Black Mountain is a showcase community that complements the unique nature of the existing site while providing much-needed housing. The sustainable design approach and high-performance homes benefit residents with comfortable spaces to live, work and play.
The 808 Alameda de las Pulgas development is designed to benefit future residents, existing neighbors and the overall community, as well as support San Carlos' housing and climate goals.
THE COMMUNITY
Community Benefits
The new neighborhood is designed to be open and easily accessible to the broader community with a focus on safety and security of both the built and natural environments.
Improvements include:
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significant additional housing with 10 homes affordable to low-income families
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bus shelter with bike parking
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crosswalks at the entrance including a flashing beacon across Alameda de las Pulgas
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site stormwater control upgrades
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site fire management upgrades
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public trail from Alameda de las Pulgas to the property line at both Dundee Lane and Heather Drive for future trail connections
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public through-road to neighboring lots for a future road connection to Coronado Avenue
High-Performance Building Design
SUSTAINABILITY
The sustainable design approach directly supports many elements of the City of San Carlos Climate Action Plan. This includes advanced building technology and materials, as well as low-impact construction practices. Traffic, noise and duration of construction will be minimized through use of innovative building techniques.
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What studies have you done or plan to do on the environmental impact of the project?The City of San Carlos has selected an independent consultant to conduct a full environmental impact report (EIR). The draft EIR will be available for public review and comment when completed, which we expect to be in Q3 2021. We have conducted our own due diligence with site studies on soils & geological, environmental, biological, trees, natural spring and tunnel, cultural resources, and transportation and parking. These studies informed the proposed development plan.
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What are the open space and landscaping plans?More than half of the property is planned as open space. The landscaping incorporates nature trails, bio-retention areas, planted drainage channels, overlooks and recreation areas. The goal is to create an open and natural landscape for the benefit of residents and guests - both people and animals.
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What is the plan for the trees?The plan is to retain multiple heritage tree groves and to add new trees, bushes and grasses. We plan to remove most of the eucalyptus trees to reduce potential hazards. Our goal is to retain as many heritage trees as possible given the requirements and constraints of the site (e.g., mandatory road widths, utility access easements) balanced with the goal of reducing fire danger.
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What is the plan for the natural spring?There is an existing tunnel and underground infrastructure related to the spring, which we plan to backfill and reinforce for safety prior to construction above, while allowing water to continue to flow. We plan to direct the spring water into landscaping features and any remaining water will flow into the stormdrain system (as it has for the past decade+).
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What is the stormwater management plan?The site is divided into multiple separate drainage management areas (DMA) with a variety of elements planned to manage stormwater including flow-through planters, pervious surfaces, bio-retention areas, vegetated swales and stormwater drainage system.
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Are there any endangered species on the property?A specialist consultant found that no threatened or endangered wildlife species were observed on‐site or have the potential to occur on‐site.
808 Alameda de las Pulgas Area Details
The new neighborhood project is located on 11.4 acres off of Alameda de las Pulgas between San Carlos and Brittan Avenues. The location is unique, with expansive views and open space, as well as multiple parks, schools, downtown San Carlos and Caltrain within 1.25 miles and generally accessible by foot, bike and public transit.
The property is bordered to the south by an open space lot and residential land uses, to the west by residential land uses, to the north by an undeveloped 12-acre property and residential land uses, and to the east by Alameda de Las Pulgas and schools, religious institutions and residences.
The land is zoned for six homes per acre (RS-6) and is within a Hillside Overlay District.
