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: 17 Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 10-4679 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: July 28, 2025
SUBJECT:
North Shoreview Flood Assessment District - Compensation Agreement RECOMMENDATION:
Approve a compensation agreement with County of San Mateo for levying of the North Shoreview Flood Assessment District fee and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement in substantially the form presented.
BACKGROUND:
In October 2001, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a new Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for the City of San Mateo (City), which included a portion of the City in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Properties within the SFHA that have federally backed loans are required to purchase flood insurance.
Since the issuance of the 2001 FIRM, the City has invested significant resources in flood protection and has made substantial progress. The City conducted a comprehensive citywide hydraulic study to identify flood improvement needs and completed several high priority projects. The South Bayfront Levee Improvement projects completed in 2010 effectively removed approximately 8,000 residential properties and the North Shoreview Flood Improvements removed approximately 1,600 additional residential properties in 2024.
The North Shoreview Flood Improvement project was approximately $30 million and was designed to protect northern San Mateo residents from 100-year storm floods and remove 1,600 residential properties in the North Shoreview and North Central neighborhoods from FEMA’s SFHA, similar to the South Bayfront Levee Improvement projects completed in 2010.
In order to fund the project, the City raised construction funds through Measure S and future contributions from the newly formed North Shoreview Flood Assessment District.
In March 2018, voters of the North Shoreview and North Central neighborhoods approved the formation of a Special Assessment District to contribute funding toward the flood improvements. The City deferred collecting fees until a formal resolution from FEMA was finalized to avoid property owners paying both mandatory flood insurance and the assessment district fees.
On October 11, 2024, FEMA formally updated flood maps for portions of the North Central and North Shoreview neighborhoods. The updated flood maps show significant portions of the neighborhoods as removed from Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA). In mailed updates to North Shoreview and North Central residents for the flood zone determination, the City reminded residents in October 2024 that they would be moving forward with levying assessment district fees beginning in Fiscal Year 25/26. Staff plans to send a follow up letter in early fall to remind residents of the new assessment.
The proposed assessment district will contribute approximately $197,000 in FY 2025-26, with average single residential
CITY OF SAN MATEO
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rates ranging between $99.42 and $156.52, with the typical amount being $108, annually. The special assessment will be placed on county property tax rolls and is set to expire in 20 years, after which the fee will no longer be collected. The compensation agreement with the County includes a charge of $1.42 per parcel for each property assessed. The total for FY 25/26 amounts to approximately $2,400 or roughly 1.2% of the total assessment.
Staff recommends moving forward with the compensation agreement with the County of San Mateo to initiate levying of assessment district fees.
BUDGET IMPACT:
The revenue from the North Shoreview Flood Assessment is expected to generate approximately $197,000 for FY 2025-26.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This approval of the compensation agreement is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is a government fiscal activity which does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4).)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 - Compensation Agreement
STAFF CONTACT
Jimmy Vo, Senior Engineer
[email protected]
(650) 522-7319