Measure G

	City of Millbrae; Measure G

This information is provided by the County Registrar

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT OF OR IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED LAWS ARE THE OPINIONS
OF THE AUTHORS

CITY OF MILLBRAE

MEASURE G
"Shall an ordinance amending the Millbrae Planning and Zoning Regulations be
approved prohibiting those entities subject to the regulations from
constructing any facility serving users of public transportation which is
larger than 3,000 square feet, higher than 30 feet, or which contains more than
250 parking spaces?"

IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF MEASURE G

EXISTING LAW
The Millbrae Municipal Code does not currently contain restrictions on the size
of facilities built to serve the users of mass transportation services.

OPERATION OF MEASURE

This measure would adopt an ordinance amending the Millbrae Planning and Zoning
Regulations to prohibit the construction of mass transportation facilities that
are higher than 30 feet, larger than 3,000 square feet, and contain more than
250 parking spaces. The measure defines a mass transportation facility as any
structure where passengers load onto or unload from public transportation.

The measure contains a severability clause, which provides that if any
application of the measure to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
rest of the ordinance will still go into effect.

Once adopted, the ordinance may only be amended by a ballot measure approved by
a vote of the people.

EFFECT OF MEASURE

This measure would amend the Millbrae Planning and Zoning Regulations to
prohibit the construction of any facilities serving users of mass
transportation that are higher than 30 feet, larger than 3,000 square feet, and
contain more than 250 parking spaces. Only those entities subject to the
Millbrae Regulations would be directly affected by the measure. The Regulations
do not apply to regional transit, rapid transit, or state agencies such as the
Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART), the San Mateo County Transit District
(SamTrans), or the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans.) Some
regional agencies, such as BART, must give some consideration to local planning
and zoning laws when locating facilities, but they are not required to follow
such laws. Therefore, the ordinance cannot be used to limit the size, height or
number of parking spaces in facilities constructed by regional transit, rapid
transit or state agencies. Such agencies may continue to construct
transportation facilities without regard to this ordinance. 

By the terms of the severability clause, even though the ordinance cannot be
applied to mass transportation facilities constructed by regional transit,
rapid transit or state agencies, the adopted measure would still go into
effect. The restrictions would still apply to mass transportation facilities
constructed by local agencies that are subject to the local planning and zoning
regulations, such as the City of Millbrae. Therefore, the measure would
restrict the City of Millbrae from constructing any facilities serving users of
public transportation if the facilities are larger than the limits specified in
the measure. This restriction would apply even if the facility constructed by
Millbrae was meant to protect Millbrae from the impacts of increased traffic
from mass transportation facilities constructed by other entities, such as
BART, Caltrans, or SamTrans.


ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE G

Concerned Citizens of Millbrae

The City of Millbrae is a unique city that offers its residents a Quality of
Life unmatched in the Bay Area.  However, traffic congestion in Millbrae
continues to be a critical problem.  Traffic congestion is one of the most
serious concerns of the residents of Millbrae.

Any new mass transportation facility would have a dramatic affect on traffic,
parking and the Quality of Life enjoyed in Millbrae.  The first priority for
any proposed new mass transportation facility to be located in Millbrae should
be that it benefits the residents of Millbrae and assists them in being
transported around the Bay Area.  To guarantee that any new mass transportation
facility benefits the residents of Millbrae, it is essential that safeguards be
placed in the Millbrae Municipal Code to strictly regulate any new mass
transportation facility.

This, the proposed initiative would amend the Millbrae Municipal Code to add a
section entitled "Mass Transportation Facility."  The proposed initiative would
require that any new mass transportation facility not exceed an area of 3,000
square feet.  In addition, the maximum building height for any new mass
transportation facility would be restricted to not more than 30 feet.  Finally,
the initiative would require that any public parking garage, lot, or parking
area established to provide parking for a new mass transportation facility not
contain more than 250 spaces.

The residents of the City of Millbrae can be guaranteed that any new mass
transportation facility would not have a negative impact on traffic in the
City.  The initiative would therefore protect the residents from any worsening
of the traffic problems facing the City.  The initiative would guarantee that
any new mass transportation facility would have only a positive effect on the
Quality of Life currently enjoyed by the residents of Millbrae.

Vote yes on Measure G to protect our Quality of Life!

/s/ Thomas Williams, Co-Chairman
/s/ Joseph W. Caimotto, Co-Chairman
/s/ Adrea Frances Bagatelos, Businessperson
/s/ Betty Borjas, Senior Citizen
/s/ John Falsarella, Retired Teacher    


Rebuttal to Argument in Favor of Measure G

Vote No on Measure G.  Measure G falsely claims it will minimize traffic
congestion and preserve Millbrae's quality of life.  The measure, instead, will
worsen Millbrae's traffic congestion and threaten Millbrae's quality of life.

A BART Station and large parking facility will be constructed whether or not
Measure G is approved.  Construction is underway right now.  Measure G will not
affect BART.  It will, however, take away your City Government's right to
consider building parking facilities which may be needed to keep BART Station
traffic from bringing the new Millbrae Avenue Overpass and the El Camino
Real/Millbrae Avenue Intersection to total gridlock.

Measure G will severely weaken the City's capacity to protect Millbrae's
quality of life by taking away the option of building adequately-sized parking
facilities should they be needed now or in the future.  In addition to traffic
congestion, imagine the parking impacts on residential neighborhoods if
adequate parking facilities cannot be built.

Measure G does not protect your quality of life - it jeopardizes it.  And it
deceptively implies it will reduce the size and scope of the BART project. 
Don't be misled.  Vote No on Measure G.

/s/ Tom Dawdy
/s/ Janet Fogarty, Former Mayor of Millbrae
/s/ Meta L. Berry, Former President of San Mateo County Commission on Aging
/s/ Robert J. Lustenberger
/s/ Victor B. Graff, Planning Commissioner  


Argument Against Measure G

Vote No on Measure G.  Measure G deceptively implies that it would dramatically
reduce the size and scope of the planned BART station in Millbrae.  This
initiative will not affect the plans of BART or any other regional transit
agency.  A regional transit agency can supersede local city zoning.

In 1987, the voters of San Mateo County voted by a wide margin to extend BART
to the San Francisco Airport to reduce traffic on Highway 101.  The Millbrae
Station has become a key element in the plan to extend BART to the airport. 
BART now has necessary approvals and funding commitments to construct a
PREMIERE transit station on the north side of Millbrae Avenue between Rollins
Road and the railroad tracks.  Construction will start this year.

The BART project is one of the key transportation improvement projects needed
to keep our highway system from becoming totally gridlocked.  It makes good
sense to influence BART's plans and that's what your City Council and staff
have been doing and will continue throughout the project.

The initiative, if passed, will not alter, reduce, or modify in any way BART's
approved Station Plan for Millbrae, but it will weaken the ability of your City
to protect against impacts of station traffic.  City and BART studies have
identified major traffic congestion on Millbrae Avenue, including the new
overpass.  The initiative would prevent the City from building a garage to
intercept traffic to keep it from congesting these roadways and provide parking
for our residents.

BART is coming to Millbrae.  Do not be misled.  Do not allow the initiative to
keep the City from properly protecting the community from traffic congestion
and parking intrusion.  Vote No on Measure G.

/s/ Daniel F. Quigg, Mayor
/s/ Doris Morse, Councilwoman
/s/ Victor B. Graff, Planning Commissioner
/s/ Dan E. Rogers
/s/ Barbara J. Bristow


Rebuttal  to Argument Against Measure G

Vote YES on Measure G.  Millbrae citizens, DON'T BE DECEIVED ... the issue here
is preserving the Quality of Life in our City.  A YES vote mandates BART must
develop a transit and parking facility that meets our needs.  If BART and the
City of Millbrae are allowed to build all the parking garages and lots they
have planned, it will create GRIDLOCK, with a line of cars equivalent to 12
miles long coming into and leaving our city every day!

City Councilmembers claim the 1987 San Mateo County vote to extend BART to San
Francisco Airport allows for BART's extension to Millbrae.  This is UNTRUE! 
What they didn't say is that the citizens of Millbrae voted against BART in
1987.  We need to reaffirm that vote in 1997!

San Bruno refuses to be the end-of-the-line;  San Francisco Airport refuses to
be the end-of-the-line.  Why should Millbrae be the end-of-the-line and be
overrun with thousands of commuters, dumping their cars in Millbrae every day? 
Mass transit facilities in Millbrae should primarily serve Millbrae residents. 
Measure G creates a sensible approach to the size of such facilities that helps
retain Millbrae's quality of life.

The Ballot Argument Against Measure G admits there is already "major traffic
congestion on Millbrae Avenue, including the new overpass."  Building yet
another City garage will only attract MORE cars, making the situation even
worse.

Millbrae citizens, take control!  Retain the Quality of Life we all love!  Vote
YES on Measure G!

/s/ Thomas Williams, Co-Chairman Millbrae Right to Vote Committee

/s/ John Falsarella, Retired Teacher

/s/ Joseph W. Caimotto, Co-Chairman Millbrae Right to Vote Committee
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City of Millbrae; Measure G

This information is provided by the County Registrar
