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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 Resolution No. 69 (2020) is hereby repealed.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. 1 0
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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. 1 0
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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.