Responding to feedback from residents and advocates seeking improvements to the proposed driving rate of 70%, and demanding measures to address the region’s housing affordability crisis, the Millbrae Planning Commission recommended stronger transportation measures and below market rate housing, and BART negotiated with the developer to include 65 units of below market rate housing in the plan area’s first big development.

To address concerns about traffic and high driving rates at a transit hub, the Planning Commission recommended stronger car trip reduction programs, and staff strengthened its goal to 20% below the expected standard (which is typically about 80%). The plan will be revised to include a parking maximum.  However, monitoring and reporting for the vehicle trip reduction program is proposed only for three years (while car parking will be provided for the lifetime of the project).  Paid parking will be recommended, but not yet required (even though if free parking is provided, there is a high likelihood that transit users will find and use the free parking.)

With strong feedback from residents and advocates, who travelled to Oakland seeking affordable housing, and encouragement from the BART board, Republic Urban, the developer of the a major development on BART’s parking lots, changed its proposal to incorporate 65 units of below market rate housing housing. The “Site 6” building close to Millbrae Avenue will include 55 units, and 10 units will be included in the main apartment building (Site 5).   The below market rate housing is being provided with a partnership with The Core Companies (“Core”), a developer of BMR housing that recently developed a 60 unit apartment project in Menlo Park on the VA campus, focusing on providing housing for homeless veterans.

For the plan as a whole, the city cannot legally require below market rate rental housing, but based on the Planning Commission recommendation, goals will be included in the plan, and the city will use state density bonus laws and community benefits negotiations to enable affordable housing in the plan area.

Affordable housing in Millbrae Station Area

The Millbrae Station Area Plan includes rules for transit-oriented development at Millbrae Station, with service from BART, Caltrain, SamTrans, and eventually High Speed Rail. The first two proposed developments in the Millbrae Station area would bring 400,000 square feet of office space, about 79,000 square feet of retail  and more than 800 residential units on land currently occupied by a parking lot and some underutilized commercial buildings near El Camino Real.

Next steps and how you can participate

The City Council meeting to review the draft plan for approval is currently penciled for December 22. If you live in Millbrae, use the Millbrae station, and/or want transit oriented development that makes use of transit and provides affordable housing, come to city council on the 22nd, or send a letter using this form.

Features of the plan that can still be strengthened in order to increase sustainable transportation in a transit-rich location include:
* require an access plan to ensure that buses and shuttles have access, without conflicts, and delays
* require a study of El Camino Real to create a safer and more pleasant multi-modal street for pedestrians, bicyclists, and autos, in partnership with neighboring cities
* require paid parking, and implement residential parking permit program to prevent overflow.

Council review is proposed for December 22, before incoming council members take their seats.  Candidates included Gina Papan, who wants to see a “Grand Central Station” at the intersection of BART, Caltrain, HSR and SamTrans, and Ann Schneider who supported affordable housing and more sustainable transportation.

Watch this space and Millbrae City Council’s website for updates, since meetings on December 22 run the risk of being cancelled due to holiday lack of quorum.