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San Bruno staff outlines 2025 workplan and possible 2028 ballot measure to expand Transit Corridor capacity
Summary
City staff briefed the council and Planning Commission on a package of long‑range planning efforts — including a fiscal assessment of the Transit Corridor Plan, potential code and map amendments, Transit‑Oriented Communities/parking policy work to align with MTC funding tiers, and a Climate Action Plan process — and recommended a path that could lead to a voter measure in 2028 to increase capacity in targeted areas.
At the close of the March 18 joint study session, San Bruno staff presented a status update on several long‑range planning initiatives that could reshape allowable land uses and densities near transit and across key corridors.
Staff said the work program combines a fiscal assessment of the Transit Corridor Plan (TCP), a land‑use/height review and a Housing Opportunity Strategy. The purpose is to test whether current TCP regulations and heights still produce fiscally viable redevelopment under 2025 market conditions. Staff recommended a larger‑scope analysis that would give the Planning Commission and Council options ranging from minor tweaks to a substantial re‑work of allowed uses and heights. If Council endorses the larger scope, staff said it expects the technical and outreach work to take multiple years and that a ballot measure to authorize height or density increases would be most viable in 2028 (a presidential year with higher turnout), though staff noted that a faster schedule could be possible only with concentrated resources and political direction.
The briefing also covered regional compliance issues: the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s new Transit‑Oriented Communities (TOC) rules tie access to certain funding tiers to minimum land‑use changes, maximum parking standards and other criteria. Staff said San Bruno will likely adopt TOC‑aligned policies where they already match local practice and will ask policy questions about elements — notably maximum parking rules around some stations — that may not align with local priorities. Staff emphasized that MTC has not yet finalized all tiering details and that the city will monitor those rules as it refines its approach.
Other scheduled work includes: the Climate Action Plan (staff announced an April 24 community workshop), community‑based transportation planning, an environmental justice element and updates tied to tenant protections and condo‑conversion rules. Staff said some measures required by state and regional agencies create an implementation schedule that runs through 2025 and beyond.
Several council members asked what would happen if a future ballot measure to increase heights or densities failed. Staff replied that the city must craft contingency policies required by the state and continue to pursue other options — such as targeted adjustments, incentives or additional site rezoning — and that those fallback strategies would be part of the broader planning work.
Staff framed the proposed program as a coordinated package: fiscal analysis, public outreach and technical work on the TCP and corridor mapping, paired with housing programs and environmental planning, to inform any ordinance changes and, if the Council decides, a later voter measure.
Next steps: staff plans to present refined TCP map and fiscal findings in summer 2025 for Council direction, continue TOC/parking work tied to regional funding rules, and proceed with public outreach for the Climate Action Plan and other required elements.
