DATE:November 3, 2025
TO:Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA:Stefan Chatwin, City Manager
Marlene Subhashini, Assistant City Manager
FROM:Andrew Brozyna, Public Works Director
DEPARTMENT: Public Works Department
SUBJECT:REPEALING AND REPLACING CHAPTER 10.24 OF THE
FOSTER CITY MUNICIPAL CODE (REGARDING SPEED LIMITS
IN THE CITY OF FOSTER CITY) TO ADD DEFINITIONS,
REDUCE PRIMA FACIE SPEED LIMITS AND ESTABLISH 15-
MPH SPEED LIMITS ON CERTAIN STREETS NEAR SCHOOLS,
AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Introduce by title only and waive further reading of the attached ordinance repealing and replacing Chapter 10.24 (Regarding Speed Limits in the City of Foster City) of the Foster City Municipal Code to add definitions, reduce prima facie speed limits and establish 15-mph speed limits on certain streets near schools, and other administrative changes; and
2. By resolution, approve the attached signage plan; and
3. Find the actions exempt from review pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) section 15061(b)(3).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council expressed interest in lower speed limits adjacent to schools. To support this request, the City had to conduct Engineering and Traffic Surveys (E&TS)/Speed Survey as required by the State of California, per section 40802 of the California Vehicle Code (CVC), to establish speed limits on local streets and to enforce
those limits using radar or other speed-measuring devices. Given the traffic related concerns and safety near schools, staff hired Hexagon Transportation Consultants, Inc. (Hexagon) to study the roadway segments adjacent to public schools and provide their recommendation on lowering speed limits. Based on their study, the City could lower the speed limit to 15-mph when children are present at 7 of the 13 roadways near schools. The implementation of the new speed limits would require amending the City’s Municipal Code, and the installation of new signage. If adopted, staff will purchase the necessary signage estimated at $6,000 and construct the signage plan provided by Hexagon over the couple of months following approval. The public will be notified of the new traffic changes and City staff will work with the school district to provide additional education.
BACKGROUND
At the regular City Council meeting of April 7, 2025 meeting, Mayor Jimenez requested to agendize a discussion on lowering the speed limits within school zones and received support of Councilmembers Venkat and Sullivan.
On May 13, 2025, the City executed a Task Order with one of the City’s on-call consultants, Hexagon, to study the streets adjacent to four (4) Foster City Public Schools for feasibility to lower the speed limits.
On June 16, 2025, the City Council adopted the City’s Local Roads Safety Plan (LRSP) which emphasizes public safety, eliminating fatalities and reducing serious injuries throughout the City through the implementation of various improvements, policies, and practices. One of the practices includes lowering the speed limits around schools.
On September 11, 2025, and again on September 25, 2025 staff presented the results of the Speed Survey around these schools to the Traffic Review Committee (TRC) for review and comment. The TRC unanimously approved to recommend to the City Council the reduction of the 7 streets to 15-mph.
Chapter 10.24 of the Foster City Municipal Code (FCMC) outlines the City/District’s requirements for speed limits. With the approval of Assembly Bill 321 (AB321) in 2007, the State of California modified California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 22358.4 to provide local jurisdictions the authority to establish 15-mph speed limits on residential streets within 500 feet of a school boundary when children are present. The law intends to enhance children’s safety while walking and bicycling to and from school by reducing vehicle speeds in the immediate area.
To qualify for a 15-mph speed limit in a school zone, a street is required to meet the following conditions:
a. Must be residential street with a maximum of two lanes (one in each direction); b. The existing speed limit of the street is 30 mph or less; and c. Streets are within 500 feet from a school property.
ANALYSIS
The Hexagon evaluation studied a total of 13 roadway segments adjacent to Brewer Island Elementary School, Audubon Elementary School, Foster City Elementary School, and Bowditch Middle School. Based on their study, there are 7 roadway segments eligible for 15-mph speed limits (within 500 feet of the school) for those locations currently with a 25-mph posted speed limit approaching the school zone (Balclutha Dr. was originally included in the study, but was later identified as not being contiguous with the school grounds, therefore not eligible for consideration):
1. Crane Avenue (Audubon Elementary School)
2. Gull Avenue (Audubon Elementary School)
3. Swordfish Street (Bowditch Middle School)
4. Tarpon Street (Bowditch Middle School)
5. Niantic Drive (Brewer Island Elementary School)
6. Polynesia Drive (Brewer Island Elementary School)
7. Polaris Avenue (Foster City Elementary School)
In addition, it is recommended that an extended 25-mph school speed limit be implemented at the following locations (within 500 feet to 1,000 feet from school grounds), to provide progressive speed reduction for those locations currently with a 30- mph posted speed limit approaching the school zone:
1. Gull Avenue
2. Polynesia Avenue
School speed limit zones have been implemented in several Bay Area cities including South San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Redwood City, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, and San Jose. The reduced speeds can lower the likelihood and severity of collisions for all road users. This is in line with the City’s vision for safer complete streets and will help with future bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements.
To codify the school speed limit zones, the proposed ordinance would amend Chapter
10.24-Speed Limits, within Title 10 – Vehicles and Traffic, of the Foster City Municipal Code to include these reduced school speed limit zones. In addition to the changes to speed limits in school zones, the proposed ordinance would also add a stated purpose and definition sections to Chapter 10.24. The added language is shown in red text in Attachment 1.
Signage Plan
In addition to adopting the updated school speed limit zones, the City will be required to install proper signage. Hexagon developed a signage plan which will require the removal of 20 existing signs, the construction of 15 new poles, and the installation of 46 signs. If approved, installation will be performed in-house by staff following community outreach and procurement of signs and appurtenances, over a period of approximately two months. The City will not be able to enforce the lower speed limits until proper signage is in place. Staff will coordinate with the Police Department as signage is installed.
Outreach
Staff will share information on the City’s social media platforms and project webpage to inform the public about the change in traffic patterns. Additionally, staff has shared information about tonight’s meeting with the school district and notification letters will be sent to property owners adjacent to new pole installations.
CEQA
This proposed ordinance to repeal and replace Chapter 10.24 and Resolution to adopt the proposed signage plan is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21000, et seq. and the CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 15000 et. seq.), including without limitation, Public Resources Code section 21065 and California Code of Regulations 15378 as this is not a “project” that may cause a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. Further, even if the ordinance was deemed to be a project subject to CEQA, the City Council finds the proposed ordinance is exempt from CEQA under the common sense exemption set forth in Section 15061(b)(3), which provides that CEQA only applies to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment, and thus where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost of the update to this ordinance has no material fiscal impact. However, the costs of materials to install signage is anticipated to be $6,000 and will be funded through the Streets Operating Budget. Installation will be provided for by City Staff.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
Facilities and Infrastructure and Public Safety and Social Equity
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Proposed Ordinance
Attachment 2 – Resolution
Attachment 3 – Foster City 2025 School Zone E&TS Study by Hexagon Attachment 4 – Signage Plan