From: Mark Kelsey
To: Clerk; Lisa Gillmor; Anthony Becker; Kathy Watanabe; Sudhanshu Jain; Raj Chahal; Karen Hardy; Kevin Park; Mayor and Council
Subject: 2655 The Alameda, Council Agenda Item 5. 23-924, August 29, 2023 Date: Sunday, August 27, 2023 1:49:49 PM
Mayor and Councilmembers,
The proposed project at 2655 The Alameda will have a significant impact on our neighborhood. Further improvements are needed before this project is approved.
First, the project plan does not do enough to mitigate the impact on traffic safety, pedestrian safety, and parking. The intersection of Park Avenue, The Alameda and Bellomy Street is already a dangerous intersection with multiple traffic flows and multiple confusing signals.
There is already significant pedestrian traffic at this intersection. Parking along Park Avenue, The Alameda and surrounding streets is already congested. If the Council approves this project, the developer should be required to add additional mitigation measures including at least,
Offer residents of 2655 The Alameda paid parking passes on the SCU campus and/ or transit passes to minimize parking overflow from the project.
Fund the establishment of time limited parking and parking enforcement along Park Avenue from Bellomy to Poplar, along The Alameda from Bellomy to Mission, along Market Street and Bellomy Street from Park Avenue to Washington Street. This will help ensure adequate parking for the retail area here. Residents of 2655 The Alameda should not be qualified for parking permits which exempt residents from the time limited parking, as multi-family projects should provide adequate parking or alternatives for their residents.
Fund upgraded signals and crosswalks in this area, not limited to the intersection of Park, Bellomy and The Alameda, but also including the crosswalks at Park and Locust, Park and Poplar, Market and The Alameda, Market and Alviso, Bellomy and Alviso.
More visible crosswalk marking and more visible signaling (HAWK signals for the crosswalks) at this major intersection and at the crosswalks will add to pedestrian and traffic safety.
Additionally, the proposed project at 2655 The Alameda will have a significant visual impact will be an imposing structure at the entrance to our neighborhood. Its design should be iconic and welcoming. It is merely ordinary now. The developer should bring forward a better design as the community has requested in multiple meetings.
Mark and Kathy Kelsey
408-859-3123