CITY OF SAN MATEO
CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 1 Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 10-4666 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: March 18, 2024
SUBJECT:
Complete Streets North Central Plan – Introduction
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive an introduction and overview of the Complete Streets North Central Plan and provide feedback on progress to date.
BACKGROUND:
Staff began the Citywide San Mateo Complete Streets Plan in early 2023 and introduced the project to Council on March 20, 2023. During the meeting, residents from the North Central neighborhood requested a specific focus on complete streets in their neighborhood to evaluate the recent installation of bicycle lanes, parking availability, circulation, and safety needs. As a result, Council directed staff to develop a separate scope of work and budget to create a North Central focused plan that would be developed concurrently with the Citywide San Mateo Complete Streets Plan.
The Complete Streets North Central Plan (the Plan) is aimed at improving transportation access, mobility, and safety for all those who call North Central home. The Plan seeks to collaboratively develop a sustainable mobility plan that integrates the diversity of voices represented in North Central via a comprehensive community engagement process. By practicing deep listening with residents and community leaders, staff aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of neighborhood- specific mobility challenges, leading to a more inclusive and effective transportation network that reflects the community's values and enhances the overall quality of life.
Project Scope and Timeline
Immediately after the March 2023 Council meeting, staff worked with Fehr & Peers to develop a scope of work for the Plan. The agreement was awarded by City Council in May 2023. The Plan is expected to take just over one year to complete, with finalization expected by Fall 2024.
•Lived Experience Group – Staff and the consultant team invited active Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to learn about the effort through a series of stakeholder interviews. CBO and community representatives were asked to be part of the small Lived Experience Group (LEG) to assist the team in hosting workshops, focus groups, and other outreach activities to gain feedback from the community. LEG members are being provided a small stipend for their efforts and assistance.
•Defining Needs and Goal Setting – This task first focused on a community listening process, to gain an understanding of mobility and access needs, and components of a successful plan from the community’s perspective. This phase included stakeholder interviews, pop-up outreach events, and focus groups. The second phase of this task will use feedback from the community and data analysis to document existing needs and summarize the goals for the Complete Streets North Central Plan. This summary is attached to the staff report. •Community-Led and Data-Supported Recommendations – Staff and the consultant team will confirm the needs
CITY OF SAN MATEO
and goals for the Complete Streets North Central Plan with the LEG, Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission, and City Council, and then utilize workshops to define needed improvements and projects. This will include hands- on charette style workshops, prioritization of needs, discussion of trade-offs, and then mapping and evaluation of recommended improvement projects, policies, and programs. •Prioritization and Priority Project Development – This task builds on the development of the list of needs and improvements by prioritizing each based on the goals of the Complete Streets North Central Plan and community needs. Under this task, the consultant will develop cut sheets for up to five priority projects identifying improvements in priority locations in a graphic format. Pop-up demonstration events or community walks for up to three projects may be included to collect input on key projects from residents by utilizing recommended improvements. A door-knocking outreach strategy will be employed during this task to directly outreach to residents on corridors near high-priority projects that are being proposed. •Plan Development – A draft Complete Streets North Central Plan will be presented to the Sustainability & Infrastructure Commission and Council for review and feedback. Feedback provided will be folded into the final document that will be presented to Council for adoption.
Community Engagement and Key Community Feedback
The Plan efforts to date have focused on community engagement, and critical listening in the community to understand needs, concerns, and goals related to transportation. Staff and the consultant team have engaged with nearly 200 community residents over the course of seven engagement efforts. •Pop-Up Events: Staff and the consultant team met the community at four events: National Night Out, Movies in the Park, a food distribution session, and at the elementary and middle school morning bus stop (the latter two coordinated by LEG members). At these events, the team engaged with residents in English and Spanish, and gained insight on concerns and needs throughout the neighborhood. •Focus Groups: Staff and the consultant team hosted three focus groups with residents at a Home Association of North Central San Mateo (HANCSM) meeting and at a resident’s home, both coordinated with LEG members.
These smaller settings allowed for more in-depth conversation about resident needs and concerns.
The project team collated the information heard through these interactions to highlight several key themes. While not all feedback is correlated to issues that can be addressed through a transportation plan, documentation of all feedback is critical to holistically presenting the community’s needs and concerns.
1.Traffic Safety Concerns: This is a recurring theme across events, with residents expressing concerns about speeding and narrow streets posing risks for both drivers and pedestrians.
2.Limited Right of Way: Residents often commented on the narrow streets of North Central creating safety concerns, congestion, and issues around parking. Many residents specifically mentioned the addition of bike lanes created a parking deficit for a neighborhood already burdened with limited parking.
3.Safety Infrastructure Improvements: Residents consistently called for safety infrastructure improvements, such as speed bumps, stop signs, and flashing beacon crosswalks, to enhance safety in their neighborhood.
4.Neighborhood Aesthetics and Identity: Residents mentioned that they have noticed an increase in residents parking on lawns and unpaved sections of residential properties throughout North Central, creating neighborhood aesthetics concerns and a decrease in pride in their overall community identity.
5.Visibility and Turning Safety: Many residents emphasized the need for better visibility through safe vehicle turning movements and tree trimming.
6.Public Transit Improvements: There were demands for improved public transit options, including more frequent weekend bus services, extended routes, and better access to Caltrain.
7.Community Center and Park: Positive feedback and appreciation for the MLK Community Center and MLK Park were common highlights, with residents valuing these community assets.
8.Enforcement of Regulations: Residents mentioned the need for enforcement of regulations related to speeding, no parking zones, and littering to address safety and cleanliness concerns.
9.Illegal Activities and Enforcement: Concerns about illegal dumping, fireworks, gunshots, and street racing activities in the neighborhood were raised, emphasizing the need for law enforcement.
CITY OF SAN MATEO
10.Pride in the Neighborhood: Despite the challenges, residents expressed a desire to feel proud of their neighborhood and cited poor street conditions and public spaces as hindrances to achieving this goal.
Following this informational update, staff and the consultant team will be hosting a community workshop in collaboration with HANCSM to share the key themes, goals, and initial thoughts on potential types of safety improvements for consideration. The project team will then begin to identify recommendations for specific context-sensitive improvement recommendations and will begin another community engagement effort focused on priority improvements. Staff expects to bring the Plan to City Council later this year for review and adoption.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is no budgetary impact associated with the recommendation of this agenda report. The funding for the work for the plan is budgeted in the Complete Streets North Central Plan Project (46R015).
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This project introduction is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).) An environmental analysis of the final Complete Streets North Central Plan will be completed prior to adoption.
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Defining Community Needs and Goals
STAFF CONTACT
Sue-Ellen Atkinson, Principal Transportation Planner
[email protected]
(650) 522-7288