Why 5 Stories on 1 Acre is Unreasonable

Hillsdale Terraces proposed five stories and 74 units on one acre would be an unprecedented increase in residential density for our area. Only downtown towers have more. San Mateans rely on their city planners and city council to balance the quality of life of their citizens with the opportunities for developers. Please speak up for your community when the next planning commission meeting is announced.

Scale, parking competition and traffic generation will be far greater than what has been historically acceptable or even current practice in local planning. Here is a survey of what has been approved for local multi-unit housing density. It is all less dense and more community-friendly than the proposal.

Bay Meadows is only 3 and 4 Stories

Bay Meadows - Typical View

Bay Meadows has two multi-acres multi-unit residential segments. Both have much less than half the density of the proposed development. Like the Hillsdale Terraces "transit-oriented" project, they are also by the train station and El Camino.





Belmont A comparable project - showing how it should be done!

Belmont - 490 El Camino Real

• This project at 490 El Camino is transit-oriented, but with 1/2 the density.
• It replaces the Belmont Exec. Center and the 7-Eleven on the corner of Davey Glen Road.
• Intersection traffic is mitigated by direct parking access from El Camino
• It's 73 units on 2 acres, not 74 on 1 acre
• On March 9, Belmont even approved a new one-acre park near behind the development

• See http://www.belmont.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/248/664 for details on the housing. 

Our Local "High Rise"- is only 5 stories!

2555 Flores Street

Some neighbors have thought that we already have an old towering high-rise in the neighborhood that has even more stories. It just seems like that - it is what five stories feels like, but it does not generate the traffic and parking issues of Hillsdale Terraces. When you drive by, note that the parking lot always has empty spaces.

This is the building; it is at 2555 Flores Street, just off 25th Avenue. 






Nothing Else Like it on Our 10 Miles of El Camino 
There are zero 5-story residential structures that abut the sidewalk for the ten mile stretch of El Camino that is centered on the Hillsdale Terraces site. Other tall structures either have significant setbacks from El Camino or upper floors are recessed many feet (both impossible with the Hillsdale Terraces' shallow lot).

159 El Camino, Millbrae

Six miles north on El Camino is a 5-story project by the same developer. It is separated from El Camino plantings, a frontage road, and street parking.

Similar height projects always have street setbacks, upper floor setbacks, and planting barrier amenities. They are also on much larger acreage.

What About Those Big Downtown High-Rises?

Versailles - ECR and Crystal Springs Rd

Our city considered their impact and required significant setbacks from El Camino and attractive plantings.
Hillsdale Terraces' proposal has neither. We deserve better!

This is the Versailles condominium complex at the corner of Crystal Springs Road and El Camino Real, in downtown, across from the Mills Health Center.