General Plan Parks and Open
Space Element and General
Plan Conservation Element
City Council Meeting #2
June 2, 2025
City of Foster
City
Agenda
• Project Updates
• Assessment Overview
• Key Findings
• Policy Considerations
• Next Steps
5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 2 Project
Updates
Existing Conditions
Engagement,
Research,
and Analysis
Preparation
and Adoption
January February March April May June July August September October November December Project
Initiation
Study
Sessions
Draft
Elements
Pop-Ups
Study
Sessions
Focus
Groups
Workshop
Focus
Groups
City
Council
Hearing
Final
Elements
Planning
Commission
Hearing
Study
Sessions
Project Timeline
Rincon Consultants, Inc. • Celebrating 30 Years 5/23/2025 4 2025
• Evaluates the current state of
Foster City's parks, amenities, and
recreation programs to identify
areas for improvement and growth
• Discusses key issues such as park
accessibility, usage patterns, and
site conditions
• Provides opportunities for
enhancement and policy
considerations to improve the
quality and accessibility of parks
and recreational services
5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 5 Parks and Recreation Assessment
• Assesses Foster City's natural open
spaces, biological resources, water
resources, climate resilience, air
quality, and energy conservation to
guide policy development and
enhance environmental
sustainability
• Highlights key issues related to
habitat loss, water quality, climate
vulnerabilities, and energy use
• Offers strategic opportunities and
policy recommendations to improve
environmental sustainability and
resilience
5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 6 Conservation and Open Space Assessment
Key Findings
• Demographic patterns suggest a need for senior serving recreational resources
• Park access is generally equitable across racial and
income groups
Park Accessibility and Equity
• Some parks are currently underused relative to some of the larger parks in the City
Park Usage
5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 8 Key Findings: Parks and Recreation Assessment
• Parks vary in access, functionality, and condition
• Geese impact park cleanliness, especially at lagoon
adjacent parks
Site Assessment
• High demand for sports and fitness activities like golf, tennis, walking, and cycling
• Trends align with national recreation patterns
Market Potential Index
5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 9 Key Findings: Parks and Recreation Assessment
• Fragmentation of open spaces limits ecological and recreational benefits
• Limited rewilding and naturalization efforts (SB 1425) Natural Open Space
• Habitat loss due to urbanization
• Wetlands conservation threatened by climate change
• Barriers to wildlife movement and invasive species encroachment Biological Resources
5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 10 Key Findings: Conservation and Open Space Assessment
• Lagoon water quality issues
• Stormwater pollution from urban runoff
Water Resources
• Future vulnerability to sea level rise and flooding
• Urban heat island effect
• Rising groundwater levels and infrastructure risks
Climate Resilience
5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 11 Key Findings: Conservation and Open Space Assessment
• Traffic-related air pollution
• Wildfire smoke exposure
• Gaps in local air quality monitoring
Air Quality
• Dependence on natural gas
• Slow adoption of solar energy
• Grid resilience and energy storage gaps
Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy
5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 12 Key Findings: Conservation and Open Space Assessment
Do these findings reflect your knowledge of the city?
Did we miss any important information or findings?
Assessment Findings Feedback
Policy
Considerations
Park Land and
Amenity
Standards
Adjust park acreage
standards to reflect
realistic growth and
community
preferences
Establish amenity
level of service
standards to align
with community
desires
Facility and
Amenity
Enhancements
Target expansions
of high-demand
facilities
Promote
interconnected
pedestrian and
bicycle trails
Comfort and
Extended Use
Prioritize installation
of lighting and
shade structures
Enhance park
amenities to
maximize usage
Visitor
Management and
Revenue
Opportunities
Introduce user fees
or revenue-
generating events
for parks
Enhance visitor
experiences to
leverage investment
5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 15 Policy Consideration: Parks and Recreation Assessment
Natural Open
Space
Create continuous
networks of
vegetated areas
Expand rewilding
efforts for
biodiversity
enhancement
Biological
Resources
Promote wetland
restoration and
wildlife-friendly
urban design
Encourage
community-driven
habitat
conservation
Water Resources
Implement
adaptive
management
strategies for
Lagoon
Expand
stormwater
filtration through
green
infrastructure
5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 16 Policy Consideration: Conservation and Open Space
Assessment
Climate
Resilience
Strengthen
regional adaptation
efforts
Continue investing
in flood protection
and shoreline
adaptation
Air Quality
Establish buffer
zones and
vegetative
screening for
sensitive receptors
Prioritize urban
greening to
mitigate air
pollutants
Energy
Conservation and
Renewable
Energy
Expand on-site
renewable energy
installations
Support
sustainable
construction,
electrification, and
EV infrastructure
5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 17 Policy Consideration: Conservation and Open Space
Assessment
Do these strategies seem both effective and feasible?
Are there potential policy solutions that should be added? Do you have thoughts on how these policy could be implemented? 5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 18 Policy Considerations Feedback
Next Steps
• First round of community
engagement in May and June
• Community Priorities Survey
Community Workshop
• Focus Groups
• Pop-Up Events
• Study Session #3 in August
5/23/2025Foster City Parks & Open Space and Conservation Elements 20 Next Steps
Thank you!