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: 12 Section Name: CONSENT CALENDAR Account Number: 10-1511 File ID: 26-10964 TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: City Clerk's Office
MEETING DATE: March 16, 2026
SUBJECT:
Temporary Sign Placement Enforcement Policy During Election Periods — Adoption RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution to approve the Temporary Sign Placement Enforcement During Elections Policy to standardize guidelines for the City's enforcement of temporary signs in accordance with San Mateo Municipal Code Title 25 (Signs) and authorize the City Manager to make non-substantive changes as needed.
BACKGROUND:
Campaign signs are regulated by San Mateo Municipal Code Title 25 (Signs), which establishes standards governing the placement, size, location, and manner of signs within the City. These provisions are content-neutral time, place, and manner regulations intended to preserve community aesthetics, maintain pedestrian and traffic safety, and protect free speech rights consistent with the First Amendment.
During the February 18, 2025, City Council discussion regarding campaign contribution limits, Council members raised concerns about the visibility, placement, and enforcement of signage during the 2024 election cycle. At that meeting, Council directed staff to return with a proposed administrative policy to clarify enforcement practices and enhance outreach to candidates and the community regarding how the City responds to sign violations, including temporary signs during election campaigns.
The proposed policy (Attachment 1) responds to that direction by establishing a standardized administrative framework for enforcement of the existing Sign Ordinance. The policy does not amend the Municipal Code or create new regulatory requirements. Instead, it clarifies how the Sign Ordinance will be implemented, communicated, and coordinated across City departments during election cycles. Additionally, as part of an upcoming update to the Master Fee Schedule, staff plans to include a fee to retrieve signs unlawfully placed either on public property or in the public right-of-way. This fee, which would pay for the City's reasonable costs to impound and store the sign(s), is already authorized by Section
25.08.010(d)(2) of the Sign Ordinance.
During the 2024 election cycle, the City Clerk’s Office received more than sixty complaints related to sign placement. Staff found that the broader Sign Ordinance, while comprehensive, can be difficult for candidates, campaign committees, and members of the public to interpret as it applies specifically to signage. In addition, the absence of a standardized enforcement framework created uncertainty regarding complaint intake, interdepartmental coordination, and the process for removal and impoundment of noncompliant signs.
The proposed policy addresses these challenges by clarifying departmental responsibilities, establishing a consistent complaint intake process, and outlining the City’s enforcement procedures.
CITY OF SAN MATEO
Under the policy, the City Clerk’s Office will serve as the primary intake point for sign complaints, receiving and documenting reports submitted by the public and coordinating communication between complainants, campaign committees, and City departments. The Clerk’s Office will also distribute educational materials regarding sign regulations to candidates and campaign committees and maintain public-facing guidance summarizing the City’s sign rules during election cycles.
The Code Enforcement Division will assist with field verification of potential violations and may issue courtesy notices or formal notifications when violations occur. When signs placed on public property or within the public right-of-way are determined to be in violation of the Sign Ordinance, Public Works staff will assist with the removal, transport, and storage of impounded signs, consistent with the enforcement provisions of the Municipal Code.
Together, these procedures establish a clear and coordinated process for complaint intake, verification, and enforcement, while providing candidates, campaign committees, and the public clearer guidance regarding the City’s campaign sign regulations and enforcement practices.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is no budgetary impact associated with the adoption of the proposed Resolution.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This policy is not a project subject to CEQA, because it can be seen with certainty that it will not cause a physical change in the environment. (Public Resources Code Section 21065.)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Proposed Resolution
Exhibit A – Sign Enforcement Policy
STAFF CONTACT
Erin Fellers, Management Analyst I
[email protected]
(650) 522-7066