Introduction & Overview

1 INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW an Bruno was founded as a railroad in the latter part of 20th century, and suburb to San Francisco in 1914. in 2005, the city’s population stood at SThe city had grown steadily since 42,2151. A Redevelopment Agency was its inception until World War II, when the created in 1998 to address adverse physi- stationing of personnel and other military cal and economic conditions in the city’s activities provided a notable growth spurt. oldest neighborhoods and along its com- Following the post-war housing boom, mercial corridors. San Bruno’s population increased to about 35,000 in the 1960s. Growth moderated 1 California Department of Finance, Report E-5; 2005. Significant land use changes have occurred during the 1-1 VisiON last decade—the Bayhill Office Park has expanded to include a new GAP, Inc. headquarters, and the 20-acre This General Plan promotes balanced development, former U.S. Navy facility is being developed with new outlines strategies for conserving established neighbor- multifamily and senior housing and hotel near the city’s hoods, revitalizing Downtown and other aging com- core. A $100-million upgrade to The Shops at Tanforan mercial and industrial areas, and fosters development of was completed in 2005 as well. transit-supportive uses adjacent to the new BART and a (planned) Caltrain station. Policies for expanding the San Bruno enjoys a convenient Peninsula location and city’s affordable housing stock and promoting mixed-use enviable regional connections. Caltrain provides com- development are included. The General Plan also out- muter rail service from San Francisco to San Jose along lines strategies for improved bicycle and pedestrian con- the Peninsula, and in 2003, a new Bay Area Rapid Tran- nections between residences, activity centers, and transit (BART) station opened that provides regional rail sit stations. The General Plan seeks to conserve existing service to the San Francisco International Airport (SFO), natural resources, and policies are designated to mini- San Francisco, and East Bay destinations. mize hazards. This General Plan 2025 builds on San Bruno’s recent The General Plan builds upon several themes: accomplishments, establishes a vision of where the City 1. Promotion of Downtown as the symbolic heart of should be in the coming decades, and outlines a system- the city, providing residents with a pleasant and atic process to attain this vision. economically vital commercial and entertainment destination, but also fostering creation of housing. 2. Infill surrounding The Shops at Tanforan and Towne Center, creating a vibrant, walkable area around the BART station. 3. Transit-oriented development in the San Bruno Avenue and El Camino Real corridors, emphasiz- ing mixed-use and residential development with connections to Downtown, Caltrain and BART stations, and The Shops at Tanforan. 4. Improvement and expansion of transit, pedestrian, and bicycle connections throughout the city, particularly to/from the BART and Caltrain stations. The General Plan promotes Downtown (top) as the city’s symbolic center; infill surrounding the newly 5. Efficient vehicular movement through the city, refurbished Shops at Tanforan (middle); and transit- with preservation of natural features along scenic oriented development to utilize key corridors such corridors. as San Bruno Avenue (bottom). 6. Preservation and protection of residential neighborhoods. 1-2 San Bruno General Plan 7. Provision of neighborhood parks, plazas, open 1-2 REGIONAL LOCATION AND spaces, and multi-use trails, providing connections PLANNING BOUNDARIES and recreation for residents, workers, and visitors. 8. Preservation of natural resources and habi- San Bruno is located in northern San Mateo County just tat areas, particularly within the city’s western west of SFO. The city stretches 3.5 miles from the rela- neighborhoods. tively flat eastern areas along Highway 101 to the hilly western neighborhoods, which are located on the eastern 9. Minimization of threat to life and property from facing slope of the Coast Range, gaining almost 1,200 geological hazards, seismic events, flooding, hazard- feet in elevation. Correspondingly, the eastern portion of ous materials spills, or excessive noise through care- the city is more urbanized and has a greater mix of land ful siting of uses. uses, while the western portion is primarily occupied by 10. Provision of adequate public facilities and infra- low-density residential development and open space. In structure, including water, wastewater, solid waste, addition to Highway 101, major transportation corridors police and fire, schools, and library. include Interstates 280 and 380, El Camino Real, the Caltrain rail line, and the BART District rail line. Fig- ure 1-1 shows the city’s regional location, and Figure 1-2 presents an overview of San Bruno’s setting and topography. San Bruno’s Planning Area includes over six square miles of land that encompass both the city corporate limits and its Sphere of Influence (SOI). San Bruno’s SOI includes 347 acres (less than 0.5 square mile) of unincorporated San Mateo County—approximately 240 acres of the San Francisco County Jail site to the west, and approximately 105 acres of land adjacent to Highway 101 and SFO to the east. These areas are included in the Planning Area because of their proximity to the city and consequent influence on land uses within city boundaries. The Planning Area boundaries coincide with the municipal boundaries of Pacifica, South San Francisco, Millbrae, and San Mateo County. INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW 1-3 FIGURE 1-1 Lafayette Walnut Berkeley Orinda Figure 1-1 Regional Location of 1 Belvedere Creek Tiburon San Bruno California 80 Regional Location of 123 MARIN Sausalito 13 101 24 San Bruno California Emeryville CONTRA Moraga COSTA San Piedmont Francisco 980 13 80 Oakland 580 Alameda 880 SAN FRANCISCO 185 ALAMEDA S 61 280 a San Leandro 101 n F Castro r Valley a 580 1 Brisbane n Daly c i City s San Lorenzo c o South Hayward San Francisco B Pacifica 92 35 a San Bruno y 380 San Francisco International Airport 238 880 Millbrae Burlingame Union Linda Mar 280 92 City 82 Hillsborough SAN San Mateo MATEO Foster City Montara 101 84 Moss Beach Newark Belmont El Granada San Carlos 92 Redwood City 1 East Atherton Palo Alto 84 Half Moon Bay 82 35 Menlo Park SANTA 0 4 8 280 Palo Alto CLARA MILES DYETT & B HAT I A Urban and Regional Planners FIGURE 1-2 Pacifica Parks,Planning Open Boundaries Space and and Public Topography FacilitiesFigure 1-2 Planning Boundaries and Topography OAKMONT DR SHARP PARK RD SKYLIN 82 E South San Francisco BLVD EL CAMINO REAL INTERSTATE 280 COLLEGE DR EVERGREEN DR MONTGOMERY AVE FLEETW 35 VALLEYWOOD DR O O BART D Station SNEATH LANE D San Francisco R Current County Jail Caltrain Station INTERSTATE 380 AVE WALNUT EUCLID ST SNEATH LANE R Proposed D SAN BRUNO AVE EAST BA San Bruno YHILL Avenue Caltrain Station HUNTINGTON SAN BRUNO AVE WEST AVE KAINS U S H EL CAMINO REAL IG H E AVE WA V AVE Y 10 A Sylvan KAINS Avenue 1 SA EO N B T Caltrain RU A NO Station AV ˚M E W CHERRY AVE EST N SA 3/4 Mile to end Elevation (in Feet) LINDEN of runways at SFO C R ELM <100 E City Limits S CYPRESS T San Francisco State M O AVE AVE 100 O Fish and Game Refuge AVE Unincorporated R JENEVEIN 200 Sphere of Influence AVE D R 300 Caltrain SKYLINE 400 500 BART AVE BLVD SAN˚FELIPE 600 SAN˚ANSELMO 700 E CRYSTAL˚S AV PRINGS 800 35 900 1,000 AVE Source: City of San Bruno, 2002; EL CAMINO REAL 1,100 USGS 1:24,000 Quads: Montara Mountain, San 1,200 Capuchino Francisco South. High School is San Andreas within the R e s e r v o i r Millbrae Sphere 82 10 of Influence acres 0 500 1000 2000 Millbrae FEET DYETT & B HAT I A Urban and Regional Planners 1-3 EVOLUTION OF THE CiTY Thorpe’s Place—or the 14 Mile House—was trans- formed by August Jenevein into Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Prior to 1750, the San Francisco Peninsula was inhabited an eating, drinking and gaming establishment. The by the Ohlone Indians. The Ohlone were hunter gath- Cabin thrived during the nearly 75 years it was open. erers who relied largely on the bay and ocean for food, During prohibition a speakeasy was run out of the and used tule reeds that grew near the bay and along the garage behind the Cabin. Uncle Tom’s Cabin was one many creeks in the area to build their homes and canoes. of the most prominent landmarks in the city until it Three hunting campsites from the Ohlone period have was torn down in 1949. been uncovered in the San Bruno area—one of them was found along San Bruno Creek, which runs through The railroad between San Francisco and San Jose was Junipero Serra County Park and San Bruno City Park; constructed through the San Bruno area in 1863. A year the other two were near the creek that flows through earlier the San Bruno House, a hotel and waystation, Crestmoor Canyon. was built in anticipation of the railroad. The hotel was ideally located between the marshes and foothills, mak- Captain Bruno Heceta explored the western shore of the ing it a favorite place for hunters and fishermen. The San San Francisco Bay in 1775. He named the largest land Bruno House was also a key to San Bruno’s development mass on that side of the peninsula Mount San Bruno as a rural getaway for the people of San Francisco. It was after his patron saint; the City of San Bruno was named never rebuilt after 1901, when it burned down for the after the mountain.

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