Small Business Study

Letter to Daily Journal Editor today:,

After eight years and $2 million, the Burlingame City Council commissioned another study because Mayor Joe Galligan is worried about traffic congestion for an enlargement of an existing business and a Walgreen's pharmacy ( Safeway Stimulates Downtown Study,? in the April 19 edition of the Daily Journal). This is going to add a delay of two or three years and cost Burlingame residents approximately $40,000.

I'm sure Mayor Galligan is aware that 10 small businesses were forced out due to rent increases. I would like to suggest that Mayor Galligan do a study to find out why and what is going on in his town. This would serve his constituents much better. Kathy F, Burlingame

- Written by Fiona

Comments

[Bruce]

It would be nice to know, what other current council memeber think the problems exist/solutions in our town.

[jenn]

This is made more complicated by the fact that most of the 50's based traffic theories and equations fall by the wayside in a mixed-use situation, where there are time overlaps and more walking. It isn't as if we have to re-invent the wheel, though. We are not the first on the block to look into these kinds of solutions for our downtown. I'm not sure I would have publicly proclaimed this a wasted exercise and forgone conclusion. That opinion I would have kept to myself. It just makes people like the author of that letter think that the city is wasting money. The mayor may well be correct in his assessment that Burlingame is not ready for higher density. However, the concept certainly deserves fair, unbias consideration from all aspects, in particular by people who are experienced in this realm.