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  • Parking Ah-ha: It’s a necessity

    The Merc is highlighting a 23-story apartment building with less than one parking space for every three units. Guess what? It’s a problem

    The Fay apartment tower in downtown San Jose was built to draw residents back to the city, a sleek high-rise with rooftop views and luxury amenities. But two years later, the building is 60% vacant, and city officials say one key reason stands out: not enough parking. Two years after it opened with fewer than one parking spot for every three apartments, The Fay has plunged into foreclosure.

    The Fay’s parking problems provide an early test of a 2022 statewide law that erased parking requirements on housing developments within a half mile of a major public transit stop. But those policies are colliding with California’s deep-rooted car culture — and in pockets around the Bay Area, the signs of pushback are starting to show.

    I love it when they talk about our “car culture” like it’s some Happy Days muscle car cruise night memory or a low-rider meet up. Or drag racing up at Ocean Beach before they closed the formerly Great Highway. But cars are intrinsic to everyday life if you need things like groceries, trips to the vet, Home Depot, etc etc etc.

    Across the Bay Area, tenants living in housing projects with limited parking are finding themselves running up parking fines and doing battle with neighbors over street parking. At some affordable housing projects, where parking requirements were eased as early as 2015, the frustration is mounting. “I have 20 parking violations,” said Candy Sandoval, a custodian and single mother of four who lives at Quetzal Gardens low-income housing in East San Jose, “plus my car was vandalized because of parking on the street.”

    Her fellow tenants are so exasperated without enough parking — there are 42 spots to accommodate 70 apartments — some of them park in silent protest directly in front of the building, smack in the middle of a designated bus stop.

    I’ll bet you would stump Google and ChatGPT is you asked, “how does a single mother of four manage without a car?” This little charade is creeping into B’game as well. The latest example is a proposal at 2 Park Rd. where Crosby N Gray is located. While not nearly as bad as The Fay or Quetzal Gardens, it’s proposed to have 140 spaces for 144 “units”. One really needs to consider the number of bedrooms and the number of units to understand real parking needs. Will we have to rename it No Park Rd.?

    Posted by:

    Joe

    7 comments on Parking Ah-ha: It’s a necessity

  • Shrinking Meta: Maybe a drive-in could fit?

    B’game has been in the news about Bay Area layoffs lately. Both the Comicle and the Merc have reported on our shrinking Bayfront employee count:

    Meta’s sweeping layoffs will affect nearly 700 Bay Area workers, adding to years of cuts in the face of massive artificial intelligence investment and overhiring during the pandemic. The social media giant said in state filings that layoffs would affect 338 workers in Burlingame, 252 in San Francisco and 81 in Fremont — for a total of 671. In April, Meta also cut nearly 200 jobs in Burlingame and Sunnyvale.

    Perhaps Meta could redeploy some of that excess virtual reality talent to redesign a large auditorium or conference room to be a movie theater on campus. Or wait. A nice drive-in, drive-up theater on top of the massive parking structure would be nice. I would even wear my Metaview glasses instead of hooking a big metal speaker to my car window.

    Posted by:

    Joe

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  • Electric reality sets in? Not yet

    We had another big power outage Monday in B’game. At the start, the PG&E app said about 5,000 “users”, meaning service addresses, were out including long-suffering Broadway. Figure as many as 8-10,000 people lost power for some period of time. The area around City Hall was still out more than an hour after it was first reported. At this point it appears such outages don’t even merit a mention in the news–except here at the Voice.

    Therefore, now is the perfect time to recap the long SF Comicle article from Sunday titled “What to know about water heater changes“. Writer Brooke Park might be out of a job–or in line for a Pulitzer–because her piece actually got it right on about 80% of the problems with the impending gas water heater ban. It’s almost a full page long and hits on:

    Adding both a heat pump water heater and a heat pump furnace system could push more homeowners toward costly electrical panel upgrades. Older homes often have 100-amp panels, while newer or upgraded homes may have 200-amp panels or higher. Homes with multiple new electric appliances — such as two heat pumps and an electric vehicle charger — may be more likely to need electrical upgrades, especially if they have lower-capacity panels.

    While Park captured the basics, the time and delay to find an electrician, get them scheduled and get the work done along with the permitting isn’t captured in the estimate. Nor is any sort of removal costs for the “obsolete” gas plumbing, vents, roof repair, etc, etc.

    The Bay Are Air District said that an average natural gas water heater installation would be around $3,500 while a heat pump installation would cost about $7,000. At the high end, if for example significant electrical work is needed, the costs of a heat pump installation could rise to $38,800, the air district said.

    (One guy in Foster City), Mark Allen was expecting at least a $2,500 rebate from his electricity provider but is still navigating the reimbursement process. “No kidding, 16 emails back-and-forth, we still did not have a permit and almost 2½, 3 months had gone by,” Allen said. When he got the necessary paperwork and submitted the rebate, the electricity provider said he was past the deadline.

    Beyond the higher expense, heat pump water heaters can be larger, louder and slower to heat water than their natural gas counterparts.  “If you have the right setup for it, yes, it could be good. But I personally would never want to put one in my house,” said Chris Guslani, the owner of Bay Area Water Heaters, which installs natural gas water heaters as well as the occasional heat pump. “They don’t heat up as fast, they’re loud, they’re huge.”

    Both (120V and 240V) models will produce noise comparable to a refrigerator, which is similar to the noise of a natural gas water heater. But the heat pump will often run for twice as long, Guslani said. Homes typically have 50- or 65-gallon tanks to hold hot water. Once that is exhausted, 120-volt models can typically heat from seven to 15 gallons of water per hour, while 240-volt water heaters can warm approximately 18 gallons to 23 gallons if its hybrid mode, which uses traditional electric water heater elements to warm water faster, is unlocked, installers said.  A gas-powered water heater can heat about 30 gallons of water per hour.

    Guslani said that in about 60% of cases he’s seen, gas water heaters operate in spaces without any wall sockets. And manufacturers warn against using extension cords for water heaters. Heat pump water heater tanks might need to be up to 15 gallons larger than those used with natural gas water heaters to account for slower heating times, according to the air district. Heat pumps, which are often a foot taller than natural gas models, also typically need to be installed in rooms with more than 700 cubic feet to allow for adequate airflow.

    There’s more that I will add as a comment, but it all reminds me of “Besides that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?” The bureaucrats are expected to vote on who gets exemptions in October, so let the virtue signaling begin. One of our County Supes, Ray Mueller, is tapping the brakes on the idea or at least the Jan. 1, 2027 start date.  

    Posted by:

    Joe

    4 comments on Electric reality sets in? Not yet

  • Alana’s will still be Alana’s

    In the second feel-good Dine B’game news of the month, Alana’s Cafe owners Teresa and Francesca have struck a deal with five long-time employees to have them take over the cafe. Following close on the heels of Gigi taking the old Sam’s Sandwich space in the bus depot, this welcome news just tugs at your heartstrings and appetite.

    The DJ did a piece about the transfer being a “business continuation” that Mayor Michael Brownrigg assisted with to make the numbers all work. You can read up on that here. I’ll just post the message that Francesca and Teresa posted in the window–that says it all.

    Courtesy of the Historical Society, here is an older photo of when you got a wig instead of an omelet at 1408.

    Posted by:

    Joe

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  • Sign Police: Canepa busted

    It’s one thing when a complete neophyte doesn’t know or follow the rules. It’s quite another when someone who has been in the game for years doesn’t follow the rules. And it is even worse when the candidate is running for Chief Elections Officer (and Assessor/Clerk Recorder). County Supe David Canepa has been in the game for a long time and I’m sure he knows the rules against posting campaign signs on public right of way. So why not get his workers to follow the rules? He was at an event on the Avenew two days ago and may have even seen this illegally placed sign. Not cool. And we still have two weeks of frantic sign placement to go.

    Posted by:

    Joe

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  • Town Square: Inaugural show takes flight

    The first of what I hope will be many bands played at our new Town Square last night. They were greeted by the Burlingame Breeze which unfortunately is not an umbrella drink. Bert’s Brew, featuring local bassist and former city councilmember Stephanie Lee, ran through a very fun variety of classic rock covers, some Calypso and some Reggae, mon. “Suntan Man”, who many would recognize from his busking on his tenor sax on the Avenew (along with his persona tanning sessions all over downtown), joined in from the audience on Girl from Ipanema.

    The Burlingame Breeze made for two distinct experiences. In the sunny section in front of the Old Post Office things were quite pleasant. In the shade where the band was set up and nearby seating, things were less toasty. Future bands should note that the Breeze means they should bring their full PA set-up and layers of clothing. The weather and some confusion over the starting time made for a smaller audience than I expected. The sandwich sign with all of the upcoming shows listed a 5pm start, but the band started at 5:30 despite having set up early. I’ll try to get some clarity from Park & Rec on the start times which are variable (today’s start is listed as 4pm). There are worse places to while away a half hour.

    I noticed the lack of an actual stage/bandstand during the Grand Opening but did not mention it in that post. Now that live music has started the lack of any staging is noticeable (even 10-12 inches makes a difference). It just doesn’t feel the same without a bit of a lift. Perhaps there is some budget left over to rectify this before Burlingame on the Avenue arrives on August 15-16 and the Square gets its real debut. All in all, we are off to a great start on a much-needed addition to the downtown scene.

    Posted by:

    Joe

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  • City Council: At least District 3 will be competitive

    The news that council member Michael Brownrigg will not seek re-election in the Fall was made official this week. Voice readers were not surprised as we wrote that more than a month ago, when Michael told me he would make the announcement at the April 6th city council meeting as noted here on the Town Square post. Apparently, that didn’t happen until now as the Daily Journal picked it up yesterday and is highlighting two candidates who will seek the D3 seat. At least we will have one race. We shall see if anyone files to compete with Andrea Pappajohn (D1) or Peter Stevenson (D5) who are both up for re-election on Nov. 3rd.

    The two D3 candidates, Jen Faber and Howard Wettan, are starting earlier than usual driven by the open seat. I know both candidates having met with both one-on-one for more than an hour to talk over local issues as they explored running. Jen Faber and her work with BCE was profiled here and I didn’t write up Howard after we met. Here are a few early thoughts on an early-starting race:

    The move to Five Little Districts we discussed in 2021 here continue to do city governance no favors. In a small city of a shade over 30,000 people, it makes no sense to carve it up in little pieces. First, it takes away 4 of the 5 votes residents used to have. As we are seeing this time around, it also diminishes good candidates’ opportunities to win a seat. Jen and Howard are both strong candidates and, in my opinion, would be uber competitive in a city-wide race against the incumbents up for re-election. But they are corralled into competing just against each other.

    In the meantime, it is quite possible we will have no competitive election in one or both of D1 and D5. Is there really that much difference in issues between little districts? Does anyone feel better represented? I know locals who kind of pay attention and still don’t know who “their” councilmember is. Having to vote every four years instead of every two doesn’t help voter engagement. Nor does it do much for candidate engagement–nobody is knocking on doors outside of their little district.

    Both D3 candidates are strong. Both are committed to B’game. Both have assembled solid endorsements. Both will be sufficiently funded (about the only benefit of little districts is the savings on postage). We shall see how the candidate forums play out and whether people see a clear issues-based choice or vote on person knowledge. At least we will have one race.

    P.S. Michael was appointed to the Planning Commission in 2001–more like 25 years of service, not 16. 

    Posted by:

    Joe

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  • Why the “Comicle” is comical

    I am occasionally asked why I call the SF Chronicle the Comicle. The question mostly comes from people who don’t subscribe to the Comicle; or any newspaper for that matter. I didn’t make it up; I stole it from one of my journalistic heroes–Herb Caen. Per the Google AI

    • About “The Comicle”: As a master of wit and wordplay, Caen used “The Comicle” to poke fun at his own employer, often highlighting the sometimes chaotic or amusing nature of local journalism.

    Caen used the term more amusedly than I do. I use it to highlight what passes for journalism at a much-degraded paper. You can see the slippage almost every day, but some days it is so blatant that it’s worth highlighting. Today is one of those days as reporter Aidin Vaziri, no Comicle newbie he, wrote the piece on the mayor of Arcadia, CA pleading guilty to being a Chinese spy and resigning. He gives us 20 column inches of “just the facts, ma’am” but leaves out a ton of facts.

    I figured Vaziri would bury the fact that ex-mayor Eileen Wang is a Democrat near the end of the article. I was wrong. He completely buried it: 86’ed it if you will. If she had been a R, it would have been front and center along with some investigative reporting on her major donors, her endorsers, her policy statements, etc. The piece would have been four times as long and then get more of less repeated next week for good measure.

    We would have learned how she used WeChat to communicate with the CCP. We would be treated to photos of her with big wig R politicians, like the ones you can find elsewhere of her with AG Rob Bonta and Sen. Alex Padilla. We would know to whom and how much she donated to other politicians and there would be some digging on where that money came from. The piece would spiral into comparisons with other spy situations (e.g. Feinstein and Swalwell). But not today, not at the Comicle. Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts.

    Posted by:

    Joe

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  • Sobering up in Burlingame instead of San Mateo

    We have not had a Guest Author on the Voice in quite awhile, but when San Matean David Long asked me why I had not weighed in on the “sobering center” controversy I asked him to pen his perspective for us. I wasn’t really paying attention to the issue when it was in San Mateo and he has, as you will read here. The DJ had a piece two days ago that noted

    San Mateo County will purchase a $13 million Burlingame property to hopefully open up a sobering station as soon as possible, house the Pride Center and provide an option for a treatment facility, with supervisor approval Tuesday. The property of more than 2 acres at 818-828 Mahler Road was the former site of First Chance, a 14-bed sobering center operated by since-closed nonprofit StarVista.

    Since First Chance closed, individuals who get arrested for driving under the influence are brought to county jail, rather than a station that promotes wellness and provides offenders with resources and opportunities to rehabilitate. It costs double the amount to house a DUI offender in a county correctional facility than a sobering center.

    Here is David’s perspective on the switch from central San Mateo to Mahler Rd.:

    San Mateo County’s proposed sobering and treatment center at 101 N. El Camino Real has felt like an experiment in how many bad land-use decisions could be shoe-horned into an already congested corridor. 

    • Dense residential neighborhood? Check. 
    • Multiple schools and daycares nearby? Check. 
    • Dense senior housing within walking distance? Check. 
    • Breakneck traffic at a pockmarked El Camino intersection seemingly designed by bumper-car enthusiasts? Absolutely. 

    And yet somehow, this was presented as the “best” location for a large detox and treatment facility projected to generate up to 17,000 annual client trips with 24/7 intake activity?  Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed.

    On Tuesday, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to purchase the former sobering center property on Mahler Road in Burlingame for $13 million. Only a single speaker opposed the purchase. Even the Burlingame City Council – never mistaken for a drum circle – gave Mahler Road unusually ‘high’ marks at its 4/20 meeting. Why? Because Mahler Road makes sense. 

    At two acres, it’s a large parcel in a light industrial and emerging biotech corridor with sparse nearby housing. It sits just one mile from Highway 101 and three miles from Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. Most importantly, it has a long, proven history as a sobering center serving San Mateo County. The Mahler sobering component is expected to open within six months. By comparison, the 101 ECR proposal likely faced a three-to-five-year runway filled with entitlement battles, lawsuits, redesigns, and enough public hostility to power a small city. 

    Burlingame’s Supervisor Jackie Speier deserves enormous credit for recognizing the broader potential of the Mahler site. In addition to treatment services, discussions have included a future home for the San Mateo County Pride Center – which has been without a permanent location since 2024 – as well as possible housing for essential service workers increasingly priced out of the communities they serve.

    Which makes San Mateo’s Supervisor Noelia Corzo’s continued attachment to the 101 ECR location all the more puzzling. This debacle echoes her divisive performance during COVID while serving as SMFCSD’s school board President, where her stubbornness and delays reopening San Mateo public schools were epic. Her tone-deaf obstinacy has triggered a June primary write-in candidate (Taso Zografos) and a recall effort (you heard it here first). 

    At some point, leadership means recognizing when a better option has emerged. Corzo’s four Supervisor colleagues did exactly that. They listened to residents, looked at operational realities, and pivoted toward a faster, cheaper, and far less divisive solution. 

    These are important services that our families, friends and neighbors need ASAP. The Mahler location delivers services quickly and in a location that is well suited for this use. Only time will tell, but San Mateo County appears to be getting this right. 

    David Long is a San Mateo Park resident who continues to view the failed 1909 Burlingame annexation effort of his neighborhood as one of local history’s great missed opportunities.

    —————

    With all the fuss about commercial properties not turning over and thus never being revalued per Prop. 13, my hope is that even if the County did get a deal at $13 million, I hope they are paying full property taxes on the purchase. We shall see how the Broadway overpass handles another 17,000 trips per year. And yes, San Mateo Park would have made a great addition to South B’game. Thanks, David.  I happened by 818 Mahler and snapped this photo. The building really looks like it needs some love.

    Posted by:

    Joe

    5 comments on Sobering up in Burlingame instead of San Mateo

  • BHS: New principal and vice principal arrive

    We like to keep track of who’s who at BHS (and SMUSHD) since there has been some controversy over how the high school has been administered in the past. BHS (and Mills) are key elements in the community spirit of our little city. Per the DJ:


    Peter Alvarez and Lauren Kelly were named as the new principals for Aragon and Burlingame high schools, respectively, by the San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees at its meeting last week.

    Kelly served as the vice principal of McDonald High School and the principal of Cabrillo Middle School in the Santa Clara Unified School District since 2023. Prior to that she served as the principal at Freedom High School in Oakley from 2021-23; the assistant director of educational services and the K12 pathway coordinator at Eden Area ROP in Hayward from 2018-21; and the principal of Evergreen Valley High School in San Jose from 2013-18. Kelly has also served as the athletic director and PE teacher at Milken Community School in Los Angeles; and as a math and science teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

    The district also recently announced that Chad Slife was named as vice principal of Burlingame High School. He has more than 23 years of experience in public education and currently works at the San Mateo County Office of Education. Born and raised in Riverside, Slife began his career as a Teach For America Corps Member and has since served as a teacher, a founding assistant principal of a charter middle school, and an elementary school principal for seven years.

    Welcome aboard Lauren and Chad. We wish you well in maintaining and improving the school’s reputation.

    Posted by:

    Joe

    1 comment on BHS: New principal and vice principal arrive

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