Belmont City Council Regular Meeting – February 10, 2026

The Belmont City Council held a regular meeting on February 10, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the City Council Chambers. The agenda included a Black History Month proclamation, an update on the Central El Camino Real Multimodal Plan, public comments, and a public hearing on the Charles Armstrong School expansion project. The council voted unanimously to approve the Armstrong School expansion and provided feedback on the El Camino plan without formal action.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes and the 815 Old County Road apartments resolution unanimously (5-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Non-agenda public comments (Item 7):

  • Eli (Belmont resident, 25 years) expressed concern that development is concentrated in central/east Belmont while west side remains undeveloped, and that decisions prioritize corporate interests over community needs.
  • Jay Beard (general contractor, 38 years) stated that Belmont’s building permit fees are the highest in the county, citing a $1,100 permit vs. $202.78 in Redwood City, and asked the council to review fee equity.
  • Juliana (cyclist advocate) urged safer bike connections on Ralston Avenue, noting that current routes (parking lots, Emmett) are dangerous and that removing 16 parking spaces downtown is a no-brainer.
  • Julius B. (property owner/agent) questioned the city’s stance that lot mergers are not exempt from certificates of compliance, contrary to other jurisdictions.
  • Chris Liu (Belmont Library manager) promoted upcoming programs: YA Novelist Convention (Feb 28), children’s music program (Feb 19), and free VITA tax preparation (Saturdays Feb 14–Apr 11).

• Public comment on Central El Camino Plan (Item 6B):

  • Juliana (also spoke earlier) supported bike lanes but emphasized that transit must be the fastest option; expressed concern about one-direction bus lanes and urged holistic corridor continuity.

• Public hearing on Charles Armstrong School Expansion (Item 10):

  • Supporters (17 speakers): Included parents, alumni, neighbors, and educators. They highlighted the school’s transformative impact on dyslexic students, its role as a good neighbor (shared parking, playground), and the need for space to improve academic programs and serve more students. Alumni Lilliana Davidovich shared how the school saved her life and taught her self-advocacy. Several noted that traffic from Armstrong is negligible compared to other schools.
  • Opponents/concerned (7 speakers): Neighbors from Dartmouth Avenue (San Carlos) and adjacent streets objected to the gym’s proximity (18 feet from property line), height (30+ feet), removal of 36 protected oak trees, traffic congestion, and emergency vehicle access. They requested independent root mapping for retained trees, a full CEQA review, and consideration of alternative locations or undergrounding the gym.

Discussion Items

• Black History Month Proclamation (Item 6A): Mayor Mates read a proclamation declaring February 2026 as Black History Month, marking 100 years of national commemorations. Jackie Bruno, Belmont resident and BRSSD trustee, accepted the proclamation and spoke about visibility and legacy.

• Central El Camino Real Multimodal Plan Update (Item 6B): Sam Trans staff presented three design alternatives (transit, pedestrian, bicycle) plus existing conditions, building on previous studies. Community engagement extended to March 2026. Council asked clarifying questions: Councilmember Pang-Meganaris inquired about two-way cycle tracks; Councilmember Latimerlo questioned scoring of alternatives; Councilmember McCune noted the corridor varies north and south of Ralston. Council members expressed preference for the bicycle alternative (separated bike lanes, wider sidewalks). Mayor Mates emphasized collaboration with adjacent cities and flexibility. No vote was taken; staff will return in August-September 2026 with selected alternatives.

• Charles Armstrong School Expansion Public Hearing (Item 10): The school proposed a two-phase expansion: an 11,900 sq ft academic wing (Phase 1, 2026) and an 11,126 sq ft athletic building (Phase 2, 2031-2032). Requests included increasing enrollment cap from 260 to 290 students, staff from 76 to 85, extending weekday hours to 10 PM, adding weekend staff access (9 AM–6 PM), and allowing 12 weekend events and 3 Saturday evening events annually. Planning commission had recommended approval of the conceptual development plan (unanimous) but deadlocked on the detailed plan for the gym due to neighbor concerns. In response, the applicant reduced the gym wall height from 22 ft to 12.5 ft at the setback, stepped back the second story, and retained three oak trees (reducing removals from 39 to 36). Council discussed concerns about traffic, fire access, and building impact. Staff confirmed the project meets all zoning standards. Councilmembers expressed strong support, emphasizing the school’s community contributions and the minimal nature of impacts. Motion to approve passed 5-0.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimous approval (5-0) of the Charles Armstrong School expansion, including amendments to the Planned Development Zone, Conditional Use Permit, Design Review, Grading Permit, and Tree Removal Permit. The ordinance passed on first reading.
• Council provided clear feedback to Sam Trans staff favoring the bicycle alternative for El Camino Real; staff will return with refined alternatives in late summer 2026.
• Council directed staff to consider permit fee equity following public comment.
• Meeting adjourned in memory of Lillian McCune, mother of Councilmember Tom McCune, who passed at age 103.

Next Steps

• Armstrong School to proceed with Phase 1 construction; Phase 2 athletic building to return for detailed review at a future date (likely 2031-2032).
• Sam Trans to complete community engagement through March 2026 and present selected alternative concepts to council by August-September 2026.
• City staff to review building permit fee structure and report back to council.