Month: March 2016

  • 94010 = Number 24

    Today's Times/Mercury News has an intriguing article in the Business section about national real estate prices here.  The piece uses PropertyShark's data and places B'game at 24th nationwide as a pricey zip code.  Neither the charts nor the commentary (mostly from a Palo Alto realtor named Alex Wang) note that we share 94010 with Hillsborough.  That is not a minor oversight.  Here is the fun part of the article

    Just look at Burlingame. The median price there was $2,215,000 for 415 sales, the most transactions among the top 25 ZIP codes. Total sales volume exceeded $1.1 billion.

    "Burlingame has become like the Palo Alto of the north," Wang said. "It's that next place down (from San Francisco) — beautiful downtown, very vibrant, has good schools and a lot of local amenities, a good option for families."

    He overlooked the fact that we have two downtowns, but he is otherwise on target as we have noted here, here and here.  The question is how do we keep from killing the Golden Goose?

  • As Broadway Goes, So Goes HSR

    The idea of a "grade separation" that would either a) raise the railroad tracks or b) dig down to lower the road or c) some of each to allow for better traffic flow has been knocking around for decades.  Things appear to be coming to a head since

    The City of Burlingame is hosting a community meeting on Thursday, March 31, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. to summarize the findings of the grade separation study, answer questions and present 3D animations of two of the alternatives that were evaluated. The meeting will be held at the Burlingame Public Library, Lane Community Room.

    The City and its project team developed and evaluated six design options based on feedbackreceived during the first two community meetings and have narrowed it down to two options.  The goal of this meeting is to take feedback from the community on the remaining two options
    to determine if there is a community preference for one of the designs. This is the third and final community meeting of this study phase.

    Naturally, one of the key concerns is how this project would lay the groundwork (literally) for high-cost rail up the Peninsula.  Now that the build has shifted to coming to Northern California and knowing that an HSR train cannot "porpoise" up and down as it travels though Millbrae, Burlingame, and San Mateo–what happens at B'way has more impact than one might think.  It is a key intersection for a variety of reasons!

    B'way in the rain1

  • iGym Rat the B’game Way

    The Daily Journal is profiling a B'game couple who are hopefully headed for big things

    Aleda and Jonathan Schaffer, of Burlingame, are set to participate on “America’s Greatest Makers,” a new series premiering on the TBS network Tuesday, April 5.

    The married couple will pit their piece of wearable technology, a glove designed for gym rats to enhance their weight lifting exercises, against 24 other inventors from across the nation, all in pursuit of a $1 million grand prize.

    Jonathan is a BHS Panther too, so we have our fingers crossed for some good Panther limelight here soon.

  • Parents Uniting for Nelson – Part 2

    I struggle with the decision on when to break an active thread and start a "Part 2" but when I have to scroll through five screens totaling 90+ comments my indecision subsides.  If you have not read the whole of Part 1, do that first.  Once you are caught up on your homework, you can rejoin the conversation here since I'm sure it will continue because:

    Mr. Nelson’s transfer from BHS to Aragon is on the District Board’s agenda for approval next Thursday night, March 24th. The meeting starts promptly at 7pm if you want to come and voice your support for Mr. Nelson during “Public Comment” which is right at the beginning of the meeting.  We each have an opportunity for “public comment” and up to 3 minutes each to speak.

    I have pasted the 91st comment as the first comment of this Part 2 since I found it particularly on point.

    Mendelson civil suit

    Photo added April 16.

  • Top Tree Lover

    Today's Daily Journal notes the recognition of Dale Perkins for his contributions to beautifying the city.  The specifics are

    A dawn Redwood tree was planted in his honor as a tribute to him and a special thank you for donating an original framed and signed watercolor rendering of the Business Landscape Award winner each year. A local artist whose work is famous around the world, Perkins was a Beautification Commissioner for many years and also the art specialist and art consultant for the Burlingame Elementary School District. Perkins helped create both the Heritage Tree and Heritage Grove designations which included the El Camino trees in 1975, the Easton Drive Eucalyptus Grove in 1976 and the Francard Eucalyptus Grove in 1976. Perkins and his fellow Beautification Commissioners in 1977 published a booklet entitled “Trees of Burlingame” which included research and documentation of hundreds of species of trees in Burlingame.

    I don't think I have seen that booklet and Google doesn't have it, so I will have to check with the Historical Society to get us a photo of the cover so we know what to look for in our travels.

     

  • 280 Idiocy

    The Daily Post is leading with the headline you see below.  The sub-head reads

    County wants them to make money; some fear they'll spoil scenic view

    What kind of a moron would thing anything different than billboards on 280 would spoil the view?  County Manager John Maltbie is pinned with the idea in the article and Supe Don Horsley is quoted as saying everyone should "take a deep breath before making a judgement".  Whoooooooop.  Deep breath taken.  Idea still moronic.  If you see our own Supe Dave Pine in the grocery or walking on the Ave. please give this idea a "two thumbs down".

    280 Billboard headline

  • Recapture Space

    I'm thinking it might be time to recapture a parking space or two on the Ave.  After walking past this 4-spot motorcycle parking spot (and the one directly across the Ave on Primrose) for a year or more, I cannot recall seeing a single motorcycle ever parked in either spot.  Let's recapture at least one of them for cars.  And put the meter in, too!

    Motorcycles spots

  • Bruce D. at the wheel

    Iron-maiden-plane-crash-chile-santiago-airport-696x406

    Yesterday, Iron Maiden's customized 747 got into a fender bender in Chile. Who was at the controls? Bruce Dickinson of course. 

  • High Cost Rail – Part 121 Sound off to the Merc

    I enjoy the Sunday Merc's Mr. Roadshow column by Gary Richards where he takes questions and complaints from readers. Sometimes he talks about Bay Area auto history which is a B'game specialty.  Today's column leads off with a real Duesenberg of a question to the readers:

    Q How about abandoning the high-speed rail project that nobody but Jerry Brown wants and using the bond money to fix our roads? I bet if you polled California voters they would overwhelmingly agree. 

    Gil Amoroso

    Redwood City

    A The Roadshow ballot booth is now open. But a measure to divert high-speed rail funds to build more reservoirs appears headed to the November ballot.

    Well bloggers, Mr. Amoroso has set the table–let's eat!  Gary's email is mrroadshow@mercurynews.com.  What are you waiting for?

  • Historic Mosquito District – 1916

    Friday night was the annual Council and Commissioners dinner to show appreciation for the volunteer commissioners.  Former council members are also invited and they get a plus-one which is how I get to show up.  My old buddy, Joe Galligan–former mayor and now our Mosquito Trustee–relayed some of the fascinating history of the District which you can read in full here.

    The mosquito control program in San Mateo County is one of the oldest in the United States. Control work was initiated in 1904, when the Burlingame Improvement Club asked entomologists from the University of California to assist them in developing a plan to fight the city’s mosquito infestations. H.J. Quayle, an entomologist with the University Experiment Station, conducted a preliminary survey. He determined that 95% of the mosquitoes biting residents were arising from diked reclaimed salt marshes along San Francisco Bay. A control plan was developed which included ditching, repair of existing dikes and tide gates, and filling of low areas. These physical control measures were to be supplemented with oiling of the remaining standing water.

    The plan was implemented in 1905, with funds provided by the Burlingame Improvement Club. This program continued for the next seven years. However, its funding dwindled over time with a corresponding decline in effectiveness.  The Three Cities Mosquito Control Committee (San Mateo, Burlingame and Hillsborough) was formed in 1913. Drainage ditches and levees were repaired and extended, and mosquito control by the use of oils was resumed. The effectiveness of this campaign became known throughout the country.  The Three Cities Mosquito Abatement District, which encompassed San Mateo, Burlingame, and Hillsborough, was formed in December of 1915, with services beginning in early 1916.

    We love all things historic here at the Voice and stopping mosquitoes is no exception.  Happy 100th!  The District has had its governance issues in the past with some serious embezzlement we last discussed four years ago here.  The link to the trustee list shows Joe's term expired last month, but I hope he is reappointed (or has been reappointed) since we clearly needed a sharp financial and accounting eye on the District's books.

    I also think we should celebrate the Centennial together.  How about a Centennial blood drive where we all donate a pint of what we still have because of all the dead skeeters?  I suggested it Friday night.  Anyone up for leading the charge?  Here is the District building over on Rollins.

    Mosquito & Vector Control office_Rollins
     

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