Planning & Transportation Commission - September 30, 2026

Commission recommends pausing El Dorado options for broader study

The Planning and Transportation Commission voted 6-0 to recommend that the City Council hold the two El Dorado-area concepts, A1 and A2, in abeyance until staff studies a broader set of alternatives at a comparable level. The requested work covers Loma Verde options B and C, a hybrid alignment and an overcrossing at a staff-selected location offering the greatest benefit with the least harm to private property.

A1 would route bicyclists and pedestrians under the Caltrain tracks while retaining a signalized, at-grade crossing of Alma Street. A2 would pass beneath both Alma and the tracks, but staff identified greater utility, construction, emergency-access and property impacts. A2 would require acquiring two properties containing four dwelling units.

Commissioners said unresolved questions about parking, street width, traffic queues, driveways, safety and emergency access made it premature to advance either concept. Public testimony was divided: many speakers opposed the El Dorado options and favored fuller study of Loma Verde or hybrid alternatives, while others emphasized the need for a low-stress connection and safer school access across a 1.3-mile gap in rail-corridor crossings.

Staff said the California Avenue underpass is not funded in the current capital budget and that Oregon Expressway improvements would require county coordination. Staff had tentatively targeted Dec. 7 for Council consideration, but further evaluation of the added alternatives would require Council authorization and could extend the project schedule. No funding plan is in place, though staff expects grants to cover most costs if a project advances.

Commission approves Bryant Street safety package with phasing direction

The commission approved staff’s six-measure Bryant Street safety package and directed staff to examine phased implementation, prioritizing Bryant Street and Lincoln Avenue and the proposed pilot restriction on eastbound Embarcadero Road left turns onto northbound Bryant. It also asked staff to study whether a drainage gap or path beside curb extensions could better accommodate bicyclists.

The package includes a traffic circle at Bryant and Lincoln, curb extensions at Bryant and Channing and at Bryant and Homer, a high-visibility crosswalk, pavement improvements, a short-term parking zone and the Embarcadero turn pilot.

Staff reported that Bryant’s daily traffic rose about 35%, from just over 1,500 vehicles in 2015 to nearly 2,100 in May 2026. The 85th-percentile speed was 28 mph, and 30% of the 10 reported collisions from 2016 through 2024 involved bicyclists; at least half were broadside crashes. All six public speakers supported prompt safety action, although some favored phasing and raised concerns about traffic circles, curb extensions and diversion to nearby streets.

Commissioners requested objective pilot criteria using before-and-after speed, traffic-volume and collision data, along with clearer estimates of parking and traffic effects. The online survey remained open through Oct. 9, and staff planned to present the concepts to the City Council on Nov. 9 for authorization to advance to 65% or 100% design.

Commission favors 40% second-story massing limit in housing rules

During its review of permanent local rules implementing SB 9, SB 450 and related housing laws, the commission reached consensus in favor of a 40% second-story massing limit rather than 35%. The discussion focused on retaining flexibility for varied home designs while managing street-facing bulk.

Commissioners also requested clearer minimum window dimensions, garage-height language that would not unintentionally bar a bedroom above a garage, and wording allowing flag-lot frontage to exceed 10 feet when fire access requires it. The commission favored garage-door-width language of up to 20 feet and requested further review of privacy-landscaping requirements where utility easements constrain planting.

Staff corrected a proposed low-pitch roof-height limit from 22 feet to 23 feet and said historic-district provisions would be updated to match current state law. The broader ordinance remained under review, with staff expected to incorporate the requested revisions as deliberations continue.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting agenda