resolved because other options include underground parking, which would be costly, or a multi-story garage, Nantell said.

Underground parking that could accommodate 200 cars per level would be costly and have to go on the southeast section of the property because of a culvert.

A more radical concept for a new Safeway, called the “podium store alternative,” would have parking on ground level with the supermarket above.

The group also wants the store to be connected to downtown via pathways.

***

The gorilla in the room was (and is) the size of the store and the baby gorilla was (and is) parking - and this time round it seemed that the four letter word beginning with “s” should be bleeped from our vocabulary!

Additional article in Daily Journal

Example of a proposed Safeway store in Berkeley (website)

Example of a proposed Safeway store in Albany (website)

In case you were wondering why the bells of St. Catherine’s were ringing for an extended time this morning, it was to alert people to Father Al’s passing. My feelings about Father Al go back to my experiences with chaplains I knew in the Air Force. He exuded the same sense of calm that I got from chaplains who had been through the Korean and Vietnam Wars. When one has seen bad, the day-to-day here is pretty good. Here’s the announcement from his colleagues:

As many of you may have already heard, our beloved pastor and friend, Fr. Albert Vucinovich, died this morning at about 11.45am at Stanford hospital. It was a very peaceful death. He was surrounded by priests, staff members of St. Catherine, a few of his close friends and his beloved aunt, Jane. We prayed for him all morning and
just as we began the 5th decade of the sorrowful mysteries, he breathed his last.

The funeral arrangements are as follows:

Tuesday August 19 @ 7pm-Vigil Service at St. Catherine’s Church; Wednesday August 20 10am-Funeral Mass at St. Catherine’s Church.

May his gentle soul rest in peace. Amen.

The Burlingame Safeway Working Group’s meeting tonight (Tuesday) will be from 4:00 - 7:00 pm in the Lane Room. They will be continuing to prepare for their presentation to Joint Planning/Council on the l9th.

Public comments are from 4:05-4:20 and 6:30-6:45 (see agenda)

Don’t forget - Art and Jazz on the Avenue today (Saturday) and Sunday.

SHOP BURLINGAME!

DINE BURLINGAME!

ENJOY BURLINGAME!

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Earth-friendly fashion, art, companies highlighted
By Louise Lao (Daily Journal)

Did you rip a hole in a pair of pants you love?

Is there a shirt in your closet made of a great fabric, but out of style? Don’t just throw it out — recycle it. Jill Pillot, the owner of Ricochet, a children’s and maternity clothing consignment store in San Mateo and designer of clothing lines Ricochet and Sans Paroles encourages all to turn old clothes and fabrics into new fashion. Her clothing, which is sold at several locations around the Bay Area, will be at Pillot’s booth at the Burlingame Art and Jazz Festival’s Green Home and Garden Exhibit this weekend. The exhibit showcases sustainable local businesses and shares what they are doing to conserve and protect the Earth.

Pillot’s journey to green fashion began 12 years ago when she opened the consignment store, Ricochet, while designing and constructing clothing as a hobby. To refine her technique, she studied fashion design and costume design at Cañada College. Today, she designs “wearable art” for children and adults in the forms of her two collections.

Pillot uses donated clothing in both her casual Ricochet collection and the slightly more upscale Sans Paroles. Making clothing from recycled material “has always been a way of life” for Pillot, who started selling her Earth-friendly fashions about a year ago. “I want to inspire other people to recreate things from what they already have,” said Pillot. She offers sewing lessons on weekday mornings, where small groups of students can work on individual environmentally-friendly projects. Pillot also teaches Saturday workshops in Half Moon Bay and does commissioned work.

Rescuing clothing from thrift stores or even the back of one’s own closet is a great way to help the environment. While buying new clothing made from organic material may be helpful, using clothes that don’t need to be shipped or made in a factory is even better. Each garment is made in San Mateo County. “This is as green as it can go,” said Pillot. “This is all waste that’s going to be put use again, especially old clothing that is outdated or out of style. It’s good to recreate them.”

Her one-of-a-kind pieces with European flair can be found at the Green Home and Garden Exhibit as part of the 16th annual Burlingame Art and Jazz Festival. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the weekend on Burlingame Avenue. In addition to highlighting sustainable local businesses, the festival will feature over 150 artists, fine art, sculptures, crafts, gourmet food and a children’s area. For more information visit www.burlingamechamber.org or contact Georgette Naylor at 344-1735.

For more information about Jill Pillot visit www.ricochetwearableart.net.

Grant could help bring turf to park - City looking for better deal from companies (By Mark Abramson / Daily News Staff Writer)

Thanks to a generous grant and with a little luck, Burlingame sports leagues could be playing ball on artificial turf at Bayside Park in a year or so.

Community in Sports Development Council, a Salem, Ore.-based foundation, has committed to covering 65 percent of the cost of putting turf on Bayside Park’s fields 3 and 4 at 1125 Airport Blvd., Burlingame Parks and Recreation Director Randy Schwartz said. The only catch is it’s unclear how much the turf will cost until more studies are done, he added.

EcoGrass, the company that would supply and install the turf, operates the nonprofit Community in Sports Development Council. Officials from the council and EcoGrass were out of the country and unavailable for comment.

“These guys have now committed to helping us, but we don’t know exactly (how much) yet,” Schwartz said. “There is still another vendor interested in this, and I would hope they would give us a better deal.” He declined to name the vendor.

Turf companies are willing to give the city a deal because of the picturesque park’s proximity to San Francisco International and other artificial turf fields, Schwartz said, noting they could fly in clients to compare their product to competitors’ turf.

City officials say even with a big grant, installing the turf is probably at least a year away because there are only two short periods when the fields are not used heavily and the work could be done - from mid-July through late August and from November to February. It’s unlikely the details could be hammered out by the November to February window, Schwartz said.

The project’s total price won’t be known until more soil samples are taken from the former landfill site and the cost of reducing the slope of the fields to 1 percent or less is determined.

Burlingame has committed to covering $150,000 of the cost for engineering work, and the sports leagues are contributing $350,000 by raising league fees $15 for at least five years. And the Coyotes Lacrosse Club might take the $50,000 it initially reserved for the field at Mills High School and spend it on Bayside Park.

“It would be a highly functional multipurpose field,” Coyotes Lacrosse President Steve Alms said.

Turf fields allow more games and practices to be held simultaneously and are playable during the wet weather months, Alms said. Turf also would eliminate the need for Coyotes’ players to practice on asphalt.

Artificial turf would increase the sizes of the baseball and softball diamonds so they could be split into two practice fields, said Lynn Mutto, a Burlingame recreation supervisor who overseas fields. Leveled fields 3 and 4 would be large enough to host a soccer game and lacrosse game simultaneously or other combinations of sports activities.

City officials also estimated that turf would allow the fields to be used at least 2,000 more hours a year because of their durability. “With the lights, it would be fabulous,” Mutto said. “It is much needed.”

The 17 and under team gets to go to Yountville this weekend and take their hacks following the 19 and under team last weekend. These are special times for B’game baseball! Good luck to Coach Brian and all the players. The veterans in the stands know their baseball, so play hard!

Ready for run at state title
By Emanuel Lee, Daily Journal Staff

Beginner’s luck it was not.

In its first year as a program, the Burlingame Post 409 17-and-under baseball team won the Area 2 championship last week with a solid display of fundamentals, dominant pitching performances and clutch hitting. So what can Burlingame do for an encore? How about winning the state tournament? For the 17-and-under Legion age group, the state tournament is the final round of the season. And Burlingame is looking to go out with a bang. Burlingame opens up the tourney with a game against Chico at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Veterans Home Stadium in Yountville.

“The kids are pumped up and excited to get things started,” Post 409 manager Brian Blanton said. “We have a few kids coming in early hitting in the cage, and that’s always a good sign. They’re very happy that they’re still playing.”

Post 409 enters the six-team state playoff field as one of the more improbable and impressive success stories of any team at any level or organization around. To wit: Not one time this year has Burlingame played with its full 18-member roster. And nothing is going to change for state, as Blanton will only have 12 players available due to previously planned family vacations. Due to vacations, various football camps and activities, Post 409 has never been at full strength. Somehow, someway, it’s gotten the job done, often in spectacular fashion.

“We manage to keep juggling things and piece together the puzzle,” Blanton said. “It seems we’re always able to round up enough players. We were lean at times but we made it work.”

There were times this season when Burlingame had only nine players available to take the field. Heck, Burlingame’s spot in the area tournament wasn’t decided until the final couple of days in the league season. Peninsula League champion San Mateo had already locked up first place, but four teams were battling for the final two playoff berths. Burlingame finished in third place, locking up the final bid.

Burlingame also fielded one of the youngest teams in the area, with four to five starters being the tender age of 15. Despite those obstacles, nothing could stand in the way of Post 409 coming together when it counted the most — in the area tournament. It opened up postseason play with a 4-1 win over Deer Valley before knocking off last year’s area champion San Mateo, 4-2 — its first win over the Bulldogs in five tries.

Then it knocked off Berkeley 3-2, scoring all of its runs with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. After suffering its only loss of the tournament to San Mateo in the next game, Burlingame beat San Mateo again in the championship round, 4-0, behind another masterful pitching performance from ace Forrest Armanino. Even though Post 409’s first win against San Mateo was a big deal, Blanton said the team’s victory over Deer Valley set the tone for its title run.

“Don’t get me wrong — the (first) San Mateo win was huge, and we were hungry for a victory over them, but to open up the tournament against a team that I believe has won two state titles in the last couple of years opened up our eyes a bit,” Blanton said. “It kind of enlightened the kids and made them understand the championship was within grasp.”

Burlingame’s title run started with pitching, as Armanino delivered two six-inning gems. Frank Cooke and Justin Kuh also delivered strong starts, while Chris Blanton, Ryan Bender, Stephen Neeley and Hardeep Gujral all made an impact throughout the season. Brian Blanton doesn’t know what to expect for the state tourney. It’s all new to him. But he’s confident his team can play with anyone. Catcher Bryan Kuh has been a stalwart behind the plate, Nick Martinez has provided a steady presence at the leadoff spot and Mitch Foley has been a proven run-producer at the No. 3 spot.

“What we’ve been able to do in our first year has been huge,” he said. “We’ve had a great season, but it’s not over yet by a longshot.”

Whatever happens, Burlingame should be primed for many more years of championship runs.

“The kids are continuing to grow, which is awesome to see,” Blanton said. “Our young guys will be here for a while.”

Burlingame festival takes over downtown - Event features art, music, food and wine (By Mark Abramson / Daily News Staff Writer

Downtown Burlingame will be swinging to jazz tunes this weekend during the 16th annual Burlingame Art & Jazz Festival.

One of the biggest events in the city will feature music, more than 150 artists who make sculptures, jewelry, clothing and other items. There will also be plenty of grub.

“It gets much bigger every year,” said Burlingame Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Georgette Naylor. This weekend’s festival should attract about 50,000 people, she said. “It showcases the businesses (downtown). People come from all over the area and discover the downtown Burlingame,” Naylor added.

In addition to the wine pavilion, which debuted at the festival last year, there will be a home garden and green area at Primrose Road and Burlingame Avenue. It will feature home-improvement businesses, merchants that sell green merchandise and a company called Reuse People of America, which recycles items from residences that are being torn down. Zebra electric vehicles will also be showing off their products.

The Burlingame Art & Jazz Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

***

Information about sponsors and the entertainment schedule is available on the Chamber website.

Officials say many major retailers are staying put

By Mark Abramson / Daily News Staff Writer
Burlingame officials want everyone to know that rumors of major retailers leaving downtown are greatly exaggerated.

They went as far as issuing a statement announcing that Ann Taylor, Starbucks, Sephora and Pottery Barn are staying put on Burlingame Avenue.

City Hall has been getting calls from people asking what’s going on in Burlingame’s shopping district, said Patricia Love, the city’s new economic development specialist.

“I think the problem with rumors like this is people think everything is closing down. It starts to make people uncomfortable and panic,” Love said. “The concern would be that people would think that things are not going well on Burlingame Avenue.”

Community Development Director Bill Meeker said the city wants to send a clear message to the community that it and the businesses are doing well.

Pottery Barn officials said they also heard the rumors from customers, some of whom asked whether the store is closing.

“We don’t know how the rumors started, we have been getting people coming in and asking us every single day,” said Liz Van Valkenburg, a manager at the Pottery Barn on Burlingame Avenue.

At least the rumors have not hurt business, Van Valkenburg said.

City council members also have been getting queries.

“I think a lot of these rumors are started by people who want the downtown to fail so they will have their dream of having an avenue of mom-and-pop stores,” Council Member Jerry Deal said. “I don’t think rumors are ever good.”

Deal said he thinks downtown needs a mix of small businesses as well as large retail chains, which he believes can afford the high rents on Burlingame Avenue more than the smaller retailers.

“We gain a lot of sales tax revenues from Burlingame Avenue and those stores, so we want them to do well,” Deal said.

According to the city, businesses other than large companies that may be reorganizing or struggling financially, such as the Sharper Image, have no reason to leave Burlingame’s shopping district. Sales tax revenues are up 7 percent from January to the end of March this year compared to the same period in 2007. Last year in that same period the area generated $396,018 in sales tax and this year $423,499.

That doesn’t mean all is well, however. The Sharper Image has closed its store on Burlingame Avenue, and the Ann Taylor Loft and Burlingame Stationers - which has been in business for 75 years - are also closing.
“It has just gotten too expensive to do business on the (Burlingame) avenue,” said Gail Welter, who owns Burlingame Stationers with her brother Bob Bishop. “Rent is high, and retail is tough.”

The brother and sister also own Bishop’s Hallmark at Hillsdale Mall, and they plan on keeping that store open.

Welter would not disclose how much she pays to lease space on Burlingame Avenue, but said in 2001 the lease price doubled, and it has continued to rise gradually. She said she looked at other locations, but moving out of such a good spot would be a risk, and it’s getting harder to compete with larger stores.

“Big box stores across-the-board sort of affect us. More people go to Office Depot and Staples,” she added.

E-mail Mark Abramson at mabramson@dailynewsgroup.com.

The Friends of Mills Canyon and docent Denise Baggiani will be conducting a nature hunt for children:

Saturday, August 9th, 2008
10:00 pm
Meet at the Adeline entrance of Mills Canyon Wildlife Park
Programs are free and everyone is welcome
Information: (650) 558-7325
www.friendsofmillscanyon.org

Check the FOMC website for photos of past events.

The Wednesday Safeway Group meeting is from 7:00 to 9:30 pm in Conference A, City Hall. (agenda)

The group is preparing to present their recommendations at a Joint Planning/Council meeting on Tuesday, August 19.

Two opportunities for public comment are between 7:05-7:20 and 9:00 - 9:15 pm.

No its not to paint the ratty tatty looking “historical” in-need-of-paint cupola but to see our local artists painting scenes in Burlingame.

I think they go on until three today so there is still time - check out Baskins and Robbins as one choice spot. I heard there was an artist in Washington Park but I did not check that one out.

If they do a “Paint Burlingame” next year, I hope more artists will sign up for this event.

It is a wonderful idea!

From today’s San Mateo Daily Journal

Resiliency exemplifies Burlingame
by Emanuel Lee, Daily Journal Staff

If the American Legion California state 19-and-under baseball tournament comes strictly down to resiliency, Burlingame figures to have a good shot of winning it all.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a team that has overcome more than Burlingame, which lost its second game in last week’s Area 2 tournament before winning four games over three days — all elimination games — en route to the championship. Upstart Burlingame, in just its second year fielding a senior Legion program, opens state tournament action when it plays Fairfield at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Veterans Home Stadium in Yountville.

Since winning the area title, Burlingame has spent time doing something it didn’t do much of during the regular season — it practiced. Because of the glut of games packed into a relatively small amount of time, teams don’t practice much during the league season. As great as Burlingame’s run was, the players know they can play even better.

“You can always improve,” Burlingame manager Eric Nuss said. “But we want to tighten up some things in our game. We’re reviewing the same things. We’ve been successful so we’re not going to change anything.”

Nuss said he still hasn’t decided who will pitch the team’s opener, but obviously four players figure to be in the mix: Ryan Simpson, Kevin Hahn, A.J. Baylock and Nik Jurado.

“The kids know we kind of go by committee,” Nuss said. “If one player doesn’t have it then there will be someone else to pick him up. It’s a team game.”

Few exemplify team more than Burlingame, which wins not because it is great at one thing but solid in every phase of the game. Its lineup, while not potent, generates runs the old fashioned way: moving runners over, stealing bases, hit and run. Burlingame’s hitters are patient; they drew nine walks in a quarterfinal game against Redwood City last week. The team’s 2-4 hitters — Matt Feldman, Andrew Suvunnachuen and Trevor Pasiecznik — are rock-solid.

And while there isn’t an unquestioned ace on the team, there are a host of players who can be dominant on a given day. If history is any indication, there will probably be four to five teams with superior talent in the eight-team state tournament. The last time an Area 2 champion advanced past this stage was San Mateo’s powerhouse squad in 2005, one of only the few times the Area 2 champ has gone that deep in the last 10 years. But if there’s one thing to take out of last week’s title run, it’s that Burlingame has become pretty good at defying the odds.

“We have a lot of heart and a good attitude,” Nuss said. “I think the players are excited to show that off to people, especially the veterans who will be watching. Obviously we want to play as well as we can, and the wins will be a bonus.”

Nuss marveled at his team’s ability to shake off defeat. Burlingame was sent to the loser’s bracket on the second day of the area tournament after an embarrassing 19-0 loss to San Mateo. It promptly shook it off and came back to beat San Mateo 10-8 in the semifinals before knocking off Redwood City 5-4 for the championship. When people talk about clutch performances, Burlingame’s efforts were unsurpassed.

“For the kids to come back after losing in a blowout really tells you a lot about their character,” Nuss said. “They kept on going after it knowing the goal in mind. No one said anything about Yountville. They knew if they kept playing they’d get there.”

The Burlingame Public Library received two bronze lions which were a gift of the Duncan Trust and the Library Board of Trustees to celebrate the Burlingame Public Library’s Centennial. The lions symbolize many things including guarding the gates of knowledge. The Board of Trustees is sponsoring a contest to name the lions. Here are the rules:

1. Proposed names should be submitted on a form which is available at either library - main or Easton.
2. Entrants may choose to name one or both lions. Names should reflect the importance of lions. Contest runs from August 1, 2008 through September 15, 2008.
3. Entries are due to either the main library, 480 Primrose Road or to the Easton Branch Library by closing on Monday, September 15, 2008.
4. Entries should include your name, address, phone number and email address.
5. The winner will be chosen by the Board of Trustees in September and announced at the Burlingame Public Library’s Centennial kickoff on Sunday, October 19, 2008.

For more information, please call the Reference Desk at 650-558-7444.

I like to think of them as being Panthers, but let’s run with lions for the contest. Mufasa, Simba and Scar are taken.

A Press Release from our city’s community development department:

BURLINGAME IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

Burlingame is known for its wonderful mix of retail stores and restaurants. Residents and visitors alike enjoy strolling the tree-lined streets of the city’s lovely downtown, dining in its unique cafes, meeting friends for coffee, and shopping in the many exciting stores. Luckily, this idyllic experience is not about to change any time soon. Contrary to rumors circulating, Burlingame Avenue businesses are open and only a couple have plans to close.

Pottery Barn, Sephora, and Ann Taylor all plan to stay on the Avenue and are not even considering closing. “Starbucks on Burlingame Avenue has just finished remodeling and none of their three coffee establishments in Burlingame is on the list for closure.” Georgette Naylor of the Burlingame Chamber of Commerce continued, “Many chain stores are closing stores throughout the country due to the downturn in the economy and the popularity of online shopping. This is a national trend which can impact local cities.”

Fortunately, Burlingame has been able to maintain vibrant retail districts despite all of the pressure of the larger economic downturn. Retail sales taxes collected in the Burlingame Avenue area shopping district during the first quarter of 2008 were up 7 percent from the same time last year.

Despite the relative healthy outlook for Burlingame’s retail districts, the city will be losing a small number of businesses. According to Patricia Love, Burlingame’s Economic Development Specialist, “The city is saddened to lose any of its businesses. Burlingame Stationers, which has been a wonderful fixture on the Avenue and a favorite of adults and children alike, Ann Taylor Loft, and the ATT retail store are all confirmed to be closing. The city will miss these stores and the role they played in creating a diverse and exciting shopping experience on the Avenue.”

Burlingame continues to be the strongest downtown retail center between San Francisco and Palo Alto, and we look forward to seeing you here!

If you have any questions about Burlingame’s businesses, please contact Patricia Love, Economic Development Specialist, City of Burlingame, at (650) 558-7264 or Georgette Naylor, President/CEO, Burlingame Chamber of Commerce, at (650) 344-1735.

From the on-line blog “Read it and Rant":

Tinkering with a low-rise formula

By John Horgan
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 at 6:51 am in Uncategorized.

Be careful what you wish for. Maybe that ought to be the mantra for those investigating the possibility of adding multi-story buildings in what are, essentially, small-town business districts. A number of San Mateo County suburbs are considering making that shift. Their argument can be compelling: Tall structures can include both commercial and residential components while increasing the tax base. All well and good, at least on paper. But, in reality, things don’t always work out as planned. Take Burlingame for example. There, a major debate on this issue is heating up. There is a very tentative proposal to permit certain areas of the hamlet’s downtown area to have buildings as high as 75 feet. That would be a significant and rather stark change for a century-old place that prides itself on its cozy, tree-lined atmosphere. Ironically, within a block of what is technically defined as downtown, a massive, eight-floor apartment building on El Camino Real a block from Chapin Avenue already appears to tower well over that height limit. It sticks out like a sore thumb. So do two old, smaller AT&T switching facilities masquerading as office buildings near the corner of Burlingame Avenue and El Camino Real. It is highly unlikely that either of those structures would be allowed today. The point is that, in spite of these obvious anomalies, tinkering with a thriving low-rise formula would be dicey. Towns like Burlingame (and Menlo Park, San Carlos, Millbrae, San Bruno, Half Moon Bay, etc.) have long tried to maintain a friendly village ambience based, in part, on maintaining a non-city look and feel. Isn’t that the point of the suburbs in the first place? People move to the Peninsula to escape life in the city, whether it’s San Francisco, San Jose or Oakland. Things tend to slow down a bit here. There is a certain undefined intimacy involved. Seven-story buildings, if they do come to pass in any great numbers in Burlingame, would alter that in fairly dramatic ways. The betting in this corner is that, in the end, they won’t see the light of day. The change would just be too much. Smaller will wind up being better.

To join the discussion at “Read It and Rant” go to www.insidebayarea/sanmateocountytimes

Children’s mural commissioned - The Associated Press (Daily Journal)

The Burlingame Library Foundation has a special treat in store for the children of Burlingame and Hillsborough this fall.

San Francisco-based muralist Lynne Rutter was commissioned to create a centennial mural in the main library children’s room. The mural will include subjects and styles from fairy tales and storybooks painted in the manner of the “Golden Age of Illustration.” Examples of styles from that golden age may be seen in the works of: Maxfield Parrish, N.C. Wyeth and Carl Larsson.

Rutter noted that, “Figures and characters will also be placed throughout the room; and the architecture of the entire space will be tied together with an ornamental border.”

“We are very excited to be able to commission this mural for the children of Burlingame and Hillsborough,” noted foundation President Stephen Hamilton. “The foundation provides funding for library collections, programs for all ages, as well as providing public art in the library for the community.”

Twenty five donors who might give $1,000 each are being sought to make the dream come to fruition, said mural committee chair Kris Cannon. All donations are welcome. Anyone interested in donating can visit www.burlingamelibraryfoundation.org.

Rutter will be installing the mural in September, following a routine re-painting of the children’s room. The mural will be unveiled at the Burlingame Public Library centennial kick-off celebration on Sunday, Oct. 19, at noon.

The next Safeway Working Group meeting (agenda) is on Thursday, July 31st between 4:00 and 7:00 pm in Conference A, City Hall.

It is open to the public and, whether you want a big, bigger or biggest grocery store, there are two times during the meeting (4:05-4:20) and (6:30-6:45) for public comment.

The SWG recommendations will be presented at a Joint Planning and Council Study Session on August 19.

Another town but Burlingame but relevant to a downtown Safeway:

Business & Technology | New Bellevue Safeway caters to urban dwellers | Seattle Times dated June 27, 2008

Safeway opened a new store on Bellevue Way Northeast that reflects the transformation downtown Bellevue, which boasts about 5,000 residents.
New Bellevue Safeway caters to urban dwellers
A grocery store unlike any other on the Eastside opened its doors Friday.
People live above it.
Patrons park beneath it – those that drive.
The store’s owner expects half the customers to arrive on foot.

The new Safeway at Northeast Fourth Street and Bellevue Way Northeast is the kind of supermarket that had been found only in the densest, most walkable precincts of Seattle. It is both a response to and a reflection of the transformation downtown Bellevue has undergone. Almost no one lived in the city center a decade ago. Now it boasts about 5,000 residents, mostly in newer condos and apartments. Bellevue’s planning department reports 3,000 more units under construction and 2,500 in the permitting process.

Greg Sparks, president of Safeway’s Seattle division, says the new store was designed with those new urbanites in mind. “This is our flagship lifestyle store,” he said. “We have a lot of stuff in this store that we don’t have in any other store.” Like a 26-flavor gelato bar. A sit-down sushi bar. Eighty kinds of roasted nuts. And a dozen varieties of pre-made kebabs, for downtown residents or workers with no time to cook.

“For the growing number of people who live in downtown Bellevue, it’s going to be a valuable resource,” said Patrick Bannon of the Bellevue Downtown Association.

The 55,000-square-foot grocery is on the ground floor of Avalon Bay Communities’ seven-story Avalon Meydenbauer project, which includes 368 apartments and 18,000 square feet of additional retail space. It replaces a 25,000-square-foot Safeway across Northeast Fourth that opened in 1963 and hadn’t changed much since. Safeway swapped that 2-acre property for the 3.3-acre site of the new store in 2005 in a deal with Kemper Development, owner of Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place and the Lincoln Square mixed-use development to the north. Kemper has announced plans for a two-tower mixed-use project on the old Safeway site that would include 545,000 square feet of office space, 392,000 square feet of retail, a 120-room hotel and 200 condominiums, 545,000 square feet of office space, 392,000 square feet of retail, a 120-room hotel and 200 condominiums.

Sparks said the new $20 million Safeway was designed to appeal to upscale shoppers without scaring away those who look for value. “We’re trying to be the best in the middle,” he said …

Additional article

Our Library’s Literary Tastings events which included six movies and eight events are coming to an end with two events remaining:

Monday July 28th at 7:00 pm
Cupcake Fun with Baker Nancy Kux
How to decorate cupcakes simply, yet give a professional look.

Wednesday, July 30th at 7:00 pm
Croissant Tasting, San Francisco Baking Institute.

The events are free.

Please call the Reference Desk (558-7444) to make sure they have tickets available for these events.

The Library has a notice on their board asking for the return of their two chefs hats which were sartorially elegantly worn by the two Lions and have been recently “borrowed” by a wannabe chef.

The notice says no questions will be asked on their return!

The next band for Music in the Park is the California Cowboys, country rock.

The music is between 1:00 and 3:00 and if you forget to bring a picnic or visit the Farmers Market before the event, you can purchase hot dogs, etc from the Youth Advisory Committee booth.

Meters don’t make the grade

Future shock: Burlingame has decided not to adopt the use of “smart meters.” (by Mike Rosenberg , Examiner)

REDWOOD CITY (Map, News) - Don’t expect to receive a cell phone call from your parking meter anytime soon on the Peninsula, unless you’re in Redwood City.

Redwood City became the first city in the county to install the vaunted “smart meters” for downtown parking in early 2007, with the eyes of city officials across the region focused on the innovative device. Burlingame, the first city to evaluate Redwood City’s meters, decided this week not to use what authorities have called a confusing and expensive contraption. Redwood City had lauded the meters, which can be fed using cash, credit cards and even a cell phone, as a solution to its downtown parking woes. The solar-powered meters cost the city $400,000 and charge rates based on the popularity of the street. Drivers can even have the meter call them when parking time is running out and press a button to add more minutes, without worrying about time limits.

Burlingame, however, has decided the meters are too costly and that Redwood City has received too many complaints about its system to warrant installing its own smart meters, said City Manager Jim Nantell. Parkers have complained the system is too confusing and breaks down too easily compared to “dumb meters” that take coins.

“We were watching Redwood City with interest and they got a ton of complaints about it,” said Councilwoman Terry Nagel. “When a new technology comes along everyone wants to have it right away, but there are usually some bugs to work out.”

To offset the cost of the meter system, Burlingame police would have had to hike parking rates or take away other traffic services, said Sgt. Don Shepley.

“People don’t seem to like using them,” Nantell said.

Despite its problems, Burlingame officials admitted they were still a bit tantalized by the meters’ potential. The city has long received complaints about downtown parking, particularly on and around Burlingame Avenue, and thought the smart meters could have been a solution, Nagel said. “I still think it would be wonderful to have, but I think [our police] convinced me that the costs are too high and the technology is not where it needs to be,” Nagel said.

San Mateo does have “pay by space” meters inside downtown garages, but nothing as sophisticated at Redwood City’s system, said San Mateo Community Development Director Bob Beyer. Those machines are similar to smart meters in that everyone from a block or lot pays at the same location.

Price to pay - “Smart” parking meters’ strengths and weaknesses

Pros

Can pay using credit card
No time limit
Calls to avoid fines
Solar powered

Cons

Confusing to use
Break down easily
Wait times at meters
More expensive to city

Source: City of Burlingame

The City of San Buenaventura (aka Ventura) recently completed a vision plan that is entitled “Transforming Urban Environments for a Post Peak Oil Future“. At 281 pages and 65Mb this is a hefty read but the A.D.D. summary is this:

The peak in global oil production, or Peak Oil, will necessitate a change in the way communities function. While most planning for post-Peak Oil focuses on the generation of alternative energy sources to compensate for depleted oil supplies, the goal of this plan is to decrease energy consumption through community design and planning. This approach requires the localization of resources and transformation of urban environments and lifestyles, and therefore provides an opportunity to enhance quality of life.

The Post-Peak Oil Vision Plan analyzes probable implications of Peak Oil on the City of San Buenaventura and the surrounding region, and describes a vision for post-Peak Oil planning that responds to these implications by building upon positive trends that are already taking place. This vision is supported by planning and design guidelines, as well as a phased implementation plan. The regional vision emphasizes preservation of natural resources, concentration of the developed footprint, and intra-regional collaboration.

The 2050 vision for the City of San Buenaventura demonstrates the potential for transformation of urban environments. Under this vision, 85 percent of the population lives on less than a third of the city’s land and is within walking distance of daily needs; 50 percent of the food supply is grown within city limits; and greywater and roofwater supply over 75 percent of urban irrigation needs. The community design that results from this plan includes a significant reduction in energy demand and an increase in quality of life.

It’s well worth the time to read this document. Its sobering and stimulating. Just what Burlingame & San Mateo County needs. Can you imagine 50% of our food supply being grown within our county?

Hope this year the caravans are included in this event. They would be a great low-rise affordable way to live in Burlingame!

Lions Club auto show motors - Fourth Annual Cars-in-the-Park features rides for all tastes (by Mark Abramson / Daily News Staff Writer)

One of the Burlingame Lions Club’s biggest fundraisers is sure to get auto enthusiasts revved up Saturday.

The fourth annual Cars-in-the-Park auto show and barbecue starts at 8:30 a.m. at Washington Park, at the corner of Burlingame Avenue and Carolan Drive. The show features up to 220 vehicles, including antiques, hot rods, custom wheels, vintage autos, funny cars and other attractions. Admission is free, and the barbecue lunch costs $5 for a hot dog or hamburger and chips and a drink. The lunch is from 12:10 to 1:30 p.m. at the Burlingame Lions Hall, 990 Burlingame Ave.

“The attendance has grown considerably year after year,” Lions Club Secretary Dan Andersen said. “Last year we had a Russian motorcycle equipped with a dummy machine gun. The San Francisco Street Rod Association will have entries (in the show).”

The cost to display a vehicle at the show is $25. The Lions Club awards plaques for Best in Show, Best Hot Rod and 18 other categories.

The Lions Club will also donate $500 to the Burlingame Police Department to support its K-9 program and $500 to a fund that helps injured firefighters and their families during the event, Andersen said.

Ps. you can also give blood too.

From today’s Daily Journal reporting on last night’s two big wins in Palo Alto:

New Area 2 champ crowned
By Emanuel Lee, Daily Journal Staff

Burlingame’s 19-and-under American Legion baseball team finished with only the fourth best record in the Peninsula League regular-season standings.

Today, it can lay claim to No. 1.

In a Wednesday to remember at Palo Alto’s Baylands Athletic Center, Burlingame knocked off five-time defending champion San Mateo 10-8 in the semifinals before edging Redwood City 5-4 in the championship game, capping off one of the most improbable runs in recent Area 2 tournament history. Burlingame advances to the state tournament in Yountville, starting Aug. 2.

“I’ve been a part of a (Joe DiMaggio) World Series team (with Millbrae), but I’ve never really experienced anything like this before,” said Burlingame pitcher Nik Jurado, who closed out both games, including the final six innings of the title game. “I’m surprised we didn’t roll over and I’m surprised we had enough energy to get this done.”

He isn’t the only one. After suffering its only loss of the tournament on Sunday — a 19-0 whitewashing to San Mateo on Day Two — Burlingame had the unenviable task of going through the loser’s bracket. But it roared back to win four straight elimination games over three days, capping off its title run in style. In just its second year of fielding an American Legion 19-and-under program, Burlingame has two championship appearances to show for it; last year it lost to San Mateo in the title round.

“We really wanted to beat San Mateo,” Jurado said.

“The win over San Mateo was a confidence booster for our program,” Burlingame coach Eric Nuss said. “We had been 0-3 against them in tournament play the last two years. That win carried over to the championship game.”

At about 11:30 last night the stands erupted with relief and jubilation as the underdog Burlingame team recorded the last out. Many of these guys are nearing the end of their baseball careers since college baseball is so competitive. Now they get to enjoy one more tournament in Napa starting in 10 days. For the younger guys, including the six who will be returning seniors at Burlingame High next year, this is great experience that will hopefully lay the foundation for a great season. A special thanks goes out to Eric Nuss and his assistant coaches for all of their hard work–there is a lot more to it than “sitting on the bucket in the dugout". Well done!