Business Retention and Attraction
Burlingame is located within a competitive and dynamic environment for businesses, entrepreneurs, and worker talent. The City’s ability to attract and retain businesses is influenced by Burlingame’s land use and economic development policies, infrastructure and place-making investments, and ongoing operations.
Burlingame’s economic development policies must be responsive to larger economic trends in the Bay Area region and the changing nature nationally of how people work and shop. Increasing demand for high-quality office and research and development space on the Peninsula—driven by the computer technology and biotechnology industries, as well as emerging businesses resulting from a strong presence of venture capital—has generated interest in large-scale development in the Bayfront area and smaller increments of space in the Downtown area. The North Bayfront and Rollins Road areas are anticipated to attract private redevelopment interest and pressures for turnover of long-established industrial operations in favor of higher intensity uses. At the same time, Burlingame’s retail districts and automobile dealerships must adapt to rapidly changing retail patterns and competition.
The following goal and policies support Burlingame’s desire to retain and attract businesses and remain economically resilient in the longer term through careful planning and investments.
Goal: ED-2
Cultivate a business environment that supports long-established enterprises, attracts new and emerging businesses, and provides support for synergistic business relationships and partnerships.
Address potential land use compatibility issues and roadway/truck access conflicts between office, industrial, retail, and residential uses in areas of transitioning land uses, such as the Bayfront and North Rollins Road areas.
Provide appropriate zoning in the north El Camino Real, California Drive, Broadway, Bayfront, and Downtown areas to ensure that established businesses can remain and continue to meet community needs.
Work with businesses citywide to develop local transit and bicycle connections and first mile/last mile strategies from the Caltrain stations to Burlingame’s employment and retail destinations.
Maintain attractive streetscapes citywide as a means of encouraging business investment, particularly in areas of high pedestrian activity, as identified in the Community Character Element.
Promote growth of neighborhood-serving retail uses—such as grocery stores, dry cleaners, and convenience stores—at locations within easy walking distance of residential neighborhoods.
Implement improvements to the Broadway district streetscape and pedestrian environment to enhance the experience for visitors. Minimize any potential negative impacts to businesses and residents during construction periods.
Position the Broadway district as a destination for locally owned and operated businesses and restaurants.
Support Downtown businesses, and encourage the branding and marketing of specific activities that increase the district’s recognition and competitiveness as a regional shopping destination.
Collaborate with business and property owners in the Burlingame Plaza and Broadway areas to strengthen the economic performance of smaller retail stores and restaurants.
Position the Bayfront area as a location for larger office-based and research and development businesses as a complement to the hospitality businesses.
Provide economic development services—such as grants and loans—to support businesses of all sizes.
Collaborate and coordinate with business associations and districts for marketing, branding, and promotion activities.
Collaborate with local organizations to provide technical and permitting assistance to small businesses.
Monitor occupancies and vacancies and track trends in major industries through collaboration with brokers, property owners, and business owners. Use the data to develop and pursue business attraction and retention strategies.
Promote efforts to market and fill spaces in commercial and industrial buildings, especially smaller creative and technology firms in Downtown and larger firms attracted to the North Rollins Road and Bayfront districts.
Provide efficient and transparent permitting and approvals processes for business permits and land use development/improvement projects.
Support the needs of the well-established and new hospitality businesses to attract and serve visitors from around the globe, and to adapt to emerging consumer preferences and industry practices.
Implement strategies to attract desirable entertainment-related businesses to Burlingame that are regional destinations and that complement other local business sectors.