Encourage transit-oriented development of BART station area

By Robert G. Gottschalk

Extraordinary opportunity exits to guide the development of substantial transit-oriented housing, hotel rooms, office space and retail shops with tremendous benefits. We need to oversee this growth in the most rational manner possible with the long-term best interests of the city and its residents in view.

Residents and employees in this area will be able to walk to work or to BART, CalTrain, SamTrans or shuttle buses and travel easily to and from work. A brief ride will take them to San Francisco International Airport for business or pleasure trips anywhere in the world. Travelers also should be attracted to visit from SFO to shop in our downtown.

Convenience and necessity services should be located among the retail shops such as child care centers, cleaners, groceries, magazine shops, shoe repair and drug stores.

Small parks with seating, open space, setbacks, architectural amenities and wide sidewalks must make this area inviting and comfortable. Pedestrians and bicyclists should be both accommodated and attracted by design.

Some housing units in this area should be made affordable to city employees, retail employees, teachers, and wage earners who might not otherwise be able to live where they work.

Residents who no longer wish to care for larger, older homes might wish to move down the hill to live in convenient maintenance-free homes near shopping and transit. And this would make homes available to young families with children who want to enjoy the advantages of our fine Millbrae school system.

The residents of the city will benefit from substantial increases in sales tax and property tax, while some developers' fees will be necessary to contribute to the infrastructure needed to accommodate growth.

Development of these prime properties will happen, so we will want to guide this growth through thoughtful policies and integrated plans.