The Campbell Reporter
News
Two-lane road, parking at curb proposed for gateway plan
By Cathy Weselby
An estimated 50 residents learned more about the East Campbell Avenue gateway plan and provided their input on the latest developments. The biggest community concerns centered around proposed building heights and losing the left-turn lanes onto Gilman and Dillon avenues.
The goal of the project is to connect the downtown Campbell corridor with the Pruneyard Shopping Center, from the intersections of Railway Avenue, Civic Center Drive and E. Campbell Avenue to Union Avenue.
Urban design consultant Terry Bottomley said the plan would be very pedestrian-oriented and convey more of an urban feeling with wider sidewalks and multi-story buildings close to the street.
The proposed work includes reconfiguring intersection layouts to improve traffic flow and direct more traffic into downtown instead of onto Civic Center Drive, adding curbside parking, planting trees and adding more lighting. The bridge and the Highway 17 underpass would also be cosmetically improved and incorporate a more pedestrian- and bike-friendly pathway.
At the community meeting in February, comments were split between the proposed two- and four-lane street design. In a study session on Feb. 20, the city council decided to explore changing the corridor between the Pruneyard and the west entrance into downtown into two lanes in each direction in order to add curbside parking for future storefront development.
Bottomley said stores require curbside parking in order to be successful. The proposed multi-use development would be three to four stories in an architectural style complementary to downtown Campbell. The first floor would be leased to retail and restaurants, and the upper floors would be used for offices and residences.
This plan leaves curbs where they are and saves the city a substantial amount of money. "Moving curbs is a colossal expense," said Bottomley at the March 26 meeting.
The sidewalks would be widened to 12 to16 feet to accommodate outside dining and bike racks.
In addition to storefront development, changes are in the works for the creek bridge and Highway 17 underpass.
The city is exploring the use of outriggers that would extend on the outside of the existing bridge for pedestrians, providing more room in the street. If the outrigger option does not prove structurally viable, the city will build a new bridge. A path down to the creek trail on the south side of the bridge would also be added.
In addition, the Campbell Avenue underpass lanes would be narrowed in order to increase the sidewalk area for pedestrians. A mural or tile work has been proposed to add aesthetic appeal to the tunnel. There has been discussion about the city boring a tunnel through the underpass walls for pedestrians and bikes, but further study is required to determine the cost.
The public was receptive to the proposed bridge and underpass changes, but voiced concerns about the street modifications and the shortage of parking.
A number Gilman and Dillon avenue residents were troubled about losing the left turn lanes, stating there is already a high volume of traffic during peak traffic hours that makes the crossing difficult. Bottomley said if the city keeps the left turn lanes, then the curbside parking on one side of the street for the length of the turn lane would be eliminated.
Several residents asked about adding more parking, with parking already an issue when the weather improves and more people start using popular Campbell Park. Bottomley responded that all business and residential developers would need to provide parking spaces.
The most heated discussion was about the proposed building heights. Most residents favor a maximum of three stories, vs. the proposed four-story limit, and some would prefer a maximum of two stories, like the majority of buildings in downtown Campbell.
The concerns were about losing sunlight from the taller buildings and increasing residential density.
Campbell Planning Commissioner Bob Alderete said building height is a big factor in quality of life.
"If we add 200 units, there will be more traffic on Page and Poplar pouring out onto Campbell Avenue," said Alderete, who lives in a home off Poplar Drive.
Bottomley said the height could be stepped back somewhat, which would reduce sidewalk shadow effect slightly.
Campbell Redevelopment Agency manager Kirk Heinrichs said he understands the public's concerns about building height as well as a real estate developer's point-of-view.
"Because property values are so high, building just two stories will not justify the expense of underground or podium parking," Heinrichs said.
After some refinements, the master plan will be presented to a planning commission study session in April. The plan needs to be approved by the planning commission and the city council before any construction can begin.
