GENERAL PLAN HEIGHT AND INTENSITY
STANDARDS
Measure Y is a ballot measure that was passed by voters in November 2020. It retained the existing height, density and intensity limits on new development that were originally adopted under earlier ballot measures (Measure H in 1991 and Measure P in 2004), and has a sunset date of 2030. Overall, the Measure Y height limit is set to 55 feet and three to five stories, the density limit allows up to 50 units per acre and the nonresidential intensity allows up to a 3.0 floor area ratio (FAR). The height, density and intensity limits allow for exceptions in certain locations with provision of public benefits, and State Density Bonus law allows projects to exceed these limits when certain percentages of affordable units are provided.
General Plan Land Use Designations and
Land Use Map
The General Plan land use designations are grouped into the following categories: Residential, Mixed-Use, Commercial, Office, Parks and Open Space, Public Facilities, Quasi-Public Facilities, and Utilities.
The land use designations identify the locations in the city where specific types of land uses may occur. The designations are meant to be broad enough to give the City flexibility, but also provide clear enough direction to achieve the vision of the General Plan. Figure LU-1 shows where each land use designation is applied within San Mateo.
The General Plan provides the overall parameters of density and intensity for urban land use designations, but each project must also comply with the specific rules of the relevant zoning district in the City’s Zoning Code.
Residential densities for the land use designations are expressed in terms of dwelling units per acre (du/ac). Building heights are expressed by the number of stories. Building intensities for nonresidential uses are expressed in terms of floor-area ratio (FAR), which is the ratio of gross building floor area to net lot area, both expressed in square feet. For example, on a site with 10,000 square feet of land area, a FAR of 1.0 will allow 10,000 gross square feet of building floor area to be built. On the same site, a FAR of 2.0 would allow 20,000 square feet of floor area. FAR does not regulate building placement, form, or height, only the spatial relationship between building size and lot size; it represents an expectation of the overall intensity of future development. Figure LU-2 shows a visual representation of the relationship between height and FAR.
The maximum density assigned to each land use designation does not constitute entitlement, nor are property owners or developers guaranteed that an individual project, when tested against the General Plan’s policies, will be able or permitted to achieve these maximums.
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FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR)
5-story building
covers entire lot
7-story building
covers entire lot
with smaller
upper stories
9-story building
covers three quarters
of a lot with smaller
upper stories
3-story building
covers entire lot
5-story building
covers entire lot
with smaller
upper stories
6-story building
covers half a lot
1-story building
covers entire lot
2-story building
covers half a lot
4-story building
covers quarter
of a lot
FAR 1.0
FAR 3.0
FAR 5.0
Figure LU-2 Floor Area Ratio and Height
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Some of the land use designations in the ten study areas shown on Figure I-1 include building heights, densities and FARs that exceed the limits set by Measure Y . Any components in the General Plan that are inconsistent with Measure Y will require voter approval before they can take effect. If voters approve a ballot measure to allow the heights, denisities and intensities that exceed the limits set by Measure Y , those higher limits would only apply within the ten study areas. The areas outside of the ten study areas would still be subject to the height, density, and intensity limits of Measure Y . As required by law, for the duration that Measure Y is in effect, any inconsistency between the measure and other provisions of the Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040 shall default to the provisions specified in Measure Y , as stated in Policy LU 1-9.
Table LU-1 lists land use designations and their density, intensity (FAR), height limit, and description of uses that can occur in the designation. The density ranges in Table LU-1 establish a maximum density. The lower end of the density range is not a required minimum density.
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Designation
Maximum
Density
Range
(Residential
Uses)*
Intensity/
Maximum
FAR
(Nonresi-
dential uses)
Height
Limit Description
Residential
Residential Very
Low
Up to 9
du/ac n/a 1-3 stories
This designation allows very low-density residential dwellings, such as detached single-family homes, detached townhouses and duplexes, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
Residential
Low I
9 to 19
du/ac n/a 1-3 stories
This designation allows low-density residential dwellings, such as townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, low rise condominium and apartment buildings, and ADUs.
Residential
Low II
20 to 35
du/ac n/a 2-4 stories
This designation allows lower-density residential and multifamily dwellings, such as townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, condominiums, and apartments.
Residential
Medium I
36 to 50
du/ac n/a 3-5 stories This designation allows medium-density multifamily dwellings, such as townhomes, condominiums, and apartments.
Residential
Medium II
51 to 99
du/ac n/a 4-6 stories
This designation allows medium-density multifamily residential dwellings, such as condominiums and apartments, near mixed-use, office, and/or commercial areas. This designation can also be found along major streets, such as El Camino Real and near residential low or residential high areas of the city.
Residential High 100 to 130
du/ac n/a 5-8 stories
This designation allows higher-density multifamily residential dwellings, such as condominiums and apartments, in Downtown, in proximity to Caltrain stations, and along major streets, such as El Camino Real.
Mixed-Use
Mixed-Use
Low
10 to 35
du/ac 2.0 2-4 stories
This designation allows low-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 I
15 to 50
du/ac 3.0 3-5 stories
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
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.
Table LU-1 Land Use Designations
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Designation
Maximum
Density
Range
(Residential
Uses)*
Intensity/
Maximum
FAR
(Nonresi-
dential uses)
Height
Limit Description
Mixed-Use High 100 to 130
du/ac 4.5 5-8 stories
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.
Commercial
Neighborhood
Commercial
Up to 19
du/ac 1.0 1-3 stories
This designation is intended for a mix of neighborhood-serving commercial uses that include small-scale retail stores and other commercial uses that serve the immediate neighborhood, such as grocery stores and pharmacies. Typical commercial uses include supermarkets, bakeries, drugstores, restaurants, delicatessens, barber shops, hair salons, laundromats, hardware stores, dry cleaners, small offices, and other personal services. Residential may also be allowed above the ground floor .
Service
Commercial/
Light Industrial
n/a 1.0 1-3 stories
This designation is intended for a wide range of service commercial and light industrial facilities. Examples of uses in this land use include facilities that provide city-wide and regional services, such as auto repair services, building material yards, overnight boarding of animals, and industrial uses with light manufacturing, warehousing, and/ or distribution facilities. These uses do not necessarily benefit from being in high-volume pedestrian areas, such as shopping centers or Downtown and can instead be found along North and South Amphlett Ave, and portions of South Claremont St, Railroad Ave and Palm Ave.
New residential uses are not allowed.
Regional
Commercial
Up to 50
du/ac 1.5 1-3 stories
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.
Office
Office Low Up to 35
du/ac 1.0 1-2 stories
This designation is intended for low-density office uses, such as medical, administrative, or professional offices. Supportive uses, including personal services, restaurants, health clubs, residential, day care, and limited retail sales are permitted. Research facilities that support the development of new products and may include professional uses, manufacturing, laboratories, and/or maker’s spaces in the same building or site may be permitted depending on the type and intensity of the use.
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Designation
Maximum
Density
Range
(Residential
Uses)*
Intensity/
Maximum
FAR
(Nonresi-
dential uses)
Height
Limit Description
Office Medium Up to 50
du/ac 2.0 2-4 stories
This designation is intended for medium-density office uses, such as medical, administrative, or professional offices. Supportive uses, including personal services, restaurants, health clubs, residential, day care, and limited retail sales are permitted. Research facilities that support the development of new products and may include professional uses, manufacturing, laboratories, and/or maker’s spaces in the same building or site may be permitted depending on the type and intensity of the use.
Office High Up to 130
du/ac 3.0 3-5 stories
This designation is intended for high-density office uses, such as medical, administrative, or professional offices, and for research and science facilities that support the development of new products and may include professional uses, manufacturing, laboratories, and/or maker’s spaces in the same building or site. Supportive uses including personal services, restaurants, health clubs, residential, day care, and limited retail sales are permitted.
Other Designations
Parks and Open
Space n/a n/a n/a
This designation is intended for public parks, City-owned conservation lands, and private open space or recreation facilities. Parks and open space areas can be found throughout the city and are important to preserve because they provide community members with access to nature, encourage healthy lifestyles, and support a mixture of active and passive recreation opportunities.
Public Facilities n/a
See Zoning
District or
Specific Plans
for maximum
FAR
n/a
This designation is intended for facilities owned and/or operated by the City or other governmental agencies, such as City Hall, libraries, public school sites, San Mateo County’s Event Center, and the public parking lots in Downtown.
Quasi-Public Up to 20
du/ac
See Zoning
District or
Specific Plans
for maximum
FAR
1-3 stories
This designation is intended for facilities owned and/or operated by quasi-public agencies and organizations, such as schools and faith-based organization facilities. Examples of these facilities include St. Matthew Catholic Church and the Nueva School. Ancillary residential uses, with a focus on affordable housing, may also be allowed when aligned with the organization’s mission or to provide employee housing.
Utilities n/a n/a n/a
This designation is intended for facilities owned and/or operated by public utilities to serve the public with electricity, gas, water, and communications. Examples of uses in this designation include electricity substations, water tank sites, and the sewer treatment plant.
Transportation
Corridor n/a n/a n/a
Fixed transit lines along the railroad corridor that provide mass transportation. Portions of the railroad corridor not required for transportation purposes may be considered for other uses. *Note: Table LU-1 establishes the maximum allowed density range for this land use designation, with associated Zoning district setting a maximum density within this range; but this range does not set a minimum required density.
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BALANCED AND EQUITABLE GROWTH AND
PRESERVATION
It is important to plan future development and growth in the city in a way that maximizes efficient use of available land and infrastructure; limits adverse impacts to the environment; and improves social, economic, environmental, and health equity. The General Plan itself does not mandate change, but over time, change will occur based on market forces and the decisions of property owners. Climate change will also likely influence land use changes over the next 20 years in ways that are not currently fully known, which is why sustainability is a key theme throughout the General Plan.
Over the lifetime of this General Plan, the areas that are likely to change in the city include the El Camino Real corridor, Downtown, Hayward Park Caltrain station area, Hillsdale Mall and the surrounding Hillsdale Caltrain station area, and older shopping centers and office parks. The Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040 includes policies and actions that promote transit-oriented development around the Caltrain stations; encourages residential and mixed uses along El Camino Real; prioritizes a wide range of residential, lodging, restaurant, leisure, recreational, cultural, and other commercial uses in Downtown; and supports incorporating a mix of housing, shopping, services, and jobs into older shopping centers to create vibrant neighborhoods.
The Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040 also encourages innovative urban design approaches for Downtown, inspired by Barcelona’s “superblocks,” that focus on vehicle access at the periphery and reducing cut-through vehicle traffic to create pedestrian-focused, car-light spaces downtown. The Circulation Element adds more detail about the superblock concept and pedestrian improvements.
In addition to the General Plan, San Mateo has other plans that guide future development in specific areas of the city, including specific plans, master plans, and area plans. The City’s existing specific plans, area plans, and master plans are shown on Figure LU-3. This figure also identifies two areas – Bel Mateo and 25th Avenue – that are opportunities for future focused planning efforts. This section is focused on balancing growth through land use. Policy direction on maintaining and improving the transportation network as the city grows can be found in the Circulation Element.
GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
GOAL LU-1 Plan carefully for balanced growth that provides ample housing that is affordable at all levels and job opportunities for all community members; maximizes efficient use of infrastructure; limits adverse impacts to the environment; and improves social, economic, environmental, and health equity.
POLICIES
Policy LU 1.1 Equitable Development. Prioritize development projects that meet social and economic needs of the economically vulnerable populations to address and reverse the underlying socioeconomic factors in the community that contribute to residential and social segregation in the city. Provide a range of housing types, sizes, and affordability levels in all San Mateo neighborhoods.
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Policy LU 1.2 General Plan 2040 Maximum Development. Maintain the City’s ability to rely on the General Plan EIR to approve future discretionary actions. When approved development within City Limits and unincorporated properties within the Sphere of Influence reaches the number of new residential units and net new nonresidential square feet below, require that environmental review conducted for any subsequent development project address growth impacts that would occur from further development:
• 19,764 new dwelling units
• 3,186,000 square feet of new nonresidential floor area When approved nonresidential development reaches half of the anticipated development, evaluate the citywide jobs-housing balance.
1 Policy LU 1.3 Optimize Development Opportunities. Encourage new development in major commercial and transit-oriented development areas, including the Downtown, Caltrain station areas, and the El Camino Real corridor, to maximize the density and intensity specified in the Land Use Plan and to efficiently use land and infrastructure resources.
Policy LU 1.4 Mixed-Use. Encourage mixed-use developments to include increased residential components to provide greater proximity between jobs and housing, promote pedestrian activity, and reduce traffic congestion and vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
Policy LU 1.5 Surplus Land. Consider redesignating City-owned land not required for public services, facilities, or infrastructure for development of affordable housing.
Policy LU 1.6 Legal Nonconforming Developments. Allow legally established nonconforming uses and buildings to be maintained, have minor expansions where appropriate, and be reconstructed if destroyed by fire or natural disaster. Encourage reconstruction and/or minor expansions to have a design that is visually compatible with surrounding development and complies with the City’s development standards.
1 The General Plan Update Draft EIR (August 2023) analyzed a buildout potential of 21,410 new dwelling units and 4,325,000 square feet of new nonresidential floor area. During the public review period for the Draft General Plan 2040 and Draft EIR, changes were incorporated into the final adopted General Plan that reduced the residential and nonresidential development capacity. This policy reflects the reduced amounts, as acknowledged in the General Plan Update Final EIR (January 2024).
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Source: City of San Mateo, 2022; ESRI, 2022; PlaceWorks, 2023.
Note: This map is included for informational purposes and is not adopted as part of this General Plan.
Figure LU-3 Specific Plan, Master Plan, and Area Plans
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Policy LU 1.7 Annexation. Annex urbanized areas of the unincorporated land adjacent to the City Limits where landowners petition the City to be annexed, subject to the following conditions:
• The annexation is comprehensive, rather than piecemeal; and • Landowners will pay the full cost of City services, will assume a proportionate share of existing City debts, and will contribute to the existing capital improvements of the City, which will benefit the area to be annexed.
Policy LU 1.8 New Development within the Sphere of Influence. Work with the County of San Mateo to require new developments and related infrastructure within the Sphere of Influence to be consistent with the City’s General Plan, Zoning Code requirements, and development standards.
Policy LU 1.9 Voter-Approved Growth Limits. As required by law, for the duration that Measure Y is in effect, any inconsistency between the measure and other provisions of the General Plan’s Land Use Element shall default to the provisions specified in Measure Y.
ACTION
Action LU 1.10 Review of New Development. Track actual growth of both new housing units and net new nonresidential floor area annually, and review every two to three years. Use this information to monitor nonresidential floor area and housing units in San Mateo and to adjust this General Plan, infrastructure plans, and circulation plans, as necessary, if actual growth is exceeding projections. When approved nonresidential development reaches half of the anticipated development, evaluate the citywide jobs-housing balance.
GOAL LU-2 Balance well-designed development with thoughtful preservation.
POLICIES
Policy LU 2.1 Development Intensity/Density. Regulate development density/intensity to recognize natural environmental constraints, such as floodplains, earthquake faults, debris flow areas and other hazards, availability of urban services, and transportation and circulation constraints.
Policy LU 2.2 Caltrain Stations and El Camino Real Minimum Densities. Require new residential development within a half mile of a Caltrain station or within one block of the El Camino Real corridor to meet the minimum density established by the applied land use designation and encourage new development to achieve maximum density.
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Policy LU 2.3 Community Benefits. Develop a framework to allow density/intensity bonuses and concessions in exchange for the provision of community benefits, such as additional affordable housing, increased open space, public plazas or recreational facilities, subsidized retail space for small businesses, subsidized community space for nonprofits that provide community support services or childcare facilities, pedestrian and multimodal safety improvements, and/or off-site infrastructure improvements above minimum requirements. • The framework shall allow for nonresidential development (office and commercial) within ¼-mile of the Hayward Park and Hillsdale Caltrain stations to have heights up to eight-stories when commensurate community benefits are provided.
Policy LU 2.4 Clustering. Encourage clustered development where benefits to natural ecology, habitat conservation, and/or preservation of historic resources can be achieved.
ACTION
Action LU 2.5 Community Benefits Dashboard. Create an online public portal that highlights the community benefits derived from new development projects, such as payment of in-lieu fees, contribution to the childcare fund, contribution to the public art fund, and other benefits to improve and standardize communication about new development projects and their benefits.
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A DIVERSE RANGE OF LAND USES
To help keep San Mateo a great place to live, work, visit, and raise a family, it is important to plan for a diverse range of land uses that support one another . Placing housing, job centers, shopping, and eating areas close together and near transit encourages people to live, work, play, and shop without needing a car to travel between destinations. Commercial centers and an active Downtown provide a space where people can work, recreate, and build community through cultural and entertainment events while also supporting the city’s fiscal health.
The Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040 includes land use designations and policies that concentrate higher- density residential, mixed-use, office, and commercial uses in and around Downtown, along the El Camino Real corridor or within a half mile from a Caltrain station. It also supports locating and preserving certain commercial uses, such as convenience retail or grocery stores, adjacent to residential neighborhoods, which encourages walkability and increases access to healthy foods. This General Plan supports the development of office buildings and business parks that facilitate transit, pedestrian, and bicycle commutes. It also promotes parks, open space, cultural venues and recreational facilities, and community gathering spaces for all members of the San Mateo community. For background information and policies about parks, open space, and recreational facilities, please refer to the Conservation, Open Space and Recreation Element.
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GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
GOAL LU-3 Provide a wide range of land uses, including housing, parks, open space, recreation, retail, commercial services, office, and industrial to adequately meet the full spectrum of needs in the community.
POLICIES
Policy LU 3.1 Housing Diversity. Promote safe, attractive, and walkable residential neighborhoods with diverse types and sizes of homes for individuals, families, and households of all income levels.
Policy LU 3.2 Commercial Development. Encourage development that builds on the strengths and unique qualities of existing neighborhoods and provides appropriate transition in terms of intensity of use, height, bulk, and design. Require commercial development adjacent to residential areas to appropriately address circulation, traffic, truck loading, trash/recycling, noise, visual impacts, public safety, hazardous materials storage, fire safety, air pollutant emissions, and odors in a way that minimizes impacts on neighboring uses.
Policy LU 3.3 Neighborhood Commercial and Service Uses. Encourage the preservation of local-serving commercial retail and service uses in neighborhood shopping districts and adjacent to residential neighborhoods, including as part of new mixed-use development.
Policy LU 3.4 Neighborhood Commercial Preservation. Support neighborhood serving shopping area vibrancy and maintain commercial concentrations by encouraging new development to retain existing ground floor retail and commercial uses, to continue to meet the needs of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Policy LU 3.5 Support Service Uses. Encourage businesses that provide a variety of services, such as restaurants, child care facilities, medical clinics, gyms, pharmacies, hardware stores, and grocery stores in locations that serve residential neighborhoods and commercial/office uses. Prioritize the development of these services in equity priority communities in the city.
Policy LU 3.6 Service Commercial/Light Industrial. Retain service commercial and light industrial uses in San Mateo to support local businesses and to meet the needs of residents locally. Preserve properties that are zoned for service commercial uses and discourage uses that are allowed elsewhere in the city from locating in service commercial and light industrial areas.
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 3.8 Visitor Economy. Collaborate with other Peninsula cities and the San Mateo County/ Silicon Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau to support the continued development of the visitor economy of both the city and the region, including lodging, entertainment, cultural, recreation, retail, and local events; encourage uses that attract visitors. Incentivize through fee reduction and visitor perks, sustainable modes of travel to and from the city to reduce both the use of air travel and gas-powered vehicles.
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Policy LU 3.9 Workplaces. Develop office buildings and business parks to facilitate transit, pedestrian, and bicycle commutes. Provide compact development, mixed uses, and connectivity to transit to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
Policy LU 3.10 Office Park Evolution. Support the transition of single-use office parks into mixed-use districts that include residential, retail, office, services, and/or parks and open space. Within an office site that is redeveloping as mixed-use, locate offices and commercial space closest to high-volume roadways and locate new residential uses and outdoor spaces as far as possible from high-volume roadways.
Policy LU 3.11 Community Gathering Places. Provide and maintain inviting public spaces and streets that provide space for all members of the San Mateo community to meet, gather, and enjoy.
Policy LU 3.12 Publicly Accessible Spaces. Integrate a variety of privately owned and maintained publicly accessible spaces into new development. Spaces should be safe, welcoming, easy to access, and include signage that clearly identifies these spaces as publicly accessible.
Policy LU 3.13 Cultural Facilities and Public Art. Recognize cultural facilities, entertainment events, performing arts, and public art as part of a healthy and thriving community. Use funds from the City’s art in-lieu fee to enhance existing public art and cultural facilities and encourage new facilities that reflect the character and identity of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Policy LU 3.14 School Site Reuse. Encourage the school district to prioritize affordable housing and community recreation needs when a school site is planned for reuse or redevelopment, in accordance with the priorities in the Housing Element and Conservation, Open Space, and Recreation Element.
Policy LU 3.15 Residential Uses to Support Institutions. Support the development of housing at quasi-public institutions such as schools, churches, and other facilities of an educational, religious, charitable, or philanthropic nature, consistent with the mission of these organizations. Encourage the development of ancillary residential uses when aligned with the organization’s mission or to provide housing for employees.
Policy LU 3.16 Public Facilities. Encourage reuse or redevelopment of public facilities to residential and/ or recreational uses that provide a public benefit to the community, such as community gardens.
Policy LU 3.17 Peninsula Golf and Country Club. Support the retention of the existing club and recreation use. If the site is redeveloped, residential development that is compatible with adjacent uses in terms of density and intensity should be encouraged.
ACTIONS
Action LU 3.18 Permitted Uses. Re-evaluate the types of commercial uses that are permitted and that require a special-use permit in all commercial districts to ensure requirements are forward looking and aligned with current economic needs and trends.
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Action LU 3.19 Major Institutions/Special Facilities. Work with relevant agencies and organizations to support the long-term viability of major institutions and special facilities that provide important recreational, educational, or medical services, such as the San Mateo County Events Center, College of San Mateo, San Mateo County Hospital, Mills Health Center, and Peninsula Golf and Country Club. Require a Specific Plan and/or Master Plan to guide reuse or redevelopment of institutions and special facilities when appropriate.
FOCUSED PLANNING AREAS
This section focuses on three specific areas around the city – Downtown, the El Camino Real Corridor, and the Hillsdale Station Area. These areas are near transit and are designated for future growth and change in this General Plan as well as in other adopted planning documents:
• The Downtown Area Plan, adopted in 2003 and revised in 2009, covers about 70 blocks traditionally known as Downtown, plus the area known as the Gateway and portions of adjacent neighborhoods.
This plan pertains to new Downtown development and focuses on preserving existing Downtown resources and enhancing its vitality and activity while also maintaining a sense of place. • The El Camino Real Master Plan , adopted in 2001, provides guidance on streetscape, design guidelines, and implementation strategies for the future of the El Camino Real corridor, from State Route 92 to the Belmont city border.
• The Hillsdale Station Area Plan , adopted in 2011, is the guiding document for the Hillsdale Station Area that sets forth the regulatory framework, goals, and policies to transform the area surrounding the Hillsdale Caltrain station into a sustainable, pedestrian-oriented transit hub.
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This General Plan includes additional policy guidance to help plan for the growth and change that is anticipated and encouraged in these three focused planning areas. Policy guidance focused on historic resources, city image, and the design of mixed-use and commercial areas can be found in the Community Design and Historic Resources Element. The Circulation Element also includes policies focused on promoting walking and multi-modal transportation improvements in Downtown and facilitating efficient travel and pedestrian safety along the El Camino Real corridor . It also includes policy guidance for transit stations, including the Hillsdale Station.
GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
Downtown
GOAL LU-4 Maintain downtown San Mateo as the economic, cultural, and social center of the community.
POLICIES
Policy LU 4.1 Downtown Land Uses. Allow and prioritize a wide range of residential, dining, cultural, entertainment, lodging, and other commercial uses downtown, at high intensities and densities, with strong multi-modal connectivity to the San Mateo Caltrain station and other transit.
Policy LU 4.2 Quality of Downtown Development. Promote quality design of all new development that recognizes the regional and historical importance of Downtown San Mateo and strengthens its pedestrian-friendly, historic, and transit-oriented character.
Policy LU 4.3 Significant Historic Structures. Protect key landmarks, historic structures, and the historic character of Downtown, as defined in the Community Design and Historic Resources Element.
ACTIONS
Action LU 4.4 Downtown Area Plan. Update the Downtown Area Plan to support and strengthen the Downtown as a vibrant and active commercial, cultural, entertainment, and community gathering district. The updated Downtown Area Plan shall align with the General Plan, integrate recommendations from other concurrent City efforts, focus growth and intensity in proximity to the Caltrain station, encourage superblock concepts or approaches and allow parklets, update parking standards and parking management strategies, allow for increased housing units and density, and support high-quality, pedestrian-oriented design and architecture.
Action LU 4.5 Downtown Special Events. Sponsor and support Downtown activities and events that brings Downtown to life, attracts residents and visitors, promotes local businesses, creates inclusive community gatherings, and provides information to residents about City initiatives and services.
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El Camino Real Corridor
GOAL LU-5 Promote residential and mixed land uses along El Camino Real to strengthen its role as both a local and regional corridor.
POLICIES
Policy LU 5.1 Housing on El Camino Real. Encourage new residential uses along El Camino Real as part of both pure residential and mixed-use development to diversify the existing commercial character.
Policy LU 5.2 El Camino Real Landscaping. Retain the general residential and landscaped character of El Camino Real north of Tilton Avenue. Promote the visual upgrading of El Camino Real south of 9th Avenue through increased landscaping, coordination of public improvements, property maintenance, and sign control, and through conformance with the El Camino Real Master Plan or a future consolidated Corridor Plan per Action LU 5-3.
ACTION
Action LU 5.3 El Camino Real Corridor Plan. Prepare a Corridor Plan for El Camino Real that assembles existing planning documents for the corridor into a single comprehensive plan that implements the El Camino Real policies in General Plan 2040.
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Hillsdale Station Area
GOAL LU-6 Promote transit-oriented development around the Hillsdale Caltrain station.
POLICIES
Policy LU 6.1 Rail Corridor Transit-Oriented Development Plan (Rail Corridor Plan). Continue to implement the Rail Corridor Plan to allow, encourage, and provide guidance for the creation of world-class transit-oriented, mixed-use development (TOD) within a half-mile radius of the Hillsdale and Hayward Park Caltrain stations, while maintaining and improving the quality of life for those who already live and work in the area.
Policy LU 6.2 Hillsdale Shopping Center. Allow redevelopment of the Hillsdale Shopping Center for a mix of uses, including commercial, retail, office, hotel, and residential uses. Update the Hillsdale Station Area Plan or require preparation of a master development plan to ensure the site is developed comprehensively and provides appropriate transitions to the adjacent neighborhoods.
ACTION
Action LU 6.3 Hillsdale Station Area Plan. Update the Hillsdale Station Area Plan to foster higher- density residential, office and mixed-use, transit-oriented development that connects to neighborhoods to the east and west, improves bicycle and pedestrian connectivity west of the station, and increases park and open space areas.
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SHOPPING AREAS IN TRANSITION
Over the lifetime of this General Plan, some older shopping centers in the city are likely to change as old formats of brick-and-mortar retail evolve. The Hillsdale Mall, Bridgepointe Shopping Center, and Bel Mateo commercial area (Olympic Village) are three areas around the city that appear likely to experience meaningful transition over the next 20 years. Since these shopping areas provide neighborhood-serving uses that support nearby residences, the intent of this section is to support preservation while allowing for transition to a different mix of housing, shopping, services, and jobs. Policy guidance for other neighborhood shopping areas is contained under Goal LU-3 and policies related to the Hillsdale Mall are under Goal LU-6.
Policies focused on the design of mixed-use and commercial areas can be found in the Community Design and Historic Resources Element.
GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
GOAL LU-7 Support the transition of shopping areas designated for new uses into vibrant districts with a range of housing, shopping, services, and jobs.
POLICY
Policy LU 7.1 Shopping Areas in Transition. Support the long-term viability of shopping centers and districts that provide neighborhood-serving uses by allowing these sites to redevelop with higher-density, mixed-use development that includes restaurants, services, other commercial uses, housing, and open space, while preserving core neighborhood-serving uses.
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ACTIONS
Action LU 7.2 Bridgepointe Area Plan. Update and consolidate the Bridgepointe Master Plan and Mariner’s Island Specific Plan into one planning document to guide redevelopment of the Bridgepointe Shopping Center and the surrounding properties into a mixed-use neighborhood that maintains its regional retail component while developing a diverse range of housing types, including affordable housing; new parks and recreational facilities; community gathering places; ample facilities to support transit, bicycling, and walking; and a range of businesses and services. The plan shall include safe access for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders from Bridgepoint to the City’s transit corridors, such as Caltrain and El Camino Real.
Action LU 7.3 Bel Mateo Area Plan. Prepare a Specific Plan or Master Plan to guide redevelopment of the Bel Mateo area into a mixed-use neighborhood with a diverse range of neighborhood- serving commercial uses and amenities; new market-rate and affordable housing; ample facilities to support bicycling and walking; and publicly accessible park and open space areas.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
The Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040 includes policies and actions that support the equitable distribution of resources and opportunities and reduce the impacts of environmental hazards in the areas of the city that experience the highest levels of pollution and negative health outcomes, such as asthma and low birth weight babies, as well as the greatest social and economic disadvantages, such as poverty and housing instability. This General Plan uses the term equity priority community for these neighborhoods and focuses on improving environmental justice and public health for the people who live in these communities by promoting meaningful community engagement and prioritizing improvements that address their needs.
During the development of this General Plan, the City identified two equity priority communities using local knowledge and CalEnviroScreen: North Central and North Shoreview/Shoreview. Figure I-5 in Chapter 1, Introduction, shows the location of these communities and provides more context about the health and socioeconomic issues affecting residents in these neighborhoods.
This section includes policy guidance focused on improving community health and access to healthy foods, with specific policies focused on the identified equity priority communities. State law allows cities and counties to address environmental justice either by adopting a stand-alone Environmental Justice Element or by incorporating environmental justice goals, policies, and actions into other elements. This General Plan takes the approach of incorporating environmental justice goals, policies, and actions into all of its elements; therefore, policies and actions focused on environmental justice can also be found throughout the Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040. Safe and sanitary housing, as required by Senate Bill (SB) 1000, is addressed in the Housing Element. Please refer to the Housing Element for housing-related programs that are focused on equity priority communities.
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In addition to policies and actions that the City will implement through the Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040 and other City plans, other agencies and organizations, such as the County of San Mateo, nonprofits, and religious groups, also provide resources and help to support equity priority communities. It is important to note that the State regularly updates CalEnviroScreen, and new data sources may become available. The equity priority communities mapped in this General Plan may change as conditions change.
GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
GOAL LU-8 Support the equitable health and well-being of all neighborhoods in San Mateo and all members of the San Mateo community by improving conditions in equity priority communities.
Community Health
POLICY
Policy LU 8.1 Prioritizing Community Health. Continue to support the physical and mental health and well-being in equity priority communities by prioritizing public safety, resolving land use conflicts and incompatible uses that pose risks to health or safety, remediating contamination, and enforcing building code standards.
ACTIONS
Action LU 8.2 Collaborations for Community Health. Develop intentional, strategic, and mutually beneficial relationships with organizations engaged in improving health and well-being, reducing environmental health disparities, expanding access to affordable quality healthcare and mental healthcare, and mitigating negative environmental health hazards.
Encourage greater emphasis on expanding or improving health services, including mental health services, in equity priority communities.
Action LU 8.3 Health Disparities. Coordinate with the San Mateo County Public Health Department to promote healthier communities through education, prevention, intervention programs, and other activities that address the health disparities and inequities that exist in San Mateo.
Action LU 8.4 City Investment. Use funds from the park impact fee and other sources to invest in programs and public improvements that connect residents with opportunities to increase their physical activity and improve their physical and mental health, especially in equity priority communities with higher risk of negative public health outcomes. Identify new funding sources for programs and public improvements, if needed.
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Equity Priority Communities
POLICIES
Policy LU 8.5 Community Preservation. Prevent displacement in equity priority communities by protecting tenants, helping homeowners remain in place, and funding affordable housing.
Policy LU 8.6 Safe and Sanitary Homes. Encourage homes and neighborhoods that are free of environmental health hazards.
Policy LU 8.7 Access to Parks and Recreation. Provide attractive, comfortable, and safe pedestrian and cyclist access to public parks and recreational facilities in and near equity priority communities.
ACTIONS
Action LU 8.8 Streetscape and Safety Improvements. Work with residents in equity priority communities to identify sidewalk, lighting, landscaping, and roadway improvements needed to improve routes to parks, schools, recreation facilities, and other destinations within the community.
Prioritize investments that address health disparities in equity priority communities in the annual Capital Improvement Program.
Action LU 8.9 Equity Priority Community Mapping. Regularly update the map identifying equity priority communities with data from CalEnviroScreen or other sources, including information from community members.
Action LU 8.10 Equity Priority Communities Plan. Prepare a plan for the equity priority communities that addresses the needs of each community, including health, safety, and improved circulation with community input. The plan shall seek to ensure the streets in each community are measurably safe, include ADA accessibility, and have adequate on-street parking. Changes included in the plan shall be developed and enacted with the expressed purpose of improving health, safety, and welfare of the members of each community.
Action LU 8.11 City Services. Work with residents in equity priority communities to improve services provided by the City or other partners related to safety, sanitation, and security in these neighborhoods.
Action LU 8.12 Neighborhood Beautification. Support and promote neighborhood clean-up and beautification initiatives in equity priority communities, including street tree planting and maintenance, through partnerships with neighborhood organizations.
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Access to Healthy Food
POLICIES
Policy LU 8.13 Locally Grown Food. Increase access to fresh food by allowing and encouraging local food production, micro agriculture, edible landscapes, rooftop gardens, community gardens, and urban farms, and by distributing information about community-supported agriculture programs that provide affordable access to fresh food.
Policy LU 8.14 Retail Food Sources. Strive to ensure that all households in San Mateo, including those in equity priority communities, have access to retail sources of affordable healthy food, including organic options, such as full-service grocery stores, specialty food markets, farmers markets and/or community gardens, and convenience stores with fresh food options, by working to retain existing retail sources and attract new ones.
ACTIONS
Action LU 8.15 Healthy Food Access. Support the work of San Mateo County Health and other local partners to:
• Continue and expand the ability to use the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program at farmers’ markets and other sources of healthy food.
• Implement programs to encourage markets and convenience stores to stock fresh produce and other healthy foods.
• Encourage restaurants to enlist restaurants in the CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program, which allows people at a high risk of chronic hunger to use CalFresh benefits to buy prepared meals at participating restaurants.
• Continue to provide and expand the subsidized senior lunch program at the San Mateo Senior Center and the Congregate Nutrition Program at the King Center Community Center.
Action LU 8.16 Urban Agriculture. Develop City regulations that encourage urban agriculture, community gardens, and farm stands, as appropriate.
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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Community engagement and resident participation is a high priority for San Mateo. The Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040 aims to engage all residents and stakeholders on matters of development, growth, and public policy in ways that are inclusive, equitable, and give everyone an opportunity to participate in the process. Public engagement with disadvantaged communities can help identify programming and policy changes to allow for improvements where it is needed most. However, many members of vulnerable populations and disadvantaged communities face barriers to meaningful engagement. For example, people with disabilities may have difficulty accessing a meeting location or hearing verbal dialogue. Non-English speakers may have difficulty reading meeting notices or meeting materials in English. Low-income households may be more likely to work multiple jobs or do shift work that precludes attending evening meetings. It is important to understand the specific vulnerable populations and disadvantages faced by San Mateo residents to minimize the barriers to their participation. This General Plan takes the approach of incorporating community engagement goals, policies, and actions into all of its elements; therefore, policies and actions focused on community engagement can also be found throughout the General Plan.
GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
GOAL LU-9 Include everyone in community development decisions for a shared, sustainable future.
POLICIES
Policy LU 9.1 Inclusive Outreach. Notify the community when planning and development decisions are being considered and inform community members about how they can engage in the process. Use outreach and engagement methods that encourage broad representation and are culturally sensitive, particularly for equity priority communities.
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Policy LU 9.2 Equitable Engagement. Provide support for increased community participation in the planning and development processes, particularly in areas with language barriers or a concentration of low-income households that have been historically underrepresented and/or disproportionately impacted by traffic and municipal or industrial uses.
Policy LU 9.3 Development Projects. Communicate clearly how and at what stages members of the public can provide input on development projects under review and ensure public awareness of all the factors the City must consider in approving or denying a project.
Policy LU 9.4 Applicant Communications. Require that sponsors of new development projects, especially those that require Planning Commission and/or City Council approval, have early, frequent, and meaningful communication with affected community members and stakeholders, including members of equity priority communities.
ACTIONS
Action LU 9.5 Community Partners. Work with community-based organizations and community partners to engage members of equity priority communities in planning and policy decisions.
Action LU 9.6 Community Surveys. Periodically conduct statistically reliable community surveys, representative of the demographics of the population, to gauge community service needs, policy preferences, and effective communication methods.
Action LU 9.7 Communications Strategy. Develop a communications strategy that outlines goals and tactics to engage a broad cross-section of the community. • Prepare public notices and other materials in the predominant language(s) spoken in the community and provide interpretation services at meetings as needed. • Make public notices and other important documents available in print at local libraries, community centers, or other gathering places.
• Use culturally appropriate approaches.
• When possible, schedule and locate meetings to be convenient for community members to attend.
• Use the City’s website, social media, and other communication channels to share information about how community members can participate in public meetings. • Gather data to understand the economic, gender, age, and racial diversity of the affected population before designing communication approaches aimed at reaching the affected population.
• Provide notification and outreach for development projects using clear and easy-to- understand language to ensure all stakeholders and interested community members understand and have the ability to engage in the development review process.
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CLIMATE CHANGE AND LAND USE
Climate change is driven by an increase in GHGs in Earth’s atmosphere, trapping more heat near the surface and changing Earth’s climate in a number of ways. These changes often include increasing the frequency and severity of natural hazards, either directly (such as causing summer temperatures to reach dangerously high levels) or indirectly (such as warm temperatures and droughts leading to more dry vegetation, increasing wildfire risks). The hazardous situations created or exacerbated by climate change may result in an increased chance of personal injury or other harm, a greater risk of damage to buildings and infrastructure, and disruption of essential services, among other hardships. San Mateo, like most communities in California, is expected to experience multiple direct impacts as a result of climate change, including potential flooding, sea level rise, wildfires, drought, extreme heat, and negative effects on public health and biodiversity.
Land use decisions and regulations can decrease GHG emissions by affecting how frequently and how far people drive (the single greatest source of GHGs in San Mateo) and how much electricity or natural gas is used in buildings. Land use decisions can also reduce the exposure of people and assets to climate change hazards by locating new development outside of hazard areas and/or designing it to withstand expected future events. This element includes policies and actions aimed at significantly reducing GHG emissions by encouraging sustainable urban design, requiring transit-oriented and mixed-use development, and reducing car dependency. It also supports San Mateo’s adopted Climate Action Plan, which is the City’s comprehensive strategy to reduce GHG emissions.
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Most buildings, both residential and nonresidential, use electricity and natural gas to operate appliances and other pieces of equipment. While sources of electricity have become much cleaner over time and will continue to become cleaner due to State law and utility policies, the GHG emissions associated with using a unit of natural gas has remained constant, as natural gas is a fossil fuel and cannot become a cleaner energy source. To reduce GHG emissions, buildings can be “decarbonized,” or constructed to be mostly electric or all electric, and existing buildings can be electrified as part of retrofit activities. Advances in electric equipment, such as those used for space heating, water heating, and cooking, can also help make building electrification easier and more cost-effective.
Both this Land Use Element and the Safety Element include policies and actions to plan ahead for future climate conditions and protect San Mateo residents from climate hazards. The Public Services and Facilities Element includes policies and actions to promote energy conservation and renewable energy.
While this General Plan includes policy guidance to help reduce GHG emissions, data about existing and projected GHG emissions in San Mateo and strategies for the reduction of GHG emissions can also be found in the City’s Climate Action Plan.
GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
GOAL LU-10 Make San Mateo strong and resilient by acting to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate.
POLICIES
Policy LU 10.1 Effects of Climate Change. Account for the effects of climate change in updating or amending the General Plan or Zoning Code, disaster planning efforts, City projects, infrastructure planning, future policies, and long-term strategies, as feasible. Recognize potential climate change consequences, such as sea level rise, flooding, higher groundwater, less availability of drinking water, hotter temperatures, increased wildfire risk, and changing air quality.
Prioritize protecting equity priority communities from the disproportionate burden of climate hazards, including against risks of displacement and challenges in rebuilding after major incidents.
Policy LU 10.2 Decarbonized Building Stock. Eliminate the use of fossil fuels as an energy source in all new building construction and reduce the use of fossil fuels as an energy source in the existing building stock at the time of building alteration through requirements for all- electric construction.
Policy LU 10.3 Sustainable Improvements. Ensure that all improvements to existing structures are developed or remodeled in a sustainable and resilient manner.
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ACTIONS
Action LU 10.4 Climate Action Plan Implementation. Implement the greenhouse gas reduction strategies to meet the City’s Climate Action Plan emission-reduction goals.
Action LU 10.5 Climate Action Plan Monitoring. Monitor and report progress on the implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan on an annual basis. Regularly review new opportunities and approaches to reduce emissions consistent with the Climate Action Plan’s goals.
Action LU 10.6 Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Every five years, prepare an updated greenhouse gas emissions inventory consistent with the Climate Action Plan.
Action LU 10.7 Engage the Public in the Climate Action Plan. Provide public information to educate residents and businesses on the Climate Action Plan and to spark behavioral changes in individual energy and water consumption, transportation mode choices, and waste reduction.
Action LU 10.8 Building Decarbonization. Evaluate and adopt reach codes and other policies to decarbonize the building stock.
Action LU 10.9 Resilience of Critical Facilities and Public Infrastructure. Identify critical facilities and public infrastructure in areas vulnerable to climate change hazards, and work to site, design, and upgrade these facilities with consideration for future increases in severity that may occur over the anticipated life of the development. In cases where facilities cannot be sustainably maintained, evaluate the costs and benefits of relocation. Where facilities can be safely sited for the near term, but future impacts are likely, prepare an adaptive management plan detailing steps for maintenance, retrofitting, and/or relocation.
Action LU 10.10 Clean Fuel Infrastructure. Support efforts to build electric vehicle charging stations and clean fuel stations in San Mateo, including hydrogen and sustainably sourced biofuels, as supported by market conditions.
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A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY
The City’s fiscal health and livability depend on maintaining a diverse community of businesses that are supported by residents, visitors, and workers. High-quality public services, reliable infrastructure, and local quality of life are critical to attracting, retaining, and growing local businesses. In addition to providing land where businesses can locate and expand, the City plays a key role in building, maintaining, and/or coordinating infrastructure to support businesses, including roadways, water and sewer services, solid waste disposal, and energy and telecommunications systems. The financial resources to address these needs require that the City maintain a healthy and fiscally sustainable budget. This, in turn, depends on cultivating a diverse tax base that includes a broad mix of businesses and balances the need for both housing and job-generating land uses.
The economic success of regional industry clusters, such as technology, life science, and entertainment has generated a concentration of jobs on the Peninsula. As a result, demand for housing from workers moving to the area for job opportunities has increased at a much higher rate than housing production. Limited housing production in the Bay Area region has created a housing shortage, which has in turn led to rising costs and other housing challenges, such as overcrowding and displacement.
A sustainable economy in 2040 will harness the strength of the regional job market to create quality jobs, support the growth of local businesses, and provide local housing opportunities for residents and workers at all income levels. An important component of a sustainable economy includes balancing job growth with housing development to ensure that all workers have an opportunity to live in proximity to their job. There is also a need to support local workers and the local economy by encouraging local hires, living wages, and training for workers, such as an apprenticeship program. The City currently charges a Commercial Linkage Fee for new job-generating construction like offices, hotels, medical buildings, retail, and restaurants to support the creation or preservation of affordable housing to assist lower- and moderate-wage workers who cannot afford the current housing market prices.
During the development of the Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040, the City completed a comprehensive update to the Housing Element. Please refer to the Housing Element for programs aimed at supporting households facing housing challenges, such as overcrowding and potential displacement. The Housing Element also encourages housing for all income groups.
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GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
GOAL LU-11 Cultivate a diverse, thriving, inclusive, and green economy.
POLICIES
Policy LU 11.1 Economic Development. Prioritize the retention and expansion of existing businesses and attract new businesses that strengthen and diversify the City’s economic base.
Policy LU 11.2 Local Employment. Encourage a diverse mix of uses that provide opportunities for employment of residents of all skill and education levels.
Policy LU 11.3 Local Hiring and a Living Wage. Encourage developers and contractors doing work in the city to evaluate hiring local labor from the Bay Area region and providing living wages.
Policy LU 11.4 Diverse Economic Base. Strive to maintain a reasonable similarity between potential job generation and the local job market by maintaining a diverse economic base.
Policy LU 11.5 Jobs to Housing Balance. Strive to maintain a reasonable balance between income levels, housing types, and housing costs within the city. In future area-wide planning efforts, rather than with individual projects, recognize the importance of matching housing choice and affordability with job generation in the city, through an emphasis on the jobs-housing balance.
Policy LU 11.6 Job Training Programs. Collaborate with educational services, nonprofits, labor, and businesses to provide job training programs that meet the needs of businesses and industries. Help connect local businesses with programs, organizations, or educational institutions, such as NOVAworks, College of San Mateo, the San Mateo County Community College District, San Mateo Union High School District, and Small Business Development Centers.
Policy LU 11.7 Apprenticeship Programs. Encourage employers within San Mateo, especially building and construction companies, to evaluate hiring from or contributing to apprenticeship training programs that provide on-the-job training and are certified by the State’s Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS).
Policy LU 11.8 State-of-the-Art Telecommunications. Support the development of telecommunications policies and infrastructure, including public Wi-Fi, to meet the needs of local businesses and residents and support remote work.
ACTIONS
Action LU 11.9 Quality Local Jobs. Develop programs to retain and attract businesses that provide a living wage, offer health insurance benefits, and match the diverse range of education and skills of San Mateo residents.
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Action LU 11.10 Small Business Support. Help small businesses stay and grow by offering tools and support, such as multilingual outreach, assistance accessing free educational services and financing opportunities, connecting with the Chamber of Commerce and Downtown San Mateo Association, and assistance understanding City requirements and preparing for code compliance.
Action LU 11.11 Commercial Displacement. Provide proactive support to local businesses affected by construction and redevelopment by communicating with business owners well in advance of construction and assisting in identifying potential locations for temporary relocation.
Encourage and support the retention of existing businesses in new or renovated spaces that are a part of redevelopment projects.
Action LU 11.12 First Source Hiring. Explore the feasibility of establishing a First Source Hiring Program that encourages developers and contractors to make best efforts to hire new employees, workers, and subcontractors that are based in San Mateo County, and to partner with organizations that offer job training programs, such as the San Mateo County Community College District and San Mateo Union High School District.
Action LU 11.13 Living Wage Incentives. Maintain provisions in the Affordable Housing Commercial Linkage Fee that offer fee reductions to developers who voluntarily enter into Area Standard Wage Participation Agreements with the City.
GOAL LU-12 Create financial stability for the City by maintaining its ability to pay for public improvements, core infrastructure, and essential services.
POLICIES
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.
Policy LU 12.2 Commercial Linkage Fee. Maintain the City’s Affordable Housing Commercial Linkage Fee assessed to new nonresidential construction that recognizes the connection between increased workers in San Mateo and increased demand for housing at all levels. Use the fees collected to support the creation or preservation of affordable housing to assist the workers who will make lower or moderate wages and cannot afford the current housing market prices.
ACTION
Action LU 12.3 Fiscal Neutrality. Study the feasibility and potential impacts of adopting a Fiscal Neutrality Policy that would require new development to offset any difference between future tax revenue and the cost of City services to that development. The policy should also consider the City’s goals to provide for a diverse range of housing that is affordable to all members of the community.
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DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
New development projects in San Mateo go through a planning review process to ensure that all applicable City standards and requirements are addressed. Most development projects require a Planning Application, which is a written request for approval of a project before a building permit application can be submitted.
Before a formal Planning Application, applicants usually meet with staff in the Community Development Department to discuss the scope of the project, application requirements, and applicable codes and policies. Most projects also require community outreach and engagement, usually in the form of mailed notification and a neighborhood meeting, prior to a Planning Application submittal to collect early input from residents. Larger projects can also include a Planning Commission study session. These early steps help to ensure success when a project’s formal Planning Application is submitted.
Once the Community Development Department receives the plans and required application materials, the project is reviewed by other City departments, like Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Police, and Fire, for completeness and compliance with applicable codes, policies, and City requirements. During this time, the City also determines the scope of the environmental review, which could include an exemption, an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, or an Environmental Impact Report, consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). After being deemed complete and finishing the environmental review process, City staff prepare findings and conditions of approval for the project. Depending on the size and scope of the project, and the type of approval being sought, final approval may come from the Zoning Administrator, the Planning Commission, or the City Council.
GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
GOAL LU-13 Maintain Development Review and Building Permit processes that are compre- hensive and efficient.
POLICIES
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.
Policy LU 13.2 Public Education. Promote public awareness of the development review and permitting process.
Policy LU 13.3 Fee Information. Maintain an updated schedule of fees and housing development affordability requirements, all zoning ordinances and development standards, and annual fee or finance reports on the City’s website. In addition, maintain archives of impact fee nexus studies, cost of service studies, or equivalent reports for ease of information sharing with the public.
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REGIONAL COOPERATION
Many issues addressed in the Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040 extend beyond the city boundaries; therefore, it is important to highlight the need for collaboration between the City and other public agencies on these issues. This General Plan encourages inter-agency cooperation and engagement by the City in current and long-range plans prepared by other regional agencies, such as Plan Bay Area. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), in partnership with the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), prepared Plan Bay Area 2050, which includes strategies that connect housing, the economy, transportation, and the environment. The vision of the plan is to ensure the Bay Area is affordable, connected, diverse, healthy, and vibrant for all by the year 2050. Plan Bay Area focuses on land use and transportation investments in Priority Development Areas, which are areas identified by local jurisdictions where housing and job growth will be concentrated close to public transit. San Mateo has identified five Priority Development Areas that are included in Plan Bay Area 2050.
GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
GOAL LU-14 Collaborate and communicate with other public agencies regarding regional issues.
POLICIES
Policy LU 14.1 Interagency Cooperation. Promote and participate in cooperative planning with other public agencies and the jurisdictions within San Mateo County, such as the 21 Elements regional collaboration, regarding regional issues such as water supply, traffic congestion, rail transportation, wildfire hazards, air pollution, waste management, fire services, emergency medical services, and climate change.
Policy LU 14.2 Public Agency Developments. Require developments constructed by other governmental agencies to conform to the City’s General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and other development regulations, to the extent possible.
Policy LU 14.3 Plan Bay Area. Remain engaged in current and future long-range plans prepared by Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), and other regional organizations to influence and be aware of projected growth assumptions for San Mateo and regional priorities for transportation, infrastructure, and the economy that could affect the city.
Policy LU 14.4 Priority Development Areas. Support the strategies outlined in Plan Bay Area 2050, especially within City-identified Priority Development Areas.
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GENERAL PLAN MAINTENANCE
Long-range planning in San Mateo does not end with the adoption of the Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040. To achieve the community’s vision, decisions about development projects, capital improvements, specific plans, and other plans and policies affecting land use, transportation, and the physical environment will need to be consistent with this General Plan.
GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
GOAL LU-15 Ensure that the City’s General Plan is consistent with State law, legally adequate, and up to date.
POLICIES
Policy LU 15.1 General Plan Amendments. Amendments to the General Plan shall be considered as needed. Revisions to the General Plan may be needed to ensure that elements remain consistent with each other and in compliance with State law.
Policy LU 15.2 Specific and Master Plans. All adopted plans, including transportation plans, Specific Plans, and Master Plans, shall be consistent with this General Plan.
ACTIONS
Action LU 15.3 Annual General Plan Progress Report. Submit an Annual Progress Report on the status of the General Plan implementation to the City Council and to the Office of Planning and Research by April 1 of each year, per Government Code Section 65400. The Annual Progress Report should also include population projection information.
Action LU 15.4 Specific Plans and Master Plans. Review all adopted Specific Plans and Master Plans and determine if updates are needed for consistency with this General Plan or if any out-of- date plans should be retired.
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
RESOLUTION NO. 47 {2020)
CALLING A GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020
FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUBMITTING A PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CITY OF SAN MATEO GENERAL
PLAN TO EXTEND FOR TEN YEARS THE EXPIRATION DATE FOR VOTER-ENACTED POLICIES LIMITING BUILDING
HEIGHTS, RESIDENTIAL DENSITIES, AND NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING INTENSITIES, AND TO MODIFY POLICIES
ESTABLISHING AN INCLUSIONARY HOUSING REQUIREMENT FOR RESIDENTIAL HOUSING PROJECTS WHEREAS, pursuant to authority provided by statute a petition has been filed with the legislative body of the City of San Mateo, California, signed by more than 10 per cent of the number of registered voters of the city to submit a proposed ordinance relating to extending the general plan policies enacted by Measure P in 2004, which amended and extended the 1991 citizen's initiative Measure H; and WHEREAS, Measure P extended the expiration provision until December 31, 2020; and WHEREAS, the County Elections Department at the request of the City Clerk examined the records of registration and ascertained that the petition is signed by the requisite number of voters, and has so certified; and
WHEREAS, the City Council is authorized and directed by statute to submit the proposed ordinance to the voters;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, DOES RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. That pursuant to the requirements of the laws of the State of California relating to charter cities, there is called and ordered to be held in the City of San Mateo, California, on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, a General Municipal Election for the purpose of submitting the following proposed ordinance:
votes cast.
Shall the proposed ordinance to amend the City of San YES Mateo General Plan to maintain for ten years voter-
enacted policies limiting building heights, residential densities, and nonresidential building intensities, and to modify and maintain for 10 years an inclusionary housing requirement for residential projects, be adopted? NO
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
That the text of the ordinance submitted to the voters is attached as Exhibit A.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
That the vote requirement for the measure to pass is a majority (50%+1) of the That the full text of the measure be printed in the voter information pamphlet.
The City Clerk is directed to forward the proposed measure to the City Attorney for
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Calling 11/3/2020 Election for Measure
preparation of an impartial analysis in accordance with Section 9280 of the Elections Code.
SECTION 6. Arguments for and against the proposition may be submitted to the qualified voters of the City in accordance with sections 9282 through 9287 of the California Elections Code. The deadline date for submitting ballot arguments for or against the proposition shall be Friday, August 14, 2020. Proposed arguments shall not exceed 300 words and shall be submitted to the Office of the City Clerk. The deadline for submitting rebuttal arguments shall be Monday, August 24, 2020. Proposed rebuttal arguments shall not exceed 250 words and shall be submitted to the office of the City Clerk. The provisions of Section 9285(a) of the California Elections Code shall apply to the submittal of rebuttal arguments.
SECTION 7. That the ballots to be used at the election shall be in form and content as required bylaw.
SECTION 8. The polls for said election shall be opened at seven o'clock a.m. of the day of said election and shall remain open continuously from said time until eight o'clock p.m. of the same day, when said polls shall be closed, except as provided in Section 14401 of the Elections Code of the State of California.
SECTION 9. The municipal election hereby called for November 3, 2020 shall be, and is hereby, ordered consolidated with the county election to be held within the City on said date, and within the territory affected by the consolidation, the election shall be held and conducted, election officers appointed, voting precincts designated, ballots printed, polls opened and closed, ballots counted and returned, returns canvassed, results declared, and all other proceedings incidental to and connected with the election shall be regulated and done in accordance with the provisions of law regulating the countywide election and as specified herein.
SECTION 10. The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo is hereby requested to permit the County Elections Official to render specified services to the city relating to the conduct of the election; and is hereby authorized to canvass the returns of said municipal election; and said election shall be held in all respects as if there were only one election and only one form of ballot. The County shall certify the results of the canvass of the returns of said election to the City Council of this City which shall thereafter declare the results thereof.
SECTION 11. That in all particulars not recited in this resolution, the election shall be held and conducted as provided by law for holding municipal elections.
SECTION 12. That notice of the time and place of holding the election is given and the City Clerk is authorized, instructed and directed to give further or additional notice of the election, in time, form and manner as required by law.
SECTION 13. The City Council authorizes the City Clerk to administer said election and all reasonable and actual election expenses shall be paid by the City upon presentation of a properly submitted bill and the City Clerk is authorized to execute a service agreement for the provision of election services with the County of San Mateo with terms approved by the city attorney and provided the costs of such services have been appropriated by the City Council.
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Resolution No. 47 (2020} Page 3 of 23
Calling 11/3/2020 Election for Measure
SECTION 14. The City Clerk and other City officers are directed to do all things necessary to meet the requirements of law for the November 3, 2020, municipal election .
SECTION 15. That the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
RESOLUTION NO. 47 {2020) adopted by the City Council of the City of San Mateo, California, at a regular meeting held on May 18, 2020, by the following vote of the City Council:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ATTEST:
Council Members Goethals, Rodriguez, Bonilla, Lee and Papan None
None
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To the City Council of the City of San Mateo:
We, the undersigned, registered and qualified voters of the City of San l'vfateo ("City"), present to the City Council this petition and request that the following proposed Ordinance ("Measure") be adopted without alteration or submitted to the registered and qualified voters of the City for their adoption or rejection at the earliest tegular election for which it qualifies pursuant to Section 1405 of the California Elections Code.
The foll text of the Measure is as follows:
The People of the City of San Mateo do hereby ordain as follows:
Section 1. Pmpose
The purpose of this Measure is to maintain the San Mateo General Plan so as to preserve the livability and suburban character of the City of San Mateo by essentially maintaining, through the year 2030, the height limits and densities first established by San Mateo voters in 1991, tl1en amended and extended by the vote.rs in 2004, but that would otherwise expire in 2020, while providing for the level of economic growtl1 projected in the San Mateo General Plan and, in a manne.r consistent witl1 requirements of law, increasing tl1e City's commitment to providing its fair share of affordable housing.
Section 2. Findings
The people of San Mateo find and declare:
A. The City of San Mateo is a mature community whose est-iblished and stable suburban character provides an economic asset for its homeowners and residents, and whose diversity is a source of pride.
B. The City of San Mateo is already a well-balanced community with a strong mix of residential, commercial and retail development. The City provides a wide range of housing opportunities for its residents. Currently, more than 44% of San Mateo's housing mlits are multi-family.
C. In 1990 the City Council adopted a General Plan for tl1e City of San Mateo. TI1e General Plan assumed that it was desirable for the City to meet a projected level of growth wllich was "estimated" or "anticipated" by the year 2005.
D. However, in 1991, tl1e voters of the City of San l\fateo dete.rmined tl1at tl1e 1990 General Plan designated land uses, building inte11sities and population densities whicl1 would allow far more growth than was projected, and more growth than was desirable. 2 513 of 588
E. In 1991, the voters found that while the excess densities and intensities pe1missible under the 1990 Genernl Plan were intended to allow for flexibility, and were to be resetved for projects which provided substantial public benefits, including affordable housing; the City Council at that time had approved projects in the higher tange of building intensity and population density which had not provided sufficient public benefits or affordable housing.
F. In 1991, the voters determined that high-rise and high-density developments threatened the viability of the valued suburba11 character of the community and did not have the suppoti: of San Mateo residents. The voters found that continued approval of such projects would ittevocably change the character of San Mateo for the worse, and cause serious adverse impacts to its citizens, in the f01m of increased traffic congestion, air pollution and noise levels, loss of views and other adverse visual impacts, reduced emergency set-vices and othet public facilities, increased costs of government, and reduced quality oflife.
G. In 1991, the voters determined that it was necessa1y to limit the maximum density and intensity of development in San Mateo to levels which will eliminate or mitigate the impacts set foti:h above. At the same time, the voters determined that such restrictions should not unduly impair the City's ability to achieve its economic development goals; and that it was of utmost importance that such limitations not reduce the amount of affordable housing production.
I-I. In 1991, the voters determined that the City Council had not included any mandatory iuclusionaty housing or other programs in the 1990 Genetal Plan to ensure the production of affordable housing, and that it was necessary to increase the City's commitment to production of affordable housing.
I. In 1991, the voters found that the initiative Measure I-I and the General Plan amendments adopted by it: encouraged the production of San Mateo's fair share of housing affordable to persons defined in Health and Safety Code section 50093; did not and would not impose any numerical or percentage limit on the development of housing units in the City of San Mateo; encouraged the developme11t of affordable housing units within City limits; and was intended to be and was consistent with Chapter 4.2 of Title 7 of tl1e Governme11t Code, including Gove11.1ment Code section 65913.1.
J. In 1991, tl1e voters found that the initiative Measure Hand tl1e General Plan ame11chnents adopted by it were intended to and did retain the General Plan, as amended, as an internally consistent and legally adequate Geneml Pla11.
K. In 2004, the voters approved Measure P, to amend and extend until 2020 tl1e General Plan aine11dme11ts adopted by .Measure I-I, finding that the findings and determinations made -----·. ···--·------- ----- -·-- -----------------·- --- -~-------------·------ -·------~- -···--· ----. by the voters in adopting Measure I-I in 1991 continued to reflect tl1e views and desires of 3 514 of 588
the people of Sru.1 Mateo and should continue to serve to guide the development of the community through the year 2020.
L. In 2018, the findings ru.1d determinations made by San Mateo voters in 1991 in adopting initiative Measure H, and in 2004 in adopting initiative Measure P, and the General Plan amendments approved by those measures, continue to 1:eflect the views and desires of the people of San Mateo and should continue to serve to guide the development of the community through the year 2030.
M. In 2018, the further updates, clarifications and chru.1ges to Measure P contained ill this Measure mail1tau1 all significant, substantive portions of the voter-adopted illitiative Measure P, while clarifyu1g references to buildil1g height linlits for certau1 residential lru.1d use categories, ru.1d updating inclusionary housing reqtlirements consistent with law.
Section 3. Ge11eral Plan Amendments
A. Backgrnund: General Plan Amendments
1) Section 3 of il1itiative Measure H set forth specific amendments to the Sru.1 Mateo General Plru.1 as adopted by the Sau Mateo City Council ill July 1990 Q1ereafter referred to as "General Plan"). The General Plan was then amended to il1cmporate the ru.11endments set forth in Measure H.
2) Section 3 of initiative _Measure P set forth specific additional amendments to the General Plan, which was amended to incmporate the amendments set forth ill Measure P. 3) 111is section of this initiative sets forth ru.nendments to the General Plru.1 that were originally adopted by San Mateo voters in 1991, ru.nended ru.1d re-adopted and extended through the year 2020, and that will contume to be included withil1 the General Plru.1 through the year 2030.
B. Amendments to General Plan, Chapter I, Introduction
1) The following paragraphs added by Measure P to the end of part B ("How the Sru.1 Mateo General Plan was Developed") are amended and maintai11ed to read:
In November 1991, the voters adopted aJ.1 initiative which amended the General Plan.
The initiative made several chru.1ges to the General Plan, primarily directed at reducing maxunum heights ru.1d densities for residemial ru.1d most non-residential uses, while increasing the City's commitment to providing affordable housil1g. _________ A _comprd1e11siveupdate of the General Plan, consistent with the_provisions of ____ _ Measure H, was approved by the City Council in1996.
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In November 2004, the voters adopted Measure P, extending l\1easure H. This extension included the following types of items: updates, clat-ifications and changes.
In addition, there were significant provisions of .Measure H which were maint'lined.
In November 2018_, the voters adopted a new l'v[easure futther extending Measures H and P, and including additional updates, clarifications and changes, but maintaining all significant, substantive portions of Measure H and Measure P. 2) The following text is maintained as part C ("Major Proposals of the General Plan"):
a. The first paragraph in part 2 ("Maintain the Commitment to Strengthening the Downtown as a Major Commercial, Residential and Cultural Centet'') is maintained to read:
The General Plan supports new cotmnercial and residential growth in the Dm.vntown, as well as maintaining retail shopping on the ground floors along Third and Fourth avenues and B Street. Development of substantial amounts of housing to suppott Downtown retail and office growth is fostered in the Gateway area, betweet1 Downtown and US 101.
b. The first paragraph in patt 3 ("Concent111.te Major New Development Near Transportation and Transit Corridors") is maintained to read; As the pre-emine11t city in Sru1 Mateo County, San Mateo will continue to attract relatively inte11se office ru1d residential developme11t. Conce11trating these higher intensity projects in areas having good access to freeways and the rail stations will reduce congestion on City streets and create higher value developments surrounded by supporting runenities. The creation of higher density "nodes" will also establish a more recognizable urban form. These nodes are located in areas which will minimize the impacts of dense developme11t on surrounding neighborhoods.
c. The second parn1:,>raph :iJ.1 part 5 ("Improve Design Quality and Establish Height Limits") is maintained to read:
TI1e Plrui establishes height limits which take into account the r.xisting pattem of development and surrounding land uses, and preserve the predominant character of the City.
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C. Amendments to General Plan, Chaptel' II, Land Use Element 1) The paragraph designated "b. Development Buildout", which is part 2.b. it1 the discussion of "Land Use", is maintained to read:
b. Development Buildout. Development Buildout -- the theoretical maximum development allowed the General Pbn prior to its amendment by foitiative it1 November 1991 -- would have allowed for the addition of up to 16.9 million square feet of commercial development, or a 100% it1crease over the existing floor space, for an overall FAR of .77. The largest concentrations of commercial space would have been in the Downtown, Hillsdale Shopping Center, and at Mat-iner's Isla11d. The neighborhood shoppit1g centers would have been able to almost double their existing floor space, Office space would have been able to more than ti-iple, making it the brgest concenttation of commercial space. The SR 92 co1-ri.dor would have contained the largest single concentration of office space.
Maximum theoretical residerrtiaJ. buildout would have resulted in a total of 48,700 dwellings, with multi-family accounting for over 59% of all units. The number of dwellings could have been significantly higher depending on the number of commercial/ residential mixed-use developments. Residential densities would have increased to a city avet:age of 17 units/net acre, the equivalent of an R-2 (two-family dwellings) District.
The November 1991 initiative Genet-al Plan amendments reduced the maxitnum theoretical buildout to bring it more into conformity with estimated (anticipated) development during the General Plan timeframe. The distt:ibution of land uses remained sitnilar to maxitnum theoretical buildout under the General Pbn prior to the inil-iative, but the amount of development was reduced. Maxitnum theoretical residential development under the initiative is 1,815 units on vacant land, and 16,4-65 . units in areas that are cU11:ently zoned to pe1mit-residential. uses, for a total of 56,880 potential units. Maximum redevelopment for this amount of housing reduced the amount of commercial developme11t.
2) The text following Policy LU 1.4 ("Development Intensity /Density") is maintained to read:
The pla11 pe11nits new multi-family residential development at a t:ange of densities from 9 to 50 units net per a.ere, with the higher end of the density 1-ange to be used only for projects which provide substantial public benefits or ameJ1ities. Residential . ____ develCJptnent is also allowed in_ commercial distt-icts. If exp~cted development talces ____ _ 6 517 of 588
place, the city-wide avemge density is expected to increase from 10 to at least 12 units per net acre.
Building intensity is a measurement of the amount of physical development allowed on a parcel. The Land Use Element utilizes a combination of building height and floor area mtio (FAR) (the gross floor area of a building divided by the net lot area) to measure building intensity.
The plan anticipates a range of new non-residential development by providing an FAR range of0.5 up to a theoretical maximum of3 .0, and by establishing a l'llllge of pe1mitted building heights from 25 feet to 90 feet. Higher height limits and the higher end of the FAR range are available qnly for projects which provide public benefits or amenities substantially greater than code requirements.
The city-wide average FAR is expected to increase from .59, but to stay below . 70, while average height will rema:in less than 45 feet.
3) The following text in Policy 1.5 ("Building Height") is maintained to read:
Requests for height changes consistent with the height ranges for specific land uses as designated in Appendix C, entitled "Building Height", may be considered by the City Council only when accompanied by a request for change in land use designation.
Such requests may be approved only if tl1e following findings are made:
1. The build:ing has high design quality, which is enhanced by additional building height.
2. Increased build:ing heights are visually related to surrounding building heights and promote the creation of a coherent City image.
3. Increased build:ing heights will still provide for a variety of building heights in the vicinity of the project and the sutrounding areas;
4. Increased. building heights are compatible witl1 surround:ing land uses, a11d will not create adverse shadow or visual impacts on surrounding residential uses; a11d
5. The City's infrastructure is adequate to accommodate the proposed development. 3a) 'Die text following Policy LU 1.5 ("Building Height") is amended and maintained to read:
Maximum height limits are intended to pe1mit development which will not overburden the City's infrastmcture or circulation system, which is consistent with ·- -the· plan' s~Jr1terrstty1tletrstty-standarcls, airdiscompa.tiole witlr su11:ormdt11g ·limd·uses,--· 7 518 of 588
and which will preserve, to the extent feasible, the City's existing character. Height limits range from 24 feet to 90 feet, m1d are contained in Appendices B and C of the General Plan.
Generally the residential areas are restricted to low maximum heights (24 feet) to protect established neighborhoods, although medium- and high-density multi-family areas have he.ight limits up to 55 feet, to accommodate increased density.
Non-residential maximum heights range from 25 feet (nearest low density residential areas) to 90 feet (manufacturing, public facilities, and major institutions). Generally, the ma.,;itnum height is 55 feet.
4) The text following Policy LU 1.9 ("Single-Family and Duplex Preservation") is mait1tait1ed to read:
Maxitnum pe1mitted density ranges for development are established to promote the iticrease of housing stock consistent with the desired character of development.
Residential density ranges are:
DENSITY UNITS/NET ACRE POPULATION/NET
ACRE
Smgle-Family 0-9 0-20
Low-Density Multi-Family 9-17 21-39
Medium-Density Nlulti-Family 18-35 40-80
High-Density Multi-Family 36-50 81-115
The low-density category is intended for duplex and townhouse development which is generally in close proxm1ity to single-family areas, and often provides a buffer from higher density residential or non-residential uses.
The medium-density ca:tego1y generally consists of apartment and condominium buildings developed at two to four stories in height. The high-density categoi-y includes multi-u11it buildings of up to 55 feet and three to five stories it1 height, generally located 011 or near major streets, it1 non-residential areas, surrounding the Downtown, mid near train stations.
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5) The text following Policy LU 1.10 ("Commercial Development") is maintained to read:
All categories of residential development are allowed in all non-residenti,-il land use categodes other than the service and industrial categories and those listed as categories 7-11 in part B of Appendix B of the General Plan; except that the maximum density residential categoty allowed in areas designated as neighborhood commercial is medium-density multi-family.
Residential development in these commercial zones would be consistent with the descriptions in the discussion of Policy LU-1.9.
6) Policy LU 1.11 ("Commerci,'tl Focal Areas") and the following text is maint-iinecl to read:
LU 1.11: Commercial Focal Areas. Concentrate the most intense office and retail uses at locations delineated 011 the Land Use Plan. Discourage such uses outside the commercial nodes delineated on the Land Use Plan.
By concentrating major commercial development in nodal areas such as the Downtown, Mariner's Island, and along SR 92, the City achieves comparatively efficient design of its infrastructure and greater opportunities for transit usage. The vi.-ibility and value of commercial areas are also enhanced by concentrating high quality development in compatible areas. Additionally, a more distinctive city image is established, and neighborhood impacts caused by regional traffic are minimized. 7) Policy LU 6.1 ("Periodic General Plan Review") is .maintained to read:
LU 6.1: Periodic General Plan Review. Report to the City Council yearly on the status of the implementation of the General Plan and on the need to update the plan.
Review antm,'tlly projections made ill the General Plan for housil1g, population, commercial growth, economic growth, public service ru1d safety levels that are not considered as part of the budget review; review projections on the fair share housil1g allocation and update the General Plan at least every five years, consistent with the ma..'limum buildil1g heights ru1d densities as Ol'iginally adopted by the voters ill November 1991 ru1d again adopted in November 2004 and November 2018. 8) Goal 6A and Policies 6A.l and 6A.2 are mail1tained as follows:
6. GENERAL PLAN HvfPLEMENTAT10N
GOAL 6A: Ensure that all development in the City is consistent with ru1d implements the General Plru1.
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POLICIES:
LU 6A.1: Specific Plan, Zoning, Pennit and Subdivision Review. The City shall not approve any specific plan, rezoning, permit, subdivision, vat-iai:1ce, or other land use permit which is not consistent with ai:1d does not implement the General Pbn.
Specific Plan and zoning ordinances were amended so as to conform to the General Plan by the end of 1992.
LU 6A.2: Building Height and Building Intensity Maps/Plans. Maintain Building Height ai:1d Building Intensity maps/plai:1s which delineate development intensity in the fo11n of building heights and FA.Rs in a manner which implements the height, intensity, density and design sta11dards in the Genernl Pbn, consistent with the Building Heights and Intensities maps/plans as amended by initiative in November 1991, November 2004, and November 2018. General Plan sta11dards for building heights and intensities are specifically set forth in the Building Height Plan ai:1d the Building Intensity Plan included in the General Plan, ai:1d designated respectively as figure LU-4 ai:1d LU-5.
9) Policy PA 1.1 ("North El Ca!llino Real (SR 82)") shall be maintained by replacing the te.rm "medium-high density" if ai:1d wherever it occ11rs with the term "high density". 10) The Area Specific Policy for the Downtown, which malces up subpart 3 of the part entitled "Area Specific Policies" is maintained as Policy PA 3, and is maintained to read:
a. A Specific Plan for the Downtown was adopted by the City Council in July 1985 ai:1d amended in 1993, consistent with the provisions of Measure H as adopted by the voters in November 1991. This Specific Plan also constituted an amendment to the previous General Plan.
b. Densities up to 75 units per acre, heights up to 75 feet and appropriate FARs may be allowed in the following areas of the Downtown, for projects which provide public benefits or ainenities substantially greater tlrnn code requirements:
1. the area designated on the Land Use Plan (LU-3) as Downtown which is bounded by El Camino Real (SR 82), East Fourth and East Fifth Avenues and tl1e SPRR railroad traclcs;
2. the area designated on the Land Use Plan (LU-3) as Downtown which is bounded by El Camino Real (SR 82) ai:1d Ellsworth, Baldwin ai:1d Second Avenues;
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3. the area designated on the Land Use Plan (LU-3) as Nlixed-Use (Executive Office) which is bounded by El Camino Real (SR 82), San Mateo Drive, St.
Matthews Avejme, and Baldwin Avenue; and
4. those properties in the area designated on the Land Use Plan (LU-3) as Nlixed-Use (Neighborhood Commercial) which are between San Mateo Drive and Ellsworth Avenue, and which have frontage on the north side of Baldwin Avenue as of 1 January 1992.
c. Densities up to 7 5 units per acre, heights up to 7 5 feet, and appropriate F ARs may be allowed u1 the followu1g areas of the Downtown for projects which to the greatest extent feasible protect and preserve key historic resources u1 accordance with the followu1g conditions:
1. the area designated on the Land Use Plan (LU-3) as Downtown which is bounded by B Street, Ellsworth Avenue, First A venue and Second Avenue;
2. all buildings on the site with frontage along Second Avenue or B Street which are identified as Individually Eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or co11tributo1y to a National Register Eligible Historic District as per the City of Sm1 Mateo Historic Buildu1g Survey dated September 1989 (u1 this area changes m the facade or significmit exterior or interior features shall be reviewed for their consistency ,vith the architectutal character of the buildu1g by applying critet-ia outlu1ed in the Secreta1y of the Interior's Stmidards for Rehabilitation);
3. FARs and residential densities may be calculated based on the total site square footage; however the F ARs and densities for buildu1g protected m accordance with paragraph (c)(2) unmediately precedu1g may be excluded from the allowable F ARs and densities for new construction pennitted on the site.
11) Numbered paragraph 2 of Policy PA 4.5 ("Norfolk/SR 92 Vicu1ity") is mau1tamed to read:
2. Retau1 the Parkside Shopping Center, allowu1g limited expansion of low-scale commercial uses. Any redevelopment shall be contingent on retau1ing neighborhood retail uses mid on finding no appreciable u1crease u1 through traffic u1 residential neighborhoods or significmit impacts on Norfoll, Street service levels. Provide development incentives to encourage mixed retail and high density housu1g, should -redevelopment occur. Penmt heights greater than 35 feet, but to a maximum of 55 - ------ 11 522 of 588
feet, for projects which meet the following criteria and are approved by the City Council.
[Subparagraphs (a) - (e) remain unchanged.]
12) Policy PA 5.1 ('cMid-El Camino Real (SR 82)") and the text following it are maintained as follows:
a. Paragraph 1 of Policy PA 5.1 is maintained to replace the te11n "medium-high density" if and wherever it occurs with the term "high-density''. b. Parngraph 2 of Policy PA 5.1 and the following text is amended to read:
2. For lots 100 feet deep and less, maximum building height is 40 feet. For lots more than 100 feet deep, permit heights up to 55 feet for projects which meet the following criteria and are approved by the City Council:
[Subparagraphs (a) - ( e) remain unchanged.]
Prepare design criteria to implement this policy prior to approval of any building over 40 feet high.
In this area, El Camino Real (SR 82) is characterized by a mixture of commercial uses ranging from single-story to high rise. It is expected that most new development will be medium scale comme1·cial or high-density residential or mixed-use due to the limited depth lots and potential impact on adjacent residential sites.
13) Numbered paragraph 3 of Policy PA 5.2 ("SR 92/Grant Street/Concar Drive/Delaware Street Vicinity") is maintained to read:
3. Permit densities up to 7 5 units per acre, and heights greater than 40 feet but up to a maximum of 75 feet for projects in the area designated in the Land llse Plan (LU-3) as Regional/Community Commercial which is bounded by South Grant Street, llS 101, SR 92, and the north property line of the Dunfey Hotel for projects which meet the following: criteria and are approved by the City Council:
[Subparagraphs (a) - (e) remain unchanged.]
14) Policy PA 6.3 ("Mai-i11er's Island Specific Plan") is maintained, as follows:
3. H.eight Limits. Maximum densities of up to 75 units pet acre and maximum . - -heights .ofup to.75_feet.and.appropriate FARs ma.yebe.allow:ed.:in .tl1e following areas_ ___ ..... 12 523 of 588
of Mariner's Island, for projects which provide public benefits or amenities substantially greater than code requirements:
a) the area designated on the Land Use Plan (LU-3) as Mi."Ced-Use Inceittive (Regional/ Community Commercial) which is commonly described as Fashion Island Shopping Center and is circtunscribed by Artlnu· Hanse11 Drive; and b) the area designated Executive Office on the Land Use Plan (LU-3) which is north of SR 92 and bounded by Fashion Island Boulevard, Mariner's Island Boulevard, and Fashion Island Shopping Center.
15) Policy PA 7.6 ("South El Camino Real (SR 82)") and the following text is maintait1ed as follows:
a. Numbered paragraph 1 is mailltained to replace the term "medimn-high density" if and wherever it occurs with the te11n "high density''. b. Numbered paragraph 2 and the followit1g text is maintained to read:
2. For lots 100 feet deep and less, maximum building height is 40 feet. For lots more than 100 feet deep, permit heights up to 55 feet for projects which meet the followit1g criteria and are approved by the City Council. [Subpaeigraphs (a) - (e) remain unchanged.]
Prepare design criteria to itnpletnent tl1is policy prior to approval of any building over 40 feet high.
In this area, El Camino Real (SR 82) is characterized by a mixture of low-scale commercial uses. It is expected that most new development will be medimn scale commercial or high-density residential or mixed-use, due to urban design concerns and traffic congestion.
16) Policy PA 8.1 ("South El Camino Real (SR 82)") and tl1e following text is mait1tained as follows:
a. Numbered paragraph 1 is mait1tained to replace the te1111 "medium-high density" if and wherever it occurs with the term "high de11sity". b. Numbered paragraph 2 and tl1e following text is mait1tained to re.ad:
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2. For lots 100 feet deep and less, maximum building height is 40 feet.
For lots more than 100 feet deep, permit heights up to 55 feet for projects which meet the following criteria and are approved by the City C01u1cil. [Subparagraphs (a) - (e) remain unchanged.)
Prepare design cdteria to implement this policy pd.or to approval of any building over 40 feet high.
111e intent of this policy is the same as for other provisions of El Camino Real (SR 82) as described in Policies PA7.6.
17) Numbered paragraph l of Policy PA 8.2 ("Twentieth Avenue Vicinity") is maintained to replace the te11n "medium-high density" if and wherever it occurs and replacing it with the term "high-density".
18) Beginning with munbered paragraph 2, Policy PA 9 .2 ("South El Camino Real (SR 82)") a11d the follo,ving text is maintained to read:
2. For lots 100 feet deep and less, maximum building height is 40 feet. For lots more than 100 feet deep, permit heights up to 55 feet which meet the following criteria and are approved by the City Council.
[Subparagi-aphs (a) - (e) remain unchanged.]
Prepare design criteria to implement this policy prior to approval of any building over 40 feet high.
D. Amendments to General Plan, Chapter IV, Housing Element 1) In section Hof the Housing Element, enti~ed "Constraints on Housing Deve~opment, Governtm.'lltal Constraints, Zoning," the following language is maintained to read as follows:
Multi-family densities permitted under the General Plan reach 50 units per acre, and the zoniJ.1g code has been amended to conform to this maximum, although it will contiJ.me to be subject to state statutes mandating density bonuses under ce1iaiJ.1 conditions.
2) a. Policy H 2.4 and Program H 2.4 are amended and maiJ.1tai11ed to read:
H 2.4: Private Development of Affordable Housing. Encourage the provision of affordable housiJ.1g by the private sector through:
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1. Requit'ing, to the extent allowed by law, that a percentage of the units, excluding bonus m1its, in specified residential projects be affordable.
2. Requiring constmction or subsidy of new affordable housing as a condition for appi:oval of any commercial development which affects the demand for housing in the City.
3. Providing density bonuses and priority processing for projects which qualify for density bonuses under State law.
Program H 2.4: Private Development of Affordable Housing.
1. Maintain an inclusionary housing ordinance to implement Policy H 2.4 The ordinance shall include:
a) At a minimmn require, to the extent allowed by Jaw, that all projects which include more than 10 residential units, including mixed-use projects, to include 10% of the residential units for exclusive use as housing units affordable to, and occupied by, households with incomes that do not exceed the limits for moderate-income, lower income, very low income, or extremely low income households specified in Sections 50079.5, 50093, 50105, and 50106 of the Health and Safety Code. b) The project proponent shall build the unit( s) on site, either in partnership with a public or nonprofit housing agency, or on its own. Consistent with Government Code section 65850, off-site building, or other alternative means of compliance shall be allowed; and in any event, any off-site units must be built within the City of San Mateo.
No in-lieu fees shall be allowed except for:
i. Projects which include 10 units or less; or
ii. Fractional affordable housing unit requirements of less than .5. c) The affordable units shall be as similar in exterior design and appearance as possible to the remaining units in the project.
d) Affordable rental units shall carry deed restrictions which guarantee their affordability.
e) Affordable for sale units shall have deed restrictions which allow for first right of refusal to the local govenunent, upon the sale of the unit. The City local government -- should-onlyrefuse-the-option-ofpurchase if-it-has already expended-all of its financial 15 526 of 588
resources available for housing, including Community Development Block Grant funds, local housing trust fund monies, and any other federal, state or local funds typically available for affordable housing purposes.
Lead: Neighborhood Improvement and Housing Division (Ongoing) If changes in State or Federal law render any provisions of the ordinance adopted by this Measure invalid or unenforceable, such that modifications are necessaty to allow continued operation of the ordinance, the City Council. may modify the ordinance without voter approval, but only to the limited extent necessaty to cure the inconsistency with State or Federal law.
2. Evaluate and study the impacts on development costs to housing by increasing the inclusionary housing production requirements. Areas for consideration include increasing the percentage of units required, lowering the affordability pricing, lowering the project size that triggers the requirement, a11d including a11 in lieu payment for small projects.
Lead: Neighborhood Improvement and Housing Division
Implementation Goal: Ongoing for existing program; bring proposal on new requirements to Council by 2002.
3. Develop, hold public hearings on, and if possible, adopt a commercial/housing li11kage program, based on empirical data applicable to the City of San Mateo. 111e program should match the housing constructed and/ or subsidized to the demand created by commercial development, in tenns of affordability levels, type of tenancy, number of bedrooms, and other relevant factors.
Lead: Neighborhood Impi;ovet_nent and Housing Division
Implementation Goal: Bring to the Council by 2002
4. Develop a density bonus program Consistent with State law.
Lead: Planning Division (Ongoing)
5. Provide info1mation to developers 011 density bonus provisions for affordable housing. Give processing priority to applications which include substanti.u proportions of affordable housing.
Lead: Planning Division (Ongoing)
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b. The text following Program H 2.10 ("Housing Densities"), are maintained. to read:
One means of increasing housing potential is through redesignation of commercially zoned and lower density residential properties to multi-family lru1d use. The redesignations approved in Policy H 2.10 will increase the potential for construction of new units.
San Mateo's multi-family zoning distdcts allow relatively high densities in an effort to encourage the production of housing. In 1989, the R-3 District (the lowest density multi-family zoning district) allowed up to 43 units per acre. Prior to the runendments necessary to make them conform to the initiative adopted by the voters in November 1991, the R-4 Dist11ct allowed up to 58 units per act-e and the R-5 District allowed up to 124- units per acre. However, very few projects were built up to the maximum allowable densities. On avemge, most developments achieved between one-third and one-half the allowable densities in these zoning districts, due to other constraints such as parking, open space requirements and the costs of high-rise building construction or multiple .floors of underground padcing.
The high range of allowable densities permitted by the zoning distdcts can result in property owners over-valui11g their properties based on unrealistic development expectations. This iJ.1 turn results iJ.1 properties remai11ing undeveloped or reduces the affordability of units constructed with i11flated land prices. It can also render density bonuses for affordable housing production useless.
c. Program H 2.12 ("Mixed-Use") is maintained to read:
Publicize the advru1tages of constructing housing or mixed-use projects iJ.1 commercial areas. Publicize the ability to locate reside11ces iJ.1 commercial areas. · - Lead:·Plruming Division.- (0ngoing)- ~ -· -- -- - - - - ------· -· ------ ·---·- - --·- d. The second full paragraph in the discussion of Program H 2.11 ("Mixed-Use") is maintained to read:
The City cU11:e11tly allows tl1e mixing of housing and commercial uses, iJ.1 various locations, i11cluding properties along El Camino Real (SR 82) soutl1 of tl1e Downtown, office sites along 20th Avenue, the KMART site at Delaware and Concar, the Parkside Shoppi11g Center at Norfollc, and the Fashion Island Shopping Center. In addition, once adopted, the programs called for iJ.1 Program H 2A should encourage the consttuction of affordable housi11g iJ.1 the redevelopment of 17 528 of 588
E. Amendments to General Plan, Chapter V, Urban Design Element The last full paragraph of Focal Points is maintained to read:
Many things can be clone to strengthen major focal points. The Downtown Specific Plan includes requirements for ground floor retail, and the General Plan pe11nits mLxed uses and building heights of up to 7 5 feet in the Downtown. Hillsdale Mall could be strengthened by higher floor area ratios (the ratio of building floor area to lot area), visible retail uses (outward focusing), and a more consistent architectural or landscape treatment. The office development along SR 92 could be enhanced by permitting buildings up to 7 5 feet in height, altering higher floor area tatios and architectural and landscape treatme11ts. Focal points can be discouraged in the middle sections of El Camino Real (SR 82) and many other commercial zones by changing the zoning to permit 110 high-rises or buildings with excessive bulk.
F. Amendments to General Plan Appendices
1) Appendix B, entitled "Land Use Categories", is maintained as follows:
a. The land use category "Medium High Density 1\!Iulti-Family Residential, if and wherever it occurs, is deleted.
b. Section A.2.c., '1-Iigh-DensityMulti-Family Residential" is maintained to read:
High-Density Multi-Family Residential.
(36-50 units per acre -- 81-115 persons pet acre)
Higher density multi-family areas, typically three to five stories, usually located neat transportation corridors, major streets, commerchl areas, the Downtown -· ... ___ and.train.stations. _____ _
c. The text at the begi:1rning of section B ("Non-Residential Land Use Categories") is maintained to read:
Non-residential land use categories include a wide range of commercial and industrial uses and public facilities. The intensity or scale of development is limited by a combination of building height and floor area 1-atio. Residential uses rangi:11g from low to high densities are allowed in all non-residential land use categoties except setvice commercial, manufacturing/industrial and parks/ open space, and where othetwise excluded by specific area policies.
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d. The fourth sentence of Section B.2., entitled "Regional/Community Commercial", is amended and maintained to read:
Characterized by medium to high FARs of 1.0 to 2.5 and heights of 35 feet to 55 feet*, with the exception of the Hillsdale Mall which has a maximum height of 60 feet as shown on the Site Plan entitled ''Hillsdale Shopping Center", dated Aptil 19, 2004 and which has been incorporated mto the Building Height Plan, Figure LU-4. e. The last sentence of section B.3., entitled "Downtown Commercial", is maintained to read:
Characterized by medium to high F ARs of 1.0 to 3.0 and heights of 35 to 55 feet.* f. The last sentence of section B.6., entitled "Executive Office", is maintained to read:
Characterized by low to medium FARs of .62 to 1.0 and heights of 35 to 55 feet.* g. The last sentence of section B.12., entitled "Mixed-Use Incentive", is maintained to read:
Characterized by a wide range of medium to high F ARs of 1.0 to 3.0 and heights of 25 to 55 feet.*
h. A note is maintained at the end of Appendix B, which reads as follows:
* Densities up to 7 5 units per acre, and height limits up to a maximum of 7 5 feet tn.-iy be allowed in some areas within these land use categories, as specified in the atea specific policy for Downtown (PA 3), and Policies PA 5.2 and PA 6.3 of the Land Use Eleme.nt.
2) Appendix C, entitled "Building Height", is amended and maintained to contain the follo~~g land uses and building heights. No new land use categories shall be authorized with building heights greater than 55 feet:
LAND USE CATEGORY
Residential:
Single-Family
Low-De11si1y Multi-Family
Medium-Density Multi-Family
______ Higl1~I)ensity ~ul,i:i~-~~~Y _
19 Maximum Height
24'
24'
35' to 55'
35' to 55'
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Non-Residential:
Neighborhood Commercial
Regional/Community Commercial
Downtown
Service Commercial
Manufacturing
Executive Office
Public Facility
Parks/Open Space
Utilities
Transportation Corridors
Major Institution/Special Facility
Mixed Use:
Executive Office/Low-Density Multi-Family
Executive Office/Medium-Density Multi-Family
Executive Office/High-Density Multi-Family
Neighborhood Commercial/Medium-Density Multi-Family
Neighborhood Commercial/High-Density Multi-Family
Regional/Community Commercial/High-Density Multi
Family
25' to 55'
35' to 55'* **
55'*
30'
35' to 90'
25' to 55'*
25' to 75'
32'
32'
32'
35' to 90'
25' to ,;5•
25' to 45'
25' to 55'*
35'
25' to 55'
25' to 55'*
* Height limits up to a maximum of 75 feet may be allowed in some areas within these land use categories, as specified the area specific policy for Downtown (PA 3), and Policies PA
5.2 and PA 6.3 of the Land Use Element.
** Height limits up to a maximum of 60 feet are also established for the Hillsdale Shopping Center as shown on the Site Plan entitled ''I-Iillsdale Shopping Center", dated April19, 2004.
Section 4. Subsequent General Plan Amendments
A. The General Plan and all of its elements and parts may be reviewed and amended pursuant to Policy LU 6-2 and as may be required to conform to state law, without · - li:mitation;-except·that·the-City Council-may-not-amend the·General-Plan-itr·a-manner- ·· 20 531 of 588
inconsistent with the pu1poses, intent, or operative provisions of this i11itiative, including, but not necessat'ily limited to, provisions reducing maximum height limits and densities for specified uses.
B. Should the City Council determine that it is impossible to comply with the requirements of state law without amending the General Plan in a ma1111er inconsistent with the purposes, intent, or operative provisions of this initiative, it shall first seek voter approval of any proposed inconsistent amendments. Failing this_, it shall then seek appropriate judicial relief.
Section 5. Impleme11tatio11/No Unconstitutional Taking
This initiative is not intended, and shall not be applied or consttued, to authorize the City to exercise its powers in a manner which will take private property for public use without the payment of just compensation, but shall be interpreted, applied and implemented so as to accomplish its putposes to the maximum constitutionally permissible extent. If application of this initiative to a specific property of record as of its effective date would create a t'lking, then the City Council may allow additional density or uses on said property, upon findings that the level of additional development pennitted is the minimum necessary to avoid a talcing, and no lesser level of development would be sufficient to avoid a talcing.
Such findings shall be based 011 foll envitonmental review and economic feasibility studies which are circulated in the same manner as Draft Envitonmental Impact Repo1ts, and must be supported by a preponderance of the evidence.
Section 6. Severability
If any p!)Ttion _of this initiative is hereafter determined to be invalid by a court of competent __ _ jurisdiction, all remaining portions of this initiative shall remain in foll force and effect. Each section, subsection, sentence, phrase, part, or portion of this initiative would have been adopted and passed irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, phrases, parts of pottions be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
Section 7. Effective Date and Durntion
A. The provisions of this initiative shall remain :in effect through the year 2030.
B. This initiative shall take effect 10 days after the city council dechres the results of the election approving this measure.
Section 8. Conflicting Ballot Measures
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In the event that this Measure and another measure or measures relating to the same or similar subject matter shall appear on the same election ballot, the provisions of the other measures shall be deemed in conflict with this measure. In the event that this Measure shall receive a greater number of affirmative votes, the provisions of this Measure shall prevail in their entirety, and the provisions of the other measure or measures shall be null and void. 22 533 of 588
CITY OF SAN MATEO
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 30 Section Name: PUBLIC HEARING Account Number: 10-3111 File ID: 24-8853 TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Community Development Department
MEETING DATE: July 15, 2024
SUBJECT:
619 W. 39th Avenue - Appeal of a Third Story Addition to an Existing Two-story Single-Family Residence (PA-2023-017).
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution to deny the appeal of the Zoning Administrator and Planning Commission decisions to approve a Single-Family Dwelling Design Review (SFDDR) for a 438 square-foot third story addition to an existing two-story single- family residence at 619 W. 39th Avenue, based on the Findings for Approval and subject to the Conditions of Approval.
BACKGROUND:
On March 20, 2023, Steve Lesley (Applicant), submitted Planning Application (PA) PA-2023-017 for a third story addition to an existing two-story, single-family residence, and worked with the City’s Development Review Board to address code requirements and consistency with design guidelines for the proposed project. Following a duly noticed public review period in which one comment letter was received, the Zoning Administrator approved the project on January 3, 2024. On January 12, 2024, Katherine Doughty (Appellant), a neighboring property owner, filed an appeal of the Zoning Administrator decision, citing concerns related to views, privacy impacts, and consistency with the surrounding neighborhood. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on April 23, 2024 in which the Commission voted unanimously to deny the appeal and upheld the Zoning Administrator’s approval of the project. The appellant filed an appeal of the Planning Commission decision on May 2, 2024 (Attachment 2).
Project Description
The project site is located at 619 W. 39th Avenue, southwest of Alameda de las Pulgas, on an upsloping lot. The site is zoned R1-B (One Family Dwellings) and has a parcel area of 6,165 square feet. A location map showing the project site and its vicinity is included as Attachment 6.
The existing single-family house is a two-story structure with 1,891 square feet on the upper level and a 693 square-foot two-car garage on the lower level. The proposed project is a 438 square-foot third story addition above the rear portion of the house. Given the slope of the lot and the placement of the addition, it functions like a second story addition in relation to the rest of the house. The project also includes a 101 square-foot remodel of the upper level (second story) and the legalization of an existing 29 square-foot bathroom. Project plans showing the proposed site plan, floor plans, elevations and privacy diagrams are included in Attachment 7.
Zoning Code and Design Review
The project is subject to the requirements of SMMC Chapter 27.18 for (R1 Districts – One-Family Dwellings), which includes development standards for floor area ratio (FAR), building height, daylight plane, and setbacks. The overall proposed floor area of 3,022 square feet is within the maximum allowable floor area of 3,033 square feet (0.5 FAR) for the property. The project proposes an overall building height of 27 feet, six inches measured to roof peak, and 24 feet measured to the highest plate-line, both of which are measured from existing grade. These measurements are within the
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
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District’s height limits of 32 feet to roof peak and 24 feet to building plate line. The R1-B District does not have a story limit, so a third story is allowed if it is within the specified height limits. The project’s compliance with all applicable Zoning Code requirements is summarized in the Project Data Sheet (Attachment 8).
The proposed construction of an upper story addition requires a Single-Family Dwelling Design Review (SFDDR) in accordance with SMMC 27.08.032. This review includes evaluating the project for compliance with the Zoning Code and consistency with the Single-Family Design Guidelines (Design Guidelines). Staff found the project to be in substantial conformance with the Design Guidelines because it is well integrated into the existing architectural character of the neighborhood and does not change the current configuration of the site, it is compatible with the existing residence and the surrounding neighborhood design character, and the addition is designed to minimize impacts to neighboring views and privacy.
DISCUSSION:
Planning Commission Decision
The appeal of the Zoning Administrator decision focused on two areas of concern with respect to the City’s Single-Family Dwelling Design Guidelines: conformance with the existing neighborhood, and impacts caused to neighboring views and privacy. The Appellant also raised concerns not regulated by the Design Guidelines or Zoning Code, including fire safety concerns with vegetation along the rear of the property, concerns over a wind tunnel effect from the new addition, and that the notice of the neighborhood meeting was not received until after the meeting took place.
During the Planning Commission meeting, staff provided clarification and confirmation that the initial neighborhood notification from the Applicant and the notice for the Zoning Administrator decision were sent to the Appellant’s property at 3909 Marshall Avenue as well as the Appellant’s listed mailing address in the Town of Woodside. The Appellant also presented design alternatives, including a flat roof design to reduce view impacts. The Planning Commission reviewed these concerns and found the project to meet all applicable Zoning Code requirements and to be in substantial conformance with the Single-Family Design Guidelines. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to deny the appeal and to uphold the Zoning Administrator’s decision to approve the project.
Appeal to the City Council
On May 2, 2024, the Appellant filed an appeal of the Planning Commission’s decision (Attachment 2). Below is a summary of the grounds for appeal by the Appellant and staff’s responses.
1. Public Notice: The Appellant states that the required notice for the neighborhood informational meeting was not received at 3909 Marshall Avenue. Staff confirmed, however, that Applicant mailed notices to both 3909 Marshall Avenue and the Appellant’s primary residence in Woodside. The ten-day requirement for mailing of the notice was met by the applicant, and the notice states that neighbors can arrange an alternative time to meet with the applicant if they are unable to attend the neighborhood meeting.
2. Due Process Concern: At the April 23, 2024, Planning Commission meeting, a Planning Commissioner voluntarily disclosed a prior professional relationship from ten years ago with the Applicant’s architect. The Appellant contends that the Commissioner should not have participated in the decision-making process. Staff determined that the Commissioner did not have a conflict of interest requiring recusal.
3. Consideration of Alternatives: In the appeal form, the Appellant conveys various alternatives, including the suggestion to utilize a flat roof for the area of addition, and states that the alternatives were not seriously considered by the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission discussion centered around the proposed design’s conformance with the Zoning Code and Design Guidelines, and the project as proposed was found to be in compliance with all related requirements.
4. Contractor Concerns: The Appellant notes concerns with the business and license history of the selected contractor. Prior to Building Permit issuance, the Applicant will be required to confirm the selected contractor has an active contractor’s license and City business license.
As discussed, the project meets all applicable Zoning Code requirements and is in substantial conformance with the Single- Family Design Guidelines. Therefore, staff recommends that the City Council deny the appeal and approve the project.
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
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ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
Staff has determined that the project is categorically exempt from further review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Class 1 Section 15301(e) Additions to Existing Structures in that the project will not result in an increase of more than 10,000 square-feet, is in an area where all public services and facilities are available to allow for maximum development permissible in the General plan, and is not located in an environmentally sensitive area.
NOTICE PROVIDED:
In accordance with Government Code Section 65091 and the City’s Municipal Code noticing requirements, this Public Hearing was noticed to the following parties at least ten days in advance of this City Council meeting:
•Property owners, residential tenants and business tenants within 500 feet of the project site. •The City’s “900 List” which contains nearly 100 Homeowner Associations, Neighborhood Associations, local utilities, media, and other organizations interested in citywide planning projects; •The City’s Planning “Notify Me” email list; and,
•The interested parties list, which includes interested individuals who contacted the City and requested to be added to the project notification list.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
As part of the Zoning Administrator’s decision process, a public notice was mailed on December 8, 2023. On December 15, 2023, staff received a preliminary comment from the Appellant (Attachment 6), which included concerns related to neighborhood compatibility and privacy and view impacts. The Applicant provided a supplemental list of neighbors who signed in support of the project (Attachment 7).
As of the date of publication of this report, no additional public comments have been submitted to staff. Additional public comments received following the publishing of this agenda report will be forwarded to the City Council for review and consideration at the Public Hearing and posted to this item on the City’s Public Meeting Portal as “Post Packet Public Comments.”
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Proposed Resolution
Att 2 – Appeal Form to the City Council
Att 3 – Location Map
Att 4 – Project Plans
Att 5 – Project Data Sheet
Att 6 – Public Comment
Att 7 – Applicant Provided Signatures of Support
STAFF CONTACT
Ralph Robinson, Contract Planner
[email protected]
(650) 229-8535
Rendell Bustos, Senior Planner
[email protected]
650-522-7211
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
RESOLUTION NO. ___ (2024)
DENYING THE APPEAL AND UPHOLDING THE PLANNING COMMISION’S DECISION AND ZONING ADMINISTRATOR’S APPROVAL OF A SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING DESIGN REVIEW (PLANNING APPLICATION PA-2023-017) AT 619 W. 39TH AVENUE (APN 042-093-020) WHEREAS, Steve Lesley (herein referred to as the “Applicant”) submitted Planning Application PA- 2023-017 on March 20, 2023 for a Single-Family Dwelling Design Review (SFDDR) to construct a new 438 square-foot third story addition to an existing two story single-family residence, located at 619 W. 39 th Avenue, APN 042-093-020 (collectively referred to as “Project”) in the City of San Mateo (“City”); and WHEREAS, the Zoning Administrator found that the Project is categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Class 1 Section 15301(e) Additions to Existing Structures; and
WHEREAS, the Zoning Administrator found that the Project is consistent with the applicable policies of the General Plan and other applicable codes and policies, including the Single-Family Dwelling Design Guidelines; and
WHEREAS, the Zoning Administrator approved the Project on January 3, 2024, following a duly noticed public review period; and
WHEREAS, Katherine Doughty (herein referred to as the “Appellant”) filed an Appeal of the decision by the Zoning Administrator to approve the Project (Planning Application PA-2023-017) on January 12, 2024; and
WHEREAS, the San Mateo City Charter and Municipal Code Section 27.08.090 authorizes the Planning Commission to take action on the Appeal of a Zoning Administrator decision; and WHEREAS, on April 23, 2024, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing to consider the Appeal and adopted a resolution denying the appeal and upholding the Zoning Administrator’s approval of the project; and
WHEREAS, on May 2, 2024, the Appellant filed an appeal of the Planning Commission’s decision; and
WHEREAS, the San Mateo City Charter and Municipal Code Section 27.08.090 authorizes the City Council to take action on the Appeal of a Planning Commission decision; and WHEREAS, on July 15, 2024, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing to consider the Appeal.
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0 NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, HEREBY RESOLVES that:
1. The Project will not have a significant effect on the environment and is therefore categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA under Class 1 Section 15301(e) Additions to Existing Structures.
2. The Appeal is denied based on the analysis of the Project as a whole and substantial evidence in the record.
3. The decision of the Planning Commission to adopt the Resolution denying the appeal and upholding the Zoning Administrator decision to approve the Project based on findings and subject to the conditions of approval attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated by reference is upheld.
4. Pursuant to SMMC Section 27.08.032, the Single-Family Dwelling Design Review and associated Conditions of Approval are approved based on the following findings:
a)The structures, site plan, and landscaping are consistent with the adopted R1 Single Family Dwelling Design Guidelines in that:
i. The proposed addition is well integrated into the existing architectural character of the neighborhood and does not change the current configuration of the site.
The surrounding neighborhood consists of a mix of one- and two-story homes with a variety of architectural styles. In the surrounding neighborhood, garages are typically attached and located at the front of the residence. The addition will result in a three-story residence and preserves the location and orientation of the garage, which is also along the front of the residence. ii. To reduce impacts to views for neighboring properties up hill to the rear and right of the project site, the project locates the addition above the left-side of the existing second story. The addition also has a smaller footprint area to further minimize impacts to views. This is consistent with the Single-Family Dwelling Design Guidelines, which encourage minimizing blockage of established views through configuring living space in areas where it would have less impact to views. The project also proposes a hipped roof with a slope of 4:12, which reduces the apparent massing and view impacts, and is consistent with the roof design of the existing residence. Lastly, the proposed third story windows are offset from neighboring windows and do not present privacy impacts for neighboring yards and living areas.
iii. The residence will appear as a two-story residence from the side and rear elevations due to the lot slope which exposes the face of the garage on the first story. The project will also continue the use of vertical board siding on the second and third stories, brick veneer on the first story, and a composition shingle roof. These materials are common throughout the neighborhood. b) The development will not be detrimental to the harmonious and orderly growth of the City in that the proposed addition is designed in accordance with the San Mateo Zoning
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0 Code and adheres to the maximum floor area ratio (FAR), minimum setback, and maximum building height. The proposed residence is in the R1-B zoning district which allows for a maximum floor area of 0.50 for parcels up to 6,000 square-feet plus 0.20 for any parcel area over 6,000 square-feet. The proposed floor area is 3,022 square- feet, which is within the maximum of 3,033 square-feet. The maximum height is 24 feet to the plate line and 32 feet to the roof peak. The proposed building is 24 feet to the plate line and 27 feet, six inches to the roof peak.
c) The development will not impair the desirability of investment or occupation in the vicinity, and otherwise is in the best interests of the public health, safety, or welfare in that the proposed project is designed in a manner that is sensitive and compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
d) The development meets all applicable standards as adopted by the Planning Commission and City Council, conforms with the General Plan, and will correct any violations of the zoning ordinance, building code, or other municipal codes that exist on the site in that the proposed dwelling does not exceed the height limitation, parking, or daylight plane requirements for the site and will be constructed in conformance with the California Building Code.
e) The development will not adversely affect matters regarding police protection, crime prevention, and security in that it will be constructed in accordance with the City's Security ordinance.
39 5. The Project conforms to applicable policies of the Land Use Element policies of the City’s General Plan 2030.
a) In accordance with Policy LU 1.9, which encourages the preservation of single-family areas and limiting new development to low-density residential uses, the proposed Project maintains the single-family use as delineated on the Land Use Map by proposing an addition to an existing single-family residence. b) In accordance with Policy LU 1.9a, which encourages the livability of San Mateo neighborhoods by reviewing Single-Family Dwelling Design Review planning applications for compatibility with the City’s Single-Family Design Guidelines, the Project has been evaluated for compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood and incorporates guidance from the City’s Single-Family Design Guidelines by stepping back the third-story to reduce the overall scale and massing that is similar to surrounding residences. The Project maintains the existing style and materials of the residence, which are consistent with those seen throughout the neighborhood.
6. The Project conforms to Policy UD 2.12 of the Urban Design Element of the City’s General Plan 2030, which encourages single-family dwellings to substantially conform to the City’s Single- Family Design Guidelines and preserve the neighborhood scale, materials, architectural style, privacy, and views. The Project has been evaluated to conform with the City’s Design
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0 Guidelines and preserves and enhances the neighborhood through maintaining a similar design as the existing residences and common materials such as board siding and composition shingle roofing. The Project has been designed with sensitivity to privacy and view impacts and the scale and location of the addition are provided in such a way as to limit these impacts.
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0 EXHIBIT A
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
PA-2023-017, 619 W. 39TH AVE., SFDDR
619 W 39TH AVE, SAN MATEO, CA 94403-4104
PARCEL # 042093020
AS APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON __________.
The following conditions of approval apply to the project referenced above. The conditions of approval are grouped under specific headings that relate to the timing of required compliance.
Additional language within a condition may further define the timing of required compliance.
Types of Building permits include Demolition, Shoring/Excavation, Foundation, and Superstructure.
The following conditions shall be satisfied prior to issuance of a DEMOLITION PERMIT, BUILDING PERMIT FOR SHORING OR FOUNDATION, or SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, whichever is issued first, or prior to the deadline specified in that condition.
Planning Division (PA)
1 APPROVED PLANNING APPLICATION CONFORMANCE – All building permit plans, details, and subsequent construction shall substantially conform with the approved planning application. This includes but is not limited to plans, materials, project description, and other items submitted as part of the approved planning application.
Any proposed modifications to the approved planning application shall be reviewed and approved by the Community Development Director, or his/her designee, prior to construction of the proposed modifications. The Community Development Director, or his/her designee, shall determine whether the proposed modifications substantially conform with the approved planning application, or whether a planning application modification is required to be submitted to permit the proposed modifications, as required by Municipal Code Section 27.08.080 Modifications. (PLANNING)
2 CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL – This complete list of Conditions of Approval shall be reproduced onto the second sheet of all building permit plan sets. (PLANNING) 3 PAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING PLANNING APPLICATION FEES – The applicant shall pay all outstanding planning application fees. (PLANNING)
Building Division (PA)
4 APPLICABLE BUILDING STANDARDS AND LOCAL CODES – All building permit plans shall demonstrate compliance with the applicable California Building Standards
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0 Codes and local amendments as adopted by the Building Division at the time of filing the building permit application. (BUILDING)
Public Works Department (PA)
5 STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PERMIT – The applicant shall obtain a Stormwater Pollution Prevention (STOPPP) Construction permit, paying the required fees and posting the required cash deposit, for all work associated with the stormwater pollution prevention program in accordance with San Mateo Municipal Code Chapter 7.39.170. The fee amount will be based upon the City Council resolution in effect at the time the building permit application is made. (PUBLIC WORKS)
The following conditions shall be satisfied prior to issuance of a BUILDING PERMIT FOR THE SUPERSTRUCTURE.
Building Division (PA)
6 CALGREEN – The building permit plans shall incorporate the applicable CALGreen Checklist noting the green building measures the project will incorporate in accordance with the California Green Building Standards Code and City of San Mateo Reach Codes subject to the review and approval by the Building Official, or his/her designee. Current City of San Mateo CALGreen checklists are located on Building Division webpage or will be provided by Community Development Department staff, if requested. (BUILDING)
7 WATER CONSERVATION IN LANDSCAPING – The applicant shall submit a completed Water Conservation in Landscaping Screening Form. If the screening form indicates the project is subject to the Water Conservation in Landscaping Ordinance pursuant to Municipal Code Section 23.72.030, additional documentation prescribed by the screening form shall also be included with the site plan. City of San Mateo Water Conservation in Landscaping forms are located on Building Division webpage. The applicant shall submit the required landscape documentation package with building permit application subject to the review and satisfaction of the Building Official, or his/her designee. (BUILDING)
Public Works Department (PA)
8 DRAINAGE – The building permit plans shall show drainage designed into landscaping with the purpose of reducing volume or improving quality of runoff from the site shall be implemented, to extent feasible, subject to the approval of the Director of Public Works or designee or designee. Where necessary, sidewalk drains per City Standard Drawing 3-1-120 shall be provided to direct the water under the sidewalk and through the curb. No increase to the peak discharge shall be permitted
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0 downstream. In addition, discharge shall conform to any non-point source permit issued by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Drainage improvements made on-site shall conform to standard engineering practices and shall not allow any site drainage to impact adjacent properties. The building permit plans for the superstructure shall show drainage. (PUBLIC WORKS)
9 FENCES AND OTHER PERMANENT STRUCTURES – The applicant shall locate all project fencing and foundations of a permanent nature within the project’s property and out of the City right-of-way. (PUBLIC WORKS)
10 SEWER LATERAL INSPECTION – As required by Municipal Code Section 7.38.432, the applicant shall hire a licensed plumber or contractor to perform a sewer lateral inspection and complete a Sewer Lateral Inspection Form (Form) to be submitted to the Director of Public Works or designee, unless the project is exempt per Municipal Code Section 7.38.432(c)(2). The video inspection shall be completed prior to building permit issuance. The Form shall be reviewed by the Department of Public Works. If the Form indicates a failed inspection, the repair and/or replacement of the sewer lateral shall appear on the building permit plans for the superstructure prior to building permit issuance. In addition, if the Form indicates a failed inspection, the applicant shall repair and/or replace the sewer lateral, with all required permits, and provide an updated Form with a passing inspection, prior to occupancy. (PUBLIC WORKS)
The following conditions shall be met prior to RELEASE OF UTILITIES, FINAL INSPECTION, ISSUANCE OF A TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, or ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, whichever occurs first.
Planning Division (PA)
11 FINAL LANDSCAPING FOR SINGLE FAMILY PROJECTS – Apart from paved driveway and walkway areas, required front yard and street-side yard areas (if applicable) shall be improved with landscaping, which may consist of a combination of drought- tolerant plants and other organic and inorganic materials, except paving. If new landscaping is not proposed, any damaged landscaping shall be replaced with new landscaping as described above. Proposed new landscaping shall be shown on the building permit plans prior to permit issuance and all landscaping shall be installed prior to final inspection, subject to the satisfaction of the Community Development Director, or his/her designee. (PLANNING)
12 PLANNING FINAL INSPECTION – Upon completion of all construction and landscaping, the applicant shall request the Project Planner conduct a Planning Final inspection for verification of compliance with all outstanding conditions of approval.
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0 The applicant shall contact the Project Planner to schedule each inspection a minimum of 72 hours in advance of the requested inspection. (PLANNING) The following conditions shall be complied with AT ALL TIMES DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE OF THE PROJECT.
Planning Division (PA)
13 FRAME/PLANNING ROUGH INSPECTION – Upon completion of all framing and prior to the installation of exterior sheathing and windows, the applicant shall request the Project Planner conduct a Rough Frame inspection to verify items including, but not limited to, window locations, window sizes, and massing. The applicant shall contact the Project Planner to schedule each inspection a minimum of 72 hours in advance of the requested inspection. (PLANNING)
14 SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING WALL AND ROOF DEMOLITION – The applicant shall not demolish any exterior walls or roof structure beyond the demolition approved in this planning application approval and subsequent building permit. The applicant shall notify the Project Planner if any additional demolition of wall, roof structure, or any other portion of the building not originally approved for removal is requested.
Any proposed modifications to the approved planning application shall be reviewed and approved by the Community Development Director, or his/her designee, prior to construction of the proposed modifications. (PLANNING) Building Division (PA)
15 CONSTRUCTION WORK HOURS – Construction shall occur only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, and between 12:00 noon and 4:00 p.m. on Sundays and holidays.
These hours do not apply to construction that takes place inside a completely enclosed building and does not exceed the exterior ambient noise level as measured 10 feet from the exterior property lines. The applicant shall conform to the construction work hours to control traffic congestion, noise, and dust unless an exemption is granted in accordance with Municipal Code Section 23.06.061. (BUILDING)
Fire Department (PA)
16 ADDRESS NUMBERS – The applicant shall post temporary address numbers on each building at the project site that must be easily visible from the street or fire access road. (FIRE)
17 DEMOLITION – The applicant shall comply with the California Fire Code Chapter 33 during all phases of construction of the project. (FIRE)
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0 18 EGRESS – The applicant shall maintain required egress for all adjacent buildings/properties. (FIRE)
Public Works Department (PA)
19 BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMP) – The applicant shall perform all construction activities in accordance with the City’s Storm Water Management and Discharge Control Rules and Regulations (SMMC 7.39), and the San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SMCWPPP) by reference. Detailed information can be located at: https://www.flowstobay.org/preventing-stormwater- pollution/with-new-redevelopment/construction-best-practices/ (PUBLIC WORKS)
The following conditions shall be complied with AT ALL TIMES that the project permitted by this planning application occupies the premises.
Planning Division (PA)
20 APPROVED PLANNING APPLICATION CONFORMANCE AT ALL TIMES – All physical improvements, uses, and operational requirements authorized by the approved planning application shall, at all times that the use permitted by this planning application occupies the premises, substantially conform with the approved planning application. This includes but is not limited to plans, materials, project description, and other items submitted as part of the approved planning application.
Any proposed modifications to the approved planning application shall be reviewed and approved by the Community Development Director, or his/her designee, prior to construction of the proposed modifications. The Community Development Director, or his/her designee shall determine whether the proposed modifications substantially conform with the approved planning application, or whether a planning application modification is required to be submitted to permit the proposed modifications, as required by Municipal Code Section 27.08.080 Modifications. (PLANNING)
21 ONGOING LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE – All landscaped areas shall be maintained free of litter, debris and weeds. All plantings shall be permanently maintained in a healthy growing condition and, whenever necessary, replaced with equivalent plant materials to ensure continued conformance with approved plans. (PLANNING) City Attorney (PA)
22 INDEMNIFICATION – The applicant will defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the City of San Mateo, its elected and appointed officials, employees, and agents from and against any costs, claims, or liabilities arising out of the approval of this planning
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0 application, including, without limitation, any award of attorney fees that might result from third party challenge. If applicant is required to defend the City, the City shall retain the right to select the counsel who shall defend the City. (CITY
ATTORNEY)
23 PENALTY – In accordance with San Mateo Municipal Code section 27.02.210- Violations of Planning Application Conditions, any violation of any of the conditions of approval is unlawful and will subject the applicant to the penalties set forth in Chapter 1.04-General Penalty of the San Mateo Municipal Code as well as any other available legal remedies. (CITY ATTORNEY)
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ATT 4 – LOCATION MAP
PA-2023-017
619 W. 39th Ave., SFDDR
Address(es): 619 W. 39th Ave.
San Mateo, CA 94403
Parcel Number(s): 042-093-020
Project Site
Appellant Property
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SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DATA FORM
NAME: 619 W. 39th Ave., SFDDR PA: PA-2023-017 ADDRESS: 619 W. 39th Ave.
LOT AREA: 6,165 sf ZONING: R1-B APN: 042-093-020
FLOOR AREA: (Existing)
House: 1st : 1,891
2nd:
Garage: 693
Front Porch: 38 (Exempted*)
TOTAL: 2,584
PROPOSED
1,891
438
693
38*
3,022
MAXIMUM ALLOWED
3,033 sf
F.A.R.: 0.42 (Existing) 0.49 (0.50 x 3,000) + (0.20 x 165) BLDG. HEIGHT: (Existing)
Height to plate: 16’-10”
Height to peak: 21’-6”
Daylight Plane: Complies
PROPOSED
24’
27’6”
Complies
MAXIMUM ALLOWED
24’
32’
12’, 45 degrees
STORIES: 2 (Existing) 3 N/A
UNITS: 1 (Existing) 1 1 + 1 ADU + 1 JADU
SETBACKS: (Existing)
Front: 14.96’
Front (garage): 14.96’
Left Side: 5.75’
Right Side: 6.7’
Rear: 26.54’
Rear (2nd Story): 26.54’
PROPOSED
14.96’
14.96’
5.75’
6.7’
26.54’
26.54’
MINIMUM REQUIRED
15’
20’
5’
5’
15’
25’
PARKING: (Existing)
Garage (min. 10’x18’/car): 2
Open Spaces: 0
New Parking required:
TOTAL PARKING: 2
PROPOSED
2 0
0 2
MINIMUM REQUIRED
2 ACCESSORY STRUCTURES
W/IN REAR 1/3 OF PROPERTY:
Coverage (50% max):
Height. (9’to plate; 16’to peak):
Daylight Plane (9’&45°):
PROPOSED
N/A
MIMIMUM REQUIRED
N/A
OTHER:
LANDSCAPING:
Heritage Trees removed:
Other Major Landscaping
removed:
N/A
N/A
*SMMC 27.040.200 exempts the first 100 sq. ft. of a covered front porch from the maximum floor area for single- family dwellings.
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 31 Section Name: NEW BUSINESS Account Number: 25-3112 File ID: 24-8909 TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Community Development Department
MEETING DATE: July 15, 2024
SUBJECT:
Update Preliminary Application Review and Design Review Requirements for New Development Projects RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt Resolutions to (1) repeal Resolution No. 69 (2020) and adopt an Early Community Engagement Process for Development Projects, including changes to a mandatory Planning Commission study session requirement and simplification of the noticing and neighborhood meeting procedures for all planning applications, and (2) repeal Resolution No. 67 (1996) Design Review Process for Certain Development Projects; and find that the policy updates are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2).
BACKGROUND:
The City’s 2023-2031 Housing Element, which was adopted by the City Council on May 20, 2024, includes a policy that focuses on streamlining housing application review (Policy H 1.6) and it includes the following implementation actions to be completed by 2024:
• Update the City Council resolutions that establish the pre-application and development review processes to eliminate the pre-application requirement for housing projects and eliminate the third-party design review requirement for housing projects that meet objective standards. • Amend the Zoning Code to allow residential projects with up to 25 units to be approved administratively. On December 4, 2023, the City Council adopted the zoning ordinance to amend Municipal Code Title 27, which grants the Zoning Administrator the authority to review and approve up to twenty-five (25) residential dwelling units that meet objective design standards.
In January 2022, the Planning Commission held a study session to provide input on improving the City’s pre-application and design review processes. Overall, the planning commission expressed support for streamlining the pre-application process with more conceptual-level plans and documentation, and expressed support for maintaining third-party design review assistance as part of the development review process. In addition, the Planning Commission discussed the option of including the study sessions as part of the formal planning application review process to help reduce the amount of time that it takes for a project to complete the City’s development review process. Following this study session, this effort was paused while the City completed the General Plan and Housing Element updates.
On May 28, 2024, the Planning Commission reviewed the proposed modifications to the pre-application and design review process at a duly noticed public meeting as separate items. This review included consideration of Policy H 1.6 in the City’s Adopted Housing Element. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended that the City Council repeal Resolution No. 69 (2020) and adopt the proposed Early Community Engagement Process, with a change to the noticing requirement for homeowner associations as detailed in the Discussion section below. With a separate motion, the Planning Commission
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recommended that the City Council repeal Resolution No. 67(1996) Design Review Process for Certain Development Projects by a vote of 4 to 1.
DISCUSSION:
Pre-Application Process
The City's current Preliminary Application (Pre-Application) Planning Process, which was established by Resolution No. 69 (2020) and is included as Attachment 3, has a two-tiered approach based on project size. The Formal Pre-Application starts with a neighborhood meeting with mandatory staff attendance, followed by the submission of conceptual plans for staff review and input, followed by a Planning Commission study session. The notice radius for both meetings is 1,000 feet from the boundary of the project site. The Informal Pre-Application requires a neighborhood meeting with notices sent to property owners within a 500-foot radius of the project site, but no City submission or Planning Commission study session requirement.
The Pre-Application Process was designed to foster early public awareness of new development proposals by sharing project details with the community, gathering feedback, and resolving potential issues before formal planning application submission. However, some of the required elements of the pre-application process add unnecessary time and costs to the project review process, particularly for certain housing projects that have a different standard of review based on state statutes.
To achieve the Housing Element objectives and City Council priorities for streamlining development review while maintaining appropriate community engagement and notification, staff proposes the following modifications in four different areas of the current pre-application process. •Simplification of the Formal and Informal Pre-Application Processes The current Formal and Informal pre-application processes each involve distinct requirements for noticing and neighborhood meetings. The proposed policy (Attachment 1) streamlines this process by replacing the two-tiered approach with a consolidated framework consisting of three main components: noticing, neighborhood meetings, and Planning Commission study sessions.
•Modifications to Noticing Requirement
The current noticing radius differs between Informal Pre-Application (500 feet) and Formal Pre-Application (1,000 feet), measured from the project site boundary. The proposed policy maintains this noticing radius for regular planning applications (as defined in Section 1(b)) and large planning applications (as defined in Section 1(c)). Furthermore, a new category of minor projects (defined in Section 1(a)) has been introduced, including single-family homes, which only requires notice to adjacent neighbors upon application submission.
The proposed notification procedures incorporated the Planning Commission’s recommendation to replace the mailed notices to the areas’ Homeowner Association and United Homeowners Association with email notice to subscribed lists based on interest. This change would maintain mailed notices to the proscribed notification areas, but all other notices to interested parties would now be sent electronically via email. •Modifications to Neighborhood Meetings
The proposed policy simplifies the neighborhood meeting requirements for all planning applications. Staff participation in these meetings would become optional, but the applicants are required to record the meeting and share the recorded video with the City. Apart from the noticing radius, which varies based on the project size, other requirements, such as meeting content, would be standardized. •Modifications to the Planning Commission Study Sessions Currently, residential projects with over 20 units require a Planning Commission study session. The Zoning Ordinance, however, was amended to allow Zoning Administrator approval for housing projects with up to 25 units that met the City’s Objective Design Standards. In addition, Housing Element Policy H 1.6 necessitates a change to exempt all housing projects, regardless of the project size, from the Planning Commission study session requirement.
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The proposed policy allows an applicant to request a study session for certain large projects either prior to a planning application or after the formal planning application submission. The Zoning Administrator would also have authority to require a Planning Commission study session for certain types of projects, with qualifying housing projects and projects that do not require a public hearing being exempt from this requirement. Projects that require Planning Commission or Council approval would typically undergo the Planning Commission study session unless they are housing projects or determined to be minor or procedural in nature by the Zoning Administrator. The target would be to schedule a Planning Commission study session within 90 days of an applicant’s request or application submittal.
The proposed policy modifications to the pre-application process to focus more on early community engagement and Planning Commission input only where necessary would better align with the adopted codes and policies, and the City’s goal to streamline and simplify the development review process.
Design Review Process
The City implemented a design review process for larger development projects in via Resolution No. 7 (1991)(Attachment 4), with an amendment in 1996 via Resolution No. 67 (Attachment 5), that required design review to be conducted by a professional consultant to evaluate site layout, architecture and landscaping for compliance with adopted design guidelines and applicable policies; consider the project’s aesthetic and functional qualities; and the relationship of the project to neighboring properties and uses. After the adoption of the design review process, the City Council adopted multiple design guidelines for various project types to help improve the process.
The following types of projects are currently subject to this third-party design review requirement:
a. Residential projects of six or more units.
b. Commercial projects with 10,000 or more square feet of new space. c. Residential projects of three stories or greater.
d. Any other projects determined by the Zoning Administrator.
In November 2023, in response to State laws that limited the ability of local jurisdictions to enforce subjective design guidelines on housing projects, the City adopted Objective Design Standards for qualifying residential and mixed-use projects. With these Objective Design Standards, a third-party design consultant is no longer necessary to review for compliance. As outlined in the background section, removal of the third-party design review requirement was also identified as a way to streamline the review process for housing development projects and something that was specifically required by the State in order to achieve Housing Element certification.
For all Site Plan and Architectural Review (SPAR) applications, staff conducts the compliance review as part of the application process and guides the design review consultant in providing comments consistent with applicable guidelines.
In addition, projects below the thresholds outlined above are subject to staff-level design review. These projects include single-family residences, duplexes, small multi-family residential developments, and commercial projects with less than 10,000 square feet of new floor area. In more recent years, Community Development has focused on increased design review training and support for Planning staff to support completion of architectural and site plan reviews without a third- party consultant. The consultant-led review process also requires multiple steps, which adds complexity, time and cost to the process.
In summary, transitioning to a staff-led design review process would streamline the design review process and save time and costs associated with planning application review, while maintaining high standards of quality design in the City.
Repealing Resolution No. 67 (1996) would also implement Housing Element Policy H1.6, which exempts housing projects consistent with objective design standards from third-party design review. Elimination of the mandatory third-party design review process still allows the Zoning Administrator to request a third-party design review service on an as-needed basis for non-housing projects.
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ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
Amending the citywide planning process for pre-applications and changing the design review requirements is an administrative activity and not a project, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(2).
NOTICE PROVIDED:
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Draft Resolution to repeal Resolution No. 69 (2020) and adopt an Early Community Engagement Process Att 2 – Draft Resolution to repeal Resolution No. 67 (1996) Design Review for Certain Development Projects Att 3 – Resolution No. 69 (2020)
Att 4 – Resolution No. 7 (1991)
Att 5 – Resolution No. 67 (1996)
STAFF CONTACT
Elaine Ling, Principal Planner
[email protected]
(650) 522-7216
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3 CITY OF SAN MATEO
RESOLUTION NO. ______(2024)
REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 69 (2020) AND ADOPTING AN EARLY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WHEREAS, the City of San Mateo considers community engagement an important component of the development review process and seeks to balance the benefits of early community outreach and engagement without imposing unnecessary cost and time burdens on an applicant; and WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 69 (2020) regarding the pre-application process for new development; and
WHEREAS, on May 20, 2024, at a duly noticed public meeting, the City Council adopted the Sixth Cycle Housing Element, which includes Policy H 1.6 (Streamline Housing Application Review), an implementation action to “Update the City Council resolutions that establish the pre-application and development review processes to eliminate the pre-application requirement for housing projects and eliminate the third-party design review requirement for housing projects that meet objective standards;” and WHEREAS, on May 28, 2024, at a duly noticed public meeting, the City of San Mateo Planning Commission received and considered written and oral public comments, and unanimously recommended that the City Council repeal Resolution No. 69 (2020) and adopt the proposed Early Community Engagement Process, with a change to the noticing for homeowner associations, with the recommendation incorporated into Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS, on July 15, 2024, at a duly noticed public meeting, the City Council considered the proposed modifications to the pre-application process for planning applications as recommended by the Planning Commission, at which time all interested parties were provided opportunities to provide input; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the proposed updates to the City’s development review process and associated community engagement are consistent with the San Mateo General Plan by implementing housing goals, programs, and strategies in the 2023-2031 Housing Element.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, HEREBY FINDS AND RESOLVES that:
1. Amending the City’s pre-application process is an administrative activity and not a project in accordance with CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(2).
2. Resolution No. 69 (2020) is hereby repealed.
3. The Revised Early Community Engagement Process, attached in Exhibit A to this resolution, is adopted.
4. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.
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3 EXHIBIT A
EARLY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS
The purpose of the Early Community Engagement Process is to provide opportunities for early public outreach and engagement on planning applications by an applicant to foster early community awareness, share project details and receive public input while facilitating a standardized and streamlined process. The Early Community Engagement Process may require noticing, an applicant-run neighborhood meeting, and an optional Planning Commission study session, depending on the type of project.
1.Noticing: The following notices shall be provided based on the type of project. Noticing for projects not defined below shall be subject to Zoning Administrator interpretation, based on community interest, project impacts, and similarities with other listed projects:
a. Adjacent Properties: Notice of project submission shall be provided to all owners and tenants of adjacent properties for the following projects:
i. New one-story single-family residence;
ii. Second story addition of 200 square feet of floor area or greater to a single-family residence; iii. Fence exception and fences over seven (7) feet in height; and iv. Minor projects as determined by the Zoning Administrator.
Adjacent property means any property that adjoins the subject property through a shared property line or corner; or is separated from the subject property at any point only by a public right-of-way, ingress-egress easement, or public or private easement. b. Radius of 500 feet: For planning applications not included in Section 1 (a) and (c), including modifications to previously approved projects, the following noticing procedures for the neighborhood meetings and the optional Planning Commission Study Sessions shall be completed a minimum of ten calendar days prior to the meetings:
i. Mailing notice shall be provided to all owners and tenants of property within 500 feet of the subject property; and
ii. Email notice shall be provided to the City maintained interested party email list. c. Radius of 1,000 feet: For the projects identified in this subsection, including modifications to previously approved projects, the following noticing procedures for the neighborhood meetings and the optional Planning Commission Study Sessions shall be completed a minimum of ten calendar days prior to the meetings:
i. Mailing notice shall be provided to all owners and tenants of property within 1,000 feet of the subject property; and
ii. Email notice shall be provided to the City maintained interested party email list.
The projects requiring above noticing include:
i. New residential projects that require Planning Commission or City Council discretionary review and approval; and
ii. New nonresidential projects or additions over 10,000 sq. ft. or subject to a negative declaration or Environmental Impact Report; and
iii. Projects involving zoning reclassification, planned development, or general plan amendments.
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3 2. Neighborhood Meetings
a. Applicability. The neighborhood meeting process shall apply to planning applications identified in Sections 1(b) and (c). Minor modifications to previously approved projects and Cellular Telephone Antennae and Public Convenience and Necessity planning applications, including small cell applications, shall be exempt from the neighborhood meeting process but must adhere to the 500- foot noticing radius for application submission notice. b. Timing. Neighborhood meetings shall occur prior to the submittal of a planning application.
3. Planning Commission Study Session
a. Applicability. An applicant may request a Planning Commission Study Session for projects outlined in Section 1(c). However, should the applicant choose not to schedule the meeting, the Zoning Administrator retains the authority to determine if the project necessitates a Planning Commission Study Session based on the proposed development. Housing projects, as defined by the California Housing Accountability Act, and projects that do not require a public hearing are exempt from a Planning Commission Study Session at the discretion of the Zoning Administrator. b. Additional Noticing Requirements: The applicant must post placards on the project site at least ten (10) calendar days before the meeting.
c. Timing. The applicant may request the Planning Commission Study Session before or after the formal planning application submission. Conceptual-level plans are acceptable if the meeting is requested before the formal planning application submission as part of the noticing and neighborhood meeting process. Staff will target scheduling the Planning Commission study session within 90 days upon the applicant’s request or the Zoning Administrator’s determination for said meeting.
d. Format. Meetings shall comply with the applicable City of San Mateo Municipal Code and Planning Commission adopted by-laws and procedures. No motion shall be made at the conclusion of the discussion on the subject planning application.
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4 CITY OF SAN MATEO
RESOLUTION NO. _______(2024)
REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 67 (1996) DESIGN REVIEW FOR CERTAIN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 67 (1996) regarding design review for certain development projects; and
WHEREAS, the State of California adopted Senate Bills (SB) 35, SB 167, and SB 330 to establish a streamlined review process for housing development projects, as defined, and these laws limit local jurisdictions’ review of such projects to standards that are objective in that they are uniformly verifiable to an external and uniform benchmark or criterion, involve no personal or subjective judgment by a public official, and are knowable by both the applicant and City; and
WHEREAS, on November 20, 2024, at a duly noticed public hearing, the City Council adopted the Objective Design Guidelines for Multi-family and Residential Mixed-Use Projects to comply with State legislation and provide a clear set of criteria to guide development; and WHEREAS, on May 20, 2024, at a duly noticed public hearing, the City Council adopted the 6th Cycle Housing Element, which includes Policy H 1.6, an implementation program to “update the City Council resolutions that establish the pre-application and development review processes to eliminate the pre- application requirement for housing projects and eliminate the third-party design review requirement for housing projects that meet objective standards;” and
WHEREAS, on May 28, 2024, at a duly noticed meeting, the Planning Commission received and considered written and oral evidence, and by a vote of 4-1 recommended that the City Council repeal Resolution No. 67 (1996); and
WHEREAS, on July 15, 2024, at a duly noticed meeting, the City Council considered the repeal of Resolution No. 67 (1996) as recommended by the Planning Commission.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, HEREBY FINDS AND RESOLVES that:
1. In accordance with CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(2), repealing Resolution No. 67 (1996) regarding design review procedure is an administrative activity and not a project.
2. Resolution No. 67 (1996), Design Review Process for Certain Development Projects, is hereby repealed.
3. Either the Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission may request third-party design review for projects that do not meet objective design standards or discretionary guidelines.
4. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.
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RESOLUTION NO 69 (2020)
EXEMPTING APPLICATIONS FOR MODIFICATIONS TO PREVIOUSLY-APPROVED PLANNING APPLICATIONS FROM
THE FORMAL PRE-APPLICATION PROCESS
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of San Mateo has adopted Resolution No. 98 (2008), which establishes pre-application procedures for planning applications; and WHEREAS, with limited exceptions, the City's current pre-application procedures require a neighborhood meeting and study session for planning applications; and WHEREAS, there is occasionally a need for applicants to seek modifications to approved planning applications subsequent to project approval; and
WHEREAS, most applications for modifications are subject to the City's pre-application procedures; and WHEREAS, the City wishes to eliminate the requirement for a neighborhood meeting and study session for applications for modifications to approved planning applications and instead provide that requests for modifications proceed directly to the decision-making body; and WHEREAS, the City Council previously adopted resolutions amending the City's pre-application procedures to exempt requested modifications to the City's approved Wastewater Treatment Plant planning application and projects for which the one-year limitation on re-submittals has been waived; and WHEREAS, this proposed exemption will cover any application to modify a previously-approved planning application; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Pre-Application Procedures attached as Exhibit A to this Resolution have been amended to memorialize all previous amendments; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that amending the City's pre-application procedures is a general policy and procedure-making activity and not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(2);
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, HEREBY RESOLVES that:
1. The City's Pre-Application Procedures are amended to remove the requirement for neighborhood meetings and study sessions for applications to modify approved planning applications.
2. Revised Pre-Application Procedures, as shown in Exhibit A to this Resolution, are adopted to replace the City's current Pre-Application Procedures.
3. This Resolution shall take effect upon adoption.
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Resolution No. 69 (2020)
Planning Pre-Application Process Modifications
Exhibit A
PRE -APPLICATION PLANNING PROCESS
1. Except for planning applications covered in Section 2 below, the following pre-application processes shall be followed:
a. Formal Pre-application Process
i. Applicability. The Formal Pre-application Process shall apply to the following projects:
1. New residential projects over 20 units in size;
2. New nonresidential projects or additions over 10,000 sq. ft. or subject to a negative declaration or EIR;
3. Projects involving a zoning reclassification, planned development or general plan amendments: and
4. Projects where the applicant has requested the formal pre-application process.
ii. Timing. Formal Pre-application Process shall occur prior to submittal of a planning application, except in case when a meeting is determined to be necessary by the Chief of Planning or designee.
iii. Noticing. Notice shall be provided to all owners and tenants of property within 1,000 feet of the subject property and to neighborhood association(s) which include the area of the project site and the United Homeowners Association. Email notice shall be sent to all homeowner's associations.
Notice shall be given a minimum of ten calendar days prior to the neighborhood meeting and a minimum of ten calendar days prior to the Planning Commission study session. Placard(s) shall be posted on the project site a minimum of ten calendar days prior to the Planning Commission study session. The placard(s) shall include the Planning Commission meeting date, location and purpose, permits requested by the applicant, a brief description of the project, and any other information as required by the Chief of Planning or designee. The placard(s) shall be at least 18 inches by 24 inches, and shall be posted on a highly visible portion of the project site. iv. Neighborhood Meeting.
1. Meeting Conduct. A neighborhood meeting shall be held and conducted by the project applicant. A member of the City of San Mateo Planning Staff will attend this meeting as an observer.
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Planning Pre-Application Process Modifications
2. Meeting Day, Time and Location. Meetings should normally be held on a weeknight, during the early evening hours and should be held at the project site or in a public venue ideally located within the project vicinity. Meeting dates, times, and locations should not conflict with City meetings (such as City Council or Planning Commission meetings).
v. Planning Commission Study Session. Following the neighborhood meeting, a Planning Commission Study Session will be held. Noticing and conduct of that meeting shall be done in accordance with applicable City of San Mateo Municipal Code and Planning Commission adopted by laws and procedures. b. Informal Pre-application Meeting Process
i. Applicability. The Informal Pre-application Process shall apply to all planning applications, other than projects involving a single family dwelling, and those projects listed in I., a. above under Formal Pre-application Meeting Process.
Cellular Telephone Antennae and Public Convenience and Necessity planning applications shall be exempt from the Informal Pre-Application Meeting process unless otherwise required by the Zoning Administrator due to the potential environmental impacts.
ii. Timing. The Informal Pre-application Process shall occur prior to submittal of a planning application, except in a case when a meeting is determined to be necessary by the Chief of Planning or designee.
iii. Noticing. Notice shall be provided to all owners and tenants of property within 500 feet of the subject property and to neighborhood association(s) which include the area of the project site and the United Homeowners Association. Notice shall be given a minimum of ten calendar days prior to the neighborhood meeting.
iv. Neighborhood Meeting.
1. Meeting Conduct. A neighborhood meeting shall be held and conducted by the project applicant
2. Meeting Day, Time and Location. Meetings should normally be held on a weeknight, during the early evening hours and should be held at the project site, in City or School District facilities, or similar public venue ideally located within the project vicinity. Meeting dates, times, and locations should not conflict with City meetings (such as City Council or Planning Commission meetings).
v. City Involvement. City staff will not normally be present at the neighborhood meeting. No Planning Commission study session is required.
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Planning Pre-Application Process Modifications
c. Pre-Application Process for Single Family Dwelling Planning Applications i. Applicability. This pre-application process shall apply to all projects in R zones requiring planning applications, including:
1. Second floor additions greater than 50 square feet
2. Substantial demolition of single-family dwellings
3. Secondary units
4. Variances
5. Fence Exceptions
ii. Timing. This pre-application process shall occur prior to submittal of a planning application.
iii. Noticing. Notice shall be provided to all owners and tenants of property within 500 feet of the subject property and to neighborhood association(s) which include the area of the project site and the United Homeowners Association. Notice shall be given a minimum of ten calendar days prior to the neighborhood meeting.
iv. Neighborhood Meeting.
1. Meeting Conduct. A neighborhood meeting shall be held and conducted by the project applicant.
2. Meeting Day, Time and Location. The meeting should be held at a convenient location to the neighborhood. The meeting may be an open house at the project site or an alternative site located near the area. The meeting must be held during convenient hours to encourage attendance by surrounding residents. The meeting should be held in the early evening hours on weekdays or late morning or afternoon hours on weekends.
3. City Involvement. City staff will not normally be present at the neighborhood meeting. No Planning Commission study session is required.
v. City Involvement. City staff will not normally be present at the neighborhood meeting. No Planning Commission study session is required.
2. Exceptions. The City's pre-application procedures shall not apply to the following:
a. Applications for modifications to approved planning applications; and b. Projects for which the one-year limitation on re-submittals has been waived in accordance with San Mateo Municipal Code Section 27.08.060(4
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,..A...A4
efGOethals/ggayor
Resolution No. 69 (2020)
Planning Pre-Application Process Modifications
RESOLUTION NO. 69 (2020) adopted by the City Council of the City of San Mateo, California, at a regular meeting held on June 29, 2020, by the following vote of the City Council:
AYES: Council Members Goethals, Rodriguez, Bonilla, Lee and Papan NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ATTEST:
Patfice M. Olds, City Clerk
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RESOLUTION NO. 7 ( 1991)
ADOPTING A DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS FOR CERTAIN
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE
FEE SCHEDULE TO COVER COSTS OF DESIGN REVIEW
RESOLVED, by the Council of the City of San Mateo,
California, that:
WHEREAS, this Council wishes to establish a design review process to be conducted by a consultant in order to assure that larger development projects in the City of San Mateo have a superior quality of design; and
WHEREAS, the Council wishes to authorize a fee to
planning applicants for design review of certain development projects in order to recover the costs of the design consultant.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED and ORDERED, that:
1. A design review process for the City of San Mateo is adopted as follows:
A. Design Review Consultant. Design review shall be
conducted by a professional consultant under contract
with the City, who can demonstrate expertise in urban
design, site planning, architecture and landscape
architecture as it relates to a particular project.
B. Applicability. Design review shall be conducted on
all residential development projects containing six or
more new units, all commercial development projects with 10,000 or more square feet of new space, all residential projects of three stories or greater, or any other
project, which the Zoning Administrator determines that because of unique design circumstances ( e.g. unusual
design solution, critical location), requires design
review.
C. Scope. All aspects of the development project's
site layout, architecture and landscaping, shall be
considered in this review. The development project's
aesthetic and functional qualities as well as its
relationship to neighboring properties and uses shall be considered.
D. Timing. Design review shall be conducted
immediately after. submittal of a planning application
and prior to any public hearings.
E. Authority. The design review consultant shall
review the project with staff and prepare written
comments for review and consideration by the
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applicant, staff, and any required reviewing body. The
consultant shall also attend meetings with the applicant and reviewing bodies to explain design issues. More
than one review of a development project may be required when significant changes are made to a development
project. Although it is intended that useful comments
will be incorporated into the development project, the
review and approval or disapproval of the project shall be at the discretion of any approval body which has
jurisdiction over the development project.
2. The June 1990 Comprehensive Fee Schedule is amended as set forth in Exhibit " A". All other fees remain in full force and effect.
3. The Council finds that none of the provisions of this resolution will have a significant effect.
4. A certified copy of this resolution shall be filed with the City Clerk.
5. This resolution shall become effective sixty days from the date of its adoption.
fix._ ) 0,
Mayor
Attest':
City Clerk
4849G - 2-
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PLANNING
Now '
IT
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICE
E E
CHARGE DEPOSIT MAX. CHARGE
I PLANNING APPLICATION
PARCEL MAP JOB COST 389.00 777.00
TENTATIVE MAP JOB COST 466.00 932.00
EXTENSIONS JOB COST 311.00 622.00
MODIFICATIONS JOB COST 1/2xdeposit 2xdeposit
SITE DEVELOPMENT JOB COST 233.00 466.00
TEMPORARY USE PERMIT JOB COST 311.00 622.00
SITE PLAN & ARCH. REVIEW
COMMERCIAL, OFFICE AND
RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS
Less than 10,000 sq. ft./ JOB COST 622.00 1,243.00
6 units or less
Over 10,000 sq. ft./over JOB COST 1,399.00 2xdeposit
6 units Plan
processing
Exterior remodels JOB COST 194.00 389.00
Parking lot redesign JOB COST 622.00 1,243.00
DESIGN REVIEW
10-200 units/10,000-100,000 sq.ft. JOB COST 1,400.00 2,200.00 consult.)
over 200 units/over 100,000 sq.ft. JOB COST
consult.)
Determined
for each
project
None
Signs JOB COST 622.00 1,243.00
VARIANCE JOB COST 311.00 622.00
SPECIAL PERMIT JOB COST 1,166.00 2,331.00
PLANNED DEVELOPMENT JOB COST 3,186.00 6,371.00
RECLASSIFICATION JOB COST 3,186.00 6,371.00
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT JOB COST 3,186.00 6,371.00
SINGLE FAMILY VARIANCE OR FLAT FEE N/A N/A
SPECIAL PERMIT 104.00
SECONDARY UNITS FLAT FEE N/A N/A
490.00
7786d/LT1(0864F/16 - pg. 45)
EXHIBIT " A"
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Resolution adopted by the City Council of
the City of San Mateo, California, at a
regular meeting held on January 7, 1991,
by the following vote of the Council
members:
AYES: Council Members RHOADS,
MACK, BAKER and POWELL
NOES:, NONE
ABSENT: GUMB/NGER
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