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: 9 Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 25-3112 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Community Development Department
MEETING DATE: March 17, 2025
SUBJECT:
Metropolitan Transportation Commission Transit-Oriented Communities Policy Grant – Agreement RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution to accept grant funds in the amount of $610,000 from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) for the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update; approve the Master Funding Agreement; and authorize the City Manager to execute the Master Funding Agreement with MTC in substantially the form presented.
BACKGROUND:
In November 2024, the City applied for grant funding through MTC’s Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) Policy program for the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update to implement General Plan 2040. Following adoption of the General Plan 2040 in March 2024 and the subsequent approval of Measure T by the San Mateo voters in November 2024, a Comprehensive Zoning Code update is necessary to ensure consistency between the General Plan and Zoning Code. The General Plan 2040 plans for specified growth and development focused within ten study areas, encompassing roughly a quarter of the city’s land near downtown, Cal Train station areas, employment centers, and along transit corridors, which align with the TOC policies. The Comprehensive Zoning Code Update will ensure the full implementation of General Plan 2040, allowing for higher-density development and mixed-use areas within the study areas in proximity to jobs, services and transit.
In February 2025, the MTC Planning Committee approved the City’s grant application for funding to support completion of the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update in the amount of $610,000. The funding will pay for City staff time to complete key tasks related to the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update and its environmental documentation. Before the funds can be reimbursed, a Master Funding Agreement must be executed with MTC. Further, MTC’s Transit-Oriented Communities grant program requires the adoption of a resolution to authorize the signatory of the Master Funding Agreement prior to finalizing the agreement. A local Resolution was not required at the grant application stage; however, it is required upon award as a condition of grant acceptance.
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a Resolution to accept the $610,000 grant from MTC for the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update. Staff further recommends that the City Council approve the Master Funding Agreement with MTC and authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documentation to receive the grant funds. As the next step in the process, staff published a Request for Proposals (RFP) to select a qualified consultant to assist with the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update effort on March 5, 2025. The goal is to bring the contract for the selected consultant to City Council for approval in June. Staff will begin preparing for this effort in the coming months so that the effort can commence as soon as the contract for the selected consultant has been executed.
BUDGET IMPACT:
The receipt of grant funding will be provided on a reimbursement basis, and the funds will be available to the City over a period of two years. While the exact dollar amount received will vary based on the time staff spends in completing the
CITY OF SAN MATEO
work, given the amount of work that will be necessary to complete the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update, it is fully anticipated that staff time spent will meet or exceed the $610,000 grant amount. The Advanced Planning Fund will be used to pay for this work, and all grant reimbursements will be deposited into this fund. Upon the completion of specified work products or milestones, staff will submit invoices to MTC for review and reimbursement within 30 days of invoice approval.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This Resolution is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).) NOTICE PROVIDED:
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Proposed Resolution
Att 2 – Master Funding Agreement
STAFF CONTACT
Simin Zakavand, AICP, Associate Planner
[email protected]
(650) 522-7219