Politics & Government

City Council: Econ 101

City Council members held a study session Tuesday night on economic development priorities for Burlingame in the next year.

The city council met in a study session Tuesday night aimed at identifying economic development priorities for Burlingame during the next year. The council decided that improving signage for business districts, finding funding for downtown streetscape improvement, redeveloping parking lots and working with the Downtown Business Improvement District (DBID) were main economic objectives.

An Economic Development Subcommittee spent the past two years meeting with Burlingame business owners and managers from all the major business districts, such as those along the Bayfront, downtown Burlingame, Chapin Avenue and Rollins Avenue. Through these meetings, subcommittee members gauged the desires, needs and concerns of local business people.

"We've essentially…hit on every commercial sector in town and every district," said Community Development Director William Meeker. "We've been very proactive…to implement suggestions they're offering up to us."

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The council members took the subcommittee's findings into consideration as they discussed a list of 11 possible economic development programs and determined which ones should receive immediate attention.

Both issues of signage and working with the DBID were considered givens for the upcoming year. The members agreed the issue of better signs with actual business names leading to business districts for hotels, car dealerships and downtown merchants consistently arises and needs action.

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Better signage would lead more business to prime revenue generators in Burlingame.

In terms of working with the newly formed DBID, the council plans to respond to the ideas they bring up in accordance with the terms under which the group was formed.

"They should be leading and we should be following," said Councilman Jerry Deal.

The other two issues, parking and streetscape improvements, coincide with plans in the Burlingame Downtown Specific Plan, adopted Monday night.

"To me, it's like jump starting the downtown plan," said Vice Mayor Terry Nagel.

Other council members said they saw the benefits of tackling these big issues to start, as well.

In terms of parking, council members recognized the potential to redevelop current lots for retail or housing uses.  They agreed the first step is to identify the best locations for these types of development, as well as good locations for parking garages.

"We need to be methodical," said Mayor Cathy Baylock, noting development could drive more traffic downtown, increasing tax revenue.

"I think if we are serious about this, we'll look creatively at proposals," said Councilman Michael Brownrigg.

In terms of improving downtown's streetscape, City Manager Jim Nantell said they will hopefully partner with businesses and property owners to fund the multi-million dollar project. Preliminary ideas for funding will be presented to the city council in December.

Other ideas discussed included creating a program of incentives to encourage turnover of commercial properties, which would prompt re-assessment and increase property value and property tax revenue. Promoting life sciences businesses and bayfront development, allowing card rooms, creating a marketing plan and implementing a new vision for Rollins Road all made the list of economic development possibilities.

While none of these ideas are off the table completely, they have been put on the back burner to allow the council to focus on the four main priorities its members determined.

Using the help of regional economic organizations and surveys are also under consideration to improve upon the implementation of the council's economic priorities. 


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