San Carlos council approves final design for 700 Block of Laurel Street

The San Carlos City Council on Oct. 14 unanimously approved the final design for the 700 Block of Laurel Street, advancing phase 1B of the city's downtown streetscape master plan.

The 5‑0 vote on Resolution 2025‑115 follows a presentation from city staff and lead consultant Jim Stickley describing refinements to the previously reviewed plan. The council was asked to approve the design concept so consultants can proceed to construction drawings when funding becomes available and council direction permits.

The approved design centers on a covered multipurpose pavilion with a raised stage and a subtle water feature described as a thin "sheet" of falling water that drains to a perimeter gutter, plus space reserved for a later community‑selected art element. Staff and consultants said paving colors were muted into earth tones, stormwater gardens narrowed slightly for fire access, and furnishings include custom precast benches with integrated skateboard deterrents and movable seating that can be stacked and stored.

"We're zeroing in on a comfortable arrangement that maintains fire access and pedestrian flows," said Jim Stickley, the project's lead consultant, who described a 20‑foot clear promenade the design preserves for market days and festivals and roughly 14 feet of clearance between the stage and adjacent buildings so people can move into Harrington Park easily.

Council members pressed designers on practical details such as utility access for outdoor dining and whether pavers could be lifted for subsurface work. Stickley said the chosen unit pavers allow utility access and the design includes outlets in smart light poles for vendors; additional metering would be resolved during construction documents.

Public comments were split. Restaurateur and longtime downtown business owner Greg St. Clair said the plan prioritizes special events over year‑round restaurant operations and warned the bid estimates were underestimated. "These bid estimates that were presented tonight are not even close to reality, and they will skyrocket," he said. A resident who spoke later urged the council to require one‑for‑one tree replacement for removed mature trees in Harrington Park.

Supporters, including council proponents, said the design reflects months of public outreach and will create a flexible downtown gathering place. Councilmember Dugan, who moved the resolution, said the design's approval does not fix every detail and that the next steps — 75% and 100% construction documents — offer opportunities to resolve outstanding technical questions.

The resolution approved the final design but did not authorize construction; staff and the consultant team said the approved design will be used to develop construction‑ready documents and cost estimates, and that construction would proceed only when funding is allocated.

The council also recorded several implementation items to be handled in later phases, including precise locations for newspaper racks, e‑bike chargers at the block ends, power outlets for outdoor dining, and ADA compliance in the detailed construction plans. The meeting record shows the council requested staff to include those technical details in the construction‑document phase.