Brisbane approves up to 2,200 new housing units

A measure that would allow for up to 2,200 new residential units and up to 7 million square feet of new commercial development at the Baylands property in Brisbane appears to have narrowly passed in Tuesday’s election, according to complete unofficial election results.

Measure JJ had more than 54 percent approval as of early Tuesday morning and needed only a majority of votes.

Proponents say the measure was meant to address the regional housing crisis that is prompting state legislators to intervene in local land use issues, as well as respond to a development proposal by the owner of the Baylands that would nearly triple the size of the city.

The Baylands site includes a former landfill, and housing would only be allowed after an environmental cleanup, proponents say.

Opponents, including former Mayor Clara Johnson, said in the ballot argument against the measure that Brisbane would be “crushed by a behemoth of a development” and that “the people who live and work on the Baylands will suffer greater health risk due to the presence of toxic contaminants in the air, soil and groundwater.”

With Measure JJ passed, the property owner — Universal Paragon Corp. — will be able to prepare a specific plan and development agreement to the city for consideration, city officials said.

Elsewhere on ballots in San Mateo County, a county half-cent sales tax to improve roads and transit appears to have narrowly lost. It needed two-thirds approval but had 66.18 percent of the vote as of early this morning.

Cannabis taxes on ballots in Half Moon Bay, Redwood City, South San Francisco, Daly City and San Carlos all passed, according to the unofficial results.