TOWN OF HILLSBOROUGH
San Mateo County
Sophie Cole, Mayor 1600 Floribunda Avenue
Leslie Marden Ragsdale, Vice Mayor Hillsborough, CA 94010 Laurie Davies Adams, Councilmember www.hillsborough.net Marie Chuang, Councilmember Phone 650-375-7400
Christine Krolik, Councilmember
A G E N D A
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2025
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING: STUDY SESSION
6:30 PM
Council Chambers and Zoom Video Conference
TELECONFERENCE NOTICE
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(b), this City Council meeting will include teleconference participation by Councilmember Christine Krolik from 217 NE 75th Avenue, Portland, OR 97213. The agenda will be posted at the teleconference location. Public comment from this address shall be allowed pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.3.
In the event a Councilmember is participating remotely under the requirements of Government Code Section 54953 with regard to “just cause” or an “emergency” situation as those terms are defined in the Brown Act, the Town will stop the meeting if there is any technology disruption until such time that the public is reconnected to the live in person meeting and able to provide comment.
To attend the special meeting in person:1600 Floribunda Avenue, Hillsborough, CA 94010 or 217 NE 75th Avenue, Portland, OR 97213
To provide Public Comment in person: Members of the public wishing to speak on the Study Session item are requested to complete a yellow speaker card and submit it to the City Clerk. Speakers may speak for up to three minutes.
To participate in the meeting via Zoom Video Conference:
• Log in to the meeting at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84777018338?pwd=G7CWEgafMguPuunuPWOdJBVVyDe97F.1 • Dial-in via phone:
+1 669 444 9171 US
Meeting ID: 847 7701 8338
Passcode: 510217
To provide Public Comment via Zoom Video Conference: Live verbal public comments may be made on the Study Session item by requesting to speak using the “raise hand” feature in Zoom or, if calling in by phone, by pressing *9 on the telephone keypad prior to the close of the public comment period for the item. In response, the Town will unmute the speaker and allow them to speak for up to three minutes.
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. ROLL CALL
III. STUDY SESSION
A. Discussion of Town Regulations Related to Home-Based Businesses and Large Events and Direction to Staff on Next Steps
IV. ADJOURNMENT
Special Meeting Agenda – Hillsborough City Council
Monday, November 17, 2025
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS:
If you need a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, to participate in the City Council meeting, or if you need an agenda in an alternate form, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 650-375-7412 at least 24 hours before the scheduled City Council meeting.
ADDRESSING THE CITY COUNCIL:
Members of the public may provide written comments to the City Council regarding the Study Session item up to two hours before the meeting to [email protected] or by mail/in person at 1600 Floribunda Avenue, Hillsborough, CA 94010. Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding the Study Session item prior to the deadline, except as exempt from public disclosure under applicable law, will be available for public inspection on the Town website, and in the City Clerk’s Office at 1600 Floribunda Avenue, Hillsborough, CA 94010, during regular business hours. All oral comments made at public meetings, including a speaker’s name, are recorded and included as part of the public record in the meeting minutes. Meeting minutes are publicly accessible via the Town website and via various internet search engines. Written comments, including a commenter’s name, are a public record and subject to disclosure on the Town website and/or upon request pursuant to the California Public Records Act (with personal contact information including personal email addresses and personal phone numbers redacted).
AUDIO / VISUAL ADVISORY:
Those persons who wish to use PowerPoint or other mediums when presenting to the City Council will be required to submit media items to the City Clerk by 12:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Media items can be emailed to [email protected].
AUDIO OR VIDEO RECORDINGS:
Please be advised that under the Brown Act, any person has the right to record the City Council meeting, including the audience in attendance, using an audio or video recording device subject to certain exceptions. Please be aware that by attending a City Council meeting, you may be audio or video recorded.
TOWN OF HILLSBOROUGH
San Mateo County
1600 Floribunda Avenue
Hillsborough, CA 94010
A
STUDY SESSION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
NOVEMBER 17, 2025
AGENDA STAFF REPORT
ITEM SUBJECT: Discussion of Town Regulations Related to Home-Based Businesses and Large Events and Direction to Staff on Next Steps
SUMMARY: On August 11, 2025, the City Council appointed an Ad Hoc Subcommittee of the City Council to Review Regulations of Commercial Activity in the Town (“subcommittee”) and appointed Vice Mayor Ragsdale and Councilmember Adams to the subcommittee. The subcommittee was formed to review the Town’s current policies and regulations related to commercial activities permitted in the town and to determine whether there is a need for changes or updates. The staff liaisons to the subcommittee are City Manager Doug Davis and Assistant City Attorney Mark Hudak. The subcommittee has met four times since its formation.
SUBCOMMITTEE CONSIDERATIONS
Due to advances in technology, the increased acceptance of remote work during the pandemic, and other factors, the traditional concept of strictly limiting activities in Hillsborough residences to “residential, noncommercial” uses may be outdated. The subcommittee reviewed the regulations relating to home-based businesses and larger events and considered whether modifications should be considered in view of these developments. The subcommittee believes that the concepts below are worthy of consideration by the City Council and the community at large.
After receiving input, the subcommittee will finalize its recommendations and prepare formal amendments to the Municipal Code which would be brought back to the Council and community for further study.
I. Improve regulation of home businesses
The objective is to preserve the residential character of the Town while allowing home-based business activity that is consistent with the single-family residential zoning. Recognizing that technology has advanced such that residents can have home-based businesses that do not impinge upon their neighbors’ use and enjoyment of their homes, the City Council has chosen to modernize its home business regulations.
A. Businesses operated from a Town residence must have a business permit issued by the Town pursuant to Chapter 5.06 and pay the taxes and fees imposed by Chapter 5.04 of the Municipal Code.
B. An enterprise with its principal place of business located outside of Town shall not be required to have a license or pay the tax or fees if the Town residence is used only for incidental and occasional business activity. A corporation or limited liability company whose sole purpose is to hold title to the Town residence would not be required to have a business license or pay any taxes or fees.
Agenda Staff Report - Hillsborough City Council
November 17, 2025
C. A business operated from a Town residence may have up to one full-time equivalent employee working on site, provided that the employee parks within the residential lot. Household employees (gardener, au pair/nanny, housecleaner, private chef, property manager, etc.) shall not be subject to the one FTE rule.
D. The business activities conducted at the Town residence must not generate more traffic or parking than is typical for a residential use without a business. Occasional meetings and deliveries are permitted; regular or frequent meetings with multiple attendees who do not park on the residential lot and/or frequent deliveries supporting the business would not be allowed.
E. “Town residence” includes the main residence and garages, ADUs, or other buildings from which business activities may be conducted.
F. Failures to obtain a business permit and pay the taxes are punishable as infractions and are subject to fines as provided in Chapter 5.04 and 5.05.
II. Regulation of Special Events
The objectives are to (a) recognize and mitigate the impact of special events on neighboring properties and (b) reimburse the Town for the oversight needed for such events.
A. “Special Events” are events where 100 or more persons are expected to attend or for which the host is preparing to attend. “Special Events” would be content-neutral, that is, the regulations would apply equally regardless of the purpose or content of the event. Fundraising, charitable, political, social, family, business, and neighborhood functions will be treated in similar fashion.
B. In order to mitigate and limit the impact on neighboring residents, a Town residence (as defined above) may not host more than four Special Events per calendar year.
C. The host of a Special Event must apply for a permit at least 15 business days in advance of the event. The permit application would require information regarding number of attendees, parking and traffic safety plans, insurance, outdoor entertainment, and temporary outdoor structures.
D. The permit applications would be administered and approved by staff (usually, the City Clerk). Staff may impose reasonable conditions (valet parking, time limits, etc.) as needed.
Any appeal of the granting or denial of a permit would be to the City Manager.
E. A permit fee would be charged to reimburse the Town for staff time needed to process the application, obtain input from affected departments (police, fire, Public Works), and observe/assist with the event as needed.
F. Permit applications would be posted on the Town’s website soon after receipt and before issuance. Specific notice to neighbors by the host residence or the applicant would be encouraged but not required. Notifications are designed to avoid/mitigate conflicts between competing events and allow neighbors to prepare for impacts.
Agenda Staff Report - Hillsborough City Council
November 17, 2025
G. The City Council may exempt events at certain grandfathered locations (i.e. public and private schools, Hillsborough Racquet Club, Burlingame Country Club, etc.) which have significant onsite parking, and regularly-repeated functions (i.e., the annual Fun Run, Townsponsored events).
H. Failure to obtain a permit would be an infraction, punishable by a fine equivalent to three times the permit fee. Repeated violations could result in the denial of permits for a one-year period.
These two topics are related but somewhat separate. To keep the focus on the discrete issues, the City Council may want to consider dividing the session into two parts, with City Council discussion and public comment on the home-based business issue first, followed by City Council discussion and public comments on the events issue.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this agenda item.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES: The proposed discussion and direction on this item are exempt from environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines sections 15378(b)(2) and 15378(b)(5) as ongoing administrative or organizational activities that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
ATTACHMENTS: None
PREPARED BY: Doug Davis, City Manager
RECOMMENDATION: Discuss the subcommittee considerations and provide direction to staff on next steps.