TAL OF FOSTER CIT
I CORPORATED 191
FOSTER CITY
PARKS & OPEN SPACE
AND CONSERVATION
AL ELEMENTS
City of Foster City
General Plan Parks and Open
Space Element and General Plan
Conservation Element
City Council Study Session #1
March 17, 2025
AID BRISO
Agenda
ORATED 19/
• Project Purpose
• Parks and Open Space Element Overview
• Conservation Element Overview
• Community Engagement Plan
• Update Process
• Schedule
• Next Steps
• Questions
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years
FOSTER CITY
NCORPORATED TY
Project
Purpose
General Plan
PORATED 1971
General Plan Required Elements
• A General Plan is a long-term policy
document that guides a community's
growth and development Circulation
Land Use (Transportation) Housing
• A collection of goals and policies
related to community life
• Used for the basis of land use
Conservation Open Space Noise
decisions
Safety Environmental
Justice*
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 3/7/2025 ALD B3ISO
Regulatory Framework
CORATED 1974
SB 1425 and AB 1889 Executive Order N-82-20
• SB 1425 • Establishes the goal of protecting 30% of
• Requires every city and county to review and California's lands and waters by 2030 update its local open-space plan by • Builds climate resilience, reduces risk from January 1, 2026 extreme climate events and contributes to the • Updates must include: social, economic, and State's effort to combat climate change racial equity, climate resilience, rewilding
opportunities
• AB 1889
• Requires the Conservation Element to
consider the effect of development within the
jurisdiction on the movement of wildlife and
habitat connectivity
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 3/7/2025 Goals of the Element Updates
CORATED 197
• Goals of the updated Elements
• Comply with State requirements
• Improve usability
• Reflect trends in Foster City
• Align with the Parks Master Plan and other City goals and vision • The Elements will build off the work that's being done for the Parks Master Plan to maintain consistency and maximize efficiency
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 3/7/2025
SAN FRANCISCO BAY
Baywinds Park Bridgeview Park
FOSTER CITY
Kldeer Park - 5 BNY TALL
PARKS HOPEN
Gull Park Turnstone Park
Erckenbrack Park
SAN MATEO
Shad Park
SPACE
5 Pompano Park
Marlin Park
G
Boat Park
Senor Core
Vibe Teen Sunfish Park
Leo J. Ryan Park
Catamaran Park
Leo Park /Shorebird Park
Edgewater Park
Ketch Park
Farragut Park
Arcturus Park Foste
Sea Cloud Park
CENTRA 12KE
New Recreation Center rendering
SEAL SLOUG Boothbay Park
Gateshead Park
Port Royal Park : Cre of foter Cr Pard
FOSTER CITY
Foster City Setting
CORPORATED 191
• Foster City has 24 developed parks, and is
currently developing a Parks Master Plan to
understand priorities and provide policies
and standards for improved operations,
funding, and maintenance
• Open Space resources include the San
Francisco bay, Belmont Slough, the Lagoon
and canals, and Baywinds Park
• Natural resource considerations include
water quality in the Lagoon, shoreline
resources and resiliency, wildlife corridors
and habitat, and access to parks and open
space resources
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 3/7/2025
TAL OF FOSTER CARE
CORPORATED IT
Parks and
Open Space
Element
Parks Master Plan and Parks and Open Space Element
PRORATED 197
• Establishes a high-level vision, goals, and
General recommendations to inform City policy
documents and ordinances
Plan • Incorporates state-mandated requirements
to help achieve statewide objectives
Parks • Builds on the General Plan, incorporating
applicable goals and standards
• Goes deeper, identifying specific projects and
Master Plan implementation actions to make the
community's vision a reality
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 3/7/2025 Parks and Open Space Element
PORATED 197
• Outlines strategies for preserving, developing,
and maintaining parks, recreation areas, and
other open spaces
• Provides a framework for ensuring residents
have access to quality outdoor space
• Includes an inventory of existing parks and
open spaces and identifies broad strategies for
• (NEW) Measures addressing equitable access,
climate resilience, and rewilding opportunities,
as well as other co-benefits of open space per
SB 1425
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 3/7/2025 Parks and Open Space Element
CORATED 197
• Guides the development and preservation of parks, recreation, and open spaces for • It includes goals, policies, and implementation strategies to address any gaps and guide environmental conservation, recreational programs, and accessibility • Foster City's Parks and Open Space Element was last updated in September 2009 • For Foster City, the Parks and Open Space Element is the overarching framework for preserving green spaces, protecting the waterfront, and promoting environmental conservation and resiliency, It helps ensure residents enjoy a high quality of life while enhancing climate resilience and access
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FOSTER CITY
A CORPORATED 14)
Conservation
Element
POSTER CITY
Conservation Element
CORATED 1971
• Guides the protection, management, and
water, air, soil, and wildlife, to support
resilience
• Outlines policies and strategies to conserve wildlife habitats, water resources, air quality, and other
ecological features
conservation, climate resilience, soil preservation,
and the management of natural areas
• (NEW) Measures to minimize impacts to wildlife
connectivity and movement per AB 1889
Goals are aimed at balancing the need for growth
with the preservation of the natural environment
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 3/7/2025 Conservation Element
CORATED 1974
• Includes goals, policies, and strategies for protecting natural resources, managing land use in relation to the environment, preserving wildlife habitats, and conserving water and energy
• Foster City's Conservation Element was adopted in 2003 and reprinted in 2009 • For Foster City, the Conservation Element is essential for protecting natural resources, managing sustainable growth, and addressing environmental challenges in order to ensure the city's long-term resilience and quality of life through effective conservation practices
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FOSTER CITY
CORPORATED IT
Community
Engagement
Plan
Community Outreach and Engagement
CORATED 197
• The goals for public Community Priorities Survey
(April)
participation:
Focus Group Meetings
• Provide clear communication (May)
on the Parks and Open Space
Community Workshop
and Conservation Elements (May)
and frames it as a separate,
Pop-up Events
but connected, project to the (June)
Parks Master Plan
Parks & Recreation Committee/Planning Commission Study Sessions (March, May, August, and October)
Allow for community input
across projects that will be Citizens Sustainability Advisory Committee Study Sessions thoughtfully incorporated and (March, May, August)
reflected appropriately in City Council
each of the projects (March, May, August, November)
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LOSTER CITY
Community Engagement
CORFORATED 19T
Engagement Engagement Objectives Target Audience
Activity
Community Expand on WRT's previous survey to gain insight All residents Priorities Survey on conservation, open space, resiliency, and equitable access priorities
Focus Group Collect pointed information on the city's existing Individual community groups or Meetings conditions and needs individuals with interests or expertise related to parks, open
space, and conservation in Foster
City
Community Gain detailed insight on community priorities, All residents Workshop needs, and challenges to parks and conservation Pop-Up Events Allow for interactive, one-on-one input on policy Neighborhood-focused recommendations for the Element Updates
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 3/7/2025 18 Committee and Council Engagement
CORATED 1974
Engagement Activity Engagement Objectives Target Audience Parks & Recreation Study Session 1: Introduce the Project and Engagement Plan; discuss the Parks & Recreation Committee Committee/Planning city's future for parks, open space, and conservation and Planning Commission Commission Joint Study Session 2: Receive feedback on existing conditions assessments Study Sessions
Study Session 3: Receive input on drafted Elements and recommendations Planning Commission Hearing: Hearing to recommend adoption by City Council
Citizen Sustainability Study Session 1: Introduce the Project and Engagement Plan; discuss the Citizen Sustainability Advisory Advisory Committee city's future for parks, open space, and conservation Committee Study Session Study Session 2: Receive feedback on existing conditions assessments Study Session 3: Receive input on drafted Elements and recommendations City Council Study Session 1: Gather initial input on the issues, opportunities, and City Council desired outcomes
Study Session 2: Gain insight into initial key policy topics Study Session 3: Present the draft Elements
City Council Hearing: Hearing to adopt Elements
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FOSTER CITY
NCOFFORATED 191
Update
Process
ALID 83I5OY
Update Process
CORATED 197
Updating the elements will include:
Engagement with the community
Research on the condition of open space and
natural resources today
Coordination with Parks and Recreation Department
Identification of gaps, needs, and issues
Updating strategies in the General Plan Parks and
Open Space Element and Conservation Element
Final Adoption
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 3/7/2025
OY FOSTER CITY
Project Timeline
NCORPORATED 191
Workshop
Planning City
Project Study Focus Study Commission Council Final
Initiation Sessions Groups Sessions o Element Sessions Hearing Hearing Elements ÷#.$
Engagement, Preparation
Existing Conditions Research, and Adoption
and Analysis
> Sonomar ORONE HOT December
2025
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FOSTER CITY
ACORRORATED LTY
Next Steps
Next Steps
CORATED 197
• Study Session #2 in May 2025 to gain insight on the initial key policy topics and findings from the following reports:
• Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment and Inventory
• Open Space and Conservation Assessment and key takeaways • Study Session #3 in August 2025 to gain input on Draft Elements Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 3/7/2025
FOSTER CITY
ACORPORATED LTY
Questions?
Conservation Element Discussion
CORATED 1971
• What issues regarding conservation and sustainability are most important to the future of Foster City?
• What barriers to improving conservation and sustainability exist currently? • What do you imagine conservation and sustainability will look like in Foster City over the next 10 to 20 years?
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 3/7/2025 Parks and Open Space Element Discussion
ORATED 1971
• What issues regarding parks and open space are most important to the future of Foster City?
• What barriers to improving parks and open space exist currently? • How do you imagine parks and open space will look in Foster City over the next 10 to 20 years?
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 3/7/2025
FOSTER CITY
30-
YEARS
RINCON CONSULTANTS, INC. SINCE 1994
A CORPORATED 191
Thank you!