Why Is There a Barrier at the End of Hallmark Drive in Belmont?
There’s been some discussion about why Hallmark Drive doesn’t connect directly with Crestview Drive in San Carlos. The story goes back to the 1970s and is an interesting part of Belmont Heights history.
This summary is based on Dick Green’s 2008 History of the Belmont Heights Civic Improvement Association — The First Twenty-Five Years, which devotes an entire chapter to what became known simply as “The Barrier.”
Hallmark Drive Was Never Planned as a Through Street
When the Blackwell section of Belmont Heights was developed in the 1970s, Hallmark Drive was extended south past Waterloo Court and Wakefield Drive to the San Carlos city limits. On the other side, San Carlos had extended Crestview Drive north toward the same location.
The two streets came very close to meeting, but there was an important distinction: Belmont’s General Plan did not call for Hallmark Drive to become a through street. The developer therefore planned a cul-de-sac at the end of Hallmark rather than a connection with Crestview.
When Cars Began Crossing Between Hallmark and Crestview
Before a permanent barrier was installed, however, cars and motorcycles began using dirt trails to travel between the two streets. Belmont Heights residents brought this to the attention of the Belmont Heights Civic Improvement Association (BHCIA), whose president at the time, Bob Hoffman, persuaded the contractor to construct a temporary dirt barrier and ditch to stop vehicles from crossing.
The issue soon became much larger.
According to Green’s account, San Carlos publicly supported connecting Crestview and Hallmark, and Belmont city staff and the City Manager were also opposed to a permanent barrier and had been working with San Carlos toward connecting the streets.
BHCIA strongly opposed that idea. Residents were concerned that connecting the roads would effectively turn Hallmark Drive into a major shortcut for San Carlos traffic traveling toward Ralston Avenue, Highway 92 and Interstate 280—changing what had been designed as a residential neighborhood street into a significant cross-city traffic route.
150 Belmont Heights Residents Pack City Hall
The issue went before the Belmont City Council, where approximately 150 Belmont Heights residents packed City Hall. Bob Hoffman, Joe Hannauer and Gary Weinstein presented the neighborhood’s case for keeping the streets separated.
Despite opposition from Belmont city staff, the City Council sided with the residents. The Council concluded that the additional traffic coming through from San Carlos could create safety concerns and negatively affect both the quality of life and property values in Belmont Heights. A permanent wooden barrier was approved.
That did not end the dispute.
San Carlos Pushes to Open the Road
San Carlos objected to Belmont’s decision and, according to Green, even threatened to use eminent domain proceedings to force the streets to connect, arguing that a through street served the public interest. The matter then went before the San Carlos City Council.
The turnout there was even more remarkable: about 160 people attended—roughly 150 from Belmont and only a handful from San Carlos.
San Carlos city staff argued that connecting the streets would benefit police and fire access. BHCIA representatives countered that the practical result would be to create a shortcut through Belmont Heights for motorists traveling toward Highways 92 and 280. Then-BHCIA President JoAnn Berridge also argued that opening Hallmark at both ends could affect neighborhood security and Belmont Heights’ historically low crime rate.
Interestingly, according to Green’s account, not one Belmont resident at the meeting spoke in favor of opening the road—and the three San Carlos residents who attended didn’t support it either.
The proposed connection ultimately did not move forward.
The original wooden barrier was eventually replaced by the large concrete planter boxes that remain there today. Later, at the request of the fire department, an iron gate was added to provide emergency access while continuing to prevent ordinary vehicle traffic from passing between Hallmark and Crestview.
The People Behind the Effort
For BHCIA, preserving the barrier became one of the association’s most significant early accomplishments. Green credited Bob Hoffman, JoAnn Berridge, Joe Hannauer, Gary Weinstein, other BHCIA board members, and the many Belmont Heights residents who turned out in large numbers to preserve Hallmark as a neighborhood street rather than allow it to become a through route between San Carlos, Ralston Avenue, Highway 92 and Interstate 280.
There’s also an interesting footnote to the story: Green wrote that Bob Hoffman’s leadership during the barrier fight helped bring him to the attention of the Belmont City Council. He was subsequently appointed to the Planning Commission, later elected to the City Council, served for 10 years and twice became Mayor of Belmont. He also went on to become an accomplished mountain climber, eventually reaching the summit of Mount Everest.
As Green amusingly wondered in his history of BHCIA: perhaps that entire chain of events began with “the Barrier.”
Source: Dick Green, History of the Belmont Heights Civic Improvement Association — The First Twenty-Five Years, April 2008, Chapter 3: “The Barrier.” This is a summary and retelling of Green’s historical account rather than a reproduction of the original text.
Drew and Christine Morgan are experienced REALTORS and NOTARY PUBLIC located in Belmont, CA, where they own and operate MORGANHOMES, Inc. They have assisted buyers and sellers in their community for over 30 years. Drew and Christine have received the coveted Diamond award, ranking among the top 50 agents nationwide and the top 3 in Northern California by RE/MAX. To contact them, please call (650) 508.1441 or emailinfo@morganhomes.com.
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