San Carlos “Hot Harvest Nights” Returns May 6.

Farmers Market in San Carlos.

Spring may have officially started on March 21st, but it doesn’t truly feel like spring here until the San Carlos Farmer’s Market, aka “Hot Harvest Nights“, gets into full swing.   And we can now consider it springtime — we had great weather this past weekend, baseball season is underway, and Hot Harvest Nights starts up again this Thursday, May 6th.   It will run every Thursday night from 4-8 PM until September 6.  Yum…

Every Thursday evening, the 700 block of Laurel Street will be closed to traffic and transformed into a vibrant marketplace featuring fresh produce, flowers,  and some great specialty food and treats.   Mix in a little live music, and it becomes an informal party.      No need to make dinner that night, with a variety of food available for just about any taste.  There’s always a line at the rosemary chicken booth, and you can bet Bianchini’s will have their barbecue blazing again in the parking lot.   Personally, I have a weakness for the tamale truck that’s always in front of Speederia Pizzeria.

Hot Harvest Nights also seems to be a great to way to bump into neighbors and friends that you haven’t seen since winter, so be sure to attend a few of them.  Bring your appetite and have some fun on a Thursday evening.  For more information, click the Chamber of Commerce website here.
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A Reminder: Shop San Carlos!

Support San Carlos Businesses.

As we head into the spring and summer months, it’s natural that we (and our kids) will be spending more time hanging out in downtown San Carlos.  We’re fortunate to have such a vibrant shopping district so close to many of our homes, one that is the envy of many surrounding communities.  It’s one of those things that makes San Carlos a great place to live, and a top choice for many home buyers.

So as you’re shopping for a Mother’s Day present, or if you’re just hunting down a killer scoop of chocolate ice cream on a warm day, be sure to make downtown San Carlos your first stop.  Many of the stores are San Carlos family-owned businesses — they’ll appreciate your patronage, and it keeps our sales tax revenue right here, where it’s truly needed.    And who knows?  You may be surprised at how many cool stores there are in San Carlos that you didn’t even know existed!

For more information on San Carlos businesses, contact the nice folks at the San Carlos Chamber of Commerce.
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Legacy Partners Updates San Carlos on Transit Village Plans.

Informational Meeting.

Last week, in a meeting hosted by the San Carlos Chamber of Commerce, representatives from Legacy Partners presented an update to their vision of the San Carlos Transit Village.   For those of you not familiar with the Transit Village, it’s a concept being considered by the City of San Carlos to significantly modify the land on both sides of the historic train depot in San Carlos by adding retail space, high-end residential rental units, and additional parking.  Legacy Partners was chosen by the City of San Carlos as the lead developer for this concept.

For more information, visit the City of San Carlos page for this:   San Carlos Transit Village.

Updated Presentation.

In last week’s meeting, which was attended by about 30-40 people (including 4 of the 5 City Council members, the City Manager and the Asst. City Manager), Legacy Partners gave a fairly detailed presentation on their vision of the Transit Village, as well as any changes from previous specifications.  For example, the number of luxury rental units in the concept dropped to 280 units.    There was consternation expressed by representatives of the Greater East Side San Carlos group for lack of any mention of the impact to the residents in Clearfield Park in their presentation.

Timing for this project (if it even moves forward) is still pretty far out on the horizon.  The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) still needs to be completed, discussed, and approved before much else can happen.   Consequently, it’s going to be a few years before the first shovel of dirt is turned….if it happens at all.

Legacy Partners was nice enough to provide me with a copy of their presentation to post on the site.   Click here to download it:  Legacy Partners; San Carlos Transit Village 3-16
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In-N-Out Burgers in San Carlos: Is it a Done Deal?

Not Everyone Is On Board.

There was quite a buzz around San Carlos when news first broke that In-N-Out Burgers was planning to open up a restaurant right here in our city.  In-N-Out Burgers has a cult-like following in Northern California, obviously because people like the food.  But a big part of their success lies in the fact that they aren’t an omnipresent chain like McDonalds or Starbucks.   They play the supply-and-demand game like a fiddle.  Consequently, when they pick a location to open a new restaurant it’s pretty big news — especially for a cash-strapped city like San Carlos.

But not all of the buzz about In-N-Out coming to San Carlos has been positive.   Residents in close proximity to the proposed site are worried about the effects of increased traffic to an already overloaded intersection at Holly and Industrial.  Others have publicly questions whether selling the land outright to In-N-Out as opposed to leasing it was the best choice for a cash-strapped city.  Regardless of where you stand on these issues, the point is clear — not everyone is on board with this plan.   Which leads to the following question:

Is This a Done Deal?

Right now the land sale to In-N-Out is in the final stages of closing.  But it’s important to note that closing this deal is conditional on In-N-Out being able to secure the necessary permits from the San Carlos Building and Planning Commissions.  In addition, this project may be approved or rejected by these Commissions, as well as the City Council, depending on the amount and relevance of public opposition.   So it goes without saying that a few eyebrows were raised when there was a discussion at the Jan 11th City Council Meeting on possible ways to spend the proceeds of the land sale.   Some residents were a bit miffed by what came across as City Hall acting like the deal was already done.

So…What Do You Think?

Some time has passed since the initial news broke.  What are your thoughts now on In-N-Out coming to San Carlos?   Is it a good fit for San Carlos?  Or will it create more problems than it’s worth?  As I mentioned above, public opinion will have an impact on the approval process.  So let everyone know what you think by leaving a comment, and by voting in the following poll — I’m told that this blog occasionally makes the rounds in the Council Chambers, so your comments will indeed be seen:

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San Carlos Downtown Business Spotlight: The Door Christian Bookstore

An extended economic malaise like the one we’re living through can really make things stressful for people.   Employment and financial worries can dominate your thoughts and actions, and make things much more difficult than they need to be.  If you’re looking for an uplifting experience to get your mind off of your worries, check out The Door at 787 Laurel Street in San Carlos.

The Door is a unique little bookstore/cafe that focuses on creating a positive, Christian environment.    There are lots of religious and self-improvement books, as well as inexpensive gifts and jewelry with a positive message.      In October of 2009, they added a full coffee bar to the bookstore to encourage group meetings, or just to provide a quiet place to take a break.

This store is one of those San Carlos treasures that gives Laurel Street such a unique feel.   For more information, click here for The Door’s website, or here for their reviews on Yelp.

And remember….Shop San Carlos!

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Important Meetings This Week in San Carlos.

Mark your calendars! If you’re interested in the future direction of San Carlos schools or the downtown development, or if you just need a reason to procrastinate your holiday shopping even more, there are a couple of important meetings that are happening this week. I’ve already highlighted them in their respective posts, but it’s worth reminding you of them again:

Town Hall: San Carlos Schools.

Tonight – November 30. This meeting is being hosted by San Carlos School District Superintendent Dr. Craig Baker to discuss the District’s proposal to re-draw the school boundaries in order to alleviate the chronic over-enrollment problems. All of the elementary school principals will be in attendance at this meeting as well. Here are meeting details:

Monday, November 30
7:30 PM
San Carlos Library: 610 Elm Street
Conf Room A, Second Floor

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Wheeler Plaza Community Forum.

The City of San Carlos would love to hear your input on what should be done (if anything) with their Wheeler Plaza parcel, which we know better as the parking lot behind Wells Fargo Bank and Le Boulanger.   This meeting is an integral part of the “listening phase” of the Wheeler Plaza concept, so if you have any ideas about what should be done, including leaving it as-is, be sure to attend this meeting.  Here are the meeting details:

Wednesday, December 2
7:00 PM
San Carlos Library: 610 Elm Street
Conf Rooms A&B, Second Floor

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Community Meeting on Wheeler Plaza: December 2nd…

The City of San Carlos announced that it will be holding its first community-wide forum to get feedback from residents on its Wheeler Plaza development concept.  For those of you not familiar with Wheeler Plaza, it’s the city-owned parcel that’s right behind the Wells Fargo and Le Boulanger on Laurel Street — see the map above.   The idea being kicked around is to develop the existing parcel into a retail/residential complex that will There’s an entire category on this site that’s dedicated to the Wheeler Plaza concept — click here to read those posts and corresponding comments.

Like every development idea that has been proposed recently in San Carlos, Wheeler Plaza has evoked some pretty strong opinions both for and against the idea.   But it’s important to remember that this is just a concept right now — there are no plans in place, nor is it even an approved project.  But if you have an opinion about the City’s ideas on Wheeler Plaza, or you’d like to find out more about the idea,  be sure to attend this meeting.  Here are the details:

Wednesday, December 2, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Conference Rooms A&B, 2nd Floor
San Carlos Library, 610 Elm Street

For additional information on the meeting, visit this page on the City of San Carlos website.
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Are you ready to step up to the most comprehensive data available about the San Carlos Real Estate market? Then subscribe to the White Oaks Blog for free by clicking here. Be sure to follow the White Oaks Blog on Facebook at https://Facebook.com/WhiteOaksBlog , and on Twitter @WhiteOaksBlog.
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San Carlos Blockbuster: What’s next for this location?

It’s not necessarily news when businesses change in San Carlos.   But when one business’ demise opens up a prime store front on the booming north section of Laurel Street… well, that’s news.   Such is the case with the imminent closing of Blockbuster Video’s downtown San Carlos location.  When Blockbuster completes its exodus from San Carlos, one of the few corner parcels on Laurel Street will be up for grabs.

In a town already flush with restaurants and bars,  it would come as no surprise if some dining entrepreneur is licking his chops to set up shop in the shadow of  the very successful Town Restaurant, which is just across the street.

What do YOU think?

What business do you think will take over this location?  What would most benefit downtown San Carlos right now?  Do we already have enough bars and restaurants, or is there room for another?

Got an idea or opinion?  Share it with everyone by leaving a comment!

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Are you ready to step up to the most comprehensive data available about the San Carlos Real Estate market? Then subscribe to the White Oaks Blog for free by clicking here. Be sure to follow the White Oaks Blog on Facebook at https://Facebook.com/WhiteOaksBlog , and on Twitter @WhiteOaksBlog.
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