The Burlingame Voice – Dedicated to Empowering and Informing the Burlingame Community

September 1, 2026

RIP: Jerry Deal and JoAnn Johnson Deal

The news of former councilmember and planning commissioner Jerry Deal’s passing in June is reaching the B’game community along with the news that his wife JoAnn passed the week before he did. Jerry resigned his council seat mid-term in July 2014 as noted here. JoAnn was a long-time teacher at Franklin and moved around the elementary district offering art instruction to all the schools. The couple were a fixture on the local political, school and community event scene with a pair of smiles and quick quips that are easy to recall if you knew them at all.

An avid fly-fisherman, Jerry moved up to Bend, OR but maintained a pied a terre in SF for years after. Via a local contact, I received this background information

Jerry grew up in Redwood City. He went to Sequoia high, but I don’t know when he graduated. He then went to Berkeley, and he was working with an architect when he was in his third or fourth year there and I guess was doing so well that he just started getting clients and never finished the Berkeley architecture degree, but he didn’t need to finish. He was doing very well so I guess he quit in his last year.

I think of Jerry as the “father of design review” in B’game. I recall his powerful slideshow presentation to the city council that highlighted the need photographically. There was some terrible stuff getting built. It didn’t always go smoothly as you can read in this post from 2009. He was also in the middle of the long Safeway saga. For a fun time trip, Google “Burlingame Voice” and Jerry Deal and any topic of your choosing.

JoAnn’s obituary just showed up in the Comicle which you can read here. It notes 35 years of teaching and that she passed on July 12, 2026. I have not seen an obit for Jerry, but will add it if I find it. We shared an enthusiasm for music and wine and he showed me how to secure bottles in racks from earthquakes with a little double loop piece of fish line. Regardless of whether we agreed or not on some city issue or political slant, we were always cordial and for that I am grateful. RIP Jerry and JoAnn.

Posted by:
Joe

September 1, 2026

2 comments on RIP: Jerry Deal and JoAnn Johnson Deal
August 31, 2026

Floppy Signs: Visual clutter

While pedestrians need to keep their heads on a swivel, B’game drivers must real-time process all sorts of confusing clutter around town as installed by the city. The intersection of Chapin and Primrose is the classic example with incorrect and poorly maintained signage that I don’t believe adds anything to pedestrian safety. In fact, the distracting clutter and a code-disallowed floppy sign may make the intersection more dangerous. They also aren’t doing anything for some vehicles paint jobs. I bet tractor trailer drivers don’t even realize they have ploughed over these signs–or don’t care.

It turns out the front one with the STOP symbol is explicitly not allowed and crossed out in the code! Maybe Sacramento could pass a law against selling them in California?

There’s nothing like almost rear ending someone who stops because they see a stop sign even when no one is in the crosswalk. I see that happen at Howard and Costa Rica a couple times a month when a pedestrian isn’t intending to cross right away and some driver decides to stop anyway because of the floppy sign.

Posted by:
Joe

August 31, 2026

7 comments on Floppy Signs: Visual clutter
August 25, 2026

Walking B’game: Your head on a swivel

Pedestrian safety certainly isn’t improving in B’game or elsewhere on the Peninsula. I walk a lot to and from the Avenew and on B’way. You will see unsafe maneuvers all the time. But let’s put some numbers to my gut feel about it. A couple weeks ago, BPD ran a four-hour enhanced morning enforcement near Christie’s and the train station. I heard from multiple sources that it was like “shooting fish in a barrel”. Per BPD

Approximately 16 citations were issued during our four-hour operation focused on pedestrian right-of-way violations.

Doing the math, that is a citation every 15 minutes. And that is with enforcement being visible as the ticket gets written thus warning the next guy! Keep your head on a swivel. I think we need a couple more officers and a little less overhead elsewhere.

Posted by:
Joe

August 25, 2026

1 comment on Walking B’game: Your head on a swivel
August 24, 2026

Historic housing: A little help from a friend?

The very cute story in the Daily Journal about the oldest house in San Mateo coincided with me seeing an actual newspaper ad about Truckee having the Mills Act in place and asking for submissions. The San Mateo home sits only five blocks from the impending disaster further south.

The oldest standing private dwelling in San Mateo sits on the corner of South Delaware Street and First Avenue. It was built by Williams Sands, an Irish expat who moved to California in 1857. He built the iconic eye-catching Gothic revival structure for his wife and five children in 1860. The original farm house stood on First Avenue, and the Gothic steamboat-style front was added on the Delaware Street side of the home around 1880. The home stayed in the Sands family for more than 100 years before it was purchased by Frank Jaros who cared deeply about preserving the structure. After Jaros’ death, his sister, Denise Nagel, sold the home to Aikin in 2012. In his bid for the house, Aikin wrote a letter promising to preserve the home’s history.

You should click through for more of the color commentary on the property, but right at the end we find out

His home is eligible to receive local landmark status that would limit major exterior changes but could also make Aikin eligible for property tax relief through the California Mills Act.

The city of San Mateo had to enable that. B’game has a very limited Mills Act property tax abatement program in place specifically within its Downtown Specific Plan Area. It ain’t easy to find or understand on the city website but thanks Gemini I did. Wouldn’t it be nice to expand into residential areas? And then actively promote it as Truckee (a town less than half the size of B’game) has done?

Posted by:
Joe

August 24, 2026

2 comments on Historic housing: A little help from a friend?
August 18, 2026

Old Post Office: Almost dinner time

While enjoying the bands at Burlingame on the Avenue this year I noticed that the long-awaited Old Post Office restaurant in the old post office is hiring. It also has the liquor license application filed so we must be getting close.

The little sign telling people to stay off the beautiful lawn was promptly and widely ignored all weekend.

Posted by:
Joe

August 18, 2026

1 comment on Old Post Office: Almost dinner time
August 14, 2026

1971 Chevelle SS comes home

I seldom do the “Feel Good Friday” type of posts, but this one from the new California Post plucked my choke cable. I’ve never had any Detroit muscle preferring my nimble Japanese sports car, but I love seeing them on ECR and at car shows like the one this Sunday on the Avenew.

A Northern California man whose prized muscle car was swiped more than three decades ago has finally been reunited with his beloved wheels, cops revealed this week. Police in Auburn recently discovered the black 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle through a vehicle-identification-number inspection, they said. California Highway Patrol cops did not say what prompted the VIN probe into the car, but noted that during it, they noticed something that “warranted a closer look,” CHP wrote on Facebook on Thursday. It turns out the classic had been stolen from San Mateo County more than 158 miles away in 1993.

“With assistance from the San Mateo Police Department, investigators were able to confirm the vehicle’s history and do something that probably seemed impossible after all these years – reunite the Chevelle with its original owner,” CHP said.

The car is reported to have been well taken care of and hopefully we will see it rolling down the roadway in San Mateo and B’game soon. The photo in the Post shows it to be a Chevelle SS, so here is a stock photo. The original owner didn’t want to be identified — probably to avoid have the ride boosted again! See you Sunday on the Ave.

Posted by:
Joe

August 14, 2026

1 comment on 1971 Chevelle SS comes home
August 12, 2026

B’game real estate update: 1H26

Local realtor Raziel Ungar provides bi-annual, B’game-specific updates on a variety of real metrics on how our local market is responding to market conditions. The brochure is really well-done (speaking as numerate former analyst) and provides a permanent view that we can look back on later. For example, here is the April 2013 post.

For the first half of 2026, sales jumped to 104 from the mid-70s the last two years, up 33.3%. Prices still rose with the additional monthly inventory which remains low at 13.3 vs 17-18 the last two years. Average price per square foot bumped up to $1,539 – up 3.1% YoY and up $184 per ft² in two years. As Raziel notes, “this remains the metric that best reflects true appreciation in this market.” Back in the linked post from 2013, it was less than half that in Burlingables and B’game Grove.

The average home price was up 2.0% to $3.37M which seems a bit low but is partially explained by the median size being 3.5% smaller–just a sales mix change as houses certainly are not getting smaller in B’game! Lastly, for the first half, average sales prices were 107.5% of asking with Raziel and others suggesting that AI money is flowing into B’game and will continue. All this in the face of high, but not crazy high since the October 2023 Peak of 7.79% was the highest point since late 2000. Raziel notes that the second half generally “flattens” but he doesn’t think we are set up for that this year. We shall see.

Posted by:
Joe

August 12, 2026

1 comment on B’game real estate update: 1H26
August 10, 2026

My Mourning Doves

We have a lot of wildlife visitors to our yard, but none more regular than this mated pair of mourning doves. I think they actually live here most of the year and have had several broods each season. The other frequent visitors are listed here from my recording two years ago.

Mourning doves are strongly monogamous and often mate for life within their short lifespan. Pairs stay together through a single breeding season to raise multiple broods, and many will reform bonds with the same partner the following year if both survive.

Mourning doves symbolize peace, love, hope, and spiritual renewal, frequently acting as messengers bringing comfort and reassurance, particularly regarding departed loved ones or during times of grief. Their gentle, melancholic cooing is associated with tranquility, divine presence, and the soul’s journey, often interpreted as a sign of inner peace.

The cooing is very relaxing, and they aren’t afraid to land together to get a drink and a quick dip.

Posted by:
Joe

August 10, 2026

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August 7, 2026

Of race-baiting and misinformation

The only thing worse than race-baiting or misinformation is when the two appear together. Society is inflamed enough without resorting to the combination. Enter Jim Lawrence, the former mayor of Foster City and chair of Fixin’ San Mateo County, writing a letter to the DJ. He starts off well-enough with a concern many of us probably have but can’t stop himself there. He writes (and I snip):

The eight-month jail sentence imposed on former San Mateo County Community College Chancellor Ron Galatolo has shaken all confidence in our local judicial system. Mr. Galatolo was convicted of eight felony counts involving perjury and tax fraud. According to published reports, both the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office and the Probation Department recommended a state prison sentence. Judge Leland Davis instead imposed just eight months in county jail, with the likelihood that he will serve only about four months.

I don’t know about “all confidence” but OK so far. Eight months is light in my opinion as well and the whole idea of serving halves of sentences is ridiculous. But things quickly go off the tracks.

As an African American, I cannot help but wonder whether a working-class defendant or a person of color would receive the same outcome. This strongly indicates that we need a review of court policy and procedures. As a strong proponent of oversight, I believe this is yet another taxpayer-funded function over which taxpayers have little meaningful oversight or input. Wake up, everybody. Titles do not make the man — but they certainly seem to count in our court system.

The only problem, and it’s a biggie, is Judge Leland Davis is black. How do I know? Because the last time I had jury duty, he was the judge. In fact, he was appointed to the bench by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in December of 2010 and is the current Presiding Judge for San Mateo County. I may have actually been in his court room twice over the last 15 years and I clearly remember a photo of Justice Thurgood Marshall on his wall. I recall him being of the “no nonsense” school of judging. Shouldn’t someone like Jim Lawrence either know this or bother to look into it before firing off a misleading public letter? Short answer is “yes”. Just another reason why I call his op Wreckin’ San Mateo County. Their idea of “oversight” is often short-sighted. Here’s Judge Davis.

Posted by:
Joe

August 7, 2026

1 comment on Of race-baiting and misinformation
August 5, 2026

Neighborhood siege and YIMBY bigotry

Here at the Voice, we go the extra mile for our readers or, in this case, the extra 1.7 miles. That is how far 606 S. Delaware in San Mateo is from my house. Having read the DJ news piece noted in the anniversary post, John Horgan’s column and Dana Yates’ opinion piece, I wanted to see the house and the neighborhood for myself. Horgan called the proposed 5-story, 20-unit project “absurd”. He notes

There, on South Delaware Street not far from downtown, a plan is afoot that simply boggles the mind. A property owner has proposed constructing a five-story minitower that would include 20 studio apartments. The structure, if approved by city authorities, would be markedly out of character for the neighborhood.

But that’s not the most striking aspect of the plan. According to a revealing report in the Daily Journal last week, the bold project would not have a single on-site parking space, not one. Nada. Nil. Zilch.

My trip to San Mateo was late on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I found a section of quaint single-story, small bungalow style homes and no open parking spaces on the block. Think back to this post about the San Jose parking fiasco. “Parking is a necessity” should not be a surprise to anyone, but the Delaware St. project has no on-site parking! There is some odd arrangement to have eight spaces (not 15 or 20) in a “nearby garage”, but I didn’t see it on the east side of the Caltrain tracks where this neighborhood is located. I just keep thinking about people lugging groceries especially with all the talk about senior housing.

But the rising angst isn’t just a San Mateo or Burlingame thing. Anyone following the EssEff Marina Safeway project has seen concern about size and density morph into bigoted accusations of bigotry. Note the Comicle’s Laura Waxmann piece about a photo of a community meeting:

When I snapped the photo Thursday night, it looked like many community meetings I had covered before: a crowd of hundreds of neighbors packed into a Marina District warehouse to discuss a large housing development they opposed, the proposal to reimagine a waterfront Safeway into 848 apartments rising as high as 22 stories. I didn’t expect the image to take on a life of its own. Many (readers) were incensed or incited by one detail: Almost everyone in the room was older, with graying hair and faces that had seen decades of life. Two days later, the post had nearly 10 million views. Yet others called out what they described as a “YIMBY bigotry” toward older San Franciscans that the photo had unleashed.

Waxmann didn’t call out people in the meeting being “white” but plenty of other commenters have and the YIMBY bigotry is rife in the opinion pieces and letters to the editor both at the Comicle and elsewhere. Comicle hack Joe Garofoli even dredges up the old race restrictions in deeds that were invalidated 80 years ago. One letter-writer says

NIMBYs do not get to decide who lives here. If they like their city, they should want more people to be able to live here.

No sorry. Let’s put the soft YIMBY bigotry away. People aren’t trying to influence WHO gets to live here–just some common sense about HOW MANY get to live here. Dana Yates’ column about why we are losing faith in local government gets to the source of the angst, but the bottom line is lack of action at the local, county and state levels. The priorities seem wrong and it could be too late by the time they figure it out. Remember Ben Franklin’s quote “When the well is dry, we know the worth of water”. Here’s the photo of the orange house on Delaware that has kicked over the hornet’s nest.

Posted by:
Joe

August 5, 2026

4 comments on Neighborhood siege and YIMBY bigotry