1 BURLINGAME CITY COUNCIL
Approved Minutes
City Council Study Session on April 20, 2026
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 6:05 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Elaine Breeze.
3. ROLL CALL
MEMBERS PRESENT: Brownrigg, Colson, Pappajohn, Stevenson, Thayer MEMBERS ABSENT: None
3. REPORT OF REMOTE PARTICIPATION
There were none.
4. PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments.
5. STUDY SESSION
a. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE NORTH ROLLINS ROAD SPECIFIC PLAN
Mayor Brownrigg framed the study session as a “check-in” on the North Rollins Road Specific Plan implementation.
CDD Zayer stated that the City adopted its updated General Plan in November 2019. The North Rollins area was designated “Live/Work”. She stated that this neighborhood was envisioned to become a new mixed- used neighborhood with open space amenities and access to the Millbrae Transit Station. She added that policies were created to improve Rollins Road, support emerging businesses, and introduce open space.
2 CDD Zayer stated that in September 2023, the City Council adopted the North Rollins Specific Plan. This plan established design and development standards for mixed-use development, open space, streetscape, and infrastructure improvements.
CDD Zayer displayed an aerial map depicting the North Rollins Road Specific Plan area. She reviewed some of the objectives for the plan including:
• Enable transit-oriented development (generally within ½ mile of the transit station) • Preserve some industrial areas so that sensitive residential uses are not placed directly against heavy industry
• Allow residential and industrial to co-exist while protecting key industrial users
CDD Zayer reviewed existing and proposed development in the area:
• Existing
o One Adrian Apartments – 265 units
o Hanover Apartments – 420 units
• Under Construction
o 30 Ingold Road – 320 units
• Proposed
o 1755 Rollins Road – 395 units
She stated that combined, these projects represent 1,400 units within the specific plan area. She added that this was a big lift for staff.
Mayor Brownrigg asked about supporting commercial services like grocery stores and dry cleaners. CDD Zayer replied that neighborhood-serving businesses typically follow residential development. She added that these types of businesses usually conduct market analyses reviewing:
• Existing and planned number of housing units
• Locations of their existing stores
• Distances and competitive landscape
• Whether the area justifies another store
Mayor Brownrigg asked whether the City’s design standards require developers to reserve ground-floor space for commercial uses. CDD Zayer replied that she would need to get back to Council on whether developers were required or encouraged. She added that many Peninsula residential projects have used exceptions and waivers to eliminate ground-floor commercial components, often arguing that such space is hard to lease and creates a development constraint.
Vice Mayor Pappajohn asked if there was any data on how many of the built units were currently occupied.
CDD Zayer replied that she did not have this data.
Councilmember Stevenson asked whether there are any other projects in the pipeline for the North Rollins area. CDD Zayer replied that the projects listed above are the projects currently in the entitlement
3 pipeline. She noted that there were additional housing projects just outside the plan area along El Camino Real.
CDD Zayer reviewed some of the different projects in the North Rollins Road area:
• Hanover Apartments – includes internal courtyards, pool, privately owned and publicly accessible park, parking garage, and a plaza with public art
• 30 Ingold Apartments – parking on ground floor, internal courtyards, pool, and a City park
CDD Zayer discussed the North Rollins Road Specific Plan with regards to open space:
• Create green belts
• Connect networks via pocket parks
• Provide street trees
• Introduce paseos and plazas as mid-block pedestrian links
DPW Lamm stated that the North Rollins Road Streetscape Project began in early 2025 and is primarily funded through an ABAG Transformative Climate Communities’ Grant. He noted that this grant is funding both the design and construction phases.
DPW Lamm discussed two planning documents for this project:
1. North Rollins Road Specific Plan, which envisions
o Two travel lanes (one in each direction) plus a center turn lane o Class II bike lanes
o On-street parking
o Planter areas
o Five-foot sidewalks
2. Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, which provides guidance on bike facility types and best practices.
DPW Lamm stated that after workshops, TSPC meetings, and sessions with the cycling community, a preferred design has emerged that includes:
• One travel lane in each direction
• A center median/turn lane, all eleven feet wide
• Separated parking lanes at 7.5 feet, offset from the curb, • A five-foot buffered Class IV separated bikeway in each direction • A continuous five-foot sidewalk along the back of the curb
DPW Lamm reviewed the project schedule:
• 100% Design – Summer 2026
• Environmental Review – Fall 2026
• Construction begins – Spring 2027
• Construction complete – Fall 2027
4 Mayor Brownrigg discussed his design concerns about the street potentially feeling too wide for a neighborhood. He suggested that staff consider ways to visually narrow the road.
Councilmember Colson discussed her experience owning a business on Rollins Road. She stated that providing extra width and using parked cars as a buffer between truck lanes and the five-foot bike lanes would greatly improve safety.
Councilmember Stevenson asked about the impact of the Specific Plan on rents and leases in the industrial zones. CDD Zayer replied that industrial rents have increased tangentially due to the overall market and development pressure.
Mayor Brownrigg invited Elaine Breeze from SummerHill to give a developer perspective on how the area’s market has evolved.
Ms. Breeze stated that SummerHill worked on a 998-unit development in Santa Clara that they were required to reserve 25,000 square feet for a grocery store. However, despite the large unit count, they were unable to attract a grocery tenant. She added that the space had to be subdivided, but the original design was not well suited for multiple small tenants, making it hard to create a cohesive commercial node.
Ms. Breeze stated that experience informs their current approach on Rollins. She explained that under the Live/Work land use in Burlingame, mixed-use ground floor is not strictly required but is allowed. She added that SummerHill chose to include small mixed-use components in each of their Burlingame projects. She noted that:
• 30 Ingold – 4,000 square feet has been set aside for neighborhood-serving commercial uses • 1775 Rollins – there is a plan for a modest commercial component
Ms. Breeze stated that 1755 Rollins Road would be the first project under the new Specific Plan.
Councilmember Stevenson asked if there is a magic formula regarding how many units need to be created to ensure neighborhood-serving businesses like grocery stores. Ms. Breeze replied that there is no simple magic formula. Instead, she expressed confidence that some mixed-use will exist given their own small commercial spaces and the scale of units being developed. She added that the area already has a high- quality market, Lunardi’s, and that there is growing walkability to transit.
Mayor Brownrigg opened the item up for public comment. No one spoke.
CDD Zayer stated that build-out of this new neighborhood will generally be driven by private development over time. She highlighted that the North Rollins Streetscape Project will be a major improvement, making the corridor feel different and more pedestrian and bike friendly.
Councilmember Colson stated that she is happy with how the neighborhood is developing.
5 Mayor Brownrigg re-emphasized the importance of open space and suggested that the City be alerted to any acquisition opportunities that might allow for civic uses or additional amenities in the neighborhood.
Councilmember Stevenson proposed that a shuttle program linking North Rollins to Broadway and downtown Burlingame could be a relatively low-cost measure.
Mayor Brownrigg thanked staff for the presentation.
6. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Brownrigg adjourned the study session at 6:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/
Meaghan Hassel-Shearer
City Clerk