1 BURLINGAME CITY COUNCIL
Approved Minutes
Annual Goal Setting Session on Tuesday, January 14, 2025
1. CALL TO ORDER
A duly noticed meeting of the Burlingame City Council was held on the above date in person and via Zoom at 5:00 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
MEMBERS PRESENT: Colson, Brownrigg, Pappajohn, Stevenson, and Thayer MEMBERS ABSENT: None
3 . REQUEST FOR AB 2249 REMOTE PARTICIPATION
There were no requests.
4. INTRODUCTION
Mayor Stevenson and City Manager Goldman thanked the community for attending the Annual Goal Setting Session.
5. PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments.
6. DEPARTMENT HEAD UPDATES AND COUNCILMEMBER PROJECTS
City Manager Goldman asked each department head to discuss one thing they are proud of and one thing that keeps them up at night.
City Attorney Guina stated that he was proud of the hard work of his office and the Parks and Recreation Department in passing the Tree Ordinance. He explained that what keeps him up at night is claims against the City.
DPW Murtuza stated that he is proud of his office receiving the American Public Works Association Accreditation. He explained that what keeps him up at night is staff retention.
2 Finance Director Yu-Scott stated that she is proud of her team and their hard work over the past year. She explained that what keeps her up at night is staff retention, the City’s financial stability, and IT security.
CDD Zayer stated that she is proud of the large development projects that the Planning Division ushered through the hearing process. She explained that what keeps her up at night is the large amount of State legislation that passed last year regarding housing.
City Clerk Hassel-Shearer stated that she is proud of the work her department did to create a public records portal. She explained that what keeps her up at night is the protection of the City’s records against natural disaster.
Parks and Recreation Director Glomstad stated that she is proud of her department’s excellent service to the community. She explained that what keeps her up at night is her staff’s bandwidth to provide the ever- changing services the community requests.
City Librarian McCulley stated that he is proud of his department’s programming. He explained that what keeps him at night is servicing the main library’s aging elevators.
HR Director Saguisag-Sid stated that she is proud of the City’s negotiations with the labor unions last year.
She explained that what keeps her up at night is staffing shortages.
CCFD Jeff Baker stated that his department is proud of obtaining the SAFER grant, which allowed them to add personnel. He explained that what keeps him up at night is the need for stronger communication and coordination in a natural disaster.
Interim Police Chief Boll stated that he is proud of the Police Department’s staff and ability to pull together during staff shortages. He explained that what keeps him up at night is protecting his officers and the threat of natural disaster.
City Manager Goldman stated that she is proud of her staff and the City’s ability to manage the budget during an economic downturn. She explained that what keeps her up at night is the need to replace City Hall.
Mayor Stevenson asked each of his colleagues to discuss a project that they would like to lead over the coming year.
Vice Mayor Brownrigg discussed the importance of monitoring the Town Square project. He added that he would also like the City to tackle the Affordable Housing Fund and determine how best to use it.
Councilmember Colson stated that she wanted to focus on the creation of the City’s Art Task Force to address inventorying what the City has and also determine how best to proceed with creating space for new public art. She added that she also wanted to work on how to better grow staff.
3 Councilmember Pappajohn stated that she wanted to work on the Broadway Specific Plan.
Councilmember Thayer echoed Councilmember Pappajohn’s goal. She added that she talked with a lot of people who were eager to provide input.
Mayor Stevenson discussed working with the City of San Mateo to improve the Peninsula Corridor.
7. AI AND TECHNOLOGY
Assistant to the City Manager Kirshner stated that the City is heavily invested in technology to assist both the public and staff. He noted that he sent the City Council a list of technology that the different departments use. He discussed the capabilities of Laserfiche, which acts as the City’s document repository, but can also be utilized to create online forms and processes to better assist the public.
Mr. Kirshner stated that he and Mayor Stevenson and City Manager Goldman met with the City Manager and Deputy City Manager of Los Altos Hills regarding Los Altos Hills’ utilization of AI in their day-to-day practices. He explained that Los Altos Hills established an AI policy to define how and when AI can be used.
Mr. Kirshner explained that Burlingame uses AI in various ways, including ALPR cameras, Canva, Grammarly, and ChatGPT.
Councilmember Colson asked the City Clerk to elaborate on her concerns regarding City records. City Clerk Hassel-Shearer stated that a lot of City records are currently kept in their original paper form, and the City has over 1500 boxes kept off-site at a storage facility. She added that she is looking at moving the City’s Laserfiche file server to the cloud.
Vice Mayor Brownrigg stated that he is okay with using AI to assist with accelerating work like in the case of license plate readers. However, he explained that he has concerns when AI is used to replace human judgment and creativity.
Councilmember Thayer discussed her background in AI. She added that the City should lean into utilizing AI, as it is a tool that can take away monotonous tasks so that employees can dig in on the work that requires creativity.
Mayor Stevenson concurred with Councilmember Thayer. He noted that the discussion with Los Altos Hills showed a lot of practical ways that AI could be incorporated into the City’s work. He discussed the importance of creating a policy.
Councilmember Pappajohn stated that when she reviewed the list of technology, there were some overlaps of programs used between different departments. She asked about looking into packaging these programs in order to save money. DPW Murtuza and Assistant to the City Manager Kirshner replied in the affirmative.
4 Councilmember Pappajohn discussed the library’s request to obtain a laser cutter. City Librarian McCulley replied that while the library wants one for the tech lab, the City’s Community Center does currently have one.
Councilmember Colson stated that the overarching goal should be that in the event of a natural disaster, can operations continue from another location. City Clerk Hassel-Shearer replied that staff began this process as a result of the pandemic. She noted that the City had to pivot to online platforms in order to allow City business to continue to function.
Finance Director Yu-Scott stated that she is working on an IT incident response plan and a business continuity plan.
Councilmember Brownrigg asked the City Manager about AI for the City. City Manager Goldman replied that there are some areas where it can be helpful, but it can’t replace human judgment. She discussed the importance of first creating a governance policy.
Mayor Stevenson talked about the importance of resiliency. He explained that moving data to the cloud would ensure that the City would be able to function during a natural disaster.
Mayor Stevenson opened the item up for public comment.
Kirby Altman talked about using AI for preventative maintenance of the City’s waterpipes.
Mayor Stevenson closed public comment.
8. SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE
Sustainability Program Manager Sigalle Michael began with an update on the City’s Climate Action Plan.
She discussed the City’s emissions inventory. She explained that the City’s 2030 goal is to get to 131,065 MTC02e. She stated that currently the City has seen a 16% reduction since 2015 and is currently at 230,763 MTCO2e. She reviewed the breakdown of the City’s 230,763 MTC02e:
• 56% from transportation
• 36% from natural gas
• 5% from solid waste
• 2% from electricity
• 1% from water and wastewater
Ms. Michael stated that the City’s Climate Action Plan includes 20 measures to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions:
• 10 measures are geared towards reducing vehicle miles traveled • 5 measures for energy
• 5 measures for waste and water
5 Ms. Michael reviewed the City’s progress on the 20 measures:
• Mixed use development and transit-oriented infill development • Transportation demand management
• Complete streets
• Caltrain electrification
• Bicycle sharing
• EV infrastructure and initiatives
• Parking pricing, parking requirements, and creative parking approaches • Burlingame shuttle service
• Electrification of yard and garden equipment
• Construction best management practices
• Green building practices and standards
• Energy efficiency
• Peninsula Clean Energy ECO100
• Residential solar power
• Alternatively-powered residential water heaters
• Water conservation retrofits for businesses
• Water conservation for new residential development
• Zero waste
• Municipal green building measures
• Increase the public tree population
Ms. Michael reviewed staff’s goals going forward:
• Reduce vehicle miles traveled
• Reduce gas usage in existing buildings
• Get to zero waste
Councilmember Colson stated that PCE invested $22 million in San Mateo County for decarbonization strategies. She explained that PCE offers a clean energy discount that helps beat the myth that it is costly to use clean energy.
Mayor Stevenson talked about the importance of public transportation and assisting the community with the last mile problem.
Councilmember Pappajohn discussed the County’s EV Readiness Plan. She explained that the plan is discussing where more EV charging stations are needed in the county. She stated that she would connect Ms. Michael with the County staff working on this plan.
Councilmember Thayer discussed the importance of encouraging community members to use heat pumps and thanked staff for drafting the new Reach Codes. She stated that the City should work on improving sidewalks and streets to ensure pedestrian and bicycle access.
6 Councilmember Thayer discussed the new composting rules and when the best time would be to put compost bins on the sidewalk. She explained that public outreach and education would be important for this project to succeed.
Mayor Stevenson opened the item up for public comment.
Kirby Altman discussed the misinformation on NextDoor about PCE. Mayor Colson discussed PCE’s thorough public education.
Jennifer Pfaff asked about the trolley that used to bring people downtown from the hotels. City Manager Goldman replied that the trolley was mostly funded by the hotels. She explained that the hotels are not currently able to fund the trolley.
A Burlingame High School student discussed utilizing the high school’s population to educate the community on the City’s sustainability efforts.
Mike McCord thanked the Council for prioritizing sustainability.
Haley Gilmore talked about the importance of prioritizing sustainability efforts for future generations.
Terry Nagel discussed the importance of installing EV charging stations in multi-family dwellings.
Jared discussed the City’s streamlined electrification permitting process.
Sandra Lang thanked the Council and staff for the conversation. She discussed the importance of creating public transportation to assist with the last mile.
Mayor Stevenson closed public comment.
9. MOBILITY DISCUSSION
DPW Murtuza discussed the City’s Vision Zero Plan. He explained that the Vision Zero Plan sets a goal to eliminate traffic deaths and severe injuries in the transportation system through a combination of proactive, innovative, and preventative approaches.
DPW Murtuza stated that the City secured a $480,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration to develop a Vision Zero Plan. He explained that the Council approved the funding agreement with the Federal Highway Administration and awarded a contract to Fehr and Peers for development. He reviewed the scope of work of the contract including:
• Safety data analysis
• Public outreach
• Plan enhancements including lighting needs assessment and speed limit assessment • Project identification – countermeasure toolbox and project prioritization
7 • Action plan matrix and reporting system
Next, DPW Murtuza reviewed the different shuttles that the City has including:
• Burlingame Bayside Route – Millbrae BART Station to Burlingame businesses along Rollins Road, Bayshore Highway, and Airport Boulevard
• Burlingame Point (“BPT”) Route – Millbrae BART Station, Meta Reality Labs at Burlingame Point, and stops along Airport Boulevard
• Millbrae Burlingame Commuter 1 and 2 (two separate routes and shuttles) – Millbrae BART Station, Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, Sisters of Mercy/Mercy High School, and the Easton Addition neighborhood of Burlingame
• SamTrans Shuttles (three separate routes and shuttles) – three routes which enhance connectivity within Burlingame; routes do not duplicate Commute.org shuttle routes
He added that there will be future opportunities to expand commuter shuttles through Transportation Demand Management Programs and development entitlement processes.
Vice Mayor Brownrigg discussed the need for shuttles that aren’t commuter driven.
Mr. Kirshner discussed the City’s Spin Bikeshare Program that is jointly operated with the City of Millbrae.
He explained the following details of the program:
• 100% funded by SMCTA Grant
• All rides are $1
• 24,724 rides with over 2,600 unique users
• California Drive was the most popular route in the past year • Launched a PR campaign in the summer of 2024, combined with significant increase in Spin rebalancing effort in Burlingame
o Weekly trips went from 100 to 200 before the campaign to well over 600 in October 2024 o Still seeing close to 400 trips per week during the winter
Mr. Kirshner stated that for Burlingame, the most popular trip origins in 2024 were:
• Millbrae BART
• SFO Marriott Waterfront
• Burlingame Caltrain
He added that the most popular trip destinations in 2024 were:
• Millbrae BART
• SFO Marriott Waterfront
• Burlingame Point
Mayor Stevenson asked if the City gets profile data on the riders. Mr. Kirshner replied that the data is anonymized.
8 Vice Mayor Brownrigg asked about how Spin measures success. Mr. Kirshner replied that San Francisco is Spin’s most profitable location in the country. He added that Spin is not losing any money by servicing Burlingame.
Councilmember Colson stated that in 2024, the City received a lot of emails about Spin bikes not being picked up promptly and left in bad locations. Mr. Kirshner replied that Spin is doing a better job of picking up bikes and moving them to their correct location.
DPW Murtuza gave an update on the Broadway Grade Separation project. He reviewed the background of the project:
• 107 Caltrain trains each weekday use this crossing (projected to 116 post-electrification as transit ridership demand increases)
• Over 28,000 average daily vehicles
• Over 20 collisions involving direct trains/vehicles including one known fatality at the railroad crossing since 1985
• At-grade crossing increases safety hazard and traffic congestion with increased trains • Project has been continuously ranked number one in California on the CPUC Grade Separation Priority List since 2018
DPW Murtuza reviewed the goals of the Broadway Grade Separation Project:
• Improve safety and eliminate train collisions
• Improve traffic circulation and reduce congestion
• Separate the road and train track at Broadway
• Build new station with center-boarding platform
• Create grade separated pedestrian and bicycle crossings at Broadway, Cadillac, Carmelita, and Toyon/Majilla
• Provide car and bicycle parking on east side of tracks with access to/from Carolan Avenue
DPW Murtuza reviewed the status of the Broadway Grade Separation Project:
• Flatiron and Herzog is assisting with finalizing the project design plans. • The City is collaborating with Caltrain and SMCTA to finalize the design. • Caltrain recently informed the City about significant increases in construction costs, leading to total costs of $500 million to $600 million. The City is working closely with Caltrain to re-evaluate the project to reduce costs.
• The project team is completely re-engineering the project to make it fundable and feasible. • Staff will be scheduling a meeting with the City Council soon to provide an update on the details regarding options and costs to seek Council direction.
DPW Murtuza reviewed the funding for the project:
• The City has contributed approximately $2 million and is committed to providing an additional $15 million toward construction.
• Approximately 50% of the project costs are eligible to receive Measure A funds from SMCTA.
9 • The project is eligible to receive $15 million from the Section 130 State Funding for Grade Separation Program through the CPUC.
• The State took away the previously awarded $70 million in TIRCP funds to balance the State budget shortfall.
• The City continues to pursue federal funds, but so far has not been successful. • In light of the current situation, a new funding strategy will need to be developed, in collaboration with SMCTA, Caltrain, and other agencies.
Vice Mayor Brownrigg discussed obtaining a new lobbyist in Washington, DC, to assist the City with funding.
Councilmember Colson asked about a communication strategy regarding the Broadway Grade Separation Project. DPW Murtuza replied that once staff comes to the Council with options, based on Council direction, staff will create a communication strategy.
DPW Murtuza stated that the City was selected as a recipient of an “Accelerated Mobility Playbook” (“AMP”) grant. He explained that the AMP technical assistance grant program helps U.S. cities accelerate the implementation of a mobility network. He reviewed the program deliverables:
• A site visit to understand Burlingame’s processes, community relationships, and potential opportunities for change.
• An assessment of Burlingame’s project-delivery process, commitments from community leaders, and community and philanthropic support.
• A strategic roadmap to improve mobility network implementation, build lasting partnerships, and amplify existing public support.
• An in-person gathering with other grantees to meet and engage with peers from other cities.
Vice Mayor Brownrigg stated that he hears a lot from residents about people rolling through stop signs. He asked if there was a technology that would allow the City to send individuals a warning when this occurs.
He also asked that the Vision Zero meetings think about e-bikes and future proofing for the next generation of these bikes.
Mayor Stevenson opened the item for public comment. No one spoke.
10. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Stephanie Lee discussed a project she would be working on regarding assisting new members of the community with understanding all that Burlingame has to offer.
Terry Nagel discussed BNN and encouraged people to join.
14. A DJOURNMENT
Mayor Stevenson adjourned the meeting at 7:52p.m.
10 Respectfully submitted,
/s/
Meaghan Hassel-Shearer
City Clerk