The Burlingame Voice

City Council: Another year, another rotation

The city council returned to chambers in City Hall Monday night for the first time in almost three years.  The occasion was the annual rotation of the mayor and vice mayor roles.  Thankfully, B'game stuck to established procedure unlike San Mateo and Millbrae this year.  Chaos ensued in both places.  Some things were different in chambers.  For one, the heat seemed like it needed some maintenance work from a master technician.  Each chair on the dais and in the staff area was equipped with a screen and two large screens have been installed on the sidewalls to accommodate hybrid live/Zoom meetings.  Zoomers' voices are now piped into the PA system giving a bit of an eerie feel to comments.  I may have to comment remotely sometime just to hear the effect!

The big event of the evening was Ann O'Brien Keighran's retirement after 17 years on the council and 7 years on the Planning Commission.  The DJ piece with some quotes is here. Plenty of regular locals turned out for the event as resolutions were read and plaques presented.  Diane Papan read her own resolution and Dave Pine's staff member, Linda Wolin, stood in for Pine.  Ann's council peers and some members of the public recounted some of the big events of her tenure; with the Safeway project bringing up many memories.  David Bowlby, a Safeway consultant back in the day, recounted meetings with Ann and my wife who were the Safeway sub-committee members. He also recalled meeting with the Citizens for a Better Burlingame.  Just hearing the CBB name mentioned reminded me of all those morning meetings to strategize and commiserate over the original monster Safeway design.  Historical Society president Jen Pfaff and my wife dug deep into the Society archives to construct a scrapbook for Ann that captured many of the early events in her 24-year service including the time that Joe Galligan tried to get her and dearly missed Stan Vistica replaced on Planning.  Ah, the Old Days.

Ann concluded her time on the dais with remarks that brought tears to her eyes near the end--even as she said she wouldn't let that happen.  I had a nice view sitting behind her parents, Denis and Katie O'Brien, as mom and daughter reached for tissues at the same time.

Following Ann's closing remarks, Ricardo Ortiz was sworn in by Diane Papan.  Michael Brownrigg was sworn in by Library Trustee Kris Cannon and her husband Jim while thanking long-time advisor Jeff Londer.  Finally, new councilman Peter Stevenson was sworn in by city manager Lisa Goldman.  Many locals showed up for this renewed annual event especially from Peter's new district 5 including local DJ and disaster preparedness expert Jeff Tateosian and commercial realtor Jim Sobel.  I chatted with Burlingame Neighborhood Network board members David Harris and Ann Hinckle, local realtor Erik Winkler and our local waste wizard Joe La Mariana of ReThink Waste.

As witnessed by the night's events and attendees, B'game still has a small-town feel.  I have no idea how long it will last given the notion that we must comply-or-else with Sacramento's demands for growth even as the state population shrinks.  But for one night it still felt small.  Here is the new dais set-up and Ann Keighran's appearance on the new big screen.  Happy retirement--she's gonna love it.

Commissioners' dinner returns

Another pre-Covid Burlingame tradition made its return last night when the annual Council-Commissioners' Dinner was emcee'd in person by mayor Ricardo Ortiz and city manager Lisa Goldman.  This has been a fun event for decades offering the opportunity to get to know new commissioners from the various city bodies and, most importantly, to recognize outgoing staff, councilmembers and commissioners.  It's a small thank you for their service.  Past councilmembers (and their partners) get to tag along, too.

The agenda is a short intro from the mayor which Ricardo delivered.  He focused on the hope that we can accommodate growth without losing the charm and livability that we all enjoy...or enjoyed.  It's a hope that is going to take some hard work to achieve given the pressures from Sacramento and the economy.  Then each commission chair introduces their colleagues and recognizes anyone leaving the commission.  Notable departures mentioned last night came from the Planning Commission--long timer Richard Terrones and William Loftus.  We also heard from the Measure I Oversight committee chair, Mary Hockeridge, and the Storm Drain Oversight committee chair, Eric Klein.  It was fun learning that Rena Gilligan has taken over for Joe Galligan as our representative on the San Mateo Mosquito & Vector Control District.

The two biggest bits of recognition came for outgoing city arborist, Bob Disco, and outgoing councilmember Ann O'Brien Keighran who both got resounding rounds of applause.  Bob's been a popular caretaker in this City of Trees for years and is retiring.  Ann's tenure on the Planning Commission and City Council will get a full recognition at the December 19th council rotation which is scheduled to also happen live in council chambers.  Here's Ricardo Ortiz at the mic.

No election. No debate. One overview.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted here. I’ve been busy, or maybe nothing has motivated me to put together a post?  But having attended last night’s candidates forum at the Burlingame Woman’s Club featuring candidates Michael Brownrigg, Ricardo Ortiz and Peter Stevenson, I feel the urge to render an opinion. Let me get right to it. I was “disappointed.”

First, I was discouraged at the size of the crowd attending to listen to the candidates. It was a shadow of the size of the crowd that attended such forums in the past. The engagement of the crowd was underwhelming as well. The questions asked were few and not tough enough.

Most importantly, I was let down that all three candidates were running unopposed. This too is a far cry from the crowded fields we’ve seen in the  past here in Burlingame.

Alright, let’s not dwell on the past and focus on the present. I will be naming names here as I believe the readership has a right to know. I will most likely be an equal opportunity offender in this regard.

I’ll try to react to the questions and answers given.

First up, The answer Council member Ortiz gave regarding public safety and growth was weak at best. In short, he stated that the council has not been asked to increase the number of patrol personnel, so by inference, there is no need to increase the number of individuals on the BPD. Wait? What? Does he not see the increase in petty crime, car break-ins, porch pirates, catalytic converter thefts? Does the council need to be asked to increase staffing? Really? The question was trying to tie growth and development to a need to increase the force. In my opinion, there is a lack of patrol in our neighborhoods, there is no substation on the bayfront where massive development is slated ( and the crime rate is higher due to the transient nature of the area) and both Ortiz and Brownrigg are not concerned? This outlook has me concerned.

Bothered by the comments from both candidate Council member Brownrigg and first-time candidate Stevenson when discussing growth. Both agreed with one another that Burlingame can no longer be a quaint bedroom community to San Francisco, it’s simply no longer possible, according to them. I, for one, want council members that recognize that the beauty of our community has always been its quaint, smalltown community feel. If this notion is disregarded than the fabric of the community is at risk. I want council members to protect this town, not just add and support what seems like unbridled growth. Did I say disappointing?

Brownrigg also said that studies have shown that Burlingame can handle more growth and that we still have capacity for even more density.  Someone asked regarding the issue of growth, “When is enough, enough?” All candidates didn’t really know how to answer this question. To me this is a red flag moment. Isn’t this one of the biggest issues facing Burlingame today? Council member Ortiz made a convoluted comment that more density is actually making our property values even higher. Not sure I understand that logic, so I won’t dwell on this point.

From my perspective, there is much more density in the pipeline than I ever imagined when I moved here over 27 years ago. Reminder there are seven, eight, nine and ten story buildings ready for approval right now. I’ve said it here on The Voice years ago that Burlingame will be unrecognizable and sadly, it is coming true faster than I thought.

Simply put, there didn’t seem to be any real concern over growth from any of the candidates. In fact, there seemed to be a satisfaction that the revenue generated by growth is worth it. This gives me great cause for concern. On the east side of town, District 5, I would have thought candidate Stevenson would have a stronger position as much of the development has a direct effect on District 5. ( District 5 not only represents the residential neighborhoods on the east side of Burlingame, it also encompasses the bayfront.)

There was some justification that growth comes with benefits like open space like what is planned for the massive downtown development that is being constructed at the downtown post office site for example. Concerts, gathering spots, places to play chess were mentioned specifically by Council member Brownrigg. The notion of closing Burlingame Avenue to vehicular traffic was also mentioned. I would suggest that all three candidates talk to experts like those with the Project for Public Spaces to gather bonified expert opinions before rendering their so-called expert opinion on open space and street closures. These are issues have unintended consequences and that again will change the fabric of Burlingame and should be taken seriously before any decisions are made. Covid has made the talk of street closures a popular topic. Perhaps I will opine on this subject in a separate post as it is a complex issue that much of time is oversimplified. Proceed with caution, I say.

Finally, there was a topic upon which I actually agreed with an answer. The topic of Broadway was on the docket and Council member Ortiz eluded to the fact that property owners bore some responsibility for the look and feel of the street having lacked the pride of ownership of their respective storefronts. It’s not simply just a streetscape improvement issue. I would add that no one seems to have the institutional memory that Broadway improvements actually happened well before the improvements to Burlingame Avenue. New bulb outs were built that included seating capacity, the old Magnolia trees were removed and brand-new trees were planted and new sidewalks were poured. Granted those improvements are now about 20 years old, but what is the schedule for wholesale streetscape improvements anyway? Seems to me that based on Burlingame Avenue and nearby downtown’s, infrastructure improvements generally happen about once a century.

One observation. All three candidates seemed to agree with one another on all the issues presented. Where is the independent thinking? Where are the strong perspectives? Where’s the debate? Is this what we have to look forward to—four years of, ”I concur, I agree, good point, well said?” Good lord.

So, there you have it. My take on the forum was disappointment all the way around.

As forum moderator Renaldo Pasquali accurately stated, it was nice to hear from the candidates, but in the end there really is no election. All the candidates are running unopposed. Perhaps there should be a new rule? If there are uncontested district races at the time of final candidate filing, or a candidate who has filed pulls out of the race, the filing deadline should be extended so that candidates who might have been considering running have another moment in time to consider throwing their names into the hat so that elections aren’t a wasted exercise. Just a thought.

Active on the Avenew: 2022 Version

Burlingame on the Avenue drew great crowds to Old B'game this past weekend.  It felt a little like old times when it was known as Art on the Avenue except the proportion of vendors selling "art" was way down.  The vendor mix didn't have the feeling of unique products or local flavor and it certainly isn't trying to be a high-end show like next weekend's Kings Mountain Air Fair up on Skyline Blvd., which is a juried affair, but our show was still very fun.  In the shadow of the giant construction crane, I caught Full House on Saturday doing R&B and R&R.  Saturday was warmer than Sunday.

Sunday was downright comfortable and Wolf Jett brought two local Burlingame kids back to town playing "Cosmic Mountain Soul Music".  Frontman Chris Jones highlighted that he and drummer Jon Payne grew up in B'game, went to BIS and graduated from BHS.  He recalled eating at La Pinata, playing videogames at Roundtable and buying music at the Record Exchange.  Lots of fun was had!  Here's Wolf Jett getting cosmic.

Earthquake reminder from BNN

On June 29th the Burlingame Neighborhood Network (BNN) sponsored a webinar about the omnipresent threat of an earthquake here in B'game.  Tom Brocher, former Director of the Earthquake Science Center at USGS was the presenter and made many key points that serve as a reminder to Be Prepared.  You can find the whole pitch on the Burlingamenetwork.org website titled "It Can Happen Here".  I'll just give a couple of teasers:

Historically, we had the '06 quake of 7.8 that lasted 45 seconds, then Loma Prieta in '89 at 6.9 (which was only 10% of the '06--remember it's a logarithmic scale) and '14 at 6.0 centered in Napa.  Over the next 30 years we have a 22% chance of a big one on the San Andreas fault.

When, not if, we have a big one it could take at least 3 days for any sort of real help to arrive given roadbeds may subside differentially, landslides will happen on steeper slopes and over the following 3 to 4 days we could see many additional pipes breaking (i.e. gas, water and sewer) as movement settles.

There were only about 40 people on the webcast, so please go watch the video.

Rec Center is Up and Running

Last night was the preview opening for donors who sponsored various parts of the new building and its furnishings.  I'll leave the critique of the architecture for another day since this was a great event with a lot of civic pride and gratitude for something getting done in town under supply chain and labor duress too.  The final cost was not mentioned, but that will eventually be known and compared to the $58.3M budget.

Mayor Ricardo Ortiz did the introduction and turned the new stage over to Donna Colson who has done a lot of the work on the project since the very beginning--along with Ann O'Brien and Cathy Baylock (back in the day, about 12 years ago).  Donna had a long list of people to thank and a reminder that there are still some choice sponsorship opportunities to be had.  Here she is on the two-way stage (the doors open fully so the audience can be on either side).  I snapped the green roof and the Elm room upstairs to give you a feel for the lovely design aesthetic.

There is a lot more to see so head on over.  It's a winner.

 

Happy President's Day

Some little moments occur when walking about our town just catch me the right way.  Today is Washington's Birthday or President's Day--take your pick.  After a spell of warm, summer-like weather the seasonal winds and chill returned.  Today had mostly blue skies, light winds and an absolutely lovely string of American flags on Broadway.  It was a reminder of the country and town we live in.  I like it and appreciate that the city B'way BID and the Boy Scouts still do this.

B'game History of Auto Row

Burlingame has been synonymous with car dealerships for as long as anyone can remember.  The marques that have been and continue to be sold here are legendary and the sales taxes the city collects are important contributors to our town's finances.  The total runs about $1.2 million per quarter--the highest of any category.  Even more interesting is the history of how we became known for our Auto Row which you can learn about from an expert this coming Sunday, Feb. 13th at 2pm.  At the Lion's Club hall in Washington Park, the Burlingame Historical Society is presenting its first live meeting in two years.

Society member, classic car enthusiast and long-time Burlingame Auto Row salesman Richard Griffith will present Tales from Auto Row. Using many historic images from the Society’s collection, Richard will discuss why one of the first auto rows in California was in Burlingame and how Auto Row has evolved over the last century. With many decades of experience, Richard has tales to tell! This is a presentation car lovers will not want to miss!

Richard's knowledge of all things car-related stems from his involvement with classic Hudsons, BMWs, Porsches and Audis--the later two marques he sold at Rector for, well, we'll let him tell you how long.  He's a trusted advisor on makes, models, values, and trouble-shooting as well as the go-to historical repository of our important local businesses.  I'm expecting some insights into cars that live in The Candy Store, the local Concours d'Elegance, and all of the cool brands that have come and gone here.

The presentation is free to the general public and, of course, the Society realizes there is a football game starting at 3:30 so they promise to finish by 3pm.  Bring your mask.

220 Park Rd: From Post Office to Class A Space

Wednesday was the official groundbreaking ceremony for the Old Post Office property; now dubbed "220 Park Rd."  About 50-75 people turned out to hear some speeches, tour the historic lobby that is undergoing asbestos removal and watch The Claw take the first bite out of the old garage.  The long saga documented here, here and here is moving into the final chapter.  There seems to be consensus among the cognoscenti that this is the best design B'game could hope for-- it is certainly better than the last proposal.

The lobby will be partially preserved in the sense that it will be modified with three doorways where the large windows are now.  The plan is to pick up the poured concrete structure, turn it slightly and move it 100' towards the Avenew, put it on piers and move it back near the end of the project (projected to be March 2024).  We'll keep an eye out for the date since that will be a bring-your-popcorn event.  There will be underground parking and the Town Square will feature amphitheater-style seating for concerts and the like.  The Daily Journal has some of the details

The ground floor, including a portion of the existing post office, will comprise 15,000 square feet of retail and dining space. Office space above will feature terraces at each level and larger patios on the third and sixth floors. The two-level underground parking garage will have room for 275 cars and be open to the public on weekends and evenings.

Construction of the project will be handled by Sares Regis Group and Dostart Development Company, which will provide $2 million to the city for the town square development, as well as an additional $3.5 million in assorted fees to go toward affordable housing in Burlingame.

Click through if you are a subscriber so you can see the photo of Yours Truly in my chapeau and shorts along with my lovely bride in the left background.  Here is Dave Hopkins of Sares Regis, the Claw doing its thing and the official groundbreaking line-up.

Music in the Park: Get Your Reservations

The city e-newsletter has music to my ears with the announcement of this year's new Music in the Park series.  The big change is a move to Friday nights from 6-8pm (5pm check-ins) and  

Registration is $5 per person.  Registration must be made in advance. Only one registration is required per group. Registration provides a dedicated space for you and your group.

I envision chalk line circles for each pod and people making more of a night out effort with more food and drink.  I'm not sure what the rules will be about alcohol in the park.  It has traditionally been OK in San Mateo's Central Park series, but B'game can be more strict sometimes.  Here is the line-up

June 18 - The Sun Kings (Beatles Tribute)

July 9 - The Houserockers (Rock & Soul)

July 23 - New American Villains (Modern & Classic Rock)

August 13 - Pride & Joy (R & B & Soul)

I've seen all of these bands at least once, but I'm still excited.  Keep an eye on www.burlingame.org/rec for more info.  Here is a past Sun Kings show.