About the Downtown Specific Plan
​
What Will the Downtown Specific Plan Include?
The Downtown Specific Plan will be a policy document that will:
-
Establish a vision for the future of Downtown
-
Shape the look, feel, and function of Downtown
-
Define the right balance of businesses and housing
-
Increase the economic vitality of Downtown businesses
-
Consider building design and heights
-
Enliven the existing parklets and parks, and consider locations for additional community gathering spaces
-
Improve walking, bicycling, and driving in Downtown, including exploring whether to keep Laurel Street closed to automobiles and traffic
-
Increase connections from Downtown to surrounding neighborhoods and destinations
​
Project Schedule - updated schedule coming soon
Making Room for a New Public Gathering Place in Downtown San Carlos – City Council Supports Permanent Closure of the 700 Block of Laurel Street.
​
On April 24, 2023, the City Council directed staff and the consultant team to move forward with a bold vision to transform the 700 block of Laurel Street into a plaza, thereby paving the way for a more pedestrian friendly downtown.
​
​
In the coming months, the City’s planning staff and consultant team will be moving ahead to present recommendations for the 600 and 800 blocks of the downtown core, as well as the main gateway to the downtown – which includes the 1100 and 1200 blocks of San Carlos Avenue. Recommendations to unify the remaining blocks of Laurel Street from Arroyo to Greenwood Avenue will be developed. Additional work will also look at refining the designs of new public gathering spaces – Harrington Park, a new plaza off the 600 Block of Laurel Street, and the new plaza with the closure of Laurel Street. The project team will further evaluate the alleys to ensure that they support the functions of the businesses and their patrons, as well as becoming a much more pleasant place for motorists and pedestrians making their way into downtown San Carlos.
​
​
Downtown Parking Study
As part of Parking Study for the San Carlos Downtown Specific Plan Project, the City of San Carlos is conducting a parking survey of all on- and off-street parking spaces (public and private) in the downtown area during the month of May. Surveyors from National Data & Surveying Services (NDS) are in contract with the City to count the number and occupancy of spaces to provide the City with better data with which to develop parking management solutions.