The project’s Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) analysis and significance determination are undertaken in a manner consistent with the Office of Planning and Research’s (OPR) Technical Advisory and the City’s Transportation Impact Analysis guidelines. Per the VMT analysis in the DEIR, this project is found to have a less than significant VMT impact, therefore working towards meeting the State’s VMT reduction goals.
GOV2-4
GOV2-5
obstruct the transit-related goals and policies in Plan Bay Area as it supports transit facilities and transit-oriented development”. Please consider strengthening the language as the General Plan Update could be reinforced with stronger language to advance the stated transportation goals of Plan Bay Area and the State.
Caltrans encourages policies and programs related to land use and circulation that increase density, improve regional accessibility, and reduce VMT. The City may also consider the following strategies to reduce VMT, in addition to the priority strategies identified in Table 4.7-3:
-
-
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Real-time transit information system
Transit subsidies
Unbundled parking requirement from housing developments GOV2-6
For additional TDM options, please refer to the Federal Highway Administration’s Integrating Demand Management into the Transportation Planning Process: A Desk Reference, Chapter 8 (link).
Multimodal Transportation Planning
Please review and include the reference to the Caltrans District 4 Pedestrian Plan (2021) and the Caltrans District 4 Bike Plan (2018) in the DEIR. These two plans studied existing conditions for walking and biking along and across the State Transportation Network (STN) in the nine-county Bay Area and developed a list of location-based and prioritized needs.
GOV2-7
Please note that any Complete Streets reference should be updated to reflect Caltrans Director’s Policy 37 (link) that highlights the importance of addressing the needs of non-motorists and prioritizing space-efficient forms of mobility, while also facilitating goods movement in a manner with the least environmental and social impacts. This supersedes Deputy Directive 64-R1, and further builds upon its goals of focusing on the movement of people and goods.
GOV2-8
GOV2-9
Integrated Transportation and Land Use Planning
Please review and include the reference to the current California Transportation Plan (CTP) in the DEIR.
“Provide a safe and reliable transportation network that serves all people and respects the environment”
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Manira Sandhir, Planning Manager
September 25, 2023
CTP 2050 envisions that the majority of new housing located near existing housing, jobs, and transit, and in close proximity to one another will reduce vehicle travel and greenhouse gas emissions, and be accessible and affordable for all Californians, including disadvantaged and low-income communities. The location, density, and affordability of future housing will dictate much of our future travel patterns, and our ability to achieve the vision outlined in CTP 2050. Caltrans encourages the City to consider and explore the potential of excess state-owned property for affordable housing development, per Executive Order N-06-19.
GOV2-9
Cont.
Equitable Access
If any Caltrans facilities are impacted by the project, those facilities must meet American Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards after project completion. As well, the project must maintain bicycle and pedestrian access during construction. These access considerations support Caltrans’ equity mission to provide a safe, sustainable, and equitable transportation network for all users.
GOV2-10
Thank you again for including Caltrans in the environmental review process. Should you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact Marley Mathews, Transportation Planner, via [email protected]. GOV2-11
For future early coordination opportunities or project referrals, please contact LDR- [email protected].
Sincerely,
YUNSHENG LUO
Branch Chief, Local Development Review
Office of Regional and Community Planning
c: State Clearinghouse
“Provide a safe and reliable transportation network that serves all people and respects the environment”
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Comment Letter #ORG1
September 25, 2023
Ms. Manira Sandhir, Planning Manager
City of San Mateo, Community Development Department
330 20th Ave.
San Mateo, CA 94403
Dear Ms. Sandhir:
Congratulations on completing the Draft EIR for the San Mateo Draft 2040 General Plan. It is a well written, visually appealing document.
The San Mateo Heritage Alliance appreciates that you have incorporated many of our comments on the General Plan policies to identify historic resources more broadly in San Mateo and use more appropriate terminology for the definition of historic resources.
ORG1-1
ORG1-2
The Draft EIR Cultural Resources section, however, is incomplete. The section is therefore inadequate and must be revised and recirculated for public comment for these substantial reasons:
1. 4.4.1.2, Existing Conditions section is missing a description of at least two National Register of Historic Places eligible historic districts—Baywood and Yoshiko Yamanouchi House.
2. The impact discussion is missing an analysis of the project effects on historic districts.
3. The impact conclusion is not supported by the impact analysis.
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ORG1-4
4. General Plan policies are not reliable mitigation measures to avoid or reduce the significant adverse impacts that may be caused by the project. The City of San Mateo has failed to comply with its General Plan policies regarding historic resources for the past 25+ years.
5. CEQA is not a reliable mitigation measure for the significant adverse impacts that may be caused by the project. The City of San Mateo’s compliance with CEQA has been selective, and most often used to justify demolition and not protection of historic resources.
ORG1-5
ORG1-6
We offer the following comments on the Draft EIR.
4.4 Cultural Resources
4.4.1.2 Existing Conditions
p. 4.4‐9, para. 2: The existing conditions section is not complete because it does not include two documented historic districts:
1. The Baywood Historic District is bounded by Alameda de las Pulgas, Crystal Springs Road, Eaton Road, Virginia Avenue, Edinburgh Street, and Notre Dame.
ORG1-7
2. The Yoshiko Yamanouchi House Historic District is at 1007 East 5th Avenue.
The City received the Baywood Historic Asset Analysis (Brandi 2022) in April 2022. This report identifies the historic context of the Baywood neighborhood, the boundary of the Baywood Historic District, and the criteria under which the Historic District is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. This report should be referenced in the EIR. In addition, San Mateo Heritage Alliance is submitting an P.O. Box 146 San Mateo, CA 94402
www.smheritage.org
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Ms. Manira Sandhir
September 25, 2023
additional report on the Baywood Historic District that identifies the district boundaries, provides information on each property in the district, and identifies the contributors to the district and the properties that are not contributors.
ORG1-7
cont.The Yoshiko Yamanouchi House Historic District has 9 resources on the property including 3 buildings, 3 sites, and 3 structures. This information should be included in the Draft EIR and the effects on the districts from increased adjacent traffic should be analyzed. The effects on the Yoshiko Yamanouchi House Historic District is potentially significant due to the increased levels of traffic and pollution.
4.4.4.1 Regulatory Framework
The discussions of cultural resource regulations does not include the regulatory framework for historic districts. The treatment of historic districts may be different than the treatment of individual historic properties. It is important to understand the regulatory framework for districts because the City has four historic districts; two identified as part of the 1989 Historic Building Survey, the Baywood Historic District, and the Yoshiko Yamanouchi House Historic District.
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ORG1-9
CULT 1:
Thank you for acknowledging the potential impact of incompatible new buildings adjacent to historic buildings or districts. The City’s practice has been to only address the direct effects of the project on historic resources. The impact of new development on the Downtown Historic District has not been analyzed or mitigated (e.g., Prometheus building at the former Trag’s site). p. 4.4‐11, para. 2 states:
“properties in the EIR Study Area that are listed in or determined to be eligible for listing in the National and California Registers would be categorized as historic resources even if they are not formally landmarked by the City.”
This statement cannot be relied upon because the City has not followed these procedures. The City did not include the Baywood or Yamanouchi districts in this EIR. The City disregarded the Baywood historic district report (Brandi 2022) that outlined the boundaries of the district and identified Baywood as an eligible historic district, as well as a memo that indicated the property was a contributor to the district. The City did not treat the property as a historic resource and permitted demolition of the property without conducting the appropriate CEQA review.
ORG1-10
p. 4.4‐11:
Policy CD 5.3: Historic Resources Definition. Define historic resources as buildings, structures, sites, and districts that are listed in or determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and/or California Register of Historical Resources, designated resources in the 1989 Historic Building Survey Report, and resources found to be eligible through documentation in a historic resources report.
ORG1-11The City currently treats contributors to the Downtown Historic District as historic resources. This definition of historic resources only include districts. The City Historic Resources Code, which only applies to the Downtown Historic District currently states:
27.66.040 CONFORMANCE WITH STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES.
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Ms. Manira Sandhir
September 25, 2023
(a) City-wide. All exterior modifications of individually eligible and contributor buildings (e.g., exterior building additions and alterations) shall conform with the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Structures, 1990 Edition.
This code implies contributors are treated as historic resources. Will contributors in new districts be required to follow the Secretary of Interior’s guidelines for exterior modifications? ORG1-11
cont.Please add “contributors to eligible historic districts” to the definition of historic resources in Policy CD
5.3, to be consistent with how Downtown historic resources are treated. Contributors to historic districts must be protected in order to protect the integrity of the district.
Please provide a reference or more information about the requirements of a historic resources report.
Impacts to Historic Districts
The impact analysis should address the potential for direct and indirect significant effects on eligible historic districts and their contexts, especially for areas that have not yet been fully surveyed. The Yoshiko Yamanouchi House Historic District could be adversely affected by the proposed project, including increased traffic and the reconstruction of the 3rd/4th Avenue Interchange. Please revise the analysis to include an analysis of the impacts on the historic district.
ORG1-12
The Aragon and San Mateo Park neighborhoods border El Camino Real development areas. Hayward Park borders the railroad development corridor and El Camino Real development corridor. The analysis is incomplete because it does not consider the potential for direct and indirect impacts on unsurveyed potential historic districts identified in the 1989 Historic Building Survey. The impact analysis should be revised to address this new impact.
General Plan policies are not a reliable means of mitigating potential significant adverse impacts to historic resources because the City fails to comply with its own policies.
The City of San Mateo has for 13 years disregarded its adopted General Plan policies regarding historic resources.
The City has failed to comply with current General Plan policy C/OS 8.2 Historic Districts.
The policy requires the City to “Consider the protections of concentrations of buildings which convey the flavor of local historical periods or provide an atmosphere of exceptional architectural interest or integrity, after additional study.” and “In consideration of future historic districts, specific regulations to maintain historic character shall be developed.” The City continues to disregard this policy by refusing to acknowledge identified eligible historic districts and permitting demolition of historic resources to occur unabated and unaffected by its General Plan policies.
ORG1-13
The City has failed to comply with current General Plan policy C/OS 8.4 Inventory Maintenance. This policy directs the City to “Establish and maintain and inventory architecturally, culturally and historically significant structures and sites.” It also warns that “without maintenance, the inventory becomes unreliable and unusable.” For 34 years the City has failed to maintain or update the 1989 Historic Building Survey resulting in the continual and unabated loss of historic resources.
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Ms. Manira Sandhir
September 25, 2023
Policy CD 5.7: Demolition Alternatives
Please add the requirement to identify demolition alternatives for contributors to a historic district.
ORG1-14
ORG1-15
Action CD 5.8: Historic Resources Context Statements, Action CD 5.9: Historic Resources Survey, and Action CD 5.10: Historic Preservation Ordinance
These actions imply they will be conducted sequentially (Prepare neighborhood‐specific historic context statements prior to updating the historic resources survey.) Please update the Historic Preservation Ordinance first to address the two new eligible historic districts (the Yoshiko Yamanouchi House Historic District and Baywood Historic District). p. 4.4‐13 Significance without mitigation: Less than significant Conclusion.
The conclusion that the proposed project would not cause a substantial adverse impact on historical resources is contrary to the discussion of the many ways the proposed project could have significant adverse impacts on historical resources:
“Implementation of the proposed project could have the potential to directly impact cultural resources by altering land use regulations that govern these properties or surrounding sites.” “Potential impacts from future development on, or adjacent to, historical resources could lead to demolition…inappropriate modification…inappropriate new construction… incompatible new buildings.” ORG1-16
“Development activities under the proposed project therefore have the potential to be incompatible with historical resources, which could be a significant impact.” “If new development were to directly impact existing resources, impacts on historical resources could be significant.”
Based on the above statements from the impact discussion, the conclusion should be amended to read “the proposed project has the potential to cause a substantial adverse change to historical resources.”
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is not a reliable means of mitigating potential significant adverse impacts to historic resources.
CEQA does not prevent demolition of historic resources. The City can make overriding considerations that housing is more important than historic resources. The impact analysis does not support the conclusion of no significant impact with no mitigation. The Draft EIR (p. 4.4‐13)states:
“Under CEQA, conformance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties would normally mitigate impacts to a less-than-significant level. Because the proposed General Plan is a program level document, it is not possible to determine whether individual projects under the proposed project would be able to conform with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards. … The requirement for subsequent CEQA review, pursuant to state law, would minimize the potential for new development to indirectly affect the significance of existing historical resources to the maximum extent practicable.”
ORG1-17
This statement suggests that some significant impacts may not be mitigated through compliance with the Secretary of Interiorʹs Standards or through CEQA review. If no additional mitigation is imposed the project could result in significant unavoidable adverse effects. Additional mitigation measures should be presented.
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Ms. Manira Sandhir
September 25, 2023
Recirculation is Necessary
The Draft EIR should be recirculated in accordance with CEQA Guidelines 15088.5. Recirculation of an EIR Prior to Certification because the impact analysis is incomplete and new mitigation measures are necessary. The lack of the impact analysis and mitigation measures deprives the public of a meaningful opportunity to comment.
ORG1-18
CULT-4
The proposed project would not, in combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, result in cumulative cultural resources impacts in the area.
The discussion under this impact does not describe the specific or even a general discussion of the number of historic resources lost through development to date. It is not possible to credibly assess cumulative impacts with no discussion of impacts to date.
The Downtown Historic District has been eroded on all sides:
The entrance at Third Avenue and El Camino Real
Prometheus building on Baldwin
Redevelopment of Donut Delite and Talbots
The 6‐7 story buildings on 3rd and 4th east of the railroad.
ORG1-19
Please provide the number of downtown historic buildings and contributors modified or demolished to date. What is the cumulative impact threshold for losses of historic buildings in the historic districts, especially the Downtown Historic District? Mitigation is necessary for the potentially significant cumulative effects.
I look forward to reviewing the revised Draft EIR with the missing analyses and mitigation measures. ORG1-20 Sincerely,
San Mateo Heritage Alliance
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Comment Letter #ORG2
ORG2-1
ORG2-2
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cont.
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cont.
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cont.
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ORG2-3
cont.
ORG2-4
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Comment Letter #ORG3
November 1, 2023
City Council
City of San Mateo
330 W. 20th Ave.
San Mateo, CA 94403
SUBJECT: General Plan Policies Regarding Historic Resources, Historic Districts and Contributors Dear City Council Members:
In previous submittals and meetings, the San Mateo Heritage Alliance has stressed the importance of continuing to treat buildings that contribute to historic districts (contributors) as historic resources. The current General Plan and Historic Resources Code includes contributors in the definition of historic resources.
We are concerned that subtle words changes in the 2040 General Plan are significantly changing City policy:
1. Changing the definition of historic resources to remove contributors to historic districts.
2. The word contributor in Chapter 10 Glossary has no bearing on policy
3. Changing preservation of historic districts from protecting concentrations of important buildings to protecting concentrations of historic buildings (meaning those buildings already evaluated and designated historic) ORG3-1
We request that the Council revisit the policies in the Community Design and Historic Resources Element and make the following changes:
Policy CD 5.1: Historic Preservation. Actively identify and preserve historic resources and concentrations of historic resources and concentrations of buildings which convey the flavor of local historical periods, are culturally significant, or provide an atmosphere of exceptional architectural interest or integrity, when they meet national, State, or local criteria. Historic resources include individual properties, districts, and sites that maintain San Mateo’s sense of place and special identity, and enrich our understanding of the city’s history and continuity with the past.
Policy CD 5-3: Historic Resources Definition. Define historic resources as buildings, structures, sites, and districts, and contributors to districts that are listed in or determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and/or California Register of Historical Resources, designated resources in the 1989 Historic Building Survey Report, and resources found to be eligible through documentation in a historic resources report.
These changes will ensure continued protection of historic districts and the buildings that make the districts special. Additional discussion is included in the attachment. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Laurie Hietter
President
P.O. Box 146 San Mateo, CA 94402
www.smheritage.org
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ATTACHMENT
ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OF HISTORIC RESOURCES POLICIES
Definition of Historic Resources Should Include Contributors to Historic Districts One of the goals of the San Mateo Heritage Alliance is to preserve and protect historic resources and the contributor buildings in historic districts. The City of Redwood City, San Francisco, Portland, and many other cities protect contributors in historic districts. The City’s current policies support protection of contributors in the Downtown and Glazenwood Historic Districts. The General Plan should be clear on this policy.
Only the historic district is the historic resource subject to CEQA. Contributors do not qualify as historic resources or the consideration provided historic resources. The City has latitude to designate any important properties as historic resources. The Cityʹs policies in the current General Plan and the Historic Resources Preservation Code currently support the protection of contributors as historic resources, as do many cities.
The wording changes in the combined Policy CD 5.1 restrict the definition of historic resources and protection to only those resources that are individually eligible for listing on the State or National Register, which is a very high bar to achieve protection. There is no protection at all (even the minimal consideration of a CEQA analysis) for contributor buildings in a district until the point where so many buildings in the district are altered that the historic integrity is lost. ORG3-2 The current 2030 General Plan defines historic resources as:
C/OS 8.1: Historic Preservation. Preserve, where feasible, historic buildings as follows:
d. Historic building shall mean buildings which are on or individually eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, California Register of Historical Resources, or Downtown Historic District contributor buildings as designated in the 1989 Historic Building Survey Report, or as determined to be eligible through documentation contained in a historic resources report.
The 2040 General Plan revised the definition of historic resources to remove the word “contributor:” Policy CD 5-3: Historic Resources Definition. Define historic resources as buildings, structures, sites, and districts that are listed in or determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and/or California Register of Historical Resources, designated resources in the 1989 Historic Building Survey Report, and resources found to be eligible through documentation in a historic resources report.
Deciding to treat contributors as historic resources is a policy decision. The language changes in the 2040 General Plan change the level of protection of buildings in historic districts, which is a significant impact not addressed in the Draft EIR. A new significant impact is cause for recirculation of the Draft EIR.
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The goal to protect contributors to historic districts is consistent with the 2030 General Plan policy O/S 8.2:
C/OS 8.2: Historic Districts. Consider the protection of concentrations of buildings which convey the flavor of local historical periods or provide an atmosphere of exceptional architectural interest or integrity, after additional study.
ORG3-2
cont.
Definition of Historic District Changes
The Draft 2040 General Plan revised the policy to remove the word “districts,” and substituted “concentrations of historic resources” for “concentrations of buildings.” The policy now has a totally different meaning. The 2030 General Plan policy is to protect a group of important buildings. The new language in Policy CD 5.1/2 only protects groups of buildings that meet the definition of historic resources:
those that are on or individually eligible for listing on the State or National Register. 2030 C/OS 8.1: Historic Preservation. Preserve, where feasible, historic buildings as follows:
d. Historic building shall mean buildings which are on or individually eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, California Register of Historical Resources, or Downtown Historic District contributor buildings as designated in the 1989 Historic Building Survey Report, or as determined to be eligible through documentation contained in a historic resources report. 2040 Policy CD 5.2 Historic Resources Preservation. Actively identify and preserve concentrations of historic resources, which convey the flavor of local historical periods, are culturally significant, or provide an atmosphere of exceptional architectural interest or integrity, when they meet national, State, or local criteria.
The definition of Historic Resources in the 2040 General Plan Chapter 10 includes contributors only in Downtown and Glazenwood, and is a narrow definition of historic resources. As stated by Joanna Jansen (Placeworks) at the October 30 City Council meeting, the definitions in the Glossary do not represent the policies. ORG3-3
2040 Chapter 10 Glossary: Historic Resource. A historic resource is a building, structure, site, or district that has one or more of the following characteristics:
Listed in or determined to be on or individually eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and/or California Register of Historical Resources.
Identified as a Downtown Historic District or Glazenwood Historic District contributor building as designated in the 1989 Historic Building Survey Report.
Determined to be eligible through documentation contained in a historic resources report.
Zoning Code includes Contributors
The City of San Mateo Zoning Code sections 27.66.020 Applicability, 27.66.040 Conformance with Standards and Guidelines and 27.66.060 Demolition all treat contributors as historic resources and in the same way as individually eligible properties.
27.66.020 APPLICABILITY.
(a) Historic Buildings and Downtown Historic District. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all individually eligible buildings in the City, all individually eligible and contributor buildings within the November 1, 2023 3
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Downtown Specific Plan area, and all structures located in the Downtown Historic District, as adopted by resoluꢀon of the City Council.
(b) The City Council by resoluꢀon may add to the provisions of this chapter any building which it finds meets the criteria of contribuꢀng to the historic importance of downtown and the City. Such an acꢀon shall be based on Naꢀonal Register of Historic Places and California Register of Historical Resources criteria and documented in a form consistent with the City of San Mateo Historic Building Survey. (c) Individually Eligible and Contributor Buildings. For the purposes of this chapter, the terms "individually eligible building" shall mean those buildings as idenꢀfied in the City of San Mateo General Plan. "Contributor building" shall mean those buildings idenꢀfied as such and located within the Downtown Historic District as adopted by resoluꢀon of the City Council and idenꢀfied in the City of San Mateo General Plan. (d) For the purposes of this chapter, the terms "individually eligible building" and "contributor building" and "Downtown Historic District" shall mean those buildings and district idenꢀfied as such by resoluꢀon of the City Council or idenꢀfied in the City of San Mateo Downtown Specific Plan.
Discussion at 10/2 City Council Meeting
At the City Council Meeting on 10/2 the Council members expressed a lack of understanding about what contributors meant. It was stated that it does not matter if it is in the General Plan or in the implementation language to be addressed later in the ordinance. I strongly disagree. The City currently has a policy to treat contributors as historic resources. The new General Plan dilutes and changes the policy (see above).
ORG3-3
cont.We were disappointed staff did not describe what contributors mean and that they have no protection under the current language. That discussion would have allowed the City Council to make an informed decision at the time. We request the City Council revisit these policies.
Updating the Historic Preservation Ordinance
I understand that the City will be updating the Historic Preservation Ordinance next year but I believe the conversation of historic preservation policy in the General Plan 2040 is very relevant right now and should not be delayed to the implementation phase. The General Plan is the place to define policies.
Updating the City Website Regarding Historic Districts
We understand staff will be updating the City Website with more information about what a historic district contributor is and the ramifications of a property being designated. That is good news for the Baywood community. Many people are looking to the City for clarification of what it means to be in a Historic District. Why can’t the City tell us now? Either contributors are protected or they are not. The current plan protects them. The slight changes in the wording in the 2040 General Plan removes the protection.
Demolition Policies
Policy CD 5.7 Demolition Alternatives. Require an applicant to submit alternatives to preserve a historic resource as part of any planning application that proposes full demolition. Implement preservation methods unless health and safety requirements cannot be met or the City Council makes a finding explaining the specific reasons why the social, economic, legal, technical, or other beneficial aspects of the proposed demolition outweigh the unavoidable adverse impacts to the historic resource. If a designated historic resource cannot be preserved, require City approval before the demolition of a historic resource.
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What is the definition of demolition for this policy? Leaving one wall is near total demolition. Requiring an alternatives analysis is a good idea. The staff should be empowered to evaluate the alternatives provided by the applicant for veracity, feasibility, and adequacy. There should also be a requirement for mitigation measures. The language should be clarified to add contributors to the definition of historic resources.
ORG3-3
cont.
November 1, 2023 5
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Comment Letter #PUB1
From: Rowan Paul <
Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2023 7:33 AM
To: Manira Sandhir <[email protected]>
Subject: Height limits in San Mateo
Dear City of San Mateo,
I am very concerned about the changed building height limits for new construction.
PUB1-1
PUB1-2
Already for our East 5th avenue house. We have lost sunlight due to the new affordable housing building that came up with more floors than was in the original design that was approved. This is very concerning for the town if this continues.
For the 4th Street building that is coming up and others in the future, I am very concerned about the increased density resulting increased traffic. Increased crime increase noise, decrease sunlight for neighborhoods, and generally a lack of correspondingly increasing infrastructure such as parking, policing, file education, electricity, plumbing, etc. That typically does not keep up with the density increase.
San Mateo is not San Francisco or San Jose. I do not want it to turn into Redwood City which has turned into a personality deficient overcrowded downtown with significantly more crime than San Mateo.
Please keep the buildings below five floors, preferably one to three floors. PUB1-3 I am welcome to discussion.
Thank you
Rowan Paul, M.D.
Regenerative Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
Rowan V Paul M.D., INC
RegenCore Method
Head Team Physician San Francisco Ballet
Assistant Professor Geisel Dartmouth School of Medicine
CHINESE PROVERB
The inferior physician treats the disease once it occurs.
The mediocre physician prevents the disease from coming back.
The superior physician prevents the disease from ever occurring.
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HIPAA: The information contained in this transmission may contain privileged and confidential information, including patient information protected by federal and state privacy laws. It is intended only for the use of the person(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, dissemination, distribution, or duplication of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.
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Comment Letter #PUB2
From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2023 12:01 PM
To: General Plan <[email protected]>
Subject: [Konveio Inquiry] Land Use map & densities
Frances Souza sent a message using the contact form at
https://strivesanmateo.konveio.com/contact.
As a resident of Central San Mateo, I am requesting "RESIDENTIAL LOW I" be used on the south side of E. 4th Avenue, both sides of E. 5th Avenue from S. Delaware to S. Amphlett and on the West side of S. Delaware from E. 5th - 9th Avenue. This is more compatible with our current neighborhood and will help protect and preserve our neighborhood and reduce demolition of our single family homes and small duplexes. This will also support the General Plan's vision to "Enhance San Mateo's Neighborhood Fabric and Quality of Life." It will also address the Plan's goal of preservation of historic areas, as these streets are predominantly beautiful pre-war homes and duplexes which include Craftsmen, Spanish Revival, Tudor Revival and Victorian styles of architecture.
PUB2-1
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Comment Letter #PUB3
From: Jerry Davis
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2023 11:54 AM
To: Planning Commission <[email protected]> Cc: City Council (San Mateo) <[email protected]> Subject: Do not reclassify 5th and 9th Avenues to Arterials There are 10,210 vehicles a day on 5th Avenue that’s just too much traffic.
Whatsmore, the Nelson Nygaard Central Neighborhood Long Term Strategy January 2006, recommended traffic circles on 5th and 9th Avenues. 5th Avenue is currently a narrow Local street and 9th Avenue is a Collector. We need to keep 5th Avenue as a local street from S Delaware to S Amphlett and keep 9th Avenue as a Collector from S Delaware to S Amphlett. It would also be a good idea to reclassify S Humboldt as a local street from 4th Avenue to 9th Avenue. 5th Avenue is a proposed Bike route which conflicts with the new re- classification. It is currently impossible for me to find parking on my own street South Eldorado. I mostly need to park on 5th Ave. Traffic has already been generated, especially along 4th and 5th Avenues due to the new development in downtown San Mateo. Traffic and trucks west of the Railroad should be route through El Camino Real, 92 and 101 the State Highways, not through 4th, 5th, and 9th Avenues.
PUB3-1
Residential parking is already a nightmare.
We have requested traffic calming since 1991.
How can 5th Avenue, a proposed bicycle route exist without traffic calming from S Delaware to S Amphlett? This new classification to Arterial is simply a conflict to the General Plan.
Jerry Davis
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Comment Letter #PUB4
From: Francie Souza
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2023 6:58 PM
To: Manira Sandhir <[email protected]>; City Council (San Mateo) <[email protected]>; General Plan <[email protected]> Subject: Comments on General Plan
I am a resident of San Mateo and have additional comments on the General Plan, as outlined below: PUB4-1
4.14 PUBLIC SERVICES
My comments relate to POLICE under Public Services in the General Plan.
It was noted that the SMPD staffing ratios of 1.07 sworn officers to 1,000 residents is below the national staffing average of 2.0 sworn personnel per 1,000 residents and expansion of SMPD facilities may be needed to accommodate increases in staffing to maintain response times. It was noted that the “proposed project” would increase demand on police protection services, but growth would occur incrementally, therefore minimizing the impact.
The EIR states…Payment of police protection impact fees and special taxes, consistency with the proposed General Plan goals, policies, and actions and compliance with the regulations would ensure that the SMPD is involved as future development is allowed under the proposed project. Though SMPD has indicated that existing stations would be inadequate to accommodate future needs, it has not yet developed any specific plans to construct new facilities. Therefore, it would be speculative to assess the physical effects of those future construction projects and the project’s potential contribution to those effects. Pursuant to Section 15145 of the State CEQA Guidelines, if a particular impact is too speculative for evaluation, no further evaluation is required. This doesn’t seem wise.
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With additional comments, it was concluded that the proposed project would not result in a cumulatively considerable impact to police protection services and cumulative impacts would be less than significant and no further evaluation is required.
My request is that we do evaluate our police services more carefully now and determine how we can move toward proactively planning for this increase in demand that will naturally happen with the growth outlined in our state mandated housing plan. The approach in the General Plan seems to “kick the can down the road”. Already, police are stretched when it comes to proactively monitoring firework displays and other safety issues that have to be prioritized “out” for more serious issues.
Transportation, section 4.15-8
It appears on the map that 5th Avenue and 9th Avenue are designated as “Arterials”. As defined, Arterial streets are ‘signalized’ with higher capacity to accommodate traffic volumes offering continuous movement with coordinated and interconnected signal systems.
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5th Avenue and 9th Avenue are neighborhood streets, with traffic circles on 5th to slow traffic and both streets serve as local streets in the Central Neighborhood, which include primarily single family/duplex homes. 5 th Avenue is also proposed as a bicycle boulevard with traffic calming from S. Delaware to S.
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Amphlett, so the Arterial designation is a conflict with the General Plan.
Delaware is also designated as an Arterial street in the Draft EIR, but also runs through the Sunnybrae neighborhood, including the area around Sunnybrae Elementary School which has a 15mph speed zone. PUB4-3 cont.
These Arterial street designations need to be reconsidered in order to protect our neighborhoods, the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists and children in school zones. The reclassification will also increase pollution in the Central Neighborhood which conflicts with our goal of neighborhoods free of environmental health hazards. Please do not reclassify 5th and 9th Avenues to Arterials.
Thank you for considering,
Frances Souza
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Comment Letter #PUB5
From: David Light
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2023 10:13 AM
To: Planning Commission <[email protected]> Cc: Manira Sandhir <[email protected]>; Patrice Olds <[email protected]>; City Council (San Mateo) <[email protected]>
Subject: Comments on San Mateo General Plan Draft EIR
Dear San Mateo Planning Commission,
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I would like to comment on sections of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Draft General Plan 2040.
There is a seismic hazard map in Section 4.6 on Geology and Soils showing the risk of soil liquefaction during a major earthquake. In this map of San Mateo the liquefaction risk is divided into two regions, a moderate risk region roughly from the downtown to Hwy 101 and a high risk region from Hwy 101 to the Bay. I am concerned that developers will certainly prefer to locate new multi-story projects on lower risk areas rather than on historic landfill areas that are at higher risk. However, many of our single family and duplex home neighborhoods are currently located on the desirable moderate risk liquefaction areas. These single family home neighborhoods should not be displaced by large developments. San Mateo needs to protect and preserve our charming older homes in single family and duplex neighborhoods that make San Mateo a desirable place to live.
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Section 4.7 on Greenhouse Gas Emissions discusses the need to reduce carbon dioxide from home appliances, cars and trucks. New developments located near Caltrain or SamTrans public transportation stops are routinely allowed to provide less parking spaces in their plans. However, there is a continued lack of cooperation between Caltrain and BART and there is low ridership on SamTrans and Caltrain, so our city planners need to be realistic about the use of public transportation by workers and residents in San Mateo. New building projects must provide adequate parking spaces and include parking with chargers for electric cars as a more realistic solution to greenhouse gas emissions.
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Thank you for considering my comments!
- David Light
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Comment Letter #PUB6
September 12, 2023
To: Planning Commission
Subject: Comments on San Mateo General Plan Draft EIR
4.1 AESTHETICS
1. San Mateo deserves the best Objective Design Standards since there are many distinct neighborhood zones. Each neighborhood has its own visual and physical character and deserves respect. (Action CD 7.6: Objective Design Standards) PUB6-1
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2. Commercial development adjacent to residential. New infill building designs need to respect existing community character, using established building designs found in San Mateo. Encourage new developments to be compatible and harmonious with building types and architectural styles prevalent in San Mateo especially with the surrounding residential neighborhoods and Downtown Historic District. (Action CD 8.7)
3. Project Design Review for proposed projects in the Downtown and surrounding neighborhoods by a qualified historic preservation architect/consultant. Aesthetics of new illuminated contemporary glass buildings will have an impact on existing older neighborhoods and the Historic Downtown.
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4. Street lighting standards - More green street lamps are needed at dark residential intersections and longer residential blocks. This impacts safety for pedestrians and bicyclists in Equity Priority and underserved neighborhood areas in the Central Neighborhood and North Central Neighborhood.
5. Title 25 Signs - protect the character of older residential neighborhoods, and prohibit neon commercial signs on new tall buildings facing towards surrounding residential neighborhoods at night. Housing is at the upper levels in new buildings.
Prohibit older lighted outdoor billboards advertising alcohol in Equity Priority Neighborhoods along 101 which generate blight. (Policy CD 6.5: US 101 Frontage, Policy CD 6.6: Signage, Policy CD 6.10 Nighttime Lighting) PUB6-5
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6. Neighborhood Beautification - Encourage drought tolerant green landscaping in residential neighborhoods and commercial projects and expand the tree canopies in front yards and plant more street trees through street tree plan. Especially in Equity Priority Neighborhoods.
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4.4 CULTURAL RESOURCES
1. Neighborhood preservation and protections are needed. We need updated surveys in Central, North Central Neighborhoods, and other older neighborhoods as possible Historic Districts. We need protection of pre-war homes and small duplexes for middle and low-income families in Equity Priority Neighborhoods.
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2. Avoid demolition of homes in older neighborhoods. Preserve the visible exteriors from the street of existing Craftsmen, Spanish and Tudor Revival, and Victorian homes in older neighborhoods. Follow the existing patterns in the neighborhoods. The home need to be compatible with the existing neighborhood.
Historic Resources - Page 189
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3. New infill building designs need to respect existing community character, using established building designs found in San Mateo. Encourage new developments to be compatible and harmonious with building types and architectural styles prevalent in San Mateo. Policy LU 4.2 - Quality of Downtown Development.
4. There will be a new Historic District called the Yoshiko Yamanouchi House at 1007 East 5th Avenue. There are 9 resources on the property which include: 3 buildings, 3 sites, and 3 structures. Documentation will be provided for the Draft EIR, for protection from adverse environmental impacts.
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PUB6-115. Demolition permits should be issued at the same time as building permits, and not before.
4.11 NOISE - The impact of the build-out results in the unacceptable cumulative traffic noise within the EIR study areas. No mitigation measures are available according to the EIR.
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1. Existing noise contours - the areas along S Amphett/Idaho are in the 65-70 dab range. Since higher sound walls haven’t been constructed along Highway 101, can the City plant more trees along the sound wall between Poplar and 3rd Avenue and 5th Avenue and Folkstone. North Central, Central, and Sunnybrae would benefit.
Italian Cypress trees will grow to 30 feet and will require little maintenance. Ryland Bay in Bay Meadows has trees planted trees along the sound wall. Page 403. 2 1366 of 1487
2. Temporary construction noise - stagger the projects so the noise, GHG, truck impacts, vibration impacts are not so severe. There will be 17 new projects in Area 4.
Five projects have been completed in the Downtown. Can you take the trucks out through state highways through El Camino Real, 92, to 101 to reduce the dust and toxic pollution. There can be up to 90 trucks a day from Windy Hill’s Block 21 project.
We need to reduce construction impacts in Equity Priority Neighborhoods. Page 408 PUB6-14
3. Place more receptacles and monitors for noise, construction vibrations and water down dust impacts between 3rd, 4th and 5th Avenues in Central and North Central Neighborhoods to monitor adverse environmental impacts with multiple new construction projects. Noise monitors are lacking on the map on page 394.
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15 4. Reduce the heights to 3 stories in land-use map especially 4th & 5th Avenues and west side of S Delaware in the Central Neighborhood - (Residential Low II). By reducing heights in (Mixed Use High I and Mixed Use High II) in the Downtown, this will reduce the cut-through traffic volumes and the noise impacts in the Central and North Central Neighborhoods.
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16 4.15
TRANSPORTATION
1. What does the reconstruction of the 3rd/4th Avenue Interchange consist of? PUB6- 17 When will this occur? We need better lighting for the pedestrians and bicyclists on the overpass at night. Page 486
2. Bicycle network - Bicycle boulevards include traffic calming and low traffic volumes such as 5th Avenue from S Delaware to S Amphlett. Keep 5th Avenue as a local street versus an Arterial. This is a conflict in the General Plan and needs to addressed in the General Plan EIR. Page 494, Page 491 Proposed Street Classification Fig 4.15-1.
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18 3. 42% of GHG emissions in San Mateo originate from vehicular trips generated by San Mateo residents and businesses. Why does San Mateo generate such a high percentage of GHG emissions? We need solutions to increase deficiencies in transit, bicycle, and pedestrian modes. Page 495
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19 4. The proposed project increases the use of roadway facilities in the EIR study PUB6-
20study. This increases cut-through traffic volumes, GHG emissions, VMT and noise levels. Why are the current TDM strategies not working well? 3 1367 of 1487
5. Policy C 6.5 states to implement neighborhood traffic calming on residential streets to reduce cut-through traffic volumes to address noise impacts. We need to implement traffic calming on 5th and 9th Avenues from S Delaware to S Amhlett. Do not reclassify these streets to Arterials. Equity Priority Neighborhoods need more traffic calming. Page 500
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21 6. Policy C 6.6 - Do not put a truck route on 5th Avenue from S Delaware to S Amphlett on 5th Avenue a proposed bike boulevard. Do not put a truck route on S Humboldt from 4th to 9th Avenue. We need to make the streets safer for the bicyclists on 5th and S Humboldt, to and from the 3rd/4th Avenue overpass.
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22 7. Reduce VMT, GHG emissions, traffic volumes, diesel particulates, and noise on 5th and 9th Avenue with traffic circles and keep the 4-way stop signs. San Mateo Glendale Village has traffic circles and 4-way stop signs. Nelson Nygaard suggested long narrow traffic circles on 9th Avenue in the 2006 Central Neighborhood Long Term 23 PUB6-
Strategy report, along with the TAP studies. Page 501 Equity Priority Neighborhoods
8. Action - C 3.9 - Currently the Downtown Mall is on B Street from 2nd to 3rd PUB6-
24Avenues. Please extend this Pedestrian Mall from 3rd Avenue to 5th Avenue to reduce the traffic volumes. Page 502
Other Transportation questions in the Draft EIR:
9. Increase Traffic Demand Measures (TDM) measures to reduce vehicle cut- PUB6- 25through traffic through residential streets at 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 9th Avenues and reduce traffic noise.
10. Reduce the heights to 3 stories in land-use map especially 4th & 5th Avenues and west side of S Delaware in the Central Neighborhood - (Residential Low II). By reducing heights in (Mixed Use High I and Mixed Use High II) in the Downtown, this will reduce the cut-through traffic volumes through these streets.
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26 11. What are the ADT volumes on Peninsula and Poplar Avenues from Delaware to S Humboldt? Are they included in the Draft EIR? It is difficult to locate current ADT traffic volumes information on streets in the Draft EIR. Traffic volumes needs to be listed in the Table of Contents.
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27 12. What is the percentage of Burlingame traffic that use the Poplar Exit in San Mateo?
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13. What is the percentage of traffic from the Poplar Exit will redirect to 3rd, 4th, and 5th Avenues if the Peninsula Interchange is built? Has that traffic volume been included in the ADT numbers for 3rd, 4th, 5th Avenues and S Humboldt in the Draft EIR for 2040?
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14. We need a separate study for the 6 grade separations. Why do we need these many separations between 1st Avenue and 9th Avenues, if new developments are suppose to use Caltrain? Why doesn’t Peninsula Avenue have a grade separation? Grade separations are designed to move more vehicular traffic and grade separations will increase VMT and diesel particulates in the Equity Priority Neighborhoods. What other mitigations do you propose to reduce these additional adverse environmental impacts?
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30 15. Central has been an underserved neighborhood and the Equity Priority boundaries should be extended to 9th Avenue (both sides) and include streets from Delaware to S Amphlett. This Draft EIR for 2040 is proposing 5 arterials in the Central Neighborhood with no residential protections. We do not want any parking removed on 5th Avenue or adding more traffic lanes. We need to reduce the traffic noise and volume, decrease the VMT, and the diesel particulates. In 2006, the TAP studies gave us 2250 to 3390 cars on 5th and now this will increase to 10,210 ADT with existing and new projects. Do not reclassify 5th and 9th Avenues, but keep the current street classifications for these 2 streets.
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31 16. What is causing traffic to decrease on 3rd and 4th Avenues between S Humboldt and Delaware and increase on 5th Avenue a local street east of S Delaware in these projections? Traffic has increased on S Delaware between 5th and 9th Avenues since 2015, and construction workers are now parking on S Delaware between 7th and 9th Avenues, and 7th Avenue between Delaware and Eldorado.
Developers need a parking plan for their construction workers, or park on the vacant lot at Block 21. Page 993
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17. Neighborhood Traffic Management Program is a living document and needs to be updated to better address cut-through traffic volumes. It needs more flexibility to address the traffic impacts on local, collector and arterials in residential neighborhoods.
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Thank you.
Best,
Laurie Watanuki
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Comment Letter #PUB7
From: Michael
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2023 3:57 PM
To: Planning Commission <[email protected]> Cc: Patrice Olds <[email protected]>; City Council (San Mateo) <[email protected]>; Killough, Maurine
Francie Souza David Light
Subject: Comments on Draft EIR for Proposed General Plan 2040 Project Commissioners - I'm writing to comment on the draft General Plan 2040 EIR, specifically sections 4-2 Air Quality, 4-3 Biological Resources, 4-5 Energy, 4-10 Land Use and Planning, and 4-13 Population and Housing.
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Overall, this EIR and the proposed General Plan make a lot of assumptions that people will not drive, and that transportation will be readily available - these are not reasonable current or foreseeable future realities. This EIR and the GP plan for unlikely and extreme levels of growth - 40%! - that will materially worsen air quality, traffic, and other key areas as indicated by "significant and unavoidable" determinations. Why are we planning for such absurd growth levels? This EIR and the proposed General Plan focus a lot on per capita statistics. We cannot lose sight of the absolute numbers here, however. Growth/worsening/increases in population This EIR and the proposed General Plan claim throughout to require balancing jobs and office. Given the massive current imbalance, the focus should be almost entirely on housing. And not luxury, rental-only housing - affordable housing. And existing housing stock should be preserved as it is generally more affordable, and gets replaced (gentrified) by unaffordable housing, of which there is no shortage in San Mateo.
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Furthermore, this report uses a lot of non-committal language - "suggest", "promote", "support", "encourage". These are meaningless without concrete legislation, quantifiable targets that someone is accountable for, and funding to ensure aspirational plans are actually put in place, and impacts are truly understood and mitigated. We've seen way too many examples of pie-in-the-sky desires that never materialize because of language like this. You get your project, developers get rich - what do our neighborhoods get? Blight, noise, pollution, traffic, crime, displacement…the list goes on and on.
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Calls for "decarbonizing housing stock" are rife in this document. We have very serious doubts about rushing the timelines for electrification, given PG&E's inability to support existing demand, as well as significant costs to property owners for conversion if forced. This should be more of a carrot (incentive- based) than stick approach.
Central will be heavily impacted by the proposed general plan, with distorted zoning categories that effectively eliminate instead of protect our neighborhoods (eg Residential Low I is 1-3 stories and 9 units/acre) - there needs to be a Residential Low 1a - 1-2 stories max category).
PUB7-6Roughly 1/3 of Central is considered an environmental justice/overburdened/equity priority community (Railroad to 101, 4th-5th), 100% is within 4 blocks. Central has a high percentage of rentals, a high concentration of construction projects, lower income residents, higher traffic volumes and accident rates, and is in the 70-80th percentile for air quality. As such, our neighborhood should be considered for any and all mitigation policies and actions tied to those communities listed in this EIR.
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Specifically with regard to 4-2 Air Quality:
Placement of AQ receptors and ongoing monitoring and remediation (page 25) - it is important these are funded, implemented, monitored and enforced. Language needs to be stronger, quantifiable, and should have funding and accountability defined.
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Central's Air Quality 70-80th percentile (page 27)
High (50th percentile) incidence of asthma (page 28)
High concentration of "permitted stationary sources" of pollutants (ie gas stations, diesel generators, body shops, dry cleaners, manufacturing/light industrial/car repair) PUB7-8
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2040 regional growth projections for housing by 32 percent and population by 25 percent. Why aren't we scaling this back given population decreases in CA and the Bay Area, coupled with the significant impacts on our neighborhoods?
GD-6: develop and maintain an active urban fabric that reflects San Mateo's unique visual and architectural character. PUB7-10
We need high quality, community-accepted, objective design standards and other mechanisms to ensure this happens beyond lip service.
tress from Block 21 be protected. Some had to be over 25 years old, and were healthy. Instead, they were all cut down, and now we have a dozen+ tree stumps and a dirt lot. We need to do better.
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PUB7-12Page 49 - VMT grows from 2.7m to 3.5 in 2040, an increase of nearly 30%! Regardless of VMT per capita, this will still worsen traffic and air quality.
The proposed General Plan results in ~50% growth in air pollutants, ESP COMPARED TO NO PROJECT where they decrease (below). While we realize no project isn't viable, there is a more moderate growth path that maintains or even improves AQ. PUB7-13
AQ-3-6 are all "significant and unavoidable" impacts. Any way you slice this, air quality gets worse! Specifically with regard to 4-3 Biological Resources:
Again trees are highlighted - preservation, planting, replacement, street tree equity, etc. As per above, we need to do better.
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Specifically with regard to 4-5 Energy:
The EIR claims decreased usage per capita - but absolute usage will increase dramatically - upwards of 40%.
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Again with "decarbonizing housing stock" - We have very serious doubts about rushing the timelines for electrification, given PG&E's inability to support existing demand, as well as significant costs to property owners for conversion if forced. This should be more of a carrot (incentive-based) than stick approach.
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MTA/ABAG/CCAG etc focus on PDA/TPA - We do not have good transit, and it's not getting better. If anything it's getting worse with BART, CalTrain, and SamTrans ridership woes. Without T - ToD is just "D". Build the T, then let's talk about ToD, otherwise every assumption here is wrong. TDM - great idea in theory but there are numerous developments using TDM already. Where's the data on this - is it really working before we bet heavily on it?
(Page 26) Goal C-5: Make transit a viable transportation option for the community by supporting frequent, reliable, cost-efficient, and connected service.
Policy C 5.1: Increase Transit Ridership. Support SamTrans and Caltrain in their efforts to increase transit ridership. PUB7-18
The above is very aspirational. Again w the "supporting" verbiage - need concrete commitments/requirements
Specifically with regard to 4-10 Land Use and Planning: PUB7-19 PUB7-20
GP 2030 is cited a lot in here - is this a typo? Should be 2040? Measure Y - This paragraph is incomplete, and Y does not allow for off-site development - requires on- site and no in-lieu fees paid. Please fix this so the public is properly and accurately informed.
Proposed zoning categories are distorted and effectively eliminate single family zoning. Furthermore, categories don't mention state density bonus and state laws that grant additional stories and floor area BY RIGHT. This is not what San Mateans want. They support growth along with preservation of neighborhoods and historic assets. That is why Measure Y was passed, and has been renewed in essence, for 25 years. It is also important to realize that Measure Y helps affordable housing ACTUALLY GET BUILT, instead of allowing developers to pay significantly cheaper in-lieu fees to avoid it. Finally Measure Y stipulates that any zoning over the limits specified by Measure Y will require approval of the voters, which absent a good General Plan that is acceptable to a majority of voters, is unlikely to happen.
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Balance (Page 14) - restatement of same goal of balancing housing and office and housing diversity. This EIR and the proposed General Plan claim throughout to require balancing jobs and office. Given the massive current imbalance, the focus should be almost entirely on housing. And not luxury, rental-only housing - affordable housing. And exisiting housing stock should be preserved as it is generally more affordably, and gets replaced (gentrified) by unaffordable housing, of which there is no shortage in San Mateo.
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Specifically with regard to 4-13 Population and Housing:
under the proposed project would exceed the Plan Bay Area 2040 regional growth projections for housing by 32 percent and population by 25 percent. Why are we building so much given all the negative impacts?
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benefit" and get input from community as to what qualifies. "Give to get" from developers.
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Goal LU-13: Maintain Development Review and Building Permit processes that are comprehensive and efficient. § Policy LU 13.1: Development Review Process. Review development proposals and building permit applications in an efficient and timely manner while maintaining quality standards in accordance with City codes, policies, and regulations, and in compliance with State requirements.
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With regard to the above - the planning process should be efficient, but should NOT attempt to short- circuit public input, as this commission has suggest/attempted to do.
This EIR suggests that there wouldn't be displacement. The reality is that development almost always means displacement and gentrification. Existing affordable units being replaced by office and luxury housing doesn't help the affordability crisis or the jobs/housing imbalance.
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PUB7-27It's critical we get this right. Thank you for your consideration, and for considering the needs and desires of ALL San Mateans.
Sincerely, Michael Weinhauer
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Comment Letter #PUB8
From: Lisa Taner
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2023 2:10 PM
To: Manira Sandhir <[email protected]>
Cc: Zachary Dahl <[email protected]>; Alex Khojikian <[email protected]> Subject: Failure of Draft General Plan EIR
All,
The enormity of detail in the General Plan Update and process is enough to spin heads, and the average resident would need to play a lot of catch up to understand some of the greater points, much less the finer ones. While staff has done a tremendous amount of work, and there has been an endeavor to work with the community, it is a glaring failure to note the limited options of only 'maximum growth' or 'no growth' as presently reflected in the Draft EIR. PUB8-1 The residents have been clear in their desire to have moderate growth in their city, and if this failure was known more widely, there would be a clamoring of upset folks knocking on your doors. There is time to rectify this. Please return to the drawing board and ensure that more options are fleshed out to incorporate the wishes of your taxpayers.
Sincerely,
Lisa Taner
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Comment Letter #PUB9
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2023 11:17 AM
To: Manira Sandhir <[email protected]>
Cc: Zachary Dahl <[email protected]>; Alex Khojikian <[email protected]>; City Mgr <[email protected]>
Subject: San Mateo General Plan Draft EIR, Project Alternatives Hi Manira,
Attached please find my letter regarding the San Mateo General Plan Draft EIR. The focus of the letter is the absence of "reasonable" alternatives as required by CEQA.
Although Alex is not directly involved in the EIR process, I have copied him on this email because the lack of reasonable alternatives has a "thumb on the scale" effect regarding Measure Y and the clear preference of voters for moderate growth.
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Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the DEIR.
Keith Weber
San Mateo
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September 19, 2023
TO: Manira Sandhir, Planning Manager
CC: Zachary Dahl, Interim Community Development Director Alex Khojikian, City Manager
FROM: Keith Weber
SUBJECT: San Mateo General Plan Draft EIR, Project Alternatives Dear Ms. Sandhir,
The Draft EIR (DEIR) for the 2040 Draft General Plan is inadequate and incomplete because it fails to PUB9-2 PUB9-3
evaluate a “reasonable range” of alternatives as required by CEQA. During the public outreach phase of the General Plan, the City identified four feasible alternatives: the “No Project” alternative plus three others (Alternatives A, B, and C), each with incrementally greater growth potential and impacts. All four alternatives met or exceeded the housing and economic growth objectives of the General Plan revision. The City Council chose the alternative with the maximum development potential as their preferred alternative (the “project”). The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires the analysis of a “range of reasonable alternatives to the project which would feasibly attain most of the basic objectives of the project but would avoid or substantially lessen any of the significant effects of the project, and evaluate the comparative merits of the alternatives.”
The Draft EIR evaluates only two alternatives:
1. No Project
2. Reduced Traffic Noise Alternative, which, according to the EIR, “would accommodate the same amount of proposed development as the proposed project.” PUB9-4
CEQA considers alternatives to involve changes to the project’s “scope, design, extent,” and “intensity.” But, the DEIR fails to offer alternatives that address these possible changes. Instead, it gives us the same amount of development as the project - an alternative in name only. By disregarding the less impactful alternatives offered to the public and preferred by much of the citizenry, the DEIR provides an all-or-nothing choice between maximum buildout or no project at all. The clear message voters sent to City Hall with the passage of Measure Y is their wish to accommodate moderate growth - to find a compromise between extreme growth and no growth. The DEIR is a tone deaf failure in this regard, presenting the public with only a choice between two extremes. One of the purposes of an EIR is to identify alternatives to a proposed project and evaluate the comparative merits of feasible alternatives. Instead of providing the public with seriously considered alternatives, the DEIR offers a Sophie’s choice. CEQA requires more and the public deserves better. In order to satisfy the CEQA requirement that “an EIR shall describe a range of reasonable alternatives to the project,” the feasible alternatives previously identified publicly as Alternatives A and B, must be evaluated and the Draft EIR recirculated for it to meet the threshold of adequacy demanded by CEQA and expected by the public. The additional alternatives analysis represents significant new information and therefore requires recirculation of the Draft EIR, as explained in CEQA Guidelines Section 15088.5.
RECIRCULATION OF AN EIR PRIOR TO CERTIFICATION.
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Comment Letter #PUB10
From: <
Sent: Friday, September 22, 2023 2:15 PM
To: Manira Sandhir <[email protected]>
Subject: DEIR Comments
Dear Manira,
Please find my comments on the DEIR below.
Thank you.
Lisa
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Response to Dra EIR
The Noise Element in the DEIR does not address the harmful effects of low frequency noise or discuss the migaon of such. Besides traffic as a source, HVAC heatpump units are a common source of low frequency noise polluon. San Mateo’s Climate Acon Plan (CAP) requires the installaon of electric appliances or the conversion or of gas appliances to electric appliances. Many heat pumps will be located inside and outside of residences and will not only affect inhabitants but neighboring properes.
The potenal noise problem from the humming of mulples air source heat pumps has prompted an official UK government review (2023) by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs.
Low Frequency Noise is recognized by the WHO as an environmental problem and states the following in their publicaon on Community Noise:
"It should be noted that low frequency noise, for example, from ventilation systems can disturb rest and sleep even at low sound levels"
"For noise with a large proportion of low frequency sounds a still lower guideline (than 30dBA) is recommended"
"When prominent low frequency components are present, noise measures based on A-weighting are inappropriate"
"Since A-weighting underestimates the sound pressure level of noise with low frequency components, a better assessment of health effects would be to use C-weighting" "It should be noted that a large proportion of low frequency components in a noise may increase considerably the adverse effects on health"
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"The evidence on low frequency noise is sufficiently strong to warrant immediate concern" Europe, ahead of us in terms of heat pump use, is dealing with the noise complaints associated with them:
German Environment Agency guideline information March 2017 Complaints about low-frequency humming noises have become more frequent in recent years – especially in residential areas. The quiet, constant hum of air source heat pumps, air-conditioning systems or district heating stations in otherwise quiet neighbourhoods is often considered disturbing, even if the noise levels comply with statutory limit values. A guide by the German Environment Agency (UBA) advises all the parties of construction projects to consider the noise emissions of such large facilities in the early planning phase of a project. Once systems which hum are in operation, there are virtually no technical means to eliminating low-frequency noise.
The EIR states that the San Mateo Noise Ordinance will protect people from health impacts however this ordinance is nearly 20 years old and does not even address interior noise in single family homes generated outside the property. It falls short in many other areas especially when compared to other newly adopted ordinances of surrounding Cies and the latest medical studies. The ordinance specifically states the regulaons apply to a “reasonable person of normal sensivies” which excludes those with misophonia or hypercusis, both considered a disability by the ADA. The potenal liability of this bias should be reason enough for San Mateo to update their noise ordinance.
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The current ordinance does not account for low frequency/tonal noise or the cumulave impacts from mulple heat pumps. If the EIR contemplates the noise ordinance as a migaon measure to protect the
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cont.health of the community it should consider that the current noise ordinance needs to be updated to address the impacts of the 2040 General Plan.
The EIR states that the “noise in the community has often been cited as a health problem, not in terms of physiological damage” however several studies have shown that community noise is associated with cardiovascular problems. The Internal Journal of Preventive Medicine 2022 article (Foroughharmajda, Asadya, Pereirab, Fuentec), Is enough Attention Paid to the health effects of low-frequency noise in today’s society? It is cited that exposure to lower frequency airborne pressure wave can cause cellular and tissue damage along with widespread vascular involvement.
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Comment Letter #PUB11
From: Erika Gomez <
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2023 2:25 PM
To: [email protected]; Zachary Dahl <[email protected]>; Alex Khojikian <[email protected]>; Richard Hedges <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Rob Newsom <[email protected]> Subject: General PlanGP Draft EIR DO NOT reclassify 9th and 5th avenue Dear City of San Mateo GP 2040 leads.
We recognize this can sometimes be a thankless job. So let me first say Thank You for considering our neighborhood concerns. PUB11-1
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We looked at the GP2040 and it appears that 9th. Ave and 5th Ave are being proposed as “Arterials”.
In a city that has worked for decades to keep our streets safe for pedestrians, such as the Traffic Action Plans (TAPs) reclassifying 9th Ave to be able to carry from a max of 10,000 cars up to 50,000 cars goes against all the hours our neighborhood, staff and numerous city council members have invested to prevent additional degradation of local street surfaces and safety of our elderly, kids and general population when residents walk to medical appointments, school or work. Is this long term tradeoff worth whatever short term benefit city administrators anticipate? Has a Health Risk Analysis (HRA) associated with Allowing up to 50,000 cars in our little neighborhood been done? I cannot imagine that it would Not have a long term detrimental effect on our general population’s health.
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This type of drastic change goes against the City’s Vision, Safety and Noise GP goals.
Please let’s stop letting the “car centric” mentality we fought so hard to get away from drive decisions for our community’s future.
I wish you would get the opinions of the mail carriers and package delivery personnel. Recently a car flipped on 7th and El Dorado after nearly hitting people and actually hitting multiple cars, before flipping. I spoke to the delivery personnel at the crash site and they said it is amazing how often they see people speeding and ignoring stop signs in our neighborhood.
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I would like close by sharing a photo of an adult resident riding their electric scooter on 5th and El Dorado. Something we see on 9th and Fremont all the time as well. Why do adults still rides bikes And scooters on the sidewalk during traffic hours? Because they are afraid, even with all the bike lanes in the street.
Thank you,
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Erika Powell
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cont.
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Comment Letter #PUB12
From: Rowan Paul
Sent: Saturday, September 23, 2023 3:20 PM
To: [email protected]; Alex Khojikian <[email protected]> Cc: [email protected]; Richard Hedges <[email protected]>; Zachary Dahl <[email protected]>; Naomi Ture ; l
Subject: Regarding Draft EIR, Draft 2040 General Plan
Dear City Council and planning committees,
My wife and I are dismayed to see yet more proposed erosion of our neighborhood at 5th and Delaware with The Draft 2040 General Plan and Draft EIR.
PUB12-1The definition of Arterial is 10,000 - 50,000 vehicles a day. There has been no collaboration on this reclassification. I oppose this reclassification and strongly feel that 5th avenue remain a neighborhood street given that we have families, neighbours with kids and families that have lived here for decades.
How do we address this increased cut-through traffic? We need assurances for traffic calming for both 5th and 9th Avenues.
A class III Bike Boulevard is proposed for 5th Avenue which means we need lower traffic volumes for safer streets for pedestrians and bicyclists. Other cities in San Mateo County plant a tree in the center of the intersection to reduce cut-through traffic and improve air quality. I recommended we do that and add speed bumps or rumble strips. We are thankful for new pavement and repainted bike strips. To reclassify as an arterial would be devastating, contradictory and a move in the wrong direction.
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In addition, 4th and 5th Avenues are included in the Equity Priority Neighborhoods. We request that the boundaries of the Equity Priority Neighborhoods be extended to 9th Avenue and include streets from S Delaware to S Amphlett for more residential protections.
Our 5th avenue neighborhood is a close one where we all know our neighbors. We do NOT want this to turn into a high density housing project with 7 floor new housing developments as you have been building near the tracks, some without concession or requirement for more parking or significant city infrastructure which is frankly ridiculous. Our neighbourhood is already taking a big hit and we WILL not stand for further erosion.
PUB12-4I have attached an example of the damaging effect of traffic on our neighborhood. This is my neighbor's Porsche that was subject to a hit and run RIGHT OUTSIDE his and our houses. Can you imagine if there was a child playing on the sidewalk?
Again as a reminder, our son got run over by a car at 5th and Clairmont just 2 blocks from our house.
NOTHING was done by the city to increase safety at this intersection or in our neighborhood despite token lip service phone call with Lisa Nash and Eric Rodriguez at the time when it happened.
Needless to say, we are sufficiently energized to fight this proposal.
Please do the right thing for the invested locals.
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Thank you.
Rowan Paul, MD
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Comment Letter #PUB13
From: Evan Powell <
Sent: Saturday, September 23, 2023 3:33 PM
To: [email protected]
Cc: Zachary Dahl <[email protected]>; Alex Khojikian <[email protected]>; Rob Newsom <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Richard Hedges <[email protected]>
Subject: General Plan Draft EIR Comments - please do NOT reclassify 9th and 5th avenue Hello
Thank you for your public service.
I am writing to express my opposition to the outrageous proposal that 9th and 5th avenues be reclassified to accept more cut through traffic.
The Central Neighborhood already bears the brunt of the increased development in San Mateo. Countless times we have been reassured that our neighborhood would be protected with Vision Zero and traffic impact funds and so on. And yet we see that noise, pollution, accidents, and so on are all more prevalent in the Central Neighborhood than most other neighborhoods. Last week down the street from our house in Central Neighborhood a family was out walking when they were nearly killed by cut-through traffic, the incident of which is only increasing due to pro-development policies. Please see attached for a photo of the accident - imagine this was your reality, your neighborhood. Would you feel safe?
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In short, if you want support for the sort of increased density that our neighborhood has pioneered, you should prioritize the protection of our neighborhood. You should be prioritizing traffic calming of the sort prevalent in impacted neighborhoods in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City, and elsewhere, not seriously considering prioritizing car traffic over residents by reclassifying 9th and 5th avenue. It's outdated thinking AND it runs counters to the assurances we have received for years.
Thank you for your service and best regards,
Evan
--
Evan Powell
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Comment Letter #PUB14
From: Chris & Wayne Rango <
Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2023 3:16 PM
To: Manira Sandhir <[email protected]>
Subject: General Plan Draft EIR Comments
I have been a resident of the Central Neighborhood for almost 40 years.
What is being proposed in the General Plan and the Draft EIR is preposterous! PUB14-1
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Specifically, reclassifying 5th Ave, the street I live on, and 9th Ave to become Arterials is not in
any neighborhood's best interest, let alone mine.
To permit between 10,000 to 50,000 vehicles per day on these two neighborhoods' streets will only
ADD an incredible amount of noise that already exists. It will increase greater danger for pedestrians as
well as drivers not to mention decreasing our property value.
This proposal will also allow 8-10 story buildings in my neighborhood! Are you kidding me? I am becoming more and more appalled at the attempts to RUIN our quaint neighborhood.
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PUB14-4Please do not allow this damage to happen.
Respectfully,
Wayne Rango
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Comment Letter #PUB15
From: Dave Santos <d
Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2023 6:02 PM
To: Manira Sandhir <[email protected]>
Subject: San Mateo General Plan Draft EIR
PUB15-1The EIR is a tremendous amount of information to digest.
I want to acknowledge staff contributions to this effort and while there has been a modest attempt to reach out to the community, the report presents limited growth options. Is there not a middle ground of moderate growth as a viable alternative to maximum growth or no growth options? PUB15-2 PUB15-3
Why hasn't a moderate growth option been explored? I believe that is what Measure Y is all about, moderate growth.
I also wonder why the San Mateo Foster City School District was not consulted for input if the San Mateo Union High School District was. Adding 26,000 people to the population will affect the SMFCSD as well as the high school district.
I think it is wishful thinking to believe that the addition of 26,000 will not have more effect on the environment.
In reviewing the document, input of residents (stakeholders) needs to be considered. PUB15-4
I would like to recommend a rewrite that lists moderate growth options that are supported by the community along with a specific mechanism to solicit residents input.
Sincerely,
Dave Santos
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Comment Letter #PUB16
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sharing and bicycles. Those tools, and many others, should be an automatic part of our city process. employed right now, aside from any connection to a new General Plan.
Even back before 2000, project approvals included conditions for TDM measures, across properties and area boundaries. How does this kind of already existing approach rise to the level of the basis for a project alternative? It doesn't.
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cont.
Of course the alternatives also make mention of ;the environmentally superior choice.
This is given lip service by saying it aligns with the only alternative "studied", thus skirting any real discussion. It probably would have been omitted altogether if not for the clear requirement in CEQA guidelines.
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The bottom line for me is that you have a DEIR which does not meet legal requirements and which relies on inadequate studies.
This document needs a major overhaul prior to certification. .
Karen Herrel
West Hillsdale Blvd.
San Mateo
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Comment Letter #PUB17
From: Maxine Terner <
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2023 4:14 PM
To: Manira Sandhir <[email protected]>
Cc: Zachary Dahl <[email protected]>; Alex Khojikian <[email protected]> Subject: DEIR comments
Dear Ms. Sandhir - The purpose of CEQA is to give decision-makers adequate information upon which to base decisions that minimize negative impacts to the community. The Draft EIR (DEIR) for the 2040 Draft General Plan is so filled with vague statements about future actions as to be useless. Words like “suggest, promote and encourage” are meaningless. This DEIR does not give policy makers the data to evaluate the long-term impacts of their proposed GP Project. It is an insult to the residents and businesses in San Mateo who will have no idea of the true fiscal and environmental impacts of the proposed Project nor of viable alternatives that will lessen these impacts. The consultants can and must do better.
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Staff knows that the City Council can still approve a project with “significant impacts' by making statements of overriding consideration. But misleading the public and decision-makers by avoiding discussion about the true impacts is unconscionable. This adds to the mistrust of government and threatens our fragile democracy. This DEIR must be rewritten and recirculated.
THE DEIR IS INADEQUATE AND INCOMPLETE BECAUSE IT FAILS TO:
1 - Identify which program level environmental effects City staff intends to utilize as having been addressed as “specifically and comprehensively as is reasonably possible” in this program EIR so that later activities may qualify for a streamlined environmental review process or may be exempt from environmental review. The DEIR does not provide the supporting data for the “no significant impact” conclusions related to land use and zoning, traffic, air quality, noise, infrastructure capacity and water availability, public services and hydrology. If the consultants have given these details to the City this data must be included for public review and the DEIR recirculated.
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2 - Evaluate a “reasonable range” of alternatives as required by CEQA. The GP land use map chosen by the City Council as the “Project” was the highest level of development considered during the public input phase. This high-development project results in Significant and Unavoidable (SU) impacts in Air Quality, Noise, and Wildfire even with mitigations. The DEIR does not adequately evaluate other alternatives that can lessen these and other impacts to less than significant levels. Alternatives A and B were considered during the public input phase of the GP UPDATE with much public support and these should be evaluated for potentially less impacts in the EIR. A highest development level ‘Project’ or no project is not adequate.
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3 - Note specifically in the Land Use Regulations Measure Y paragraph that General Plan 2030 is Measure Y, approved by the voters in 2020, and a vote of San Mateo residents will be required to approve any changes to Measure Y heights and densities in the Project General Plan 2040. Identify specifically where land use changes increase the heights or densities allowed under Measure Y. The DEIR paragraph on Measure Y is inaccurate, incomplete and missing information on the Strive website and must be rewritten. Measure Y is of vital interest to a majority of the voters in San Mateo and needs to be clearly and accurately described in the DEIR.
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Rewrite the Measure Y paragraph to also note that it better supports affordable housing than the state density bonus law. The Measure Y General Plan 2030 requires that 10% of new residential development be for affordable units built on-site at the same time as the market rate units are constructed. Note how many affordable units have been built in San Mateo under Measure Y. It does not allow off-site or in-lieu fee payments that can sit in a pot for years. The state density bonus law only requires 10% affordable units yet gives the developer 2 extra floors of height for doing what is already required in San Mateo. Also note that the Measure Y density allowances result in a larger number of 2-3 bedroom family sized units than the higher density bonus units have resulted in.
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cont.
4- Justify how the conclusion of LU-2 “The proposed project would not cause a significant environmental impact due to a conflict with any land use plan, policy, or regulation adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect” was determined. Clearly, GP 2040 land uses conflict with Measure Y unless a mitigation is added to phase the high- development land use changes in the Project to after Measure Y ends in 2030. Staff notes that the current RHNA cycle housing requirements can be met under Measure Y. Projections for the next RHNA cycle will most likely be reduced. Much impact language throughout the DEIR notes that build-out will not occur all at once so this mitigation will not significantly impact GP 2040 policies.
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5 - Identify the conflicts between the Project’s high-level of development land uses in the Downtown with the goals of pedestrian oriented and preserving historic and cultural resources.
Compare the likely wind and shadow impacts of higher heights, including density bonuses, to existing plan heights on outdoor seating and walking.
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PUB17-86 - Identify the true potential heights with the density bonus increases in heights. Maximum height potential MUST include the density bonus heights. 6 - Identify specifically what increased service needs (fire, police, parks, recreation, and libraries) will be required by the high level of new development and how funding will be provided. These service impacts are one of the “Standards of Significance” that the “no significant impact” was based on. More importantly, identify at what level of new development (population or structures) WHEN new “staffing, facilities and equipment” will be needed. Policy LU 12.1 states: “Retain and grow existing businesses and attract new businesses that can generate and diversify the City’s tax revenue and increase job opportunities to ensure the City has adequate resources for infrastructure improvements and essential City services, such as police, fire, parks, recreation, and libraries.” If new staffing and equipment does not exist to maintain a less than significant impact, will project approvals be delayed until adequate staffing, equipment and facilities are in place? Perhaps this should be added as a mitigation.
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For example, fire services currently closely meet the standard set by the National Fire Protection Association that there be one firefighter for every 1,000 population. At what specific new level of project development and population growth would new facilities, staffing and equipment be required? How tall can buildings be to be served by existing fire trucks? The “no significant impact” conclusion in the DEIR only refers to the construction impacts of new facilities, not the lack of services which negatively impact the community. “PS-1 The proposed project would not result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered fire protection facilities, need for new or physically altered fire protection facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in
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order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times, or other performance objectives for fire protection services.”
The same is true for police services. “SMPD has identified that its staffing level has decreased since 2020, and an increase in population would result in a need for increased staffing. Physical expansion of SMPD facilities may be needed to accommodate increases in staffing and maintain response times. The SMPD has indicated that existing stations would be inadequate to accommodate future needs; due to this, a new police substation or substantial adjustments, expansions, or renovations to the existing police headquarters facility have been identified as needed.” If new staffing and equipment does not exist to maintain a less than significant impact, will project approvals be delayed until adequate staffing, equipment and facilities are in place? Perhaps this should be added as a mitigation.
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cont.
Current services are adequately funded by existing revenues. The DEIR makes clear that the large increase in population and structures will require more funding for services. There is no data about how much revenue will be lost or gained by the Project land use changes. How much sales tax revenue will be lost by upzoning downtown and El Camino Real small businesses for housing or office? How much property tax increase stays with the city as opposed to sales, hotel, business and other taxes? This is fundamental information needed by decision makers prior to approving the High-Development 2040 General Plan.
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The DEIR does not provide the public nor decision-makers with the data they need to approve the Project. There is no information about how water will be provided, traffic impacts reduced, the jobs/housing balance maintained, and displacement of affordable housing and small businesses avoided. Every resident, voter and taxpayer in San Mateo understands the Project high-level of development will negatively impact their lives. This DEIR does not meet legal requirements and it must be revised and recirculated.
Thank you,
Maxine Terner
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Comment Letter #PUB18
Zachary Dahl, AICP
Interim Director
Community Development Department
330 W. 20th Ave., San Mateo, CA 94403
650-522-7207 | [email protected]
From: Naomi Ture
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2023 11:18 PM
To: [email protected]; [email protected]; Zachary Dahl <[email protected]>; Alex Khojikian <[email protected]>; Rob Newsom <[email protected]>; Richard Hedges <[email protected]> Subject: I am your neighbor - Please read - General Plan Draft EIR Comments Dear Manira, Mayor Lisa and Councilmembers Rob, Zachary, Alex, Lisa and Rich, I write with high hopes that our planning manager and city council will listen to the neighborhood voices, over the developer voices.
I write to oppose Draft General Plan and Draft EIR, and to request that you protect the tree-lined neighborhood that we love. My home is at 614 E 5th Avenue. We moved here because it is a friendly, safe, tree-lined street with a bike lane. It’s filled with families and folks who have lived here for decades and are proud of this neighborhood. Many people use our street to live, bike, and to walk to downtown San Mateo and the park.
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This is my request - Please protect our neighborhood by including the following boundaries in the Equity Priority Neighborhood: 5th to 9th Avenue and S Delaware to S Amphlett and provide us with the following residential protections:
• Please install the traffic calming measures including speed humps on 5th Avenue that you promised us after multiple people have been hit by cars. • Do not allow 5th and 9th to become classified as arterials (this is the opposite of what you promised)
Keep 5th Avenue as a local street and 9th Avenue as a collector Install the proposed class III Bike Boulevard on 5th Avenue Please ensure that height limitations within the boundaries of our neighborhood are 2 stories Please ensure height limitations right outside our neighborhood are 4-6 stories.
Please stop ignoring the citizens and pleasing the developers by allowing them to construct 8-10 story structures.
Please make it harder for developers to construct massive structures near our neighborhood without implementing what the citizens demand - safety, ample parking, and height limitations.
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•
•
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The planning commission and city have shown in recent years that you are working against neighborhoods and in collaboration with developers, to create 8-12 story structures next to a neighborhood of single-story single-family homes. You are ignoring our pleas and exacerbating problems such as overcrowding, parking issues, traffic, safety and dangerous roadway conditions.
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The planning commission and city promised to work with our neighborhood to install traffic calming after cars are repeatedly hitting pedestrians. You have not added even one speed hump to 5th Avenue.
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The planning commission and the city promised to work with our neighborhood regarding 8-12 story high rises. Instead, the city is working WITH developers and AGAINST residents to build as many high rises as it can fit near our neighborhood without regard for parking, traffic and safety issues.
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Please listen to the people who live and work here now. Please protect us, your neighbors, over the developers. Please tell me exactly how you will protect my beloved neighborhood. PUB18-10 Thank you,
Naomi Ture
************
Naomi Ture
Filmmaker @ Fanny | Pick of the Litter | Batkid Begins
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Comment Letter #PUB19
From: Naomi Ture <
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2023 11:29 PM
To: [email protected]; [email protected]; Zachary Dahl <[email protected]>; Alex Khojikian <[email protected]>; Rob Newsom <[email protected]>; Richard Hedges <[email protected]> Subject: Protect Central Neighborhood - General Plan Draft EIR Comments I just took this photo yesterday, of a dad riding his 2 kids along our tree-lined 5th Avenue. Please protect our neighborhood. PUB19-1
Picture removed
In order to assure us that you have no intention of altering 5th and 9th, do not reclassifify 5th and 9th Avenues as arterials.
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In addition, please assure us that you will slow down development, not the opposite (i.e. Kiku Crossing) so that we can prevent increases in air pollution, noise, traffic, safety issues and wildfire risk.
Thank you,
Naomi Ture
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Comment Letter #PUB20
From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, October 1, 2023 8:07 PM
To: General Plan <[email protected]>
Subject: [Konveio Inquiry] This plan needs to be rewritten and revised SanMateoCinderella sent a message using the contact form at https://strivesanmateo.konveio.com/contact.
The city needs to put a beneficial pause on the General Plan & Draft EIR. We the People of the City of San Mateo have not had an ample opportunity to review and comment on this drastic change to our city. The magnitude of these plans is an assault on our way of life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, public health and safety.
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The bulk of these plans have been put through during the unprecedented Covid-19 public health emergency. As many people were distracted by fearing for their lives, safety, family and businesses, we did not have the opportunity to thoroughly analyze and provide input on 1,000-page documents which have major ramifications to the city and its residents.
We the People of the City of San Mateo should not have to bear the burden of Sacramento and San Francisco’s mismanagement. The common theme appears to be just sardine pack everyone into San Mateo and figure it out from there. There have been no plans to require the major tech companies to move some of their offices to neighboring cities in order to help alleviate traffic congestion in the Bay Area, given they are one of the leading causes of this traffic as the jobs are all concentrated in one area. It is easier for these trillion-dollar corporations to help the environment and shorten the commute times by spreading out their offices, instead of requiring the residents of San Mateo to accept lower environmental quality and thus lowering the quality of life. The city has failed to consider and advocate for this less harmful alternative and instead is assaulting our way of life and drastically changing the fabric of San Mateo.
During the 9/12/2023 Planning Commission meeting, one of the commissioners themselves said “I still have a lot of questions…air quality and noise impacts are being flagged as significant and unavoidable”. The Environmental Impact Report, has looked at things such as air quality, pollution, noise, etc. Another commissioner claims “the greenhouse gas emissions will be lower by adopting the General Plan update”, the public needs to verify these outrageous claims that contradict logic and common sense.
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A consultant from ECORP Consulting confirms that “the updated plan does increase population and traffic, and that the plan allows for more population increase than the old plan”, and a commissioner confirms. In addition, the consultants struggled to explain the logical contradictions and admitted that without modeling the existing plan they can’t say whether the environmental impact would be the same as in the updated plan. Furthermore, the consultants admitted that “my assumption is that this (new) general plan is really looking to maximize the benefits of getting people out of cars”. Since this seems to be the core principle, the entire assumptions and math need to be revisited.
During the same 9/12/2023 Planning commission comment period after returning from break, a commissioner said “I don’t have any comments”. A 1,000-page document and a commissioner doesn’t comment at all on a plan that would fundamentally change the entire landscape of San Mateo? Then right after a commissioner says “I don’t consider myself an expert in EIR (environmental impact reports), so I wouldn’t, I don’t feel confident enough to get into too many weeds with things where I just don’t have much reason to disagree with what was written”. This is precisely why we need to place a beneficial pause on such plans, since even the commissioners do not have the proper knowledge to weigh the impacts to the residents of San Mateo.
Thus, again these are major drastic changes to the city and its residents. To not give the public more time to educate themselves coming out of a historic pandemic is a travesty and breach of public trust.
We are constantly told that the State of California has passed laws requiring densification of housing development. However, what we are not told and omitted from the conversation is this key sentence:
“The city or county is not required to waive or reduce development standards that would cause a public health or safety problem, cause an environmental problem, harm historical property, or would be contrary to law”, as stated in the California density bonus law.
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The city has been forced to try and pass an $8 increase to help fund and fix the crumbling infrastructure which led to major flooding recently. The city’s budget does not have the capacity to
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help support such population increase. Will the city be forced to raise taxes to help fund emergency services on already burdened residents or risk creating dangerous conditions of public property? PUB20-6 cont.
Like Gulliver tied down by thousands of little strings, we lose our freedom one regulation at a time
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Comment Letter #PUB21
Somer Smith
From:
Sent:
To:
Meg Spicer, DC, QME
Sunday, October 8, 2023 7:08 PM
City Council (San Mateo); General Plan
survey on building heightsSubject:
PUB
21-1 I am a resident of San Mateo. Own a storefront business in San Mateo I am discouraged (dismayed, troubled, etc) I couldn’t participate in the building heights survey. District 5 (our district) is far more impacted by taller buildings than other districts I support residential building heights of 2 stories.
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I do not support buildings that are predominantly non-residential exceeding 5 stories or Measure Y limits in height.
I also advocate for the preservation of single-family home neighborhoods, along with small PUB 21-3businesses and retail.
PUB
21-4 I do not support additional housing units beyond what is required by the State The DEIR should have looked at a moderated option, not just the maximum development. PUB 21-5
I am concerned about how services and infrastructure for all the new development will be paid PUB
21-6for.
Thank you,
Margaret Spicer
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Comment Letter #PUB22
Somer Smith
From:
Sent:
To:
(null) (null)
Monday, October 9, 2023 8:51 AM
General Plan
Subject: Survey on building heights
PUB
22-1 I am a resident of San Mateo.
I am discouraged (dismayed, troubled, etc) I couldn’t participate in the building heights survey District 5 (our district) is far more impacted by taller buildings than other districts I support residential building heights of __________ stories.
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22-2
I do not support buildings that are predominantly non-residential exceeding 5 stories or Measure Y limits in height.
I also advocate for the preservation of single-family home neighborhoods, along with small businesses PUB 22-3and retail.
PUB
22-4 I do not support additional housing units beyond what is required by the State The DEIR should have looked at a moderated option, not just the maximum development. I am concerned about how services and infrastructure for all the new development will be paid for Sent from my iPhone
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22-6
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Comment Letter #PUB23
Somer Smith
From:
Sent:
To:
Wednesday, October 11, 2023 7:36 PM
City Council (San Mateo)
General PlanCc:
Subject: Building Heights and 2040 General Plan
Dear Councilmembers,
PUB23-
1I have the following comments regarding building heights and the 2040 General Plan:
Building heights and density:
District 5 is disproporonately affected by the growth proposed in the General Plan yet very few neighbors received the survey regarding building heights. I believe that the survey sampling will not reflect the views of residents. I favor increasing building heights over Measure Y limits only for residenal buildings (or Mixed use with over 80% residenal). I support a maximum of 8-stories for a residenal building (including any density bonus height) and only if required to meet RHNA housing numbers. The General Plan included over 21,410 new dwelling units and RHNA requirements are closer to 15,000 dwelling units. This is a 40% buffer and given the latest State populaon projecons the next cycle should be less than 8,000 dwelling units. I am inclined to only support a ballot measure to increase building heights that place a threshold on the dwelling units built, such as 15,000.
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2 GP and DEIR
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The DEIR evaluated only a maximum project or no project. Given that there are “Unavoidable” Significant Noise and Air quality impacts associated with greater health risks, it would have made sense to study a more moderate alternave. It also seems completely inconsistent that these significant impacts are caused by traffic, but traffic itself is not a significant impact. Policy LU 6.1 Rail Corridor Plan speaks of “maintaining and improving the quality of life for those who already live and work in the area” but the increase of noise and air quality impacts indicated by the DEIR are in complete contradicon to this statement. I suspect that future traffic congeson and inadequate parking will also reduce the quality of life among residents.
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4 Sincerely,
Lisa Maley
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Comment Letter #PH1
San Mateo Planning Commission Public Hearing (9/12/23)
. Maurine Killough asserts that San Mateo deserves the best objecve design standards since there are many disnct neighborhood zones and each neighborhood has its own visual and physical character and deserves respect. Killough also points out that, with regard to commercial development adjacent to residenal new infill building, designs need to respect exisng community character using established designs found in San Mateo. Killough requests the City encourage new developments to be compable and harmonious with building types and architecture styles prevalent in San Mateo especially with the surrounding residenal neighborhoods and downtown historic district. Killough also requests the City consider a project design review for proposed projects in the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods by a qualified historic preservaon architect consultant. Killough asserts that aesthecs of new illuminated contemporary glass buildings will have an impact on exisng older neighborhoods and the historic downtown and points out that a consultant could creavely bridge the design look between exisng historic architecture and new buildings. Killough expresses concerns regarding street lighng standards and asserts that more green street lamps are needed at dark residenal intersecons and longer residenal blocks, as this impacts safety for pedestrians and cyclists in the equity priority and underserved neighborhood areas in Central and North Central neighborhoods. Killough requests the City protect the character of older residenal neighborhoods and prohibit neon commercial signs on the new tall buildings facing towards surrounding residenal neighborhoods at night, as housing is at the upper level in these buildings, and prohibit older lighted outdoor billboards adversing alcohol and equity priority neighborhoods along 101 which generate blight. Killough also requests the City encourage drought tolerant green landscaping in residenal neighborhoods and commercial projects and expand the tree canopies and front yards and plant more street trees through Street Tree Plan especially in equity priority neighborhoods.
PH1-1
. David Light refers to the seismic hazard map in Chapter 4.6, Geology and Soils, of the Dra EIR that shows the risk of soil liquefacon during major earthquakes, which is broadly divided between a moderate risk region roughly from downtown to Highway 101 and a high-risk region east of 101 to the Bay. Light expresses concern that developers are going to prefer to locate their mul-story projects in low-risk areas rather than on historic landfill areas that are in the higher risk liquefacon areas. Light points out that there are many single-family and duplex home neighborhoods that are currently located in these desirable moderate risk areas and these neighborhoods should not be displaced by large developments. Light asserts that San Mateo needs to protect and preserve charming older homes in single-family and duplex neighborhoods that make San Mateo the desirable place that it is to live. Light refers to Chapter 4.7, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, of the Dra EIR discusses the need to reduce carbon dioxide from cars and trucks.
Light notes that new developments located near Caltrain or SamTrans public transportaon stops are rounely allowed to provide less than adequate parking spaces in their plans; however, there's connued lack of cooperaon between Caltrain and BART with low ridership decreasing on SamTrans and Caltrain. Light asserts that city planners need to be realisc about the use of public transportaon and that new building projects should provide adequate parking spaces and include parking with chargers for electric cars as a more realisc soluon to greenhouse gas emissions. Light asserts that electric cars are much quieter than tradional internal combuson PH1-2
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engine cars. Light also requests more neighborhood preservaon and protecon, updated surveys in Central and North Central neighborhoods and older neighborhoods as potenal historic districts, protecon of historic pre-war homes and small duplexes for middle and low- income families in the equity priority neighborhoods, avoidance of demolion of homes in older neighborhoods (especially on the east side of San Mateo), and preservaon of the street level exteriors of exisng Crasman Spanish and Tudor Revival and Victorian homes. Light asserts that new construcon should be compable with the exisng neighborhoods and respect exisng community character. Light requests the City encourage new developments to be compable and harmonious with building styles and Architectural Styles prevalent in San Mateo.
PH1-2
cont.
. Laurie Watanuki states that the impact of the buildout results in unacceptable cumulave traffic noise within the EIR study area and notes that no migaon measures are available, according to the EIR. Watanuki points out that temporary construcon noise can be reduced by staggering the projects and that taking the trucks out through the state highways (El Camino Real, 92, 101) would reduce the toxic dust polluon. Watanuki argues for reduced construcon impacts in the equity priority neighborhoods and reduced heights of three stories in the land use map along 4th and 5th Avenue and the west side of South Delaware in the central neighborhood, as well as reduced heights of Mixed Use High I and Mixed Use High II in Downtown. Watanuki notes that bicycle boulevards are described in the Dra EIR and it says to include traffic calming on low traffic volumes. Watanuki also notes that 5th Avenue as described as a traffic boulevard from Delaware to South Amphle. Watanuki requests the City keep 5th Avenue as a local street, versus having it reclassified as an arterial. Watanuki asserts that this conflict is in the General Plan and needs to be addressed. Watanuki points out that Central neighborhood has been an underserved neighborhood an equity priority boundary should be extended to 9th Avenue include streets from Amphle to Delaware. Watanuki points out that the General Plan policy states to implement traffic calming on residenal streets to reduce the cut through traffic and traffic noise. Watanuki requests the City install traffic circles on 9th Avenue and 5th Avenue from Delaware to South Amphle, to keep the four-way stop signs, to not reclassify these streets to arterials, to do not put a truck route on 5th Avenue from South Delaware to South Amphle on 5th Avenue (since it's going to be a proposed bike boulevard), and to not put a truck route on South Humboldt between 4th and 9th. Watanuki asserts that the City needs to make these streets safer for the bicyclists. Watanuki states that the neighborhood traffic management program is a living document and asserts that it needs to be updated to beer address the cut through traffic volumes and provide more flexibility to address traffic impacts on local streets collectors and arterials in residenal neighborhoods. Watanuki quesons the ADT volumes on Peninsula and Popular Avenues from Delaware to South Humboldt and whether this is included in the Dra EIR. Watanuki also quesons the percentage of Burlingame traffic that uses the Popular exit in San Mateo. Watanuki requests the City perform a separate study for the six grade separaons and quesons why there are so many grade separaons between 1st and 9th and why Peninsula Avenue doesn’t have grade separaons.
PH1-3
. Ken Abreu points out that there is a ballot measure next year to amend Measure Y and quesons whether the passing of this ballot measure would affect the City’s ability to meet the RHNA, the General Plan itself, or the Dra EIR.
PH1-4
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. Michael Weinhauer expresses concerns about the accessibility of the Dra EIR and notes that it’s very technical and includes a lot of acronyms. Weinhauer asserts that the Dra EIR does not adequately address issues and makes unreasonable assumpons that people will not drive and alternave modes of transportaon would be readily available. Weinhauer also asserts that the General Plan and Dra EIR plans for extreme levels of growth (about 40 percent) that would worsen air quality, traffic, noise, and other key areas and quesons why the City is planning for absurd growth levels. Weinhauer also points out that the General Plan and EIR focused on per capita stascs and asserts that we should not lose sight of absolute numbers. Weinhauer notes that the General Plan and EIR claims to require balancing jobs and offices and asserts that given the massive imbalance, it should be focused on housing (not only luxury and rental-only housing, but also affordable housing) and exisng housing stocks should be preserved, as it gets gentrified and replaced with unaffordable housing, which there is no shortage of in San Mateo. Weinhauer asserts that the non-commial language used in the Dra EIR are meaningless without concrete legislaon, quanfiable targets that someone is accountable for, and funding to ensure aspiraonal plans are actually put into place and impacts are truly understood and migated.
Weinhauer points out that the Dra EIR calls for decarbonizing housing stock but there are serious doubts around PG&E's abilies to export to support the exisng demand, much less doubling that demand and the significant costs to property owners.
PH1-5
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A P P E N D I X H
M I T I G A T I O N M O N I T O R I N G
A N D R E P O R T I N G P R O G R A M
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Mi ti gati on Moni tori ng and Reporting Program
This Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) has been prepared for the Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040 and Climate Plan Update, herein referred to as the “proposed project” or “project.” The purpose of the MMRP is to ensure the implementation of mitigation measures identified as part of the environmental review for the proposed project. The MMRP includes the following information:
.
.
.
.
.
The full text of the mitigation measures;
The party responsible for implementing the mitigation measures; The timing for implementation of the mitigation measures; The agency responsible for monitoring the implementation; and The monitoring action and frequency.
The City of San Mateo (City) must adopt this MMRP, or an equally effective program, if it approves the proposed project with the mitigation measures that were adopted or made conditions of project approval.
P L A C E W O R K S 1
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C I T Y O F S A N M A T E O
MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM
MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING
PROGRAM
Agency
Responsible for
Monitoring
Party Responsible
for Implementation
Implementation Monitoring
FrequencyMitigation Measures
AIR QUALITY
Timing Monitoring Action
AQ-2: Prior to discretionary approval by the City for development projects subject to CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) review (i.e., nonexempt projects), future project applicants shall prepare and submit a technical assessment evaluating potential project construction-related air quality impacts to the City for review and approval. The evaluation shall be prepared in conformance with Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) methodology for assessing air quality impacts
identified in BAAQMD’s CEQA Air Quality Guidelines. If
construction-related criteria air pollutants are determined to have the potential to exceed the BAAQMD-adopted thresholds of significance, the City shall require feasible mitigation measures to reduce air quality emissions. Measures shall require
Construction
Contractors/
Project Applicants
Prior to
Discretionary
Approval;
Appropriate
Implementation
during
City of San Mateo
Planning and
Building Divisions
Review Technical
Assessment and
Construction
Once with
Planning
Application;
Once prior to
Building Permit
Issuance
Documents
Construction
implementation of the BAAQMD Best Management Practices for construction-related fugitive dust emissions; examples of best management practices include:
. Water all exposed surfaces (e.g., parking areas, staging areas, soil piles, grading areas, and unpaved access roads) at least twice daily or as often as needed to control dust emissions.
.
.
All haul trucks transporting soil, sand, or other loose material off-site shall be covered.
All visible mud or dirt trackout onto adjacent public roads shall be removed using wet power vacuum street sweepers at least once per day.
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.
All vehicle speeds on unpaved roads shall be limited to 15 mph.
All roadways, driveways, sidewalks to be paved shall be completed as soon as possible. Building pads shall be laid as soon as possible after grading unless seedling or soil binders are used.
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C I T Y O F S A N M A T E O
MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM
MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING
PROGRAM
Mitigation Measures
Agency
Responsible for
Monitoring
Party Responsible
for Implementation
Implementation
Timing
Monitoring
FrequencyMonitoring Action
. All excavation, grading, and/or demolition activities shall be suspended when average wind speeds exceed 20 mph.
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.
All trucks and equipment, including their tires, shall be washed off prior to leaving the site.
Unpaved roads providing access to sites located 100 feet or further from a paved road shall be treated with a 6- to 12- inch layer of compact layer of wood chips, mulch, or gravel. . Prior to the commencement of construction activities, individual project proponents shall post a publicly visible sign with the telephone number and person to contact at the City regarding dust complaints. This person shall respond and take corrective action within 48 hours. The BAAQMD phone number shall also be visible to ensure compliance with
applicable regulations.
Measures shall be incorporated into appropriate construction documents (e.g., construction management plans) and shall be verified by the City.
AQ-3: Prior to discretionary approval by the City for development projects subject to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review (i.e., nonexempt projects), future project applicants shall prepare and submit a technical assessment evaluating potential project operational air quality impacts to the City for review and approval. The evaluation shall be prepared in conformance with Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)
methodology in assessing air quality impacts identified in BAAQMD’s current CEQA Air Quality Guidelines at the time that the project is considered.
Construction
Contractors/
Project Applicants
Prior to
Discretionary
Approval;
Appropriate
Implementation
during
City of San Mateo
Planning and
Building Divisions
Review Technical
Assessment and
Mitigation
Once
Measure(s)
Construction
If operation-related air pollutants are determined to have the potential to exceed the BAAQMD-adopted thresholds of
significance, the City shall require the project applicant(s) to incorporate mitigation measures to reduce air pollutant P L A C E W O R K S 3
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C I T Y O F S A N M A T E O
MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM
MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING
PROGRAM
Agency
Responsible for
Monitoring
Party Responsible
for Implementation
Implementation Monitoring
FrequencyMitigation Measures Timing Monitoring Action
emissions during operational activities. The identified measures shall be included as part of the conditions of approval or a mitigation monitoring and reporting plan adopted for the project as part of the project CEQA review. Possible mitigation measures to reduce long-term emissions could include, but are not limited to the following:
. Implementing commute trip reduction programs.
Unbundling residential parking costs from property costs.
Expanding bikeway networks.
Expanding transit network coverage or hours.
Using cleaner-fueled vehicles.
.
.
.
.
. Exceeding the current Title 24 Building Envelope Energy Efficiency Standards.
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.
.
Establishing on-site renewable energy generation systems.
Requiring all-electric buildings.
Replacing gas-powered landscaping equipment with zero-
emission alternatives.
.
.
Implementing organics diversion programs.
Expanding urban tree planting.
AQ-4: Prior to discretionary approval by the City, project applicants for new industrial or warehousing development projects that 1) have the potential to generate 100 or more diesel truck trips per day or have 40 or more trucks with operating diesel-powered transport refrigeration units, and 2) are within 1,000 feet of a sensitive land use (e.g., residential, schools, hospitals, nursing homes) or Overburdened Community (as defined by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District [BAAQMD] Community Air Risk Evaluation Program), as
measured from the property line of the project to the property line of the nearest sensitive use, shall submit a health risk assessment (HRA) to the City for review and approval. The HRA Project Applicant Prior to
Discretionary
Approval;
Appropriate
Implementation
of Mitigation
Measures and
Conditions of
Approval
City of San Mateo
Planning and
Building Divisions
Review Health
Risk Assessment,
Mitigation
Measures, and
Conditions of
Approval
Once
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C I T Y O F S A N M A T E O
MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM
MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING
PROGRAM
Agency
Responsible for
Monitoring
Party Responsible
for Implementation
Implementation
Timing
Monitoring
FrequencyMitigation Measures Monitoring Action
shall be prepared in accordance with policies and procedures of the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and BAAQMD. If the HRA shows that the cumulative and project-level incremental cancer risk, noncancer hazard index, and/or PM2.5 exceeds the respective threshold, as established by BAAQMD (all areas of the City and Sphere of Influence) and project-level risk of
6.0 in Equity Priority Communities (as defined in the City of San Mateo General Plan) at the time a project is considered, the project applicant will be required to identify best available control technologies for toxics (T-BACTs) and appropriate enforcement mechanisms, and demonstrate that they are
capable of reducing potential cancer, noncancer risks, and PM2.5 to an acceptable level. T-BACTs may include but are not limited to:
. Restricting idling on-site beyond Air Toxic Control Measures idling restrictions
.
.
.
Electrifying warehousing docks
Requiring use of newer equipment
Requiring near-zero or zero-emission trucks for a portion of the vehicle fleet based on opening year.
.
.
Truck Electric Vehicle (EV) Capable trailer spaces.
Restricting off-site truck travel through the creation of truck routes.
T-BACTs identified in the HRA shall be included as part of the conditions of approval or a mitigation monitoring and reporting plan adopted for the project as part of the project CEQA review.
AQ-6: Implement Mitigation Measures AQ-2, AQ-3, and AQ-4. See Mitigation Measures AQ-2, AG-3, and AQ-4.
P L A C E W O R K S 5
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MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM
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O R A N G E C O U N T Y • B AY A R E A • S A C R A M E N T O • C E N T R A L C O A S T • L O S A N G E L E S • I N L A N D E M P I R E placeworks.com
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MEMORANDUM
TOSan Mateo City Council
FROMJoanna Jansen and Carey Stone, PlaceWorks
SUBJECTSummary of Community Engagement on the Draft General Plan This memorandum provides a summary of the community outreach and engagement effort that supported the publication of the Draft Geneal Plan between July and early October 2023. The overarching goal of this outreach and engagement effort was to comprehensively promote awareness of the Draft General Plan, engage with all segments of the San Mateo community and provide many channels and opportunities for the community to provide input and feedback on the draft goals and policies. This Summary Memorandum include a list of all outreach events that occurred; Public input channels used to collect feedback and comments; Methods used to publicize and broadcast information; Outreach focused on the City’s Equity Priority Communities; and statistics on the demographics that were engaged with during this outreach phase.
Community Outreach Events
Table 1 includes a list of all outreach events that occurred during this phase of the General Plan Update effort, between July 17, 2023 and October 9, 2023.
TABLE 1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS
Date Outreach Event # of Participants
Friday, July 17, 2023 to Sunday,
October 1, 2023 Draft General Plan Online Comment Tool 236 Comments Friday, July 17, 2023 to Monday,
October 9, 2023 Written Public Comments 52 Comments
Monday, June 12, 2023 Meeting with Neighborhood Group (25th Ave Speaks) 4 Wednesday, July 26, 2023 Sierra Club Land Use Subcommittee Staff Presentation 6 Tuesday, August 15, 2023 Video Loco (North B St) Pop-up 20 Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Canvassing and passing out flyers to local businesses in North B Street 25
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Distribute flyers at La Huerta Market & El Ranchito
Market n/a
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Beresford Hillsdale Neighborhood Association Meeting
Staff Presentation 34
Wednesday, August 16, 2023 Virtual Workshop 30
Wednesday, August 16, 2023 Canvassing at Idaho & Poplar Neighborhoods 6 Wednesday, August 18, 2023
Flyers were left at local businesses at Kingston Street in North Shoreview n/a
Tuesday, August 22, 2023 Canvassing at Tilton/Delaware Food Distribution 20 Friday, August 25, 2023 Canvassing at Norfolk and 3rd Ave Shopping Center 10
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TABLE 1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS
Date Outreach Event # of Participants
Saturday, August 26, 2023 Firefighter’s Chili Cook-Off Pop-Up 85 Sunday, August 27, 2023 North B Street Fiesta Pop-up 115 Monday, August 28, 2023 Canvassing Rogell Street Food Distribution 35 Tuesday, August 29, 2023 Canvassing at North Shoreview Shopping Center 30 Thursday, August 31, 2023 District 5 Town Hall Meeting 125 Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Canvassing at Hacienda Market and commercial center
on North Amphlett 40
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 Canvassing at La Raza Family Market 40 Wednesday, September 6, 2023 District 1 Town Hall Meeting 120 Thursday, September 7, 2023 Canvassing at King Center/Soccer Fields 60 Thursday, September 7, 2023 September Nights on B Pop-Up 100 Friday, September 8, 2023 Movies in the Park Pop-Up 50
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 District 2 Town Hall Meeting 40 Thursday, September 14, 2023 September Nights on B Pop-Up 100 Friday, September 15, 2023 Movies in the Park Pop-Up 75 Sunday, September 17, 2023
Canvassing at Iglesia Pentecostal de San Mateo,
Second Baptist Church, Sturge Presbyterian Church,
Shoreview United Methodist Church, St. Timothy
Catholic Church
8 individuals + 300
total fliers left with
church staff
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Canvassing at Chavez Market, North Shoreview
Shopping Center and along Cary Avenue 30
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Phone call and email reminders to religious institutions and businesses 5
Wednesday, September 20, 2023 District 4 Town Hall Meeting 30 Thursday, September 21, 2023
Home Association of North Central San Mateo
(HANCSM) Meeting Staff Presentation 25
Friday, September 22, 2023 Movies in the Park Pop-Up 75 Friday, September 23, 2023
Autumn Moon Festival Pop-Up (materials provided in
simplified Chinese with bilingual staff) 75
Thursday, September 28, 2023 District 3 Town Hall Meeting 50 Saturday, September 30, 2023 Chamber of Commerce Downtown Festival Pop-Up 100
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Public Input Channels
This section summarizes the public input channels that were used to collect feedback on Draft General Plan 2040. The City collected feedback via:
Draft General Plan Online Comment Tool. The online tool was available on www.strivesanmateo.org from July 17, 2023 through October 1, 2023 to allow community members an opportunity to share reactions and feedback on Draft General Plan 2040.
Respondents could add comments directly into a PDF of the Draft General Plan and share feedback on all components of the plan.
Pop-up Events. The City planned 10 pop-up events at locations throughout the city to ensure the outreach process was aimed at collecting input from the following groups per Council direction:
oNon-English speakers
oRenters
oResidents 44 and under
oLow-income and very low-income households
oUnder-represented neighborhoods: North Shoreview, Shoreview, North Central, Central, and East of 101.
At the pop-up events, City staff shared information about Draft General Plan 2040 and publicized the upcoming outreach event.
Virtual Workshop. The City hosted a virtual workshop on Wednesday, August 16, 2023. At this event, participants could ask questions and provide feedback on the Draft General Plan 2040. Town Hall Meetings. The City hosted five District Town Hall Meetings around the city to gather feedback on Draft General Plan 2040, with one town hall meeting held in each Council District. The meetings occurred in August and September 2023. The meetings included an open house format where the community could engage with staff and various General Plan topics, a presentation about the Draft General Plan 2040 with focused topics for each District and a follow-up question and answer session. City Staff were available to answer questions about the Draft General Plan 2040, as well as other projects related to roadway safety, transportation improvements and stormwater protection.
Staff Presentations. The City met with local neighborhood organizations and other interest groups to help spread the word about Draft General Plan 2040 and respond to questions. This included providing a presentation to the Sierra Club Land Use Subcommittee, Beresford Hillsdale Neighborhood Association, North Central Neighborhood Association, and meeting with a neighborhood group about 25th Avenue.
Written Comments. Throughout the General Plan Update process, the City has encouraged people to submit written comments to [email protected]. during the Draft General Plan outreach phase, from July 17, 2023 to Monday, October 9, 52 written comments were received. The written comments can be viewed at
www.StriveSanMateo.org/documents/publiccomments.
Getting the Word Out
To ensure the community was aware of the Draft Geneal Plan and the proposed goals and policies, and to spread the word about project updates and upcoming events, the City utilized a variety of outreach methods and tools:
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StriveSanMateo.org Project Website. The project website provided background information, meeting dates, workshop materials, and other ways to get involved. Self-Guided Open House. The City distributed Draft General Plan 2040 self-guided open house stations throughout the city that included boards and materials with information about the General Plan. The stations were available at City Hall and Council Chambers, Downtown Library, Hillsdale Branch Library, Marina Branch Library, and King Community Center. Social Media. City staff made regular posts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Nextdoor.com to update the public about the project, including a different Big Idea featured each week. A total of 53 posts were made to spread the word about the Draft General Plan. Citywide Newsletter. The City published a newsletter that announced the publication of the Draft General Plan which was mailed to every residence in San Mateo. The newsletter had information about the outreach events, a QR code to the project website, a description of the ten big ideas, in addition to other information.
Town Hall Postcard. A postcard was mailed to every residence in San Mateo advertising information about the five Town Hall meetings, including the time and location of each event. Sidewalk Decals. The City placed over 190 sidewalk decals around the city that included the Strive San Mateo logo and a QR code to the project website. Earned Media. Publication of the Draft Geneal Plan was prominently featured in a July 18, 2023 article in the San Mateo Daily Journal, as well as in multiple other articles and editorials in the Daily Journal between July and October.
Eblasts. PlaceWorks sent out eight emails to 897 people subscribed to the project mailing list prior to every Town Hall Meeting and workshop. Information about the Draft General Plan and outreach opportunities were also regularly featured in the City’s eNewsletter, which has approximately 13,000 subscribers.
Print Advertisement. Information about the Draft Geneal Plan was featured on the inside cover of the City’s Fall Recreation Activity Guide.
Canvassing and Flyer Distribution. Bilingual staff (English and Spanish) from the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center (PCRC) and Good City Company distributed flyers to raise awareness of the Draft General Plan and upcoming outreach opportunities by visiting businesses, markets, religious institutions, and by walking or standing in key areas of the city. Draft General Plan 2040 User Guide. The City prepared a user guide for the Draft General Plan that explains what the General Plan is, identifies ten big ideas from the General Plan, and highlights where community members can find the issues they care about in the General Plan.
Ten Big Ideas in San Mateo’s Draft General Plan 2040. The City developed a list of ten big ideas that will guide the next 20 years of San Mateo for community members to use as a resource.
Outreach to Equity Priority Communities
North Central and North Shoreview/Shoreview are both identified as Equity Priority Communities and are located within Council Districts 2 and 4. Leading up to the District 2 and District 4 Town Hall meetings, PCRC and Good City conducted outreach to increase awareness of the Draft General Plan 2040 among residents of equity priority communities and also increase attendance at the District 2 and District 4 Town Hall meetings. This effort was guided by the following principles:
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Meet community members where they already are. Proactively go to places where the target audience already is rather than creating new events.
Focus on Non-English speakers. Multilingual with a focus on Spanish speakers and lower- income households.
Use clear and concise language, avoid jargon and technical terms. The information provided should be relevant to the community.
Outreach locations were chosen because of their potential for high pedestrian traffic (parks, supermarkets, major thoroughfares, commercial centers), including community wide events such as the North B Street Fiesta, food distribution events, as well as nonprofit and religious institutions such as the San Mateo Adult School and St. Timothy’s Catholic Church. All activities were conducted by Spanish speaking volunteers from PCRC and Good City. Outreach was completed in many areas of District 2 and District 4 and were effective at reaching residents in the targeted audience that spoke Spanish.
The following is a summary of the outreach effort that focused on reaching community members from North Central and North Shoreview/Shoreview:
Staff/volunteers from PCRC and Good City conducted outreach on 12 separate dates in the afternoons, evenings, weekdays and weekends leading up to Town Hall meetings. Approximately 1,400 total flyers were distributed.
Visited five religious institutions and the Adult School of San Mateo and dropped off flyers. Distributed flyers at approximately 35 businesses located at 6 different commercial shopping centers/strips (El Video Loco and North B Street, Chavez Market, La Hacienda Market, Primas Market, La Raza Family Market, Mercado El Nayarita).
Attended and passed out information to attendees at 1 community wide event (North B Fiesta) and two food distribution events.
Canvassed at Martin Luther King Park twice (afternoon and evening). 1 pop-up event and tabling event on North B Street.
Outreach Demographics
This section summarizes the demographic characteristics of the outreach participants that provided voluntary demographic data. This includes participants from the outreach events listed in Table 1 and demographic data from participants at past outreach events that answered the same question. The summary below includes demographic data from January 2022 to October 2023. The demographic data below helps the project team determine if the outreach program is reaching the full range of San Mateo’s demographics. This data indicates that the outreach program should continue to be refined to increase involvement of renters, younger residents, and residents who identify as Asian, Hispanic, and Black/African American. A summary of the demographics of the outreach participants is presented below. Please note, the demographics summary below is not inclusive of all participants, since participants were not asked to provide voluntary demographic data during the pop-ups or canvassing events.
Is this your first time joining us for a General Plan event? Number of Respondents: 405
•44 percent of the workshop participants were new.
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•56 percent had participated in a pervious General Plan meeting.
How are you affiliated with San Mateo?
Number of Respondents: 459
61%
7%
25%
6%
1% 0.2%
Live in San Mateo Work in San
Mateo
Live and work in
San Mateo
Visit San Mateo
to shop, dine, etc
I am not
connected to San
Mateo
Own property in
San Mateo
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What kind of stakeholder are you?
Number of Respondents: 360
1%
10%
8%
6%
8%
11%
3%
10%
67%
I am a representative of a homeowners association
I...
I own a business here
I am a representative of another
organization/group
I am a renter
I work here
I am a visitor or patronize San Mateo businesses
I am a resident
I own property here
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How did you hear about the event?
Number of Respondents: 294
How long have you lived in San Mateo?
Number of Respondents: 186
0.3%
4%
18%
22%
21%
11%
43%
News article
Sidewalk decal
Word of mouth
General Plan newsletter
Other
StriveSanMateo website
City email/Social media
7%
9%
6%
71%
7%
Less than 5 years
5-10 years
10-15 years
More than 15 years
Do not live in San Mateo
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Which best describes your current housing situation?
Number of Respondents: 386
Own my home
75%
Pay rent for my
home
25%
Outreach Participants
Owner Occupied
54%
Renter Occupied
46%
City of San Mateo, 2019
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What is your age group?
Number of Respondents: 434
27%
32%
25%
15%
0-25 years 25-44 years 45-64 years 65+ years
City of San Mateo, 2019
2.8%
24%
46%
28%
0-25 years 25-40 years 41-64 years 65+ years
Outreach Participants
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What is your race or ethnicity? (Check all that apply).
Number of Respondents: 445
8%
0.4%
0.4%
0.2%
17%
7%
14%
52%
Other
Native American
Black/African American
Pacific Islander
Latino/Hispanic
Mixed or other
Asian
White
Outreach Participants
6%
0%
2%
25%
26%
41%
Other Race or Multiple
American Indian or Alaska Native
Black or African American
Hispanic or Latinx
Asian / API, Non-Hispanic
White, Non-Hispanic
City of San Mateo, 2019
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Which best describes your household annual income?
Number of Respondents: 240
11%
13%
14%
63%
Less than $75,000
$75,000-$99,000
$100,000-$149,000
$150,000 or more
Outreach Participants
29%
5%
16%
50%
Less than $75,000
$75,000-$99,999
$100,000-$149,999
$150,000 or more
City of San Mateo, 2019
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1770 S. Amphlett Blvd – San Mateo Marriott Site
Parcel Size: 10.27 acres (447,226 square feet)
GP 2030 Designation: Regional/Community Commercial
Current Zoning: C3-1/R - Regional/Community Commercial with a Residential Overlay (50 du/ac) Existing Use: Hotel use; originally approved/built in 1969/1970 as Duffey's Royal Coach Inn.
3/4 stories in height.
Marriott Hotel remodel/expansion approved in 1999 – added 91,000 sq ft (171 additional room) with 5/6 story height.
Total building size is approx. 367,000 sq ft with 491 rooms and over 32,000 sq ft of event/conference space.
Amenities/Benefits:In exchange for increased height as part of the 1999 entitlement, landscaped plazas and public improvements, and $100,000 cash payment to City for public purposes was provided.
General Plan 2040 Land Use Map
Regional
Commercial
Mixed-Use
Medium I
Office HighMixed-Use
Medium II
Residential Very Low
Residential Very LowResidential Medium I
Mixed-Use
Medium II
Mixed-Use
High
Office Medium
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Potential Land Use Designations
This is a list of potential land use designations that could considered for this site to support re- establishment of a lodging/hotel use while also supporting new housing production. If a land use change is desired, per state law and local ordinance, a Planning Commission public hearing and recommendation is required before City Council can formally consider changing the land use designation for this site.
Designation
Density
(Max
Range)
Intensity/Max
FAR
(Nonresidential
Uses)
Height
Limit
Potential
Housing
units
Description
Regional
Commercial
Up to 50
du/ac
1.5 1-3
stories
514 units This designation is intended for
large-scale commercial
developments that serve
residents and visitors from the
surrounding region, such as the
Hillsdale Mall and Bridgepointe
Shopping Center. Examples of
commercial uses in this land use
include shopping centers, large-
format retail, auto sales, and
travel-related services, such as
hotels, gas stations, and
restaurants. Residential may also
be allowed.
Mixed-Use
Medium I
15 to 50
du/ac
3.0 3-5
stories
514 units This designation allows medium-
density mixed-use buildings that
provide a mix of commercial,
office, and/or residential uses
within the same site or building. It
is intended to allow a mix of uses
that encourages people to live,
work, play, and shop in close
proximity.
Mixed-Use
Medium II
51 to 99
du/ac
4.0 4-6
stories
1,017
units
This designation allows medium-
density mixed-use buildings that
provide a mix of commercial,
office, and/or residential uses
within the same site or building. It
is intended to allow a mix of uses
near other mixed-use,
commercial, or residential areas,
and within Downtown.
Mixed-Use
High
100 to
130
du/ac
4.5 5-8
stories
1,335
units
This designation allows high-
density mixed-use buildings that
provide a mix of commercial,
office, and/or residential uses
within the same site or building. It
is intended to allow a mix of uses
near major streets, train stations,
and shopping centers, and within
Downtown.
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Potential General Plan Policy Revisions to Support Hotel Uses To help highlight the importance of hotel/lodging uses in the City and how transient occupancy tax (TOT) revenue is an important revenue source in the City’s budget, staff has two recommended revisions to Land Use Element policies for City Council Consideration (recommended changes underlined).
Policy LU 3-7 Hotels. Recognizing the importance of transient occupancy tax revenue to the City’s budget, encourage development of hotels in commercial areas and allow small hotels in mixed-use districts where they are consistent with the density of adjacent uses.
Policy LU 12-1 Revenue Generators. Retain and grow existing businesses and attract new businesses that can generate and diversify the City’s tax revenue, including from transient occupancy tax and other sources, and increase job opportunities to ensure the City has adequate resources for infrastructure improvements and essential City services, such as police, fire, parks, recreation, and libraries.
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
4 7
3 8
CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 16 Section Name: OLD BUSINESS Account Number: 10-1311 File ID: 24-8514 TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: City Manager's Office
MEETING DATE: March 18, 2024
SUBJECT:
City Council Priority List – Review Draft Priorities and Overall Updates RECOMMENDATION:
Review and provide direction on the proposed work plan and resource requirements for the draft City Council fiscal year 2024-25 priorities.
BACKGROUND:
The City Council goal-setting process includes a three-step deliberation process resulting in the adoption of a City Council priority list, which includes staff’s proposed work plan for each initiative for the upcoming fiscal year. The first step of the process was the City Council Blue Sky Workshop held on February 3, 2024. At this workshop, the City Council reviewed the adopted fiscal year 2023-24 priorities, removed completed and operationalized items, and proposed new priorities to add to the list for fiscal year 2024-25. During the Blue Sky workshop, City Council proposed a total of 15 priorities, consisting of both new priorities and modified versions of existing priorities.
Newl Proposed Priorities (highlighted in yellow in Att 1):
1. Create a comprehensive, ongoing Citywide Community Outreach and Engagement Program.
2. Create a Capital Infrastructure Plan or process for reinvesting in infrastructure to allow the City to evaluate its facilities and assets on an ongoing basis.
3. Provide greater support to business development centers or mixed-use development areas to increase economic vitality.
4. Explore adopting a Gardening Waste ordinance.
5. Explore a resolution affirming the City's commitment to integrate new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), without displacing its existing work force.
6. Increase organizational capacity to support the Toyonaka Sister City Program within the Parks & Recreation Department and City Clerk Department.
7. Conduct an Annual Transportation Review of progress on all ongoing plans, including project updates and key metrics such as City mode share, collision and safety data.
8. Enable more quick-build bicycle/micro mobility/pedestrian projects by identifying reliable City funding and installation via Public Works staff and/or a trusted on-call contractor.
9. Expand youth and senior workforce development & civic leadership opportunities.
10. Explore piloting a City Grant Fund.
11. Improve and strengthen democratic systems and decrease polarization.
12. Implement a robust, year-round Downtown Activation Program as part of our core City services.
Modified Existing Priorities (highlighted in green in Att 1):
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
4 7
3 8
13. Study resource feasibility for the downtown grade separations and long-term train corridor improvements.
14. Enhance city-wide disaster response and emergency preparedness.
15. Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030.
The second step of the process, which is taking place at the March 18th City Council meeting, is a review of the draft Council priority list and the proposed work plan for each item. Staff adjusted the wording of several items following the Blue Sky Workshop to capture the feedback received and to merge like items. Staff requests City Council review to ensure that the original intention of each is captured and the proposed work plan appropriately addresses City Council’s expectations. It is an iterative process to create the final priority list, and staff expects some revisions will be required.
The priority list also includes an estimate of additional resources required beyond what is currently allotted for in the baseline budget and Capital Improvement Program. This is the case for new priorities and existing priorities which require additional resources. It is important to note that many of the priorities are listed as not requiring any additional resources.
There are two primary reasons for this. The first is that the priority is already resourced, meaning it has been budgeted for in the City’s Business Plan or Capital Improvement Program. Secondly, for newer items, the initial step in the work plan is to conduct a study session to present in-depth analysis on the topic and information on resource requirements for implementation, which may include several options of how to proceed. Until Council direction is provided on how implementation will occur, the only resources dedicated are staff time to do the analysis. In contrast, the resource requirement intensity column provides a qualitative analysis of what level of resource commitment staff estimates will be required for actual implementation of each of the items.
At the March 18th meeting, the City Council will also have an opportunity to take public comment on their proposed priority list. The draft priority list for the fiscal year 2024-25 with the proposed work plan items and required resources is included as Attachment 1 to this report.
The final step in the process will be City Council approval of the priority list, which is anticipated to be a consent calendar item on the April 15th City Council agenda.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is no budget impact from this agenda item. Additional resources identified required to implement the proposed priorities will be included in the proposed fiscal year 2024-25 Business Plan and the Capital Improvement Program.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This discussion is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is a government fiscal activity which does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4).)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 - Draft Priority List FY 24-25
Att 2 – Public Comment
STAFF CONTACT
Denise Garcia, Management Analyst II
[email protected]
(650) 522-7277
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Proposed Fiscal Year 2024-25 City Council Priorities
New # Department Lead(s) Council Priority
Resource
Requirement
intensity
Proposed Work Plan FY 24-25 Additional resources required above current budget Proposed Modifications
1 City Manager's Office Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030. Medium Conduct community outreach and provide education; present findings to Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission for recommendations to City Council; return to City Council with narrowed down policy options and related resource needs and receive final Council direction on policy formation.
Consultant and staff support for community
outreach/education and policy exploration is
already budgeted. Additional resources may be
required depending on final policy direction from
City Council.
2 City Manager's Office Create a comprehensive, ongoing Citywide Community Outreach and Engagement Program. High
Onboard and train new communications team and retain professional communications consultants to reestablish regular eNews, implement biannual print newsletters, bolster social media campaigns, improve high interest webpages, work with staff Citywide to enhance public engagement, establish a townhall program, and develop civic engagement forums. Enhance customer service and community outreach training and education opportunities for staff citywide.
$150K is spread throughout parts of the CMO
budget for professional services and hosting
specials events; a significant amount of staff
resources would be dedicated to this priority
throughout the City.
3 Public Works
Create a Capital Infrastructure Plan or process for reinvesting in infrastructure to allow the City to evaluate City facilities and assets when upgrades are needed.
High
Budget for and engage a consultant to complete a Capital Improvement Program organizational assessment to optimize the process for identifying all City infrastructure improvements, evaluate the process of prioritizing improvements, and assess the scheduling and budgeting methodologies. In addition, procure a consultant to complete a comprehensive facilities assessment to identify required improvements.
Budget required for CIP organizational assessment
and facilities infrastructure study, which is included
in the Operating Budget requests.
4 City Manager's
Office/Community
Development
Provide greater support to business development centers or mixed use development areas to increase economic vitality. Medium Hire an economic consultant to provide peer reviews of proposed new development with ground floor commercial space; develop a list of best practices for ground floor commercial marketability that can be shared with developers and incorporated into future planning documents, including the Downtown Area Plan Update; continue to monitor commercial vacancies Citywide and engage with building owners as needed to understand vacancy and support getting space re-occupied.
Would need to publish a request for proposals for
consultant work and dedicate staff time to
administer program and work with developers and
prospective business owners.
5 Public Works Expedite efforts to improve the stormwater collection, drainage, and storage system, including dredging the Marina lagoon. High Continue Stormwater Master Plan Update and complete critical components of data collection. Complete Marina Lagoon Maintenance Dredging design and initiate construction in Summer 2025.
$1M is requested in upcoming budget from the
new Stormwater Fund to complete the
Stormwater Master Plan Update. No additional
resources anticipated for Maintenance Dredging
beyond what Council previously appropriated.
6 City Attorney's Office Explore adopting a Gardening Waste ordinance. Low Conduct legal research and survey other local jurisdictions. No additional resources required. 7 City Manager's Office
Explore a resolution affirming the City's commitment to integrate new technologies, such as artificial intelligence(AI), without displacing work force.
Low Research County of San Mateo resolution. No additional resources required. 8 City Clerk's Office & Parks
and Recreation
Increase organizational capacity to support the Toyonaka Sister City Program within the Parks & Recreation Department and City Clerk Department.
Medium Develop a sister city policy or resolution to define City staff and non-profit roles and scope (look at Redwood City).
No additional resources required to develop a
policy. Depending on the nature of the policy,
additional resources may be required to facilitate.
9 Public Works
Conduct an Annual Transportation Review of progress on all ongoing plans, including project updates and key metrics such as City mode share, collision and safety data.
Low Staff will gather key metrics and present an annual transportation review to City Council. No additional resources required.
Items to be Completed within the Fiscal Year
Yellow - New Priorities
Green - Modified Priorities 1
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Proposed Fiscal Year 2024-25 City Council Priorities
New # Department Lead(s) Council Priority
Resource
Requirement
intensity
Proposed Work Plan FY 24-25 Additional resources required above current budget Proposed Modifications
10 City Manager's Office Consider the adoption of wage theft protections High Partner and work with the County's Office of Labor Relations. No additional resources required. 11 City Manager's Office Integrate master plans to increase efficiency and community impact Low Continuously cross reference all city planning documents to ensure consistency. No additional resources required. 12 Public Works and City
Manager's Office
Design and implement capital improvements for permanent street closure Medium Complete construction of the B Street Pedestrian Mall Improvement Project by Fall 2024.
The estimated construction cost increase range is
up to $675K depending upon Council direction at
the April 1, 2024 study session.
13 Finance Initiate a Community Budget Process for anticipated revenue from Measure CC Medium Continue to monitor Measure CC revenue. Report the results through quarterly updates. No additional resources needed. 14 Public Works Remove North Shoreview from FEMA Flood Assessment High Continue coordination with FEMA on formal removal of flood zone designation by Summer 2024/Fall 2024.
Likely no additional resources required if FEMA
accepts the latest information submittals. If
additional data is again required to be submitted,
$50,000 in additional consultant support may be
needed.
15 City Manager's Office Explore the establishment of Property-Based Improvement Districts Medium Bring a study session to council for discussion. No additional resources required. 16 City Manager's Office Explore the implementation of a Customer Response Management or 311 system High
Research methods by which the City currently receives service requests and back-end systems where requests are managed. Select a suitable CRM that will work with existing back-end systems.
CIP request of $100k. Yearly operational request of
$25k for CRM subscription.
17 City Manager's Office and
Public Works Enhance city-wide disaster response and emergency preparedness High Continue working with Office of Emergency Services on updates to the City's Emergency Operations Plan including associated staff training and exercises, ongoing training for staff roles and responsibilities at the Emergency Operations Center, and training on the transition to new virtual EOC software (Veoci); bolster City staff resources with emergency preparedness expertise; update departmental emergency plans and COOP/COGs; purchase additional emergency rations/provisions and equipment; pursue flood control permitting and upgrades; procure grant professional writing assistance; evaluate City infrastructure for resilience and fitness during disaster/extreme events.
Approximately $475k ($95k emergency standby
generator, $200k staff, $75k grant writing
consultant, $100k rations/equipment/training
supplies)
Items to be Completed within 2 to 5 Years
Yellow - New Priorities
Green - Modified Priorities 2
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Proposed Fiscal Year 2024-25 City Council Priorities
New # Department Lead(s) Council Priority
Resource
Requirement
intensity
Proposed Work Plan FY 24-25 Additional resources required above current budget Proposed Modifications
18 Community Development Update the General Plan High
Support adoption of a resolution to place a ballot measure amending Measure Y on the November 2024 election; initiate a comprehensive Zoning Code update to implement the General Plan, including community outreach and engagement, starting with an RFP for a consultant to support the effort, with a target to initiate the update effort in Q3.
Approx. $500k-$750k for consultant support will be
required for the comprehensive Zoning Code
update and community outreach and engagement,
with funding coming from the Long Range Planning
Fund.
Modify priority to include amending Measure Y
and initiating Zoning Code amendments to
implement General Plan 2040.
19 Community Development Implement Housing Element Policies High Begin implementation of all 2023-2031 Housing Element policies and programs with a 2024/2025 target date.
Approx $100k from Long Range Planning Fund will
be needed for housing consultants to support
implementation of the HE programs with 24/25
completion targets.
20 Library and Public Works Address structural issues at the Marina Library High Complete design process, including addition structural analysis, by December 2024 and begin construction work in late Spring 2025. Complete Construction by the end of FY 25/26.
Need to procure resources for branch
improvements beyond essential structural work.
21 Public Works Reconstruct all failed streets in San Mateo by 2026 High Complete construction of Phase 4 by Fall 2024 and award construction contract for Phase 5 Spring 2025. Phase 5 is the final phase of the Smooth Streets Program. No additional resources required. 22 Public Works Replace all remaining high voltage circuits to improve safety and reliability of the street light system High Complete construction of Phase 3. Complete Design for Phase 4 (Final Phase).
Construction for Phase 4 is expected to begin in FY 25-26. No additional resources required. 23 City Manager's Office Implement a robust, year-round Downtown Activation Program as part of our core City services. High Organize a committee to focus on the vibrancy of Downtown.
Significant staff time diverted from other priority
tasks, potential financial resources depending on
Program objectives
24 Public Works
Enable more quick-build bicycle/micro mobility/pedestrian projects by identifying reliable City funding and installation via Public Works staff and/or a trusted on-call contractor High Consolidate safety projects identified in existing and future plans into a prioritized list.
Develop an implementation strategy that includes staff resources and funding for each phase (planning, design, construction and maintenance).
Continue to progress in safety projects in design
- Delaware Safe Routes to School Protected Bike Lane
- Hillsdale GAP Closure
- 3rd and Norfolk Safety Improvement Project
[COST BELOW ASSUME A 5 YEAR DELIVERY
WINDOW AND COST ARE A TOTAL OF 5 YEARS]
I. Consultant to create a consolidated and
prioritized list. ~$72,000
II. Designers to develop rapid build plans for
construction. ~$150,000
III. Construction management team to manage the
construction of the rapid safety projects.
~$200,000
IV. Maintenance options to maintain these rapid
safety improvements. ~$230,000
V. Immediate implementation of curb markings to
improve safety in key locations. ~$50,000 for
internal staff to start installation.
recommended priority language: "Prioritize
planning, design, construction and maintenance
of rapid safety improvement projects citywide
and ensure there is a reliable City fund for long
term success."
25 City Manager's
Office/Community
Explore piloting a City Grant Fund. Medium Identify funding source and amount (50k), staff resources, structure, and process. $50K plus staff resources 26 City Clerk's Office & City
Attorney's Office
Improve and strengthen democratic systems and decrease
polarization. Medium Conduct educational outreach and information to current and future voters and a post- election review of campaign ordinance with Council.
Post-election review of campaign ordinance does
not require additional resources. Additional
resources may be required to broaden outreach
depending on the objective.
27 City Manager's Office and
Human Resources
Expand youth and senior workforce development & civic
leadership opportunities. Medium Centralize internships for youth/young adults and improve our volunteer program to attract and retain volunteers, especially seniors.
$1,500 for lunches or other admin costs for
Internship Program Meet and Greet with the City
Manager. Outreach for both programs can be
absorbed in existing budget.
28 Public Works Fund and deliver the Clean Water Program High Complete all identified construction projects by the end of FY 25/26. No additional resources required.
Recommend deleting the reference of "Fund"
as all funding is in place.
Yellow - New Priorities
Green - Modified Priorities 3
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Proposed Fiscal Year 2024-25 City Council Priorities
New # Department Lead(s) Council Priority
Resource
Requirement
intensity
Proposed Work Plan FY 24-25 Additional resources required above current budget Proposed Modifications
29 Library Implement Library Space Master Plan High Complete rest of space enhance projects: Cafe, Lobby, Teen Area, Business Library, Jobseekers Space, Biotech Learning Center, Periodical Storage Space No existing funding for project. Meet w/ EHDD
(architects of Main Library) to reevaluate plans
since original plans are now 7 years old. Est. cost of
new consultation process is approximately $100k
We propose initiation of new design process
since current designs and prices are outdated.
30 Parks & Recreation Implement the Central Park Master Plan High Staff will complete phase 1 of the Central Park Playground Improvements, which consist of directing the project manager to solicit bids and manage the construction process.
Through the CIP process, additional resources will
be requested and identified to fulfill this item.
31 Public Works Expedite efforts to improve the stormwater collection, drainage, and storage system, including dredging the Marina lagoon High Adopt a prioritized, long-term 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan based on Stormwater Master Plan Update. Initiate and complete environmental approval process for dredging of the Marina Lagoon. Begin implementation of other highly prioritized stormwater capital improvement projects as funding and resources allow.
Anticipate $2M for full design, permitting, and
environmental review for full-scale Marina Lagoon
Dredging project (federal earmark requested, with
$500k proposed from the Stormwater Fund as local
match). Staff is still pursuing other near-term
implementation projects for small-scale drainage
improvements and camera/sensor installation with
previously appropriated funding from Council.
32 Public Works Implement a Green Fleet by 2030 High
Complete design and initiate construction of City Hall/City Plaza EV charging infrastructure improvements by end of calendar year 2025. Seek additional grant funding and plan for Corp Yard/PD EV charging infrastructure improvements.
Significant additional funds will be needed to fully
implement. Some grant funding may be available
for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
33 Public Works
Expedite efforts to provide high quality effluent from the wastewater treatment plant upgrades to support the future production of potable water.
High
Continue participating in the Peninsula Pure Water (formerly San Francisco Peninsula Regional Purification) project to pursue a wastewater purification facility at the Silicon Valley Clean Water facility in Redwood Shores.
No additional resources needed for staff
participation in the longer-term effort.
34 Public Works Minimize impacts to residents from train horn noise at City at- grade crossings High
Complete construction of all rail safety measures required for Train Horn Noise Quiet Zone (Quiet Zone) qualification by end of calendar year 2024. Staff to work with FRA and required stakeholders (e.g. CPUC, Caltrain, and Union Pacific) to complete administrative steps to establish Quiet Zone by end of calendar year 2025.
No additional resources required.
35 Public Works Study resource feasibility for the downtown grade separations and long-term train corridor improvements High Identify resource needs for staffing, grant writer, and design consultant to implement the feasibility study.
Funds needed for a Consultant Grant Writer and
Consultant Designer.
36 Public Works Improve traffic flow on 19th Ave and Fashion Island Boulevard from Grant to Mariners Island Boulevard High
Continue the design for 463338 Norfolk/Fashion Island intersection improvements.
Continue design for the 19th Avenue Smart Corridor Project. Finalize negotiations to combine both projects on 19th Avenue and Fashion Island to help expedite delivery and coordination of both projects.
No additional resources required.
37 Public Works Complete all High and Medium-High priority projects in the 2020 Bicycle Master Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan High Program all existing 2020 BMP projects into the Bike San Mateo Program in order to expedite the design and delivery of all High and Med-High bicycle projects. This will include quick-build bicycle projects. Identify all incomplete PMP projects and develop a workplan for expedited completion. Complete design for the Delaware SRTS Protected Bike Lane Project, Hillsdale Gap Closure project and the 3rd and Norfolk Island Intersection Safety Improvement project. Continue to the design for the 19th Avenue and Fashion Island Class IV bike lane projects.
Need Design Staff
Need Implementation Staff
Need funding above and beyond what is in the CIP
Recommend changing council priority language
to "Continue implementation of all High and
Medium-High priority projects in the 2020
Bicycle Master Plan and Pedestrian Master Plan
with the goal of prioritizing quick-build projects
where feasible".
Items to be completed in 5 or more years
Yellow - New Priorities
Green - Modified Priorities 4
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From: Patrice Olds
To: Denise Garcia; Christina Horrisberger
Subject: FW: City Objectives FY2024-25
Date: Thursday, March 14, 2024 10:31:31 AM
Attachments: Investment Policy 2023a (1) (4).pdf
Patrice M. Olds, MMC
City Clerk
City of San Mateo
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo, CA
94403-1388
[email protected]
www.cityofsanmateo.org
(650) 522-7042
From:
Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2024 10:29 AM
To: Clerk <[email protected]>; City Council (San Mateo) <[email protected]> Cc:
Subject: City Objectives FY2024-25
Dear Mayor Diaz Nash, Deputy Mayor Newsom, and City Council Members Loraine, Hedges, and Lee:
On behalf of the San Mateo Climate Action Team, I am writing to you regarding your City Council meeting on March 18, urging
you to adopt the following three areas of
City Objectives for FY2024-25:
Socially Responsible Investing Strategy
1) Adopt the County of San Mateo investment strategy, dated January 17, 2023, specifically the Socially Responsible Investment Strategies, found on page 3 of that document (attached).
2) Continue the City's commitment to having no investments in fossil fuel, tobacco, and guns.
3) Acknowledge that the largests banks in the United States are heavily invested in fossil fuels, and this needs to stop
4) Acknowledge that fossil fuel investments underperform the market, are risky, and are speculative
Transportation Improvements
In order to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and encourage San Mateo residents to get out of their cars, please do the following:
1) Complete the 2020 Bicycle Master Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan including full funding of all high and medium-high
priority projects.
2) Support and fully fund the Complete Clean Streets Program.
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3) Support and fully fund the Local Roadway Safety Plan presented to the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on March 13, 2024.
4) Support and fully fund the improvements in the General Plan Circulation and Land Use element, to be considered by the City Council on March 18.
Decarbonization of all buildings
1) Continue to support the City Council Objective: Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030. 2) Address the nine points presented to the City Council at its study session of January 16, 2024.
Support for City Council Objectives
To assure the success of the above objectives, we advocate these specific Council Member Priorities from its "blue sky" session on February 3:
a) Objectives 3 and 32, proposed as "Items Staff Request Retaining" . b) Priority 1 proposed by Mayor Diaz Nash.
c) Priority 1 proposed by Deputy Mayor Newsom.
d) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Loraine.
e) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Hedges.
f) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Lee.
We thank you for your hard work on the City Council Objectives for FY 2024-25
We all look forward to working with staff and council, to approve and implement these important climate objectives.
Robert Whitehair, co-leader, on behalf of the San Mateo Climate Action Team
1436 of 1487
From:
To: Clerk
Subject: 2024-25 Objectives, City Council Meeting 03/18/24 Date: Thursday, March 14, 2024 12:42:21 PM
Dear Mayor Diaz Nash, Deputy Mayor Newsom, and City Council members Loraine, Hedges, and Lee,
I hope you are well. I am writing to you regarding your City Council meeting on March
18. I respectfully urge you to formally adopt the following three areas of the 2024-25 Objectives:
Socially Responsible
Investing Strategy
1) Adopt the County of San Mateo investment strategy, dated January 17, 2023, specifically the Socially Responsible Investment Strategies, found on page 3 of the document.
2) Continue the City's commitment to having no investments in fossil fuels, tobacco, and guns.
3) Acknowledge that the largest banks in the United States are heavily invested in fossil fuels, and this needs to stop.
4) Acknowledge that fossil fuel investments underperform the market, are risky, and are speculative.
Transportation Improvements
In order to improve safety and encourage San Mateo residents to get out of their cars, please:
1) Complete the 2020 Bicycle Master Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan including full funding of all high and medium-high
priority projects.
2) Support and fully fund the Complete Streets Program. 3) Support and fully fund the
Local Roadway Safety Plan presented to the
Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on March 13, 2024. 4) Support and fully fund the improvements in the General Plan Circulation and Land Use element, to be considered by the City Council on March 18.
Decarbonization of all buildings
1) Continue to support the City Council Objective: Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030. 2) Address the nine points presented to the City Council at its study session of January 16, 2024.
Support for City Council Objectives
To assure the success of the above objectives, I support these specific Council Priorities from its "blue sky" session on February 3:
a) Objectives 3 and 32, proposed as "Items Staff Request Retaining" . b) Priority 1 proposed by Mayor Diaz Nash.
c) Priority 1 proposed by Deputy Mayor Newsom.
d) Priorities 1 and 2 proposed by Council Member Loraine. e) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Hedges.
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f) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Lee.
I thank you for your hard work on the City Council Objectives for FY 2024-25.
Sincerely,
Claire Shintani
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From:
To: Clerk
Subject: 2024-25 Objectives, City Council Meeting 3/18/24 Date: Thursday, March 14, 2024 12:46:25 PM
Dear Mayor Diaz Nash, Deputy Mayor Newsom, and City Council members Loraine, Hedges and Lee:
I am writing to you regarding your City Council meeting on March 18. I urge you to formally adopt the following three areas of the Objectives:
Socially Responsible Investing Strategy
1) Adopt the County of San Mateo investment strategy, dated January 17, 2023, specifically the Socially Responsible Investment Strategies, found on page 3 of that document.
2) Continue the City's commitment to having no investments in fossil fuels, tobacco, and guns.
3) Acknowledge that the largest banks in the United States are heavily invested in fossil fuels, and this needs to stop.
4) Acknowledge that fossil fuel investments underperform the market, are risky, and are speculative.
Transportation Improvements
In order to improve safety and encourage San Mateo residents to get out of their cars, do the following:
1) Complete the 2020 Bicycle Master Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan including full funding of all high and medium-high priority projects.
2) Support and fully fund the Complete Streets Program. 3) Support and fully fund the Local Roadway Safety Plan presented to the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on March 13, 2024.
4) Support and fully fund the improvements in the General Plan Circulation and Land Use element, to be considered by the City Council on March 18.
Decarbonization of all buildings
1) Continue to support the City Council Objective: Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030. 2) Address the nine points presented to the City Council at its study session of January 16, 2024.
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Support for City Council Objectives
To assure the success of the above objectives, we support these specific Council Priorities from its "blue sky" session on February 3:
a) Objectives 3 and 32, proposed as "Items Staff Request Retaining" . b) Priority 1 proposed by Mayor Diaz Nash.
c) Priority 1 proposed by Deputy Mayor Newsom.
d) Priorities 1 and 2 proposed by Council Member Loraine. e) Priority 1
proposed by Council Member Hedges.
f) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Lee.
I thank you for your hard work on the City Council Objectives for FY 2024-25 Sincerely,
Mary Rose LeBaron
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SAN MATEO COUNTY
Investment Policy Statement
Calendar Year 2023
Approved by the
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
Updated Date: January 17, 2023
Resolution: 079414
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Table of Contents
I. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1
II. Delegation of Authority ………………………………………………………………. 1
III. Policy Statement …………………………………………………………………….. 1
IV. Standard of Care …………………………………………………………………….. 1
V. Investment Objectives ………………………………………………………………. 2
A. Safety of Principal ……………………………………………………………… 2
B. Liquidity ………………………………………………………………………. 3
C. Yield ……………………………………………………………………………... 3
D. Socially Responsible Investment Objectives …………………………….. 3 VI. Management Style and Strategy ……………………………………………………
3 VII. Authorized Investments ……………………………………… 4
A. U.S. Treasury Securities …………………………………………………... 4
B. U.S. Government Agency/GSE …………………………………………... 4
C. Commercial Paper …………………………………………………………... 4
D. Negotiable Certificates of Deposit ………………………………………….. 5 E. Bankers Acceptance ………………………………………………………. 5
F. Collateralized Time Deposits ……………………………….……………….. 5 G. Mortgage Backed Securities
and Asset Backed Securities
……………………………………………….. 5
H. Corporate Securities ………………………………………………………… 6
I. US Instrumentalities …………………………………………………… 6
J. CA Municipal Obligations …………………………………………………… 7
K. Repurchase Agreements …………………………………………………... 7
L. Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF) …………………………… 7
M. Mutual Funds ………………………………………………………………… 8
N. Local Government Investment Pools (LGIPs) …………………………….. 8 VIII. Security Lending …………………………………………………………………….. 8
A.
Borrowers Default Risk
……………………………………………………..
9 B. Collateral Investment Risk …………………………………………………... 9 C. Operational Risk ……………………………………………………………… 9
Schedule 1 – Securities Lending ……………………………………………………. 9
IX. Community Reinvestment Act Program …………………………………………... 10
X. Diversification and Maturity Restrictions ……………………................................. 10
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XI. Average Life ………………………………………………………………………… 12
XII. Prohibited Transactions ……………………………………………………………… ..
13 XIII. Method of Accounting ………………………………………………………………. 13
XIV. Safekeeping ……………………………………………………………………………. 14
XV. Performance Evaluation ……………………………………………………………….. 14
XVI. Withdrawal Requests …………………………………………………………………………. .
15 XVII. Internal Controls …………………………………………………………………….. 16
A. Investment Authority and Responsibility …………………………………... 16 B. County Treasury Oversight Committee …………………………………... 16 C. Reporting …………………………………………………………………….. 17
D. Annual Audit of Compliance ………………………………………………… 17
E. Pool Rating …………………………………………………………………... 17
F. Compliance Review ……………………………………………… 17
G. Loss Control …………………………………………………………………... 18
H. Credit Quality. ………………………………………………………………… 18
I. Approved Brokers …………………………………………………………... 18
J. Transaction Settlement …………………………………………………….. 18
K. Internal Controls ………………………………………. 19
XVIII. Execution of Investment Authority ………………………………………………… 19
XIX. Disaster Recovery …………………………………………………………………... 21
XX. Ethics and Conflict of Interest ………………………………………………………. 21
XXI. Limits on Honoraria, Gifts and Gratuities ………………..….………………………… ……………………………………………. 21
Comparison and Interpretation of Credit Ratings ………………………………… 22
Glossary of Terms
……………………………………………………………………. 24
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__________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________
SAN MATEO COUNTY
Investment Policy Statement
Calendar Year 2023
I. Introduction
It is the policy of the San Mateo County Treasurer, consistent with controlling legal mandates, to invest public funds in a manner which will provide maximum security of principal invested with secondary emphasis on providing adequate liquidity to pool participants, achieving a competitive yield while conforming to all applicable statutes and resolutions governing the investment of public funds. Moreover, while complying with these legal mandates, the Treasurer will also promote investments in authorized issuers that display adherence to strong environmental, social, and governance principles.
To meet liquidity and long-term investing needs, the County has established the County Investment Pool. This fund is suitable for planned expenditures or capital funds.
II. Delegation of Authority
By Resolution 079414, approved on January 17, 2023 the County Board of Supervisors has delegated to the Treasurer authority to invest and reinvest the funds of the County and other depositors as specified in California Government Code Sections §27000.1 and §53607 for the period calendar year 2023. The Treasurer may delegate investment authority to whoever has been retained to perform the investment function.
III. Policy Statement
This Investment Policy establishes cash management and investment guidelines for the Treasurer, and those to whom he/she delegates investment authority, who are responsible for the stewardship of the San Mateo County Pooled Investment Fund. Each transaction and the entire portfolio must comply with California Government Code and this Policy. All portfolio activities will be monitored and judged by the standards of this Policy and its investment objectives. Activities that violate its spirit and intent will be considered contrary to policy.
The Treasurer will annually render to the Board of Supervisors and any Oversight Committee a statement of investment policy, which the Board shall review and approve at a public meeting. Any change in the policy shall also be reviewed and approved by the Board at a public meeting.
IV. Standard of Care
The Treasurer is a fiduciary of the pooled investment fund and therefore subject to the prudent investor standard. The Treasurer, employees involved in the investment process and members of the San Mateo County Treasury Oversight Committee shall refrain from all personal business activities that could conflict with the management of the investment program.
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All individuals involved will be required to report all gifts and income in accordance with California state law. (See Section XXI)
When investing, reinvesting, purchasing, acquiring, exchanging, selling and managing public funds, the Treasurer, and those to whom he/she delegates investment authority, shall act with due professional care, skill, prudence and diligence taking into consideration circumstances then prevailing, including, but limited to, general economic conditions and anticipated needs of the County and other depositors. This should be accomplished with the care that a prudent person acting in a like capacity would use to safeguard the principal and maintain the liquidity needs of the County and other depositors.
As outlined in California Government Code Section §27000.3, the standard of prudence to be used by the County investment officers shall be the “prudent investor” standard and shall be applied in the context of managing the portfolio. Investment officers shall act in accordance with written procedures and the investment policy, exercise due diligence, report in a timely fashion, and implement appropriate controls for adverse development.
V. Investment Objectives
The San Mateo County Investment Pool shall be prudently invested in order to preserve principal while earning a reasonable rate of return while awaiting application for governmental purposes. Investments should be made with precision and care considering the safety of the principal investment, as well as the income to be derived from the investment. The specific objectives for the program are ranked in order of importance:
A. Safety of Principal - The Treasurer shall seek to preserve principal and minimize capital losses by mitigating credit risk and market risk as follows:
Credit Risk - Defined as an issuer(s) ability and willingness to repay interest and principal. Credit risk shall be minimized by diversifying the fund among issues and issuers so that the failure of any one issue or issuer would not result in a significant loss of income or principal to participants. Credit rating evaluations for all securities are monitored on a consistent basis.
Market Risk - Defined as the risk of market value fluctuations due to changes in the general level of interest rates. Because longer-term securities generally have greater market risk than shorter-term securities; market risk will be minimized by establishing the maximum Weighted Average Maturity of the pool at three years.
The maximum allowable maturity for any instrument in the pool at time of purchase is 7 years (Treasuries and Agencies only). Occasional market losses on individual securities are inevitable with active portfolio management and must be considered within the context of the overall investment return.
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B. Liquidity
The Treasurer’s Office attempts to match maturities with its 12-month projected cash flow. The nature of the planning process behind the cash flow of the pool is relatively predictable and less volatile than is the case of discretionary money.
This allows leeway for some of the underlying investments in the County Pool to maintain a somewhat longer duration.
C. Yield
The County Pool is designed as an income fund to maximize the return on investable funds over various market cycles, consistent with the pool’s first priority of safeguarding principal. Yield will be considered only after the basic requirements of safety and liquidity have been met. The County Pool is managed as an income fund whose purpose is to provide its investors with a reasonably predictable level of income, as opposed to a growth fund or fund measured on the basis of total return.
D. Socially Responsible Investment Objectives
In addition to and while complying with California Government Code provisions that regulate the investment of public funds (which require that, when managing and investing public funds, the objectives shall be, primarily, to safeguard principal of invested funds; secondarily, to meet the liquidity needs of the local government; and third, to achieve a return on invested funds), the County Treasurer recognizes the importance of socially responsible investing. The Treasurer will consider and promote investment in authorized issuers that display adherence to strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, including but not limited to, environmental sustainability, social and economic justice, and good corporate governance. The Treasurer will forego investments in fossil fuel issuers if able to do so while complying with all legal and fiduciary mandates, including with respect to safety of principal, liquidity, and return on invested funds. The Treasurer will seek to invest in a socially responsible manner by considering investments in corporate issuers that meet designated risk score thresholds, as provided by an independent organization or organizations that supply analytical research, ratings, and data to institutional investors regarding issuers’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. Issuers will be reviewed and confirmed against these thresholds on a periodic basis, and any investments in issuers that fall below designated thresholds may be sold or held to maturity.
VI. Management Style and Strategy
This policy describes the County’s strategic investment objective, risk tolerance and investment constraints. The County Treasurer or designee, at the Treasurer’s discretion, prepares an economic outlook and evaluates the capital markets environment. The investment
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programs reflect a common strategy that is based on conservative principles of fixed income portfolio management consistently applied in a disciplined fashion.
VII. Authorized Investments
Subject to the limitations set forth in California Government Code §53600 et seq. which may be amended from time to time, the Treasurer may invest in the following instruments, subject to the limits described in the following sections. Long-term credit ratings, where shown, specify the minimum credit rating category required at time of purchase. As noted previously, all securities purchased shall be regularly monitored and re-evaluated should their ratings be downgraded below the minimum investment grade level required of the Pool. The Treasury Oversight Committee will be notified, within 10 days of any security downgrades that fall below the pool’s investment standards and the course of action to be taken if any. In addition, the information will be posted on the Treasurer’s website within the same time frame. Decisions regarding the holding of, or the potential sale of, securities are based on factors such as remaining time to maturity and the need for liquidity in the Pool.
Where a percentage limitation of eligible security percentages and maximum maturity is established, for the purpose of determining investment compliance, that maximum amount will be applied on the date of trade settlement. Therefore, depending on the liquidation of other securities and the performance of other securities in the pool, the percentage of the pool of any given security or instrument could exceed the initial percentage limitations without violating the Investment Policy.
A. U.S. Treasury Securities
United States Treasury bills, notes, bond or certificates of indebtedness, for which the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged for the payment of principal and interest. The maximum maturity of U.S. Treasury Securities is 7 years.
B. U.S. Government Agency/GSE (Government Sponsored Enterprise)
Obligations, participations, or other instruments of, or issued by, a federal agency or a United States government sponsored enterprise. The maximum percent of the fund per issuer is 40%. The maximum percent of the fund for U.S. Agencies Callables Securities is 25%. U.S. Government Agency/GSE securities must be rated in a rating category of “AA,” long-term, or “A-1,” Short-term, or their equivalent or higher by at least two of the three nationally recognized rating services (S&P, Moody’s and Fitch). The maximum maturity for Agency Securities is 7 years.
C. Commercial Paper
At the time of purchase, commercial paper must be rated either A-1/P-1/F1 or better by at least two of the three nationally recognized rating services (S&P, Moody’s and Fitch). Eligibility is limited to U.S. organized and operating corporations. Corporations must have assets in excess of $5 Billion and have debt other than commercial paper, if any, that is rated in a rating category of “A” or
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its equivalent or higher by at least two of the three nationally recognized rating services (S&P, Moody’s and Fitch). Maturities may not exceed 270 days.
Purchases of commercial paper will not exceed 40% of the pool’s investable money.
D. Negotiable Certificates of Deposit
Negotiable certificates are negotiable money market instruments that trade on the open market. At the time of purchase, negotiable certificates of deposit must be rated in a rating category of “A,” long-term, or “A-1”/”P-1”/”F1, short-term,” or their equivalents or better by at least two of the three nationally recognized rating services (S&P, Moody’s and Fitch). These certificates must be issued by a U.S.
National or State chartered bank or state or federal association (as defined by section 5102 of the California Financial Code) or by a state licensed branch of a foreign bank. Eligible foreign banks must have branches or agencies in the U.S.
Issuers must be a corporation with total assets in excess of $5 Billion. Purchases of Negotiable Certificates of Deposit will not exceed 30% of the pool.
E. Bankers Acceptance
A Bankers Acceptance (BA) is a draft drawn and accepted by banks that is based upon funds that will pay its face value at maturity. The security is normally traded at a discounted price. Because the accepting institution is obligated to pay for the bill, a Bankers Acceptance is considered less risky than commercial paper.
At the time of purchase, BAs must be rated A-1/P-1/F1 or better by at least two of the three nationally recognized rating services (S&P, Moody’s and Fitch). BAs are primarily used to finance international trade. BAs are timed drafts (bills of exchange) drawn on and accepted by a commercial bank Issuers must be a corporation with total assets in excess of $5 Billion. Purchases of Bankers Acceptances will not exceed 15% of the pool for domestic commercial banks and 15% of the pool for foreign commercial banks.
F. Collateralized Time Deposits
Collateralized Certificates of Deposit must comply with Bank Deposit Law.
Purchases of Collateralized Certificates of Deposit will not exceed 15% of the pool.
G. Mortgage Backed Securities and Asset Backed Securities
A. Mortgage Backed Securities
The securities must be rated in a rating category of “AA” or its equivalent or higher by at least two of the three nationally recognized rating services (S&P, Moody’s and Fitch). Securities shall have a maximum remaining maturity of five years. Combined holdings of Mortgage Backed Securities and Asset Backed Securities will not exceed 20% of the pool.
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The allowable types of Mortgage Backed Securities include the following:
1. U.S. Government Agency Mortgage pass-through securities.
2. Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMO) where the underlying mortgages have U.S. government backing.
B. Asset Backed Securities
The securities must be rated “AAA” or its equivalent by at least two of the three nationally recognized rating services (S&P, Moody’s and Fitch). Securities shall have a maximum remaining maturity of five years. Combined holdings of Asset Backed Securities and Mortgage backed Securities will not exceed 20% of the pool.
The allowable types of Asset Backed Securities include the following:
1. Equipment lease back certificates.
2. Consumer receivable backed bonds.
3. Auto loan receivable backed bonds.
H. Corporate Securities
The maximum maturity for corporate securities is five years. Eligible securities shall be issued by corporations organized and operating within the United States or by depository institutions licensed by the United States or any state and operating within the United States. At the time of purchase, corporate securities must be rated in a rating category of “A” or its equivalent or better by at least two of the three nationally recognized rating services (S&P, Moody’s and Fitch).
Securities in this classification must be dollar denominated. If a security is owned and downgraded below the pool’s investment standards, the Treasury Oversight Committee will be notified within 10 days of any security downgrades that fall below the pool’s investment standards and the course of action to be taken if any.
In addition, the information will be posted on the Treasurer’s website within the same time frame.
Purchases of Corporate Securities shall not exceed 30% of the pool. The amount invested in corporate securities in the “A” rating category may not exceed 27% of the pool (90% of the 30% permitted corporate allocation). For purposes of determining compliance with this requirement, a security’s rating will be determined by its highest rating by either S&P, Moody’s, or Fitch. There is a 5% limitation of the fund in any single issuer of Money Market/Corporate Securities, however, the Pool has a target of holding no more than 3%. The 3% target may be exceeded under exceptional circumstances (i.e.: peak tax collection periods, G.O. Bond issuances, etc.) when there is a large influx of cash.
I. US Instrumentalities
United States dollar denominated senior unsecured, unsubordinated obligations issued or unconditionally guaranteed by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Finance Corporation, or Inter‐American
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Development Bank, with a maximum maturity of five years or less, and eligible for purchase and sale within the United States. Investments under this subdivision shall be rated in a rating category “AA” or its equivalent or higher by at least two of the three nationally recognized rating services (S&P, Moody’s and Fitch).
Purchases of US Instrumentalities are not to exceed 30% of the pool.
J. CA Municipal Obligations
Registered state warrants or municipal notes or bonds of this state, including bonds payable solely out of the revenues from a revenue-producing property owned, controlled, or operated by the state or by a department, board, agency, or authority of the state. Investments under this subdivision shall be rated in a rating category “AA” or its equivalent or higher by at least two of the three nationally recognized rating services (S&P, Moody’s and Fitch). Such investments shall have a maximum security of five years or less, and shall not exceed 30% of the pool, 5% per issuer. The foregoing investments shall be limited to the General Obligation (GO) bonds, Tax & Revenue Anticipation Notes (TRANs), or other debt, which is issued by the state of California, the University of California Regents or the California State University Regents.
K. Repurchase Agreements
Repurchase Agreements must be executed with dealers with whom the County has written agreements and are either banking institutions that meet the rating requirements of this policy or dealers who report to the Market Reports Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of N.Y. (Primary Dealers). All transactions must be collateralized at 102% of current value plus accrued interest and must be marked to market daily. The only acceptable collateral for these transactions include Treasuries or Agencies with a maximum maturity of seven years.
For purposes of this authorized investments section, the term “Repurchase Agreement” means a purchase of a security by the County pursuant to an agreement by which the seller will repurchase the securities on or before a specified date and for a specified dollar amount and will deliver the underlying securities to the County by book entry. All County pool transactions are conducted through the County custodian on a payment vs. delivery basis. When the transaction is unwound, the transfer of the underlying securities will revert to the counter party’s bank account by book entry. The term “Counter party” means the other party to the transaction with the County. The Counter Party, or its parent, must have a short-term rating of “A-1,” “P-1,” or “F1” by at least two of the three nationally recognized rating services (S&P, Moody’s and Fitch). The maximum allowable term of a repurchase agreement shall not exceed 92 days.
L. Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF)
The Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF) is an investment fund run by the Treasurer of the State of California to pool local agency monies. LAIF will be used
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as a comparative fund to the County’s pool. The maximum percent of the fund that can be invested is up to the current State limit.
M. Mutual Funds
Shares of beneficial interest issued by diversified management companies as defined in Government Code Section § 53601. Purchases of Mutual Funds will not exceed 20% of the pool, 10% per mutual fund.
N. Local Government Investment Pools (LGIPs)
Shares of beneficial interest issued by a joint power’s authority organized pursuant to Section 6509.7 that invests in the securities and obligations authorized by the Government Code. Each share shall represent an equal proportional interest in the underlying pool of securities owned by the joint powers authority. Purchases are limited to LGIPs that seek to maintain a stable share price and will not exceed 20% of the pool, 10% per LGIP.
VIII. Security Lending
Security Lending is a temporary exchange of portfolio assets for acceptable collateral between a lender and an approved borrower. The additional income generated from this transaction can be used to enhance portfolio performance. This process can be summarized in three key steps:
A. The Security Lending agent lends securities from our portfolio to an approved borrower at a negotiated rate. The negotiated rate is dependent upon the level of demand for the securities.
B. The Security Lending agent invests the cash collateral in highly liquid, short duration, high credit quality instruments approved by our investment policy.
C. The earnings generated net of rebates from these transactions are split between the third party agent and the County based on the contract agreement.
Our contract with The Bank of New York requires daily reporting of the securities borrowed, the borrowers, and the short term investments made with the collateral. The County retains the right to recall securities at any given time; cutoffs are 9:30 a.m. eastern standard time for same day recalls of treasuries/agencies and 1:30 p.m. eastern standard time on trade date for corporates. We also require acknowledgement of the County Investment Policy, and check the adherence to that policy daily.
All securities purchased with any funds received as a result of such lending shall be regularly monitored and re-evaluated. Should their ratings fall below the pool’s investment standards, the Treasury Oversight Committee will be notified within 10 days of any security downgrades that fall below the pool’s investment standards and the course of action if any. In addition, the information will be posted on the Treasurer’s website within the same time frame.
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Additionally, the percentage of the Fund’s market value in any one issuer’s securities shall be regularly monitored and the Treasury Oversight Committee will be notified within 10 days, and the information posted on the Treasurer’s website, of any instances where the percentage of the Fund’s market value in any one issuer’s securities exceeds the percentage limitations set forth herein or where there is any change in diversification and the course of action, if any.
There are always risks in any financial transaction. The three most common risks in Security Lending are as follows:
A. Borrower Default Risk – Although rare, a borrower may not return a security in a timely manner. To protect against this risk, we require 102% cash collateral, which is marked to market and monitored daily. In the event of borrower default, the Security Lending agent is responsible for replacing the securities or providing the cash value of the securities. In other words, The Bank of New York indemnifies the County of San Mateo against borrower default.
B. Collateral Investment Risk – The value of the securities in which we invest the cash collateral may decline due to fluctuations in interest rates or other market related events. This risk is controlled by investing in a huge investment pool with highly liquid short duration, high credit quality instruments identified in this investment policy.
C. Operational Risks – Critical operations, such as maintaining the value of the collateral, collecting interest and dividend payments are essential to a smooth running Security Lending operation. Operational risks are the responsibility of the Security Lending agent. We further mitigate this risk by reviewing all transactions and collateral requirements on a daily basis.
Schedule 1 – Securities Lending
Securities Loans
No more than 5% of the Pool can be on loan to any single counterparty. A single loan shall not exceed 3% of the total portfolio. The maximum maturity of a securities loan shall not exceed 92 days.
Collateral
Acceptable Collateral
U.S. Treasuries and Agencies and cash.
Collateral Investment
The only authorized investments are shown in the following table. No floating or reset notes are permitted.
“Fund” means actual market value of all securities lending collateral.
INSTRUMENT RATING - LIMITATIONS
% of
Fund
% of Fund per
Issuer
Maturity
U.S. Treasury Obligations 100 100% 1 year
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INSTRUMENT RATING - LIMITATIONS
Obligations of U.S. Agencies
or government sponsored
enterprises
AA or A-1 100 40% per issuer 1 year
Repurchase agreements
secured by U.S. Treasury or
agency obligation (102%
collateral)
A-1 100 50% overnight
Bankers Acceptances
Domestic
Foreign
A-1 / P-1/
F1
15 15
5% Aggregate
5% Aggregate
180 days
180 days
Commercial paper A-1 / P-1 /
F1 40 5% Aggregate 270 days
or less
Other
Agent Qualifications
The only acceptable Agent is the Pool’s custodian bank.
Contract Provisions
The Agent must indemnify the Pool against borrower default.
The Agent must acknowledge and accept the Policy in writing. A copy of this acceptance will be attached to future policies.
The Agent must submit monthly reports showing securities out on loan (terms and borrowers), defaults, earnings, and the percent by sector of Pool assets out on loan as well as information on the collateral investments (including market values, income and realized and unrealized gains and losses).
Oversight
The Treasurer shall include copies of the Agent’s most recent report with their reports to the Treasury Oversight Committee.
IX. Community Reinvestment Act Program
A. This policy sets aside up to $5 million dollars for investment in banks whose primary operations are located in San Mateo County. Investments from this fund must meet the requirements of this investment policy. Eligible banks must have Community Reinvestment Act performance ratings of “satisfactory” or “outstanding” from each financial institution’s regulatory authority. In addition, deposits greater than the federally-insured amount must be collateralized. Banks must place securities worth between 110% and 150% of the value of the deposit with a custodial bank.
X. Diversification and Maturity Restrictions
It is the policy of the Treasurer to diversify the Fund’s portfolios. Investments are diversified to minimize the risk of loss resulting in over concentration of assets in a specific
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maturity, specific issuer or a specific class of securities. Diversification strategies shall be established by the Treasurer and whoever has been retained to perform the investment function.
Instrument Min. Rating
Category % of Fund
Limitations %
of Fund per
Issuer
Maturity
U.S. Treasury Obligations 100% 100% 7 years
Obligations of U.S. Agencies
or government sponsored
enterprises
AA or A-1 100%
40%
7 years
U.S. Agencies Callables AA 25% 7 years
Commercial paper
(two agencies)
A-1/P-1/F1 40%
5% Aggregate 270 days
or less
Negotiable Certificates of
Deposit
($5 billion minimum assets)
(two agencies)
A-1/P-1/F1 30%
5% Aggregate
5 years
Bankers Acceptances
*Domestic: ($5 billion
minimum assets)
*Foreign: ($5 billion
minimum assets)
(two agencies)
A-1 / P-1/
F1
15%
15%
5% Aggregate
5% Aggregate
180 days
180 days
Collateralized Time Deposits
within the state of
CALIFORNIA
A-1/P-1/
F1 15%
5% Aggregate 1 year
Mortgage Backed
Securities/CMO’s:
No Inverse Floaters
No Range Notes
No Interest only strips derived
from a pool of Mortgages
Asset Backed Securities
AA
AAA
20%
Combined
total
5% Aggregate
5% Aggregate
5 Years
5 Years
Corporate bonds, Medium
Term Notes & Covered
Bonds (two agencies)
A 30%
A
maximum
of 27%
may be
invested in
5% Aggregate
5 years
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Instrument Min. Rating
Category % of Fund
Limitations %
of Fund per
Issuer
Maturity
A rated
securities
(90% of
the 30%
allocation)
US Instrumentalities AA 30% 5 Years
CA Municipal Obligations AA 30% 5% Aggregate
5 Years
Repurchase Agreements
secured by U.S. Treasury or
agency obligation (102%
collateral)
A-1 100% See limitations
for Treasuries
and Agencies
above
92 days
Local Agency Investment
Fund (LAIF)
Up to the
current state
limit
Shares of beneficial interest
issued by diversified
management companies as
defined in Government Code
Section§ 53601(Mutual
Funds)
Money
Market
AAAm
20%
10% per
mutual fund
Local Government Investment
Pools (LGIPs) 20% 10% per LGIP
XI. Average Life
The maximum dollar weighted average maturity of the fund will be 3 years. The focus of this fund is in order of priority: preservation of principal, liquidity and then yield. The policy of maintaining a maximum dollar weighted maturity or weighted average maturity (WAM) of 3 years leaves open the flexibility to take advantage of interest rate trends to maximize the return on investment. The imposed maximum 3-year average maturity limits the market risk to levels appropriate to a short, intermediate income fund. The word “Maturity” refers to the instrument’s stated legal final redemption date - not coupon reset, put or call dates.
Securities purchased specifically to match the maturity of a bond issue and/or a contractual arrangement must be authorized by California Government Code §53601 and §53635 but are not included in the requirements listed above. Such securities shall be clearly designated in the appropriate investment journals and reports.
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XII. Prohibited Transactions
At the time of purchase, all permitted investments shall conform in all respects with this Investment Policy and California Government Code Sections §53601, §53601.1, §53601.2, §53601.6, and §53635, as may be amended from time to time. No investment prohibited by the California Government Code or other controlling provision of law shall be permitted herein.
Any investment transactions, credit risk criterion, percentage limitations or market valuation that are not in compliance with this Investment Policy at time of purchase must be documented and approved by the Treasurer in writing. Thereafter, action shall be taken by the Treasurer to correct such matter as soon as practical. If a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of purchase, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets will not constitute a violation of that restriction.
The Treasurer shall not leverage the County pool through any borrowing collateralized or otherwise secured by cash or securities held unless authorized by this investment policy.
Security Lending is authorized by this policy and will be limited to a maximum of 20% of the portfolio.
The following transactions are prohibited:
A. Borrowing for investment purposes (“Leverage”).
B. Inverse floaters, leveraged floaters, equity-linked securities, event-linked securities, structured investment vehicles (SIV).
Simple “floating rate notes” whose periodic coupon adjustment is based on a short-term (one-year or less) rate index (such as Treasury bills, federal funds, prime rate or LIBOR) and which have a reasonable expectation of maintaining a value at par at each interest rate adjustment through final maturity, are exempt from this definition. Additionally, U.S. Treasury and Agency zero coupon bonds, U.S. Treasury and Agency strips, Resolution Funding Corporation (REFCORP) strips or other callable securities which otherwise meet quality, maturity and percent limitations assigned to their respective security category, are exempt from this section.
C. Derivatives (e.g. swaptions, spreads, straddles, caps, floors, collars, etc.) shall be prohibited.
D. Trading of options and futures are prohibited.
XIII. Method of Accounting:
A. For earnings calculations, investments will be carried at original purchase cost (plus purchased accrued interest, if applicable). Premiums or discounts acquired in the purchase of securities will be amortized or accreted over the life of the respective securities. For GASB purposes, investments will be carried at cost and marked to market.
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B. Gains or losses from investment sales will be credited or charged to investment income at the time of sale. All interest income, gains/ losses are posted quarterly.
C. Premiums paid for callable securities will be amortized to the 1st call date after purchase.
D. Purchased accrued interest will be capitalized until the first interest payment is received. Upon receipt of the first interest payment, the funds will be used to reduce the investment to its principal cost with the remaining balance credited to investment income.
E. Yield is calculated on an accrual basis using a 365-day calendar year. Earnings are calculated as follows:
(Earnings* + Capital Gains) - (Fees+Amortized Premiums + Capital Losses) Average Daily Pool Balance
* Earnings equal net interest payments + accrued interest + accreted discounts.
F. The County Pool is operated as a single investment pool. Banking and reporting services required by a participant are charged directly to the participant. All participants are charged an administrative fee.
G. The administrative fee is 9.5 basis points effective July 1, 2018 and will be evaluated annually.
The County Pool Administrative Fee is established annually and is effective July 1 through June 30. The fee is developed to align with the actual administrative cost of managing the pool. Due to variations in the pool size during the fiscal year (such as those caused by the influx of funds from unanticipated school bond issues or voluntary pool participant withdrawals), a true-up of fees collected will take place in the 4th quarter of each fiscal year.
XIV. Safekeeping
All deliverable security transactions, including collateral for repurchase agreements, entered into by the Treasurer shall be conducted on a Delivery-versus-Payment basis (DVP).
All deliverable securities shall be held by a third-party custodian designated by the Treasurer. The third-party custodian shall be required to issue a safekeeping statement to the Treasurer listing the specific instrument, rate, maturity and other pertinent information.
XV. Performance Evaluation
The Treasurer shall submit monthly, quarterly and annual reports, in compliance with Government Code Sections §53607 and §53646 to the Treasury Oversight Committee, Pool participants and the Board of Supervisors. These reports shall contain sufficient information to permit an informed outside reader to evaluate the performance of the investment program and shall be in compliance with Government Code. This includes the type of investments, name of
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issuer, maturity date, par and dollar amount of the investment. For the total Pooled Investment Fund, the report will list average maturity, the market value and the pricing source. Additionally, the report will show any funds under the management of contracting parties, a statement of compliance to the Policy and a statement of the Pooled Investments Fund’s ability to meet the expected expenditure requirements for the next 6 months. In accordance with GASB Statements 31 and 40, the Treasurer shall provide financial information on the treasury for the County’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
XVI. Withdrawal Requests
Voluntary Pool Participants
A. Any request to withdraw funds shall be released at no more than 12.5% per month, based on the month-end balance of the prior month.
B. Current secured tax apportionments and property tax revenue distributed to Redevelopment Property Tax Trust Funds will be exempt from the 12.5% withdrawal rule, however, these apportionments must be withdrawn in the same month they are received or they will be subjected to the 12.5% withdrawal rule.
C. Any additional withdrawal requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
D. All requests for withdrawals must first be made in writing to the Treasurer, at a minimum, 24 hours in advance.
In accordance with California Government Code § 27136 et seq, and §27133 (h) et seq, these requests are subject to the Treasurer’s consideration of the stability and predictability of the pooled investment fund, or the adverse effect on the interests of the other depositors in the pooled investment fund.
Schools
A. Withdrawals of surplus funds by a school district for investment elsewhere will require a Resolution from the District Office requesting such withdrawal and specifying that funds are ‘surplus.’ Such requests must be made at a minimum 24 hours in advance.
B. A one-year dark period will exist for such withdrawals before funds can be re- deposited into the treasury by that school district. A Resolution from the District Office will be required to do so.
C. Any emergency situation that requires previously withdrawn school district funds be re-deposited into the treasury within that one-year period will require a Resolution from the District Office and Office of Education.
D. No Bond Proceeds may be withdrawn for investment outside of the pool (AB2738)
XVII. Internal Controls
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The County Treasurer shall establish internal controls to provide reasonable assurance that the investment objectives are met and to ensure that the assets are protected from loss, theft, or misuse. The County Treasurer shall also be responsible for ensuring that all investment transactions comply with the County’s investment policy and the California Government Code.
The County Treasurer shall establish a process for daily, monthly, quarterly and annual review and monitoring of investment program activity.
Daily, the County Treasurer or authorized treasury personnel shall review the investment activity, as well as corresponding custodial and commercial bank balances and positions for compliance with the investment policy and guidelines. The County Controller’s Office shall conduct an annual audit of the investment program’s activities. It is to be conducted to determine compliance with the County’s investment policy and the Government Code. The audit shall be conducted by staff with experience in auditing large, complex investment programs consistent with industry standards as promulgated by the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS) adopted by the CFA Institute Board of Governors.
A. Investment Authority and Responsibility
The responsibility for conducting the County’s investment program resides with the Treasurer, who supervises the investment program within the guidelines set forth in this policy. The Treasurer may delegate the authority for day-to-day investment activity to whoever has been retained to perform the investment function.
B. County Treasury Oversight Committee
The Board of Supervisors, in consultation with the Treasurer, has established the County Treasury Oversight Committee pursuant to California Government Code § 27130 et seq.
Members of the County Treasury Oversight Committee shall be selected pursuant to California Government Code §27131. The Treasury Oversight Committee will meet at least three times a year to evaluate general strategies and to monitor results and shall include in its discussions the economic outlook, portfolio diversification, maturity structure and potential risks to the County pool’s funds. All actions taken by the Treasury Oversight Committee are governed by rules set out in § 27131 et seq. of the California Government Code.
Members of the County Treasury Oversight Committee must pay particular attention to California Government Code § 27132.1, § 27132.2, § 27132.3 and § 27132.4, which read as follows:
§ 27132.1 A member may not be employed by an entity that has (a) contributed to the campaign of a candidate for the office of local treasurer, or (b) contributed to the campaign of a candidate to be a member of a legislative body of any local agency that has deposited funds in the county treasury, in the previous three years or during the period that the employee is a member of the committee.
§ 27132.2 A member may not directly or indirectly raise money for a candidate for local treasurer or a member of the governing board of any local agency that has deposited funds in the county treasury while a member of the committee.
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§ 27132.3 A member may not secure employment with bond underwriters, bond counsel, security brokerages or dealers, or with financial services firms, with whom the Treasurer is doing business during the period that the person is a member of the committee or for one year after leaving the committee.
§ 27132.4 Committee meetings shall be open to the public and subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act (chapter 9 (commencing with section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5).
C. Reporting
The Treasurer will prepare a monthly report for the County pool participants and members of the County Treasury Oversight Committee stating, for each investment: the type of investment, name of the issuer, maturity date, par value of the investment, current market value and the securities S&P/Moody’s rating. For the total pooled investment fund, the report will list average maturity, effective duration, cost, the current market value, net gains/losses and the sector and issuer concentrations. In addition, the report will break down distribution by maturities, coupon, duration and both S&P/Moody’s ratings. The Treasurer shall prepare a monthly cash flow report which sets forth projections for revenue inflows, and interest earnings as compared to the projections for the operating and capital outflows of depositors. This projection shall be for a minimum of 12 months. All Reports will be available on the County Treasurer’s website at treasurer.smcgov.org
D. Annual Audit of Compliance
The County Treasury Oversight Committee shall cause an annual audit to be conducted of the portfolio, procedures, reports and operations related to the County pool in compliance with California Government Code § 27134.
E. Pool Rating
The Pool strives to maintain the highest credit rating at all times. Annually, a contract may be requested for a rating from one of the three leading nationally recognized credit rating organizations (S&P, Moody’s or Fitch).
F. Compliance Review
The County will ensure a monthly compliance review of the County’s portfolio holdings and provide a monthly written report which will:
1. Verify the accuracy of holdings information.
2. Provide summary level information about the portfolio.
3. Verify compliance with California Government Code.
4. Verify compliance with the County’s written Investment Policy.
5. List any exceptions or discrepancies identified.
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G. Loss Control
While this Investment Policy is based on “the Prudent Investor Rule”, the Treasurer shall seek to enhance total portfolio return by means of actively managing the portfolio. In any professionally managed portfolio, occasional controlled losses are inevitable and must be realized and judged within the context of overall portfolio performance. Losses shall be allocated as otherwise described in this policy in section XIII, entitled “Method of Accounting”.
H. Credit Quality
Should any investment or financial institution represented in the portfolio, be downgraded by any of the major rating services to a rating below those established in this investment policy, the Treasurer must immediately make an informed decision as to the disposition of that asset and will so advise the County Treasury Oversight Committee. The situation will be monitored daily by the Treasurer until final disposition has been made.
I. Approved Brokers
The Treasurer will maintain a current list of Approved Brokers and Dealers who may conduct business with the County. All financial institutions on the approved list will be evaluated individually, with preference given to primary dealers, who possess a strong capital and credit base appropriate to their operations. The Treasurer will forward a copy of the County Investment Policy to all approved brokers and require written acknowledgment of the policy from the broker.
No broker, brokerage, dealer or securities firm is allowed on the approved list if, within any consecutive 48-month period, they have made a political contribution in an amount exceeding the limitations contained in Rule G-37 of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, to the local Treasurer, any member of the governing board of the local agency or any candidate for those offices.
If the County has contracted with an investment advisor to provide investment services, the investment advisor may use their own list of approved issuers, brokers/dealers and financial institutions to conduct transactions on the County’s behalf.
J. Transaction Settlement
Payment of settlement in a securities transaction will be against delivery only.
A due bill or other substitution will not be acceptable. All securities purchased from the brokers/dealers must be held in safekeeping by the County’s safekeeping agent or designated third party.
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K. Internal Controls
The Treasurer has established a system of controls designed to prevent losses of pooled funds due to fraud, employee error, and misrepresentations by third parties, and unanticipated changes in financial markets or imprudent actions by employees of the County. The controls include:
1. Procedures for investment activity which includes separation of duties for transaction authority, accounting and operations and requires clear documentation of activity.
2. Custodial safekeeping as prescribed in California Government Code § 53601.
3. Independent audit, both external and internal.
4. Clear delegation of authority.
5. Written confirmations of all telephone transactions.
6. Establishment of written ethical standards and rules of behavior.
XVIII. Execution of Investment Authority
A. All transactions are documented as to date, time and vendor, signed by the originator and include the following information:
1. Buy or sell
2. Specific description of security involved (CUSIP)
3. Settlement date
4. Price
5. The total amount of funds involved
6. On non-treasury or agency transactions a notation will be made on the transaction ticket of competitive bids and offers
7. Broker/dealer
B. Information in “A” must be provided to the Investment Specialist for the following purpose:
1. To contact the dealer to verify the information on the trade with the dealer’s instructions. Any misunderstanding must be clarified prior to settlement.
2. To provide the County’s custodian bank with the specifics of the pending transaction to assure a smooth settlement.
3. To compare with the daily custodian transaction report to assure there are no errors.
4. To generate the internal entries necessary for the movement of funds to complete the transaction.
5. To compare with the broker’s confirmations when received.
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C. At the end of each day, the Investment Specialist summarizes all of the current day transactions in a “Daily Cash Flow Report” available immediately the following morning. This report includes:
1. A summary of all the day’s investment transaction.
2. A listing of the day’s incoming and outgoing wires.
3. A listing of the day’s state automatics and other deposits received.
4. If the pool has “Repos” out, the current earnings rate statement.
5. An estimate of the total anticipated clearings for the day.
D. A best effort will be made to obtain a minimum of three prices from different brokers before executing a security transaction whenever possible. Exceptions will occur with Treasuries. In those cases the Bloomberg screen will be printed as close to the actual executed price as possible. In the case of money market, agencies or corporate securities, a best effort will be made to obtain differential bids and offers.
E. Repurchase Agreements All Repurchase Agreements with approved dealers will be governed by a Public Securities Association (PSA) agreement that has been approved in writing by the Treasurer.
F. Confirmations resulting from securities purchased or sold under a Repurchase Agreement shall state the exact and complete nomenclature of the underlying securities bought or sold, as well as the term structure (i.e. maturity) of the transaction.
G. Securities on loan and their corresponding investments under the County Security Lending Program must be monitored daily by the Investment Specialist to assure the County Treasurer or Designee has a list of those securities that are out on loan. Interest earned will be monitored daily and compared to the monthly report of earnings by the custodial bank.
H. The assets of the County shall be held in safekeeping by the County’s safekeeping agent, or secured through third-party custody and safekeeping procedures. A due bill or other substitution will not be acceptable.
I. Safekeeping procedures shall be reviewed annually by the Treasurer’s office and an external auditor. Surprise audits of safekeeping and custodial procedures must be conducted at least once a year.
J. Security Lending: The custodial bank may be authorized to lend out up to 20% of the portfolio within the guidelines of this policy. Guidelines for securities lending and the investment of collateral are attached to this policy as Schedule 1.
Securities on loan must be monitored daily by the Treasurer’s office to assure that the Treasurer has a list of those securities that are out on loan. Interest earned will be monitored daily and compared to the monthly report of earnings by the custodial bank.
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K. Voluntary Participants participating in the San Mateo County Pooled Fund meet the following requirements:
1. A public agency
2. Domiciled in the County of San Mateo.
3. Agree to abide by the approved San Mateo County Pooled Fund Investment Policy Statement.
4. Acknowledge changes to the policy annually in writing and meet the minimum balance requirements (250K).
Effective 11/1/2018, acceptance of new voluntary participants was discontinued to decrease liquidity requirements.
L. Agencies whose jurisdiction includes San Mateo County, but are not domiciled in San Mateo County, may participate in the San Mateo County Pooled Fund with the approval of the Treasurer and the County Treasury Oversight Committee.
XIX. Disaster Recovery
The San Mateo County Treasurer’s Disaster Recovery Plan includes critical phone numbers and addresses of key personnel as well as active bankers and brokers/dealers.
Portable devices have been issued to key personnel for communicating between staff, banks and broker/dealers. The plan includes an offsite location to be communicated at the time of readiness if our offices are uninhabitable.
In the event investment staff is unable to invest the portfolio, the custodial bank will automatically sweep all un-invested cash into a collateralized account at the end of the business day. Union Bank is currently the pools bank.
Should this guarantee program not be extended, a collateralized account will be set up.
Until normal operations of the Treasurer’s office have been restored, the limitations on the size of an individual issuer and the percentage restrictions by investment type would be allowed to exceed those approved in this Investment Policy.
XX. Ethics and Conflict of Interest
The Treasurer and all investment personnel shall refrain from personal business activity which could create a conflict with proper execution of the investment program or which could impair the ability to execute impartial investment decisions. The Treasurer and all investment personnel shall complete and submit State of California Form 700, Statement of Economic Interests Disclosure annually.
XXI. Limits on Honoraria, Gifts and Gratuities
In accordance with California Government Code Section 27133, this policy establishes limits for the Treasurer; individuals responsible for management of the portfolios; and members of the Treasury Oversight Committee; select individual investment advisors and broker/dealers who conduct day-to-day investment trading activity.
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Any individual who receives an aggregate total of gifts, honoraria and gratuities in excess of $50 in a calendar year from a broker/dealer, bank or service provider to the Pooled Investment Fund must report the gifts, dates and firms to the designated filing official and complete the appropriate State forms.
No individual designated in a conflict of interest code may receive aggregate gifts, honoraria and gratuities in a calendar year in excess of the amount specified in Section 18940.2(a) of Title 2, Division 6 of the California Code of Regulations. Gifts from a single source are subject to a $420 limit. Any violation must be reported to the State Fair Political Practices Commission.
Comparison and Interpretation of Credit Ratings1
Long Term Debt Ratings
Rating Interpretation Moody’s Standard & Poor’s Fitch
Best-Quality grade Aaa AAA AAA
High-Quality Grade Aa1
Aa2
Aa3
AA+
AA
AA-
AA+
AA
AA-
Upper Medium Grade A1
A2
A3
A+
A
A-
A+
A
A-
Medium Grade Baa1
Baa2
Baa3
BBB+
BBB
BBB-
BBB+
BBB
BBB-
Speculative Grade Ba1
Ba2
Ba3
BB+
BB
BB-
BB+
BB
BB-
Low Grade B1
B2
B3
B+
B
B-
B+
B
B-
Poor Grade to Default Caa CCC+ CCC
In Poor Standing -
-
CCC
CCC-
-
-
Highly Speculative Default Ca
C
CC
-
CC
-
Default -
-
-
-
-
D
DDD
DD
D
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Short Term/Commercial Paper Investment Grade Ratings
Rating
Interpretation
Moody’s Standard &
Poor’s
Fitch
Superior Capacity P-1 A-1+/A-1 F1+/F1
Strong Capacity P-2 A-2 F2
Acceptable Capacity P-3 A-3 F3
1 These are general credit rating guidelines and are for information only
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS
ACCRUED INTEREST
Interest that has accumulated but has not yet been paid from the most recent interest payment date or issue date to a certain date.
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (ABS)
A financial security backed by a loan, lease or receivables against assets other than real estate and mortgage-backed securities. For investors, asset-backed securities are an alternative to investing in corporate debt.
AVERAGE LIFE
The length of time the principal of a debt issue is expected to be outstanding. The average life is an average period before a debt is repaid through amortization or sinking fund payments.
BANKERS’ ACCEPTANCE
A time bill of exchange drawn on and accepted by a commercial bank to finance the exchange of goods. When a bank “accepts” such a bill, the time draft becomes, in effect, a predated, certified check payable to the bearer at some future specified date. Little risk is involved for the investor because the commercial bank assumes primary liability once the draft is accepted.
BASIS POINT
One basis point is equal to 1/100 of one percent or .01%. Thus, 100 basis points equals 1%.For example, if interest rates increase from 4.25% to 4.50%, the difference is referred to as a 25- basis-point increase.
BENCHMARK
A comparative base for measuring the performance or risk tolerance of the investment portfolio.
A benchmark should represent a close correlation to the level of risk and the average duration of the portfolio’s investments.
BID
The price at which a buyer offers to buy a security.
BOND
A bond is essentially a loan made by an investor to a division of the government, a government agency or a corporation. The bond is a promissory note to repay the loan in full at the end of a fixed time period. The date on which the principal must be repaid is the called the maturity date or maturity. In addition, the issuer of the bond, that is, the agency or corporation receiving the loan proceeds and issuing the promissory note, agrees to make regular payments of interest at a rate initially stated on the bond. Bonds are rated according to many factors, including cost, degree of risk and rate of income.
BOOK VALUE
The value of a held security as carried in the records of an investor. May differ from current market value of the security.
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BROKER/DEALER
Any person engaged in the business of effecting transactions in securities in this state for the account of others or for her/his own account. Broker/dealer also includes a person engaged in the regular business of issuing or guaranteeing options with regard to securities not of her/his own issue.
CALLABLE SECURITIES
An investment security that contains an option allowing the issuer to retire the security prior to its final maturity date.
COMMERCIAL PAPER
Short-term, unsecured promissory notes issued in either registered or bearer form and usually backed by a line of credit with a bank. Maturities do not exceed 270 days and generally average 30-45 days.
COLLATERALIZED TIME DEPOSITS
An interest-bearing bank deposit that has a specific maturity date.
CORPORATE BOND
A debt security issued by a corporation and sold to investors. The backing for the bond is usually the payment ability of the company, which is typically money to be earned from future operations. In some cases, the company’s physical assets may be used as collateral for bonds.
Corporate bonds are considered higher risk than government bonds. As a result, interest rates are almost always higher, even for top flight credit quality companies.
COUPON RATE
The annual rate of interest payable on a security expressed as a percentage of the principal amount.
COVERED BOND
A covered or mortgage bond is an on-balance sheet obligation of the issuing institution.
Typically, a covered bond receives the legal structure, the issuer’s backing and the pledge of quality assets, should the issuer fail to qualify for a higher rated bond.
CREDIT RISK
The risk to an investor that an issuer will default in the payment of interest and/or principal on a security.
CURRENT YIELD
The annual income from an investment divided by the current market value. Since the mathematical calculation relies on the current market value rather than the investor’s cost, current yield is unrelated to the actual return the investor will earn if the security is held to maturity.
CUSIP NUMBERS
CUSIP is an acronym for Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures. CUSIP numbers are identification numbers assigned each maturity of a security issue and usually printed on the face of each individual security in the issue. The CUSIP numbers are intended to facilitate identification and clearance of securities.
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DISCOUNT
The amount by which the par value of a security exceeds the price paid for the security.
DIVERSIFICATION
Dividing investment funds among a variety of securities offering independent returns.
DURATION
The weighted average time to maturity of a bond where the weights are the present values of future cash flows. Duration measures the price sensitivity of a bond to changes in interest rates.
EARNINGS APPORTIONMENT
The quarterly interest distribution to the Pool Participants where the actual investment costs incurred by the Treasurer are deducted from the interest earnings of the Pool.
ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL GOVERNANCE (ESG) PRINCIPLES
Assessment of investment issuers with respect to the following:
Environmental: How a company limits its environmental impact and carbon footprint.
Social: How a company treats its employees, customers, community, and other companies with whom it interacts.
Governance: How a company is led and managed, including executive pay and internal controls.
EQUITY-LINKED SECURITIES
A hybrid debt instrument that is linked to the equity markets. Equity-linked securities can be in the form of a single stock, a group of stocks or an equity-based index, such as the S&P 500.
EVENT-LINKED SECURITIES
A type of bond whose interest and principal payments are determined based on the non- occurrence of certain events such as an earthquake and hurricane. If an event, usually referred to as a "trigger event", occurs, then the holder of the bond could see a loss of all future interest payments or a loss of most principal.
FAIR VALUE
The amount at which an investment could be exchanged in a current transaction between willing parties, other than in a forced or liquidation sale.
FEDERAL FUNDS
Funds placed in Federal Reserve banks by depository institutions in excess of current reserve requirements. These depository institutions may lend Fed funds to each other overnight or on a longer basis. They may also transfer funds among each other on a same-day basis through the Federal Reserve banking system. Fed funds are considered to be immediately available funds.
FEDERAL FUNDS RATE
Interest rate at which banks lend federal funds to each other.
FEDERAL OPEN MARKET COMMITTEE (FOMC)
This committee sets Federal Reserve guidelines regarding purchases and sales of government securities in the open market as a means of influencing the volume of bank credit and money.
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FIDUCIARY
An individual who holds something in trust for another and bears liability for its safekeeping.
FLOATING RATE NOTE
A debt security whose interest rate is reset periodically (monthly, quarterly, annually) and is based on a market index (e.g. Treasury bills, LIBOR, etc.).
FUTURES
Commodities, which are sold to be delivered at a future date
INTEREST
The amount earned while owning a debt security, generally calculated as a percentage of the principal amount.
INVERSE FLOATING RATE NOTES
Variable-rate notes whose coupon and value increase as interest rates decrease.
LEVERAGED FLOATER
A security, generally a bond, which has a leverage factor of greater than one and a fixed margin with a variable coupon rate, which is tied to a benchmark interest rate or index.
LIQUIDITY
The ease with which investments can be converted to cash at their present market value.
Liquidity is significantly affected by the number of buyers and sellers trading a given security and the number of units of the security available for trading.
LOCAL AGENCY INVESTMENT FUND (LAIF)
The State of California investment pool in which money of local agencies is pooled as a method for managing and investing local funds.
MARKET RISK
Market risk is the risk that investments will change in value based on changes in general market prices.
MARKET VALUE
The price at which a security is trading and could presumably be purchased or sold.
MASTER REPURCHASE AGREEMENT
A written contract covering all future transactions between the parties to repurchase-reverse repurchase agreements that establishes each party’s rights in the transaction. A master agreement will often specify, among other things, the right of the buyer-lender to liquidate the underlying securities in the event of default by the seller-borrower.
MATURITY
The date upon which the principal of a security becomes due and payable to the holder.
MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUND
A mutual fund with investments directed in short-term money market instruments only, which can be withdrawn daily without penalty.
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Annual Investment Policy of the Pooled Investment Fund Calendar Year 2023 __________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________
MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (MBS)
A type of asset-backed security that is secured by a mortgage or collection of mortgages. These securities must also be grouped in one of the top two ratings as determined by an accredited credit rating agency, and usually pay periodic payments that are similar to coupon payments.
MUNICIPAL BOND
Debt obligation of a state or local government entity
NEGOTIABLE CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT (NCD)
A negotiable certificate of deposit (NCD) is a certificate of deposit with a minimum face value of $100,000, and they are guaranteed by the bank and can usually be sold in a highly liquid secondary market, but they cannot be cashed in before maturity.
OPTION
A contract that provides the right, but not the obligation, to buy or to sell a specific amount of a specific security within a predetermined time period. A call option provides the right to buy the underlying security. A put option provides the right to sell the underlying security. The seller of the contracts is called the writer.
PAR
The stated maturity value, or face value, of a security.
PAR VALUE
The stated or face value of a security expressed as a specific dollar amount marked on the face of the security, the amount of money due at maturity. Par value should not be confused with market value.
PREMIUM
The amount by which the price paid for a security exceeds the security’s par value.
PRIME RATE
A preferred interest rate charged by commercial banks to their most creditworthy customers.
Many interest rates are keyed to this rate.
PRUDENT-MAN RULE
When one person is given control over another’s assets, such fiduciaries must act as a prudent man or woman would be expected to act, with discretion and intelligence, to seek reasonable income, preserve capital, and, in general, avoid speculative investments.
RANGE NOTE
A structured note that provides investors with an above market coupon, but against foregoing coupon payments when the floating rate (LIBOR, typically) breaks outside the boundaries of a specific range.
RATE OF RETURN
The yield obtainable on a security based on its purchase price or its current market price. This may be the amortized yield to maturity on a bond and the current income return.
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Annual Investment Policy of the Pooled Investment Fund Calendar Year 2023 __________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________
REPURCHASE AGREEMENT OR RP OR REPO
An agreement consisting of two simultaneous transactions whereby the investor purchases securities from a bank or dealer and the bank or dealer agrees to repurchase the securities at the same price on a certain future date. The interest rate on a RP is that which the dealer pays the investor for the use of his funds. Reverse repurchase agreements are the mirror image of the RPs when the bank or dealer purchases securities from the investor under an agreement to sell them back to the investor.
SAFEKEEPING
A service to customers rendered by banks for a fee whereby securities and valuables of all types and descriptions are held by the bank in the customer’s name.
SECURITIES LENDING
A transaction wherein the Treasurer’s Pool transfers its securities to broker/dealers and other entities for collateral which may be cash or securities and simultaneously agrees to return the collateral for the same securities in the future.
SETTLEMENT DATE
The date on which the purchase or sale of securities is executed. For example, in a purchase transaction, the day securities are physically delivered or wired to the buyer in exchange for cash is the settlement date.
STRIPs
Bonds, usually issued by the U.S. Treasury, whose two components, interest and repayment of principal, are separated and sold individually as zero-coupon bonds. Strips are an acronym for Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities.
STRUCTURED INVESTMENT VEHICLES (SIV)
A pool of investment assets that attempts to profit from credit spreads between short-term debt and long-term structured finance products such as asset-backed securities (ABS).
TRADE DATE
The date and time corresponding to an investor’s commitment to buy or sell a security.
U.S. AGENCY OBLIGATIONS
Federal agency or United States government-sponsored enterprise obligations, participants, or other instruments. The obligations are issued by or fully guaranteed as to principal and interest by federal agencies or United States government-sponsored enterprises. Issuers include:
Fannie Mae, Farmer Mac, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Freddie Mac, Federal Home Loan Banks, Financing Corporation, Tennessee Valley Authority, Resolution Trust Funding Corporation, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and PEFCO.
US INSTRUMENTALITIES
An organization that serves a public purpose and is closely tied to federal and/or state government, but is not a government agency. Many instrumentalities are private companies, and some are chartered directly by state or federal government.
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Annual Investment Policy of the Pooled Investment Fund Calendar Year 2023 __________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________
U.S. TREASURY OBLIGATIONS (TREASURIES)
Securities issued by the U.S. Treasury and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Treasuries are considered to have no credit risk and are the benchmark for interest rates on all other securities in the U.S. and overseas. The Treasury issues both discounted securities and fixed coupon notes and bonds.
WEIGHTED AVERAGE MATURITY
The remaining average maturity of all securities held in a portfolio.
YIELD
The rate of annual income return on an investment, expressed as a percentage. Yield does not include capital gains. (a) INCOME YIELD is obtained by dividing the current dollar income by the current market price for the security. (b) NET YIELD or YIELD TO MATURITY is the current income yield minus any premium above par or plus any discount from par in purchase price, with the adjustment spread over the period from the date of purchase to the date of maturity of the bond.
ZERO-COUPON BOND
A bond on which interest is not payable until maturity (or earlier redemption), but compounds periodically to accumulate to a stated maturity amount. Zero-coupon bonds are typically issued at a discount and repaid at par upon maturity.
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From: Rick Ballard
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Cc: Clerk
Subject: Public comment, council meeting item 16, City Council Priority List Date: Monday, March 18, 2024 2:51:31 PM
Dear City Council,
Regarding the City Council priority list to be reviewed this evening, I am writing to urge you to support priorities which help us achieve our climate goals and our development into a more livable city, with emphasis on cycling, pedestrianization, and public transit.
Our decarbonization objectives are critical to meeting our climate responsibilities as a first-world community.
Climate change is an existential risk; doing our part to mitigate it is our fundamental human responsibility, and must not be deferred.
A thriving mixed-use downtown is a key part to a livable city. Please preserve the priority to complete the pedestrianization of B st (both blocks). Please support other priorities which make downtown more bike- and pedestrian-friendly, support small businesses, and support housing density near transit and small business.
Increasing the use of biking, walking, and public transit are necessary for our climate goals, and are a requirement to support a livable city, benefiting resident health, small business, neighborhood cohesion, child-friend urban design, and resident happiness. Please support priorities which make this possible, including quick-build bicycle/pedestrian projects, the annual transportation review, and the bicycle and pedestrian master plans.
Thank you,
- Richard Ballard
San Mateo Resident
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From: Gary Trott 2
To: Clerk
Cc: "Gary Trott"
Subject: 2024-25 Objectives City Council mtg 3/18/24
Date: Friday, March 15, 2024 9:37:29 AM
Dear Mayor Diaz Nash, Deputy Mayor Newsom, and City Council members Loraine, Hedges and Lee:
I am writing to you regarding the City Council meeting on March 18, old business agenda topic. I urge you to formally adopt and support the following three areas of the Objectives:
1. Socially Responsible Investing Strategy
Please adopt elements of the San Mateo County, Socially responsible investment strategy, from 17-Jan-2023 page 3. Specifically, divest and no have to future investments in fossil fuels, tobacco, and guns.
2. Transportation
Encourage San Mateo residents to get out of their cars by completing the 2020 Bicycle Master Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan by funding the high and medium priority projects.
3. Decarbonization of all Buildings
Continue to support the City Council Objective:
Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030. See the nine points presented to the city council at the study session of 16- Jan-2024
Thank you for your hard work
Regards
Dr. Gary Trott
San Mateo Resident
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From: L. Eberhart
To: Clerk
Subject: 2024-25 Objectives, City Council Meeting 3/18/24 Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024 9:05:42 AM
Dear Mayor Diaz Nash, Deputy Mayor Newsom, and City Council members Loraine, Hedges and Lee:
I am writing to you regarding your City Council meeting on March 18. I urge you to formally adopt the following three areas of the Objectives:
1) Adopt the County of San Mateo investment strategy, dated January 17, 2023, specifically the Socially Responsible Investment Strategies, found on page 3 of that document.
2)
Continue to support the City Council Objective: Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030. 3) Address the nine points presented to the City Council at its study session of January 16, 2024.
To assure the success of the above objectives, we support these specific Council Priorities from its "blue sky" session on February 3:
a) Objectives 3 and 32, proposed as "Items Staff Request Retaining" . b) Priority 1 proposed by Mayor Diaz Nash.
We thank you for your hard work on the City Council Objectives for FY 2024-25 Leane Eberhart
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From: Megan Mei Zhu
To: Clerk
Subject: 2024-25 Objectives, City Council Meeting 3/18/24 Date: Friday, March 15, 2024 10:41:57 PM
Dear Mayor Diaz Nash, Deputy Mayor Newsom, and City Council members Loraine, Hedges and Lee:
I am writing to you regarding your City Council meeting on March 18. I'm a constituent of San Mateo County and work in San Mateo. I urge you to formally adopt the following three areas of the Objectives:
Socially Responsible Investing Strategy
1) Adopt the County of San Mateo investment strategy, dated January 17, 2023, specifically the Socially Responsible Investment Strategies, found on page 3 of that document. 2) Continue the City's commitment to having no investments in fossil fuels, tobacco, and guns. 3) Acknowledge that the largest banks in the United States are heavily invested in fossil fuels, and this needs to stop.
4) Acknowledge that fossil fuel investments underperform the market, are risky, and are speculative.
Transportation Improvements
In order to improve safety and encourage San Mateo residents to get out of their cars, do the following:
1) Complete the 2020 Bicycle Master Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan including full funding of all high and medium-high priority projects.
2) Support and fully fund the Complete Streets Program. 3) Support and fully fund the Local Roadway Safety Plan presented to the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on March 13, 2024.
4) Support and fully fund the improvements in the General Plan Circulation and Land Use element, to be considered by the City Council on March 18.
Decarbonization of all buildings
1) Continue to support the City Council Objective: Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030.
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2) Address the nine points presented to the City Council at its study session of January 16, 2024.
Support for City Council Objectives
To assure the success of the above objectives, we support these specific Council Priorities from its "blue sky" session on February 3:
a) Objectives 3 and 32, proposed as "Items Staff Request Retaining" . b) Priority 1 proposed by Mayor Diaz Nash.
c) Priority 1 proposed by Deputy Mayor Newsom.
d) Priorities 1 and 2 proposed by Council Member Loraine. e) Priority 1
proposed by Council Member Hedges.
f) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Lee.
Thank you for your hard work on the City Council Objectives for FY 2024-25 Megan Zhu
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From: Jayden Wan
To: Clerk
Subject: 2024-25 Objectives, City Council Meeting 3/18/24 Date: Monday, March 18, 2024 6:35:18 AM
Dear Mayor Diaz Nash, Deputy Mayor Newsom, and City Council members Loraine, Hedges and Lee:
I am writing to you regarding your City Council meeting on March 18. I urge you to formally adopt the following three areas of the Objectives:
Socially Responsible Investing Strategy
1) Adopt the County of San Mateo investment strategy, dated January 17, 2023, specifically the Socially Responsible Investment Strategies, found on page 3 of that document.
2) Continue the City's commitment to having no investments in fossil fuels, tobacco, and guns.
3) Acknowledge that the largest banks in the United States are heavily invested in fossil fuels, and this needs to stop.
4) Acknowledge that fossil fuel investments underperform the market, are risky, and are speculative.
Transportation Improvements
In order to improve safety and encourage San Mateo residents to get out of their cars, do the following:
1) Complete the 2020 Bicycle Master Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan including full funding of all high and medium-high priority projects. 2) Support and fully fund the Complete Streets Program. 3) Support and fully fund the Local Roadway Safety Plan presented to the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on March 13, 2024. 4) Support and fully fund the improvements in the General Plan Circulation and Land Use element, to be considered by the City Council on March 18.
Decarbonization of all buildings
1) Continue to support the City Council Objective: Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030. 2) Address the nine points presented to the City Council at its study session of January 16, 2024.
Support for City Council Objectives
To assure the success of the above objectives, we support these specific Council Priorities from its "blue sky" session on February 3:
a) Objectives 3 and 32, proposed as "Items Staff Request Retaining" . b) Priority 1 proposed by Mayor Diaz Nash.
c) Priority 1 proposed by Deputy Mayor Newsom.
d) Priorities 1 and 2 proposed by Council Member Loraine. e) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Hedges.
f) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Lee.
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We thank you for your hard work on the City Council Objectives for FY 2024-25.
Best,
Jayden Wan
Burlingame High School
San Mateo Youth Climate Action
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From: Robert Zhou
To: Clerk
Subject: 2024-25 Objectives, City Council Meeting 3/18/24 Date: Friday, March 15, 2024 1:25:18 PM
Dear Mayor Diaz Nash, Deputy Mayor Newsom, and City Council members Loraine, Hedges and Lee:
I am writing to you regarding your City Council meeting on March 18. For the sake of terminating pollution and improving the health of our city and world, I urge you to formally adopt the following three areas of the Objectives:
Socially Responsible
Investing Strategy
1) Adopt the County of San Mateo investment strategy, dated January 17, 2023, specifically the Socially Responsible Investment Strategies, found on page 3 of that document.
2) Continue the City's commitment to having no investments in fossil fuels, tobacco, and guns.
3) Acknowledge that the largest banks in the United States are heavily invested in fossil fuels, and this needs to stop.
4) Acknowledge that fossil fuel investments underperform the market, are risky, and are speculative.
Transportation Improvements
In order to improve safety and encourage San Mateo residents to get out of their cars, do the following:
1) Complete the 2020 Bicycle Master Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan including full funding of all high and medium-high priority projects. 2) Support and fully fund the Complete Streets Program. 3) Support and fully fund the Local Roadway Safety Plan presented to the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on March 13, 2024. 4) Support and fully fund the improvements in the General Plan Circulation and Land Use element, to be considered by the City Council on March 18.
Decarbonization of all buildings
1) Continue to support the City Council Objective: Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030. 2) Address the nine points presented to the City Council at its study session of January 16, 2024.
Support for City Council Objectives
To assure the success of the above objectives, we support these specific Council Priorities from its "blue sky" session on February 3:
a) Objectives 3 and 32, proposed as "Items Staff Request Retaining". b) Priority 1 proposed by Mayor Diaz Nash.
c) Priority 1 proposed by Deputy Mayor Newsom.
d) Priorities 1 and 2 proposed by Council Member Loraine. e) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Hedges.
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f) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Lee.
We thank you for your hard work on the City Council Objectives for FY 2024-25 Robert Zhou (he/him/his)
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From: Marty Jordan
To: Clerk
Subject: 2024-25 Objectives, City Council Meeting 3/18/2024 Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024 12:08:43 PM
I am writing to you regarding your City Council meeting on March 18. I urge you to formally adopt the following three areas of the Objectives:
Socially Responsible Investing Strategy
Adopt this strategy and please continue the City’s commitment to having no investments in fossil fuels, tobacco and guns which do nothing but bring harm.
The largest banks in the US are heavily invested in fossil fuels and this must stop.
City government investment vehicles are a great place to do this. Overall, these investments underperform in the market.
Green energy investments are much better
and reflect the City’s commitment to healthy living for its residents.
Transportation Improvements
Complete the 2020 Bicycle Master Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan including full funding of all high and medium-high
priority projects.
Support and fully fund the Complete Streets Program.
Support and fully fund the Local Roadway Safety Plan presented to the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on March 13, 2024.
Support and fully fund the improvements in the General Plan Circulation and Land Use Element.
Decarbonization of all buildings
Continue to support the City Council Objectives – Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030.
Address the nine points presented to the City Council at its study session of 1/16/2024.
Support for City Council Objectives
To ensure the success of the above, I support these specific Council Priorities from its “blue sky” session on 2/3/2024:
Objectives 3 and 32
Priorities 1 and 2
Thank you for all your hard work in equitably representing the residents of San Mateo.
Marty Jordan
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From: Belinda Chlouber
To: Clerk
Subject: 2024-25 Objectives, City Council Meeting
Date: Sunday, March 17, 2024 3:52:48 PM
Dear Mayor Diaz Nash, Deputy Mayor Newsom, and City Council members Loraine, Hedges and Lee:
I am writing to you regarding your City Council meeting on March 18. I urge you to formally adopt the following three areas of the Objectives:
Socially Responsible Investing Strategy
1) Adopt the County of San Mateo investment strategy, dated January 17, 2023, specifically the Socially Responsible Investment Strategies, found on page 3 of that document.
2) Continue the City's commitment to having no investments in fossil fuels, tobacco, and guns.
3) Acknowledge that the largest banks in the United States are heavily invested in fossil fuels, and this needs to stop.
4) Acknowledge that fossil fuel investments underperform the market, are risky, and are speculative.
Transportation Improvements
In order to improve safety and encourage San Mateo residents to get out of their cars, do the following:
1) Complete the 2020 Bicycle Master Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan including full funding of all high and medium-high
priority projects.
2) Support and fully fund the Complete Streets Program. 3) Support and fully fund the
Local Roadway Safety Plan presented to the
Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on March 13, 2024. 4) Support and fully fund the improvements in the General Plan Circulation and Land Use element, to be considered by the City Council on March 18.
Decarbonization of all buildings
1) Continue to support the City Council Objective: Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030. 2) Address the nine points presented to the City Council at its study session of January 16, 2024.
Support for City Council Objectives
To assure the success of the above objectives, we support these specific Council Priorities from its "blue sky" session on February 3:
a) Objectives 3 and 32, proposed as "Items Staff Request Retaining" . b) Priority 1 proposed by Mayor Diaz Nash.
c) Priority 1 proposed by Deputy Mayor Newsom.
d) Priorities 1 and 2 proposed by Council Member Loraine. e) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Hedges.
f) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Lee.
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From: Wendy Chou
To: Clerk
Subject: Clean and healthy fossil-free buildings, transportation, and investing Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024 2:50:11 PM
Dear Mayor Diaz Nash, Deputy Mayor Newsom, and City Council members Loraine, Hedges and Lee:
Thank you very much for inviting San Mateans to participate during the process of recognizing the City Council's Objectives. I appreciate the sense of community- oriented inclusion — for example, being able to attend the "Blue Sky" meeting where many ideas were proposed. I would like to highlight what are, to me, the three most important areas of interest:
Socially Responsible
Investing Strategy
1) Adopt the County of San Mateo investment strategy (January 17, 2023), specifically the Socially Responsible Investment Strategies, found on p. 3 of that document.
2) Continue the City's commitment to having no investments in fossil fuels, tobacco, and guns.
3) Acknowledge that the largest banks in the United States are heavily invested in fossil fuels, and this needs to stop.
4) Acknowledge that fossil fuel investments underperform the market, are risky, and are speculative.
Reason: I would like to see San Mateo support the much broader (and growing) movement across the U.S. and world to invest responsibly and in a manner consistent with long-term sustainability.
Transportation Improvements
In order to improve safety and encourage San Mateo residents to get out of their cars, do the following:
1) Complete the 2020 Bicycle Master Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan including full funding of all high and medium-high
priority projects.
2) Support and fully fund the Complete Streets Program. 3) Support and fully fund the
Local Roadway Safety Plan presented to the
Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on March 13, 2024. 4) Support and fully fund the improvements in the General Plan Circulation and Land Use element, to be considered by the City Council on March 18.
Reason: Streets that encourage less automotive transport are SAFER streets for all.
During the pandemic, people realized that it was more enjoyable to use streets for activities like walking, biking, and dining — not just driving.
Decarbonization of all buildings
1) Continue to support the City Council Objective: Establish policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure and eliminate methane gas use by 2030. 2) Address the nine points presented to the City Council at its study session of
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January 16, 2024.
Reason: This issue is the most important one facing our city. We can't go backwards into the fossil fuel past. We need to embrace clean energy and electrification, starting with buildings.
Support for City Council Objectives
To assure the success of the above objectives, we support these specific Council Priorities from its "blue sky" session on February 3:
a) Objectives 3 and 32, proposed as "Items Staff Request Retaining" . b) Priority 1 proposed by Mayor Diaz Nash.
c) Priority 1 proposed by Deputy Mayor Newsom.
d) Priorities 1 and 2 proposed by Council Member Loraine. e) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Hedges.
f) Priority 1 proposed by Council Member Lee.
Thank you for your diligence on advancing City Council's Objectives for FY 2024-25 and I look forward to the final result.
Sincerely,
Wendy Chou
Resident of San Mateo
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