Agenda packet, regular meeting — San Mateo City Council, May 4, 2026 (part 2 of 4)

Agreement No. __________________________
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF SAN MATEO AND PETDATA, INC.

This Agreement is entered into this Fourth day of June, 2019, by and between the County of San Mateo, a political subdivision of the state of California, hereinafter called “County,” and PETDATA, INC., hereinafter called “Contractor.”
* * *
Whereas, pursuant to Section 31000 of the California Government Code, County may contract with independent contractors for the furnishing of such services to or for County or any Department thereof; and
Whereas, it is necessary and desirable that Contractor be retained for the purpose of San Mateo County Health- Public Health, Policy & Planning.

Now, therefore, it is agreed by the parties to this Agreement as follows:

1. Exhibits and Attachments
The following exhibits and attachments are attached to this Agreement and incorporated into this Agreement by this reference:

Exhibit A—Services
Exhibit B—Payments and Rates
Attachment I—§ 504 Compliance
Services to be performed by Contractor
In consideration of the payments set forth in this Agreement and in Exhibit B, Contractor shall perform services for County in accordance with the terms, conditions, and specifications set forth in this Agreement and in Exhibit A.

2. Payments
In consideration of the services provided by Contractor in accordance with all terms, conditions, and specifications set forth in this Agreement and in Exhibit A, County shall make payment to Contractor based on the rates and in the manner specified in Exhibit B. County reserves the right to withhold payment if County determines that the quantity or quality of the work performed is unacceptable. In no event shall County’s total fiscal obligation under this Agreement exceed SIX HUNDRED-THIRTEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE DOLLARS ($613,945). In the event that the County makes any advance payments, Contractor agrees to refund any amounts in excess of the amount owed by the County at the time of contract termination or expiration. Contractor is not entitled to payment for work not performed as required by this agreement.

3. Term
Subject to compliance with all terms and conditions, the term of this Agreement shall be from July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2022.

4. Termination
This Agreement may be terminated by Contractor or by the Director of Public Health, Policy and Planning or his/her designee at any time without a requirement of good cause upon thirty (30) days’ advance 351 of 976
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written notice to the other party. Subject to availability of funding, Contractor shall be entitled to receive payment for work/services provided prior to termination of the Agreement. Such payment shall be that prorated portion of the full payment determined by comparing the work/services actually completed to the work/services required by the Agreement.

County may terminate this Agreement or a portion of the services referenced in the Attachments and Exhibits based upon the unavailability of Federal, State, or County funds by providing written notice to Contractor as soon as is reasonably possible after County learns of said unavailability of outside funding.

County may terminate this Agreement for cause. In order to terminate for cause, County must first give Contractor notice of the alleged breach. Contractor shall have five business days after receipt of such notice to respond and a total of ten calendar days after receipt of such notice to cure the alleged breach.

If Contractor fails to cure the breach within this period, County may immediately terminate this Agreement without further action. The option available in this paragraph is separate from the ability to terminate without cause with appropriate notice described above. In the event that County provides notice of an alleged breach pursuant to this section, County may, in extreme circumstances, immediately suspend performance of services and payment under this Agreement pending the resolution of the process described in this paragraph. County has sole discretion to determine what constitutes an extreme circumstance for purposes of this paragraph, and County shall use reasonable judgment in making that determination.

5. Contract Materials
At the end of this Agreement, or in the event of termination, all finished or unfinished documents, data, studies, maps, photographs, reports, and other written materials (collectively referred to as “contract materials”) prepared by Contractor under this Agreement shall become the property of County and shall be promptly delivered to County. Upon termination, Contractor may make and retain a copy of such contract materials if permitted by law.

6. Relationship of Parties
Contractor agrees and understands that the work/services performed under this Agreement are performed as an independent contractor and not as an employee of County and that neither Contractor nor its employees acquire any of the rights, privileges, powers, or advantages of County employees.

7. Hold Harmless
a. General Hold Harmless
Contractor shall indemnify and save harmless County and its officers, agents, employees, and servants from all claims, suits, or actions of every name, kind, and description resulting from this Agreement, the performance of any work or services required of Contractor under this Agreement, or payments made pursuant to this Agreement brought for, or on account of, any of the following:
(A) injuries to or death of any person, including Contractor or its employees/officers/agents; (B) damage to any property of any kind whatsoever and to whomsoever belonging; 352 of 976
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(C) any sanctions, penalties, or claims of damages resulting from Contractor’s failure to comply, if applicable, with the requirements set forth in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and all Federal regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended; or (D) any other loss or cost, including but not limited to that caused by the concurrent active or passive negligence of County and/or its officers, agents, employees, or servants. However, Contractor’s duty to indemnify and save harmless under this Section shall not apply to injuries or damage for which County has been found in a court of competent jurisdiction to be solely liable by reason of its own negligence or willful misconduct.

The duty of Contractor to indemnify and save harmless as set forth by this Section shall include the duty to defend as set forth in Section 2778 of the California Civil Code.

8. Assignability and Subcontracting
Contractor shall not assign this Agreement or any portion of it to a third party or subcontract with a third party to provide services required by Contractor under this Agreement without the prior written consent of County. Any such assignment or subcontract without County’s prior written consent shall give County the right to automatically and immediately terminate this Agreement without penalty or advance notice.

9. Insurance
a. General Requirements
Contractor shall not commence work or be required to commence work under this Agreement unless and until all insurance required under this Section has been obtained and such insurance has been approved by County’s Risk Management, and Contractor shall use diligence to obtain such insurance and to obtain such approval. Contractor shall furnish County with certificates of insurance evidencing the required coverage, and there shall be a specific contractual liability endorsement extending Contractor’s coverage to include the contractual liability assumed by Contractor pursuant to this Agreement. These certificates shall specify or be endorsed to provide that thirty (30) days’ notice must be given, in writing, to County of any pending change in the limits of liability or of any cancellation or modification of the policy. b. Workers’ Compensation and Employer’s Liability Insurance Contractor shall have in effect during the entire term of this Agreement workers’ compensation and employer’s liability insurance providing full statutory coverage. In signing this Agreement, Contractor certifies, as required by Section 1861 of the California Labor Code, that (a) it is aware of the provisions of Section 3700 of the California Labor Code, which require every employer to be insured against liability for workers’ compensation or to undertake self-insurance in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Code, and (b) it will comply with such provisions before commencing the performance of work under this Agreement.
c. Liability Insurance
Contractor shall take out and maintain during the term of this Agreement such bodily injury liability and property damage liability insurance as shall protect Contractor and all of its employees/officers/agents while performing work covered by this Agreement from any and all claims for damages for bodily injury, including accidental death, as well as any and all claims for property damage which may arise from Contractor’s operations under this Agreement, whether such operations be by Contractor, any subcontractor, anyone directly or indirectly employed by either of them, or an agent of either of them. 353 of 976
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Such insurance shall be combined single limit bodily injury and property damage for each occurrence and shall not be less than the amounts specified below:
(a) Comprehensive General Liability… $1,000,000
County and its officers, agents, employees, and servants shall be named as additional insured on any such policies of insurance, which shall also contain a provision that (a) the insurance afforded thereby to County and its officers, agents, employees, and servants shall be primary insurance to the full limits of liability of the policy and (b) if the County or its officers, agents, employees, and servants have other insurance against the loss covered by such a policy, such other insurance shall be excess insurance only.

In the event of the breach of any provision of this Section, or in the event any notice is received which indicates any required insurance coverage will be diminished or canceled, County, at its option, may, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, immediately declare a material breach of this Agreement and suspend all further work and payment pursuant to this Agreement.

10. Compliance With Laws
All services to be performed by Contractor pursuant to this Agreement shall be performed in accordance with all applicable Federal, State, County, and municipal laws, ordinances, and regulations, including but not limited to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the Federal Regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended (if applicable), the Business Associate requirements set forth in Attachment H (if attached), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities receiving any Federal or County financial assistance. Such services shall also be performed in accordance with all applicable ordinances and regulations, including but not limited to appropriate licensure, certification regulations, provisions pertaining to confidentiality of records, and applicable quality assurance regulations. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and any applicable State, Federal, County, or municipal law or regulation, the requirements of the applicable law or regulation will take precedence over the requirements set forth in this Agreement.

Contractor will timely and accurately complete, sign, and submit all necessary documentation of compliance.

11. Non-Discrimination and Other Requirements
a. General Non-discrimination
No person shall be denied any services provided pursuant to this Agreement (except as limited by the scope of services) on the grounds of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, disability (physical or mental), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or domestic partner status, religion, political beliefs or affiliation, familial or parental status (including pregnancy), medical condition (cancer-related), military service, or genetic information.
b. Equal Employment Opportunity
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Contractor shall ensure equal employment opportunity based on objective standards of recruitment, classification, selection, promotion, compensation, performance evaluation, and management relations for all employees under this Agreement. Contractor’s equal employment policies shall be made available to County upon request.
c. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Contractor shall comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which provides that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of a disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in the performance of any services this Agreement. This Section applies only to contractors who are providing services to members of the public under this Agreement.
d. Compliance with County’s Equal Benefits Ordinance
Contractor shall comply with all laws relating to the provision of benefits to its employees and their spouses or domestic partners, including, but not limited to, such laws prohibiting discrimination in the provision of such benefits on the basis that the spouse or domestic partner of the Contractor’s employee is of the same or opposite sex as the employee.
e. Discrimination Against Individuals with Disabilities The nondiscrimination requirements of 41 C.F.R. 60-741.5(a) are incorporated into this Agreement as if fully set forth here, and Contractor and any subcontractor shall abide by the requirements of 41 C.F.R. 60–741.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.
f. History of Discrimination
Contractor certifies that no finding of discrimination has been issued in the past 365 days against Contractor by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, or any other investigative entity. If any finding(s) of discrimination have been issued against Contractor within the past 365 days by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, or other investigative entity, Contractor shall provide County with a written explanation of the outcome(s) or remedy for the discrimination prior to execution of this Agreement. Failure to comply with this Section shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement and subjects the Agreement to immediate termination at the sole option of the County. g. Reporting; Violation of Non-discrimination Provisions Contractor shall report to the County Manager the filing in any court or with any administrative agency of any complaint or allegation of discrimination on any of the bases prohibited by this Section of the Agreement or the Section titled “Compliance with Laws”. Such duty shall include reporting of the filing of any and all charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, or any other entity charged with the investigation or adjudication of allegations covered by this subsection within 30 days of such filing, provided that within such 30 days such entity has not notified Contractor that such charges are dismissed or otherwise unfounded. Such notification shall include a general description of the circumstances involved and a general description of the kind of discrimination alleged (for example, gender-, sexual orientation-, religion-, or race-based discrimination).
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Violation of the non-discrimination provisions of this Agreement shall be considered a breach of this Agreement and subject the Contractor to penalties, to be determined by the County Manager, including but not limited to the following:
i. termination of this Agreement;
ii. disqualification of the Contractor from being considered for or being awarded a County contract for a period of up to 3 years;
iii. liquidated damages of $2,500 per violation; and/or iv. imposition of other appropriate contractual and civil remedies and sanctions, as determined by the County Manager.

To effectuate the provisions of this Section, the County Manager shall have the authority to offset all or any portion of the amount described in this Section against amounts due to Contractor under this Agreement or any other agreement between Contractor and County. h. Compliance with Living Wage Ordinance
As required by Chapter 2.88 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code, Contractor certifies all contractor(s) and subcontractor(s) obligated under this contract shall fully comply with the provisions of the County of San Mateo Living Wage Ordinance, including, but not limited to, paying all Covered Employees the current Living Wage and providing notice to all Covered Employees and Subcontractors as required under the Ordinance.

12. Compliance with County Employee Jury Service Ordinance Contractor shall comply with Chapter 2.85 of the County’s Ordinance Code, which states that Contractor shall have and adhere to a written policy providing that its employees, to the extent they are full-time employees and live in San Mateo County, shall receive from the Contractor, on an annual basis, no fewer than five days of regular pay for jury service in San Mateo County, with jury pay being provided only for each day of actual jury service. The policy may provide that such employees deposit any fees received for such jury service with Contractor or that the Contractor may deduct from an employee’s regular pay the fees received for jury service in San Mateo County. By signing this Agreement, Contractor certifies that it has and adheres to a policy consistent with Chapter 2.85. For purposes of this Section, if Contractor has no employees in San Mateo County, it is sufficient for Contractor to provide the following written statement to County: “For purposes of San Mateo County’s jury service ordinance, Contractor certifies that it has no full-time employees who live in San Mateo County. To the extent that it hires any such employees during the term of its Agreement with San Mateo County, Contractor shall adopt a policy that complies with Chapter 2.85 of the County’s Ordinance Code.” The requirements of Chapter 2.85 do not apply if this Agreement’s total value listed in the Section titled “Payments”, is less than one-hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), but Contractor acknowledges that Chapter 2.85’s requirements will apply if this Agreement is amended such that its total value meets or exceeds that threshold amount.

13. Retention of Records; Right to Monitor and Audit
(a) Contractor shall maintain all required records relating to services provided under this Agreement for three (3) years after County makes final payment and all other pending matters are closed, and Contractor shall be subject to the examination and/or audit by County, a Federal grantor agency, and the State of California.
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(b) Contractor shall comply with all program and fiscal reporting requirements set forth by applicable Federal, State, and local agencies and as required by County. (c) Contractor agrees upon reasonable notice to provide to County, to any Federal or State department having monitoring or review authority, to County’s authorized representative, and/or to any of their respective audit agencies access to and the right to examine all records and documents necessary to determine compliance with relevant Federal, State, and local statutes, rules, and regulations, to determine compliance with this Agreement, and to evaluate the quality, appropriateness, and timeliness of services performed.

14. Merger Clause; Amendments
This Agreement, including the Exhibits and Attachments attached to this Agreement and incorporated by reference, constitutes the sole Agreement of the parties to this Agreement and correctly states the rights, duties, and obligations of each party as of this document’s date. In the event that any term, condition, provision, requirement, or specification set forth in the body of this Agreement conflicts with or is inconsistent with any term, condition, provision, requirement, or specification in any Exhibit and/or Attachment to this Agreement, the provisions of the body of the Agreement shall prevail. Any prior agreement, promises, negotiations, or representations between the parties not expressly stated in this document are not binding. All subsequent modifications or amendments shall be in writing and signed by the parties.

15. Controlling Law; Venue
The validity of this Agreement and of its terms, the rights and duties of the parties under this Agreement, the interpretation of this Agreement, the performance of this Agreement, and any other dispute of any nature arising out of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California without regard to its choice of law or conflict of law rules. Any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall be venued either in the San Mateo County Superior Court or in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

16. Notices
Any notice, request, demand, or other communication required or permitted under this Agreement shall be deemed to be properly given when both: (1) transmitted via facsimile to the telephone number listed below or transmitted via email to the email address listed below; and (2) sent to the physical address listed below by either being deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, or deposited for overnight delivery, charges prepaid, with an established overnight courier that provides a tracking number showing confirmation of receipt.

In the case of County, to:

Name/Title: Cassius Lockett, Director of Public Health, Policy and Planning Address: 225-37th Avenue, Room 178
San Mateo, CA 94403
Telephone: 650.573.2532
Facsimile: 650.573.2788
Email: [email protected]
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In the case of Contractor, to:

Name/Title: President, PetData, Inc.

Address: 8585 N Stemmons Fwy, Suite 1100-N
Dallas, TX 75247
Telephone: 214.821.3100 x515
Facsimile: 214.821.3106
Email: [email protected]

17. Electronic Signature
Both County and Contractor wish to permit this Agreement and future documents relating to this Agreement to be digitally signed in accordance with California law and County’s Electronic Signature Administrative Memo. Any party to this Agreement may revoke such agreement to permit electronic signatures at any time in relation to all future documents by providing notice pursuant to this Agreement.

18. Payment of Permits/Licenses
Contractor bears responsibility to obtain any license, permit, or approval required from any agency for work/services to be performed under this Agreement at Contractor’s own expense prior to commencement of said work/services. Failure to do so will result in forfeit of any right to compensation under this Agreement.
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Exhibit A
In consideration of the payments set forth in Exhibit B and with a focus on increasing licensing and vaccination compliance throughout the County of San Mateo, Contractor shall provide the following services:

A. Management of the daily operations for animal licensing including:

1. Data Entry & Processing
a. Process correspondence from pet owners including, but not limited to, issuing tags.
b. Work in partnership with the County on an approved template to provide timely billing and renewal notices to pet owners, with at least one billing to both new and renewals to be printed on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper with a return envelope enclosed. In addition, at least one of the notices will provide pet owner with the date in which the late fee became due.
c. Provide data entry of both new and renewal licenses and vaccination information. d. Implement procedures for verification of information submitted. e. Ensure complete, unduplicated, and accurate information. f. Process, collect, and provide receipts for animal licensing fees. g. Provide licensing and vaccination data for a weekly transfer of data from the Contractor’s database into County’s proprietary database. h. Provide customer service including communication with citizens, veterinarians, and designated County staff.

2. Veterinarians & Other Authorized Registrars
a. Process license sales and vaccination reports from other sources (i.e. the local animal shelter, veterinary clinics, pet stores, etc.)
b. Assist County staff to ensure reasonable quantities of on-site of basic supplies (reporting forms, citizen mailing envelopes, etc.) necessary to sell license tags and/or report information on citizens vaccinating their animals against rabies.

3. Animal License Tags
a. Process and mail county-provided license tags within a maximum of 10 business days, with a turnaround goal of 5 business days, after receipt of payment and completed information as required by the local ordinance. b. Issue county-provided replacement tags to pet owners whose license tags have been lost, stolen, or damaged.

4. Electronic Payments & Banking
a. Provide the ability for pet owners to pay through the Contractor’s Merchant Service Provider.
b. Provide on-line customer service via the Contractor’s website to allow pet owners to make license payments or donations.
c. Deposit all receipts collected for licensing into a bank account set up solely for the purpose of managing County animal licensing funds.
i. Make daily deposits and transmit verification of said deposits to designated County staff by the tenth of the following month.
ii. Collect and report electronic and charge card payments and transmit verification of said deposits to designated County staff by the tenth of the following month.
iii. Send all funds collected and deposited on behalf of the County via a monthly wire transfer by the tenth of the following month. 360 of 976
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d. Accept license fees from licensees via the following forms of payment at a minimum: check, money order, debit or ATM Card, or credit cards. i. Charges to Licensee for on-line payments:

Cost Recovery Processing Fees in the amount of $2.00 per on-line transaction to be charged to licensee*. Note: Contractor shall use their own designated Merchant Service Provider to conduct all credit card transactions and shall retain the Cost Recovery Processing Fees collected.
* More than one pet can be licensed per on-line transaction and pet owner will be charged a single fee for the on-line transaction.

5. Communication & Access
a. Provide timely responses to and communication with citizens, County designees, and Animal Control and Licensing Program representatives including Animal Control Officers.
b. Provide a customized San Mateo County toll-free number and answering service.
c. Provide 24/7 access to Contractor’s database by County, Emergency Dispatch, and any other authorized Division personnel, including login. d. Communicate to pet owners on the status of their pet’s license status including annual billing.

6. Reporting
a. Provide monthly report of animals licensed to the County. b. Provide statistical reports as requested by the County. c. Provide monthly report of all veterinarians who are delinquent in submitting their monthly vaccination without license (VWL) reports.
d. Provide monthly lists of delinquent licenses upon requested by County. e. Provide customized reports as requested by County.
f. Provide public record information as requested by County.

7. Additional Services
a. Work in partnership with County staff:
i. To ensure all licensing information, both complete and incomplete records, are imported into Contractor’s database on a weekly basis. ii. To develop a process that will allow/entice veterinarians to sell licenses at their County location.

B. Contractor agrees that the animal licensing information belongs to the County and will never sell, transfer, or release personal data to a third party.

C. With the exception of the license tags and/or customized inserts, Contractor agrees to cover the cost of all animal licensing supplies needed for daily operation.

D. Contractor agrees to comply with California state and local laws governing animal licensing.

E. Contractor will back up all databases twice during the working day.

F. During regular business hours, Contractor will assist with countywide efforts to reunite pets with their owners during a natural disaster.

County agrees to provide the following to Contractor:

A. Access to County’s animal control database to allow import of data into Contractor’s database.
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B. Licensing tags and customized inserts to Contractor’s on-site location for disbursement.

C. Any licensing fees collected by County: such fees will be retained by County, and a record of fees collected along with any supporting documents will be forwarded to the Contractor for processing no later than the 5th calendar day of the following month.

D. Any licensing fees collected by Contractors of the County: such fees and any supporting documents will be forwarded to the Contractor for processing with the exception of cash.

Cash will be deposited into County’s bank account directly by County staff. 362 of 976
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Exhibit B
In consideration of the services provided by Contractor described in Exhibit A and subject to the terms of the Agreement, County shall pay Contractor based on the following fee schedule and terms:

A. Fixed Fees:

Fixed fees shall not be charged until the license is issued. Data entry of rabies vaccination certificates and incomplete licenses, which may or may not result in a license, are included at no extra charge.

An agreed upon method to follow-up with pet owners who did not respond to a prior notice is included at no additional charge.

B. In any event, the maximum amount the County shall be obligated to pay for services rendered under this Agreement shall not exceed SIX HUNDRED-THIRTEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE DOLLARS ($613,945.00) (Included are bank fees)for the Agreement term.

C. Payment by County to Contractor shall be monthly and made be made electronically by the County should the required paperwork be completely by Contractor. Contractor shall bill County on or before the tenth (10th) working day of each month for the prior month. The invoice shall include a summary of services and charges for the month of service. In addition, Contractor shall provide back-up to the invoice. Such back-up shall be in the form of a monthly report of the animals licensed.

Contractor will provide available bank statements within five business days if requested by County.

D. Additional Service Fees
Contractor shall invoice County for any bank deposit and supply fees outside the scope of this Agreement.

County will reimburse Contractor for bank fees upon verification of such, including:

1. Actual bank fees charged to Contractor as a result of Contractor maintaining the bank account for the purpose of providing services outlined in this contract. This amount, in and of itself, is included in the total contract amount and will not exceed SEVEN THOUSAND AND FIFTY DOLLARS ($7,050.00) (included in the contracted costs) without prior authorization from designated County staff.

2. Non-sufficient fee charge charged to Contractor. Contractor will make every attempt to collect bank fees from pet owners and will reimburse County upon collection of said fee.
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Contractor shall invoice County on a monthly basis for the actual cost of the bank account maintained for the purpose of this contract.

E. At the discretion of the Director of Public Health, Policy & Planning or designee, an annual conference call may be scheduled between the Contractor and County. Contractor’s time and/or related expenses are not billable.

F. At the discretion of the Director of Public Health, Policy & Planning or designee, a meeting at the County’s location may be scheduled between the Contractor and County once during the term of this contract. Contractor’s travel time to and from the County and/or related expenses are not billable.

G. If County or Contractor finds that performance is inadequate, at the County’s discretion, a meeting may be called to discuss the causes for the performance problem, and this Agreement may be renegotiated, allowed to continue to end of term, or terminated pursuant to Paragraph 4 of this Agreement. Any unspent monies due to performance failure may reduce the following year’s agreement, if any.

H. In the event this Agreement is terminated prior to June 30, 2022, Contractor shall be paid for services already provided pursuant to this Agreement.

I. In the event this Agreement is extended or renewed after June 30, 2022 and the County does not issue a Request for Proposal, Contractor agrees to continue the fixed fees as shown below:

One-year license: $4.28 per license
Multi-year license: $4.28 for the first year and $2.00 for each additional year Late fees collected: $2.50 collection service fee for each license Replacement tags: $4.28 per tag
Service animals (e.g. seeing-eye dogs, hearing dogs, etc.): No fee for any license or tag issued
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Michael P. Callagy
County Manager/
Clerk of the Board
County Government Center
400 County Center, 1st Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
650-363-4121 T
650-363-1916 F
www.smcgov.org
July 7, 2020
Robert Barron, Finance Director
91 Ashfield Road
Atherton, CA 94027
Re: Notice of Construction Costs for the Animal Care Shelter Facility Dear Robert,
On or about September 9, 2014, the municipalities within San Mateo County entered into an agreement (“the Agreement”) to share the construction costs of a new animal care shelter facility. The agreement provides that the County of San Mateo will advance the funds for construction to be repaid by the municipalities according to their share, through a 30-year, interest-free lease agreement.

On March 6, 2020, construction of the new animal shelter building was completed, and certificate of occupancy was issued. The old shelter building was demolished shortly thereafter, and final project completion (with exception of photovoltaic installment) is slated for approximately July 30, 2020. Final project costs are reasonably determinable and anticipated to be approximately $28,300,000. The municipalities’ final shared responsibility is anticipated to be $25,700,000 or $856,758 annually. The County will not seek reimbursement for $2,600,000 in project costs comprised of an upgraded heating ventilation air conditioning ($600,000), a photovoltaic system ($1,200,000), miscellaneous site improvements related to landscaping, fencing, and parking ($530,000), and relocation of a City of Burlingame water line ($270,000).

The final column of Attachment B to this letter sets forth each municipalities’ final annual lease amount, as calculated in the manner proscribed by the Agreement. Final costs exceed the June 2018 estimate by approximately 3%. This marginal increase is a result of escalated regional construction costs and unforeseen circumstances encountered during construction, including requirements for ongoing air-quality monitoring, soil remediation and treatment, fire safety system modifications, PG&E delays, and necessary and reasonable end-user logistical design modifications. The County of San Mateo has worked diligently and successfully to minimize these additional costs while delivering a high-quality facility that will stand the test of time.
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Though we had to cancel the ribbon-cutting for the facility due to the pandemic, we look forward to holding, at the appropriate time, a reception to celebrate our successful regional collaboration. In lieu of an in-person tour, we’ve enclosed photographs of the exterior of the new facility and site. Pursuant to paragraph 3 of the Agreement, annual payments to County to reimburse for costs of construction shall become due on the initial July 1st after a certificate of occupancy is issued for the new shelter, and each subsequent July 1st for the next 29 years thereafter. Please find enclosed the invoice and payment instructions for the initial lease payment for your municipality.

Should you have any project questions, please contact Director Adam Ely of the Project Development Unit at 650.722.8112. Should you have any payment questions, please contact Robert Manchia at 650.363.4597.

Sincerely,
Mike Callagy
San Mateo County, County Manager
Enclosures: Resolution 073369, Final Attachment B, Invoice July 2020 366 of 976
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Amendment Template Version May 2021

AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF SAN MATEO AND the Cities
THIS AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT, entered into this ___________. 20___, by and between the COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, hereinafter called "County," and Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, Burlingame, Colma, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo, South San Francisco, and Woodside, each hereinafter individually called a “City” and collectively called "Cities".

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, such agreements are authorized and provided for by Section 51300, et seq. of the California Government Code and under the Parties respective police powers; WHEREAS, the Cities and County, hereinafter collectively called "Parties", entered into an Agreement for animal care and control, shelter services and animal licensing, in which the County agrees to facilitate provision of and the Cities agree to reimburse the County for the costs of specified animal care and control, shelter services, and animal licensing hereinafter set forth, as they have done for over 70 years with the current Agreement expiring on June 30, 2021; and
WHEREAS, in order to facilitate coordinated countywide system of animal care and control, shelter services, and animal licensing as desired by Cities, County is agreeable to facilitating the provision of such services on the terms and conditions as hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS, On June 6, 2021, the Cities entered into an agreement with the County to facilitate and coordinate animal control and licensing on a countywide basis on behalf of the Cities and County for a term of 5 years ending on June 30, 2026.

WHEREAS, the Cities and County wish to amend the Agreement to extend the term up to June 30, 2029.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY AGREED BY THE PARTIES HERETO AS FOLLOWS:

1. Section 2 Definitions under 2.3 Animal Control Program of the agreement is amended to read as follows:

2.3 Animal Control Program: The program within the County Health, or County’s designated contract agent, or both, or such other agency as the County of San Mateo Board of Supervisors may designate, which is specifically charged with regulating and enforcing laws dealing with animal control within the territorial limits of the County.

Section 2 Definitions under 2.6 Animal Licensing Service of the agreement is amended to read as follows:

2.6 Animal Licensing Program: The program within the San Mateo County Health, or County‘s designated contract agent, or both, or such other agency as the County of San Mateo Board of Supervisors may designate, which is specifically charged with regulating and enforcing laws dealing with animal licensing within its jurisdiction
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Section 2 Definitions under 2.9 Holidays of the agreement is amended to read as follows:

2.9 Holidays: Federally designated holidays with the addition of Easter and exclusion of Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day, in accordance with the Animal Control Contractor’s and Animal Licensing Contractor’s existing labor contracts
Section 3 Each City's Responsibilities under 3.3 Designation of Animal Control & License Revenue Collector of the agreement is amended to read as follows:

3.3 Designation of Animal Control & License Revenue Collector. Each City hereby designates County Health or County’s designated contractor as the entity authorized to collect, at Cities’ cost, animal control and licensing revenue on the part of each City
Section 4 County Responsibilities under 4.1.a of the agreement is amended to read as follows:

4.1.a The County will pay Animal Control Contractor the following agreed-to amounts. These costs are to be reimbursed by the Cities as provided in Section 3.7 above.

Fiscal Year Amount
2021-22 $6,189,290.95
2022-23 $6,327,480.28
2023-24 $6,499,455.67
2024-25 $6,674,024.00
2025-26 $6,858,739.01
2026-27 $7,037,138.11
2027-28 $7,220,177.44
2028-29 $7,407,977.72
Section 4 County Responsibilities under 4.1.b of the agreement is amended to read as follows:

4.1.b The County will pay Animal Licensing Contractor the following agreed-to amounts. These costs are to be reimbursed by the Cities as provided in Section 3.7 above (the table in 4.2 includes the payment for the contract Petdata for approximately $1,096,827 which will end on June 30, 2027).

Current Contract
2016-2021
Amount
One year license $4.28 per license
Multi-year license $4.28 for the first year and $2 for each additional year Late fees collected $2.50 collection service fee for each license Replacement tags $4.28 per tag
Bank and supply fees Actual cost
Section 4 County Responsibilities under 4.2 of the agreement is amended to read as follows:

4.2 The County shall provide the administrative services as outlined in this Agreement for the following estimated amounts to be charged to and paid by the Cities. Costs may vary as labor negotiations and internal service charges are negotiated at a Countywide level. Cities will only be invoiced for the actual costs to provide said services as outlined in this Agreement and are to be reimbursed by the Cities as provided in Section 3.7 above.
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Fiscal Year Amount
2021-22 $790,835
2022-23 $790,375
2023-24 $814,086
2024-25 $822,227
2025-26 $846,894
2026-27 $872,301
2027-28 $898,470
2028-29 $925,424
Section 4 County Responsibilities under 4.3.j of the agreement is amended to read as follows:

Section 4 County Responsibilities under 4.3.j has been removed from the agreement.

Section 5 General Provisions under 5.8 Term and Termination of the agreement is amended to read as follows:

5.8 Term and Termination. Subject to compliance with all terms and conditions, the term of this Agreement shall be from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2029.

Except as otherwise provided by this section, this Agreement may not be terminated by any party during the effective period from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2026. Each City is responsible for its annual percentage share under this Agreement for the entire term of this Agreement.

In the event any City fails to pay its percentage share as set forth in this Agreement and Exhibit B, every other City shall promptly pay its Proportionate Share of Cost of the non-payment, unless and until the County is able to recover the non-payment from the late or non-paying City.

This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of termination of the Animal Control Services Agreement. Upon termination, the County shall have no further obligation to provide, facilitate or coordinate services specified herein or in the Animal Control Services Agreement or Animal Licensing Services Agreement. Each City shall promptly pay its Proportionate Share of Cost as set forth in Exhibit B for all services rendered prior to termination.

Section 5 General Provisions under 5.15 Notices of the agreement is amended to read as follows:

5.15 Notices. Any notice, request, demand, or other communication required or permitted under this Agreement shall be deemed to be properly given when both: (1) transmitted via facsimile to the telephone number listed below or transmitted via email to the email address listed below; and (2) sent to the physical address listed below by either being deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, or deposited for overnight delivery, charges prepaid, with an established overnight courier that provides a tracking number showing confirmation of receipt.

Any notices required by or given pursuant to this Agreement to any City shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the Clerk of that City at the address of the principal business offices of the respective City listed in the introduction of this Agreement or at such other address as any City may specify in writing to the County.
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In the case of County, to:

Name/Title: Lori Morton-Feazell, Program Manager of Animal Control and Licensing Address: 1600 W. Hillsdale Blvd San Mateo, CA 94402
Telephone: 650.573.2623
Email: [email protected]

4. All other terms and conditions of the agreement dated [Enter information here], between the County and Contractor shall remain in full force and effect.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo has authorized and directed the Health System Chief to execute this Agreement for and on behalf of the County of San Mateo. The Cities of Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, Burlingame, Colma, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo, South San Francisco, and Woodside have caused this Agreement to be subscribed by its duly authorized officer and attested by its Clerk.

For County:

COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
By:

President, Board of Supervisors, San Mateo County
Date:

ATTEST:

By:

Clerk of Said Board
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
Town of Atherton, Clerk

TOWN OF ATHERTON
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of Belmont, Clerk

CITY OF BELMONT
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of Brisbane, Clerk

CITY OF BRISBANE
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of Burlingame, Clerk

CITY OF BURLINGAME
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
Town of Colma, Clerk

TOWN OF COLMA
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of Daly City, Clerk

CITY OF DALY CITY
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of East Palo Alto, Clerk

CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of Foster City, Clerk

CITY OF FOSTER CITY
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of Half Moon Bay, Clerk

CITY OF HALF MOON BAY
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
Town of Hillsborough, Clerk

TOWN OF HILLSBOROUGH
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of Menlo Park, Clerk

CITY OF MENLO PARK
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of Millbrae, Clerk

CITY OF MILLBRAE
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of Pacifica, Clerk

CITY OF PACIFICA
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
Town of Portola Valley, Clerk

TOWN OF PORTOLA VALLEY
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of Redwood City, Clerk

CITY OF REDWOOD CITY
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of San Bruno, Clerk

CITY OF SAN BRUNO
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of San Carlos, Clerk

CITY OF SAN CARLOS
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of San Mateo, Clerk

CITY OF SAN MATEO
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
City of South San Francisco, Clerk

CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
___________________________
by
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_____________________________
Dated:

ATTEST:
_____________________________
Town of Woodside, Clerk

TOWN OF WOODSIDE
___________________________
by
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ESTIMATE - FY 2026-27 ANIMAL CONTROL COSTS
26-27 Year Control rev
less control & licensing
exp less licensing rev
CY 2025 licensing
revenue
TOTAL OF AC&L Rev
less exp
$6,617,109 $1,101,147 $7,718,256
CITY Service Level Service Level Service Level Animals Service Level Estimated Estimated CY 2025 Licensing Revenue Adjusted Percentage Percentage Services Received Percentage 2026-2027 2026-27 Percent Percent Distribution 2026-2027 City Cost
CY 2023 Actual CY 2024 Actual CY2025 CY2025 CY 2025 Actual Before subtracting license
revenue % of total revenue
Licensing Revenue
Collected
Atherton 1.05% 0.94% 1.35% 0.71% 0.97% 0.99% $76,167 1.18% $ 13,044 $63,123 Belmont 3.04% 2.79% 3.73% 2.60% 3.07% 2.96% $228,613 4.43% $ 48,834 $179,779 Brisbane 0.58% 0.73% 0.94% 0.66% 0.77% 0.69% $53,623 0.64% $ 6,993 $46,630 Burlingame 3.95% 3.96% 3.96% 3.81% 3.87% 3.92% $302,910 4.93% $ 54,310 $248,600 Colma 0.38% 0.34% 0.72% 0.38% 0.52% 0.41% $31,915 0.17% $ 1,915 $30,000 Daly City 9.68% 9.66% 8.59% 10.92% 9.97% 9.77% $753,974 7.44% $ 81,913 $672,061 East Palo Alto 9.68% 8.16% 6.55% 11.34% 9.38% 9.07% $700,262 0.96% $ 10,579 $689,683 Foster City 2.74% 2.85% 3.72% 2.48% 2.99% 2.86% $220,807 3.86% $ 42,528 $178,279 Half Moon Bay 1.96% 1.78% 2.23% 1.04% 1.53% 1.76% $135,513 2.85% $ 31,336 $104,177 Hillsborough 1.05% 1.21% 1.61% 0.66% 1.05% 1.10% $85,240 2.45% $ 26,975 $58,265 Menlo Park 5.11% 5.50% 5.11% 5.55% 5.37% 5.33% $411,227 3.74% $ 41,223 $370,004 Millbrae 2.05% 2.07% 1.73% 2.69% 2.30% 2.14% $165,058 2.80% $ 30,816 $134,242 Pacifica 4.16% 4.43% 5.30% 3.59% 4.29% 4.30% $331,607 8.39% $ 92,424 $239,183 Portola Valley 0.49% 0.57% 0.97% 0.14% 0.48% 0.51% $39,525 1.48% $ 16,292 $23,233 Redwood City 12.19% 11.83% 11.77% 12.31% 12.09% 12.04% $929,037 11.93% $ 131,347 $797,690 San Bruno 5.28% 5.60% 4.43% 5.96% 5.33% 5.41% $417,198 5.77% $ 63,518 $353,681 San Carlos 2.80% 2.94% 3.61% 2.72% 3.08% 2.94% $226,922 5.52% $ 60,821 $166,101 San Mateo 15.03% 15.19% 12.64% 15.86% 14.54% 14.92% $1,151,582 15.27% $ 168,156 $983,426 S. San Francisco 8.62% 8.41% 7.86% 9.22% 8.66% 8.56% $660,900 7.45% $ 82,084 $578,816 Woodside 1.02% 1.10% 1.34% 0.45% 0.81% 0.98% $75,527 1.40% $ 15,434 $60,093 County 9.14% 9.96% 11.83% 6.90% 8.92% 9.34% $720,649 7.32% $ 80,605 $640,044 Total 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% $7,718,256 100.00% $1,101,147 $6,617,109 ESTIMATE - FY 2026-27 Animal Control Costs -
calculating Field @ 41% & Shelter @ 59% over 3 years and using past calendar year license revenue per city as of 4/16/2026
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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: 10 Section Name: CONSENT CALENDAR Account Number: 10-1311 File ID: 26-11106 TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: City Manager's Office
MEETING DATE: May 04, 2026
SUBJECT:

Downtown Business Improvement Area – Approval
RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution of Intent to Levy the Annual Assessments for the Downtown Business Improvement Area for fiscal year 2026-27; accept the fiscal year 2025-26 Downtown San Mateo Association Annual Report; and set a public hearing for the May 18, 2026, City Council meeting for the annual levy.

BACKGROUND:

The Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) was formed in 1986 for the purpose of improving Downtown San Mateo and promoting businesses within the area. The Downtown San Mateo Association (DSMA) has served as the DBIA administrator since its formation. Annually, the DSMA provides the City Council with a report of activities and expenditures for the previous fiscal year and proposes an assessment schedule for the upcoming fiscal year, as required by the California Street and Highways Code Section 36533.

In April 2026, the DSMA submitted its annual report, incorporating a summary of fiscal year 2025-26 activities and proposed program and budget for fiscal year 2026-27 (included as Attachment 2). Before City Council may act on the DSMA’s request to renew the DBIA assessments, the request must be considered at two City Council meetings. At the first meeting on May 4, 2026, the City Council is asked to accept the DSMA’s annual report and adopt a Resolution of Intent to Levy the Annual Assessment (included as Attachment 1). At the second meeting on May 18, 2026, the City Council conducts a public hearing on the proposed assessment schedule and considers adoption.

The DSMA continues to strengthen its role as a champion for Downtown businesses and the community. In 2022, the City Council updated Downtown business assessments, the first change since 2009, making them more equitable and increasing funding for long-term sustainability. This allowed the DSMA to expand operations, hire an Executive Director in 2023, and strengthen partnerships, resulting in more coordination, events, and resources for Downtown.

Key Accomplishments, 2025–2026:
• Engaged 80+ Downtown merchants in DSMA-led events and activations • Supported the opening of 50+ new businesses in Downtown San Mateo • Deployed $100K for Downtown clean-up and beautification efforts • Grew DSMA’s Facebook audience to 10,000 followers
• Had over 53,000 visits to DSMA.org
• Generated 1.7 million Facebook content views
• Expanded Instagram reach to 55,000 accounts
• Continued the annual Lunar New Year celebration, attracting hundreds of visitors to Downtown businesses • Relaunched the Head West Marketplace as a monthly retail market on the pedestrian mall • Expanded the Boba Day celebrations
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
Financial Overview:

Fiscal Year 2025–26 marks DSMA’s third year operating under the updated assessment structure approved by the City Council. Revenue in FY 2023–24 ($443,000) exceeded projections due in part to a $11,000 grant and adjustments related to assessment billing. Revenue in FY 2024–25 declined as those assessments were reconciled, with FY 2025–26 revenues ($417,000) expected to more closely align with intended assessment levels.

Event sponsorships provided an additional revenue stream. As contributions to DSMA are not tax-deductible, sponsorship fees are intentionally kept low and function primarily as a marketing and engagement tool for BID members. While these funds help offset event costs, they do not fully cover expenses.

The following key investments reflect DSMA’s focus on marketing, activation, and district maintenance for FY 2026-27:
• Funding for community events is increasing from $35,000 to $40,000 to enhance recurring events and allow for additional pop-up activations.
• Advertising and promotion is budgeted at $60,000 to expand digital and print outreach. • Civic partnership investments include an increase of $25,000 for Downtown cleaning, power washing services, and beautification projects to enhance the district’s overall appeal. • Payroll and professional services reflect a modest increase to accommodate a cost-of-living adjustment for the Executive Director and include a contingency to address unanticipated expenses.

DSMA maintains approximately $350,000 in reserves (as of March 27, 2026), held in a money market account and a certificate of deposit. These reserves have historically been used to support Downtown businesses during periods of reduced assessments, such as during COVID-19. Maintaining a healthy reserve provides flexibility to respond to future economic uncertainty and continue supporting the business community.

Finally, DSMA benefits from office space provided by the City of San Mateo, allowing resources to be redirected toward programs and services. While DSMA does not utilize City equipment, the shared space supports close coordination with City staff and Downtown stakeholders. DSMA appreciates the City’s continued partnership and support.

Next Steps
After the Council adopts the Resolution of Intent to Levy the Annual Assessments (Attachment 1), a notice will be published in the newspaper announcing the public hearing for no less than seven days prior to the meeting on May 18, 2026. According to Streets and Highways Code Section 36525, if written protests are submitted by business owners in the DBIA, and these protests collectively represent 50 percent or more of the proposed assessments, no additional actions to impose the assessments will occur for a period of one year. Any written protests received will be provided at the May 18, 2026 Council meeting.

At the May 18th public hearing, Mackenzie Jakoubek, Executive Director of the DSMA, will provide an overview of DSMA’s accomplishments and will be available to address any questions from the City Council and the public prior to Council consideration of levying the assessment for the next fiscal year.

BUDGET IMPACT:

The levying of the annual DBIA assessment does not have an impact on the General Fund.

ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:

This item 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. As required by the California Streets and Highways Code Section 36534, a notice shall be provided in the local newspaper no less than seven (7) days prior to the May 18, 2026 City Council public hearing.
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CITY OF SAN MATEO

ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Proposed Resolution
Att 2 – DSMA Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2025-26
Att 3 – Financial Review 2024 and 2025

STAFF CONTACT
Jennifer Chen, Economic Development Manager
[email protected]
(650) 522-7009
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
RESOLUTION NO. (2026)
ACCEPTING THE 2025-2026 DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA (DBIA) ANNUAL REPORT, ADOPTING A RESOLUTION OF INTENTION TO LEVY THE ANNUAL DBIA ASSESSMENT FOR 2026-2027,

AND SETTING THE PUBLIC HEARING
WHEREAS, Streets and Highways Code Section 36533 (Parking and Business Improvement Area Law of 1989) requires the City Council to approve an annual report specifying: (1) the improvements and activities to be provided for that fiscal year; (2) an estimate of the cost of providing the improvements and the activities for that fiscal year; and other information required by Section 36533; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 36534 of the Streets and Highways Code, after approving the annual report, the City Council is authorized to issue a resolution of intention to levy an assessment for the 2026- 2027 fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has received and reviewed the annual report submitted by the Downtown San Mateo Association and hereby confirms said Association as the advisory board for the DBIA.

NOW, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, HEREBY DETERMINES AND RESOLVES that:

1. Accepting the DBIA Annual Report and adopting a Resolution of Intent to Levy the Annual DBIA Assessment is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements because it is an administrative activity that will not have a significant effect on the environment per CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5)).

2. The Downtown San Mateo Association Fiscal Year 2025-26 Annual Report filed by the Downtown San Mateo Association with the City Clerk that declares its intention to levy and collect assessments for the Downtown Business Improvement Area for the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 set forth in Exhibit A attached to this Resolution is approved.

3. The proposed improvements and activities are generally characterized as those activities set forth in Streets and Highways Code Section 36513, including but not limited to: street cleaning, promotion of public events, marketing activities which benefit businesses, decorations, and administrative expenses, including salary, rent, and similar expenditures. The annual report on file with the City Clerk provides a full and detailed description of proposed expenditures and activities, provides the boundaries and zones of benefit of the DBIA, and designates the proposed assessments. A map of the business district boundaries is set forth in Exhibit B attached to this Resolution.

4. A public hearing is hereby scheduled for Monday, May 18, 2026, at City Hall, 330 West 20th Avenue, San Mateo at 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard. In accordance with Streets and Highways Code section 36534, the City Clerk is directed to publish such notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in the City not less than seven days before the public hearing. Oral and written protests in compliance with Sections 36524 and 36525 of the Streets and Highways Code may be made at the public hearing.
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Resolution No. (2026)
DBIA Intent to Levy Annual Renewal
Exhibit A
Proposed Annual Assessment Schedule FY 2026-2027
Retail (Based on Annual Gross Receipts)
Annual Gross Revenue Proposed 2026-27 Previous 2025-26
$0 - $150,000 Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 1 Zone 2
$200 $100 $200 $100
$150,001 - $400,000 $400 $200 $400 $200
$400,001-$600,000 $800 $400 $800 $400
$600,001-$1,000,000 $1,150 $575 $1,150 $575
$1,000,000+ $1,500 $750 $1,500 $750
Professional (based on number of employees)
Category Proposed 2026-27 Previous 2025-26
Number Of Employees Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 1 Zone 2
Sole Proprietor,
No employees
$200 $100 $200 $100
1 to 5 Employees $550 $275 $550 $275
6-15 Employees $1,000 $500 $1,000 $500
16-35 Employees $2,300 $1,150 $2,300 $1,150
36-75 Employees $3,050 $1,525 $3,050 $1,525
76+ Employees 1, 2 $3,050 $1,525 $3,050 $1,525
Service (based on number of employees)
Category Proposed 2026-27 Previous 2025-26
Number Of Employees Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 1 Zone 2
Sole Proprietor,
No employees
$200 $100 $200 $100
1 to 5 Employees $400 $200 $400 $200
6-15 Employees $800 $400 $800 $400
16-35 Employees $1,700 850 $1,700 $850
36-75 Employees $2,300 $1,150 $2,300 $1,150
76+ Employees 3, 4 $2,300 $1,150 $2,300 $1,150
Financial (flat rate)
Category Proposed 2026-27 Previous 2025-26
Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 1 Zone 2 Financial $1,500 $775 $1,500 $775 See footnote for 1,2,3,4
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Resolution No. (2026)
DBIA Intent to Levy Annual Renewal
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Resolution No. (2026)
DBIA Intent to Levy Annual Renewal
Proposed Annual Assessment Schedule FY 2026-2027 (Continued) Retail businesses include but is not limited to businesses that have goods and foods for sale including automotive vehicles and parts dealers, home furnishing stores, jewelers, electronics and appliance stores, building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers, food and beverage stores, fullserve restaurants, limited services restaurants, fast food restaurants, cafeterias, dessert and snack establishments, bars, gasoline stations, clothing and clothing accessories, sporting goods, hobby stores, music instruments, book stores, general merchandise store, wireless phone stores and similar.

Professional businesses include but is not limited to businesses that offer services that are highly specialized and typically require licensing and regulations. Professional service providers and information-based businesses such as software publishers, data processing, network hosting and related services, internet publishing and broadcasting and web search portals, venture capital, insurance agencies and brokerage, real estate agents and brokers, offices of lawyers, accounting, architectural, engineering advertising, translation and interpretation services, veterinary services, offices of physicians, offices of dentists, other health practitioners, and similar.

All businesses classified as Professional shall pay an annual assessment based on the number of fulltime equivalency employees.

Sole Proprietor is defined as a self-employed individual who works for themselves without hiring any employees.

Service businesses include but is not limited to providers of personal and business services such as hair salons, nail salons, lock smiths, dry cleaners, auto service and maintenance shops, gyms, vacuum repair shops, educational, childcare, electronic equipment repair, personal care services, and similar.

All businesses classified as Service shall pay an annual assessment based on the number of full-time equivalency employees.

Financial businesses include but not limited to businesses in the financial industry such as money management, payments, digital banking, banks, savings and loan companies, credit unions, finance companies, and similar.

All businesses classified as Financial shall pay a flat annual assessment.

For Professional and Service businesses, the number of employees shall be determined based on Full Time Equivalent of 40 hours a week as reported on the initial business license application and updated thereafter during the annual business license renewal.

Footnote
1 - $3,050 + $14.00 per employee over 75 employees for Zone 1 2- $1,525 + $10.00 per employee over 75 employees for Zone 2 3 - $2,300 + $10.00 per employee over 75 employees for Zone 1 4 - $1,150 + $7.00 per employee over 75 employees for Zone 2 404 of 976
Resolution No. (2026)
DBIA Intent to Levy Annual Renewal
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Resolution No. (2026)
DBIA Intent to Levy Annual Renewal
Exhibit B
DBIA Boundary Map
Zone 1 – Shaded parcels
Zone 2 --Parcels outlined in black
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DOWNTOWN

SAN MATEO

ASSOCIATION
PREPARED BY:

MACKENZIE JAKOUBEK
Executive Director
[email protected] / DSMA.org
FISCAL YEAR 2025-26

ANNUAL REPORT
JULY 1, 2025 - JUNE 30, 2026
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ACCOMPLISHMENTS

AT A GLANCE
80+ Downtown
merchants directly
participated in DSMA
sponsored events
More than 50 new
businesses opened in
Downtown San Mateo
Facebook content was
viewed 1.7 million times
Instagram reached
55,000 accounts

DOWNTOWN SAN MATEO

ASSOCIATION SUMMARY
The Downtown San Mateo Association (DSMA) remains
steadfast in its mission to maintain and enhance the
attractiveness and vibrancy of Downtown San Mateo.

Since 1986, DSMA has managed the Downtown Business
Improvement District, providing vital support to local
merchants and fostering a thriving, connected community.

Downtown San Mateo continues to serve as a center for
business and leisure, attracting visitors from throughout the Bay Area with its history, diverse community, renowned
culinary scene, and optimal location on the San Francisco Peninsula.

This fiscal year, Downtown San Mateo continued to feel
active and energized, particularly on weekends and during community events. Under the leadership of the Board of
Directors and Executive Director Mackenzie Jakoubek,
DSMA strengthened collaboration, governance, and
strategic oversight while continuing to prioritize community engagement as a key activation strategy. Increased
participation in regional events, new family-friendly
programming, and expanded partnerships helped further
elevate Downtown’s visibility and sense of place.

DSMA also focused on organizational health and
sustainability in FY2025–26, completing a financial review with Pettinelli Financial Partners to support strong fiscal management and transparency. With new Board
leadership in place and a continued emphasis on
partnerships, marketing, and public space activation,
DSMA is well-positioned to build on its momentum.

Strategic investments in cleanliness, beautification, and business support will ensure Downtown remains a
welcoming destination for residents, visitors, and
businesses alike.
$100k used for
Downtown clean-up &
beautification efforts
MAY 2026
53,000 visits to
DSMA.org
53,000 visits to
DSMA.org
35 submissions to our
online contact form
used for safety and
cleanliness requests
and other needs
Reached 10,000
Facebook followers
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Nestled in the heart of the San Francisco Peninsula, Downtown San Mateo has once again proven to be a vibrant intersection of history, innovation, and community. Over this past fiscal year, the district hasn’t just maintained its unique character—it has deepened its impact, thriving as a welcoming, dynamic destination for residents and visitors alike.

At the center of this growth is the Downtown San Mateo Association (DSMA). Since 1986, when we were first designated by the City Council to manage the Downtown Business Improvement District, our mission has remained steadfast: to foster an environment where local merchants succeed and the community connects.

We take immense pride in the work accomplished throughout FY 2025–26. By focusing on intentional programming, robust business support, and community-driven events, we have amplified the energy in our streets. The vitality we experienced this year was no accident, it was the result of a commitment to collaboration, strategic activation, and the shared belief that a strong downtown is the heart of a strong San Mateo.

FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT

INTRODUCTION
MAY 2026 2
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DSMA’s efforts to raise the levels of energy
and community engagement is now
attracting high-caliber partners and new
events eager to be part of that success.

While we celebrate these wins, we remain
clear-eyed about the challenges that define
the current economic climate. FY2025–26
was marked by a mix of pressures. Broader
economic uncertainty, specifically rising
costs for groceries and food supplies,
impacted our business community. We have
heard from some merchants that revenue
has fluctuated compared to the previous
year, as the rising cost of living influences
consumer spending habits and foot traffic
patterns. In addition, we continue to see
slower weekdays and busy weekends, a
reflection of the hybrid work model.

Despite these headwinds, the outlook for
Downtown San Mateo remains positive.

When new entrepreneurs choose to open
their doors here, they consistently cite our
commitment to cleanliness and safety, our
welcoming community spirit, and the
undeniable "vibe" that makes this district a
standout on the Peninsula and broader Bay
Area.
"There’s a lot of vibes here."
- Overheard in Downtown San Mateo
This quote captures the pulse and attraction
of Downtown San Mateo, and it’s a
sentiment we hear often, if not those exact
words. As a central hub on the San Francisco
Peninsula, our district remains a premier
destination for commerce, leisure, and
community connection.

Our district is evolving in exciting ways.

Notably, this fiscal year saw the arrival of
new, high-profile businesses like Molly Tea,
Reposado, Whisper, Johnny’s, Tai Er, and
others that have boosted overall foot traffic.

Perhaps most exciting is our growing
entertainment options: the opening of two
arcade venues (Nakoko and Clawesome)
and an indoor children’s play center (Kiddo
Adventure) have added family-friendly fun to
our already robust culinary scene. Overall,
we saw more than 50 new businesses open
in Downtown San Mateo over the past year.

Further anchoring this vibrancy is the
continued success of the B Street pedestrian
mall. It remains a beloved community
centerpiece, serving as a social "living room"
that proves how essential safe, walkable
public spaces are to a thriving downtown.

This vibrancy has not gone unnoticed;
FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT

DOWNTOWN SAN

MATEO OVERVIEW
MAY 2026 3
Downtown San Mateo, as defined by our Business Improvement District charter, is made up of businesses located within Tilton Ave and 9th Ave and just past El Camino Real all the way to El Dorado. This footprint is approximately 7 square blocks, and includes approximately 600 businesses.
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The Downtown San Mateo Association
(DSMA) continues to strengthen its role as a
champion for Downtown’s businesses and
community. The updated Business
Improvement District (BID) assessments,
approved by City Council in 2022, have
enabled DSMA to expand operations and
better support the district. These resources
remain essential to maintaining a clean, safe,
and vibrant Downtown while fostering strong
partnerships with the City of San Mateo and
local organizations.

FY2025–26 also marked a year of transition
and growth for DSMA’s Board of Directors.

This fall, the organization voted Mark Bartos
(Bartos Architects), Rafat Haddad (3 Bees
Coffee), Debbie Soon (Self Help for the
Elderly), and Damon Zhao (Cathay Bank) in
as new Board members. Colleen Rafferty
(Christensen & Rafferty Fine Jewelry) served
as Interim President for approximately three
months, providing continuity and leadership
ahead of Board elections in January 2026.

FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT

DSMA OVERVIEW
MAY 2026 4
Following the elections, DSMA welcomed a
new Executive Committee, with Rafat
Haddad serving as President, Lorry Morales
(La Pinata) as Vice President, and Cathy
Levitt (Tri Counties Bank) as Treasurer.

We have re-energized our Beautification and
Cleanliness Committee, now led by Chair
Robert Anderson. The committee's mission is
to monitor the aesthetics of Downtown San
Mateo and identify areas where the DSMA,
the City of San Mateo, and other
stakeholders can improve.

To support strong governance and fiscal
stewardship, DSMA completed a financial
review of fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25
with Pettinelli Financial Partners (PFP). This
review, included as an attachment to this
report, analyzed our financial position, cash
flow, and operating results. PFP found that
DSMA remains financially stable with strong
liquidity, declining liabilities, and positive
operating cash flow. The report reflects our
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organization’s ongoing commitment to
transparency and sound financial
management.

In addition to organizational advancements,
DSMA expanded its programming and
community presence. Highlights included a
Santa visit, creating a new family-friendly
holiday tradition, and increasing participation
and support for the San Mateo Area
Chamber of Commerce’s September Arts &
Culture Fest. As part of this effort, DSMA
introduced its new mascot, Mateo the Fox.

Looking ahead, DSMA remains committed to
expanding marketing initiatives, activating
public spaces, and fostering a thriving
business environment through strong
leadership, partnerships, and communityfocused programming.

Collaboration remains a central strategy,
with DSMA working closely alongside
partners including San Mateo Parks &
Recreation, the City Manager’s Office, SelfHelp for the Elderly, San Mateo County Office of Arts & Culture, Age-Friendly San
Mateo, the San Mateo Area Chamber of
Commerce, and many BID members to bring
increased activity, events, and resources to
Downtown.

FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
MAY 2026 5
President, Rafat Haddad, 3 Bees Coffee
Vice President, Lorry Morales, La Pinata
Treasurer, Cathy Levitt, Tri Counties Bank
Robert Anderson, Downtown Resident and
retired San Mateo PD
Mark Bartos, Bartos Architecture
Steve Carey, LifeMoves
Colleen Rafferty, Christensen & Rafferty
Fine Jewelry
Debbie Soon, Self Help for the Elderly
Joe Sully, Downtown Property Owner
Jillian Thomas, Mills-Peninsula Medical
Center
Susan Uzunoglu, Susan’s European Beauty
Damon Zhao, Cathay Bank
Mackenzie Jakoubek, Executive Director,
DSMA

DSMA BOARD
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DSMA activities focus on Community Engagement, BID Member Engagement, and Civic Partnership.

FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT

DSMA FOCUS AREAS

COMMUNITY

ENGAGEMENT
Community engagement focuses on events and marketing. The goal is to drive traffic Downtown and connect the community with our wonderful and diverse businesses. The primary audiences for community engagement are Downtown workers, San Mateo and Peninsula residents, and visitors to local hotels and events.

Community Events & Activations, Fiscal Year 2025-26
HEAD WEST Marketplace (Jul 20, Aug
17, Sep 21, Oct 19, Nov 30, Mar 21, Apr 18,
May 16, Jun 20): HEAD WEST
Marketplace, with the support of DSMA,
brought 30-50 makers, crafter, artists,
and other local vendors to B Street the
third Sunday of every month. Downtown
visitors were delighted with the variety of
shopping opportunities in Downtown
San Mateo.

Downtown Express (Aug 3): DSMA and
sponsor Florian Orthodontics brought
kid-sized fun to the Farmer’s Market with
the San Mateo Express. The first 200
kids got an extra treat of free ice cream
from Cold Stone Creamery or Chill Spot
Rendezvous.

Reyna y su Trio (Aug 16): Roving
Mariachi, Reyna y su Trio, delighted
North B businesses and customers with
their beautiful traditional Mexican music.

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FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
September Nights on B (Sep 11 & 18): A
Downtown San Mateo favorite! DSMA
supported these lively City sponsored
concerts through funding, promotion,
and participation.

San Mateo Arts & Culture Fest (Sep
28): DSMA was proud to step up as a full
partner in this San Mateo signature event
along with the San Mateo Area Chamber
of Commerce and the San Mateo County
Office of Arts & Culture. The Fest offered
a variety of live music, cultural
entertainment, local arts, and even a live
mural painting competition. This year,
DSMA created a scavenger hunt for kids
and brought out a real-life Mateo the Fox
mascot.

Jazz on B Street with Swingatto (Oct
4): Back by popular demand, Swingatto
filled the B Street pedestrian mall with
their lively acoustic tunes
BOOs and Brews on B Street & Trick
or Treating (Oct 25): A close
collaboration between the City of San
Mateo’s Parks & Recreation Department
and DSMA, BOOs and Brews on B Street
welcomed hundreds of kids to the B
Street and Cinema Plaza to enjoy games,
a creepy-crawly petting zoo, crafts, a
selfie station, and other Halloween
activities. DSMA coordinated with 40
Downtown merchants who provided
candy to adorable trick-or-treaters.

Small Business Saturday & Jazz on B
Street with the Melodic Outreach
Endeavor (Nov 29): Aragon High School
students coordinated our entertainment,
bringing two jazz bands and one vocal
ensemble to delight Small Business
Saturday shoppers. DSMA was there to
share information about Shop Small to
Win Big! and talk all things small
business with the community.

Sounds of the Season with Business
Casual (Dec 6): Award-winning a
cappella group, Business Casual,
brought their signature style, fusing
holiday and contemporary favorites.

Community organizers held the Santa
Mateo scavenger hunt the same night,
leading to an unmatched evening of
holiday cheer in San Mateo.

Las Posadas (Dec 7): The merchants of
North B Street welcomed their loyal
customers and Holiday Train visitors to
their storefronts with warm cider, gift
bags, and other treats. Spanishlanguage Christmas carolers sang throughout the block. The event was
coordinated by the North B merchants
with DSMA support.

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Downtown San Mateo Boba Day
(April 26): Boba fans from around the
Bay Area enjoyed specials, giveaways,
and treats at Downtown San Mateo
boba shops and other retailers. Chef
Martin Yan, Wendy Hsu, and Mayor
Adam Loraine selected the “Judges’
Choice” winner after tasting boba from
around the district. DSMA and
supporting partners provided fun
activities on B Street for families and
took votes for “Downtown San Mateo’s
Favorite Boba 2026.”
Mother’s Day pop up (May 10): DSMA
provided a beautiful backdrop for family
photos on Mother’s Day.

Love Local (May 30): Celery Retail, with
support from DSMA, brought local
vendors and family-friendly activities to
B Street to help kick off the summer.

FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
Holiday Train “Celebration Station”
(Dec 7): While community members
waited to board Caltrain’s Holiday Train,
DSMA hosted entertainment from
Melodic Outreach Endeavor, the
Peninsula Dance Academy, Core
Taekwondo, and the Hillsdale High
School Chamber Singers, plus balloon
twisting from Joy in the Air Balloons.

Santa in Downtown San Mateo (Dec
21): Santa and his elf posed for photos
with San Mateo families at Lions Den
Shave Parlor and 3 Bees Coffee, thanks
to a partnership with Izzo Family Therapy.

Lunar New Year (Jan 24): Our third
annual Lunar New Year in Downtown
San Mateo provided an opportunity to
welcome the year of the horse with our
community and collaborate with many
local businesses and organizations.

Sponsors and supporters included
Florian Orthodontics, the City of San
Mateo, San Mateo Parks and Recreation
Department, and the San Mateo Area
Chamber of Commerce. Booth
participants included Self-Help for the
Elderly, the Asian American Curriculum
Project, Tri Counties Bank, CAM Edu, and
the San Mateo Public Library. Our Lion
Dance parade stops were Anton SV
Patisserie, East West Bank, Kiddo
Adventure, Taste of Sha Xian, Cathay
Bank, Superstar Dim Sum, Y Salon, My
Dumpling, Revolution Hair Studio,
SimplyCake, Fanloli, Nakoko, Dough
Zone, and Susan European Beauty.

San Mateo Sports Warm Up (Feb 7):

The CSM Bulldogs football team (backto-back state champs!), the Belmont Brass Wrists arm wrestling league, and
our sponsor, Perform for Golf, helped the
community enjoy some friendly, sporting
competition on a beautiful Saturday in
Downtown San Mateo.

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Wow that’s cool! Didn’t
realize we have So many
great activities!
Due to your input the downtown mall is
buzzing and I believe will only get to be
more of an attraction in San Mateo.
-Charlie Chin
Resident & Musician
San Mateo. pleasant
surroundings. good food
and drink. walkable. lively.
unpretentious.

So many wonderful events in
Downtown San Mateo!
Going downtown today made me
proud to be a San Mateo
resident. B Street was packed,
Central Park was buzzing, and it
was full of diversity of all kinds.

COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
MAY 2026
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Marketing & Brand Engagement
In FY2025–26, the DSMA executed a multi-channel marketing strategy designed to amplify the Downtown San Mateo brand. By blending digital storytelling with physical placements, we ensured that our district remained a top-of-mind destination for residents and regional visitors.

Digital Strategy & Social Growth
Our digital platforms serve as the "virtual front door" to the district. We reached a major milestone in February 2026, surpassing 10,000 Facebook followers. Our content strategy focused on information sharing and visual storytelling, utilizing professional photography and video to capture the "vibe" of our storefronts and public space while sharing important business updates.

Audience Expansion: We saw remarkable year-over-year growth, gaining 2,800 Instagram followers and 2,100 Facebook followers. Facebook page visits increased by 47%, while Instagram engagement rose by 19%.

Direct Communication: Our email outreach continues to be a vital tool for both the public and our merchants. Subscription rates for our community newsletter grew by 21%, while our business member newsletter saw an 8% increase.

Web Performance: Between March 2025 and February 2026, our website remained a critical resource. The most-visited pages included our Home Page, the Restaurant Guide, and the 2025 Boba Day landing page. Most visits resulted from Google searches, but we were also pleased to see referrals from the City of San Mateo’s website as well as other local digital resources like Klabbit and San Mateo Scoop.

Impactful Campaigns: We introduced a successful recurring feature, “What’s Happening Downtown this Weekend,” which provided consistent, actionable value to our followers.

Other recurring campaigns like “Reviewsday Tuesday” and “Sunday Blast from the Past” continue to appeal to our audiences.

Advertising & Outreach
Beyond the screen, we maintained a strong physical presence throughout the Peninsula. Our advertising efforts focused on meeting potential visitors where they live and play.

Outdoor Marketing: We placed high-visibility posters and print ads at high traffic locations, including San Mateo On Ice, the Autumn Moon Festival, and Eggstravaganza. We also utilized a marquee ad during the San Mateo County Fair to capture peak seasonal crowds.

The Restaurant Guide: Our premier physical asset, the Downtown San Mateo Restaurant Guide, was updated and distributed through local businesses, community events, and Peninsula hotels, reinforcing our status as a "foodie’s paradise." Targeted Media Partnerships: To draw in neighboring communities, we secured paid advertisements and community features in the Palo Alto Daily Post (notably for the HEAD WEST Marketplace) and San Mateo Scoop.

Event Promotion: Comprehensive flyer and poster campaigns were deployed throughout the district and surrounding cities to drive attendance for DSMA signature events.

Face-to-face: DSMA Leadership spoke with groups such as the Assistance League to share exciting updates to our Downtown. Word of mouth continues to be a significant way to get the word out about the vibrancy of Downtown San Mateo.

FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
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Palo Alto Daily Post, Nov 2025
FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
MAY 2026 11
San Mateo Scoop, Mar 2026
PIASC Pensogram, Mar 2026
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FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT

BID MEMBER

ENGAGEMENT
Small Business Saturday & "Shop Small to Win Big!"
We collaborated with the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce on the second annual “Shop Small to Win Big!” campaign. By incentivizing local spending between November 28 and December 12, we successfully drove shoppers to our independent retailers and more importantly, helped build long-lasting excitement around shopping small.

The Incentive: A coveted prize drawing featured donations from eight local favorites, including Golden Moon Gallery, Porterhouse, and Elements Massage.

Digital Storytelling: We partnered with filmmaker Gary Magill to produce short-form videos featuring Anatolian Market and Golden Moon Gallery (plus two businesses outside of Downtown), which brought the human stories behind our storefronts to life on YouTube and DSMA.org.

Community Presence: Small Business Saturday was further activated by our "Sounds of the Season" event, which featured live performances from student musicians from Aragon High School.

While membership in the Business Improvement District (BID) is automatic for those with a district address, the DSMA worked throughout the year to ensure that awareness and participation translated into real value. In FY 2025–26, we focused on delivering results for our diverse business community through high-visibility campaigns, networking opportunities, and direct support.

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Connecting Businesses to the Community
The DSMA focused on connecting merchants with the community through creative, eventbased partnerships:

Santa Visit: Lions Den Shave Parlor and Izzo Therapy collaborated with us to host Santa Claus for photos, while 3 Bees Coffee served as the vital hub for children’s letters to the North Pole.

Lunar New Year: Our third annual Lunar New Year festivities saw 14 businesses participate as official parade stops. Lion Dancers performed at their storefronts and businesses engaged visitors through dedicated booth participation.

The Downtown Express: Sponsored by Florian Orthodontics, this kids' train event integrated Cold Stone Creamery and Chill Spot Rendezvous, driving families directly to their doors for complimentary treats.

San Mateo Sports Warm Up: Perform for Golf served as a sponsor, bringing a putting green to B Street and successfully converting event-goers into in-store visitors.

Trick or Treat Spots: 40 businesses participated in Boos and Brews on B Street, bringing potential customers right to their storefronts.

Business Support & Recognition
Our year-round support initiatives included:

One-on-one Support: DSMA leadership met with both prospective and current Downtown businesses to address specific needs and issues. The topics covered a wide range, including searching for available storefronts, proposing collaborations, troubleshooting inconsistent foot traffic, and assisting with outreach to social media content creators.

FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
MAY 2026 13
New Business Outreach: New businesses
received a welcome packet and a direct
line to DSMA support, ensuring they were
invited to participate in meetings and
district events.

Celebrating Vibrancy: We recognized
holiday spirit with the “Best Holiday
Decorating 2025” awards, with top honors
going to Espetus, Lions Den Shave Parlor,
and Bay Watch.

Networking & Advocacy: In partnership
with the San Mateo Area Chamber of
Commerce, we co-hosted the "Mix &
Mingle" to foster essential business-tobusiness connections.

Direct Communication: Our monthly
Member News email reached over 600
subscribers and maintained a consistent
50%+ open rate, serving as a critical
resource for business tools, resources, and
news.
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FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
CIVIC

PARTNERSHIP
The DSMA served as a vital liaison between the district and the City of San Mateo. By working routinely with Public Works, Parks & Recreation, the San Mateo Police Department, and the City Manager’s Office, we helped to ensure that the needs of Downtown were heard. Additionally, we were able to disseminate important messages from the City of San Mateo to our members.

MAY 2026 14
Downtown Beautification, Cleanliness, and Safety
In FY 2025–2026, we took a proactive approach to maintaining the district’s "curb appeal" and ensuring a welcoming environment for all visitors:

Dedicated Maintenance: We funded daily porter services seven days a week to address litter and immediate cleanliness issues and as-needed “hot spot” power washing.

Targeted Sanitation: The DSMA Beautification & Cleanliness Committee conducted regular district "walk-arounds" to identify maintenance gaps. We coordinated extra power washings for identified "hot spots" to supplement standard City services.

Community Feedback: We maintained an online reporting tool on DSMA.org, allowing the community to submit real-time cleanliness and safety suggestions and concerns.

Safety Coordination: We held regular communications with the San Mateo Police Department to enhance the security and safety of the district.

Visual Enhancements: To boost holiday vibrancy, we expanded our festive banner program beyond B Street to include 3rd and 4th Avenues and hosted the "Best Holiday Decorating" awards.

Future Aesthetics: We initiated high-level discussions with stakeholders regarding the creation of art murals on private property to further activate our streetscape.

Advocacy
Beyond maintenance, the DSMA acted as a strategic partner in regional and city initiatives:

Regional Event Planning: We met regularly with stakeholders to prepare for the excitement of large-scale Bay Area sporting events in 2026.

Resource Facilitation: We led business outreach for City programs, including Age-Friendly San Mateo, small business grant opportunities, flood prevention, and emergency preparedness.

Promotional Support: We served as a marketing megaphone for City-sponsored events such as the Central Park Music Series, Winter Wonderland, Eggstravaganza, and September Nights on B.

Problem Solving: We acted as a first point of contact for business concerns, resolving issues directly or facilitating connections with the appropriate civic departments to find solutions.

Stakeholder Buy-in: We hosted monthly discussions during DSMA Board meetings.

Discussions included representatives such as SamTrans, Public Works, and the Police Department to ensure our members had a seat at the table for decisions that impact them directly.
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FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
Successful:

Completed a third-party financial review to ensure transparency and fiscal responsibility.

Provided supplemental power washing and daily porter services to maintain a standard of cleanliness beyond baseline city services.

Executed a robust calendar of pop-ups and signature events on the B Street Pedestrian Mall, driving energy and visibility to the district.

Maintained deep partnerships with City staff and conducted regular "walk-arounds" with the Board and stakeholders to identify and resolve maintenance issues.

Refreshed and distributed the Downtown San Mateo Restaurant Guide and the Your Role in a Clean Downtown brochure.

Provided financial and promotional support for regional highlights, including Music in the Park, San Mateo County Pride, and September Nights on B Street.

Maintained a consistent print advertising schedule in the San Mateo Daily Journal.

Continuing Efforts:

We are actively recruiting new Board members and refining participation guidelines to ensure diverse and engaged leadership.

Work continues on campaigns to broaden the Downtown brand’s reach beyond the immediate San Mateo area.

We are focused on strengthening collaborations with local organizations and building relationships with developers and tech companies entering the district.

Efforts to expand digital advertising and introduce new features to DSMA.org are ongoing, with success measured via Google Analytics.

Maintaining regular representation at City Council, Commission meetings, and other meetings to advocate for Downtown San Mateo remains a priority.

Delayed:

The exploration of a college internship or other part time help for DSMA operations has been deferred to a future cycle.

Downtown Specific Plan support will begin when the City kicks off this initiative.

PERFORMANCE AGAINST GOALS: FY 2025–26
GOALS
The nature of the DSMA’s work is one of continuous improvement; even tasks marked "Successful" need ongoing attention and maintenance. Below is a status report on the strategic priorities established for the 2025–2026 fiscal year.

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PLANS FOR FY 2026-27 AT A GLANCE
Increase budget for
cleanliness and
beautification by 25%
Encourage Downtown
business participation
in cleanliness and other
community initiatives
Update by-laws and
enhance board
participation through
clear communication
and defined goals
Increase marketing &
activation budget,
magnifying the
Downtown San Mateo
brand
Under the leadership of our new Board President, Rafat Haddad, the DSMA mission for the coming year is crystal clear: To ensure Downtown San Mateo is clean, safe, and vibrant. To achieve this vision, we have established the following priorities for FY 2026–27:

Governance & Leadership Excellence
Implement clear communication regarding the specific roles and responsibilities of Board members as ambassadors for the DSMA.

Enhance Board meeting structures to further streamline information-sharing and accelerate decision-making while encouraging participation.

Update the DSMA bylaws to reflect the current best practices and the evolving needs of a 2026 business environment.

FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
MAY 2026 16
LOOKING AHEAD:

GOALS FOR FY 2026–27
Community & Committee Reinvigoration
Reenergize the Cleanliness and Beautification
Committee and build specialized task forces to
tackle specific district goals.

Increase direct touchpoints between the Board
and BID members to ensure our initiatives
remain aligned with merchant needs.

Encourage storefront owners to take an active
role in Downtown’s appeal through a “lead by
example” sidewalk maintenance initiative and
sharing professional cleaning resources.
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FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT

PROPOSED DOWNTOWN EVENT CALENDAR
FISCAL YEAR 2026-27
Events supported by, not co-sponsored or hosted by DSMA are in italics July 11 & 12: Bay Area Fit Fest
July 18: HEAD WEST Marketplace
July 19: Bay Area Moms Back to School
Bash
August 1 & 2: Clawesome Family Fest
August 15: HEAD WEST Marketplace
September 10 & 17: September Nights on
B
September 19: HEAD WEST Marketplace
September 26: San Mateo Arts & Culture
Fest (with San Mateo Area Chamber &
SMC Office of Arts & Culture)
October 17: HEAD WEST Marketplace
October 24: BOOs on B Street (with
Parks & Rec)
November 21: HEAD WEST Marketplace
November 28: Small Business Saturday
pop up
(Tent) December 5: Las Posadas (North
B Merchants event with DSMA support)
December 5: Winter Wonderland (DSMA
supporting)
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December 5: Santa Mateo (DSMA
supporting)
December 19: HEAD WEST Marketplace
January 23 (tentative date): Lunar New
Year
January: Peninsula Restaurant Week (SF
Peninsula campaign)
February 14: Valentine’s Day pop up
February (date TBD): Pop up event
March (date TBD): Pop up event
March (date TBD): HEAD WEST
Marketplace
April (date TBD): HEAD WEST
Marketplace
Late April (date TBD): Downtown San
Mateo Boba Day
May 10: Mother’s Day pop up
May (date TBD): HEAD WEST
Marketplace
June (date TBD): HEAD WEST
Marketplace
June (date TBD): Pop up event
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FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
BUDGET
Fiscal Year 2025–26 marked DSMA’s third year operating under the updated assessment structure approved by the City Council. Revenue in FY2023–24 ($443k) came in higher than budgeted, due in part to an $11,000 grant and adjustments related to assessment billing.

Revenue in FY2024–25 declined as those assessments were reconciled. The final revenue collected in FY2025–26 is expected to more closely reflect the intended assessment levels.

Event sponsorships were another source of revenue this year. Since gifts to DSMA are not taxdeductible, we keep sponsorship fees low and use them more as a marketing tool and way to engage our BID members. They help to subsidize events, but do not cover costs entirely.

Less than one percent of DSMA income came from interest on one savings account and one CD.

Interest had not previously been included in the revenue reporting. We expect interest income to remain relatively insignificant in the next fiscal year.

The expense highlights are:

Marketing and Activation
Community events: Budget is increasing from $35k to $40k to improve on recurring events and give some room for additional pop up events.

Advertising and Promotion: Increasing this budget to $60k to build digital and print advertising
Banners: The large expense in FY2025-26 was due to printing new holiday banners for 3rd and 4th Aves. Going forward, we will only have to pay for banner storage and installation each year.

Civic Partnership
Downtown Cleaning & Beautification: The porter and power washing budget will increase slightly for next year, and we are adding a line item for beautification projects to improve the appeal of our Downtown.

Payroll & Professional Services: The budget includes a small increase, allowing for a cost of living raise for the Executive Director.

A contingency fund for unplanned expenses
We maintain a cash reserve of approximately $350,000 (as of March 27, 2026) held in a money market account and a CD. DSMA has historically used reserves to support Downtown businesses during periods when assessment levels were intentionally reduced, such as during COVID-19. Given the current economic uncertainty with rising costs, maintaining a healthy reserve provides flexibility to respond to future challenges and continue supporting the business community as needed.

ESTIMATED INCOME AND
EXPENSES FOR FY 2026-27
MAY 2026 18
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FY 2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
MAY 2026 19
DSMA is incredibly grateful for the use of office space granted by the City of San Mateo. We redirect that savings towards programs that support our mission. While DSMA doesn’t utilize any city equipment, the shared space fosters a closer relationship between DSMA, the City, and Downtown businesses. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the City for providing the shared space and for its ongoing support and partnership. 426 of 976
Downtown San Mateo Association

REVIEWED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
AND

SUMMARIZED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR FISCAL YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 2024 & 2025
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Independent Financial Review Report
• Executive Financial Summary
• Statement of Activities – Financial Overview
• Statement of Financial Position – Financial Overview
• Statement of Cash Flows – Financial Overview
• Notes on Financial Statements
o Organization
o Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
o Liquidity and Availability of Financial Assets
o Concentration of Credit Risk
o Subsequent Events
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INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL REVIEW REPORT
Overview of Financial Review
Pettinelli Financial Partners has reviewed the accompanying financial statements of the Downtown San Mateo Association (“DSMA”), which include the Statement of Financial Position as of June 30, 2025, and the related Statements of Activities and Cash Flows for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2025 and June 30, 2024.

This management financial review was conducted for the purpose of providing DSMA’s Board of Directors and key stakeholders with a clear, accurate, and transparent overview of the organization’s financial position, operating performance, and liquidity. This review is substantially less in scope than an audit or accountant’s review and does not express an opinion or provide assurance regarding the financial statements.

Management’s Responsibility for the Financial Statements Management of the Downtown San Mateo Association is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America applicable to nonprofit organizations.

This responsibility includes:
• The design, implementation, and maintenance of internal controls relevant to the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error
• The selection and consistent application of appropriate accounting policies • The preparation of accounting estimates that are reasonable in the circumstances 429 of 976
Pettinelli Financial Partners’ Responsibility
Our responsibility as the financial review team is to perform a management-level financial review of DSMA’s financial statements and supporting schedules based on information provided by management.

Our review procedures consisted primarily of:
• Reviewing internally prepared financial statements for consistency across reporting periods
• Comparing year-over-year financial results to identify material variances and trends • Evaluating the reasonableness of reported balances based on historical patterns and supporting documentation
• Reviewing cash activity and balance sheet changes to ensure internal consistency across statements
This financial review does not include performing audit procedures, testing internal controls, confirming balances with third parties, or expressing an opinion or any level of assurance on the financial statements.

Based on our review, we are not aware of any material misstatements that require modification to the accompanying financial statements in order for them to be presented fairly, in all material respects, for the periods reviewed. 430 of 976

EXECUTIVE FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Financial Position
As of June 30, 2025, the Downtown San Mateo Association reported total assets of $409,243, consisting primarily of cash and cash equivalents. Total liabilities declined significantly to $401, resulting in total net assets of $408,842. The organization continues to maintain a strong liquidity position with minimal liabilities.

Operating Results
Total income decreased to $393,342 in fiscal year 2025 compared to $443,174 in fiscal year 2024. Total expenses increased to $332,408 from $293,976 over the same period. Net income totaled $64,038 in fiscal year 2025, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of approximately 57% following a strong surplus in fiscal year 2024.

Liquidity and Cash Flow
Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $63,904 in fiscal year 2025. Despite lower operating cash flow compared to fiscal year 2024, DSMA continued to generate positive cash from operations, supporting ongoing programs and administrative activities.

Summary
Overall, DSMA remains financially stable with strong liquidity, declining liabilities, and positive operating cash flow. The organization is well positioned to meet its ongoing operational needs while managing revenue variability and expense trends. 431 of 976

STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES
Financial Overview
The Statement of Activities summarizes DSMA’s operating performance for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2024.

Total income decreased from $443,174.19 in fiscal year 2024 to $393,342.24 in fiscal year 2025, driven primarily by sponsorship and program-related revenues. Total expenses increased from $293,975.52 to $332,408.21, reflecting higher overall operating costs. The increase in operating costs is primarily related to marketing, business development, and downtown clean-up expenses.

Net income declined from $149,886 in fiscal year 2024 to $64,038 in fiscal year 2025, representing a decrease of approximately 57% year over year. This decline reflects normalization following a strong prior-year surplus rather than deterioration in core operations.
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Statement of Activities
Fiscal Year End June 30
Support & Revenue 2024 2025 Change
Bid Income/ Assessments $ 431,225.53 $ 389,723.58 $ (41,501.95) Donations $ 11,350.00 $ - $ (11,350.00)
Sponsorships/Events $ 500.00 $ 3,618.66 $ 3,118.66
Unapplied Cash payment Income $ 98.66 $ - $ (98.66)
Total Income $ 443,174.19 $ 393,342.24 $ (49,831.95)
Cost of Sales $ - $ -
Gross Profit $ 443,174.19 $ 393,342.24 $ (49,831.95)
Expenses
Administration Expense $ 3,660.61 $ 3,922.26 $ 261.65
Banners $ 7,473.73 $ 8,987.23 $ 1,513.50
Board Expense $ 1,126.13 $ 954.69 $ (171.44)
Depreciation Expense $ 287.00 $ - $ (287.00)
Downtown Clean-Up $ 79,518.89 $ 99,397.71 $ 19,878.82
Event Expense $ 12,433.85 $ 21,086.85 $ 8,653.00
Gifts $ 767.90 $ - $ (767.90)
Insurance Expense $ 1,312.00 $ 5,759.00 $ 4,447.00
Online Marketing $ 16.98 $ - $ (16.98)
Meals & Entertainment $ 649.83 $ - $ (649.83)
Marketing & Business Development $ 18,406.44 $ 35,038.61 $ 16,632.17 Education Expense $ 150.00 $ 750.00 $ 600.00
Taxes & Licenses $ 836.82 $ 1,048.00 $ 211.18
Payroll Expense $ 144,330.34 $ 150,851.36 $ 6,521.02
Professional Services Expense $ 18,885.00 $ 4,612.50 $ (14,272.50) Repair & Maintenance $ 1,620.00 $ - $ (1,620.00)
Sponsorship $ 2,500.00 $ - $ (2,500.00)
Total Expenses $ 293,975.52 $ 332,408.21 $ 38,432.69
Net Operating Income $ 149,198.67 $ 60,934.03 $ (88,264.64) Other Income $ 687.50 $ 3,104.24 $ 2,416.74
Other Expenses $ - $ - $ -
Net Income $ 149,886.17 $ 64,038.27 $ (85,847.90)
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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
Financial Overview
The Statement of Financial Position presents the financial condition of DSMA as of June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2024.

Total assets increased to $409,530 as of June 30, 2025, compared to $355,167 as of June 30, 2024. Assets consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents.

Total liabilities declined from $10,363 in fiscal year 2024 to $401 in fiscal year 2025. Total net assets increased accordingly to $408,842.

Cash and cash equivalents are maintained across two Heritage Bank of Commerce (HBOC) accounts and one TCBK account.
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Statement of Activities and Changes in Assets & Liabilities Fiscal Year End June 30
Assets 2024 2025 Change
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents $ 317,871.16 $ 381,774.95 $ 63,903.79 Accounts Receivable $ 36,155.48 $ 26,327.96 $ (9,827.52) Inventory $ 1,427.28 $ 1,427.28 $ -
Prepaid Expenses $ - $ - $ -
Total Current Assets $ 355,453.92 $ 409,530.19 $ 54,076.27 Property & Equipment
Depreciation $ (287.00) $ (287.00) $ -
Total Assets $ 355,166.92 $ 409,243.19 $ 54,076.27
Liabilities
Current Liabilities
Accounts Payable $ 10,363.20 $ 100.00 $ (10,263.20)
Total Accounts Payable $ 10,363.20 $ 100.00 $ (10,263.20) Credit Cards
TCBK Visa $ - $ 301.20 $ 301.20
Total Credit Cards $ - $ 301.20 $ 301.20
Total Liabilities $ 10,363.20 $ 401.20 $ (9,962.00)
Equity
Unrestricted $ 194,917.55 $ 344,803.72 $ 149,886.17
Net Income $ 149,886.17 $ 64,038.27 $ (85,847.90)
Total Equity $ 344,803.72 $ 408,841.99 $ 64,038.27
Total Equity & Liabilities $ 355,166.92 $ 409,243.19 $ 54,076.27 435 of 976

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

ORGANIZATION
The Downtown San Mateo Association (“DSMA”) is a nonprofit organization organized as a California public benefit corporation and operates as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit entity.

DSMA is a coalition of San Mateo businesses whose mission is to promote business activity, community engagement, and economic vitality within the Downtown San Mateo Business Improvement District. Businesses located within the district’s geographic boundaries are automatically enrolled through an assessment fee on their business license. DSMA is additionally supported by associate members, community partners, sponsorships, and programmatic initiatives.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Accounting
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared on the accrual basis of accounting in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America applicable to nonprofit organizations.

Financial Statement Presentation
DSMA reports its financial position and activities within one class of net assets: Net Assets Without Donor Restrictions, representing resources over which the Board of Directors has discretionary control.

Revenue Recognition
Revenue consists primarily of membership assessments, sponsorships, program revenues, and other operating income. Revenue is recognized when earned and collection is reasonably assured.

Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include highly liquid investments and operating cash balances with original maturities of three months or less.

Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts. Actual results may differ from those estimates. 436 of 976

LIQUIDITY AND AVAILABILITY OF FINANCIAL ASSETS
As of June 30, 2025, DSMA had financial assets of $409,530, substantially all of which consisted of cash and cash equivalents available for general operating expenditures within one year.

The organization maintains sufficient liquidity to support ongoing operations and has no material donor-imposed or contractual restrictions limiting asset availability.

CONCENTRATION OF CREDIT RISK
DSMA maintains cash balances at financial institutions that may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. Management does not believe the organization is exposed to significant credit risk related to these balances.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
Management evaluated subsequent events and transactions for potential recognition or disclosure through the date this management financial review was completed. No subsequent events were identified that would materially affect the financial statements.

Cooper Grady
Partner & Director of Financial Planning
Pettinelli Financial Partners
555 Veterans Blvd. Ste. 100
Redwood City, CA 94063
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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: 11 Section Name: CONSENT CALENDAR Account Number: 88-1712 File ID: 26-11176 TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: City Attorney's Office
MEETING DATE: May 04, 2026
SUBJECT:

Comprehensive Liability Fund — Appropriation
RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution approving a supplemental budget appropriation of $1,100,000 of unassigned fund balance from the General Fund and the Construction Services Fund to increase transfers out to the Comprehensive Liability Fund (Fund 880) to increase the budget for legal costs.

BACKGROUND:

The adopted budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 includes $5,183,430 for the Comprehensive Liability Fund. This fund is used for insurance premiums, litigation expenses, claims management and payments, and other legal and professional services. The largest single component of this fund are insurance premiums, which have dramatically increased of late.

However, the City has also seen significant increases in litigation costs, which have been primarily driven by substantial demands from plaintiffs. These in turn are influenced by large jury verdicts that can discourage low dollar value settlements and, in some cases, drive up litigation costs. This situation is not unique to San Mateo, as local jurisdictions around the state are experiencing the same legal and financial pressures. Thus, in order to appropriately plan for such expenses, staff recommends an appropriation of $1.1 million of unassigned fund balance from the General Fund and the Construction Services Fund to increase transfers out to the Comprehensive Liability Fund. Staff will monitor whether an additional increase will be needed for Fiscal Year 2025-26 as it manages legal expenses for the remainder of this fiscal year.

BUDGET IMPACT:

An appropriation of $1,100,000 of unassigned fund balance from the General Fund (Fund 100 - $880,000) and the Construction Services Fund (Fund 230 - $220,000) to increase transfers out to the Comprehensive Liability Fund (Fund 880) which will result in a new budget appropriation in Fund 880 of $6,283,430 for Fiscal Year 2025-26. There is sufficient unassigned fund balance in the foregoing funds for this appropriation.

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
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STAFF CONTACT
Prasanna Rasiah, City Attorney
[email protected]
(650) 522-7020
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
RESOLUTION NO. ____ (2026)
AUTHORIZE A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET APPROPRIATION OF $1,100,000 OF UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE

FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FUND TO INCREASE TRANSFERS OUT TO THE

COMPREHENSIVE LIABILITY FUND TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR LEGAL COSTS WHEREAS, an increase to the Comprehensive Liability Fund (Fund 880) is necessary in order to adjust for a significant rise in legal expenses, which includes litigation costs, professional services, and claims; and WHEREAS, an appropriation of $1,100,000 of unassigned fund balance from the General Fund and the Construction Services Fund to increase transfers out to the Comprehensive Liability Fund is necessary to appropriately plan for legal expenses over the remainder of Fiscal Year 2025-26.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, HEREBY RESOLVES that:

1. 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).).

WHEREAS, The Council authorizes the supplemental budget appropriation of $1,100,000 of unassigned fund balance from the General Fund (Fund 100 - $880,000) and the Construction Services Funds (Fund 230 - $220,000) to increase transfers out to the Comprehensive Liability Fund (Fund 880) to increase the budget for legal costs.
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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: 12 Section Name: PUBLIC HEARING Account Number: 25-3112 File ID: 26-11114 TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Community Development Department
MEETING DATE: May 04, 2026
SUBJECT:

Historic Policy Update – Ordinance Introduction
RECOMMENDATION:

1. Introduce an Ordinance to amend San Mateo Municipal Code Chapter 27.66 (Historic Preservation) of the San Mateo Municipal Code to update the City’s historic preservation regulations to be consistent with General Plan 2040, align with industry best practices and establish processes and guidance for identifying, designating, and treating historic resources and districts at the local level;

2. Introduce an Ordinance to add Chapter 2.23 to the San Mateo Municipal Code to establish the Historic Resources Commission;

3. Adopt a resolution to establish a Citywide Historic Context Statement that will serve as a basis and planning document to aid in identification and assessment of historic resources;

4. Adopt a resolution to update the City’s Mills Act Program for administering historic preservation agreements; and

5. Find that the ordinances and resolutions are exempt from further review under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (Common Sense Exemption), Section 15306 (Information Collection) and Section 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment).

BACKGROUND:

San Mateo's General Plan 2040 sets the policy framework for how issues such as historic resources and preservation should be addressed. The Community Design and Historic Resources Element address the topic of historic and cultural resources, and includes goals, policies, and actions that outline how the City should approach historic resources and preservation.

Specifically, Goal CD-5 addresses preserving historic and culturally important resources to maintain San Mateo's special identity and continuity with the past and includes seven policies and six actions to support achievement of this goal.

On June 17, 2024, the City Council held a study session to consider options for how to proceed with updating the City's local historic policies and ordinance pursuant to the policies and actions in the General Plan. The study session resulted in the Council directing staff to prioritize updating the City's Historic Preservation Ordinance and preparing a Citywide Historic Context Statement. The work would include creation of a framework for the designation of historic resources and districts, establishment of updated review and permitting procedures for historic alterations and demolitions, consistency with Federal and State standards and guidelines, and alignment with the other goals and policies outlined in the General Plan.

In the summer and fall of 2024, staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a qualified historic consultant to support the historic policy update work directed by Council. Based on overall professional experience, quality of proposal, responses to interview questions and composition of the consultant team, staff identified Rincon Consultants, Inc. as being the best qualified to support the City's historic policy update effort. On January 21, 2025, the City Council voted to appropriate funding to complete the historic policy update effort and to approve a professional services agreement with Rincon Consultants to support this historic policy work.
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Since that time, City staff and Rincon have worked to draft an updated Historic Preservation Ordinance to replace the City’s existing historic preservation ordinance (San Mateo Municipal Code (SMMC) Chapter 27.66), which lacks several important features including: a concise set of definitions, procedures for identification and designation of resources, descriptions of the effects of designation and appeals and enforcement provisions.

On June 2, 2025, the City Council held a study session to receive an update on the policy effort and provide staff with feedback. Direction from Council included that the Historic Preservation Ordinance update should include a concise set of definitions; update existing ordinance language that is too rigid, inconsistent, and/or detailed; and establish a reviewing body. The Council also directed staff to assess if the Community Relation’s Commission (CRC) instead of the Planning Commission was the most appropriate reviewing body to support administration of the Historic Preservation Ordinance. The Council agreed that the local historic designation criteria should generally align with the California Register of Historical Resources criteria but advised that it could potentially include additional criteria to acknowledge the city’s unique history and be informed by the results of community engagement efforts. Council also confirmed that the Historic Preservation Ordinance should include a mechanism to designate local historic districts, and such designations should require owner consent, but did not set the level of consent that should be required for a district application to move forward. Finally, Council provided direction that the Historic Preservation Ordinance update should include owner consent for local listing in the form of affirmative consent, i.e. the affected property owner‘s clear agreement, for all local listings.

Revisions were made in response to City Council’s direction and community outreach and engagement took place over the next eight months, from July 2025 through January 2026. Following community engagement and publication of initial drafts of the updated ordinance and Historic Context Statement, a second City Council study session was scheduled on January 26, 2026 to review revisions and receive additional feedback. At that study session, Council provided additional guidance on the updated ordinance, stating that the application for the designation of historic districts should be designed as a two-part process that includes a 20 percent owner consent threshold to advance the application, and a 60 percent threshold for owner consent to hold public hearings to designate a historic district. At this meeting City Council also supported establishing a new reviewing body, the Historic Resources Commission, responsible for reviewing and recommending applications for designation, and for making decisions on Certificates of Appropriateness – the approval necessary for alterations to locally designated historic resources.

At the January 26th study session, Council also provided feedback on the draft Historic Context Statement, a policy document that outlines the historic development of the City and is a foundational policy document that provides a valuable framework to guide consistent evaluation of the historic significance of properties and their potential eligibility for local listing. City Council asked that the document be updated to acknowledge the potential additional time and costs associated with historic designation.

On April 14, 2026, the Planning Commission held a public hearing and provided a recommendation on the draft historic policy Ordinance and policies. A summary of this public hearing and the Commission’s recommendations is provided later in this report.

DISCUSSION:

Below is a summary of the work and activities that have been undertaken since the project was initiated in January 2025 to inform the Citywide Historic Context Statement and guide the updated draft Historic Preservation Ordinance.

Community Outreach and Engagement
The Outreach and Engagement Strategy to support the Historic Policy Update Effort focused on multiple entry points for community participation. The strategy was designed to offer a range of opportunities for residents, organizations, and interested parties to share input and perspectives to inform the update process. Project outreach began in February 2025, with more significant activities starting in July 2025, and extended through March 2026. The project team conducted two City Council Study Sessions, four focus groups, two community workshops, online outreach including an engagement tool (digital time capsule), and three mobile pop-ups designed to reach a broad range of community members across the City. 442 of 976

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Community input from the focus groups, workshop, mobile pop-ups, and digital engagement activities revealed a consistent set of priorities centered on trust, transparency, and inclusivity in the City’s historic preservation efforts. Participants expressed a strong desire for clear, fair, and predictable processes that balance property owner rights with the shared value of protecting the historic character of San Mateo’s neighborhoods and downtown.

Across all activities, residents emphasized the importance of broadening preservation narratives to include the City’s cultural, social, and architectural diversity. Many encouraged the City to recognize not only landmark properties, but also everyday places that hold community meaning, such as gathering spaces like Central Park, local businesses, and institutions that reflect San Mateo’s evolving identity. Participants also identified the need to align preservation with housing goals. A recurring theme across all engagement formats was the need for education and clear communication to improve public understanding of how historic preservation works and have confidence that the process is fair and objective. Additional information about the outreach activities, community input and key take-aways can be found in the Outreach and Engagement Summary Report (Attachment 5).

Historic Preservation Ordinance
The City’s current Historic Preservation Ordinance (SMMC Chapter 27.66) was first adopted in 1993 and is included as Attachment 6. Despite periodic updates since its adoption, it is missing key elements generally included in an effective historic preservation ordinance. For example, the current historic preservation ordinance does not establish a historic preservation commission, provide procedures for designation of resources, recognize economic effects of designation, describe appeals and enforcement provisions, or include a set of concise definitions. The current Historic Preservation Ordinance is also strongly tied to the 1989 survey effort, which is now over 37 years old. Since that time, the City has changed considerably and the field of historic preservation has evolved significantly since 1989. As a result, the Historic Preservation Ordinance contains requirements that are outdated or inconsistent with current practices and lacks clarity around key processes and review requirements.

To assess emerging and best practices in historic preservation ordinances, the project team reviewed historic preservation ordinances for cities in San Mateo County, as well as adjacent cities in neighboring counties, and cities throughout the state with similar developmental trends and population sizes. Overall, policies from 36 cities or jurisdictions in California in 11 counties were reviewed. The project team also reviewed guidance and training materials from the Office of Historic Preservation, the California Preservation Foundation, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The project team analyzed available information, focusing on designation criteria, reviewing bodies, historic districts, owner consent, and effects of designation as they represent the overarching topic areas that inform essential elements of a historic preservation ordinance.

The project team used the results of that analysis, along with feedback from ongoing community engagement efforts, and direction from City Council to draft an updated Historic Preservation Ordinance. The updated Historic Preservation Ordinance (Attachment 1) includes the following features:
 Precise definitions;
 Establishment of a local register of historic resources (Historic Resources Inventory);  Provision of designation criteria;
 Clear procedures for designating local landmarks and historic districts, inclusive of strong owner consent provisions;  Direction on how to remove items that were locally designated;  Outline of the effects of designation, including the Certificate of Appropriateness requirements;  Description of available incentives to property owners of designated properties; and  Description of the expectation for keeping properties in good repair and the penalties for failure to meet the requirements of the ordinance.

An initial draft of the updated Historic Preservation ordinance was published in early December 2025. Based on community input and Council direction following the publication of the initial draft, the draft Historic Preservation Ordinance was updated as follows:
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 Overall Ordinance language was revised for improved clarity and organization.  Terminology for individual resources was revised from “Listed Resource” to “Landmark.”  Language related to procedures for review of development proposals (Section 27.66.090) was removed.  The historic district application process was updated from a one-step process to a two-step process, with additional details to enhance clarity and public awareness, while reducing the risk of contested designations.  The eligibility thresholds for contributing and non-contributing resources within proposed historic districts have been clarified, requiring that at least 75 percent of buildings (excluding accessory structures) meet the criteria for listing, and that no more than 25 percent be classified as non-contributing. This threshold helps avoid overly fragmented or irregular district boundaries created solely to exclude non-contributing properties, resulting in more logical and cohesive district boundary delineation.
 A new commission, the Historic Resources Commission, was identified as the decision-making body for Certificates of Appropriateness, the approval necessary to make certain changes to a locally designated historic resource. The roles and responsibilities of the new commission provide a clear hierarchy for review and strengthening oversight and consistency on decision-making related to the treatment of local historic resources.  The process for delisting a locally designated property was updated to allow for a property owner, in addition to the City, to initiate the process.

The draft was published for public review at the beginning of April and presented to the Planning Commission on April 14, 2026. Based on community input and Planning Commission recommendations, focused revisions and refinements to the Ordinance have been proposed for Council consideration. A track changes version of the Ordinance that shows the proposed changes made following the April 14th Planning Commission meeting is included as Attachment 7 and discussed further below.

Historic Resources Commission
As part of January 26, 2026, City Council study session, direction was provided to establish a new reviewing body, the Historic Resources Commission (HRC), for the updated Historic Preservation Ordinance. The Ordinance to amend Title 2 of the Municipal Code to add Chapter 2.23 to establish the new HRC is included as Attachment 2. The HRC will have five members with four-year terms, will serve at the pleasure of the City Council and will follow the City’s adopted norms and procedures for Boards and Commissions. Except however, the initial terms of the first members appointed are to be determined by lot at their first meeting so that each year at least one term will expire. Thereafter, all appointments shall be for a term of four years. The Ordinance establishes a priority for appointing applicants who are professionals in the discipline of history, architectural history, planning or a related field, licensed architects or engineers specially qualified by reason of training or experience in building rehabilitation, or those who demonstrate special interest and experience in the City’s history. The responsibilities of the HRC would include making recommendations to the City Council on the designation of local landmarks and historic districts, Mills Act contracts, taking action on Certificates of Appropriateness for Major Alterations for properties on the Historic Resources Inventory and historic related appeals, and performing other functions as assigned by the City Council.

Historic Context Statement
The Citywide Historic Context Statement (Attachment 3) was developed based on research into San Mateo’s history, feedback from community members and guidance from the National Park Service and California Office of Historic Preservation. The Historic Context Statement highlights trends and patterns of development, as well as their relationship to significant eras, moments, communities and people in San Mateo’s history. It is also a policy document that provides a valuable framework to guide consistent evaluation of the historic significance of properties and their potential eligibility for local listing.

The Historic Context Statement does not include individual property evaluations or any in-depth surveys. The Historic Context Statement follows industry’s best practices, and is organized by significant periods, themes, and property types and presented chronologically. Information gathered from community outreach events where community members were asked what places in San Mateo are meaningful to them are reflected in the property types that were identified as well as in the buildings, places, and development trends that were included in the narrative. It also includes information on notable architects, builders, and designers and guidance for assessing significance. The initial draft of the Context Statement was 444 of 976

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made available to the public for review the week of November 24, 2025, was a key focus of the January 21st community workshop, and was presented to the City Council at the January 26th study session. All community input and Council direction received since the first draft was published was considered and, as applicable, incorporated into the final draft. Updates and revisions to the Historic Context Statement that have been made since the initial draft was published include the following:
 Updated formatting and style to be consistent with City of San Mateo branding.  Completed background information on the City’s outreach and engagement efforts.  Context information related to San Mateo’s cultural and ethnic groups was updated with more detailed information.  Added a chapter on the architectural styles seen in San Mateo and provided key factors on how to identify those styles, including photographic examples.
 Added a chapter with biographies of architects, landscape architects, and developers with work examples in San Mateo.
 Added a chapter on guidance for assessing significance, which outlines the applicable designation criteria and integrity requirements, describes the property-types and designation criteria by development period, and includes detailed tables on registration requirements that define eligibility thresholds and the conditions required to determine significance. It provides an evaluation framework to support consistent and defensible identification of historic resources.

Mills Act Program Update
As part of this comprehensive historic policy update effort, the City’s Mills Act Program, which was originally adopted by City Council on October 28, 1993, that sets the requirements for local historic preservation agreements, is proposed to be updated to align with General Plan 2040, the updated Historic Preservation Ordinance, and current State statutory requirements (Attachment 4). The City’s current program generally aligns with the requirements of the Mills Act (Government Code Sections 50280–50290) that was in effect in 1993. However, to align with state statutory requirements that have been updated since that time, as well as with the General Plan and updated Ordinance, the following updates and revisions are proposed:
 Updated eligibility requirements to require local designation and listing in the City’s Historic Resources Inventory.  Sets a limit of no more than two agreements to be approved per year, with priority given to properties located within an Equity Priority neighborhood, properties with lower appraised valuations and/or property owners with documented financial hardship, when more than two applications are submitted.  Specifies that reports outlining work completed shall be submitted annually and property inspections by the City shall occur every five years during the term of the agreement.  The requirement to provide public access has been removed, which is consistent with State law.  Improved and standardized the procedures and materials application and administration.

Planning Commission Recommendation
On April 14, 2026, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider the draft Historic Preservation Ordinance, draft Citywide Historic Context Statement and proposed updates to the City’s Mills Act Program for administering historic preservation agreements. There were nine public speakers who provided verbal comments at the meeting. Speakers expressed concern that the Ordinance was too narrow and did not provide enough protection for historic resources around the City and others expressed support for the Ordinance and the focus on owner consent. Following public comments, the Commission’s discussion and deliberation focused on all aspects of the draft Ordinance, Context Statement and Mills Act program. Key themes included concerns that with recent changes to State environmental laws, eligible historic resources would lose protections. Comments also included a need to expand incentives to encourage property owners to pursue local historic designation, ensuring that the Ordinance was fully consistent with General Plan 2040 and updates to the Mills Act program should prioritize lower income property owners and make sure that participating properties were monitored for accountability.

The Commission voted unanimously (4-0, with one commissioner absent) to recommend that City Council adopt the updated Historic Preservation Ordinance, Citywide Historic Context Statement and updated Mills Act Program, and provided 445 of 976

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additional recommendations for Council consideration. The recommendations, by topic, are as follows:

Historic Context Statement

1. Review and revise the draft to address minor typographical errors.

2. To improve clarity on the ownership trends of large estate properties over time, include additional maps and exhibits in the document.

3. Consider adding additional biographical information for notable architects/architectural firms that did work in San Mateo.

Historic Preservation Ordinance

1. Reduce the noticing burden for historic district nominations by only requiring notices to be mailed to owners of properties, and not occupants, within the proposed historic district.

2. Further reduce notification burden by revising the proposed SMMC Section 27.66.070(a)(1)(B) to remove the requirement to mail notices of intent to submit a preliminary application for district nomination.

3. Strengthen and clarify the definitions of Major and Minor Alterations to clearly differentiate the type of work that would fall under each definition.

4. Revise Section 27.66.090(b)(2) to clearly specify the respective items subject to review by the Zoning Administrator and the Historic Resource Commission.

5. Revise SMMC 27.66.090 to align with General Plan Policy CD 5.7 by including language requiring applicants to submit alternatives to preserve a historic resource as part of any project that proposes full demolition and requires City Council approval before a historic resource, listed or eligible, can be demolished.

6. Explore additional incentives for listing in the Historic Resources Inventory, assign this task to the Historic Resources Commission, and make the development of incentives for the Ordinance a priority of the Commission.

7. Strengthen the enforcement standards in the proposed SMMC Section 27.66.130 and align the penalties for violation in this section with the City’s penalty fee structure. Explore increasing the standard fees for violations to historic resources listed in the Historic Resources Inventory.

8. Task the Historic Resources Commission with establishing a plaque program for resources listed in the Historic Resources Inventory.

9. Prioritize conducting a new historic building survey for the properties identified in the 1989 Survey.

10. In place of establishing a new review body (Historic Resources Commission) reconsider utilizing the Planning Commission as the reviewing body for the Historic Preservation Ordinance.

Mills Act Program

1. Develop ranking criteria to prioritize Mills Act contract awards in years when more than two applications are submitted.

2. Requires City Council to review Mills Act contracts after the initial 10-year term and affirmatively approve continuation of contract. Require City Council review every five years thereafter for the life of the contracts.

3. Require staff to provide an annual audit to analyze financial impacts from all Mills Act contracts.

4. Require a form of public access to be provided to Mills Act properties, such as visibility from the public right-of-way, in-person tours, or virtual tours and photos of the property posted online.

Historic Context Statement Revisions
Based on public comments and Planning Commission recommendations, staff has updated the Historic Context Statement (Exhibit A to Attachment 3) to address comments related to corrections and clarifications, including:
• Addressed street naming convention irregularities
• Addressed an instance of incorrect figure reference
• Updated a couple of misspelling/typographical errors
• Updated information on Bayshore Freeway to clarify that it was originally 4 lanes before being expanded to 6 lanes • Updated route information on the 40-interurban streetcar 446 of 976

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Further, to ensure that the document can be updated and clarified over time as new information is made available, the approving Resolution allows for staff to make administrative updates and clarifications. All administrative updates will be logged so that these revisions can be tracked over time. More significant amendments to the document, such as adding a period of significance, would require City Council approval. To complete the other Planning Commission recommendations, which include adding more maps and exhibits to support reader understanding of the document and including additional notable architects/architectural firms in the Context Statement, it would require the use of contingency funds (approximately $5,000).

Historic Preservation Ordinance Update Revisions
Based on public comments and Planning Commission recommendations, staff is recommending several Ordinance revisions to improve clarity and intent of the text, better align with General Plan 2040 and maintain existing code language related to review of eligible historic resources that are not covered by environmental review. A track changes version of the ordinance that shows the proposed revisions is included as Attachment 7. The proposed revisions are as follows:
• Updated the “Definitions” Section (27.66.020) to revise the definitions of Major and Minor Alterations, revise the definition of Historic Resources to more closely align with General Plan 2040, and add a definition for Routine Maintenance.
• Clarified what resources are listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory (SMMC 27.66.030). • Added a “Review Required” Section (27.66.090), which clarifies the level of review required for both eligible and designated historic resources.
o This section is in the City’s current ordinance, and staff recommends retaining it in the updated Ordinance to ensure that the City’s current practice of reviewing significant exterior alterations or additions to an eligible historic resource before a permit is issued is maintained even if it is not required under the California Environmental Quality Act. This recommendation also better aligns the Ordinance with General Plan 2040 and is responsive to Planning Commission recommendations. • Updated the “Certificate of Appropriateness” Section (27.66.100) to clarify the requirements for Zoning Administrator review and Historic Resources Commission review. • Added a “Demolition” Section (27.66.110) to clarify the intended process processing a demolition request and to align with current City requirements that demolition of an existing structure requires a Planning Application (Special use Permit) before it can be approved. This also better aligns the Ordinance with General Plan 2040 and is responsive to Planning Commission recommendations.

These revisions were drafted by staff to best align with earlier City Council direction, including the principal of affirmative owner consent, while also aligning with General Plan 2040 and being responsive to public input and Planning Commission recommendations.

Mills Act Program Revisions
In response to public comments and some of the Planning Commission recommendations, staff has updated the Mills Act Program resolution, as outlined above, to add prioritization criteria, clarify that annual reports are required, and clarify the requirements. Other requirements and criteria can be added in response to the Planning Commission recommendations or public comments as desired by City Council.

Next Steps
City Council should consider the draft policy documents, along with the Planning Commission recommendations and public comments, and take action to introduce the ordinances and adopt the resolutions, with or without revisions. If adopted, staff and the consultant will proceed with implementation of the updated Ordinance and policies, which includes development of updated handouts and resource documents and updating the City’s website. Once this information has been prepared, the City will host an informational workshop later this year to present the updated rules and resources available to the community.
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BUDGET IMPACT:

This work is being completed as part of the professional services agreement with Rincon Consultants that was approved by City Council on January 21, 2025. The work is funded by the Advance Planning Fund (Fund 225) and does not have an impact on the City's General Fund.

ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) applies only to activities that may cause a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. The proposed project, which includes an updated Historic Preservation Ordinance, Historic Resources Commission Ordinance, Citywide Historic Context Statement, and updated Mills Act Program, will update and clarify the City’s policies and processes surrounding historic preservation, but will not materially change or expand their applicability. Therefore, the proposed project meets the criteria of CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) and, pursuant to this exemption, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment and is exempt from CEQA.

Additionally, the Historic Context Statement meets the criteria to be Categorically Exempt from further environmental review pursuant to Section 15306 (Class 6 – Information Collection) because it is an informational document that highlights trends and patterns of development and their relationship to significant elements of San Mateo history, and functions as a policy document to help guide the evaluation of specific historic resources. The Ordinance to establish the Historic Resources Commission and the Resolution to update the City’s Mills Act Program are exempt pursuant to Section 15378(b)(5), as these actions are administrative activities that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. Finally, the Historic Preservation Ordinance and updated Mills Act Program are exempt under Section 15308 (Class 8 – Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment) because the Ordinance and Mills Act program regulate how properties can be modified, thereby protecting historic resources through maintaining the existing built environment.

NOTICE PROVIDED:

All public hearing notification requirements were met. This includes a public hearing notice published in the San Mateo Daily Journal on April 24, 2026. In addition, meeting notifications were sent out to the historic policy update interested parties list, included in the City’s weekly eNews, and pushed out through the City’s social media channels.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

Copies of all public comments received through the beginning of March, along with a summary of the issues raised, are included in the Outreach and City of San Mateo Engagement Summary Report (Attachment 5). Since the beginning of March, through April 29, 2026, a total of 28 written comments have been received and are included as Attachment 8. In addition, for the interactive documents on the website, over 50 comments were submitted on the draft Historic Preservation Ordinance, and over 25 comments were submitted on the draft Historic Context Statement. Some of the reoccurring themes and comments are as follows:
• The 1989 Survey sites should be included in Historic Resources Inventory (HRI). • Excluding the 1989 survey properties reduces protections for known historic resources. • Clarification is needed between CEQA and local review process for structures older than 50 years. • The Historic Resources Commission’s role and authority need to be clearly defined. • The designation process for listing properties in HRI is too onerous. • Support for 60% or higher owner consent for listing historic districts in HRI. • The Glazenwood district should be listed in HRI.
• Economic penalties for non-compliance should be included in the Ordinance.

Public comments received after publication of this report will be forwarded to the City Council and posted to this item on the City’s Agendas & Minutes Public Meeting Portal as “Post Packet Public Comments.”

ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Draft Historic Preservation Ordinance (Chapter 27.66) 448 of 976

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Att 2 – Draft Historic Resource Commission Ordinance (Chapter 2.23) Att 3 – Draft Citywide Historic Context Statement Resolution Exhibit A – Draft Citywide Historic Context Statement
Att 4 – Draft Mills Act Program Update Resolution
Att 5 – Outreach and Engagement Summary Report
Att 6 – Current Historic Preservation Ordinance (Chapter 27.66) Att 7 – Proposed Ordinance Revisions (track changes)
Att 8 – Public Comments
Att 9 – Historic Ordinance Memo to City Council – 5.4.26

STAFF CONTACTS
City of San Mateo
Zachary Dahl, Community Development Director
[email protected]
(650) 522-7207
Joanna Winter, Planning Manager
[email protected]
(650) 522-7211
Somer Smith, Senior Planner
[email protected]
(650) 522-7214
Rincon Consultants
JulieAnn Murphy, Senior Architectural Historian
Margo Nayyar, Cultural Resources Principal

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DRAFT ORDINANCE
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ZONING CODE CHAPTER 27.66 (HISTORIC PRESERVATION) TO ALIGN WITH GENERAL PLAN 2040 AND STATE LAW, AND IMPROVE CLARITY AND CONSISTENCY IN PROCEDURES, AND FIND THE ORDINANCE EXEMPT FROM FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 15061(B)(3) AND 15308 OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES
WHEREAS, the City of San Mateo is authorized under the State of California to regulate land use and protect historic and architectural resources for the public health, safety, and general welfare; and WHEREAS, in November 1993 the City of San Mateo adopted Ordinance No. 1993-21, establishing Chapter

27.66 Downtown Historic Preservation, which was established to define the downtown historic district; and WHEREAS, in June 1995, the City of San Mateo adopted Ordinance No. 1995-13, amending Municipal Code Chapter 27.66 to be remade as Historic Preservation and expanding the provisions citywide; and WHEREAS, San Mateo’s General Plan 2040 includes a goal to support preservation of historic and culturally important resources to maintain San Mateo’s special identity and continuity with the past, and policies and actions to implement this goal; and
WHEREAS, updates to the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance are necessary to reflect current best practices in preservation planning, improve clarity and consistency in procedures, and ensure alignment with state law; and
WHEREAS, the amendments strengthen provisions related to designation criteria, historic districts, owner consent thresholds, reviews for alterations, and administrative procedures; and WHEREAS, the Ordinance is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) and Section 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment); and
WHEREAS, on April 14, 2026, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing, received all written and oral public comments, and recommended that the City Council adopt the proposed Ordinance to amend Chapter 27.66 (Historic Preservation); and
WHEREAS, on May 4, 2026, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing, received all written and oral public comments, and considered the proposed Ordinance to amend Chapter 27.66 (Historic Preservation).

NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MATEO ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Section 27.66.010 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is amended as follows:

27.66.010 Purpose and Intent
The intent of the Historic Preservation Ordinance is to promote the protection, enhancement, preservation, and use of historic resources within San Mateo, recognizing they are of economic, cultural, and 450 of 976
aesthetic benefit to the community. It is further recognized that the economic, cultural and aesthetic character of the City will be enhanced by honoring its heritage and ensuring that future generations can experience and appreciate it. The purposes of this chapter are as follows:
(a) Designate, preserve, protect, and enhance the City’s historic resources. (b) Foster public awareness and encourage public understanding of the City’s past through the recognition and use of historic and cultural resources. (c) Preserve a variety of architectural styles, patterns of development, and design trends that reflect phases of the City’s history and encourage complementary design and construction to inspire a diverse and livable urban environment.
(d) Enhance the visual and aesthetic character of the City by encouraging the preservation and maintenance of historic resources.
(e) Avoid demolition of the City’s historic resources, where feasible, through preservation, rehabilitation, or other available and appropriate alternatives.
(f) Fulfill the City’s responsibility under state and federal regulations, including the California Environmental Quality Act and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Section 2. Section 27.66.020 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is amended as follows:

27.66.020 Definitions
(a) Alteration, Major. Any significant changes or modifications to a Landmark or Contributor within a Historic District listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory, including but not limited to changes to or modifications of structural, architectural details or visual characteristics; additions; and placement or removal of any significant objects affecting the significant exterior visual and/or historical qualities of the property.

Examples include:
(1) Relocation of a Landmark building, or removal of a character-defining feature of a Landmark building. (2) Any project that requires a permit that significantly alters or changes the street-facing elevation or side elevation of a Landmark building, including major changes to windows and doors and their openings, the application of new exterior cladding or coating that changes the appearance, design, or texture of a property, and the addition of dormers and other architectural features. (3) Any addition of square footage to a Contributor building elevation that faces a street. (4) New construction on a property containing a Landmark or Contributor building that could affect its visual appearance.
(b) Alteration, Minor. An alteration that has been determined to have limited potential to affect the character-defining features and architectural style of a Landmark or Contributor within a Historic District listed 451 of 976
in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory. In no case shall a Minor Alteration involve actions including new construction or full or partial demolition of a Landmark structure. Examples include:
(1) Any demolition or removal of insignificant exterior features of a Landmark building, including additions, windows, doors, and exterior siding material that is non-original or otherwise lacking in historic integrity.
(2) Any project that requires a permit that does not substantially change the exterior characterdefining features of a Landmark building, including re-roofing in a different material that replicates the existing or original roofing, replacement windows and doors matching the design and materials of the existing or original windows and doors (when it is infeasible to repair) and minor additions on secondary or rear elevations.
(3) In Historic Districts listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory, demolition and alteration of detached garages and other accessory structures built within the period of significance on a Contributor property.
(4) New construction of detached garages or other accessory structures on a Landmark property.
(5) Any alteration determined minor by the Community Development Director. (c) Certification of Appropriateness. The administrative approval document issued by the City to approve an alteration to a Landmark or Contributor within a Historic District listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory.
(d) Character-Defining Feature. Character-defining features are visual aspects, physical qualities, and characteristics of a historic resource that help to convey its significance and may include the building’s shape, structural details, materials, and decorative features. (e) Construction. The act of rebuilding or expanding an existing building or structure or the erection of a new principal or accessory building or structure on a property. (f) Contributing Resource or Contributor. A building, structure, site, or object within a Historic District listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory that retains enough of its original location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association to convey the district's historical or architectural significance.

The resource contributes to the designated district's historical significance and dates to its period of significance. (g) Demolition. The complete destruction or removal of a building, structure, or improvement, removal of more than 50 percent of the perimeter walls, or substantial removal of a structural wall of a street-facing elevation of a structure or building that may have an adverse effect on the significance of a property. (h) Eligible Historic Resource. Resources found to be eligible for designation as a historic resource at the federal, state, or local level based on substantial evidence in a Historic Resource Evaluation, but not formally designated.
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(i) Historic District. An area containing a concentration of historic buildings, structures, sites, objects, or other resources that are unified historically, culturally, or architecturally. A historic district may contain both “contributing” and “non-contributing” resources.
(j) Historic Resource. Includes, but is not limited to, any object, building, structure, site, area, place, sign, district, or landscape feature which is historically, culturally, architecturally and/or archaeologically significant.

Historic resources may also include, but are not limited to, resources:
(1) Eligible for or listed in the National Register of Historic Places; (2) Eligible for or listed in the California Register of Historical Resources; (3) Eligible for or listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory; (4) Identified in the 1989 Historic Building Survey Report. (k) Historic Resources Evaluation (HRE). A historic resources evaluation (HRE) is a report, prepared by a qualified professional, which documents, identifies, and evaluates, based on the appropriate evaluative criteria, potential historic resources, including buildings, structures, objects, and districts, for their eligibility for designation.
(l) Improvement. Any building, structure, landscape feature, or object physically located on real property or that constitutes a physical addition or physical alteration of real property or any part of such alteration. (m) Integrity. The ability of a property, structure, site, or building to convey its identity through its physical features and how they relate to its historic context and the basis of its significance. A measure of integrity is not the same as an assessment of condition. (n) Landmark. Individual resource listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory. (o) Non-contributing Resource. A building, structure, site, or object within a historic district that does not possess significant qualifications or characteristics of a contributing resource due to such factors as age or level of alteration, but which has been included within the geographic boundary of a historic district. (p) Owner. The person or entity (public or private) appearing on the last equalized assessment roll of the County of San Mateo or person/entity providing proof of ownership. (q) Qualified Professional. An individual who meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards (36 CFR Part 61, Appendix A) in history, architectural history, or historic architecture. (r) Routine Maintenance. Any work done for the purpose of preventing deterioration, decay, or damage or to maintain a property’s existing condition. Examples include:
(1) Painting;
(2) Ordinary maintenance and repair which does not require a building permit; 453 of 976
(3) Landscaping, including sprinkler work, that does not affect a character-defining feature; and (4) Paving work that does not affect a character-defining feature. (s) San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory. A list of individual Landmarks and Historic Districts in San Mateo, designated by the City under the provisions of this chapter. (t) Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, codified in 36 CFR, Part 68, serve as the guidance for work on historic resources.

Section 2. Section 27.66.030 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is amended as follows:

27.66.030 San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory
The San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory is the official list of locally designated historic resources and includes:
(a) Landmarks designated pursuant to the procedure set forth in Section 27.66.060. (b) Historic Districts designated pursuant to the procedure set forth in Section 27.66.070. (c) Historic Districts and Landmarks locally designated by resolution as of the effective date of this ordinance.

Section 3. Section 27.66.040 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is amended as follows:

27.66.040 Designation Criteria
Prior to approval for listing in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory, the City Council shall find that the historic resource satisfies one or more of the criteria outlined below, and retains its historic integrity. (a) Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of San Mateo’s or California’s history and cultural heritage; or (b) Is associated with the lives of persons or communities important to San Mateo’s or California’s past; or
(c) Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction, or represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses high artistic values; or (d) Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important to prehistory or history.

Section 4. Section 27.66.050 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is amended as follows:
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27.66.050 Eligibility Requirements for Listing
(a) Landmarks. To be eligible for consideration as a Landmark, the resource must be at least fifty (50) years old and meet at least one of the criteria outlined in Section 27.66.040. (b) Historic District. To be eligible for consideration as a Historic District, at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the buildings in the proposed historic district (excluding accessory buildings) must be at least fifty (50) years old and otherwise meet the criteria of Section 27.66.040. In addition, no more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the buildings in the proposed district may be non-contributing. Non-contributing buildings may be included as part of a historic district only to the extent that they are determined to be essential to the geographic integrity of the district. The Historic Resources Commission shall make determinations identifying non-contributing buildings as part of the review process.

Section 6. Section 27.66.060 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is amended as follows:

27.66.060 Procedure for Designating Landmarks
(a) Application for Landmarks. The City shall make available an application for listing historic resources in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory.
(1) Owner Consent. Nominations to add a Landmark to the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory shall be made only by application of the property owner or property owners representing a majority or controlling interest on which the resource is located. The property owner may request that a resource be listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory by submitting a completed application to the Planning Division. No application shall be accepted without the written consent of the property owner. (2) Application Review. Landmark applications shall be reviewed by the Planning Division to assess if all application materials are provided and if the application is complete, including sufficient information to support the finding that the resource meets the requirements for designation set forth in Section 27.66.050. (3) Designation Recommendation. Landmark applications, once deemed complete by the Planning Division, shall be reviewed by the Historic Resources Commission at a public meeting. The Historic Resources Commission shall determine whether the resource meets one (1) or more criteria for approval as a historical resource to be listed on the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory and, based on this determination, provide a recommendation to the City Council. The Historic Resources Commission shall adopt a resolution stating its recommendation, focusing on the criteria set forth in Section 27.66.040, and incorporating its reasons for the recommendation.
(4) Designation Action. Following the recommendation from the Historic Resources Commission, the City Council shall hold a public hearing to consider the application. Following the public hearing, the City Council shall adopt a resolution to approve or deny the application based on the criteria set forth in Section 27.66.040. If the application is approved by City Council, the resource shall be added to the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory.
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Section 7. Section 27.66.070 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is added to Chapter 27.66 as follows:

27.66.070 Procedure for Designating Historic Districts
(a) Application for Historic District Designation. The City shall make available an application for listing a Historic District in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory. The application will include a two-part process. (1) Preliminary Application. Nominations to add Historic Districts to the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory shall be made by a property owner or group of property owners in a potential historic district.

Nominations to add Historic Districts to the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory will first need to complete a preliminary application. This application shall include the following:
(A) Application Form. The preliminary application form and requisite support materials outlined in the application instructions.
(B) Documentation of Notification. Documentation that notification of the pursuit of the application was provided to all potentially affected property owners in the proposed district via mailed notice. Mailed notice shall be provided to every occupant and owner of property as listed in San Mateo County’s most recent property ownership assessment roll within the proposed historic district. (C) Demonstration of Owner Interest. Demonstration of owner interest shall include written certification that at least twenty percent (20%) of property owners within the potential historic district support the application for designation.
(D) Preliminary Documentation. The preliminary application shall also include a map of the proposed historic district and photographs of properties to be included in the Historic District. (2) Preliminary Application Review. Preliminary applications shall be reviewed by the Planning Division to assess if all application materials are provided and if the application is complete, including satisfactory demonstration of owner consent.
(3) Community Meeting. Once the Preliminary Application has been deemed complete, the applicant shall host a community meeting prior to any public meeting to consider the designation. The purpose and intent of the community meeting is to provide information about the proposed Historic District and designation process. Mailed notice shall be provided to every occupant and owner of property as listed in San Mateo County’s most recent property ownership roll within the proposed Historic District. Such notice shall be provided at least 10 days prior to the community meeting date. (4) Formal Application. Once a preliminary application has been deemed complete and the community meeting has been held, the applicant may submit a formal application. This application shall include the following:
(A) Application Form. The formal application form and requisite support materials outlined in the application instructions.
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(B) Sufficient information to support the finding that the Historic District meets the requirements for designation set forth in Section 27.66.050. (5) Formal Application Review. Formal applications shall be reviewed by the Planning Division to assess if all application materials are provided and if the application is complete, including sufficient information to support the finding that the Historic District meets the designation criteria in Section

27.66.040 and the eligibility requirements for designation in Section 27.66.050. (b) Owner Consent. Evidence of support for the potential designation from at least sixty percent (60%) of property owners in the proposed historic district shall be provided for the Formal Application to be deemed complete. To confirm owner consent, the City shall mail a survey to all property owners in the proposed historic district, to the name and address listed in San Mateo County’s most recent property ownership assessment roll, via certified mail seeking their approval to be included in the proposed historic district. Owner consent will be confirmed when the City has received surveys from at least sixty percent (60%) of property owners who express support for the historic district designation.
(c) Designation Recommendation. Once the formal application has been deemed complete by the Planning Division and owner consent confirmed, it shall be reviewed by the Historic Resources Commission at a public meeting. The Historic Resources Commission shall determine whether the historic district meets one (1) or more criteria to be listed on the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory and, based on this determination, shall recommend to the City Council that the application be approved or denied. The Historic Resources Commission shall adopt a resolution stating its recommendation, focusing on the criteria set forth in Section

27.66.040, assessing the historical significance of those contributing resources identified in the proposed district, affirming that no more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the buildings in the district are noncontributing, and incorporating its reasons in support or denial of the application. Mailed notice shall be provided to property owners and occupants within the Historic District at least 10 days prior to the Historic Resources Commission meeting date.
(d) Designation Action. Following the recommendation from Historic Resources Commission, the City Council shall hold a public hearing to consider the application. Following the public hearing, the City Council shall adopt a resolution to approve or deny the application based on the criteria set forth in Section 27.66.040. If the application is approved by City Council, the Historic District shall be added to the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory. Mailed notice of the public hearing shall be provided to property owners and occupants of properties within the Historic District at least 10 days before the meeting date. Mailed notice of the decision shall be provided to property owners and occupants of properties within the Historic District within 30 days following the decision.

Section 5. Section 27.66.080 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is added to Chapter 27.66 as follows:

27.66.080 Criteria and Procedure for Removing a Landmark or Historic District Designation (a) The City Council may approve removal of a Landmark from the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory by one of the following methods:
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(1) Application for Removal. Removal of a Landmark designation may be sought by the owner of a property on which a Historic Resource is located. Applications must be accompanied by such documentation as required by the Planning Division and demonstrate that the Landmark does not possess, or no longer possesses, a minimum level of significance necessary for listing as outlined in Section 27.66.040.
(2) Removal Following Destruction. The property owner or the City may seek removal of designation to the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory where a Landmark has been destroyed. (b) Delisting Recommendation. Upon completion of an application to remove a Landmark, the request shall be reviewed by the Historic Resources Commission at a public meeting. The Historic Resources Commission shall determine if the Historic Resource meets the conditions to warrant removal and provide a recommendation to City Council that the application be approved or denied. (c) Delisting Action. Upon receipt of a recommendation from the Historic Resources Commission to remove a Landmark from the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory, the City Council will hold a public hearing on the application. If the City Council approves an application, such approval shall be made by resolution. (d) Historic District Delisting. The process to remove a Historic District from the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory shall follow the same process that is required to designate a Historic District as outlined in Section 27.66.070.

Section 6. Section 27.66.090 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is added to Chapter 27.66 as follows:

27.66.090 Review Required
(a) Historic Resource. No building permit that includes an exterior facade modification, exterior alteration, or building addition involving an individually eligible historic resource shall be issued until a planning application has been approved in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 27.08 of this Title. (b) Landmark or Contributor. No building permit for a Major or Minor Alteration to a Landmark or Contributor within a Historic District listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory shall be issued until a Certificate of Appropriateness has been approved in accordance with the provisions of Section 27.66.100 of this Chapter.
(c) Exemptions. Review pursuant to (a) and (b) of this section shall not be required when preempted by State Law.

Section 7. Section 27.66.100 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is added to Chapter 27.66 as follows:

27.66.100 Certificate of Appropriateness
(a) Applicability. A Certificate of Appropriateness is required for any alteration to a Landmark or Contributor within a Historic District listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory. In approving a Certificate of Appropriateness, conditions or restrictions may be imposed as necessary or appropriate to ensure that the integrity of the resource is maintained.
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(b) Historic Resources Commission Review. The Historic Resources Commission has the authority to review and approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove Certificates of Appropriateness for Major Alterations to a Landmark or Contributor within a Historic District listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory. (1) Design Standards. The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation as amended from time to time are incorporated by this reference. Work proposed for a Landmark or Contributor within a Historic District shall be in compliance with these standards. Where applicable, locally adopted design standards or guidelines shall apply in addition to The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
(c) Zoning Administrator Review. The Zoning Administrator has the authority to review and approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove Certificates of Appropriateness for Minor Alterations to a Landmark or Contributor within a Historic District listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory, provided that the projects do not result in any significant impacts pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), (d) Exemptions. A Certificate of Appropriateness is not required for Routine Maintenance of any Landmark or Contributor within a Historic District listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory, so long as maintenance and repair does not involve change in exterior design, material, or appearance. A Certificate of Appropriateness is not required for construction, reconstruction, alteration, or demolition that the Building Official certifies is required to protect public health or safety because of an unsafe or dangerous condition. (e) Economic Hardship. At the time of an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness, the applicant may apply for an Economic Hardship Exception. The application shall include proof of economic hardship from the owner of the property, and documents and/or testimony to substantiate a claim of economic hardship as required by the Community Development Director. The approval of an Economic Hardship Exception shall be based on the findings that:
(1) The owner of the property is qualified as low-income or very-low income; and (2) Denial of the Economic Hardship Exception would deprive the owner of all reasonable use of, or economic return on, the designated resource; or
(3) Denial of the Economic Hardship Exception would cause the owner to suffer unreasonable damage in comparison to the benefit conferred to the community by the designated resource. (f) Appeals. The final decision of the Zoning Administrator to approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove a Certificate of Appropriateness is appealable to the Historic Resources Commission. The decision of the Historic Resources Commission is appealable to the City Council. Appeals shall be processed pursuant to Chapter 27.08 (Rules of Procedures).

Section 8. Section 27.66.110 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is added to Chapter 27.66 as follows:

27.66.110 Demolition
(a) Demolition. Any request for demolition of a Landmark or a Contributor within a Historic District listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory, or an eligible historic resource shall be processed as a planning 459 of 976
application as described in Chapter 27.08. As part of this planning application, a Historic Resource Evaluation and/or a report by a civil or structural engineer or architect licensed by the State of California shall be submitted identifying the general condition of the building, all health and safety code deficiencies, corrective measures needed to alleviate these deficiencies, and the cost of such corrective measures. (b) Other regulations. All demolitions shall conform with the provisions of Chapter 23.10 Earthquake Hazard Reduction in Existing Buildings and Section 23.06.035 Demolition Permits-Conditions.

Section 9. Section 27.66.120 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is added to Chapter 27.66 as follows:

27.66.120 Design Guidelines
In addition to the Certificate of Appropriateness requirements outlined above, all exterior modifications of individually eligible and contributor buildings in the Downtown Retail Core subarea of the Downtown Area Plan shall conform with the Downtown Retail Core and Downtown District Design Guidelines.

Section 10. Section 27.66.130 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is added to Chapter 27.66 as follows:

27.66.130 Incentives for Preserving Historic Resources
To foster preservation and encourage participation in the City’s historic preservation efforts, the following incentives are available to Landmarks or Contributors within a Historic District listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory:
(a) State Historical Building Code. Any alteration made for preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, or relocation of such properties shall be made according to the requirements of the state historical building code pursuant to the California Health and Safety Code Section 18950, et seq. (b) Mills Act. The City Council may authorize the use of contracts pursuant to California Government Code Section 50280 et. seq., also known as the Mills Act. Such contracts may be entered into at the sole discretion of the City Council based on the recommendation of the Historic Resources Commission for the specific intent to promote the continued preservation of historic properties. (c) Additional Incentives. The City Council may authorize the use of additional incentives, as appropriate, to encourage the preservation, reuse, and rehabilitation of the City’s historic resources.

Section 11. Section 27.66.140 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is added to Chapter 27.66 as follows:

27.66. 140 Duty to Keep in Good Repair
The owner of a resource listed in the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory shall keep in good repair the exterior portions of all such buildings, structures, or improvements, and all interior portions thereof whose maintenance is necessary to prevent deterioration of any exterior improvement or essential exterior architectural or character-defining features. They shall also maintain properties in compliance with San Mateo 460 of 976
Municipal Code Chapter 7.14 and the protective treatment standards of the International Property Maintenance Code.
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Section 12. Section 27.66.150 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is added to Chapter 27.66 as follows:

27.66.150 Enforcement and Penalties
(a) Time to Correct. Prior to assessment or initiation of any penalty for any violation of this chapter, the Zoning Administrator shall provide written notice of noncompliance to property owners. Notice shall be sent by certified and regular mail. Following mailing of the notice, property owners shall have 30 calendar days to correct the violation or to inform the City that there is a financial hardship, or why an extension is warranted.

Additional time to correct the violation may be allowed where the property owner is exercising due diligence in acting to correct noticed violations. The Zoning Administrator shall have the authority to place reasonable and/or necessary conditions on such an extension to ensure timely correction of the violation. (b) Work Stoppage. In addition to any other fines, penalties or enforcement provisions set forth in this chapter, failure to comply with an approved application shall constitute grounds for immediate stoppage of the work involved in the noncompliance until the matter is resolved. (c) Violation Penalty. In addition to the foregoing remedies, and any other remedies available by law, the City Attorney may enforce the provisions of this article by seeking injunctive relief to restrain or enjoin or to cause the correction or removal of any violation of this chapter.

Section 13. Environmental Determination. In accordance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, this Ordinance is exempt under Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) because it will update and clarify the City’s policies and processes surrounding historic preservation, but will not materially change or expand the applicability of the Ordinance or the properties subject to the Ordinance’s requirements.

Further the Ordinance is exempt under Section 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment) because it regulates how properties can be modified, thereby protecting historic resources through maintaining the existing built environment. Therefore, pursuant to these exemptions, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the Ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment, and is exempt from CEQA review.

Section 14. Severability. In the event any section, clause or provision of this ordinance shall be determined invalid or unconstitutional, such section, clause or provision shall be deemed severable and all other sections or portions hereof shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 15. Publication. This Ordinance shall be published in summary in a newspaper of general circulation, posted in the City Clerk's Office, and posted on the City's website, all in accord with Section 2.15 of the City Charter.

Section 16. Legislative History and Effective Date. This ordinance was introduced on Clerk to complete., and adopted on Clerk to complete., and shall be effective 30 days after its adoption.

Place attachments here
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CITY OF SAN MATEO

DRAFT ORDINANCE
AN ORDINANCE ADDING SAN MATEO MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 2.23 TO ESTABLISH THE HISTORIC

RESOURCES COMMISSION
WHEREAS, the City of San Mateo is authorized under the State of California to regulate land use and protect historic and architectural resources for the public health, safety, and general welfare; and WHEREAS, the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance (Chapter 27.66) was updated to reflect current best practices in preservation planning, align with state law and implement General Plan 2040; and WHEREAS, the updated Historic Preservation Ordinance included the establishment of a Historic Review Commission to function as the Ordinance’s review body.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MATEO ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Chapter 2.23 of the San Mateo Municipal Code is added to Title 2 as follows:

Chapter 2.23
Historic Resources Commission

2.23.010 Organization
The Historic Resources Commission shall consist of no more than five members appointed by the Council. In making appointments, the Council shall prioritize appointing applicants who are professionals in the discipline of history, architectural history, planning or a related field, licensed architects or engineers specially qualified by reason of training or experience in building rehabilitation, or those who demonstrate special interest and experience in the City’s history.

Each member of the Historic Resources Commission shall serve at the pleasure of Council and for a term of four years, or until the appointment and qualification of a successor, except that the initial terms of the first members appointed shall be determined by lot at their first meeting so that each year at least one term will expire. Thereafter, all appointments shall be for a term of four years. No member shall be eligible for reappointment after serving two consecutive four-year terms.

2.23.020 Meetings
The Historic Resources Commission shall elect a chair and vice-chair to serve at the pleasure of the Commission. The Commission may adopt reasonable rules and regulations for the conduct of its business. A regular time and place of meetings shall be established and adhered to in the manner of holding public meetings for legislative bodies in the state. All meetings shall be open to the public unless by law otherwise provided.

2.23.030 Powers and Duties
The Historic Resources Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
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(a) To recommend to the City Council, as provided in Chapter 27.66:
(1) The approval or disapproval of applications for Landmarks. (2) The approval or disapproval of applications for Historic Districts. (3) The approval or disapproval of applications to remove a Landmark or Historic District from the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory.
(4) The approval or disapproval of applications for Mills Act contracts. (b) To review and approve or disapprove applications, in whole or part, for Certificates of Appropriateness pursuant to Chapter 26.66.
(c) To perform any other functions that may be designated or assigned by the City Council.

Section 2. Environmental Determination. In accordance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, section 15378(b)(5), this action is an administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.

Section 3. Severability. In the event any section, clause or provision of this ordinance shall be determined invalid or unconstitutional, such section, clause or provision shall be deemed severable and all other sections or portions hereof shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 4. Publication. This Ordinance shall be published in summary in a newspaper of general circulation, posted in the City Clerk's Office, and posted on the City's website, all in accord with Section 2.15 of the City Charter.

Section 5. Legislative History and Effective Date. This ordinance was introduced on Clerk to complete., and adopted on Clerk to complete., and shall be effective 30 days after its adoption. 464 of 976

CITY OF SAN MATEO
RESOLUTION NO. ____ (2026)

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADOPT A CITYWIDE HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT WHEREAS, San Mateo’s General Plan 2040 includes a goal to support preservation of historic and culturally important resources to maintain San Mateo’s special identity and continuity with the past, and policies and actions to implement this goal; and
WHEREAS, a historic context statement provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the City’s history and identifies important themes, subthemes, events, and patterns of development, and serves as a foundation for identifying and evaluating historic resources; and WHEREAS, the preparation of a historic context statement is consistent with guidance from the National Park Service and supports best practices in historic resource surveys and evaluations; and WHEREAS, the historic context statement for the City of San Mateo identifies major themes in the City’s development, including residential, commercial, civic and institutional, transportation infrastructure, industrial, cultural and ethnic groups, and establishes registration requirements and integrity thresholds for evaluating significance.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA HEREBY finds and determines that, based on substantial evidence in the record, that:

1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated by reference into this action.

2. The Citywide Historic Context Statement was reviewed for conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and are found to be exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15306 (Information Collection) because it is an informational document that highlights trends and patterns of development and their relationship to significant elements of San Mateo history, and functions as a policy document to help guide the evaluation of specific historic resources. Therefore, the project meets the intent of CEQA Guidelines Section 15306 and, pursuant to this exemption, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment and is exempt from CEQA review.

3. The Citywide Historic Context Statement is consistent with Goal CD-5 of the Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040 that was adopted on March 18, 2024, and implements the following General Plan policy and action:
a. Policy CD 5.1 - Comprehensive Approach to Historic Preservation. Implement a comprehensive approach to historic preservation based on community input and best practices from State and federal agencies, to find an appropriate balance between preservation with other important priorities, such as affordable housing production and supporting local businesses. b. Action CD 5.9 - Historic Resources Context Statement. Prepare a citywide historic context statement to guide future historic resource survey efforts to identify individually eligible resources and historic districts. If a neighborhood is identified as a historic district, prepare a more detailed historic context statement for that individual neighborhood. 465 of 976

4. The Citywide Historic Context Statement, attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated by reference, is approved. It is intended to provide a comprehensive narrative of the City’s history, events, and patterns of development and will need to be maintained and updated over time to ensure accuracy.

This document may be administratively amended and updated as necessary to incorporate new historical information as it becomes available. Records of these administrative updates shall be logged to ensure awareness and understanding of how this document has grown and changed over time.

Significant amendments, such as identification of a new theme or period of significance, cannot be added administratively and shall require approval by the City Council. 466 of 976
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San Mateo Historic Context Statement i
Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents.....................................................................................................................................i Introduction............................................................................................................................................1 Project Description..........................................................................................................................1 Project Team...................................................................................................................................1 Methodology...........................................................................................................................................3 Study Area.......................................................................................................................................3 Research Methodology ...................................................................................................................3 Public Outreach and Engagement...................................................................................................5 Historic Context Statement.............................................................................................................5 How to Use this Document .............................................................................................................6 Previous Surveys and Studies..................................................................................................................8 Previous Surveys .............................................................................................................................8 1989 Survey and Historic Building Survey Final Report.......................................................8 City of San Mateo Historic Preservation Ordinance ............................................................8 City of San Mateo General Plan...........................................................................................8 NRHP- and CRHR-Listed Resources......................................................................................9 California Historical Resources Information Center Search ............................................................9 Significant Periods, Themes, and Property Types.................................................................................12 Chronological Periods ...................................................................................................................12 Significant Themes........................................................................................................................12 Residential Development ..................................................................................................13 Commercial Development.................................................................................................13 Civic and Institutional Development..................................................................................13 Transportation Infrastructure............................................................................................13 Industrial Development.....................................................................................................13 Cultural and Ethnic Groups................................................................................................13 Associated Property Types............................................................................................................13 Residential Properties .......................................................................................................14 Commercial Properties......................................................................................................14 Civic and Institutional Properties.......................................................................................14 Transportation Infrastructure............................................................................................14 Industrial Properties..........................................................................................................14 Cultural and Ethnic Group Properties................................................................................14 Precontact History of San Mateo..........................................................................................................16 Precontact History.........................................................................................................................16 Ethnohistoric Context ...................................................................................................................17 Spanish and Mexican Period .................................................................................................................20 469 of 976
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Spanish Period (1769–1822) .........................................................................................................20 Mexican Period (1822–1848)........................................................................................................23 Early Settlement (1849–1893) ..............................................................................................................26 Residential Development..............................................................................................................26 Commercial Development ............................................................................................................31 Civic and Institutional Development .............................................................................................35 Schools ..........................................................................................................................37 Churches ..........................................................................................................................42 Cemeteries........................................................................................................................45 Transportation Infrastructure .......................................................................................................45 Industrial Development.................................................................................................................47 Cultural and Ethnic Groups...........................................................................................................47 Irish ..........................................................................................................................47 Chinese ..........................................................................................................................48 African Americans .............................................................................................................49 Incorporation and Suburban Growth (1894–1940) ..............................................................................50 Residential Development..............................................................................................................50 Commercial Development ............................................................................................................65 Civic and Institutional Development .............................................................................................71 Transportation Infrastructure .......................................................................................................77 Industrial Development.................................................................................................................79 Cultural and Ethnic Groups...........................................................................................................80 Chinese ..........................................................................................................................80 African Americans .............................................................................................................81 Japanese ..........................................................................................................................84 Filipino ..........................................................................................................................89 World War II and Post-War Development (1941–1979).......................................................................92 Residential Development..............................................................................................................93 Commercial Development ............................................................................................................96 Civic and Institutional Development ...........................................................................................108 Medical ........................................................................................................................109 Schools ........................................................................................................................110 Library ........................................................................................................................111 Fraternal ........................................................................................................................111 Churches ........................................................................................................................111 Transportation Infrastructure .....................................................................................................115 Industrial Development...............................................................................................................117 Cultural and Ethnic Groups.........................................................................................................118 African Americans ...........................................................................................................118 Chinese ........................................................................................................................119 Japanese ........................................................................................................................121 470 of 976
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Filipino ........................................................................................................................125 Tongan ........................................................................................................................126 Latino ........................................................................................................................126 Modern San Mateo (1980–2026)........................................................................................................128 Residential Development............................................................................................................128 Commercial Development ..........................................................................................................129 Civic and Institutional Development ...........................................................................................130 Transportation Infrastructure .....................................................................................................131 Industrial Development...............................................................................................................132 Cultural and Ethnic Groups.........................................................................................................132 Architectural Styles.............................................................................................................................134 Gothic Revival (Carpenter’s Gothic) ............................................................................................134 Folk National ...............................................................................................................................136 Folk Victorian ..............................................................................................................................137 Italianate Style.............................................................................................................................138 Queen Anne ................................................................................................................................140 American Colonial Revival...........................................................................................................142 Classical Revival...........................................................................................................................144 Mission Revival............................................................................................................................145 Craftsman....................................................................................................................................147 Twentieth Century Commercial ..................................................................................................149 Spanish Colonial Revival..............................................................................................................151 Tudor Revival...............................................................................................................................153 French Eclectic ............................................................................................................................155 Asian Eclectic...............................................................................................................................156 Art Deco ......................................................................................................................................157 Streamline Moderne ...................................................................................................................159 Minimal Traditional.....................................................................................................................161 Ranch Style..................................................................................................................................162 Mid-Century Modern ..................................................................................................................164 Corporate Modern ......................................................................................................................166 New Formalism ...........................................................................................................................167 Postmodern.................................................................................................................................168 Bay Tradition Regional Styles ......................................................................................................169 Architects, Landscape Architects, Developers, and Builders...............................................................172 Architects....................................................................................................................................172 Armet & Davis .................................................................................................................172 John Knox Ballantine, Jr...................................................................................................172 Campbell & Wong ...........................................................................................................173 Ernest Coxhead ...............................................................................................................173 Herbert E. Goodpastor....................................................................................................173 471 of 976
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Grimes and Schoening.....................................................................................................174 Leonard Michaels and Associates....................................................................................174 Lewis P. Hobart................................................................................................................174 Miller & Steiner ...............................................................................................................174 Ernest Norberg ................................................................................................................175 Willis Polk ........................................................................................................................175 Powers, Daly & DeRosa ...................................................................................................176 Robert M. Sherman .........................................................................................................176 William Toepke................................................................................................................176 William Henry Weeks......................................................................................................177 Welton Becket & Associates............................................................................................177 Wurster Bernardi & Emmons..........................................................................................177 Landscape Architects ..................................................................................................................178 Nagao Sakurai..................................................................................................................178 Builder and Developers...............................................................................................................179 David D. Bohannon..........................................................................................................179 Conway & Culligan/Culligan Development Company ......................................................179 Joseph Eichler..................................................................................................................180 L.C. Smith ........................................................................................................................180 G.W. Williams Co.............................................................................................................181 Guidance for Assessing Significance ...................................................................................................182 Designation Criteria.....................................................................................................................182 National Register of Historic Places.................................................................................182 California Register of Historical Resources......................................................................183 San Mateo Historic Preservation Ordinance ...................................................................184 Property Types and Designation Criteria.....................................................................................184 Precontact (Before 1769)................................................................................................184 Spanish and Mexican Period (1769–1848)......................................................................184 Early Settlement (1849–1893).........................................................................................185 Incorporation and Suburban Growth (1894–1940).........................................................192 World War II and Post-War Development (1941-1979)..................................................203 Modern San Mateo (1980–2026)....................................................................................214 References..........................................................................................................................................216 Tables
Table 1 San Mateo Properties Listed in the NRHP and CRHR...........................................................9 Table 2 San Francisco Bay Archaeological Region Prehistory Chronology .....................................16 Table 3 Significance Requirements for Residential Properties from the Early Settlement Period ..............................................................................................................................186 Table 4 Significance Requirements for Commercial Properties from the Early Settlement Period ..............................................................................................................................188 472 of 976
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Table 5 Significance Requirements for Civic and Institutional Properties from the Early Settlement Period ...........................................................................................................190 Table 6 Significance Requirements for Cultural and Ethnic Properties from the Early Settlement Period ..............................................................................................................................192 Table 7 Significance Requirements for Residential Properties from the Incorporation and Suburban Growth Period.................................................................................................194 Table 8 Significance Requirements for Commercial Properties from the Incorporation and Suburban Growth Period.................................................................................................197 Table 9 Significance Requirements for Civic and Institutional Properties from the Incorporation and Suburban Growth Period..........................................................................................199 Table 10 Significance Requirements for Transportation Properties from the Incorporation and Suburban Growth Period.................................................................................................201 Table 11 Significance Requirements for Cultural and Ethnic Group Properties from the Incorporation and Suburban Growth Period...................................................................202 Table 12 Significance Requirements for Residential Properties from the World War II and PostWorld War II Period.........................................................................................................204 Table 13 Significance Requirements for Commercial Properties from the World War II and PostWorld War II Period.........................................................................................................207 Table 14 Significance Requirements for Civic and Institutional Properties from the World War II and Post-World War II Period..........................................................................................209 Table 15 Significance Requirements for Transportation Properties from the World War II and Post-World War II Period.................................................................................................211 Table 16 Significance Requirements for Industrial Properties from the World War II and PostWorld War II Period.........................................................................................................212 Table 17 Significance Requirements for Cultural and Ethnic Properties from the World War II and Post-World War II Period..........................................................................................213 Figures
Figure 1 Map of Study Area...............................................................................................................4 Figure 2 Map of Shellmounds in Vicinity of San Mateo Creek.........................................................21 Figure 3 1850 Drawing of San Mateo Hospice ................................................................................23 Figure 4 W.M.D. Howard’s Estate, El Cerrito...................................................................................27 Figure 5 1862 Map of San Mateo Prepared for Charles Pohlemus .................................................28 Figure 6 Parrott House, c. 1868.......................................................................................................29 Figure 7 Example of Early Residences in San Mateo’s Central Neighborhood, 45 South Delaware (L) and 809 Lawrence Road (R)..........................................................................................30 Figure 8 1888 Parcel Map of San Mateo .........................................................................................31 Figure 9 1875 Image of San Mateo House ......................................................................................32 Figure 10 ca.1883 View of B Street ...................................................................................................34 Figure 11 Wisnom Carpenter and Builder Shop, 1880s.....................................................................35 473 of 976
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Figure 12 Library Hall in 1906 after the Earthquake..........................................................................37 Figure 13 Stereograph of Laurel Hall School, c. 1880........................................................................38 Figure 14 1877 Advertisement for Laurel Hall School .......................................................................39 Figure 15 1888 Advertisement for Gamble’s Laurel Hall College ......................................................39 Figure 16 Undated Postcard of St. Matthews Hall ............................................................................41 Figure 17 Undated Photo of San Mateo School ................................................................................41 Figure 18 Undated Photo of Central School......................................................................................42 Figure 19 Cornerstone Laying at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church in 1889 .........................................43 Figure 20 1891 Sanborn Depicting Catholic Church..........................................................................43 Figure 21 Image of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church on Howard Estate............................................44 Figure 22 Congregational Church of San Mateo, 1869......................................................................45 Figure 23 Stagecoach at San Mateo Rail Station ...............................................................................47 Figure 24 1891 Map of San Mateo Showing Cluster of Chinese Businesses .....................................49 Figure 25 2 South Delaware Street, Current View.............................................................................51 Figure 26 37 East Santa Inez Avenue, Current View..........................................................................51 Figure 27 Advertisement for San Mateo Heights..............................................................................52 Figure 28 Bromfield Family at San Mateo Park House on Occidental Avenue, 1914; Davenport Bromfield, far right............................................................................................................53 Figure 29 1924 Advertisement for House in San Mateo Park ...........................................................54 Figure 30 1934 Advertisement for House in San Mateo Park ...........................................................54 Figure 31 1907 Advertisement for Hayward Park Subdivision ..........................................................55 Figure 32 1912 Map of San Mateo’s Subdivisions.............................................................................56 Figure 33 1929 Aerial of Hayward Park .............................................................................................57 Figure 34 1920 Sanborn (left) and 1929 aerial (right) of San Mateo City Homestead Development59 Figure 35 1929 Advertisement for Baywood Neighborhood.............................................................60 Figure 36 1931 View of Third Avenue and El Camino Real................................................................61 Figure 37 1939 View of Beresford Area, Facing East toward Bay Meadows.....................................62 Figure 38 1937 Image of Aragon Tract House...................................................................................63 Figure 39 Sketch of Sunnybrae House...............................................................................................64 Figure 40 Damage to San Mateo Stable Building at 1st Avenue and B Street, 1906.........................66 Figure 41 Levy Bros Store at Wisnom Block c. 1905..........................................................................68 Figure 42 Levy Bros Third Avenue Building under Construction, 1931 .............................................68 Figure 43 c. 1910 Image of Wisnom-Bonner Hardware at 2nd and Ellsworth with Dodge Dealership Sign....................................................................................................................................69 Figure 44 San Mateo Theater, 1925..................................................................................................70 Figure 45 San Mateo Police Headquarters 1939...............................................................................73 Figure 46 College of San Mateo Students at Kohl Mansion Location, c. 1925 ..................................74 474 of 976
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Figure 47 The First Methodist Church, c. 1905 .................................................................................76 Figure 48 Current View of the First Methodist Church ....................................................................77 Figure 49 Bayshore Highway to Coyote Point, 1928 .........................................................................78 Figure 50 San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, 1929.....................................................................................79 Figure 51 1920 Map Showing San Mateo’s Chinese and Japanese Businesses.................................81 Figure 52 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Dinner at Noah’s Ark, c. 1925 ..................................................................................................................................83 Figure 53 Nagaya at 112 North F Street (now Fremont Street) on 1920 Sanborn Map ...................85 Figure 54 Mr. Yamanouchi at Imperial Laundry, 1909 ......................................................................86 Figure 55 Takahashi Market 221 South Claremont...........................................................................86 Figure 56 Buddhist Church Members, 1936......................................................................................88 Figure 57 Pace Setter House #3, 1950 ..............................................................................................94 Figure 58 1967 View of Woodlake Apartments.................................................................................96 Figure 59 View of San Mateo’s Downtown Commercial District, 1952.............................................96 Figure 60 Hillsdale Shopping Center c. 1950s ...................................................................................97 Figure 61 Shopping District along West 25th Avenue with a mix of pre- and post-World War II Commercial Architecture ..................................................................................................98 Figure 62 Shopping Center at 42nd and Olympic Avenues...............................................................99 Figure 63 Commercial-Retail within the Villa Apartments at 4000 South El Camino Real.................99 Figure 64 Villa Hotel, 1957 ..............................................................................................................100 Figure 65 Bel Mateo Bowl, 1958 .....................................................................................................101 Figure 66 Wells Fargo Bank (Originally American Trust Co.) at 100 East 4th Avenue, 1981 ...........102 Figure 67 Bank of America’s A.P. Giannini Memorial Branch at 300 South El Camino Real ............103 Figure 68 Former Joseph I. Magnin Store at 88 East 4th Street......................................................104 Figure 69 Borel Place.......................................................................................................................105 Figure 70 Commercial-Office Building at 2555 Flores Avenue ........................................................106 Figure 71 Former Crocker Bank Building, 1982...............................................................................107 Figure 72 Baywood Medical Building at 1 Baywood Avenue...........................................................109 Figure 73 101 North San Mateo Drive.............................................................................................110 Figure 74 Japanese Buddhist Temple at 2 South Claremont Street ................................................112 Figure 75 Sturge Presbyterian Church.............................................................................................113 Figure 76 Community Baptist Church..............................................................................................113 Figure 77 Former First Presbyterian Church (Waypoint Church) ....................................................114 Figure 78 Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church..................................................................................115 Figure 79 Downtown San Mateo 1979............................................................................................117 Figure 80 San Mateo Lumber..........................................................................................................118 Figure 81 1950 Sanborn Map Depicting Area of Former Chinese and Japanese Stores..................120 475 of 976
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Figure 82 1942 “San Mateo Land Occupied by Japanese” ..............................................................122 Figure 83 Mrs. Saiki Yamaguchi and Susan Yamaguchi at the Tanaka House, 38 Eldorado, 1945...123 Figure 84 San Mateo Gardner’s Association Building at 503 East 5th Avenue .................................125 476 of 976
Introduction
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 1

INTRODUCTION

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Historic Context Statement was undertaken by the City of San Mateo’s (City) Planning Division to enhance and streamline the City’s historic preservation program and meet the goals of the Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040. Historic context statements are written planning documents that help distill a community’s collective knowledge about its historic places into a concise and practical format by providing a narrative history of the development patterns, periods of development, typical architectural styles of a period and key features to illustrate the style. It provides a framework offering greater clarity and consistency that reduces the burden of original research for property owners and applicants, and will help streamline future designation decisions, as appropriate.

This document presents the history of San Mateo’s built environment from prehistory to present, and identifies important themes, subthemes, events, and patterns of development. It also describes different property types, architectural styles, architects and builders associated with these important themes. This document also presents guidance for evaluating significance and integrity specific to resources in the city of San Mateo.

PROJECT TEAM
This report was written and researched by Rincon Senior Architectural Historian JulieAnn Murphy, MSHP. Rincon Architectural Historians Josh Bevan, AICP, MSHP, and Antonette Hrycyk, assisted with research. Cultural Resources Principal Margo Nayyar provided senior oversight and quality control.

Each member of Rincon’s team meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualifications Standards for history and architectural history (36 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 61). 477 of 976
Introduction
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 2
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Methodology
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 3

METHODOLOGY

STUDY AREA
The study area for the Historic Context Statement includes the entire city of San Mateo (Figure 1).

San Mateo is located on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately 20 miles south of San Francisco.

Located in San Mateo County, it is the county’s most populous city. It borders the city of Burlingame to the north, the town of Hillsborough to the west, and the city of Belmont to the south. The city’s eastern boundary is defined by the San Francisco Bay at the northeast corner, and the city of Foster City at the southeast corner.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Rincon completed background and archival research in support of this study throughout January and September 2025. Primary and secondary source materials consulted included, but were not limited to, historical maps, aerial photographs, and written histories of the area. The following sources and repositories were used to develop an understanding of the city’s context:
• San Mateo County Assessor’s Office
• City Planning Division
• San Mateo Local History Collection, San Mateo Public Library • California Collection, San Mateo Public Library
• San Mateo County Historical Association Archives
• Online Archive of California
• Calisphere
• Historical aerial photographs accessed via Nationwide Environmental Title Research, LLC Online
• Historical aerial photographs accessed via University of California, Santa Barbara Library FrameFinder
• Sanborn Fire Insurance Company Maps accessed through the San Francisco County Public Library
• Historical United States Geological Survey topographic maps • Historical maps on file with the Library of Congress
• Historical maps on file with the David Rumsey Map Collection • Historical newspaper clippings obtained from Newspapers.com and the California Digital Newspaper Collection
• Various historical records via Ancestry.com
• Various historical records and secondary sources via Internet Archive 479 of 976
Methodology
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 4
Figure 1 Map of Study Area
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San Mateo Historic Context Statement 5

PUBLIC OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT
The project scope, schedule, and budget were presented to City Council on January 21, 2025. Rincon developed a robust outreach and engagement strategy to elicit community participation and feedback, which was finalized and published on a project-specific webpage on the City’s website in May 2025. The document was revised and re-uploaded in August 2025. Other information on the webpage included upcoming events and participation opportunities, and access to an interactive digital time capsule for community members to share memories, photos, and stories of San Mateo.

Rincon targeted several focus groups with keen interest in the history of San Mateo, historic preservation, development, and economic health. Focus groups with residents interested in historic preservation occurred on July 9 and July 16, 2025. Additional focus groups with community business leaders were held on December 11, 2025, community youth on February 20, 2026, and underrepresented communities on March 2, 2026. A virtual community workshop held on July 29, 2025, provided a high-level overview of historic preservation and its history, a review of common historic preservation regulations, and interactive activities to understand community attitudes and priorities for the City’s historic preservation efforts.

To gather critical feedback on the purpose and goals of the project and publicize the ongoing public engagement, Rincon and City staff held several pop-up events. Events included September Nights on B Street on September 18, 2025, Chavez Supermarket on September 23, 2025, and the Hacienda Farmer’s Market on October 7, 2025. City staff also attended the September 19, 2025, Movies in the Park event to distribute project information and contact information regarding upcoming and ongoing outreach events.

In addition to active engagement, the City installed handouts and information boards in four static locations throughout the city including City Hall, the Main Library, the Martin Luther King, Jr.

Community Center, and the Senior Center. Informational flyers and postcards were distributed at the Central Recreation Center.

HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT
The Historic Context Statement is arranged in chronological chapters relating to the city’s major development periods from prehistory to present. The content and format of this document follow guidance and industry best practices, as provided by the National Park Service and California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP). Guidance documents consulted included the following:
• National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation1 • National Register Bulletin 16A: How to Complete the National Register Registration Form2 • National Register Bulletin 16B How to Complete the National Register Multiple Property Documentation Form3
1 National Park Service, National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation (U.S. Department of the Interior, 1997a): https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/NRB-15_web508.pdf. 2 National Park Service, National Register Bulletin 16A: How to Complete the National Register Registration Form (U.S. Department of the Interior, 1997b): https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/NRB16A-Complete.pdf. 3 National Park Service, National Register Bulletin 16B How to Complete the National Register Multiple Property Documentation Form (U.S.

Department of the Interior, 1999): https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/NRB16B-Complete.pdf. 481 of 976
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• Instructions for Recording Historical Resources4
• “Writing Historic Contexts”
5 • “OHP Preferred Format for Historic Context Statements”6 Rincon staff conducted a “windshield” survey of San Mateo to understand the city’s built environment resources and the general patterns of development, including property types, architectural styles, and age of construction. All photographs in this Historic Context Statement were taken by Rincon in December 2025, unless otherwise noted.

The Historic Context Statement is divided into six chronological periods, each of which is further divided into thematic subsections reflecting the significant themes identified in San Mateo. Following the discussion of San Mateo’s historic development is a summary of various property types and architectural styles associated with each period of development followed by guidance for assessing historical significance and integrity.

HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT
The Historic Context Statement presents a citywide context of important themes and patterns of development, property types, architectural styles, and registration requirements. This document was designed to function as a tool for use by the City, its residents, and property owners to better understand, interpret, evaluate, and protect San Mateo’s historical resources. This document is organized into the following major sections:
• Previous Surveys and Studies – This section summarizes previously conducted historic resource surveys, inventories, and evaluations completed in San Mateo, including results of a California Historical Resources Information System records search. • Significant Periods, Themes, and Property Types – This section includes a framework for future property evaluations by providing a summary of significant themes and property types associated with major periods of development.
• Historic Context – The historic context includes six chapters, divided into chronological periods of development supported by important themes and patterns of development. • Architectural Styles – This portion of the document provides an overview of predominant architectural styles in San Mateo. This section includes a representative photograph of each style (organized by property type), the style’s associated period of significance in San Mateo, and a list of major character-defining features of the style. • Architects, Landscape Architects, Developers, and Builders – This chapter includes an overview of architects and builders associated with major periods of development in San Mateo.
• Guidance for Assessing Significance – This section of the document presents a discussion of the national, state, and local designation criteria. It also has an overview of the integrity 4 Office of Historic Preservation, Instructions for Recording Historical Resources (California Department of Parks and Recreation, 1995):
https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1054/files/manual95.pdf. 5 Marie Nelson, “Writing Historic Contexts” (California Office of Historic Preservation, n.d.):
https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1072/files/WritingHistoricContexts.pdf. 6 Office of Historic Preservation, “OHP Preferred Format for Historic Context Statements” (California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.): https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1072/files/Format-for-Historic-Context-Statements.pdf. 482 of 976
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requirements and identifies associated property types, architectural styles, and guidance for assessing historical significance of in San Mateo.
• References – This chapter is a complete list of references for the footnotes referenced in the document.
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Previous Surveys and Studies
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 8

PREVIOUS SURVEYS AND STUDIES

PREVIOUS SURVEYS
1989 Survey and Historic Building Survey Final Report
In 1988–1989, the San Mateo County Historical Association undertook a historic resources survey in partnership with the OHP and with the help of professionals and volunteers. The 1989 survey generally focused on the east side of El Camino Real, where the bulk of the City’s pre-1940 buildings exist.
7 Buildings were evaluated for eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and were assigned a rating of 1–6, corresponding with its potential eligibility according to OHP’s Survey Workbook.8
As a result of the survey and evaluations, as outlined in the 1989 City of San Mateo Historic Building Survey Final Report, several buildings were recommended NRHP-eligible for individual listing, potentially NRHP-eligible pending further research, or eligible for local listing, and some were recommended ineligible for the NRHP and local listing. Additionally, two historic districts were documented and recommended eligible for listing in the NRHP, the Central Business District and the Glazenwood Residential District.
9 City of San Mateo Historic Preservation Ordinance
At the time of the 1989 survey, the City did not have a historic preservation ordinance. In 1990, the City adopted the Revised General Plan, thereby identifying all individually eligible and contributor historic buildings based on the survey report. The City adopted a historic preservation ordinance in 1993.

In November 1993, the City passed a resolution establishing the Downtown Historic District, the City’s only locally designated historic district.10 The ordinance was subsequently updated in 1995 to expand its applicability to properties throughout the city and not only properties in the Downtown Area Specific Plan and Downtown Historic District.
11 City of San Mateo General Plan
As part of the General Plan 2030, the City’s historic preservation ordinance was updated in 2010 to expand its applicability to buildings meeting the criteria for listing in the NRHP and California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR).

In 2024, the City adopted Strive San Mateo General Plan 2040, which replaced the prior General Plan 2030. The General Plan addressed historic preservation as part of the Community Design and Historic Resources Element. Within this element, the Historic Resources section includes a goal for historic preservation (Goal CD-5), to “preserve historic and culturally important resources to maintain San 7 City of San Mateo, City of San Mateo Historic Building Survey Final Report (City of San Mateo, 1989), https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/47850/Historic-Building-Survey-1989. 8 Today, these are known as the California Historical Resource Status Codes and were last updated in 2020 to include more detailed information.
9 City of San Mateo, City of San Mateo Historic Building Survey Final Report. 10 City of San Mateo, Establishing the Downtown Historic District, Ordinance Number 124, 1993. 11 City of San Mateo, Amending Chapter 27.66 Regarding Historic Preservation, Ordinance Number 1995-13, 1995. 484 of 976
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San Mateo Historic Context Statement 9
Mateo’s special identity and continuity with the past.” 12 The General Plan included corresponding
policies and actions, including Action CD 5.8 (Historic Preservation Ordinance), which has been updated in conjunction with the preparation of this Historic Context Statement, and Action CD 5.9 (Historic Resource Context Statements), the impetus for this report which states:

Prepare a citywide historic context statement to guide future historic resource survey efforts to identify individually eligible resources and historic districts. If a neighborhood is identified as a historic district, prepare a more detailed historic context statement for that individual neighborhood.

NRHP- and CRHR-Listed Resources
Based on review of the NRHP and OHP’s Built Environment Resource Directory, San Mateo has several NRHP- and CRHR-listed resources, as outlined in Table 1 below.

Table 1 San Mateo Properties Listed in the NRHP and CRHR Property Name Property Address NRHP-Listed CRHR-Listed
Baywood Elementary School 600 Alameda de las Pulgas No Yes Coxhead House 37 East Santa Inez Avenue Yes (NR #00000322) Yes De Sabla Teahouse 70 De Sabla Avenue Yes (NR #92000965) Yes National Bank of San Mateo 164 South B Street Yes (NR #97000331) Yes U.S. Main Post Office 210 South Ellsworth Street Yes (NR #88000443) Yes Amelia Vollers House 353 North Claremont Street Yes (NR #14001205) Yes X-100 1586 Lexington Avenue Yes (NR #16000381) Yes
Hotel St. Matthew 215 2nd Avenue Yes (NR #97001663) Yes Yoshiko Yamanouchi House 1007 East 5th Avenue Yes (NR #100009653) Yes 220 East 3rd Avenue t 220 East 3rd Avenue No Yes
First Watch Building 201 2nd Avenue No Yes
College of San Mateo Performing
Arts Building 1700 West Hillside Drive No Yes
Dennis Brown Family House 5 North Delaware Street No Yes CRHR = California Register of Historical Resources; NRHP = National Register of Historic Places

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL RESOURCES

INFORMATION CENTER SEARCH
On May 5, 2025, California Historical Resources Information System staff from the Northwest Information Center, located at Sonoma State University, conducted a records search (24-1587) for 12 City of San Mateo, San Mateo General Plan 2040, (City of San Mateo, 2024): https://strivesanmateo.org/wpcontent/uploads/2024/07/Community-Design_5-31-24.pdf. 485 of 976
Previous Surveys and Studies
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 10
the study area (Appendix A). The Northwest Information Center is the official state repository for cultural resources records and reports for San Mateo County. The purpose of the records search was to identify previously prepared surveys, known significant resource types, resource locations, and report efforts and written histories. Results of the records search have been incorporated herein, as appropriate.
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Significant Periods, Themes, and Property Types
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 12

SIGNIFICANT PERIODS, THEMES,

AND PROPERTY TYPES
This section provides an overview of the major chronological periods discussed in the Historic Context Statement and a summary of the significant themes and property types associated with these major periods of development.

CHRONOLOGICAL PERIODS
The Historic Context Statement divides the prehistory and history of San Mateo into chronological periods of development, which are further divided into overarching themes:
• Precontact
• Spanish and Mexican Period (1768–1848)
• Early Settlement (1849–1893)
• Incorporation and Suburban Growth (1894–1940)
• World War II and Post-War Development (1941–1979)
• Modern San Mateo (1980–2026)

SIGNIFICANT THEMES
A significant theme is a “means of organizing properties into coherent patterns based on elements such as environment, social/ethnic groups, transportation networks, technology, or political developments of an area during one or more periods of prehistory or history.”13 This Historic Context Statement concentrates on six themes:
• Residential development
• Commercial development
• Civic and institutional development
• Cultural and ethnic groups
• Transportation infrastructure
• Industrial development
Themes related to architectural significance are addressed in Architectural Styles (Chapter 11) and Architects, Landscape Architects, Developers, and Builders (Chapter 12).

Each chronological chapter contains a summary of events, persons, and developments of each period in San Mateo. It then includes an in-depth analysis of themes associated with the chronological period. The following describes the themes that are analyzed in each chronological chapter. 13 National Park Service, National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation (U.S. Department of the Interior, 1997a), 8: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/NRB-15_web508.pdf. 488 of 976
Significant Periods, Themes, and Property Types
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 13
Residential Development
This section discusses important residential development in San Mateo within a given time period. It includes a presentation of important settlement patterns, population growth trends and changes, architectural styles, and property types. It also includes information on important people or architects, as appropriate.

Commercial Development
This section presents major businesses and important figures in the development of commercial enterprise in San Mateo during a given period. It includes a discussion of events or circumstances influential in creating or altering new or existing commercial development. It also describes the architecture of the city’s commercial development during a given period.

Civic and Institutional Development
This section discusses the growth of San Mateo’s government and significant persons and institutions such as schools, churches, fraternal organizations and women’s clubs, charitable organizations, and civic groups. It features a review of their associated property types.

Transportation Infrastructure
This section includes major transportation themes for a given period. This includes the arrival of the railroad and its influence on San Mateo, major transportation routes, trolley service, bridges, highways, and airfields that connect San Mateo to the region and beyond.

Industrial Development
This section discusses major industrial developments and important figures in the development of the city’s industrial activities during a given period. It also includes a discussion of events or circumstances that influenced how and when industries developed.

Cultural and Ethnic Groups
This section examines the contributions of cultural and ethnic groups to San Mateo for a given period. It includes a discussion of the cultural, ethnic, and immigrant community’s influences on the city’s physical, cultural, architectural, and commercial development.

ASSOCIATED PROPERTY TYPES
Each significant theme includes a discussion of illustrative examples of associated property types. A property type may relate to one or more historic context themes. Property types are based on historic use and common physical or associative characteristics. Physical attributes include style, structural type, size, scale, proportions, design, architectural details, method of construction, orientation, spatial arrangement or plan, materials, workmanship, artistry, and environmental relationships.14 The discussion of each property types includes relevant architectural styles and 14 National Park Service, National Register Bulletin 16B: How to Complete the National Register Multiple Property Documentation Form (U.S.

Department of the Interior, 1999), 14: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/NRB16B-Complete.pdf. 489 of 976
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San Mateo Historic Context Statement 14
building types prevalent in San Mateo during the identified period of development. The following property types were identified in San Mateo.

Residential Properties
Residential properties are primarily intended for personal use. They include single-family residences, townhouses, duplexes, and condominium and apartment complexes.

Commercial Properties
Commercial properties cater to business activities. They include retail stores, shopping malls/centers, motels and hotels, and restaurants. They also include auto-centered businesses, such as gas stations, services centers, car washes, and drive-in restaurants. Retail stores may include mixed-use buildings with combined residential and commercial uses.

Civic and Institutional Properties
Institutional buildings include public or civic buildings. While often City-owned or publicly owned, institutional buildings may be privately owned (like community centers), but usually have a public use, accessible for congregation. They include libraries, social halls, schools, police and fire stations, churches, community centers, post offices, and hospitals. They may also include public art, recreational properties, and designed landscapes, such as parks and plazas.

Transportation Infrastructure
Transportation properties are associated with depots, rail lines, terminals, marinas, stations, roads, highways, trails, bridges, and road-related infrastructure, such as light posts and signposts.

Industrial Properties
Industrial properties are where goods are made, stored, repaired, or processed. Industrial properties could include mills/factories, dairies, nurseries, canneries, warehouses, lumberyards, and lightindustrial properties.

Cultural and Ethnic Group Properties
Properties associated with cultural and ethnic groups could be represented by any property type. For example, they could include residences in ethnic enclave neighborhoods, commercial properties associated with a business that catered to or typified a specific ethnic or cultural group, communityserving religious properties, or institutional properties associated with a specific ethnic or cultural group.
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Precontact History of San Mateo
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 16

PRECONTACT HISTORY OF SAN
MATEO

PRECONTACT HISTORY
The precontact history of indigenous groups living in San Mateo County follows general patterns identified within the archaeological record of the San Francisco Bay archaeological region. The San Francisco Bay archaeological region is generally divided into five pre-contact chronology periods:

Early Holocene, Early Period, Lower Middle Period, Upper Middle Period, and Late Period.15 It is presumed that early Paleoindian groups lived in the area prior to 8000 before common era (BCE) due to evidence in Alta California and the Channel Islands.16 However, no evidence for this period has been discovered in the San Francisco Bay Area.17 Sites dating to this period may be submerged or deeply buried as a result of rising sea levels and widespread sediment deposition that has occurred since the Terminal Pleistocene.
18 For this reason, the Terminal Pleistocene Period (c 11,700 to 8000 BCE) is not discussed here.

The earliest intensive study of archaeology of the San Francisco Bay Area began with N. C. Nelson of the University of California, Berkeley, between 1906 and 1908. Nelson documented over 400 shell mounds throughout the area and was the first to identify the Bay Area as a discrete archaeological region.
19 Table 2 San Francisco Bay Archaeological Region Prehistory Chronology Temporal
Period Date Artifact Assemblage Example Sites
The Early
Holocene
8000 to 3500
BCE
Characterized by a mobile forager pattern and the presence of millingslabs, handstones, and a variety of leaf-shaped projectile points.

CA-CCO-696; CACCO-637
Early Period 3500 to 500
BCE
Increased sedentism with the introduction of new ground stone technologies like mortar and pestle replaced
millingslabs and handstones, indicating a greater reliance on processing nuts, especially acorns. Faunal evidence from various sites during this period indicates a diverse faunal exploitation pattern based on the presence of mussels and other shellfish, marine mammals, terrestrial mammals, and birds within sites dating to this period. The earliest cut bead horizon is also associated with this period.

CA-CCO-637; CASCL-832; CA-ALA307
15 R.T. Milliken et al., “Punctuated Cultural Change in the San Francsico Bay Area,” in California Prehistory: Colonization, Culture, and Complexity, ed. by Terry L. Jones and Kathryn A. Klar (Alta Mira Press, 2007): 99–124. 16 Duncan McClaren et al., “Late Pleistocene Archaeological Discovery Models on the Pacific Coast of North America,” PaleoAmerica 6 (2019): 43–63.
17 Milliken, R.T. et al., “Punctuated Cultural Change in the San Francsico Bay Area,” 99–124. 18 Brian Byrd et al., “San Francisco Bay-Delta Regional Context and Research Design for Native American Archaeological Resources, Caltrans District 4” (Caltrans, 2017): 3–21.
19 Michael J. Moratto, California Archaeology (Academic Press, Inc., 1984), 217. 492 of 976
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Table 2 San Francisco Bay Archaeological Region Prehistory Chronology Temporal
Period Date Artifact Assemblage Example Sites
Lower Middle
Period
500 BCE to 430
CE
The presence of chipped stone points and bone tools became typical during this period. Rectangular shell beads, common during the Early Period, disappear completely and are
replaced by split-beveled and saucer Olivella beads. Haliotis spp. ornaments, bone tools and ornaments, and basketry
awls also became typical, indicating the development of coiled basketry technology. Mortars and pestles continued to be the dominant grinding tool.

CA-ALA-309; CACCO-295
Upper Middle
Period
430 to 1050 CE Around 430 CE, Olivella saucer bead trade networks established during earlier periods collapsed and over half of known sites occupied during the Lower Middle Period were abandoned. Olivella saucer beads were replaced with Olivella saddle beads. New types of material culture appear within these sites, including elaborate, decorative blades, fishtail charmstones, new Haliotis spp. ornament forms, and mica ornaments. Sea otter bones became more abundant, while
salmon and other fish became less so, suggesting changes in faunal exploitation patterns from earlier periods. San
Francisco Bay Area individuals shifted from hunting higher trophic-level foods in the Early Period to gathering foods like plants and shellfish in the Middle and Upper periods.

CA-ALA-309
Late Period 1050 CE to
contact
The Late Period saw an increase in social complexity,
indicated by differences in burials and an increased level of sedentism relative to preceding periods. An increase in imported Napa Valley obsidian occurred during this time for the production of smaller points, preforms and simple flake tools. Small, finely worked projectile points of the Stockton Serrated series associated with bow and arrow technology appear around 1250 CE. Olivella shell beads disappeared and were replaced with Olivella-lipped and spire-lopped beads in the south bay and clamshell disk beads in the north bay.

Thicker and larger beads indicated higher affluence. The toggle harpoon, hopper mortar, and magnesite tube beads also appeared during this period.

SMA-1; SMA-4-5;
SMA-7; SMA-29;
SMA-33; SMA-68;
SMA-104; SMA106; SMA-108;
SMA-120; SMA122-123; SMA232-233; SMA309; SMA-311;
SMA-313-315;
SMA-411; SMA419-421; SMA428
BCE = before common era; CE common era

ETHNOHISTORIC CONTEXT
San Mateo is in the traditional territory of the Ohlone (or Costanoan) people. According to early ethnographers, Ohlone territory extends along the California coast from the point where the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers merge into the San Francisco Bay to Point Sur. Their inland boundary was limited to the interior Coast Ranges. The Ohlone language belongs to the Penutian family, with several distinct dialects throughout the region.20 Ethnographers divided it into eight regional dialects:

Karkin, Chochenyo, Ramaytush, Awaswas, Taymen, Mutsun, Rumsen, and Chalon. 21 20 Alfred J. Kroeber, Handbook of the Indians of California, Bulletin 78 (US Government Printing Office, 1925), 347. 21 Milliken, R.T. et al., “Punctuated Cultural Change in the San Francsico Bay Area,” 99–124. 493 of 976
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The pre-contact Ohlone were semi-sedentary with a settlement system characterized by base camps and seasonal reserve camps composed of tule reed houses with thatched roofs made of matted grass.22 Just outside base camps, large sweat houses were built into the ground near stream banks used for spiritual ceremonies and possibly hygiene.
23 Villages were divided into small polities, each of
which was governed by a chief responsible for settling disputes, acting as a war leader during times of conflict, and supervising economic and ceremonial activities. 24 Social organization appeared flexible
to ethnographers, and any sort of social hierarchy was not apparent to mission priests. 25 Archaeological investigations and ethnographic evidence helped inform understanding of Ohlone mortuary rituals. Cemeteries were set away from villages and visited during the annual Mourning Anniversary.
26 Ceremonial human grave offerings might include Olivella beads, as well as tools like drills, mortars, pestles, hammerstones, bone awls, and used flakes.27 Ohlone mythology includes animal characterization and animism, which was the basis for several creation narratives. Ritually burying animals, such as a wolf, squirrel, deer, mountain lion, gray fox, elk, badger, grizzly bear, blue goose, and bat ray, was commonly practiced. Similar to human burials, ceremonial offerings were added to ritual animal graves like shell beads, ornaments, and exotic goods. 28 Ohlone food sources were based on hunting, gathering, and fishing. 29 Larger animals, like bears,
might be avoided, but smaller game was hunted and snared on a regular basis.30 The acorn was an important staple and was prepared by leaching acorn meal in openwork baskets and in holes dug into the sand.
31 The Ohlone also practiced controlled burning to facilitate plant growth.32 During specific seasons or in times of drought, the reserve camps would be used for gathering seasonal food and accessing food storage.
33 The Ohlone fished from tule reed canoes using nets and gorge hooks.34 Mussels were a particularly important food resource. Sea mammals, such as sea lions and seals, were hunted, and beached whales were consumed.
35 Seven Franciscan missions were built in Ohlone territory in the late 1700s, and all members of the Ohlone group were eventually forced into the mission system. 36 The missions, a method of Spanish
imperialism, separated missionized people from their indigenous and ceremonial practices, as well as 22 Grant W. Schick, “The Ohlone and the Oak Woodlands: Cultural adaptation in the Santa Clara Valley, Research Manuscript No. 4” (Master’s Thesis, Santa Clara University, 1994), 12.
23 Barbara L. Jones, “Mythic Implications of Faunal Assemblages from Three Ohlone Sites” (Master’s Thesis, San Francisco State University, 2010), 27.
24 Russell K. Skowronek, “Sifting the Evidence: Perceptions of Life at the Ohlone (Costanoan) Missions of Alta California,” Ethnohistory Vol

45., No. 4 (1998): 675–708.
25 Skowronek, “Sifting the Evidence: Perceptions of Life at the Ohlone (Costanoan) Missions of Alta California,” 675–708. 26 Alan Leventhal and Diane DiGiuseppe, “Analysis of the Stone, Bone and Shell Artifacts from CA-SCL-869,” in Final Report on the Burial and Archaeological Data Recovery Program Conducted on a Portion of a Middle Period Ohlone Indian Cemetery, Katwáš Ketneyma Waréeptak (The Four Matriarchs Site) CA-SCL-869, Located at 5912 Cahalan Avenue, Fire Station # 12 San José, Santa Clara County, California (2009). 27 Leventhal and DiGiuseppe, “Analysis of the Stone, Bone and Shell Artifacts from CA-SCL-869” 3–1. 28 Kroeber Handbook of the Indians of California, Bulletin 78, 347; Les W. Field and Alan Leventhal, “What Must It Have Been Like!: Critical Considerations of Precontact Ohlone Cosmology as Interpreted through Central California Ethnohistory,” Wicazo SA Review 18(2) (2003):
95–126.; Jones, “Mythic Implications of Faunal Assemblages from Three Ohlone Sites,” 41. 29 Kroeber Handbook of the Indians of California, Bulletin 78, 347.; Skowronek, “Sifting the Evidence: Perceptions of Life at the Ohlone (Costanoan) Missions of Alta California,” 675–708.
30 Schick, “The Ohlone and the Oak Woodlands: Cultural adaptation in the Santa Clara Valley, Research Manuscript No. 4,” 12. 31 Kroeber, Handbook of the Indians of California, Bulletin 78, 347.; Richard Levy, “Costanoan.” In Handbook of North American Indians, Vol. 8, California, edited by R. F. Heizer (Smithsonian Institution, 1978): 485–495. 32 Kroeber, Handbook of the Indians of California, Bulletin 78, 467.; Skowronek, “Sifting the Evidence: Perceptions of Life at the Ohlone (Costanoan) Missions of Alta California,” 675–708.
33 Schick, “The Ohlone and the Oak Woodlands: Cultural adaptation in the Santa Clara Valley, Research Manuscript No. 4,” 12. 34 Schick, “The Ohlone and the Oak Woodlands: Cultural adaptation in the Santa Clara Valley, Research Manuscript No. 4,” 16–-17. 35 Kroeber, Handbook of the Indians of California, Bulletin 78, 84. 36 Kroeber, Handbook of the Indians of California, Bulletin 78, 465.; Skowronek, “Sifting the Evidence: Perceptions of Life at the Ohlone (Costanoan) Missions of Alta California,” 675–708.; Milliken, R.T. et al., “Punctuated Cultural Change in the San Francsico Bay Area,” 99– 124.
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San Mateo Historic Context Statement 19
the seasonal rhythm of their own food production practices. After the establishment of the missions, Ohlone population dwindled from roughly 10,000 people in 1770 to 1,300 by 1814.37 In 1973, the population of people with Ohlone descent was estimated at fewer than 300. The descendants of the Ohlone united in 1971 and have since arranged political and cultural organizations to revitalize aspects of their culture.
38 Today, the descendant communities of the Ohlone can be found in multiple tribes throughout Northern and Central California.
37 Skowronek, “Sifting the Evidence: Perceptions of Life at the Ohlone (Costanoan) Missions of Alta California,” 675–708. 38 Skowronek, “Sifting the Evidence: Perceptions of Life at the Ohlone (Costanoan) Missions of Alta California,” 675–708. 495 of 976
Spanish and Mexican Period
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 20

SPANISH AND MEXICAN PERIOD
SPANISH PERIOD (1769–1822)
Although Spanish, Russian, and British explorers visited the area for brief periods between 1529 and 1769, the Spanish Period in California begins with the establishment of a settlement at San Diego in 1769 and the founding of Mission San Diego de Alcalá by Franciscan Father Junípero Serra, the first of 21 missions constructed between 1769 and 1823.39 Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo led the first European expedition to observe what was known by the Spanish as Alta (upper) California in 1542. For more than 200 years, Cabrillo and other Spanish, Portuguese, British, and Russian explorers sailed the Alta California coast and made limited inland expeditions, but they did not establish permanent settlements.40 The Spanish crown laid claim to Alta California based on the surveys conducted by Cabríllo in 1542 and later survey by Sebastian Vizcaíno in 1602. 41 The 1769 overland expedition by Captain Gaspár de Portolá marks the beginning of California’s Historic period, occurring just after the King of Spain installed the Franciscan Order to direct religious and colonization matters in assigned territories of the Americas.42 Portola’s 1769 expedition is credited with the discovery of the San Francisco Bay from the hills west of present-day Millbrae, though members of the expedition did not appear to regard the discovery of the bay as anything but an obstacle at the time because they were searching for the smaller, previously mapped Monterey Bay.
43 In 1775, San Mateo’s bay line was surveyed by Juan Bautista Aguirre and finally in 1776, Spanish arrived in San Mateo and camped. By this time, the Spanish decided that San Francisco should serve as the site of the presidio and mission in the region.44 Lieutenant Colonel Juan Bautista de Anza settled a colony of families at the northern tip of the Peninsula and establish the site for the mission and presidio. On March 26, 1776, the group crossed San Francisquito Creek and continued north where party member Padre Pedro Font reported they “came to a good-sized village situated on the banks of the Arroyo of San Matheo. It has many laurels and ash trees on its banks.”45 The area was inhabited by Ohlone and Font commented that, “they appear to be gentle Indians, and it would seem possible to form of them a good and large mission”46 (Figure 2). Anza began his return trip on March 29, 1776 and sent his group back to “Arroyo San Matheo” the way they had come, roughly following today’s El Camino Real.47 It is not known why Padre Font bestowed the creek the name San Matheo, after Saint Matthew. 39 Walton E. Bean, California: An Interpretive History (McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1968), 50. 40 Bean, California: An Interpretive History, 16–18.
41 Hubert Howe Bancroft, History of California (A.I. Bancroft & Company, 1885), 3.; Bean, California: An Interpretive History, 18. 42 Bean, California: An Interpretive History, 34.
43 Bean, California: An Interpretive History, 39.
44 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 4.
45 Herbert Eugene Bolton, Anza’s California Expeditions: Volume IV (University of California Press, 1930), 328. 46 Bolton, Anza’s California Expeditions, 329.
47 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 4.
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Figure 2 Map of Shellmounds in Vicinity of San Mateo Creek Source: San Mateo County Historical Association (SMCHA_0000-001) The colonization of the San Francsico Peninsula began on June 17, 1776. A party commanded by Lieutenant José Moraga camped at San Mateo Creek on June 24 for three days before continuing to San Francisco to begin work on creating the Mission San Francisco de Asis and the San Francisco Presidio.48 The requirements for a good mission site were well-known and required: good access to native populations, good grazing land, and good soil and climate for crops.49 The decision to build the Mission San Francisco de Asis at Dolores Creek was recognized as a mistake early on.50 Anza reluctantly located the mission (the arm of the church) close to the presidio (an instrument of the government) in order to protect the missionaries and to enforce discipline, as persuaded by Padre Font and Junipero Serra. Several things were wrong with the site. There was not enough rainfall or freshwater to support crops, the sandy soil was not conducive for farming, and the native population in the vicinity was not as large as the padres originally believed.51 Though the circumstances saddled the mission with a permanent handicap, it also created circumstances unique to the mission. The Presidio, the mission, and the existing Ohlone population 48 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 6.
49 Frank Stanger, South from San Francisco: The Life Story of San Mateo County (San Mateo County Historical Association, 1963), 17. 50 Alan Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb: The Story of The San Mateo Peninsula (Star Publishing Company, 1982), 19. 51 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb: The Story of The San Mateo Peninsula, 19. 497 of 976
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were isolated on a narrow peninsula where they had to interact. From the outset, Spanish attitudes toward the native population made their forced assimilation into Spanish colonial culture impossible, while also extinguishing the possibility to gain true understanding of native traditions or experience.

Spanish conquistadors systemically destroyed the existing knowledge of the area.52 Relations between the Spanish and Ohlone tribes near the mission began when the Spanish offered token gifts and food to attract interest. On August 12, 1776, however, a rival tribe from San Mateo Creek attacked a village near the mission site, frightening its residents who fled to the opposite shore.

Unimpressed with the Spaniards’ offer to defend them, contact was retracted.53 In Spring 1777, contact was renewed, and three days before the first anniversary of their arrival, the mission baptized its first Bay Area Native Americans.54
Slowly, other populations of Ohlone were brought to the mission. The mission listed 135 baptisms of Native Americans from the San Mateo area in 1780 and 1786.55 By 1793, virtually all native populations of the San Francsico Peninsula were baptized. Less than half of the original Peninsula Ohlone survived by that time, having succumbed to deadly diseases like smallpox, whooping cough, venereal diseases, influenza, and mumps introduced by the Spanish.56 It was common practice for California missions to establish agricultural outposts, or asistencias or hospices, to grow food to sustain the mission. No mission was more dependent on such outposts as Mission San Francisco de Asis due to its environmental challenges. In approximately 1793, the padres established an outpost at San Mateo Creek. The San Mateo location proved a successful settlement due to good climate and soil, an optimal location between the San Francisco and Santa Clara missions, fresh water, and a more dense native population.57 The San Mateo outpost’s function was three-fold: the rites of the church would be practiced; it would function as a base of operations for neophytes tending cattle and sheep; and it would provide storage for agricultural products.58 52 Stanger, South from San Francisco: The Life Story of San Mateo County, 19. 53 Stanger, South from San Francisco: The Life Story of San Mateo County, 19. 54 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 20.
55 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 6.
56 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 22.
57 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 22.
58 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 9.
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Figure 3 1850 Drawing of San Mateo Hospice
Source: San Mateo County Historical Association (SMCHA_0000-482-018) The outpost was constructed near the Moraga campsite. Mission records describe the first building in San Mateo as a three-room structure with a tile roof.59 By 1800, the San Mateo outpost was the center of food production on the Peninsula.60 Thirty mission-trained Native Americans lived at the outpost by this time. In 1810, the adobe was destroyed by earthquake and subsequently rebuilt larger (Figure 3). Even as Mexico achieved independence from Spain, life at the outpost carried on as usual. Official mission documents reveal that by 1822 at least two buildings in San Mateo served as granaries.61
MEXICAN PERIOD (1822–1848)
After more than a decade of intermittent rebellion and warfare, Mexico won independence from Spain in 1821. In San Mateo, change was slow. By 1822, support for the missions was cut, while the Mexican constitution removed the Spanish monopoly on free trade, allowing California ports to open to foreign merchants.62
The secularization of the missions following Mexico’s independence from Spain did not begin until 1834 under Governor Jose Figueroa. In the meantime, merchants from around the world were interested in California products such as hides and tallow. The new business created demand for land from Spanish soldiers, government officials, and pioneers. Former mission lands were subdivided for large land grant ranchos. Commonly, former soldiers and well-connected Mexican families were the recipients of these land grants, which now included the title to the land and often included mission Native Americans who became laborers in a feudal system.63 59 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 9.
60 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 23.
61 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 10.
62 S.F. Dallas, “The Hide and Tallow Trade in Alto California 1822-1848,” (PhD diss., Indiana University), 1955, 14. 63 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 13.
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In San Mateo, there were reportedly about 30 native Californians at the time of secularization. San Mateo was claimed by the José Argüello family, who asserted that Spanish Governor Diego Borcia awarded José Argüello 69,000 acres of land south of Rancho Buri Buri in 1795. The land, Rancho de las Pulgas, ultimately comprised of 35,000 acres was not awarded until November 1835 to the widow of Argüello’s son, Dona Maria and their children.64 During this period San Mateo remained largely unchanged. In fact, the population south of San Francisco declined during the interlude of Mexican rule and did not exceed 500 persons.65
The rancheros were land rich, but cash poor and vulnerable to squatters and predatory money lenders and lawyers. As a result, after becoming entangled in years of litigation, many rancho heirs lost vast portions of their holdings. The Argüello’s, whose holdings spanned from present-day Mills Hospital to the Santa Clara County line, hired a Spanish lawyer, Simón Mezes in exchange for a generous share of Rancho de las Pulgas. By 1838, the rancho contained 4,000 cattle and 2,000 horses. Squatters, who populated the rancho, believed the Land Commission would not approve the title to the land and ownership would default to the government, thereby presenting an opportunity for ownership.66 In 1856, however, the Argüello’s were successful at defending their full title.67 Despite secularization, the area north of San Mateo Creek, known as Rancho San Mateo, was reserved for Native Californians and the activities of the asistencia. An embarcadero, perhaps the same used during mission times, continued with grain from the outpost.68 In 1839, the entire San Francisco mission Ohlone population was moved to San Mateo by Mexican administrator W.E.P.

Hartnell, bringing the population to 89 or 90.69 By 1840, the Ohlone population was endangered. In 1846, Mexican governor Pio Pico awarded the 6,000-acre Rancho San Mateo to Cayetano Arenas of Los Angeles for his work in the governor’s office. His land occupied the area between Rancho Buri Buri to the north and Rancho de las Pulgas to the south and included the area of the former outpost.
70 Arenas, however, never occupied the land and sold it to San Francisco merchants William D.M. Howard and Henry Mellus in 1846, perhaps assuming the land would be taken away by American troops who occupied the Bay Area by that time. William D.M. Howard arrived in San Francisco in about 1838 from New England. He opened a San Francisco store and acted as an agent for several New England firms. He formed a partnership with Mellus in 1845, and they purchased stock of the Hudson Bay Company’s failing business, just before the Gold Rush. 71 The United States declared war with Mexico in April 1846. The war ended in 1848 with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo just days before the announcement of the gold discovery at Sutter’s Mill, ushering California into its American period.72
64 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 14.
65 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 31.
66 Stanger, South from San Francisco, 49.
67 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 15.
68 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 15.
69 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 15.
70 Philip Alexander and Charles P. Hamm, History of San Mateo County (Burlingame Publishing Company, 1916), 32. 71 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 15.
72 Postel, San Mateo County: A Sesquicentennial History, 84. 500 of 976
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EARLY SETTLEMENT (1849–1893)
Because the Peninsula was close to the epicenter of the Gold Rush, it experienced change sooner and more dramatically than other parts of the state. San Francisco’s ballooning population demanded food and lumber, and bought, leased, or squatted on land to begin producing. The net result was the transformation of cattle lands into community farms.73 During the following years in San Mateo, formerly undeveloped land transformed to support a burgeoning population.

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
San Mateo’s earliest residential development began with the establishment of country homes or estates of wealthy businessmen who largely made their fortunes in the early days of the Gold Rush.

For many years, the Rancho San Mateo land purchased by Howard and Mellus remained vacant.

Howard subsequently made a fortune selling real estate and retired from his partnership with Mellus in 1850.

In 1849, Howard moved to the former ranch, drove out the remaining Ohlone population, and built a small villa not far from San Mateo Creek and El Camino. He began importing cattle, becoming the first Peninsula resident to convert a rancho into a country estate.74 One component of Howard’s business was purchasing prefabricated houses from the eastern United States in the 1850s. He constructed a village of modest cottages in Happy Valley, along Market Street in San Francisco. For his own country estate in San Mateo, called El Cerrito for the small hill it sat on, it appears he purchased several prefabricated houses and combined them for a grand building on what is now De Sabla Road of El Camino Real (Figure 4). Howard died in 1856, leaving the southern portion of the rancho to his widow, Agnes Poett. He left the northern portion (much of present-day Hillsborough) to his father-inlaw, Dr. Joseph Henry Poett, who in turn gave the western portion to his other daughter Julia Redington. Agnes married W.M.D. Howard’s brother, George and they went on to have four children they raised in El Cerrito. After his death 1878, she married Henry Bowie in 1879.75 As a result, the Howard, Poett, Reddington families controlled most of Rancho San Mateo for decades, establishing many of the Peninsula’s great estates.76 El Cerrito became known as the Bowie Estate and was moved to Roehampton Road in 1910 and served as Hillsborough’s first town hall before being demolished in the 1930s.77
73 Stanger, South from San Francisco, 61.
74 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 35.
75 Mitchell P. Postel, San Mateo County: A Sesquicentennial History (Stuart Publishing, 2007), 203. 76 Postel, San Mateo County: A Sesquicentennial History, 203. 77 John Levy, “Hillsborough’s former City Hall a reminder of the past,” The Daily Journal, January 15, 2007. 502 of 976
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Figure 4 W.M.D. Howard’s Estate, El Cerrito
Source: San Mateo County Historical Association (SMCHA_1973-086-002) Other early pioneers to San Mateo, included Captain Frederick Macondray who established an estate, Brookside, on the south side of the creek, facing the Howard estate on present-day El Camino Real.

More arrived in the area to work for the Howard family and established their own houses, while few others began to sparsely populate the area, including Stephen Whipple who established a horse farm and ranch in the 1850s, no longer extant, at the present-day location of St. Matthew’s Catholic School, at El Camino Real and Aragon Boulevard. David McLellan bought 300 acres from the Argüello holdings, where he set up his country home, in the Bay Meadows land, later replaced by a racetrack and eventual residential development. Lemuel T. Murray built a dairy ranch on much of the land in the current Hillsdale neighborhood.78
With the promise and eventual arrival of the railroad in 1863, other wealthy San Franciscans moved to San Mateo, including Charles Pohlemus, a director of the railroad, who bought most of the future downtown from the creek southward and east of El Camino. He laid out town lots during the 1860s, reserving some for houses and some for commercial uses. The rest of the land remained undeveloped for many years (Figure 5). Alvinza Hayward, an ex-lawyer from New York who made a fortune mining in Amador County, similarly purchased a several hundred-acre tract south and east of Pohlemus’s tract in the early 1860s. Hayward gradually subdivided the property for development and constructed his own estate, at the present-day corner of 9th and Palm avenues. It was a three-story, stick-style mansion (non-extant) surrounded by an extravagant private park called Hayward Park.79 78 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 34–35.
79 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 92.
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Figure 5 1862 Map of San Mateo Prepared for Charles Pohlemus Source: San Mateo County Historical Association (SMCHA_0000-062) In 1860, John Parrott, a San Francsico banker, purchased Macondray’s Brookside estate, on the west side of El Camino north of 5th Avenue, to serve as his summer home. Parrott updated Macondray’s house into a Second Empire-style mansion on the property in 1868 and named it Baywood (nonextant) for the property’s many trees (Figure 6). 80 Parrott’s son and six daughters married into other
wealthy families, like the Donahues, Paysons, Borels, and DeGuignes. The Parrotts and the other estate holders of this era became a social oligarchy, whose vast houses encircled the growing downtown.81
80 Stanger, South from San Francisco, 106.
81 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 45.
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Figure 6 Parrott House, c. 1868
Source: Getty Research Institute
For many years, San Mateo’s growth, including its residential expansion was only possible when large landholders subdivided their holdings for sale. Polhemus sold his San Mateo property to Peter Donahue in 1866 before it eventually passed to William H. Kohl in 1874. Kohl, an engineer and sea captain built his estate (no longer extant) in present-day Central Park, whose gates date to Kohl’s mansion.82 The city’s first residential subdivision was on the east side of Railroad Avenue, extending from San Mateo Creek southward to 5th Avenue, and eastward to present-day Eldorado Street. Early settlers like James Byrnes (713 1st Avenue—extant) and John Maynard (809 Lawrence Road—extant) built Italianate houses along San Mateo Creek. Local histories suggest William Sands built his residence at 45 South Delaware in the early 1860s. In 1865, John Quincy Adams Tilton bought 25 82 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 49.
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acres of land from the Howards, north of the Polhemus town site, and constructed a residence (36 N.

Tilton Avenue—extant), but early residential development was otherwise sparse. 83 In 1888, the Howard family, capitalizing on the considerable activity brought to San Mateo from the nearby construction of the Crystal Springs Dam, subdivided land north of San Mateo Creek to Poplar Avenue and from the railroad tracks to Delaware for the Western Addition subdivision. 84 The Borel
family subdivided the area south of Monte Diablo Avenue, east of Eldorado Street to San Mateo Creek. Though more landholders like Howard and Borel began to parcel land for sale in the late 1880s, during the 1890s, the city limits extended just a few blocks beyond Polhemus’s 1862 plat (Figure 8). These earliest residential subdivisions occurred in what is known today as San Mateo’s Central neighborhood and Western Addition. Although land was subdivided, it was slow to develop.

Examples from this period of residential development typically included wood-frame one- and twostory buildings on several blocks of Claremont and Delaware streets, and a handful of examples from this period are still present (Figure 7). The city’s south end, however, was generally occupied by stock farms and grain fields that did not become residential areas until the twentieth century, while the bayside was tideflats.

Figure 7 Example of Early Residences in San Mateo’s Central Neighborhood, 45 South Delaware (L) and 809 Lawrence Road (R)
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025 Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025 83 City of San Mateo, City of San Mateo Historic Building Survey Final Report (City of San Mateo, 1989), 25:
https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/47850/Historic-Building-Survey-1989. 84 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 76.
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Figure 8 1888 Parcel Map of San Mateo
Source: San Mateo County Historical Association (SMCHA_FICA-2025)

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
San Mateo’s early commercial development began with the establishment of a stagecoach stop along the old mission trail between San Francisco and San José in 1849. As a result, a few commercial structures were established in the area. Recognizing the business opportunity of the stagecoach traffic, Nicholas de Peyster, a New York merchandiser, moved into the old outpost in San Mateo with a partner and sold liquor and other merchandise he thought travelers would want.85 He operated the location for a year before purchasing a portion of Rancho de las Pulgas, in San Mateo’s present downtown, and constructed the San Mateo House.
86 In 1856, David S. Cook bought San Mateo House
from de Peyster by which time it was enlarged with a prefabricated building from the east coast.87 In 1857, San Mateo House was sold to a partnership of Stockton and Shafter, and it was used as a 85 Stanger, South from San Francisco, 65.
86 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 26.
87 David Fredricks, “Life of the San Mateo House,” The Daily Journal, March 3, 2014. 507 of 976
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stagecoach stop for the Butterfield Stage, which traveled between Missouri to San Francisco.88 The house was sold to Tony Oakes in 1863 and Captain Edward Taylor in 1863 who moved it away from the road for his residence and added to the house a second time (Figure 9). Located at the presentday location of Mills Hospital at El Camino Real and 2nd Avenue, it was demolished in 1964 for a parking lot.

Figure 9 1875 Image of San Mateo House
Source: Carleton Watkins, The Sun Sketches of San Mateo Album, University of California, Berkeley Bancroft Library By 1860, there was stagecoach service between San Mateo and the coast. San Mateo’s advantageous location at the east end of the Peninsula’s main road to the coast supported limited commercial development, and during this period San Mateo had a grain and feed store, a livery stable, a blacksmith, and two saloons.
89 But, without a strong industry or commercial force, there was not enough activity to stimulate significant growth, trade, or development. 90 Commercial development emerged significantly in the years after the railroad was constructed in 1864.91 With the arrival of the railroad, the sparse development that began along the old mission trail shifted east toward the location of the tracks. San Mateo’s commercial downtown began to radiate from the rail station, beginning along Main Street and Railroad Avenue. B Street, one block west of the railroad station, eventually developed as a major thoroughfare. During the 1880s, however, the 88 Fredricks, “Life of the San Mateo House.”
89 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 94.
90 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 92.
91 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 39.
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city’s downtown was plagued by a series of fires in 1880, 1883, and 1887 that destroyed early commercial buildings and their businesses.92
By 1888, the first Sanborn fire insurance map depicts commercial development along Railroad Avenue including the Union Hotel (1883), a grocer, dry good stores, and a saloon (non-extant).

Development along A and B Street between 2nd and 5th avenues included a mix of residential and commercial uses like general stores, boarding houses, a restaurant, and a saloon concentrated along B Street.
93 It also included the first service storefronts or workshops, like the plumber/carpenter at the corner of 4
th Avenue and B Street and Robert Wisnom’s lumberyard at B Street and 2nd Street.

Additional commercial uses located on the east side Railroad Avenue, between 2nd and 5th avenues, were less dense and included lodgings, saloons, and livery stables. Individual buildings generally occupied only a portion of the parcel, and more permanent brick buildings began replacing wood structures during this period (Figure 10). The Spring Valley Water Company, who was amid constructing the Crystal Springs Dam west of the present city limits to provide drinking water to San Francsico and the Peninsula, had a warehouse just south of the San Mateo Creek, along a block of rail line. The warehouse appears to have been removed shortly following completion of the dam in 1889.94 During this period, streets were unpaved and sidewalks were made of wood.95 Because of the town’s railroad stop and stage station, San Mateo was popular for estate residents to do business before going back to their estates, tourists to stop on their way to the coast, or coastal dwellers to stop on their way to do business in Redwood City or San Francisco. As such, businesses were generally limited to those that met basic needs and lodging for overnight trips. Despite having a railroad stop and a stage station, there was little to hold a visitor in town for long. 92 Donald P. Ringler, San Mateo, USA: The Golden Years (City of San Mateo Bicentennial Committee, 1975), 17. 93 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1888. 94 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1891. 95 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 39.
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Figure 10 ca.1883 View of B Street
Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection Though San Mateo experienced somewhat slow commercial growth in the decades after the arrival of the railroad in 1864, several important emerging local businesses were established during this period. Robert Wisnom, born in Northern Ireland, arrived in San Mateo in 1868 to work as a carpenter at the Parrott estate. Wisnom subsequently settled in San Mateo and became the area’s best-known builder, responsible for the construction of Union Hall (1874; non-extant) and many early residences (56 North Claremont, non-extant, and 707 1st Avenue, extant). He also opened a successful lumber business downtown and the city block outlined by B Street, Ellsworth Street, 2nd Avenue, and 1st Avenue was known as the Wisnom Block (non-extant). (Figure 11). 96 In 1889, Richard Jury and Charles Kirkbride founded the town’s first newspaper, San Mateo Leader. In 1914 it consolidated with another local paper as a countywide paper before merging with the San Mateo Times in 1926.97 In 1892, the San Mateo Gas Light Company was incorporated by early San Mateo residents James Byrnes, E.A. Husing, Julius Wiesnder, William Nolden, and John P. Weller, and became part of Pacific Gas and Electric in 1905.98
96 “Robert J. “Big Bob” Wisnom,” Find a Grave, accessed October 1, 2025, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/87334134/robert_jwisnom. 97 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 100.
98 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 100.
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Figure 11 Wisnom Carpenter and Builder Shop, 1880s
Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection

CIVIC AND INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Before San Mateo’s incorporation in 1894, its development evolved from a collection of estates to a small village, with a nascent population with growing practical governance and community needs.

Before 1887, the city lacked a fire department and the series of fires in the commercial core in the 1880s highlighted the need for an organized fire service. The initial attempt to organize a local fire department began in 1885 by a group of local men that included A.T. Bartlett, J.H. Bickford, John Moore, W.J. Price, and H.F. Barrows. Barrows was elected the foreman and took the charge to gather equipment, which originally consisted of a small hand pump donated by Captain Kohl and three fire 511 of 976
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hydrants donated by Howard. Though the hydrant locations, concentrated along 3rd Avenue and A and B streets, were convenient, the lack of fire hoses made their widespread use impossible and the first attempt at a department was short-lived.99
In 1881, an order of the Ancient Order of United Workman organized. It was followed a few months later by a lodge of the Amerion Legion of Honor. In December 1883, a parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West was created with county-wide representation. In 1882, the women of St. Matthew’s Guild established a reading room and library. They organized that same year, welcomed all denominations, and became the social and cultural center of San Mateo. The building replaced an earlier structure, Wisnom Hall, which served as the de facto community hall until it burned in 1883.

The Library Hall building, constructed through donations including Antoine Borel’s donation of the lot on B Street, was a long, brick building with rooms to host local organizations and a library.100 In 1887, a second attempt to establish a fire department proved more successful. Five local men, drugstore owner Charles M. Moore; blacksmith William H. Brown, saddlery shop owner George A.

Bartlett, Fisher Hotel owner Charles J. Hatch, and William Babcock Lawrence of the Spring Valley Water Company met in Library Hall and decided to call for a public meeting to create an official fire department. The day the meeting was meant to happen, April 6, a fire broke out at Library Hall destroying the newly constructed community building.101 The blaze was extinguished with the help of the Redwood City fire department. Though the citizens were exhausted from the day’s events, the meeting occurred and the community agreed a fire department was needed. On May 7, 1887, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors appointed a fire commission consisting of William Price, E.A.

Husing, and James Byrnes. Shortly thereafter the commission raised money to buy equipment and establish a volunteer department. 102
Library Hall was rebuilt through donations from the community and Robert Wisnom constructed a new, two-story building containing the fire station and livery on the ground floor with a public hall and library upstairs.103 Library Hall was later destroyed in the 1906 Earthquake (Figure 12). 99 Jeff Brile ed., San Mateo Fire Department 1887-1990, (San Mateo Fire Department, 1990), 10. 100 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 87.
101 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 91.
102 Jeff Brile, San Mateo Fire Department 1887-1990, 10. 103 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 95.
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Figure 12 Library Hall in 1906 after the Earthquake
Source: University of Southern California, California Historical Society Collection, 1860-1960 Schools
By the 1860s, San Mateo had two private schools—Laurel Hall for girls and St. Matthew’s Hall for boys. Laurel Hall was founded by educator Miss L.A. Buckmaster. A native of New York, she arrived in California in 1856 and worked in the Sacramento area before moving to Oakland in 1861, following a flood that closed her school. Buckmaster met Charles Polhemus in 1862, and he told her of the railroad that would soon connect San Mateo to San Francisco. Believing it sounded like a good opportunity to establish a new institution, she bought 27 acres from San Mateo pioneer David S.

Cook in 1863.104 Architect S.C. Bugbee designed a Second Empire building for the school, whose first trustees included many members of San Francisco and Peninsula society like George H. Howard, Alvinza Hayward, A.H. Houston, Frederick Billings, Benjamin Lathrop, Thomas Shelby, F.F. Low, James Bolton, D.O Mills, R.B. Sneath, and E.A. Easton (Figure 13). 105 The school (non-extant), located on
present-day Alameda de Las Pulgas, east of the Peninsula Gold and Country Club, opened in 1864 with 11 students and grew to be a prestigious institution by the 1870s. An advertisement for the school from 1877, lauds the geographical and educational benefits of the school (Figure 14).106 In 1875, Buckmaster returned east to publicize her efforts. The school, run by Reverend George Herbert 104 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 61.
105 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 61.
106 Advertisement, “Laurel Hall, San Mateo, Cal.,” The Churchman, August 11, 1877. 513 of 976
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Watson in her absence, flourished for several years. Buckmaster returned in 1878 but fell ill thereafter. Despite efforts by alumni to save the school, it closed in 1887. 107 The property was subsequently rented to Professor John Gamble, who operated a private school for boys, known as Laurel Hall College (Figure 15).
108 The property was acquired by the Episcopal Bishop
of San Francisco for the operation of the Armitage Orphanage until it closed in 1912. 109
Figure 13 Stereograph of Laurel Hall School, c. 1880
Source: Carleton Watkins, Laurel Hall, San Mateo, California State Library 107 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 61.
108 “Laurel Hill College,” San Francisco Call Bulletin, May 29, 1891, https://www.newspapers.com/image/92948661/?match=1&terms=%22gamble%22%20%22laurel%20hall%22%20%22san%20mateo%22. 109 “Bishop Armitage Orphanage,” San Mateo County Genealogy, accessed October 8, 2025, https://legacy.sfgenealogy.org/sanmateo/history/smorphan.htm. 514 of 976
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Figure 14 1877 Advertisement for Laurel Hall School
Source: The Churchman, August 11, 1877.

Figure 15 1888 Advertisement for Gamble’s Laurel Hall College Source: Pacific Rural Press, September 29, 1888.

In 1866, Episcopal Reverend A.L. Brewer founded St. Matthew’s Hall (non-extant), a boys military academy. Originally located on South Ellsworth, a new three-story school was constructed in 1872 on Baldwin Avenue, east of San Mateo Episcopal Church (Figure 16). By the 1880s, the school reputation was well-known, even outside the United States. In 1881, the King of the Sandwich Islands visited San Mateo and toured the school, which required students to be in full military dress. 110 Soon after, sons
from the most influential Hawaiian families came to San Mateo. Princes David La‘amea Kawānanakoa, Abel Edward Keliʻiahonui, and Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole were among Pacific Islanders who attended 110 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 65.
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the school. During their time in the area, they apparently introduced surfing to the mainland, at the mouth of the San Lorenzo River in nearby Santa Cruz.111 The school subsequently moved to Hillsborough. The buildings were reused for St. Margaret’s School for girls, which shuttered in 1892.112
In addition to private schools that drew student populations from the area’s wealthy families and beyond, the growing community had an established school district and one-room school building on County Road, present-day Notre Dame Avenue and El Camino Real, by the mid-1860s. By 1871, 75 students attended San Mateo School, and the residents realized the need for a more adequate school (Figure 17). In September 1871, a bond measure passed to construct a new school building with two classrooms, with expansion plans for two more. The old school was moved away from the road, and the new school was constructed in front of it. The school building burned in about 1891. Following the fire, the school operated from several locations, and planning for a new school began immediately. 113
In 1892, a strategy was adopted to construct two new schools—one at the center of town and one in the outskirts. The school at the center of town was constructed on a 3-acre site at today’s 2nd Avenue and Baldwin Avenue, between San Mateo Drive and B Street. Fittingly named Central School (non-extant), it was a two-story wooden building with two classrooms (Figure 18). The school opened in 1893 with Etta Tilton serving as Principal.114 The same year, the Homestead School (non-extant) was constructed at today’s Gum Street, near the Borel Estate. Intended to accommodate more rural students, it was primitive and nearly obsolete when it opened. It closed in 1914, while Central School continued to operate until 1922.
115
111 Chloe Veltman, “How 3 Hawaiian Teen Princes Brought Surfing to the Mainland,” National Public Radio, August 31, 2025, https://www.kucb.org/2025-08-31/how-3-hawaiian-teen-princes-brought-surfing-to-the-mainland. 112 Architectural Resources Group, Saint Matthew’s Episcopal Church Historic Resource Evaluation, 2010. 113 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 67.
114 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 122.
115 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 123.
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Figure 16 Undated Postcard of St. Matthews Hall
Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection Figure 17 Undated Photo of San Mateo School
Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection 517 of 976
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Figure 18 Undated Photo of Central School
Source: San Mateo County Historical Association (SMCHA_1965-046A-009) Churches
San Mateo’s first church was St. Matthew’s Catholic Church. Irish priest Father Dennis F. Dempsey established a parish in San Mateo in 1863. He served his apprenticeship at St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco and worked in Sacramento and Auburn before his assignment to San Mateo County and portions of Santa Clara County in 1862.
116 The first St. Matthew’s Catholic Church (non-extant) was constructed on land donated by Polhemus at the southwest corner of 3rd Avenue and Ellsworth Avenue. The small wood-frame Gothic Revival building opened in February 1864.117 It was replaced by a more permanent brick building in 1889 (non-extant) (Figure 19). The Sanborn map from 1891 depicts the church on the corner, with a small school room building to its west (Figure 20).

The same year, Episcopal Reverend G.A. Easton arrived in San Mateo, and held services in the San Mateo Young Ladies Institute. On his recommendation, Revered A. L. Brewer from Detroit proceeded him in 1865. The Episcopal Board of Mission sent Brewer to take control of the San Mateo and Redwood City congregations. In June 1865, George Howard held a meeting at his residence where he pledged a portion of his property to construct a church. Other members of the community raised money for its construction and Albert H. Jordan donated the building’s design for what became St.

Matthew’s Episcopal Church (extant). Jordan, who along with Howard and Edward Taylor, served as church leadership. The building, completed and consecrated on May 23, 1866, was constructed with 116 Ringler, San Mateo, USA: The Golden Years, 15.
117 “History,” St. Matthew Catholic Church, accessed October 3, 2025, https://www.stmatthew-parish.org/about/history. 518 of 976
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stones quarried from the Howard estate, apparently becoming the first stone church in California.

The building measured 40 feet by 70 feet with seating for 200. The ceiling was of varnished wood and the windows had geometric tracery (Figure 21). The glass for the chancel window was made in Belgium, and the window frame was made in New York. The northern end of the church had a mortuary chapel with a massive monument to the memory of Howard’s father, William Davis Merry Howard, and his widow Agnes Poett Howard. 118
Figure 19 Cornerstone Laying at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church in 1889 Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection Figure 20 1891 Sanborn Depicting Catholic Church
Source: Sanborn Map Company, 1891
118 The Reverend Robert Louis Semes, Of These Stones: An Historical Sketch of the Church of Saint Matthew San Mateo, California 1865- 1990 (Church of Saint Matthew, 1990), 1-2.
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Figure 21 Image of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church on Howard Estate Source: The Episcopal Church of Saint Matthew
In 1862, San Mateo’s Congregationalists began meeting after a visit from Redwood City’s acting pastor J.S. Zelia. A month later Reverend J.H. Warren conducted the first service in the schoolhouse.

In 1864, 10 members decided to incorporate as the Congregational Church of San Mateo. George Howard also gifted the land for construction of the Congregational Church, at the corner of Tilton Avenue and North Ellsworth (Figure 22).
119 The land included the construction of a parsonage for Reverend J.H. Warren, the congregation’s first pastor, in 1864. In 1869, a simple wood church was constructed (non-extant).
120The Congregational Church was the smallest of the local churches. In its first five years, it had four different ministers. By 1884, the church had just 15 members.121 119 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 60.
120 “A Little Background,” Congregational Church of San Mateo, accessed October 2025, https://ccsm-ucc.org/welcome/#background. 121 “A Little Background,” Congregational Church of San Mateo, accessed October 2025, https://ccsm-ucc.org/welcome/#background. 520 of 976
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Figure 22 Congregational Church of San Mateo, 1869
Source: Congregational Church of San Mateo
Cemeteries
The first cemetery was established in 1877 by Agnes Tilton. She founded a 20-acre cemetery near her house at present-day 36 North Claremont Street (extant). She named the cemetery Evergreen, and it served the community for about eight years, before being moved up the hill to St. John’s Cemetery.122 Founded in 1885 with land donated by Abby M. Parrott to the Roman Catholic Church, the cemetery was named St. John’s to honor her late husband, John Parrott. When founded, the cemetery had sections for Catholics, Protestants, and paupers.123

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
The County Road, now known as El Camino Real, was the earliest regional connection. A string of roadhouses or mile houses developed along El Camino Real to serve stagecoaches. The first stagecoach service was founded shortly after the Gold Rush. Later that year, John W. Whistman started the first service to connect San Francisco to San José. The service was uncomfortable and 122 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 51.
123Samantha Weigel, “Uncovering history in San Mateo: St. John’s Cemetery has lineage of caretakers, formative family,” The Daily Journal, October 31, 2014.
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consisted of a wagon with benches pulled by mules. In San Mateo, Nicholas de Peyster’s Half Way House, so named for being the half-way point between the journey from San Francsico to San José, was a resting stop for travelers.124
The most important transportation development during this period was the arrival of the railroad in 1864. Charles B. Polhemus, the director of the San Francisco-San José Railroad, formed the company with Timothy G. Phelps in 1859. Following approval from the California State Legislature, construction began to connect San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. Anticipating growth of the railroad, Polhemus purchased several parcels of land in San Mateo, and as previously described, laid out the plan for today’s downtown. The railroad faced construction challenges because of the Civil War; materials were often delayed, and there were labor shortages.125 Despite delays, by 1864, the rail line had two passenger trains and one freight train daily. It included four stops in Santa Clara County and seven in San Mateo County, including in San Mateo. The success of the line led to its purchase by the Big Four, the name given to the railroad tycoons who funded the Central Pacific Railroad, in 1870, as part of their consolidation of railroads after the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869.126 The line eventually became part of the Southern Pacific Railroad.

Despite the connection of the railroad, San Mateo County, including San Mateo did not immediately boom with increased development. In the nineteenth century, San Mateo County was the slowest growing county in the Bay Area.127 This was largely because the land was held by a few affluent estate owners who retained land along the rail route. Their ownership contained development that typically encouraged economic activity. In San Mateo, the Howard, Poett, Redington families held tight control of their property. Generally, estate owners did not begin to parcel out their land until the late 1880s.

Even with the arrival of the railroad, stagecoaches continued to furnish important freight, mail, and passenger service. The railroad was slow to expand, and only one line served the Peninsula. As coast side and bayside communities grew, stagecoaches over the mountains became more important.

During this period, three toll roads were constructed to connect the coast to the bayside, and stagecoach services connected passengers arriving by rail to San Mateo from San Francisco to Pescadero (Figure 23).
128
124 Postel, San Mateo County: A Sesquicentennial History, 109. 125 Postel, San Mateo County: A Sesquicentennial History, 112. 126 The Big Four included Leland Stanford (1824-1893), Collis Potter Huntington (1821-1900), Mark Hopkins Jr. (1813-1878), and Charles Crocker (1822-1888).
127 Postel, San Mateo County: A Sesquicentennial History, 116. 128 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 56.
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Figure 23 Stagecoach at San Mateo Rail Station
Source: San Mateo County Historical Association (SHMCHA_0000-339-023)

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
During this period, San Mateo saw little industrial development. Construction projects like the railroad in 1864 and Crystal Springs Dam in 1887 brought support services to the area for the duration of the projects, but San Mateo did not have a main economic driver like neighboring communities, such as whaling and fishing on the coast, and logging in Redwood City and Woodside.

CULTURAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS
Irish
The largest single ethnic group to reside in San Mateo County during this period were Irish immigrants.129 Though there were Irish immigrants in the region in the years before the Gold Rush, their population flourished after 1849. Drawn by the promise of success and escaping the Great Famine (1845–1852), waves of Irish immigrants arrived in the United States during this period.

Compared to Irish who emigrated to the East Coast; however, Irish on the West Coast were able to take advantage of the state’s nascent status and were moved ahead economically, socially, and politically with more ease.130
In San Mateo, Robert Wisnom from County Antrim, arrived in 1868. He worked for the Parrott family, building their mansion. In his first year, however, he purchased a plot of land on B Street and 4th 129 Postel, San Mateo County: A Sesquicentennial History, 144. 130 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 163.
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Avenue. As previously described, he established several businesses and constructed many of San Mateo’s early residences. He later went on to become a prominent San Mateo resident.131 The big work projects in the area—the railroad and the Crystal Springs Dam construction—drew Irish immigrant laborers, many of whom stayed in the area and settled. In the 1860s and 1870s, the Fenians, a political organization for Irish causes, held fundraising picnics throughout San Mateo County. In 1866, the Fenian picnic in San Mateo drew 15,000 people.132 Chinese
The second largest ethnic population in San Mateo during this era was the Chinese. Similar to the Irish, their presence in the area before the Gold Rush was nominal. By 1880, however, there were 600 Chinese residents in San Mateo County. Faced with labor issues to construct the railroad during the Civil War, Chinese immigrants were employed to construct the San Francisco–San José Railroad.

The success of their labor was noticed by the Big Four, and they were hired to build the western section of the transcontinental railroad. After the railroad was completed in 1869, however, thousands of Chinese laborers were released from their jobs.133 Many came back to San Mateo County. Some worked successfully in shrimp and oyster harvesting in the bay. As shrimp harvesters, they set up shrimp camps along the bay often referred to as “China camps.”
134 At the industry’s peak in 1892, the bay off San Mateo County near present-day Coyote Point was the leading producer of shrimp on the west coast.135 Prior to the 1880s, Chinese provided most of the cheap labor in the region. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which barred further immigration from China, reflected anti-Asian sentiment spreading countrywide. In San Mateo, however, racial tensions were less explosive than in other parts of the state and country. The absence of industrial working conditions and urban congestion may have been a factor, as immigrant labor was not a threat to livelihood. Most Chinese on the Peninsula were men from South China and worked on the great estates as laborers, cooks, and domestic servants. Alvinza Hayward hired many Chinese laborers to reclaim marshlands, dig ditches, and lay pipes to carry water from the hills to bayside farms.136 The Sanborn map from 1891 depicts several Chinese businesses in San Mateo during this period. They included a wash house and grocer on 2nd Avenue and B Street, a second wash house on B Street and 2nd Avenue, and a third wash house on B Street and 3rd Avenue (Figure 24). Though the Chinese enjoyed some community acceptance and involvement, they were deprived of political liberty and endured segregation while their position steadily improved.137 131 “Robert J. “‘Big Bob’ Wisnom,” Find a Grave, accessed October 1, 2025, at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/87334134/robert_jwisnom. 132 Postel, San Mateo County: A Sesquicentennial History, 148. 133 Postel, San Mateo County: A Sesquicentennial History, 150. 134 Joan Levy, “Chinese fish camps once lined the Bay,” The Daily Journal, July 10, 2019. 135 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 85.
136 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 166.
137 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1891. 524 of 976
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Figure 24 1891 Map of San Mateo Showing Cluster of Chinese Businesses Source: Sanborn Map Company, 1891
African Americans
Before the incorporation of San Mateo in 1894, it had a small population of African Americans. After the establishment of the railroad in 1864, some African American families settled in San Mateo. Tom Ricks operated a restaurant in one of the early hotels, the Railroad House. By the end of the 1870s, the town’s only barber shop was run by J. J. Adams, who also served on a Grand Jury. The African American population remained small in the following years and increased with the city’s suburban growth in the succeeding decades.138
138 Postel, San Mateo County: A Sesquicentennial History, 77. 525 of 976
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INCORPORATION AND SUBURBAN
GROWTH (1894–1940)
The City incorporated in 1894. The trustees were made up of the following group of prominent local figures: Captain Payson, husband of Abby Parrott; businessman and builder Robert Wisnom; Marine architect George W. Dickie; storeowner Charles Herbst; hotel and saloon proprietor Harry Hatch.139 The decades following incorporation and into the twentieth century marked a new phase of growth and development for the city as the city began to follow a typical pattern of suburbanization. At the beginning of this period of development, San Mateo’s population was under 2,000 residents. 140 The
city’s immense growth during this period was spurred dramatically following the 1906 Earthquake and fire on April 18, 1906. Though San Mateo sustained damage, it was not as equally ravaged as San Francisco. In the days after the earthquake, refugees filtered into San Mateo, some arriving on foot, carrying their remaining possessions and some arriving via railroad.141 Following the earthquake, thousands of San Franciscans moved to the suburbs permanently and rapid suburbanization followed, including new residential developments, new commercial enterprises, improved and more robust transportation, and the arrival of more ethnic communities. By the end of this period, San Mateo’s population reached nearly 20,000 residents, marking a significant period of population and physical growth for the city.142

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
During this period, the scant residential subdivision that began in the late 1880s by Howard and Borel ballooned. By the late nineteenth century, the possibility of living outside cities was within reach of many more people. The increased availability of land and the improved ability to travel with ease encouraged more residential development in San Mateo.143 Subdivisions began radiating from San Mateo’s business district, and many resulted from the subdivision of the formerly large estates. The subdivisions, previously platted by Howard and Borel, making up San Mateo’s central neighborhood were more densely developed. Sanborn maps from 1897 depict, following incorporation, increasing residential development on the east and west sides of Railroad Avenue, from Tilton Avenue to 5th Avenue.144 Typical development included one-to-two story wood frame single-family residences.145 Examples of houses during this period include those constructed by Robert Wisnom for William H.

Brown and Dennis Brown at 2 and 5 South Delaware Street (extant) (Figure 25). 146
In 1895, 62 acres of the former Howard/Bowie estate was subdivided for San Mateo Heights, located east of El Camino Real and north of Bellevue Avenue, extending to North Delaware Street to the east and State Street to the north (Figure 27).
147 Suburbanization began, and the city’s proximity to San 139 Ringler, San Mateo, USA: The Golden Years, 21.
140 “San Mateo, Decennial Census Data,” Bay Area Census, accessed October 9, 2025, at https://census.bayareametro.gov/historicaldata/1860-1940/san_mateo. 141 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 133.
142 “San Mateo, Decennial Census Data,” Bay Area Census, accessed October 9, 2025, at https://census.bayareametro.gov/historicaldata/1860-1940/san_mateo. 143 City of San Mateo, City of San Mateo Historic Building Survey Final Report (City of San Mateo, 1989), 14. 144 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1897. 145 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1897. 146 Jeff Cintel, “Downtown San Mateo Historical Tour,” April 1991, 11. 147 City of San Mateo, City of San Mateo Historic Building Survey Final Report (City of San Mateo, 1989), at https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/47850/Historic-Building-Survey-1989. 526 of 976
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Francisco made commuting possible for residents who worked in the city but preferred a “country” environment. A newspaper article of the time noted that the “the town of San Mateo and its environments have advantages which other suburbs do not possess, the most prominent being its accessibility to San Francisco without water transportation.”148 The neighborhood began with “cottages and villas” with both year-round and seasonal residents.149 Architect Ernest Coxhead built and designed numerous residences and churches in the Bay Area. He constructed his own summer residence in San Mateo at 37 East Santa Inez Avenue (extant) in approximately 1893 (Figure 26).
150 Built in the First Bay Tradition, it was soon joined by other houses.

Sanborn maps from 1897 and 1901 show that the burgeoning community spread north along North Ellsworth, Catalpa, Tilton Avenues, and San Mateo Drive.151 Early residents of the neighborhood were from the professional class and held positions such as lawyers, doctors, architects, and entrepreneurs. Houses were built in popular revival styles of the period and included Colonial Revival, Renaissance Revival, and Shingle Style.152 In the first decades of the twentieth century, the neighborhood continued growing with more modest houses, especially following the 1906 Earthquake. Houses included examples of Neo-classical and California bungalows, Shingle-style cottages, and later period revival houses.153
Figure 25 2 South Delaware Street,
Current View
Figure 26 37 East Santa Inez Avenue,
Current View
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025 Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025 148 “Miscellaneous Items,” The San Francisco Call Bulletin, July 22, 1895, at https://www.newspapers.com/image/80996139/?match=1&terms=%22water%20transportation%22. 149 “Miscellaneous Items,” The San Francisco Call Bulletin, July 22, 1895, at https://www.newspapers.com/image/80996139/?match=1&terms=%22water%20transportation%22. 150 Patricia Osborn, “Coxhead House, San Mateo County, California,” National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form (Washington, DC:

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 2000). 151 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1897 and 1901. 152 City of San Mateo, City of San Mateo Historic Building Survey Final Report, 28. 153 City of San Mateo, City of San Mateo Historic Building Survey Final Report, 29. 527 of 976
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Figure 27 Advertisement for San Mateo Heights
Source: San Francisco Call Bulletin, July 21, 1895
The next subdivisions established during this period were San Mateo Park and Haywood Park. San Mateo Park was established when real estate developers Baldwin and Howell, comprised of Archibald S. Baldwin (1858–1924) and Josiah R. Howell (1868–1916), purchased 400 acres northwest of town on property previously owned by Stephen B. Whipple.154 Whipple ran a successful horse ranch on the property before it transformed to an estate and eventually sold to Charles Clark in the 1890s.155 In 1902, the firm hired Australian Civil Engineer Davenport Bromfield (1862–1954) to survey the land and design the subdivision layout.156 Bromfield’s plan retained the former estate’s country atmosphere by designing the roads to follow the undulating landscape. Bounded by El Camino Real on the east, Occidental Avenue to the west, Poplar Avenue to the south, and Barroilhet Avenue to the north, Bromfield reinforced the country atmosphere by planting shrubs and trees. In 1904, Bromfield purchased a lot on Occidental Avenue to construct his own house, 537 Occidental Avenue (extant) (Figure 28).157 In the following years, San Mateo Park continued developing with houses built in the popular revival styles as well as emerging styles such as the Bay Tradition. Examples include the 154 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 126.
155 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 45.
156 “County Law Makers,” Redwood City Standard, June 5, 1902, at https://www.newspapers.com/imageview/999934451/?match=1&terms=%22county%20law%20makers%22 157 1910 United States Census, San Mateo, San Mateo County, digital image s.v. “Davenport Bromfield,” Ancestry.com, at https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/records/1766328?tid=&pid=&queryId=34e7576d-f186-42c3-877bfc436f074db8&_phsrc=vRp61&_phstart=successSource 528 of 976
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house at 626 Occidental Avenue (extant), designed by notable architect Julia Morgan in 1924 and 425 Edgewood Road (extant), designed by architect Herbert Goodpastor (Figure 29 and Figure 30).158 Figure 28 Bromfield Family at San Mateo Park House on Occidental Avenue, 1914; Davenport Bromfield, far right
Source: SonyMann, Ancestry.com
158 Pacific Coast Architect, Vol 25 No. 1, 1924, 18, at https://www.usmodernist.org/PCA/PCA-25-26.pdf; California Arts & Architecture, December 1934, 34, at https://www.usmodernist.org/AA/CAA-1934-12.pdf. 529 of 976
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Figure 29 1924 Advertisement for House in San Mateo Park Source: Pacific Coast Architect, Vol 25 No. 1, 1924
Figure 30 1934 Advertisement for House in San Mateo Park Source: California Arts and Architecture, December 1934 530 of 976
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Alvinza Hayward died in 1904 and his estate subsequently sold his vast property as part of the Hayward Park subdivision. Baldwin and Howell were agents for the residential sales and for the sale of the former mansion, later transformed into the Peninsula Hotel. The Hayward Park subdivision was laid out in square blocks from the railroad tracks to El Camino between 9th and 16th Avenues.159 The Peninsula Hotel (non-extant), at the corner of 9th Avenue and Palm Avenue, was promoted as the social center of the neighborhood. Early advertisements for the subdivision extolled the speed that building a house on the lots would be with easy connections to sewer, gas, and electricity services (Figure 31).160 First constructed outside the city’s boundaries, San Mateo Park and Hayward Park were annexed in 1909 and 1910, respectively (Figure 32).161 The early development of Hayward Park included many California bungalows, a popular housing type of the time. In the following years, the community continued developing with more examples of period revival style houses in more modest proportions than in San Mateo Heights and San Mateo Park.162 An available historical aerial image from 1929 shows the southern portion of the neighborhood as substantially developed by this time, with few remaining undeveloped lots (Figure 33).163
Figure 31 1907 Advertisement for Hayward Park Subdivision Source: Advertisement. The Bulletin, September 21, 1907. 159 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 127.
160 Advertisement, “Hayward Park,” San Francisco Call Bulletin, September 28, 1907, at https://www.newspapers.com/imageview/994896969/?match=1&terms=hayward%20park 161 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 146.
162 City of San Mateo, City of San Mateo Historic Building Survey Final Report, 31. 163 University of California, Santa Barbara, San Mateo [aerial photograph], Flight C-674, Frame 2, October 1, 1929. 531 of 976
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Figure 32 1912 Map of San Mateo’s Subdivisions
Source: Historic Maps of Bay Area, University of California, Berkeley 532 of 976
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Figure 33 1929 Aerial of Hayward Park
Source: UCSB San Mateo [aerial photograph], Flight C-674, 1929, Annotation by Rincon Consultants, Inc.

The Peninsula Hotel burned in a fire in June 1920.164 The land was subsequently sold by Baldwin and Howell and subdivided for additional residential development, becoming the Glazenwood neighborhood within Hayward Park. Unlike the typical grid subdivision and rectangular lot development in Hayward Park, Glazenwood was subdivided with a U-shaped design with two curving streets, Laurel Avenue and Rosewood Drive, creating a horseshoe entry into the neighborhood from 9th Avenue. Its design was apparently derived from the country lanes of England. Founded by the San Mateo Improvement Company, the community was planned for Spanish Colonial Revival houses, 164 “Peninsula Hotel Burns Down When Water Fails,” San Francisco Examiner, June 26, 1920, at https://www.newspapers.com/image/457919047/?match=1&terms=%22peninsula%20hotel%20burns%20down%22. 533 of 976
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somewhat larger than those in Hayward Park. The neighborhood was developed between 1922 and 1925.165 A. Born Building Company constructed the houses, many speculatively, besides those built for Jones and Nelson.166 After several successful sales, Born purchased the remaining undeveloped lots from Baldwin and Howell to continue to develop and sell directly.167 The community was planned as a restricted residential tract. S. Born described that “there is no other tract on the peninsula which is protected to the same extent with restrictions that Glazenwood is.”168 The neighborhood’s status as a restricted residential tract was a selling point, and meant to signal a planned, exclusive, and economically harmonious neighborhood. Such neighborhoods often included racial covenants that explicitly excluded people from racial and religious groups by deed restriction.

According to available census records, the early residents were from the professional class and included investment bankers, lawyers, salesmen, and engineers and many households included live-in service staff.169
Residential growth continued throughout the 1920s. San Mateo approved three annexation measures in the late 1920s. In January 1927, the city annexed an area west of El Camino and south of Hobart Avenue known as San Mateo City Homestead.170 The 345-acre subdivision was first surveyed and approved in 1870.171 Its early development, however, appears to have been slow and supported some small farms. By 1898, many lots remained undeveloped with unused streets.172 Development appears to have increased in the first decades of the twentieth century, likely attributed, in part, to the influx of residents following the 1906 Earthquake. Nonetheless, by 1920, development in the San Mateo City Homestead area was less dense than those subdivisions closer to the city center . A 1920 Sanborn map depicts limited residential development on lots closest to El Camino Real, along present-day Hobart Avenue (formerly 1st Avenue), Madison Avenue (formerly Middle Avenue), Barneson Avenue (formerly 2nd Avenue) as well as along Maple Street and Nadina Street (former Nut Avenue), while the lots to the south of Barneson Avenue were undeveloped.173 Though infill development occurred in the following years, the southern lots remained undeveloped up to 1929, according to available historic aerials (Figure 34).174 165 City of San Mateo, City of San Mateo Historic Building Survey Final Report, 32. 166 “Suburban Tract Building Active,” San Francisco Chronicle, January 28, 1922, at https://www.newspapers.com/image/1235198032/?match=1&terms=%22suburban%20tract%20building%20active%22. 167 “Glazenwood to Have Many New Modern Homes,” The Bulletin, August 4, 1923, at https://www.newspapers.com/image/996126290/?match=1&terms=Glazenwood%20to%20Have%20Many%20New%20Modern%20Home s.
168 “Suburban Tract Building Active,” San Francisco Chronicle, January 28, 1922, at https://www.newspapers.com/image/1235198032/?match=1&terms=%22suburban%20tract%20building%20active%22. 169 United States Census Bureau, Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, California, San Mateo Precinct 24/25. 170 City of San Mateo, “History of San Mateo Ballot Measures 1921-1930,” accessed October 9, 2025, at https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/92532/History-of-San-Mateo-Ballot-Measures-1921-1930. 171 San Mateo City Homestead Association, Surveyed by George H. Goddard, January 1870, Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, at san mateo / Place created: San Francisco - Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection - Spotlight Exhibits Search Results. 172 “Board of Supervisors,” Redwood City Standard, December 22, 1898, at https://www.newspapers.com/image/999956693/?match=1&terms=homestead. 173 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1920. 174 University of California, Santa Barbara, San Mateo [aerial photograph], Flight C-674, Frame 1, October 1, 1929. 534 of 976
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Figure 34 1920 Sanborn (left) and 1929 aerial (right) of San Mateo City Homestead Development
Source: Sanborn Map Company, 1920
Source: UCSB San Mateo [aerial photograph], Flight C-674, 1929.

In April 1927, the City voted to annex the former Parrott Estate located at the northwest corner of the city and bounded by the town of Hillsborough to the north. 175 The estate passed to John Parrott’s
widow, Abby Parrott after his death in 1884. She continued living on the estate until her death in 1917.176 Due to the vast amount of land owned by the Parrott family throughout San Francisco and the Peninsula, the heirs established the Parrott Estate Company.177 In 1927, the former Parrott Estate was subdivided by the Dunn-Williams Company. The Baywood Park Company was created the same year to sell the lots. Similar to the San Mateo Park subdivision, streets were designed following the natural topography and landscape. J.A. Williams of the Baywood Park Company described that, “we have instructed our engineers in planning streets to avoid sacrificing trees,” 178 he continued, with this thought in mind, they have worked out a magnificent plan, particularly for Baywood Drive. This broad artery, which will have no equal anywhere, will in reality be a triple avenue. The center section, which will be lined on both sides by magnificent oaks, eucalyptus and other fine trees, will be about 20 feet wide.179
175 City of San Mateo, “History of San Mateo Ballot Measures 1921-1930,” accessed October 9, 2025, at https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/92532/History-of-San-Mateo-Ballot-Measures-1921-1930. 176 “Abby Parrott’s Estate Exceeds Five Millions,” San Francisco Chronicle, October 18, 1917, https://www.newspapers.com/image/1235165103/?match=1&terms=Abby%20Parrott%E2%80%99s%20Estate%20Exceeds%20Five%20Mil lions.
177 “Parrott Estate Distribution in Part is Sought,” Redwood City Tribune, January 27, 1925, https://www.newspapers.com/image/841853146/?match=1&terms=Parrott%20Estate%20Distribution%20in%20Part%20is%20Sought. 178 Seymour H. Pierson, “San Mateo Home Site Near Ready,” San Francisco Bulletin, March 26, 1927, https://www.newspapers.com/image/996434983/?match=1&terms=San%20Mateo%20Home%20Site%20Near%20Ready. 179 Seymour H. Pierson, “San Mateo Home Site Near Ready,” San Francisco Bulletin, March 26, 1927, https://www.newspapers.com/image/996434983/?match=1&terms=San%20Mateo%20Home%20Site%20Near%20Ready. 535 of 976
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By late 1927, roads and a dozen houses were constructed , many along Cornell Avenue.180 Similar to Glazenwood, Baywood Park Company established the neighborhood as restricted, though appear to have been less explicit about the restrictions in advertising the blossoming community (Figure 35).

Figure 35 1929 Advertisement for Baywood Neighborhood
Source: San Francsico Bulletin, June 28, 1929
Over the next several years, the neighborhood continued constructing single-family houses built in the popular revival styles of the period. In 1930, the San Francsico Chronicle sponsored a model home in the neighborhood. Built especially for display purposes, “The Californian,” was designed by the architecture firm Grimes and Schoening in the Monterey Colonial Revival style at 639 Fordham Road (extant) and staged with furniture and appliances from O’Connor, Moffatt, a luxury department store. The open house attracted over 30,000 visitors and served as a boost to draw more residents to the neighborhood, marketed as a charming neighborhood at a moderate cost.181 Though Baywood initially only included single-family houses by design, in 1929 builder Irma B. Downing oversaw the construction of the Casa Baywood Apartments (extant) at the corner of El Camino Real at the entrance to the neighborhood.182 Casa Baywood Apartments were designed by local architect Ernest L. Norberg, who designed another apartment building, Del Cerrito at 212 Eaton Road (extant) for owner Gordon C. Hess.183 Other apartment buildings from this period included Sequoia at 146 West 180 “Sales at Baywood Park Have Passed Million Dollar Mark,” The San Francisco Examiner, September 24, 1927, https://www.newspapers.com/image/457932529/?match=1&terms=Sales%20at%20Baywood%20Park%20Have%20Passed%20Million%20 Dollar%20Mark.
181 “Visitors Will Have Final Opportunity to See Model Home This Week,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 24, 1930, https://www.newspapers.com/image/1237358000/?match=1&terms=%22san%20mateo%22. 182 “Casa Baywood to be Ready Mar. 20,” San Francisco Chronicle, March 2, 1929, https://www.newspapers.com/image/1237302385/?match=1&terms=Casa%20Baywood%20to%20be%20Ready%20Mar.%2020%2C%E2%8 0%9D%20.
183 “Del Cerrito, Latest Word in Apartments, Opens Today,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 10, 1930, https://www.newspapers.com/image/1237350449/?match=1&terms=Del%20Cerrito%2C%20Latest%20Word%20in%20Apartments%2C%2 0Opens%20Today.
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3rd Avenue and Casa Hermosa Apartments at 106 West 3rd Avenue (extant) (Figure 36). These larger suburban-style apartment buildings were built in the same popular revival styles of the period. As a building type, they became more popular during this period, though multifamily housing existed in downtown San Mateo by the early twentieth century. These examples, however, differed because they often had street level retail similar to urban areas, like Jefferson Court Apartments at 138 South B Street (extant).184
Figure 36 1931 View of 3rd Avenue and El Camino Real
Source: San Mateo County History
San Mateo’s physical expansion continued in 1929, when the city annexed the area formally known as the Beresford District. The Beresford District was subdivided outside the city in 1884 and included the area south of 15th Avenue.185 A 1910 survey map of the county illustrates Beresford Park located on the west side of El Camino Real and subdivided into 21 large lots.186 A 1927 map of San Mateo County depicts further subdivision spanning from approximately present-day 20th to 31st avenues. It was bound by the Beresford Country Club (the present-day location of the Peninsula Golf and Country Club) to the west, while the area between the Baywood neighborhood to the north and Beresford Park still included several large unsubdivided tracts of land.187 Additionally, a portion of Beresford east of El Camino, known as the Town as Beresford, bound by McLellan Avenue to the 184 “Instruments on File,” Redwood City Tribune, November 15, 1923.; Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1920.
185 “Fire Protection Needed,” San Mateo Times, March 27, 1931; Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 98. 186 Map of the County of San Mateo California, Surveyed by Davenport Bromfield, 1910, Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection. Map of the County of San Mateo California Compiled From The County Records By Davenport Bromfield, Civil Engineer Ex-County Surveyor 1910 - Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection - Spotlight Exhibits. 187 George A. Kneese, Official Map of San Mateo County 1927, 1927, David Rumsey Map Collection, https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~330400~90098928:Official-Map-of-San-Mateo-County-Ca. 537 of 976
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north and Poinsettia Avenue to the south, was served by its own rail station. The maps indicate Beresford Park and Beresford Town were sparsely populated with 200 residents.188 The annexation two years later added 600-700 new residents to San Mateo and increased the size of the city by approximately one-third.189 In the following years, the community continued to grow as residential development increased (Figure 37).

Figure 37 1939 View of Beresford Area, Facing East toward Bay Meadows Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection In 1929 work began on the Aragon Tract, a 10-block subdivision south of Baywood and north of the San Mateo Homestead Tract. The Aragon Tract is located on approximately 100 acres of land from the former Tobin Clark Estate (extant in neighboring Hillsborough).190 Developed by Meyer Brothers, houses were open for display beginning in summer 1929.191 Display houses were assigned names like “the Cordova,” “the Kenmore,” and “the York” and reflected their architectural stylings—Spanish Colonial Revival in the Cordova and Tudor Revival in the Kenmore and the York.192 Development continued in 1933 when Meyers Brothers transferred approximately 82 acres of the tract to the Aragon Company, a syndicate of prominent San Mateo residents that included W.S. Leadley, Louis 188 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Beresford, San Mateo County, California, 1927. 189 “Beresford Votes Union to San Mateo by Big Majority,” San Mateo Times, August 28, 1929, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51674915/?match=1&terms=Beresford%20Votes%20Union%20to%20San%20Mateo%20by%20Big% 20Majority.
190 “New Aragon Tract Starts Paving Today,” San Mateo Times, June 19, 1929, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51671120/?match=1&terms=New%20Aragon%20Tract%20Starts%20Paving%20Today. 191 “Aragon Tract Will Open to Public Sunday,” San Mateo Times, August 24, 1929, https://www.newspapers.com/imageview/51674797/?match=1&terms=Aragon%20Tract%20Will%20Open%20to%20Public%20Sunday%2C%E2%80%9D%20. 192 “Many Visitors See Homes in Aragon Tract,” San Mateo Times, September 21, 1929, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51676370/?match=1&terms=Many%20Visitors%20See%20Homes%20in%20Aragon%20Tract. 538 of 976
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Lengfeld, F.W. Loewe, Emil Zwierlan, and Fred P. Calleson.193 Advertisements for the second phase of development for the Aragon Tract depicted curving roads and Revival style houses, describing the neighborhood as “the Peninsula’s choiciest homesites.”194 Sales continued for the next several years.

Unlike Meyers Brothers, the Aragon Company was not a developer/builder, and houses were built by a number of different local construction companies and included more examples of emerging architectural styles like Streamline Moderne (Figure 38). The model house was built by G.W. Williams Company, who constructed several other houses in the tract. Other houses were built by local builders like Leadley and Wiseman, Roy Allen, and Wallace Waterhouse.195 Figure 38 1937 Image of Aragon Tract House
Source: Fang Family San Francisco Examiner Photograph Archive © The Regents of the University of California, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley
193 “Work on New Aragon Tract Starts Today,” San Mateo Times, August 9, 1933, https://www.newspapers.com/image/38861688/?match=1&terms=Work%20on%20New%20Aragon%20Tract%20Starts%20Today%2C%E2 %80%9D%20.
194 Advertisement for Aragon Tract, San Mateo Times, September 9, 1933, https://www.newspapers.com/image/38862312/?match=1&terms=aragon%20tract. 195 “Aragon Enjoys Active Month,” San Mateo Times, September 14, 1935, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51681539/?match=1&terms=Aragon%20Enjoys%20Active%20Month. 539 of 976
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The new and annexed subdivisions helped the city’s overall population grow from 5,979 residents in 1920 to 13,444 in 1930, a nearly 125 percent increase.196 The city continued growing over the next decade due to subdivision development.

In 1938, the Sunnybrae subdivision was approved and construction began shortly thereafter.197 Located south of 10th Avenue from South Delaware Street to Bayshore Highway, the tract was built by the G.W. Williams Company and developed by American Homes, Inc. The neighborhood, as envisioned, included 700 houses and community amenities like parks, schools, and shopping centers and was planned with the help of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).198 Unlike the strict grid in the city’s first residential neighborhoods and the curving roads of the subdivisions carved from the former estates, Sunnybrae was laid out with long blocks and weaving streets designed to slow traffic and minimize accidents, and appears to have adopted many of the principles established by the FHA by this period as published in their guidance Planning Neighborhoods for Small Houses. The neighborhood included other features typical of FHA-encouraged designs like use of the “suburban curb,” a curved curb that continued to the gutter and did not require new curb cuts for driveways for each house built. The neighborhood’s main artery, Sunnybrae Boulevard, continues diagonally through the neighborhood providing convenient access to principal centers, as also recommended by FHA guidance.199 The first houses were designed by architect John Knox Ballantine, Jr. The first phase of building included 11 houses; five were wood frame and six were “Unibilt” steel frame houses. All the houses were designed to meet the demand for modern, low-cost housing and unlike earlier development in this period were not revival style, but were built in California Ranch and Minimal Traditional styles (Figure 39). 200
Figure 39 Sketch of Sunnybrae House
Source: “The Golden Gate Exposition Model Homes,” Pencil Points, May 1939. 196 “San Mateo, Decennial Census Data,” Bay Area Census, accessed October 9, 2025, at https://census.bayareametro.gov/historicaldata/1860-1940/san_mateo. 197 “School Bond Bid Rejected,” Redwood City Tribune, September 21, 1938, https://www.newspapers.com/image/841854346/?match=1&terms=School%20Bond%20Bid%20Rejected. 198 “In Sunnybrae Small Homes New Attraction,” San Francisco Chronicle, June 3, 1939, https://www.newspapers.com/image/1237702704/?match=1&terms=In%20Sunnybrae%20Small%20Homes%20New%20Attraction. 199 Federal Housing Administration, Technical Bulletin No. 5: Planning Neighborhoods for Small Houses, (Federal Housing Administration, 1936), 12.
200 “Tree Planting Starts in Sunnybrae Tract,” San Mateo Times, March 18, 1939, https://www.newspapers.com/image/38660966/?match=1&terms=Tree%20Planting%20Starts%20in%20Sunnybrae%20Tract. ; “About Sunnybrae,” G.W. Williams Co., accessed October 14, 2025, https://www.gwwilliams.com/timeline-history/sunnybrae/. 540 of 976
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Toward the end of this period, residential development of formerly semi-rural land began. Laurel Creek Farm, located south of Beresford Park at the city’s southern limit at present-day 31st to 42nd Avenues, was first subdivided in 1889. By 1927, it was further subdivided but remained sparsely developed.201 Further subdivision and development began in spring 1940, beginning on Arbor and Briar Lanes as part of David D. Bohannon’s Hillsdale development, however it remained largely undeveloped by the early 1940s.
202
After starting his firm in 1928, and surviving the stock market crash in 1929, David D. Bohannon of the David D. Bohannon Organization, purchased the St. Cyr Estate, formerly the Howard property. He built the El Cerrito Manor development, a 10-acre portion of the former St. Cyr estate. His work in San Mateo continued in 1937, when he purchased 848 acres of the Beresford area. The development of the first 241 acres of what is now known as Hillsdale was completed in April 1940. Unlike El Cerrito Manor, which largely resembled the city’s other suburban development, Hillsdale called for the construction of 5,000 inexpensive, well-built houses that came to represent post-World War II housing.
203

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Commercial development following San Mateo’s incorporation was characterized by rapid expansion and growth to respond to San Mateo’s increasing population. Sanborn insurance maps show that by 1897 wood-frame commercial buildings typical of the previous period were replaced by more permanent brick and stone frame buildings along San Mateo’s commercial corridor, particularly along B Street and Railroad Avenue.204 The city’s commercial district experienced significant damage from the 1906 Earthquake, which was a contributing factor to the commercial core’s rebuilding and subsequent expansion (Figure 40). In the following decades, commercial businesses extended along B Street from Baldwin to 4th Avenue and radiated to side streets. 2nd Avenue opened through the former Taylor property and connected to El Camino Real, where a number of important commercial businesses were also located. In addition to the connection to El Camino Real, a bridge was built across San Mateo Creek, connecting San Mateo Drive and 2nd Avenue.205 201 George A. Kneese, Official Map of San Mateo County 1927, 1927, David Rumsey Map Collection, https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~330400~90098928:Official-Map-of-San-Mateo-County-Ca. 202 “Legal Notice,” San Mateo Times, May 23, 1940,
https://www.newspapers.com/image/38860990/?match=1&terms=%22legal%20notice%22. 203 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 211.
204 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1897. 205 Frank Stanger, Levy Bros: A Centennial History, 1872-1972, (Stanger, 1972), 22. 541 of 976
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Figure 40 Damage to San Mateo Stable Building at 1st Avenue and B Street, 1906
Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection Many of San Mateo’s first hallmark businesses were founded during this period. In 1894, San Mateo’s first bank was organized by Philip Roedel along with San Mateo’s existing business leaders. In 1896, the Bank of San Mateo building (non-extant) was erected on Main Street. The same year, he helped establish the San Mateo Mutual Building and Loan Association. Roedel built a grand Tudor Revival house, called Seven Oaks at 20 El Cerrito Avenue (extant) in 1905. After his death in 1905, both the bank and house were purchased by A.P. Giannini. 206
Giannini retained the bank’s name and officers, which included Robert Wisnom as Vice President. The bank’s location was moved to the corner of B Street and 3rd Avenue by 1905 and was renamed the National Bank of San Mateo in 1909. In 1918, Giannini changed the name of the bank at 3rd Avenue 206 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 102.
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and B Street to Bank of Italy (present-day Bank of America). The original bank building was demolished in the 1930s. In 1923, the Bank of San Mateo’s original directors spilt from Giannini and revived the Bank of San Mateo name with a new building at 164 South B Street (extant). Designed by architect William Henry Weeks (1866–1936), the Beaux Arts building, was a monumental addition to downtown San Mateo.207
During this period, the Levy brothers established a store in San Mateo, Levy Bros. The brothers arrived from France in 1869 and first established stores on the San Mateo County coast side and purchased the stage line to San Mateo before establishing a store in downtown San Mateo in 1898.

The brothers—Joseph, Fernand, Adrien, and Armand—operated from the Wisnom Block on B Street, occupying most of the buildings by 1906 (Figure 41).208 The store catered to all of the community’s needs and included four connected stores—hardware, grocery, dry goods, and men’s furnishings. In addition to the store, they also offered door-to-door sales and delivery from San Bruno to Belmont.

By 1917, Levy Bros looked to expand in San Mateo and, with the opening of the former Parrott estate lands for development, arranged to build a new building at Ellsworth and 2nd Avenues (non-extant).

Despite difficulty during the Great Depression, the business survived.

During this period, San Mateo’s business district began shifting away from Railroad Avenue and B Street toward El Camino Real. In 1923, Chistian de Guigne’s heirs agreed to sell their property, which occupied most of the land between Ellsworth and El Camino on the south side of 3rd Avenue. The sale of the property, organized by D.A. Raybould, helped him realize his vision to connect El Camino Real with the railroad, via a wide commercial thoroughfare. In 1924, 3rd Avenue was developed to be 80 feet wide, allowing for diagonal parking and becoming the widest business district in the Peninsula.209 Lots development began on the south side of 3rd Avenue, beginning with the Caldwell building at 149 3rd Avenue (non-extant) and continuing in the following years with Noah’s Ark restaurant (non-extant), the San Mateo Theater (1925, extant, but altered), and Benjamin Franklin Hotel (1927, extant). In an effort to improve business, Levy Bros decided to move to the new commercial core. In 1931, they moved into a new store, designed by the San Franciso firm Hyman and Appleton with a 150-foot frontage, on the north side of 3rd Avenue (extant) (Figure 42). 210 The
gamble to build a new store in the midst of the Great Depression did not immediately help the business, but they were able to survive in San Mateo for many more decades, finally closing in 1986. 207 Patrick McGrew, “Bank of San Mateo, San Mateo County, California” National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form (Washington, D.C: US Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1997). 208 Stanger, Levy Bros: A Centennial History, 1872-1972, 16. 209 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 170.
210 Stanger, Levy Bros: A Centennial History, 1872-1972, 31. 543 of 976
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Figure 41 Levy Bros Store at Wisnom Block c. 1905
Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection Figure 42 Levy Bros 3rd Avenue Building under Construction, 1931 Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection 544 of 976
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The introduction and popularity of automobile travel during the early twentieth century influenced San Mateo’s commercial growth. In addition to the city’s commercial expansion shifting toward El Camino Real, an auto-oriented commercial corridor began forming as the early decades of the twentieth century passed. Buildings related to servicing and repair of automobiles began appearing along major roadways and downtown streets. By 1920, garages and machine shops were built in the vicinity of 4th Avneue and B Street, along with the California Garage at 146 2nd Avenue (non-extant), and at least two additional garages just beyond the incorporated city in nearby Homestead, including the former Homestead Garage at 10 Madison Avenue (extant, but altered). 211
Gas stations, too, appeared by 1920, and were increasingly common by the end of this period.

Between 1920 and 1950, four gas stations were developed fronting El Camino Real, between East 3rd and East 4th avenues, framing one gateway into the downtown.212 One such gas station was a Spanish Colonial Revival service station at the corner of Palm Avenue and South Bend Boulevard (extant, 1641 Palm Avenue).

The city’s most popular commercial businesses, Wisnom’s Hardware and Levy Bros were also early adopters of the automobile business. Edmond Levy, son of Fernand Levy, traveled to Detroit by train in 1916 and drove cross-country back to San Mateo to prove the durability of new Buicks. Levy Bros then purchased the first rail shipment of Buicks and were agents until 1927.213 The Wisnom family, also a multigenerational San Mateo business, continued Robert Wisnom’s legacy in 1905 when Robert J., his brother William, and Robert Bonner opened Wisnom-Bonner Hardware at 2nd and Ellsworth Avenues (201 2nd Avenue, extant).
214 The Wisnom-Bonner Hardware store was a Dodge
dealership, and also provided service for Dodge automobiles (Figure 43).

Figure 43 c. 1910 Image of Wisnom-Bonner Hardware at 2nd and Ellsworth with Dodge Dealership Sign
Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection 211 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1920. 212 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1920, revised 1950. 213 Stanger, Levy Bros: A Centennial History, 1872-1972, 28. 214 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 125.
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Beyond meeting the city’s growing population’s necessities, the commercial development during this period began to include enterprises related to entertainment and recreation. The San Mateo Theater opened on 3rd Avenue in 1925. Designed by architects William I. Garren and Irving F. Marrow, the 1200-seat theater had a popular Neo-Classical design with Art Deco elements (Figure 44). 215 A second
movie theater was added to downtown in 1931 when Baywood Theater was built (159 B Street, nonextant). Designed by Simeon Charles Lee, it featured an Art Deco design.216 Other entertainment venues during this period included other businesses along B Street and 3rd Avenue, like billiards halls.

Figure 44 San Mateo Theater, 1925
Source: Los Angeles Public Library, Library Legacy Collection Other entertainment businesses began appearing outside of the downtown area. Before the city’s incorporation, Coyote Point was beyond the city limits. First inhabited by Native Americans, it was eventually sold to the Mellus & Howard shipping firm in 1850, who connected the once-island to the mainland. In the 1880s, it had a swimming tank and bath houses popular with weekenders from San Francisco.
217 Still owned by the Howard Estate Company in 1922, its manager David Stollery saw an opportunity for an entertainment business. A group of investors formed the Pacific City Corporation and purchased nearly 350 acres, 250 of which was submerged land, to create a theme park to rival New York’s Coney Island. By late Spring 1922, Pacific City included landscaping, ferris wheel, rides, bath house, band stand, pier, and playground in addition to the beach. A success in its first year, it did not last, due in part of contamination from the growing bayside communities of San Mateo and 215 “San Mateo Theater,” Los Angeles Public Library, accessed October 1, 2025, at https://tessa2.lapl.org/digital/collection/photos/id/111652. 216 “Baywood Theater,” Cinema Treasures, accessed October 10, 2025, at https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/9547. 217 “A History of Coyote Point,” CuriOdyssey at Coyote Point, accessed October 10, 2025, at https://curiodyssey.org/wpcontent/uploads/2017/03/History.pdf. 546 of 976
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Burlingame into the bay that restricted swimming.
218 It closed in 1925 and the Howard Estate
Company purchased the land back, eventually selling it to the city in 1940. 219
In 1934, William P. Kyne (1887–1957) opened Bay Meadows racetrack on a portion of Dave McLellan’s former Beresford ranch. A powerhouse in the racing industry, Kyne was responsible for introducing pari-mutuel betting, the daily double, night racing, and quarter horse racing to California.

Bay Meadows (non-extant) became one of the busiest racetracks in the country and hosted many of the most famous horses, including Seabiscuit.
220 Bay Meadows was the only racetrack on the West
Coast operating during World War II. As part of its agreement for continued operation, over 90 percent of the track’s profits were leveraged to support the war effort, with over $4 million donated to war relief and service organizations.221

CIVIC AND INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The need for expanded services was stark in the aftermath of the 1906 Earthquake. Elisabeth Mills Reid, daughter of Darius Ogden Mills and Jane Templeton Mills, was visiting her family from New York in 1906 and saw a need for an adequate hospital. Up to this point, the city’s medical needs were met by doctors making house calls.

In 1905 the San Mateo Medical Society was formed by a group of 16 doctors, but there were no hospitals or emergency facilities between Palo Alto and San Francisco. Reid, having organized the New York chapter of the Red Cross in 1881, recruited Dr. W.C. Chidester to develop an emergency care facility. The effort was supported by Neptune Blood William Gallwey, rector at the Episcopal Church of St. Matthew. Between 1906 and 1907, a corner of the church property was set aside for a modest building to house the parish nurse and a patient’s room for emergencies. Reid, back in New York by this time, lead the search for a head nurse, and hired Miss Beatrice H. “Woody” Woodard.222 Woody arrived in 1907 to a high demand for services. By 1908, the six-bed facility operated as the first private hospital in San Mateo County. First called the Church of St. Matthew Red Cross Guild, it had no connection to the Red Coss and, though on church property, served everyone. At the hospital’s dedication in 1908, the Bishop stated that it was “to meet the needs of suffering humanity, irrespective of religious or racial affiliations.”223
Immediately popular, the facilities were expanded. In 1909, Reid and her cousin Henry H. Taylor purchased the old San Mateo Hotel for a nurses’ residence. In 1910 Reid purchased the Taylor estate land at El Camino Real to construct a facility to accommodate 50 patients.224 Architect Lewis Hobart designed the new building, which was completed in 1914 in a French Gothic style (extant, northwest portion of hospital).225 The hospital was expanded in 1928, with a Hobart-designed addition, increasing capacity to 147 beds.226 Renamed the Church of St. Matthew Mills Memorial Hospital, it continued to expand in the following decades, with notable growth after World War II. 218 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 187.
219 “A History of Coyote Point,” CuriOdyssey at Coyote Point, accessed October 10, 2025, at https://curiodyssey.org/wpcontent/uploads/2017/03/History.pdf. 220 Ringler, San Mateo, USA: The Golden Years, 35.
221 Herb Phipps, Bill Kyne of Bay Meadows: The Man Who Brought Horse Racing Back to California (A.S Barnes and Co, 1978), 82-101 referenced in Mitchell P. Postel, “Armed Forces Presence in San Mateo County During World War II,” La Peninsula, Vol. xliv, No. 2, 13. 222 M. Morrison, The Hospital Elisabeth Built, (Mills Memorial Hospital, n.d), 6. 223 Morrison, The Hospital Elisabeth Built, 8.
224 Morrison, The Hospital Elisabeth Built, 20.
225 Morrison, The Hospital Elisabeth Built, 22.
226 Morrison, The Hospital Elisabeth Built, 23.
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The city’s medical services further expanded when the San Mateo County Community hospital was planned in 1919. Land for the hospital was purchased by the County, and architect William Toepke designed the building (non-extant) which opened in 1923 to serve patients with communicable diseases.
227 It was expanded in 1929 with a tuberculosis unit and expanded again in 1934 with a 51- bed third unit. It was extensively updated following World War II.228 In addition to medical services, the City’s municipal services expanded significantly after incorporation and during the period of exponential growth after the 1906 Earthquake. In 1910, following a campaign lead by the San Mateo Women’s Club, the City received $10,000 from the Carnegie Foundation for the construction of a library at San Mateo Drive and 2nd Avenue (nonextant).229 In 1914, a City Hall building was constructed at 215 South B Street (extant, altered). Built by Caldwell & Wisnom, it served as City Hall until 1961.230 The City’s police department was established in 1917 when Thomas F. Burke was hired as the first Marshal and then Police Chief in 1922.231 Burke, who also served as Fire Chief, professionalized both bodies. First operating out of City Hall, by 1939, the Police Department headquarters was in a one-story building at 11 South B Street (extant) (Figure 45). The Fire Department headquarters was at 2nd Avenue and Main Street in the City Hall building before being moved to a new Spanish Colonial Revival-style station at 120 South Ellsworth (extant) in 1939.
232
227 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 181.
228 Darold Fredericks, “Evolution of the County Hospital,” April 1, 2025, at https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/evolution-of-thecounty-hospital/article_8d14e9f2-28a8-541b-a249-46d2d6021a00.html. 229 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 144.
230 “San Mateo City Hall Contracts Awarded,” The Bulletin, February 17, 1914, https://www.newspapers.com/image/994878855/?match=1&terms=%22san%20mateo%20city%20hall%22; City of San Mateo Planning Division, Downtown San Mateo Historic Self-Guided Walking Tour, 9, April 2019, online, https://dsma.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/DTHistoric-Tour-Final.pdf. 231 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 148.
232 “City Hall is Nearly Empty,” San Mateo Times, August 16, 1940, https://www.newspapers.com/image/38862185/?match=1&terms=san%20mateo%20fire%20department%20headquarters. 548 of 976
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Figure 45 San Mateo Police Headquarters 1939
Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection San Mateo High School District was established in 1902, and the high school moved to the former St.

Margaret’s School for Girls campus on Baldwin Avenue in 1903 until a new building was constructed in 1911.233 The new, three-story concrete reinforced building at San Mateo Drive and Baldwin Avenue (non-extant) had 25 classrooms, lab space, and an assembly hall and was designed by Havens & Toepke architects.
234 In 1926, to accommodate a growing student population, a new San Mateo High School was built on Delaware Street (extant; reconstructed in 2005).235 Designed by architects and brothers Col. E.L. Norberg and John Norberg, it was meant to resemble England’s Hampton Court.236 Elementary education facilities also expanded significantly during this period. In 1914, the city’s first Parent Teacher Association was established.237 They established the city’s first kindergarten. During this period, several neighborhood schools were founded including Borel School in 1929 (extant as a middle school) and Baywood Elementary School (extant) in 1939.238 San Mateo also established higher education institutions during this period with the founding of San Mateo Junior College in 233 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 124, 120.
234 “New $100,000 San Mateo High School Completed Opening Exercises Friday May 5” Peninsula Times Tribune, April 27, 1911, https://www.newspapers.com/image/838227866/?match=1&terms=san%20mateo%20high%20school%20. 235 “San Mateo Union High School District,” The Daily Journal, September 6, 2025, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/san-mateounion-high-school-district/article_8157473e-b8bc-4864-8a63-2895d2d658e4.html. 236 “E.L. Norberg is Architect for New High School Plan,” San Mateo Times, March 5, 1926, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51637841/?match=1&terms=%22norberg%22%20%22san%20mateo%20high%22. 237 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 144.
238 Heather Murtagh, “Baywood Celebrates Historic Status,” The Daily Journal, June 12, 2017, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/baywood-celebrates-historic-status/article_dbc45706-26c2-57d4-82bb-ca25aaedd29d.html. 549 of 976
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1922. First housed in the San Mateo High School building downtown, it moved to William H. Kohl’s former mansion (non-extant) in 1923 for four years before returning to the former San Mateo High School building after it relocated to its new campus (Figure 46). In 1939, a new campus opened at North Delaware and Peninsula Avenues, but development was curtailed by World War II. It moved to its current campus following the war in 1963.239
Figure 46 College of San Mateo Students at Kohl Mansion Location, c. 1925 Source: College of San Mateo PHLIP Project
During this period, the fraternal and society groups that emerged in the previous period grew and expanded, and many catered to the city’s elite. In 1906, Edward Howard founded the San Mateo Polo Club, which used several private estate lands for matches. 240 The club’s first clubhouse is in presentday Hillsborough (Hillsborough Racquet Club – extant). In 1926, the Borel family sold a portion of their estate to the San Mateo Polo Club for fields and grandstands, but the city’s new sanitation orders in 1931 made horse ownership more difficult and the land was subdivided for residential development.241 In 1911, wealthy Jewish residents founded the Beresford Country Club (present-day Peninsula Golf and Country) in response to restrictive membership policies at Burlingame Country Club. By 1914, the land south of San Mateo included a Tudor Revival clubhouse and an 18-hole golf course. 242
Several other civic groups and institutions flourished during this period, including the San Mateo’s Women’s Club, established in 1903, who were instrumental in constructing the library. Other civic 239 “History of the San Mateo Community College District,” College of San Mateo, accessed October 13, 2025, https://collegeofsanmateo.edu/generalinformation/history_smcccd.asp. 240 Philip Alexander and Charles P. Hamm, History of San Mateo County (Burlingame Publishing Company, 1916), 181. 241 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 160.
242 Mitchell Postel, Historic Resource Study for Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Mateo County (Washington, DC: US Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 2010), at https://npshistory.com/publications/goga/hrs-san-mateo.pdf/. 550 of 976
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grounds were dedicated to improvements like roads and beautification, like the Civic Club and the Auxiliary Civic Club.243 The City’s first municipal park, San Mateo Central Park, was established when the City purchased the former Kohl estate in 1922. Early improvements included a baseball field and grandstands for the City’s amateur baseball club, the San Mateo Blue.244 By the 1920s, San Mateo had an Elks Lodge, Masonic Lodge, and a Rotary Lodge. The Masonic Lodge built a temple at 303 Tilton Avenue (extant), while the Elks Lodge owned 336 B Street (non-extant).

As seen in the previous period, communities organized places of worship. Many of the churches were damaged in the 1906 Earthquake. The Congregation Church of San Mateo’s steeple collapsed, but avoided more significant damage and was expanded with a new building in 1931. 245 St. Matthew’s
Catholic Church was damaged and had to be dismantled and rebuilt.246 The roof of Episcopal Church of St. Matthew was extensively damaged in the quake, and the church decided to rebuild the church rather than repair or restore it. The new Gothic-style church building, designed by architect Willis Polk, was consecrated on May 15, 1910.247
As the city’s population became more diverse, more faiths also established churches in San Mateo.

The First Methodist Church opened at 300 East Santa Inez in 1905 and is purported to be the oldest continuously used church building in San Mateo (extant, now the Unitarian Universalists of San Mateo) (Figure 47, Figure 48).
248 The First Church of Christ, Scientist began in San Mateo when two residents opened their house at the corner of Tilton Avenue and Elm Street for Christian Science services in 1897. By 1907, the congregation grew and the church was incorporated. The small group first met at Froebel Hall on Ellsworth Avenue before moving to the newly erected Masonic Lodge in 1910. The church purchased a lot at the corner of El Camino Real and Monte Diablo Avenue in 1919 and construction of the new church began in May 1928, and it was dedicated on October 20, 1935.249 243 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 118–119.
244 “100 Years of Central Park,” The San Mateo Arboretum Society, accessed October 19, 2025, at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HJPSrdkZ4NrNX3pE8jNfz_o5AmvEYE2E/view. 245 Samson So, “Finding a Family: Congregational Church of San Mateo Celebrates 150 Years,” May 24, 2014, at https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/finding-a-family-congregational-church-of-san-mateo-celebrates-150-years/article_46267c25- c0dc-5056-b545-ed8549479893.html.
246 “History: Early Days,” Saint Matthew Catholic Church, accessed October 1, 2025, at https://www.stmatthew-parish.org/page.cfm?p=778. 247 The Reverend Robert Louis Semes, Of These Stones, 8. 248 “First Methodist Church, San Mateo, California,” accessed October 7, 2025, at https://californiarevealed.org/do/4e8d03c8-9127-453a8084-9bc051073373. 249 “About Our Church,” First Church of Christ, Scientist, accessed October 7, 2025, at http://www.cschurchsanmateo.org/about-ourchurch/. 551 of 976
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Figure 47 The First Methodist Church, c. 1905
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Figure 48 Current View of the First Methodist Church
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
San Mateo’s suburbanization during this period was possible by its evolving transportation options and favorable location near San Francisco and surrounding communities. The improved transportation connections supported an emerging middle class. In 1896, transportation options increased with the arrival of the newly organized San Francisco and San Mateo Electric Railway.250 As the region’s first electric railroad, it was granted franchise into San Mateo to serve as its terminus, in 1900. Sold to United Railroads of San Francsico in 1902, construction on the San Mateo line, or interurban, began in October of that year. By 1910, 54 cars left San Mateo each weekday, traveling a similar route to the current Caltrain alignment, before continuing along San Mateo Drive to B Street and returning north via Ellsworth Avenue.
251 It boosted San Mateo’s residential development, similar to many of the streetcar suburbs that emerged throughout the country during this time. By 1915, however, the Peninsula Rapid Transit Company began running a bus line. Unlike the streetcar, it did not have to pay for the franchise. The No. 40 streetcar line continued to run into the 1940s, when it was supplanted in 1949 by the popularization and increased accessibility of the automobile.252 The availability of the personal automobile in the 1920s lead to El Camino Real being established as the first highway in San Mateo. By the early 1920s, however, as the only connection between San Francisco and San José, traffic became intolerable to drivers. In 1924, the first section of the San 250 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 125.
251 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 126.
252 “Meet Me in San Mateo on the #40 Line,” The Daily Journal, April 2, 2025, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/meet-me-in-sanmateo-on-the-40-line/article_935cab68-4572-53a6-a0f1-5143ac452322.html. 553 of 976
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Mateo County section of the highway was planned to span from South San Fransico to San Mateo.253 In October 1929, Bayshore Highway opened, and relieved some of the pressure on El Camino Real.

Built to the highest standard of the time, the highway included two lanes of traffic in each direction and by the 1940s was 100 feet wide with three lanes in each direction (Figure 49). It did not, however, have a center median and drivers commonly traveled above the posted speed limit, making it one of the most dangerous roads in the county. By 1940, traffic congestion and growing fatalities lead to the establishment of the Bayshore Freeway from San Francisco to Palo Alto. It was a separate high-speed roadway with on-ramps.254
Figure 49 Bayshore Highway to Coyote Point, 1928
Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection During this period, trans-bay automobile travel also became possible when the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge (also called the San Francisco Bay Toll Bridge) opened in 1929.255 The 7-mile bridge was comprised of 1,278 25-foot spans resting on concrete and wood composite piles across the shallow bay. The bridge was designed by Raymond Concrete Pile Co. and was planned to take approximately 18 months to construct.256 Bogged down by several delays, when completed in 1929, it was the longest continual vertical lift highway bridge in the world.257 Despite the popularity of the personal automobile, the bridge was not heavily used during its first years of operation and suffered low usage and low toll fares during the Great Depression (Figure 50).258 253 “Contract Award to Smash Peninsula Chinese Wall,” San Francisco Chronicle, August 10, 1924, https://www.newspapers.com/image/1235459138/?match=1&terms=State%20Action%20On%20New%20Road%20Cause%20Of%20Joy. 254 Jacquiline Kious, “Bayshore Highway,” accessed October 10, 2025, at https://www.ssf.net/files/assets/public/v/1/ourcity/documents/bayshore-highway_.pdf. 255 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 178.
256 Redwood City Tribune, “San Mateo Bridge Due to Be Ready Before July, 1929; Here are Facts, Figures, January 4, 1928, https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/841934976/?match=1&terms=san%20mateo%20hayward%20bridge. 257 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 187.
258 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 191.
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Figure 50 San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, 1929
Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
From the turn of the twentieth century to the years immediately preceding World War II, industrial development in San Mateo consisted of salt refining and harvesting along the bay shore, agriculture, and lumber milling and storage, and blacksmithing.259 By 1897, locally prominent builder, Robert Wisnom, maintained a lumber yard on the west side of B Street, just north of 2nd Avenue. By 1920, Wisnom Lumber Co. developed a larger complex with a mill and cabinet shop with a spur connecting to the Southern Pacific Railroad at 4th Avenue and South Railroad Avenue. The San Mateo Planing Mill Co. developed its own facility at 5th Avenue an C Street, immediately east of the railroad.260 In 1903, C.E. Whitney, who worked in the dredging business for August H. Schilling, acquired 200 acres of land east of the railroad tracks in San Mateo where he established a salt harvesting operation known first as C.E. Whitney Company and later the Leslie Salt Refining Company. Whitney employed many Japanese laborers at his San Mateo plant, which was located just north of the present-day Highway 92 overpass; a site that provided extensive marshland and was close to the railroad. In 1907, the Leslie Salt Company was formed through the merger and consolidation of Whitney’s company with the businesses of other industrialists. The plant continued to operate until 1931, when C.E. Whitney’s successor Arthur Whitney died.261 259 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 125.
260 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1920, revised 1950. 261 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 155-116.
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Excluding the salt works, San Mateo did not factor in significantly to other major industries such as logging or agriculture, beyond a concentration of flower farms that emerged during the twentieth century. Many of the flower farms relied heavily on Japanese labor, as the Leslie Salt Company had.262 For a short period, San Mateo sought to be a new center for the film industry following an aggressive booster campaign that began after World War I. Pacific Studios was constructed in 1920 at a 103-acre parcel east of the railroad and south of Peninsula Avenue by architects Roy Purnel and Harold Stoner.

The studio included plans for sets, labs, cutting rooms, and offices. Only one stage set and an administration building (extant, 430 Peninsula Avenue) was completed, however.263 Open from 1920 until 1927, only one feature length film, White Hands (1921), was shot at the studio. Work on several unfinished films continued for several years, but the arrival of talking movies made the set obsolete and the property was sold.264

CULTURAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS
As San Mateo grew significantly during this period, so did the diversity of its ethnic makeup. In 1935– 1940, an agency of the federal government, the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation, graded the residential security of neighborhoods across the United States. The practice, which came to be known as redlining, assigned a risk level to neighborhoods that was used by banks and mortgage lenders to decide on what neighborhoods to invest. The practice included declaring neighborhoods with high concentrations, or “infiltrations,” of African Americans, immigrants, and Jewish people as hazardous.265 Though the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation map was not published for San Mateo County, a related practice to redlining—the use of restrictive covenants—was common. The use of restrictive covenants excluded minority access to several of the city’s neighborhoods and promoted a Whites only policy.266 During this period, immigration bans like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was still in place; alien land laws banned those ineligible for U.S. citizenship from owning property, and anti-miscegenation laws barred interracial marriage.267 Despite all of the challenges faced by nonWhite and immigrant populations during this period, several cultural and ethnic communities emerged in San Mateo.

Chinese
The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 significantly limited Chinese immigration to the United States. The anti-Chinese laws were so severe that the Chinese population in California declined by 40 percent from 1880 to 1900.
268 During this period, however, San Mateo’s Chinese population changed very little and there was a small Chinatown around 1st Avenue. By 1897, Chinese businesses included laundries and a grocer along blocks nearby the Southern Pacific Depot in San Mateo.269 A 1920 Sanborn map describes several buildings as having Chinese uses, while the neighboring block of buildings was designated as Japanese (Figure 51). This concentration demonstrates a statewide trend 262 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 125.
263 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 183.
264 Joan Levy, “We Could Have Been a Contender at the Oscars,” The Daily Journal, October 2, 2006, at https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/we-could-have-been-a-contender-at-the-oscars/article_88ef319a-1224-5a7d-b60cc2ab9d2314f4.html. . 265 “Mapping Inequality,” University of Richmond, accessed October 10, 2025, at https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/. 266 Larry W. Ellis, “In Search of Home: A Case Study on the Housing Inequities in San Mateo County, California,” (PhD diss., Union University & Institute, 221), 14.
267 Albert A. Acena, “Chinese Americans in San Mateo County,” La Peninsula Vol. XLIII, No. 2, 2015, 4. 268 Michael Chang, “150 Years of Chinese Lives in the Santa Clara Valley,” (Cupertino Historical Society, 1997), 12. 269Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1897. 556 of 976
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during this period where distinct Chinatowns, Japantowns, and Filipinotowns developed in towns and cities. They often developed close to each other and other ethnic communities in the less desirable areas where minorities were relegated by law.”270
The Leong family migrated to San Mateo during this period, having first arrived from China to Oakland in 1913. Sam Shun Leong bought a successful fruit and vegetable route in San Mateo in 1931. His son, Gordon, who was delivering flowers, borrowed $150 from him in 1933 to open a flower shop, named Ah Sam in honor of his father. The shop, eventually located on El Camino Real and 28th Avenue, soon included Gordon’s siblings, children, and extended family. The store, still operating today, is in its third generation of Leong ownership.271 Figure 51 1920 Map Showing San Mateo’s Chinese and Japanese Businesses Source: Sanborn Map Company, 1920
African Americans
At the turn of the century, many African American laborers worked as Pullman porters on the railroad. The city’s African American population grew as the city suburbanized. Noah Williams, a 270 Page & Turnbull, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders In California, 1850-1995” National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form (Washington D.C.: US Department of Interior, National Park Service, 2024), 12. 271 “A San Mateo Institution,” Ah Sam Floral Co., accessed October 7, 2025, at https://www.ahsam.com/about/ourhistory/?srsltid=AfmBOopRiH0t5hG3EjBQ93X5-eXai6crhL3LwqBs1gAoQwwgURRwXPZC. 557 of 976
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famous railroad chef, opened a restaurant, Noah’s Cafeteria, at 139 South B Street in 1920.272 Following up his success at his restaurant in San Francisco’s renowned Palace Hotel, Noah’s was instantly popular. In 1923, he moved the restaurant to 3rd Avenue and renamed it Noah’s Ark. The restaurant was noted for its fried chicken and baked ham, as well as its impressive décor including large format paintings of jungle scenes. The paintings are on display at the San Mateo County Historical Association Museum.273 During this period, Williams also appears to have owned a grocery store with his wife, Mabel, who worked as a cashier. They lived at 114 South Delaware Street (extant).

Their neighbor at 112 South Delaware Street, Harry Cox, was also African American and worked as a clerk for a cafeteria, potentially Williams’.274 In addition to neighbors, Williams also employed several family members. The restaurant served primarily Whites as Noah’s wife worked the front of house area and could pass as White, while Noah worked in the kitchen. Noah “closed” the restaurant on Mondays for the exclusive use of Black customers. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People held meetings at Noah’s Ark, but the restaurant closed in 1931 due to the Great Depression (Figure 52).
275 Noah’s family, however, remained in San Mateo. Noah’s son, Les, became a well-known dancer in the 1930s. During World War II, Les went on to become one of the 996 African American airmen known as the Tuskegee Airmen.276 Les attended Standford University on the G.I. Bill after the war and opened a dance studio on San Mateo Drive.277 After City Council approved his permit for the dance school by a vote of 3 to 2, a woman threw her purse at him in anger. Other San Mateans, however, sent him unsolicited checks and enrolled their children in his classes in support.278 272 Joan Levy, “Noted African-Americans in Early County History,” The Daily Journal, February 9, 2004, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/noted-african-americans-in-early-county-history/article_63ee461e-8ed9-11e9-89b2- 0759222fabe1.html.
273 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 168.
274 Eve Simister, “The African American Great Migration and San Mateo County,” La Peninsula, Vol. XLIV, No. 1, 4; U.S. Federal Census 1930, at https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/records/92975710. 275 Simister, “The African American Great Migration and San Mateo County,” 14; U.S. Federal Census 1930, at https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/records/92975710. 276 “Les Williams CSM Class of 1939,” College of San Mateo, accessed October 20, 2025, at https://www.collegeofsanmateo.edu/100/cf_leswilliams.php. 277 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 169.
278 “Les Williams CSM Class of 1939,” College of San Mateo, accessed October 20, 2025, at https://www.collegeofsanmateo.edu/100/cf_leswilliams.php. 558 of 976
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Figure 52 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Dinner at Noah’s Ark, c. 1925
Source: San Mateo County Historical Association (SMCHA_1971-154A-006) During this period, San Mateo’s African American population was concentrated in the North Central neighborhood, along Monte Diablo Avenue, North Fremont Street, and Cypress Avenue. According to available census records, families who lived in the neighborhood worked as cafeteria workers, barbers, cooks, and were employees at the salt works.279 By 1919, the community organized a church. Community leaders like Robert Holmes, Jesse Selby, Anita Miles, Robert Williams, Kelly Mack, Rose Jones, William Pinkstone, Mary J. Boutee, E.M. Brown, Mamie Davis, and Harry Cox, lead the effort with the help of Reverend J.B. Holmes from Oakland.280 The church, African M.E. Zion Church of San Mateo, grew out of temporary quarters within the Congregational Church at Tilton Avenue and San Mateo Drive and in 1927 the congregation constructed a new building at 803 Monte Diablo Avenue, named St. James African Episcopal (now African Methodist Episcopal [A.M.E.]) Zion Church.

In 1938, the church moved to 825 Monte Diablo Avenue (extant, altered). 281
The Pilgrim Baptists faced opposition during planning to construct a church in 1935. The congregation wanted to exchange a lot they owned on Cypress Avenue for a City-owned corner lot at Monte Diablo Avenue and North Grant Street. In November 1935, Revered Sample went to City Council for permission to construct the church. City Council expressed concern, questioning if a dance hall was included in the plans. Sample replied, “dancing feet and bended knees don’t go together.”282 Just as council was to approve the exchange and permission to construct the church in January 1936, 21 neighboring property owners filed a protest requesting Council to reconsider the matter, apparently 279 U.S. Federal Census 1930, accessed October 2025, at https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/records/92975710. 280 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 167.
281 “Our History,” St James A.M.E. Zion Church, 2024, at https://www.stjamessanmateo.org/about/#history. 282 “Council Hears Arguments for Church on Cypress Street,” San Mateo Times, November 5, 1935, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51685586/?match=1&terms=%22pilgrim%20baptist%22. 559 of 976
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concerned that two African American churches on the same block would somehow damage the neighborhood.
283 At the February 1936 City Council meeting, a one-hour debate occurred, but the Council were united in their support of the project.284 After the Council hearing, Revered Sample penned a Letter to the Editor of the San Mateo Times outlining the need for the church stating:
we feel that it is not generally understood by the majority of people that this is the only Negro Baptist church between San Francisco and San Jose consequentially we serve the spiritual needs of five to six hundred people in San Mateo and the surrounding communities.285
Upon project approval, Sample thanked the Council saying, “you have been very kind to us, and we have been very patient with you.”286 One City Councilman, Aylett Cotton, who went on to become a Superior Court judge, supported the cause early on and was invited to speak at the church when it opened in 1937 (extant, altered).
287
Japanese
By the turn of the twentieth century, Japanese were settled in San Mateo, having arrived during the 1890s. Similar to San Mateo’s Chinese and African American communities during this period, may Japanese immigrants worked as support staff such as gardeners, maids, and cooks at the many area estates. Like California’s Chinese communities of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Japanese communities were predominantly home to single men who emigrated from Japan and provided agricultural labor. The 1907–1908 Gentleman’s Agreement between the United States and Japan resulted in an increase in female immigration.288 In San Mateo, many domestic workers worked short hours in private houses to attend language classes. Some became permanent, full-time workers. When domestic workers married, it was common for husband and wife to work in the same household.289
As San Mateo welcomed more commerce and industry in the early 1900s, many Japanese found work outside domestic labor. In 1901, a notable number of Japanese people immigrated to San Mateo County to work at the salt works, West Shore Company and Leslie Salt Works.290 By 1910, a Japanese employment agency, helped match newly arrived Japanese to local work opportunities.291 Workers at Leslie Salt Works were single men who typically worked 12-hour days, six days a week.

Sahioue Kawakita tended the boiler at the plant from 1910 until 1930 and witnessed hazardous working conditions that often caused injury to workers.292 In addition to the working conditions, the associated labor camps (non-extant) for worker housing were often crude, unsafe, and spread 283 “Tree Planting for Homestead,” San Mateo Times, January 21, 1936, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51682020/?match=1&terms=%22pilgrim%20baptist%22. 284 “S.M. Council Calls Tri-City Water Meet,” San Mateo Times, February 4, 1936, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51683123/?match=1&terms=%22pilgrim%20baptist%22. 285 “Letters to the Editor,” San Mateo Times, February 8, 1936, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51683216/?match=1&terms=%22pilgrim%20baptist%22. 286 “Widening of Aves. Ordered,” San Mateo Times, January 7, 1936. 287 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 168.
288 Page & Turnbull, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders In California, 1850-1995,” 35. 289 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, (San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1981), 17. 290 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 19. 291 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 17. 292 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 19. 560 of 976
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communicable diseases like tuberculosis. Despite the hardship, workers saved money to send to family or to purchase their own property.293
Tomisuke Ito, among the earliest known Japanese residents of San Mateo, worked for the Mitsui Company in Japan and immigrated to the United States in the 1880s, where he found work as a domestic servant.294 In 1903, he became the first Japanese to purchase land in San Mateo County and built a one-story apartment building, nicknamed nagaya or “long house” on a three-lot property at 112 North Fremont Street (non-extant). The nagaya “was a way station for many Japanese families who stayed until they found other housing.”295 The property also hosted meetings, parties, and included a teahouse and bathhouse.296
Figure 53 Nagaya at 112 North F Street (now Fremont Street) on 1920 Sanborn Map
Source: Sanborn Map Company, 1920.

Additionally, Japanese who saved money and/or obtained loans from fellow community members through rotating credit, tanomoshi, established businesses that served the Japanese community.

These included the Yokohama Laundry at Tilton Avenue and North Eldorado Street, established as the city’s first Japanese laundry in 1900 by S. Sato and K. Katoaka; Tetsuo Yamanouchi’s Imperial Laundry at 214 1st Avenue; Konosuke Ito’s Depot Hand Laundry at 247 Railroad Avenue; and Kyusuke Yamaguchi’s Sunrise Cleaners at 151 B Street, which were established between 1908 and 1912 (all non-extant) (Figure 54). Into the Great Depression years of the 1930s, there were nine Japaneseoperated cleaning or laundry businesses in San Mateo, in addition to informal operations based in homes.297
293 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 21. 294 Gayle K. Yamada and Dianne Fukami, Building and Community: The Story of Japanese Americans in San Mateo County, edited by Diane Yen-Mei Wong, (San Mateo Chapter JACL 2003), 5.
295 Yamada and Dianne Fukami, Building and Community: The Story of Japanese Americans in San Mateo County, 5–7. 296 Yamada and Dianne Fukami, Building and Community: The Story of Japanese Americans in San Mateo County, 5–7. 297 Yamada and Dianne Fukami, Building and Community: The Story of Japanese Americans in San Mateo County, 18–20. 561 of 976
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Figure 54 Mr. Yamanouchi at Imperial Laundry, 1909
Source: Watanuki Family Collection
In addition to cleaning and laundry, Japanese proprietors worked as tailors, grocers, and in the floral industry. Businesses included the Hata Merchant Tailor Shop (non-extant) at 122 B Street, opened in 1901, and Tokutaro Takahashi’s Oriental grocery and merchandise store, originally located on B Street, and relocated several times under multi-generational ownership, and most recently to 221 South Claremont Street by 2003 (Figure 55).
298
Figure 55 Takahashi Market 221 South Claremont
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
298 Yamada and Dianne Fukami, Building and Community: The Story of Japanese Americans in San Mateo County, 22–25. 562 of 976
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The floral industry, primarily chrysanthemums, emerged on the Peninsula after the 1906 Earthquake.

San Mateo became known as the “Floral City” beginning the in early 1900s, because growers sought the advantageous climate offered in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties while maintaining access to markets in San Francisco.299 The floral industry in San Mateo County grew significantly between 1910 and 1925 due to the physical expansion of farms and production of roses, carnations, gardenias, and lilies, in addition to chrysanthemums.300
Fields in the Beresford and Homestead areas were leased for flower cultivation. Renting land was the only choice for people after the passage of the Henry-Webb Alien Land Law in 1913 that prohibited non-citizens from owning land.301 Into the mid-1920s, the present-day Hillsdale area was among the chrysanthemum-growing locations in San Mateo, with San Mateo-based nursery proprietors including Seishiro Mayeda, Tokujiro Tanaka, and Saikichi Yamada.302 In 1935, San Mateo’s Bay Meadows racetrack hosted the San Mateo County Products and Floral Fiesta, where it was noted that “Japanese gardeners sent a pyramid of yellow chrysanthemums.”303 The Floral Fiesta was the precursor to the San Mateo County Fair. By 1939, 38 percent of Northern California’s Japanese flower growers were in San Mateo County.304
Japanese settlements grew with the establishment of cultural institutions such as Buddhist temples, Christian churches, Japanese language schools (gakuen) and other businesses that served Japanese residents.305 San Mateo’s Japanese built community through religious associations and organized local Buddhist and Christian churches. Imperial Laundry owner Tetsuo Yamanouchi served as the Buddhist church’s founding spiritual leader, and his wife Yoshiko organized the church’s Sunday School and Women’s Auxiliary. In 1910, the San Mateo’s Buddhist church was established through affiliation with the San Francisco Buddhist Church and began operating independently with 60 members in 1925. Services were first held in the Yamanouchi home at 1st Avenue and Ellsworth Street, then they relocated to an adjacent store before moving to the Japanese Language School at 504 2nd Avenue (Figure 56). Property was acquired at 504 2nd Avenue in 1940 to construct a temple, however, World War II halted construction until after the war. 306
299 Yamada and Dianne Fukami, Building and Community: The Story of Japanese Americans in San Mateo County, 29. 300 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 53. 301 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 142.
302 Yamada and Dianne Fukami, Building and Community: The Story of Japanese Americans in San Mateo County, 29. 303 “Peninsula’s Big Floral Fiesta Opens,” The San Francisco Examiner, October 12, 1935, https://www.newspapers.com/image/457996476/?match=1&terms=%22floral%20fiesta%22%20%22japanese%22. 304 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 55. 305 Page & Turnbull, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders In California, 1850-1995,” 35. 306 Yamada and Dianne Fukami, Building and Community: The Story of Japanese Americans in San Mateo County, 38–40. 563 of 976
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Figure 56 Buddhist Church Members, 1936
Source: Watanuki Family Collection
In 1924, the Japanese Christian Church was founded and held services at the home of Hidematsu Tamura on Grant Street, before relocating to worship space in the Congregational Church on Tilton Avenue. In 1927, the congregation, led by physician Dr. Ernest Adolphus Sturge, became the Japanese Independent Union Church of San Mateo. The congregation acquired property at 25 South Humboldt Street in 1930 and received funds from Dr. Sturge’s estate supporting construction of the Sturge Memorial Cottage in 1938. Like the San Mateo Buddhist Temple, World War II impacted the full development of the Sturge Memorial Cottage property.307 Japanese and Japanese-Americans participated in social organizations. The Japanese Association of America was founded in 1900 and San Mateo’s chapter organized in 1906. Its first meeting included 50 people, led by President Sekko Shimada. The organization sponsored social events like annual picnics and Sumo tournaments. Shimada arrived from Japan in 1902 as a guest of prominent San Matean Henry Bowie, who studied art in Kyoto.308 During this period, Bowie, then considered a leading expert in Japan, designed a Japanese tea garden at his San Mateo residence. A portion of Bowie’s estate, including a portion of the Japanese tea garden, was sold to Eugene Henry de Sabla in 1906. de Sabla constructed his own estate house on the property and expanded the “Shin” style gardens with the assistance of Japanese master designer Makoto Hagiwara (1854–1925), who also 307 Yamada and Dianne Fukami, Building and Community: The Story of Japanese Americans in San Mateo County, 40–41. 308 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 35. 564 of 976
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designed the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. Japanese gardener Naoharu Aihara (1870– 1940) may have also been involved in de Sabla’s garden design, which is extant.309 Between 1904 and 1942, 589 children were born to Issei, or first generation Japanese immigrants.310 Many Issei wanted to return to Japan and wanted their children to be fluent in reading and writing Japanese. To address the need, several Japanese Language Schools opened in San Mateo County during this period. A Japanese Language School (gakuen) opened in San Mateo in 1916 at the corner of South Delaware Street and 2nd Avenue. The schools also taught Japanese music, literature, art, and social customs and traditions.311 In addition to Japanese school, second generation Japanese, or Nisei, participated in other children’s activities like athletic leagues or judo and kendo clubs.312 Nisei in San Mateo County organized around issues surrounding their community, such as civil rights.

In 1930 the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) became a national organization. The San Mateo chapter was founded in May 1935. Aside from organizing around issues like citizenship and employment opportunities, JACL was also a social group that hosted dances and meetings.313 Many Nisei in JACL emerged as leaders during World War II.

Filipino
The first recorded entry of Filipinos to the Americas (and land within present-day California) occurred in 1587 at Morro Bay during a Spanish expedition. Filipinos also settled in the United States in the late 1700s as crewmembers or escapees from Spanish galleons. The Spanish-American War in the late 1890s and subsequent Philippine-American War resulted in the formation of an American colonial regime in the Philippines that lasted into the 1930s. The Americanization of Filipinos was integral to the American colonization process. In particular, the Pensionado Act of 1903 allowed for sponsorship of Filipino students at higher education institutions in the United States. These students, known as pensionados, were expected to return to the Philippines and share and spread their American influence; however, some stayed in the United States.314 Agricultural labor was another primary factor of Filipino immigration during the first half of the twentieth century. The Gentleman’s Agreement of 1907–1908 between the United States and Japan was aimed at restricting immigration of Japanese laborers and opened pathways to agricultural labor in Hawaii and California for many Filipino men.315 Filipinos were considered nationals, rather than aliens, meaning they were not subject to the same immigration quotas imposed on other Asian nations during the early twentieth century. Many entrants passed through San Francisco where they found an emerging Manilatown community established alongside Chinatown. Filipino immigrants typically labored in agricultural areas of California seasonally, based on harvest cycles. During off seasons, Filipinos often worked in restaurants, hotels, and as domestic servants in population centers including San Francisco and Stockton. San Mateo was home to several Filipinos, including students at San Mateo Junior College.316
309 Cherilyn Widell, “de Sabla Tea House and Tea Garden, San Mateo County, California,” National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form (Washington D.C: US Department of Interior, National Park Service, 1997). 310 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 63. 311 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 36. 312 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 63. 313 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 67. 314 Page & Turnbull, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California, 1850-1995” National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form (Washington D.C.: US Department of Interior, National Park Service, 2024), 58. 315 Page & Turnbull, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California, 1850-1995,” 58–61. 316 Page & Turnbull, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California, 1850-1995,” 58–61. 565 of 976
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In 1920, approximately 2,700 Filipinos resided in California, and by 1930, that number rose to over 30,000. During this period of increased immigration and settlement, several Filipino students formed a Filipino Club at San Mateo Junior College.317 Despite increased settlement during the 1920s, immigration slowed in the 1930s as the Great Depression hit. Furthermore, anti-Filipino sentiment in California rose and influenced federal policy related to controlling Filipino immigration. The TydingsMcDuffie Act (also known as the Philippine Independence Act of 1934) provided for Philippine Independence on July 4, 1946, following a transitional period of Commonwealth Government.

However, the Act also resulted in changing Filipinos’ status as nationals to aliens with a quota of 50 immigrants per year, effectively ending Filipino immigration for the foreseeable future.318 317 Albert A. Acena, “’Invisible Minority’ No More: Filipinos in San Mateo County,” La Peninsula, Volume XXXVII, No 1 (Summer 2008), 8. 318 “Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934,” Immigration History, accessed October 1, 2025, at https://immigrationhistory.org/item/tydingsmcduffie-act/. 566 of 976
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WORLD WAR II AND POST-WAR
DEVELOPMENT (1941–1979)
During World War II, the San Francisco Bay Area played a major role in coastal defense, military training and transport, and wartime industries, including shipbuilding.319 After the Japanese bombing of Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan and joined World War II soon after. The impact of the attack brought immediate and heightened security along the Pacific coast and included expansion or rapid construction of defense installations throughout the Peninsula.320 In 1942, the United States Merchant Marine Cadet Basic Training School was constructed at the former Pacific City park at Coyote Point. 321
The war created 17 million jobs nationwide and pulled the country out of the Great Depression.

However, beyond impacts to military and industry, the war created lasting social impact through racist policies. San Mateo, like many communities along the West Coast, witnessed the forced relocation of residents of Japanese descent to assembly centers, including Tanforan Racetrack in nearby San Bruno. Federal relocation policy also affected residents of German, Italian, Hungarian, Romanian, and Bulgarian descent, but was particularly impactful to the city’s Japanese community.322 In the immediate post-World War II decades, San Mateo’s population growth and suburbanization mirrored broader regional and national trends.323 New neighborhoods emerged from the subdivision of former estates. The downtown transformed with new architectural styles and buildings including mid-twentieth century-style bank branches and City Hall, Modern-era corporate office towers, and contemporary streetscaping. Some buildings in the central business district represented completely new construction, while others were remodeled with on-trend exteriors.

The bulk of the city’s residential, commercial, transportation infrastructure, and civic and community buildings extant today were constructed in the two and a half decades following World War II.324 This period also brought significant transitions in cultural and institutional development, as well as in transportation systems that served the city, Peninsula, and in some cases the greater Bay Area.

Several new congregations joined in contributing to the city’s diversity of religious institutions, while the College of San Mateo (formerly San Mateo Junior College) consolidated from three campuses to one. The San Mateo-Hayward Bridge and the Interstate 280/Highway 92 Interchange, as well as 319 National Park Service, “World War II Harbor Defenses,” accessed October 1, 2025, at https://www.nps.gov/goga/learn/historyculture/world-war-ii-harbor-defenses.htm; National Park Service; “Places of World War II in the San Francisco Bay Area,” accessed October 1, 225, at https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/places-of-world-war-ii-in-the-san-francisco-bayarea.htm#:~:text=The%20San%20Francisco%20Bay%20Area's,the%20SS%20Red%20Oak%20Victory; National Park Service, “World War II Shipbuilding in the San Francisco Bay Area,” accessed October 1, 2025, at https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/world-war-ii-shipbuilding-inthe-san-francisco-bay-area.htm. 320
“Lend-Lease and Military Aid to the Allies in the Early Years of World War II,” United States Department of State, Office of the Historian, accessed September 25, 2025, at https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/lend-lease#:~:text=the%20full%20notice.- ,Lend%2DLease%20and%20Military%20Aid%20to%20the%20Allies%20in%20the,the%20war%20until%20December%201941; Mitchell P.

Postel, “Armed Forces Presence in San Mateo County During World War II,” La Peninsula, Vol. xliv, No. 2, 3. 321 James O. Clifford, Sr., “San Mateo County: A Training Ground in World War II,” La Peninsula, Vol. xliv, No. 2, 14-15; “Coyote Point Regional Park Dream Coming True,” The Times, August 7, 1973, https://www.newspapers.com/image/52113917/?match=1&clipping_id=180287725. 322 “World War II,” Library of Congress, accessed September 25, 2025, at https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-historyprimary-source-timeline/great-depression-and-world-war-ii-1929-1945/world-war-ii/. 323 Mary Brown, San Francisco Modern Architecture and Landscape Design, 1935-1970 Historic Context Statement, (San Francisco Planning Department, October 2011), 23–26; California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Tract Housing in California, 1945-1973: A Context for National Register Evaluation, (Caltrans, 2011), 9–18. 324 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 259.
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emergent Caltrain and San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) systems influenced the spread of commerce and industry beyond the downtown.

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
The post-World War II building boom expanded San Mateo’s suburban character beyond its earlier developed residential neighborhoods. The city’s population grew from just under 20,000 in 1940 to over 77,000 in 1980.325 The geographic boundary of the city also expanded with annexation of newly subdivided areas. Post-World War II housing was largely characterized by tract developments— houses constructed in large numbers and marketed to prospective buyers. Merchant builders like David Bohannon of the Bohannon Development Corporation subdivided land and constructed homes on a massive scale. Bohannon’s company developed over 10,000 houses throughout the Bay Area, including in San Mateo’s Hillsdale neighborhood. Marking for new suburban neighborhoods included newspaper advertisements describing related amenities, such as parks, churches, and access to modern shopping centers. While the newspaper adverts showcased alluring amenities, new housing in post-World War II neighborhoods often came with restrictions and exclusionary lending and sales practices targeted at non-White minorities.

Construction of Bohannon’s Hillsdale neighborhood began in 1939, suspended in 1941 with the onset of World War II, and continued in the late 1940s. Located on 800 acres in the southern extent of the city, Hillsdale was developed immediately west of El Camino Real and adjacent to Laurel Creek. The neighborhood included single-family houses, Hillsdale Garden Apartments, and sites for churches, schools, and parks. It also included Hillsdale Center, the Peninsula’s first mid-century shopping mall.

Like many post-World War II suburban developments, Hillsdale was among San Mateo neighborhoods that restricted residency to Whites. Deed restrictions for new houses contained exclusionary clauses such as “No persons other than members of the Caucasian or White race shall be permitted to occupy any portion of said property, other than as domestics in the employ of the occupants of the premises.”326 The architecture of the houses and apartment buildings in Hillsdale included one-story, Minimal Traditional and Post-War Minimal style single-family houses.

Occasionally the exteriors featured applied minimalist ornamentation. In 1946 House Beautiful’s Editor, Elizabeth Gordon launched the Pace Setter House Program, an annual series of exhibition houses that showcased modern architecture in post-war America. In 1950, one of Bohannon’s Hillsdale houses was included in the program, showcasing its design described as a “cautious” pacesetter (Figure 57). The Hillsdale Branch Library at 205 West Hillsdale Boulevard leans more into the Contemporary style, which typically featured post-and-beam construction elements.

The Hillsdale Garden Apartments was sold to prominent investor Albert G. McCarthy in 1953 after recognition as an innovative example of family-friendly garden apartments with playgrounds and a nine-hole putting course for adults.
327
325 San Mateo, Decennial Census Data,” Bay Area Census, accessed October 9, 2025, at https://census.bayareametro.gov/historicaldata/1980/san_mateo. 326 Sustainable San Mateo, “Historical Background,” Sustainable San Mateo, online, 2022, at https://sustainablesanmateo.org/about/. 327 “705-unit Hillsdale Apartments Sold,” San Francisco Call-Bulletin, October 3, 1953, https://www.newspapers.com/image/1232684436/?match=1&clipping_id=181201068. 569 of 976
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Figure 57 Pace Setter House #3, 1950
Source: House Beautiful 1950, Photo: Maynard L. Parker
In addition to Bohannon, developer L.C. Smith became synonymous with post-World War II-era housing in the region. He also emerged as one of the Peninsula’s most prolific contractors for sidewalk, street, and highway development.328 In 1955, Smith’s Concord Ranch Enterprises acquired land along 19th Avenue from the Leslie Salt Company and contracted with Moorepark Company to develop 19th Avenue Park. The Moorepark Company was owned by renowned tract house developer Joseph Eichler. In addition to 19th Avenue Park, Eichler constructed housing in The Highlands, located just outside San Mateo’s western municipal boundary. Overall, roughly two-thirds of the 11,000 houses Eichler built in California were located in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.329 Additionally, Eichler’s housing was not racially restricted allowing 19th Avenue Park to develop as a relatively diverse neighborhood. Eichler’s houses featured Contemporary style post-and-beam architecture, and were built from several architect-designed models, often with a central atrium or courtyard and clerestory glazing above street facing exteriors or garage bays.

Between 1964 and 1965, Smith developed Lauriedale, a community of garden apartments and singlefamily houses built southeast downtown San Mateo. Lauriedale was annexed to the City in 1966.330 Smith hired San Francisco-based Modernist architects Campbell & Wong to design apartment buildings in the community.
331 The apartment buildings exhibit Second and Third Bay Tradition-style 328 Mitchell P. Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 236. 329 Caltrans, Tract Housing in California, 1945-1973, 116. 330 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 236.
331 “Look to Lauriedale for a Completely New Living Idea,” The Times, October 29, 1964, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-timesthe-times-1964-lauriedale-ad/180827468/. 570 of 976
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architecture notable for their wood shingle cladding and multiple stories. The single-family residential areas of the development feature Ranch and Minimal Traditional-style architecture with one to two stories, hipped roofs, stucco exteriors, and brick or stone veneer accents.

Fiesta Gardens, located south of 19th Avenue and north of Borel Creek and the Bay Meadows racetrack, was developed by the Culligan Development Company during the 1950s. In addition to single-family residences and apartment buildings with swimming pools, Fiesta Gardens featured Fiesta Center (built 1955), a moderately sized Ranch-style shopping center at the northeast corner of Bermuda Drive and Ginnever Street.332 One advertisement for the subdivision noted builderdeveloper Thomas J. Culligan constructed 5,000 houses on the Peninsula by 1955.333 Initially developed during the interwar years between 1918 and 1939, additional single-family developments were constructed in Beresford Park during the 1940s and 1950s. San Mateo Knolls, developed by San Mateo Investment Company between the early 1940s and mid-1950s, included single-family houses constructed east of Alameda de Las Pulgas and in the vicinity of 42nd Avenue.

Buyers chose between three different Ranch-style house models within blocks of San Mateo Knolls Grammar School, P.J. Abbot School, Hillsdale High School, and St. Gregory’s Parochial School.334 Additionally, a shopping center at the intersection of 42nd Avenue and El Camino Real was integrated into the neighborhood’s development. Subsequent residential development occurred west of Alameda de Las Pulgas in the 1960s and 1970s.

While much new construction occurred west of the Bayshore Freeway between the 1940s and early 1960s, construction east of the freeway included additional tract housing in the Lakeshore and Los Prados neighborhoods during the 1960s. Los Prados opened around 1960, with waterfront living, parks, a playground, schools, and single-family and duplex residences.335 In 1965, the Los Prados Shopping Center at Hillsdale Boulevard and Bayshore Highway marked the completion of its first phase of construction. This shopping center has since been redeveloped from its mid-century form.336 Joseph Greenbach of the Newbridge and Belle Haven Realty Companies began development on Shoreview, just south of Coyote Point, in 1945. Development continued into the late 1940s and included construction of 1,200 residences in 1949 alone. By 1952, Shoreview housed 3,000 San Mateo families in houses typically representative of the Minimal Tradition, Post-war Minimal, and the generally modest aesthetic common to post-World War II tract housing developments.337 In 1966, Woodlake Apartments, a large complex of nearly 1,000 apartments with central courtyards and an outdoor recreation area with lake, opened immediately north of San Mateo High School’s campus (Figure 58). The prominent architecture firm, Wurster Bernardi & Emmons, was contracted by developer Gerson Bakar to design the apartment buildings.338 In 1979, Woodlake tenants were 332 Advertisement for Fiesta Gardens Swimming Pools and Recreation Center, The Times, October 8, 1955. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-the-times-1955-fiesta-garden/180888993/. 333 “Wouldn’t You Rather Live In…Fiesta Gardens…in Sunny San Mateo,” Redwood City Tribune, August 3, 1955, https://www.newspapers.com/article/redwood-city-tribune-redwood-city-tribun/180890440/. 334 “Southward the Course of Progress Makes Its Way,” The Times, August 16, 1940, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-thetimes-1940-san-mateo-kno/180894262/; Advertisement for San Mateo Knolls, The Times, March 5, 1954, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-the-times-san-mateo-knolls/180894093/. 335 “See This Exciting Sneak Preview Showing Los Prados,” The Times, March 19, 1960, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-thetimes-1960-los-prados-ad/180892789/. 336 “Center Opens at Los Prados,” The Times, December 4, 1965, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-the-times-1965-losprados-sh/180892864/. 337 “Official Opening Expands Shoreview Shopping Center,” The Times, December 18, 1952, https://www.newspapers.com/imageview/38975670/?match=1&terms=Official%20Opening%20Expands%20Shoreview%20Shopping%20Center. 338 “Woodlake Captures ‘The Good Life’,” The Times, July 30, 1966, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-the-times-1966- woodlake-apts/180947811/.
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given the option to purchase their apartments, and 400 of the 990 tenants did so resulting in the conversion to condominium units. Two hundred units were reserved for seniors.339 Figure 58 1967 View of Woodlake Apartments
Source: Architecture/West, Vol 73, Number 9, September 1967

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
In the immediate years after World War II, new commercial developments included neighborhood and regional shopping centers, modern bank branches in the central business district, neighborhoods adjacent to commercial corridors, and several commercial office towers that supported growing professional sectors (Figure 59).

Figure 59 View of San Mateo’s Downtown Commercial District, 1952 Source: Nirenstein's National Realty Map Company, 1952 via David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford University 339 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 236.
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Hillsdale Shopping Center, among the most prominent projects in post-World War II San Mateo, was developed by the Bohannon Development Corporation. Hillsdale Center was planned as a 42-acre shopping center on part of the acreage Bohannon acquired from the Burleigh H. Murray Ranch in 1939.340 By 1941, Bohannon’s development included housing in the Hillsdale and Park Western neighborhoods, as well as the Andrew Williams Stores grocery (rebranded Mayfair Market in 1951) at Hillsdale Boulevard and El Camino Real.341 Planning began in the early 1940s, but construction for Hillsdale Center commenced in the early 1950s. The shopping center was master planned by the noted architecture firm Welton Becket & Associates who concurrently planned San Francisco’s Stonestown shopping center.342 Consistent with the typical features of post-World War II regional shopping centers, Hillsdale Shopping Center included anchor department stores, smaller retail shops, adjacent office buildings, and ample parking with capacity for 10,000 vehicles.343 Hillsdale Shopping Center’s Macy’s store was designed by architect John Bolles, with 5 acres of floor space, making it Macy’s largest suburban store at the time.344 The center also featured a three-story Sears-Roebuck department store that opened in 1951. In 1954, the completed shopping center was formally dedicated, with over 50 stores.345 Between the mid-1950s and 1970s, an Emporium department store, cinema, and additional shops were added, and Macy’s and Sears expanded.346 Originally, the Hillsdale Shopping Center was designed as an outdoor shopping center with wide integrated pedestrian pathways and storefronts set beneath broad canopies. It was expanded and redesigned as an enclosed shopping mall at the end of the post-World War II period, a nationwide trend (Figure 60).

Figure 60 Hillsdale Shopping Center c. 1950s
Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection 340 “Hillsdale Center,” Mall of Fame, accessed September 15, 2025, at https://mall-hall-of-fame.blogspot.com/2009/09/hillsdale-centersouth-el-camino-real.html. 341 “History of Hillsdale,” Hillsdale Reimagined, accessed September 20, 2025, at https://hillsdalereimagined.com/history-of-hillsdale/. 342 Mary Brown, Modern Architecture and Landscape Design, 1935-1970 Historic Context Statement, (San Francisco Planning Department, October 2011).
343 “Western Shopping Center,” House & Home (June 1952), https://www.usmodernist.org/HH/HH-1952-06.pdf. 344 “Western Shopping Center,” House & Home (June 1952), https://www.usmodernist.org/HH/HH-1952-06.pdf. 345 “Hillsdale Center,” Mall of Fame, accessed September 15, 2025, at https://mall-hall-of-fame.blogspot.com/2009/09/hillsdale-centersouth-el-camino-real.html. 346 “Hillsdale Center,” Mall of Fame, accessed September 15, 2025, at https://mall-hall-of-fame.blogspot.com/2009/09/hillsdale-centersouth-el-camino-real.html. 573 of 976
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Hillsdale Shopping Center served as a regional market while smaller shopping centers and strip malls embedded in neighborhoods or anchored alongside commercial corridors served a more localized customer base. In 1949, West 25th Avenue, west of El Camino Real to Hacienda Street was widened for an improved neighborhood commercial district to serve the Hacienda, Beresford, and Hillsdale neighborhood. By that time, it included Manor Theater and Tudor Revival-style shops and a parking tract at the corner of Mary Lou Lane and Flores Street. 347 Subsequent development introduced midtwentieth century commercial buildings alongside those from the pre-World War II period, and eventual development of the parking tract for residential use(Figure 61). 348 During the same period, a
residential shopping center was developed on 42nd and Olympic avenues adjacent to the growing San Mateo Knolls neighborhood. This commercial zone featured two strips of preexisting Tudor Revival-style shops similar to the pre-World War II commercial fabric along West 25th Avenue and newer central parking lot and clusters of surrounding shops (Figure 62).349 The Villa Hotel (now The Villa at San Mateo Apartments), a large property with integrated retail and restaurant uses, was built on an L-shaped site spanning from 4000 South El Camino Real to 41st Avenue in 1955-1956. Designed by Robert M. Sherman, the hotel, which incorporated a Googie architectural design, was built next door to the Villa Cartier restaurant (non-extant), which opened in 1925 and the Lanai Tiki Bar (non-extant), established in 1950. Together, the businesses operated as the Villa Square. In 1965, a restaurant was added. Designed by Armet & Davis, it first housed the Villa Coffee Shop (extant, Maverick Jacks; Figure 63 and Figure 64).350 Figure 61 Shopping District along West 25th Avenue with a mix of pre- and post-World War II Commercial Architecture
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
347 “South S.M. Meeting Maps Improvement,” The Times, May 17, 1949, https://www.newspapers.com/image/38905645/?match=1&clipping_id=182596869. 348 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1950. 349 “New Multi-Million Dollar Villa Hotel Opens Today,” The Times, August 13, 1956, 1-2A, https://www.newspapers.com/imageview/38885328/?match=1&terms=New%20Multi-Million%20Dollar%20Villa%20Hotel%20Opens%20Today%2C%E2%80%9D%20. 350 “New Multi-Million Dollar Villa Hotel Opens Today,” The Times, August 13, 1956, 1-2A, https://www.newspapers.com/imageview/38885328/?match=1&terms=New%20Multi-Million%20Dollar%20Villa%20Hotel%20Opens%20Today%2C%E2%80%9D%20. 574 of 976
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Figure 62 Shopping Center at 42nd and Olympic Avenues
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Figure 63 Commercial-Retail within the Villa Apartments at 4000 South El Camino Real
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
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Figure 64 Villa Hotel, 1957
Source: The Hotel Monthly, November 1957
Development during this period also included recreational facilities, like the construction of Bel Mateo Bowl in 1956 (extant). The bowling center, located at 4330 Olympic Avenue, was designed by the architectural firm of Powers, Daly and DeRosa, based in Long Beach. The bowling center originally featured a fountain with a distinctive totem, signaling the center’s Pacific Northwest Native American motif. Their design for Bel Mateo Bowl was featured in a 1958 issue of Life magazine, after which their firm was in demand to design more bowling centers throughout the country. Between 1955 and 1962, the firm went on to design 47 bowling centers across the United States, all with distinctive motifs characteristic of mid-century design trends.351
351 Peter Moruzzi, “Covina Bowl,” National Register Draft Nomination Form, Los Angeles Conservancy, April 2016, https://www.laconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ca_los-angeles-county_covina-bowl.pdf. 576 of 976
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Figure 65 Bel Mateo Bowl, 1958
Source: Life Magazine, March 17, 1958
Beyond shopping centers and strip malls, San Mateo’s mid-century commercial development included several Modern corporate-office buildings, bank branches, and storefront remodeling featuring the brick, concrete, and metallic materials prevalent in many American downtowns during the period. The bank branches were primarily constructed in a three-square-block downtown area north of Central Park and along or east of El Camino Real. The brick-clad bank building at 100 East 4th Avenue (extant), originally a branch of American Trust Co. and was later incorporated into Wells Fargo Bank, was among the earliest post-World War II banks constructed in the downtown (Figure 66).352
352Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1950. 577 of 976
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Figure 66 Wells Fargo Bank (Originally American Trust Co.) at 100 East 4th Avenue, 1981
Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection In 1950, Hibernia Bank, then among the West Coast’s oldest financial institutions, opened its first branch outside of San Francisco at present-day 195 East 4th Avenue (extant, altered). The building was designed to harmonize with the “suburban atmosphere prevailing in all new buildings along Fourth Avenue,” as reported in a local newspaper.353
Bank of America continued expanding in San Mateo after World War II. Beyond its original San Mateo location at 277 B Street, branches opened in Hillsdale at 2900 South El Camino Real (1947), Bayshore/19th Avenue at 1860 South Norfolk Street (1956), and the A.P. Giannini Memorial Branch at 300 South El Camino Real (1963) (Figure 67). This branch was designed in the New Formalist style by the architectural firms of Miller & Steiner and Wurster and Bernardi & Emmons. The façade, recessed within an arcaded plaza, features murals by artist Louis Macouillard and mosaics by Alphonso Pardinas of Byzantine Mosaics. Both depict A.P. Giannini’s career and the history of Bank of America.354
353 “Hibernia Bank to Open Doors,” The Times, January 2, 1950, 8, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-the-times-1950- hibernia-bank/181192341/.
354 “The A.P. Giannini Branch of Bank of America Opens in San Mateo on Monday, March 11,” The Times, March 4, 1963, 6. https://www.newspapers.com/image/51899971/?match=1&clipping_id=181200629. 578 of 976
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Figure 67 Bank of America’s A.P. Giannini Memorial Branch at 300 South El Camino Real
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Another example of New Formalist design is the former American Savings & Loan branch building at 195 East 4th Avenue (extant). Built in 1973 it features tapered concrete columns and double-height bays filled with curtain walls or marble panels.355 Both the Bank of America Branch and the former American Savings & Loan buildings express modernist approaches to interpreting the classical forms and detailing of earlier bank buildings. Additional examples of bank branches constructed during the post-World War II period include 444 South El Camino Real (extant) and 491 South El Camino Real (extant).

Retail buildings from the post-World War II period also claimed a place in San Mateo’s downtown.

The building at 88 East 4th Avenue (extant) was completed in 1949 for prominent San Francisco Bay Area women’s clothing retailer Joseph I. Magnin (Figure 68).356 The Streamline Moderne-style building succeeded an earlier Joseph I. Magnin store at 43 3rd Avenue and was reported as the largest suburban store for women’s clothing in the nation at the time of its opening. The building was originally designed to house various departments in separate “shops” across a single floor, with a dramatic corner window, green marble-clad exterior, recessed planting boxes at each window, and brown- and magenta-striped awnings.357
355 San Mateo County Assessor data.
356 “New J. Magnin Store Best of Entire Chain,” The Times, February 27, 1950, 9. https://www.newspapers.com/image/38963917/?match=1&clipping_id=181182349 . 357 “New J. Magnin Store Best of Entire Chain,” The Times, February 27, 1950, 9. https://www.newspapers.com/image/38963917/?match=1&clipping_id=181182349. 579 of 976
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Figure 68 Former Joseph I. Magnin Store at 88 East 4th Avenue Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
In 1952, a four-unit retail building was built at the northeast corner of East 4th Avenue and Ellsworth Avenue for the Algodon Company, a corporation of the Judge Aylett R. Cotton family. The company later redeveloped a portion of the Antoine Borel estate as Borel Place, an office park development.

The Algodon building was designed by architects E. Jay Miller and Robert D. Steiner, who also designed Borel Place buildings, and was constructed by Oscar Cavanagh & Son. The building was located opposite the Levy Bros. department store (built 1952) and later redeveloped as Draeger’s market (extant).
358
Construction of the Algodon Company’s building at East 4th Avenue and Ellsworth Avenue occurred after the demolition of the George Bartlett residence. George Barlett was a pioneer and former San Mateo fire chief. The redevelopment foreshadowed future commercial redevelopment in this area of San Mateo. Portions of the Algodon building’s storefronts, canopy, and brick accent cladding along Ellsworth Avenue remain intact. The city’s mid-century bank branches and office buildings stood alongside department stores that were built during the first half of the twentieth century prior to the development of shopping centers. These buildings included the City of Paris at 130 2nd Avenue (extant), Levy Bros. at 55 3rd Avenue (extant), Loewe & Zwierlein at 317 B Street (extant), and J.C.

Penney & Co. at 200 East 3rd Avenue, and represent surviving pre-World War II downtown commerce.359
While most of San Mateo’s post-World War II bank buildings were one to two-stories, commercial architecture of the period also included several taller towers expressing varying traits of Modern design. These buildings typically served corporate occupancy and gained popularity during this period as San Mateo became the executive headquarters for national and regional companies, like Franklin Templeton Investments.360 Prominent office complexes were developed on the former Borel and 358 “From a Start on the Coastside in 1872 Levy Bros. Move into New $2,000,000 Store at 4th and Ellsworth, San Mateo,” Half Moon Bay and Pescadero Pebble, February 28, 1952, at https://www.newspapers.com/article/half-moon-bay-review-and-pescaderopebbl/181192750/. 359 Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo City Directory 1947-48, (Coast Directory Co. 1947), 407, at https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2469/images/32701_1020601537_0731- 00401?usePUB=true&_phsrc=Fcl713&pId=1408135359.
360 Polk’s San Mateo City Directory, 171, R.L. Polk & Co. Publishers, 1971. 580 of 976
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Hayne estates; the former located on lands south of the downtown and the latter opposite Central Park.

The Hayne Estate at 5th Avenue and El Camino Real (opposite Central Park) was initially proposed for redevelopment as a luxury resort hotel.361 However, plans from 1953 were abandoned and the property was redeveloped in the early 1960s with an I. Magnin store and office high rise buildings.362 The buildings at 500 and 520 South El Camino Real and 85 West 5th Avenue (extant) represent the redevelopment of the former estate.

Borel Place Office Center, located northwest of the El Camino Real and Highway 92 interchange was constructed between 1962 and 1967. Developers Aylett B. Cotton and Eric B. Bovet, grandsons of financier and Borel estate namesake, Antoine Borel, planned construction around the estate’s trees to preserve portions of the wooded setting. The first three buildings in the complex were designed by local architects E. Jay Miller and Robert D. Steiner.363 The first building in the complex was completed around 1962 after construction of the 19th Avenue Freeway required partitioning of the Borel estate.

The first two buildings were nearly fully occupied by 1966 when construction of a third building commenced, concurrent with planning for an eventual seven buildings. The architecture of the complex ranged from two-stories to taller mid-rise construction, with materials including redwood and pebble-dash intended to blend with the woodsy setting (Figure 69). Later buildings in this office park feature concrete or glass-clad exteriors, spanning the spectrum of regional Bay Area modernism to more overtly contemporary design, often referred to as Late Modern.364 Figure 69 Borel Place
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
361 “Landmark to Make Way for Luxury Hotel,” The Times, May 2, 1953. 362 “Hayne Plan Passed; Work Begins Soon, The Times, December 19, 1961. 363 “Open Borel Offices,” The Times, August 31, 1962, https://www.newspapers.com/image/52050931/?match=1&clipping_id=181199227; “Construction on Borel Unit Starts,” The Times, September 28, 1966, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-the-times-1965- borel-place-5/181200248/; “New Building Due for Borel Place,” The Times, January 22, 1964, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51694924/?match=1&clipping_id=181200405. 364 “Borel Place Preserves the Century-Old Trees,” The Times, July 30, 1966, https://www.newspapers.com/image/52512482/?match=1&clipping_id=181198995. 581 of 976
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An additional example of office construction includes 2555 Flores Avenue. It was completed in 1962 and designed by architect Vincent G. Rainey, who was known in the San Francisco Bay Area as a theater designer.365 Rainey’s design features a first-story lobby level with pointed arch windows and elevations featuring octagonal punched window openings and octagonal spandrel detailing running between each story (Figure 70).366
Figure 70 Commercial-Office Building at 2555 Flores Avenue Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
A greater concentration of mid- and high-rise office buildings were built downtown on sites adjacent to El Camino Real between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s. Examples include Mills Square Tower at 100 South Ellsworth Street, the former Crocker Bank building at 181 2nd Avenue (Figure 71), Heritage Bank of Commerce at 400 South El Camino Real, 444 South El Camino Real, 491 South El Camino Real, 520 South El Camino Real, and 4 West 4th Avenue (all extant). Within this group, styles include New Formalism and International with evident influence from architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, through elements like grid-like, exposed steel-fame exteriors and rectangular forms. 365 “$600,000 S.M. Building Set,” The Times, May 15, 1962, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-the-times-1962-hillsdalepro/180356218/. 366 “$600,000 S.M. Building Set,” The Times, May 15, 1962, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-the-times-1962-hillsdalepro/180356218/. 582 of 976
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Figure 71 Former Crocker Bank Building, 1982
Source: San Mateo Public Library, San Mateo Local History Collection By 1971, five hotels and 10 motels provided over 1,400 rooms. Several of the motels were located along the former Bayshore Highway, east of U.S. 101, and were heavily used for conventions and conferences held in the area.
367 In the 1970s, commerce in San Mateo grew, with a population of roughly 80,000 at the start of the decade, despite facing challenges from the nationwide inflation and energy crises. The Chamber of Commerce noted revenues tied to convention- and business-related visitation increased compared to 1950 numbers. This reflected a pattern of growth in commercialoffice space in the city during post-World War II decades, during which time many companies established headquarters in San Mateo.368 Likewise, Silicon Valley emerged during this period and influenced the vast technology-related commerce throughout the region.369 In 1973, Franklin Resources, Inc., a financial consultancy, relocated to San Mateo from its previous headquarters in New York City. The firm’s offices were within the mid-rise office building at Borel 367 Polk’s San Mateo City Directory, 171, R.L. Polk & Co. Publishers, 1971. 368 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 265.
369 “Silicon Valley: Building on a Cultural of Looking Forward,” Computer History Museum, 2025, https://computerhistory.org/stories/silicon-valley/.
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Place, now named Bovet Office Centre at 155 Bovet Road.370 Franklin Resources, Inc. has since become park of Franklin Templeton, which is based at a corporate office campus at 1 Franklin Parkway, developed on a portion of the Bay Meadows racetrack.

The Bay Meadows racetrack, as the only operating West Coast racetrack during World War II and into post-war decades, remained one of San Mateo’s largest employers between the late 1940s and late 1970s.371

CIVIC AND INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
During the post-war period, San Mateo upgraded civic facilities to accommodate its growing population. Additionally, institutional uses, including medical and educational facilities, schools, libraries, fraternal organizations, and churches all significantly expanded during this period.

In 1942, an 11-building training facility, the Merchant Marine Cadet Basic Training School at Coyote Point was rapidly constructed.372 Several thousand cadets graduated from the school and served in the Merchant Marines who operated ship fleets and delivered troops and materials during World War II. At the height of the war, in 1944, the United Service Organization (USO) established the TriCities USO at 3rd Avenue and El Camino Real, providing a recreational outlet for service people and their families (non-extant). The facility on El Camino Real remained active until 1946 when it was sold to the College of San Mateo, which operated from three campuses in the area. 373
Over the next decade and a half, the College of San Mateo used the former military buildings and adapted a surplus building for use by the San Mateo County Junior Museum. The college also developed Coyote Point Yacht Harbor and Coyote Point Marina later selling the property to San Mateo County in 1962. The college opened its existing, centralized campus west of downtown San Mateo in 1963.374 Coyote Point became part of the County’s regional park system in 1963, while Coyote Point Marina and the park lands were further developed by the late 1960s. Planning for a new Junior Museum began around 1973, coinciding with its renaming as Coyote Point Museum and ongoing park improvements.375
City Hall offices, located in a building connected to the San Mateo Fire Department’s headquarters at 1st Avenue and South Ellsworth Street (non-extant), were relocated in 1962 to the former headquarters of Mobil Oil at present-day 330 West 20th Avenue. The facility on West 20th Avenue brought City Hall outside the downtown and away from a cluster of civic and institutional buildings located along a two-block stretch of South Ellsworth Street including the fire department headquarters, Post Office, and an American Legion Hall.376 The City Hall building at 330 West 20th Street was remodeled and expanded in 1984.377
370 “New Firm Moving to San Mateo Soon,” The Times, May 7, 1973, 25, https://www.newspapers.com/image/52040557/. 371 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 277.
372 James O. Clifford, Sr., “San Mateo County: A Training Ground in World War II,” La Peninsula, Vol. xliv, No. 2, 14-15; “Coyote Point Regional Park Dream Coming True,” The Times, August 7, 1973, 26, https://www.newspapers.com/image/52113917/?match=1&clipping_id=180287725. 373 San Mateo County Historical Association, Photo Record, “Bill Kyne Has Coffee with Soldiers at the Three Cities USO Canteen in San Mateo,” Notes, online, accessed September 2025, https://historysmc.pastperfectonline.com/photo/75623C2A-B48C-4A37-B87A069500411816. 374 Stanger, South of San Francisco, 206.
375 “A Name Change for the Museum,” The Times, July 5, 1973. https://www.newspapers.com/image/52067031/; “Coyote Point Regional Park Dream Coming True,” The Times, August 7, 1973, https://www.newspapers.com/image/52113917/?match=1&clipping_id=180288095. 376 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1950. 377 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 277.
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During this period, San Mateo’s citizens organized around several issues, including the fight to keep Sugarloaf Mountain as open space. In 1971, residents organized a grassroots campaign to save Sugarloaf Mountain from development by Cargus Corporation. After a protracted fight, a scaled-back condominiums and office space development with reserved open space was approved. In 1978, the City expanded its parks with the opening of Laurelwood Park.378 Medical
Institutions including Mills Hospital expanded during the mid-twentieth century, and many modern medical buildings were constructed in San Mateo, particularly along North San Mateo Drive. Mills Hospital’s West Wing was completed in 1950, as a continuation of periodic expansion from the first half of the twentieth century.379 The Baywood Medical Building at 1 Baywood Avenue was constructed in 1957. It features several elements of Modern architectural design including horizontal massing, uniform rectangular fenestration, and a screened bezel around its windows (Figure 72).380 By 1950, North San Mateo Drive contained multiple dental and medical offices along the 0, 100, 200, 300, 400 blocks close to San Mateo Hospital.
381 By 1965, these blocks contained even more offices
with medical-office uses, indicating that San Mateo continued to hold a central position in regional medical services.
382 Buildings evidencing this pattern of post-World War II development include 101 North San Mateo Drive and 256 North San Mateo Drive (Figure 73).

Figure 72 Baywood Medical Building at 1 Baywood Avenue
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
378 Dana Yates, “Residents Keen of Keeping Open Space,” The Daily Journal, January 12, 2004, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/residents-keen-on-keeping-open-space/article_6ea5c0bf-d470-55ff-b90f-a43a99eb4cb5.html. 379 Darold Fredericks, “Beginnings of Mills Hospital in San Mateo,” The Daily Journal, March 10, 2014, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/beginnings-of-mills-hospital-in-san-mateo/article_20f8d723-d7e2-509a-8b3d6902104cdf67.html. 380 “Building Permits,” San Mateo Times, September 5, 1957, https://www.newspapers.com/imageview/51882800/?match=1&terms=%22baywood%20medical%20building%22. 381 Polk’s San Mateo City Directory, 1955, R.L. Polk & Co. Publishers, 1955. 382 Polk’s San Mateo City Directory, 1965, R.L. Polk & Co. Publishers, 1965. 585 of 976
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Figure 73 101 North San Mateo Drive
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Schools
By 1948, San Mateo maintained four private or parochial schools and 13 public schools, ranging from elementary/grammar to high school level.383 By 1955, the three private or parochial schools were within the city, and the number of public schools grew to 22.384 The growth pattern aligned with overall population growth and the development of additional residential neighborhoods. By the 1960s, the post-war growth, lead to the creation of the San Mateo-Foster City School District.385 Racial segregation impacted San Mateo’s schools just as it impacted its residential neighborhoods. As noted by the San Mateo County Historical Association:

Resistance to racial intolerance took place in San Mateo County during the 1960s, perhaps most notably at its new College of San Mateo campus. […] Beginning in 1959, Professor Rudolph Lapp offered classes in Black History. The College of San Mateo was the first institution of higher learning outside of the South to have such a course.386 In 1963, the California legislature passed the Rumford Fair Housing Act, which outlawed race-based housing discrimination and restrictive covenants. The real-estate industry responded by funding the Proposition 14 campaign to overturn the Rumford Act, arguing that owners should be able to sell, or refuse to sell, their houses to whomever they chose. Although Proposition 14 passed in 1964, in 1966 the California Supreme Court ruled that Proposition 14 violated the U.S. Constitution. This ruling was confirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1967, one year prior to the passing of the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968.387
Efforts to bus students to different schools throughout nearby schools materialized in the mid-1960s.

By that time, the racial makeup of elementary schools reflected the segregation in neighborhoods.

Some schools were mostly Black or Asian, while other were mostly White. In 1966, a community 383 Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo City Directory 1947-1948, Coast Directory Co., 421. 384 Polk’s San Mateo City Directory, 1955, R.L. Polk & Co. Publishers, 1955, 1217. 385 Silicon Valley Community Foundation, “How Did We End Up With 54 School Districts in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties?” (Silicon Valley Community Foundation, May 2012), 7.
386 “Resistance at the College of San Mateo,” in Online Exhibits: San Mateo County’s African American History, accessed online September 8, 2025, at https://historysmc.org/exhibits/san-mateo-countys-african-american-history/. 387 Simister, The African American Great Migration and San Mateo County” 12; U.S. Federal Census 1930, at https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/records/92975710. 586 of 976
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conference to address the subject included approximately 700 people, and in December 1966 an “Administrative Transfer Plan” was adopted.
388 As a result of implementation of the plan, 45 students from Lawrence and Turnbull Schools were selected as the first to be bused to 10 other schools as part of the desegregation process. Based on the success of this busing program, the San Mateo Elementary Teachers Associated passed a resolution to support the plan and called for desegregation in all city schools.389
Library
A modern San Mateo Public Library was constructed at 3rd Avenue and Dartmouth Road in 1969 and replaced the previous library at 2nd Avenue and San Mateo Drive, which was later demolished for the Mills-Peninsula Health Center’s parking lot. The 1969 library building was demolished in 2003 and replaced by another updated library building in the same location. 390
Fraternal
The Benevolent Protective Order of Elks (Elks) Lodge No. 1112 was established in San Mateo in 1908 with 30 members. Originally based out of a building on B Street, the lodge’s membership grew to 3,300 by 1958. The existing Elks Lodge at 229 West 20th Avenue was constructed in 1954 and designed by architects E. Jay Miller and R.D. Steiner.391 Churches
During the post-World War II period, many of San Mateo’s oldest religious institutions continued serving their constituents, while the count of religious properties grew apace with the spread of new neighborhoods and the diversifying demography of the city. While many congregations remained rooted at preexisting locations, several undertook projects for new buildings or modernized existing sacred spaces after World War II, sometimes continuing projects previously halted due to Depression-era economics and/or wartime construction limitations. These religious properties appeared throughout the city, adjacent to commercial districts, in master-planned neighborhoods where developers reserved sites for educational or religious properties, or in some cases on somewhat isolated sites. City directories listed 11 religious properties in San Mateo in 1948, 27 by 1955, and 38 by 1971.392
Long-time congregation St. Matthew Catholic Church constructed a modern sanctuary and hall at 1 Notre Dame Avenue between 1948 and 1953 and opened the existing church and rectory in 1966 (extant).393 During this time, St. Timothy Church at 1515 Dolan Avenue in San Mateo’s Shoreview 388 Simister, The African American Great Migration and San Mateo County” 12; U.S. Federal Census 1930, at https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/records/92975710. 389 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 259.
390 Gregory N. Zompolis, Images of America: San Mateo, (Arcadia Publishing, 2004), 113. 391 “Elks Have Millon Dollar Investment,” The Times, October 8, 1958, https://www.newspapers.com/image/52011902/?match=1&clipping_id=182593274; “San Mateo Elks Club Dedication Edition,” The Times, March 19, 1954, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51858385/. 392 Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo City Directory 1947-48, (Coast Directory Co. 1947), 404. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2469/images/32701_1020601537_0731- 00401?usePUB=true&_phsrc=Fcl713&pId=1408135359; Polk’s San Mateo City Directory, 1955, R.L. Polk & Co. Publishers, 1955, 1171. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2469/images/32701_1020601537_0729- 00006?usePUB=true&_phsrc=Fcl761&pId=1402607985; Polk’s San Mateo City Directory, 1971, (R.L. Polk & Co. Publishers, 1971), vii. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2469/images/32701_1020601537_0725- 00012?usePUB=true&_phsrc=Fcl762&pId=1393539795.
393 “Later Parish History: Twentieth Century,” St. Matthew Catholic Church, accessed October 2025, at https://www.stmatthewparish.org/page.cfm?p=852. 587 of 976
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neighborhood was opened as a mission church of St. Matthew Parish. The Gothic Revival-style church was built in 1954 (extant).394
The San Mateo Buddhist Temple at 2 South Claremont Street was constructed in 1952 as the first permanent facility serving Japanese Buddhists from San Mateo, neighboring Belmont, and San Carlos (Figure 74). The temple’s completion followed a World War II-related development pause at the property. The Temple facility was expanded in 1980 to provide an education wing and a new parking lot (extant).395
Figure 74 Japanese Buddhist Temple at 2 South Claremont Street Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
The Sturge Presbyterian Church at 25 South Humboldt Street was constructed in the 1950s, for a primarily Japanese congregation that celebrated the construction of Sturge Memorial Chapel on the same property just before World War II. The existing mid-twentieth century church building appears to have replaced the previous chapel entirely (Figure 75). 396
The neighboring Community Baptist Church at 15 South Humboldt Street was established in 1948 and initially focused on serving San Mateo’s Chinese community (Figure 76). The church incorporated as the San Mateo Chinese Baptist Community Church in 1958. It became Community Baptist Church in 1962 (extant). Cantonese- and Mandarin-speaking services were added in 1990 and 2002.397 394 Huneke Stained Glass, “Saint Timothy Catholic Church 1515 Dolan Avenue San Mateo,” 2018–2025, at https://www.hunekestainedglass.com/st-timothy.
395 “History of the San Mateo Buddhist Temple,” San Mateo Buddhist Temple, n.d., accessed October 2025, at https://sanmateobuddhisttemple.org/about-us/history/.
396 “Our History,” Community Baptist Church of San Mateo, online, n.d., accessed October 2025, at https://www.cbcsm.org/learn/history/. 397 “Our History,” Community Baptist Church of San Mateo, online, n.d., accessed October 2025, at https://www.cbcsm.org/learn/history/. 588 of 976
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Figure 75 Sturge Presbyterian Church
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Figure 76 Community Baptist Church
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
The original Temple Beth El in San Mateo was developed between 1951 and 1952 to serve a growing community of Reform Jews, becoming the city’s first Synagogue.398 The 5-acre site at 1700 Alameda 398 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 250.
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de las Pulgas was expanded with a sanctuary, fellowship hall, administrative, educational and library spaces, between 1955 and 1956 (extant).399
The First Presbyterian Church of San Mateo erected a modern sanctuary in 1958, with elements of Gothic Revival styling, on Hacienda Street where the street meets the West 25th Avenue commercial district (extant) (Figure 77).
400 The First Baptist Church at 2801 Alameda de las Pulgas and Grace Lutheran Church 2825 Alameda de las Pulgas were constructed on adjacent parcels near Beresford Park in 1960 and 1967, respectively (extant).401 Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church, featuring an Expressionistic design similar to an ark, was built in the San Mateo Knolls neighborhood in 1965 (extant) (Figure 78).
402 These churches offer additional examples of the variety of contemporary ecclesiastical architecture developed in San Mateo during the post-World War II decades.

Figure 77 Former First Presbyterian Church (Waypoint Church) Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
399 “Beth El Group Pledges Funds,” The Times, February 13, 1956, https://www.newspapers.com/imageview/38870241/?match=1&terms=Beth%20El%20Group%20Pledges%20Funds%2C%E2%80%9D%20. 400 “The Beautiful New First Presbyterian Church of San Mateo,” The Times, January 17, 1958, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51862780/?match=1&clipping_id=182598153. 401 “New Units to Be Added to S.M. Church,” The Times, April 30, 1960, at https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-the-times-1960- san-mateo-fir/182210117/; “News of Our Churches: Dedication of Grace Lutheran Church Ready,” The Times, November 11, 1967, https://www.newspapers.com/image/52352087/?match=1&clipping_id=182596269. 402 “First Services Tomorrow at Hope Evangelical,” The Times, September 5, 1964, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51747173/?match=1&clipping_id=182601425. 590 of 976
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Figure 78 Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
Post-World War II population growth and the increased prevalence of automobiles in daily life influenced the development of transportation infrastructure during this period. Much of this infrastructure supported travel at a regional scale: road, freeway, or rail. Additionally, downtown development included major projects designed to accommodate vehicular traffic and parking demands.

The Bayshore Highway connected communities along the Peninsula’s eastern shore for nearly three decades and was reconstructed in the 1950s and designated as part of U.S. Highway 101 because the California Department of Highways and Public Works considered the four-lane highway, without a central median, accident prone. Improvements including a median and separation from surface streets began on the segment in San Francisco in 1950, and construction continued toward San José until 1962. The original Bayshore Highway now parallels the Bayshore Freeway/U.S. 101 and is known as Bayshore Boulevard.403
Concurrently, streetcar service between San Francisco and San Mateo was gradually reduced, as ridership fell rapidly after the World War II. After incorporation into San Francisco’s Municipal Railway in 1944, the No. 40 interurban route’s service was reduced to shuttle service between San Mateo and Daly City, limited service to San Francisco, and “high school trippers” that served San Mateo and Burlingame High School students. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors terminated the route in 1948, and San Mateo County rejected and option to continue the route under its own management, resulting in termination and a final ceremonial trip from San Mateo’s Southern Pacific Depot in 1949.404
403 Eva Knowles, “Highway 101,” FoundSF the San Francisco Digital History Archive, accessed September 10, 2025, https://www.foundsf.org/Highway_101#:~:text=The%20portion%20of%20the%20freeway,runs%20parallel%20to%20U.S.%20101. 404 Ward Hill, Historic Architecture Evaluation Report: 30 Ingold Road, Burlingame, CA. March 2020, https://cms6.revize.com/revize/burlingamecity/Appendix%20H_HAER.pdf; Walter Rice, Ph.D. and Emiliano Echeverria, San Francisco’s 40- line,” The Museum of the City of San Franciso, n.d., accessed September 2025, at https://sfmuseum.org/hist10/interurban.html. 591 of 976
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As the Bayshore Freeway was redeveloped regional planning for greater connection between San Francisco, Oakland, the Peninsula, North Bay, and East Bay sub regions also began. Several concepts for increased trans-bay connectivity began in the early twentieth century and included monumental projects like the construction of the San Francsico-Oakland Bay Bridge in 1937. Acknowledgement of rapid population growth and increased automobile use by the mid-twentieth century led a joint Army-Navy review board to conclude that additional trans-bay connection was needed to prevent San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge congestion in the near future.405 The State Legislature formed the BART Commission and then the San Francisco BART District in 1957. However, San Mateo County withdrew from the plan in 1961, citing potentially high costs of the new system and what was deemed as an adequate existing Southern Pacific commuter train service. Marin County withdrew one year later. In subsequent decades, BART connected San Francisco to nearby stations in northern San Mateo County, and eventually San Francisco International Airport.

While planning for BART was underway in the 1960s, the 1929 San Mateo-Hayward Bridge was replaced with a new bridge constructed between 1961 and 1967. Its steel girders were built across the Bay in Richmond, California by Murphy Pacific Bridge Builders. The bridge received an award from the American Society of Civil Engineers for Outstanding Civic Engineering Achievement in 1968.406 In 1971, Amtrak took over operation of the nation’s intercity passenger trains and rerouted its Coast Daylight line from a terminal in San Francisco to one in Oakland; Southern Pacific’s Del Monte line was also discontinued. This resulted in limited commuter train passenger service between San Francisco and San José.
407 In 1977, one year after San Mateo’s historic Southern Pacific Depot was demolished for a parking structure, Southern Pacific petitioned the State Public Utilities Commission and the Interstate Commerce Commission to discontinue its Peninsula Commute Service.408 Months of negotiation with San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) led to an agreement under which Southern Pacific provided commuter service, and public agencies covered most of the operating costs.409 State Route 92, completed in 1964, connected San Mateo to Half Moon Bay and Highway 380, further improving the city’s connection to neighboring communities. The project, however, was not without controversy. Conservation groups interested in preserving coastlines were opposed to connecting the coast to the Peninsula’s communities.410 While moving residents, workers, and tourists were factors in shaping expanding regional transportation networks, additional parking capacity in the downtown remained a major concern. As regional shopping centers drew increasing traffic and offered the convenience of abundant parking, downtown commercial districts sought solutions to retain patronage to local businesses. In 1955, the City’s Central Parking District was created following nearly two decades of studies and debate over approaches to parking.411 Bounded by Railroad Avenue, El Camino Real, 2nd Avenue, and B Street, the envisioned district included a larger parking lot or structure at its center, which required razing buildings including a former Elks Lodge, several retail shops, and at least one dwelling. By 1962, a 405 “A History of BART: The Concept is Born,” San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, 2025, at https://www.bart.gov/about/history. 406 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 254.
407 “Early Milestones,” Caltrain, accessed September 10, 2025, https://www.caltrain.com/earlymilestones. 408 “Early Milestones,” Caltrain, accessed September 11, 2025, https://www.caltrain.com/earlymilestones. 409 “Early Milestones,” Caltrain, accessed September 11, 2025, https://www.caltrain.com/earlymilestones. 410 Hynding, From Frontier to Suburb, 321.
411 “City Council Creates District for Parking,” The Times, June 16, 1954, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-the-times-1954- sm-city-counc/181843684/.
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stretch of mid-block surface-level parking existed, indicating some clearance was completed.412 By 1964, plans for the parking district evolved to include a 60-space lot at 2nd Avenue and El Camino Real, a large garage structure at center, and a separate underground parking garage. In November 1964, the first section of the Central Parking Garage, a thru-block structure extending through three city blocks between 3rd and 4th avenues, opened to the public. An underground parking structure was built in tandem with and below new tennis courts at Central Park.413 Development of the Central Parking Garage continued into 1965, as the structure was extended southwestward beyond San Mateo Drive and its upper level of parking was finished (Figure 79). 414
Figure 79 Downtown San Mateo 1979
Source: San Mateo Public Library, Local San Mateo History Collection

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
During the mid-twentieth century, San Mateo retained several local nurseries, where the cut flower industry maintained a strong presence during decades leading up to World War II. City directories indicate most nurseries were located on lands adjacent to El Camino Real or Bayshore Highway, where intensive residential development continued throughout the post-World War II period.415 The Pederson & Arnold Company at 4th Avenue and South Claremont Street and the neighboring San Mateo Lumber Co. at 501 South Claremont Street (extant) continued to operate lumber milling and lumber yard facilities (Figure 80). Additional lumber yards including Foley & Boettcher at 19 Bayshore Highway and Horne & Winfrey at 2701 El Camino Real supported the local construction industry.416 412 Norton, Pearl, “Aerial View of Downtown San Mateo, 1962,” San Mateo County Historical Association online database, catalog number 2015.001.02926A, at https://historysmc.pastperfectonline.com/photo/CFF2FDA1-2E29-4AB9-9C19-411966263130. 413 “Grand Opening! Great New Parking Facilities in Dynamic Downtown San Mateo,” The Times, November 16, 1964, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-the-times-1964-grand-opening/182027956/. 414 “Drive-in Ceremony Opens New Parking,” The Times, November 16, 1964, https://www.newspapers.com/image/51765763/?match=1&clipping_id=182028548. 415 Polk’s San Mateo City Directory, 1948, R.L. Polk & Co. Publishers, 1948, 416. 416 Polk’s San Mateo City Directory, 1948, R.L. Polk & Co. Publishers, 1948, 414, 418. 593 of 976
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These lumber yards, and additional industrial properties including a few iron and sheet metal works and light-manufacturing plants were located along the U.S. 101 corridor, including on frontage roads South Amphlett Boulevard, North Amphlett Boulevard, and adjacent to the Southern Pacific Railroad corridor further to the west.

As indicated by the relatively limited industrial development in San Mateo during post-World War II decades, San Mateo became a center of commerce along the Peninsula, where corporations from several industries established headquarters or regional offices, rather than an industrial hub.

Figure 80 San Mateo Lumber
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025

CULTURAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS
African Americans
In the years before World War II, San Mateo’s small African American population was generally concentrated east and north of downtown in the city’s Central neighborhood.417 The Black population grew during the war when many came to the area to work in shipyards in South San Francisco.

Discriminatory real estate practices made it nearly impossible for African Americans to settle in many Bay Area communities, causing many to settle in San Mateo’s Central neighborhood.418 The African American population grew in the years following World War II.

Based on 1950 census records, San Mateo’s African American community continued to reside primarily in the area east of Railroad Avenue, west of the Bayshore Freeway/U.S. 101, and north of San Mateo Creek (roughly 2nd Avenue). While this area was apparently racially integrated, with several White, Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino residents appearing on 1930, 1940, and 1950 census schedules, it remained one of the few areas where African Americans and Asian Americans were allowed to live in San Mateo. In an interview with La Peninsula, African American San Mateo resident, 417 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 143.
418 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 224.
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Basil Emery explained, “to the west of the 101 freeway, to the east of the railroad tracks, and then Poplar to the north and 3rd was to the south. That was [the neighborhood] we could buy in.” 419
In addition to limited housing opportunities, African Americans faced difficulties with employment opportunities during this period. During World War II, a Mr. Cullen ran the San Mateo city dump and “was the second Black employee of the city, the first one having been a janitor for the Police Department,” as noted by scholar Eve Simister in La Peninsula. 420 While some fair employment
practices protests were successful, others appear to largely have resulted in the mere appearance of change. For example, when negotiations and promises were made by the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo and the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, actual implementation was minimal.421 By the 1960s, the city, like the rest of the country, experienced civil unrest. After the assassination of Dr. Martin Luter King, Jr. in April 1968, a thousand high school and college students marched on City Hall. In response to the dialogue following King’s death, East Park and the soon-to-be-constructed East Park Recreation Center at present-day 725 Monte Diablo Avenue were renamed in honor of the late civil rights leader.422 As part of the effort in renaming the park, Reverand Rufus Cooper of the nearby St. James A.M.E. Zion church, conveyed the support of his congregation and expressed the “hope that the park and center will not be segregated in any way.”423 A 1969 newspaper article reported the recently opened King Recreation Center served Black, White, and Asian residents, with amenities including meeting spaces.424
In the summer of 1969, City Council formed the 25-member Human Relations Commission to assist in reinforcing state and federal anti-discrimination laws. They addressed complaints of youth against police, individual cases of housing discrimination, and employment issues. Into the 1970s, the model of public involvement in the Human Relations Commission was repeated in the Public Works Commission, the Youth Advisory Council, the Greater Downtown Commission, and the Housing Advisory Appeals Board.425
Chinese
World War II was a major turning point for the Chinese residents in the United States and more broadly for Asian American and Pacific Island communities. The United States viewed the Republic of China, who was at war with the Empire of Japan since 1937, as an ally, following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

In 1943, exclusionary legislation limiting Chinese immigration was repealed. New legislation enabled additional opportunities for Chinese immigrants to enter the country, or for those already in the country to gain citizenship.426 The Magneson Act enabled Chinese residents in the United States to 419 Simister, “The African American Great Migration and San Mateo County,” 9; U.S. Federal Census 1930, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/records/92975710. 420 Simister, “The African American Great Migration and San Mateo County,” 9; U.S. Federal Census 1930, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/records/92975710. 421 Elysha Paluszek, Mary Ringhoff, Andrew Goodrich, Stacy Farr, Caitlyn Ewers, Morgan Quirk (Architectural Resources Group), Sian Winship, Alexandria Perlman (Historic Resources Group), “National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form:

African Americans in California, 1850-1974,” California Office of Historic Preservation, Draft 2024, at https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1067/files/CA_Multiple%20Counties_African%20Americans%20in%20CA%20MPDF_DRAFT.pdf. 422 “King Center Now Named Officially,” The Times, September 17, 1968, https://www.newspapers.com/image/52064955/?match=1&clipping_id=182100151. 423 “King Center Now Named Officially,” The Times, September 17, 1968, https://www.newspapers.com/image/52064955/?match=1&clipping_id=182100151. 424 “New Center is Popular,” The Times, May 12, 1969, 10, https://www.newspapers.com/imageview/52467428/?match=1&terms=New%20Center%20is%20Popular%2C%E2%80%9D%20. 425 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 261.
426 Albert A. Acena, “Chinese Americans in San Mateo County,” La Peninsula Vol. XLIII, No. 2, 2015, 3. 595 of 976
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become naturalized citizens, which was previously limited to free, White immigrants, based on legislation from 1790. The Magneson Act set an annual immigration limit for Chinese immigrants at 105, based on the Immigration Act of 1924.427 The War Brides Act of 1945 allowed Chinese women to immigrate as new brides or to reunite with husbands who were members of the armed services. This led to a demographic shift in Chinese communities, which were historically largely male. The immigration quota tied to the Immigration Act of 1924 was repealed with the Immigration Act of 1965, which greatly increased immigration from China, in addition to other Asian countries.428 Additionally, second and third generation English-speaking Chinese Americans and educated Chinese immigrants sought opportunities to establish careers and residence beyond local Chinatowns.

In San Mateo, the cluster of Chinese and Japanese-used buildings located on South Railroad Avenue between 1st and 2nd Avenue prior to World War II, was largely no longer identified with Chinese and Japanese uses by 1950. Several buildings formerly associated with the Chinese and Japanese populations were demolished, while a smaller group of stores and dwellings, including a Chinese laundry, remained (Figure 81).429 This local pattern aligned with wider trends of shrinking Chinatowns and Japantowns, due to relocation of residents, redevelopment, and clearance due to perceived blight.

Figure 81 1950 Sanborn Map Depicting Area of Former Chinese and Japanese Stores
Source: Sanborn Map Company, 1950
427 Page & Turnbull, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California, 1850-1995” National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form (Washington D.C.: US Department of Interior, National Park Service, 2024), 30. 428Page & Turnbull, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California, 1850-1995,” 29–31. 429 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1950. 596 of 976
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After World War II, the Civil Rights Movement and immigration reform led to major changes in immigration policy, including a shift to geographic region-based quotas, allowing for greater numbers of immigrants. Racial and ethnic discrimination was also abolished.430 San Mateo County’s Chinese population doubled from just under 2,500 to over 5,000 between 1960 and 1970.431 Ah Sam Florist at 28th Avenue and El Camino Real continued operating through the Great Depression and World War II, including taking over the lease of The Towne Florist, a Japanese-owned business faced with the forced relocation of its proprietors during the war. The former Japanese business was eventually acquired by Ah Sam Florist owners but was closed in 1949 with focus reverting to the Ah Sam Florist business. Ah Sam Florist continued expanding after the war with acquisition of additional land behind their store where greenhouses, lathhouses, parking, and a warehouse were developed beginning in 1953.432
Japanese
The United States’ entry into World War II marked a turning point for the future of federal immigration policy and opened up opportunities for some Asian immigrants; however, the war was significantly impactful to Japanese communities in across the nation. The West Coast was an important region for the settlement and formation of Japanese immigrant communities, with over 50 Japantowns across California alone. By the interwar years, Japanese people significantly contributed to agriculture across the state as rice growers in Northern California, at coastal vegetable farms, and as laborers and proprietors working in the cut flower industry in the Bay Area, including chrysanthemum farms in San Mateo.433
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, anti-Japanese sentiment and federal policy resulted in the forced relocation and incarceration of Japanese and Japanese Americans, halting the growth of Japanese communities in the Western United States. Less than three months after the attack, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, which governed conditions for enemy aliens, including all individuals of Japanese descent, including American citizens, as well as non-citizen Italian and German residents. Between 1942 and 1945, the U.S. government incarcerated over 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry, first in temporary assembly centers adapted from facilities at racetracks and fairgrounds before sending to War Relocation Centers in isolated areas of the West Coast, two of which were in California.434
During this period, Attorney General Earl Warren actively prompted the creation of maps detailing landholdings of Japanese and Japanese-Americans county-by-county. These maps were sent to important officials to convince them of the danger the community posed to the state. The maps created for San Mateo show Japanese land ownership largely concentrated in the city’s central neighborhood, east of the railroad tracks (Figure 82). In San Mateo, evacuation orders given to Japanese and Japanese-American residents on May 3, 1942 required them to report to the Masonic Temple Building at 100 North Ellsworth.435 In response to the order, the San Mateo County JACL released a statement saying, “today, as evacuation orders affect Japanese aliens and American citizen 430 Albert A. Acena, “Chinese Americans in San Mateo County,” La Peninsula Vol. XLIII, No. 2, 2015, 4. 431 Albert A. Acena, “Chinese Americans in San Mateo County,” La Peninsula Vol. XLIII, No. 2, 2015, 4. 432 Nellie W. Leong, “Ah Sam,” La Peninsula Vol. XLIII, No. 2, 2015, 19. 433 Page & Turnbull, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California, 1850-1995” National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form (Washington D.C.: US Department of Interior, National Park Service, 2024), 36–39. 434 Page & Turnbull, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California, 1850-1995,” 38. 435 “State of California, Civilian Exclusion Order No. 35, San Mateo County,” accessed October 1, 2025, at https://digitalcollections.archives.csudh.edu/digital/collection/p16855coll4/id/5966/. 597 of 976
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Japanese, the sorrow at the thought of leaving their homes is eased by the knowledge that by cooperation and sacrifice, they are aiding the United States war effort.”436 On May 9, 1942, the last busload of San Mateo County Japanese residents was transported to Tanforan Assembly Center in San Bruno.437
Figure 82 1942 “San Mateo Land Occupied by Japanese”
Source: The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley Some cultural institutions stored the belongings of those incarcerated, and in some cases later served as hostels for returning members; however, not all property was secured. Many lost their possessions, places of business, and residences. After the war ended, many sought residency beyond their pre-war communities, including in the Eastern and Midwestern states. While some arranged for their properties to be held and secured by sympathetic neighbors or friends, others lost their businesses or returned to find their housing occupied by wartime workers who settled in the Bay Area to support shipbuilding and other wartime industries. In San Mateo, the Yamaguchi family apparently returned from internment in Topaz to find their house and belongings intact (Figure 83).438 Altogether, California lost nearly 10,000 residents of Japanese descent from its prewar population of nearly 94,000, per the 1950 Census. During the period of incarceration, San Mateo’s Japanese Protestant congregation affiliated with Sturge Memorial Cottage offered and turned over their facility to local Chinese. After the war, Chinese and Japanese religious properties expanded along South Humboldt Street.439
436 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 77. 437 San Mateo Chapter JACL, 1872-1942: A Community Story, 77. 438 Japanese War Relocation Collection, The Bancroft Library Archive, accessed October 1, 2025, https://digicoll.lib.berkeley.edu/record/105854?v=uv#?xywh=-123%2C-58%2C1694%2C1225&cv=1. 439
“Page & Turnbull, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California, 1850-1995,” 41; “S.M. Japanese Offer Church For Chinese Use,” The Times, April 3, 1942, 1. https://www.newspapers.com/image/51851670/. 598 of 976
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Figure 83 Mrs. Saiki Yamaguchi and Susan Yamaguchi at the Tanaka House, 38 Eldorado, 1945
Source: University of California, Berkeley, Japanese War Collection Sanborn maps from 1950 show that the former Japantown, located alongside Chinatown, as nonextant. The one-story apartment building and gathering area, referred to as the Nagaya by the Japanese community appeared on the 1920 Sanborn map as “Japanese,” and contained several dwellings, a shed, and a more recently built garage for automobiles.440 By 1950, the Nagaya was redeveloped with residential buildings. After World War II, the first permanent facility for Japanese Buddhists in San Mateo was constructed in 1952.

An active member of San Mateo’s Buddhist congregation was Yoshiko Yamanouchi (1895–1973), wife of Tetsuo Yamanouchi (1878–1936) who founded Imperial Laundry at 214 1st Avenue. Following his death, she continued to run the family laundry business until her family returned to San Mateo at the 440 Sanborn Map Company, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, 1950. 599 of 976
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end of World War II. In 1957, following her retirement, Yoshiko Yamanouchi purchased property at 1007 East 5th Avenue (extant) to build a new house. The Ranch-style house was designed by Donald H. Brandes and built by Hugh H. MacDonald. Following completion of the house, Yamanouchi oversaw the construction and design of a traditional Japanese style garden implemented by renowned landscape architect Nagao Sakurai. The garden was expanded in 1968 with a contemporary Japanese garden by Kodo Matsubara and construction of the Katsura Building, inspired by the Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto. It is connected to the house via a raised walkway (ryoka), which is fronted at the streetside by a Japanese style gateway. In addition to its traditional and contemporary Japanese landscape, the property is a significant example of post-war Japanese American life in San Mateo and is associated with the life of early San Mateo Japanese resident Yoshiko Yamanouchi.
441
Nagao Sakurai’s work is also present in San Mateo’s Central Park. Restrictions on Japanese immigration eased in the 1950s and 1960s and the concept of sister cities became popular to foster connections between different cultures. In California, there are over 75 sister-city relationships with Japanese cities.442 In 1963, San Mateo proposed a sister city affiliation with Toyonaka, a city in the Osaka Prefecture. The relationship helped to reinvigorate an earlier effort by the San Mateo Gardeners’ Association, made up of mostly Japanese-Americans, to landscape and maintain a garden in a public location (Figure 84). Following the creation of the relationship with Toyonaka, a one-acre site in Central Park was selected for a Japanese Garden.443 An organization was formed to raise funds, and Nagao Sakurai was hired to design it. Construction was mostly carried out by volunteers and Toyonaka donated a five-story pagoda for the garden.444 The Japanese Garden (extant) opened in 1966.
441 Denise Bradley and Ward Hill, “Yoshiko Yamanhoushi House,” National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form (Washington, DC:

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 2023). 442 Denise Bradley and Ward Hill, “Yoshiko Yamanhoushi House,” National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form (Washington, DC:

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 2023). 443 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 230.
444 “Central Park Centennial Exhibit,” San Mateo Arboretum Society, accessed October 15, 2025, https://www.sanmateoarboretum.org/centennialexhibit.html. 600 of 976
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Figure 84 San Mateo Gardner’s Association Building at 503 East 5th Avenue Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Filipino
On December 8, 1941, Japanese forces attacked the Philippines, several hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. As the United States entered World War II, it created Filipino military regiments, and many Filipinos residing on the West Coast enlisted. In 1946, the Luce-Cellar Act was passed, and granted citizenship eligibility to persons of Asian Indian and Filipino descent. On July 4, 1946, President Harry Truman proclaimed Philippine independence and signed the Treaty of General Relations, which relinquished U.S. sovereignty, dating to 1898, over the Philippines. While this policy still enabled the United States to maintain presence in the Philippines, a second wave of Filipino immigration to the United States followed, with some 33,000 Filipinos emigrating by 1965.445 Whereas previous period of Filipino immigration primarily included single males, the wave of postWorld War II immigration included many women and children, including brides and families of Filipino servicemen with U.S. citizenship. Many Filipinas came to the United States for nursing training as participants of the Exchange Visitor Program of the State Department, “whose general objective was to promote a better understanding of the U.S. abroad through the exchange of people, education, and skills, received a monthly stipend for their work at U.S.-sponsored institutions”.446 The Exchange Visitor Program offered foreign nursing graduates an opportunity for two-year postgraduate study and clinical training in U.S. hospitals. The program significantly transformed the American nursing labor force, including hospital staff in San Mateo County.

Additionally, the 1965 Immigration Act (Immigration and Nationality Act) set the stage for a major increase in immigration by removing preexisting quotas allowing 20,000 people per year from each 445 Page & Turnbull, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders In California, 1850-1995” National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form (Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, 2024), 66. 446 Page & Turnbull. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California, 1850-1995, 66. 601 of 976
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country in the Eastern Hemisphere. Between 1970 and 1980, San Mateo County’s Filipino population more than quadrupled from over 5,000 to over 24,000.447 Tongan
The Kingdom of Tonga has been an independent nation and a member of the British Commonwealth since 1970. After World War II, Tongans began immigrating increasingly to New Zealand, Australia, and the United States to pursue educational and employment opportunities.448 Immigration to the United States was influenced by the Immigration Act of 1965. Since the 1960s, Tongans have settled throughout the Bay Area with relatively high populations in San Mateo and neighboring San Bruno and East Palo Alto. As noted by scholars Cathy A. Small and David L. Dixon, “The first Tongan migrants were young single men, and occasionally women, who left home […] to earn high overseas wages that would help feather nests back in Tonga.” 449 As these migrants established permanence, they supported their family’s migration, leading to the formation of Tongan communities in Australia, New Zealand, and in the United States. While a relatively small community relative to the city’s overall population, San Mateo’s Tongan community remains one of the largest in California and the United States.

Latino
California experienced small waves of Latino immigration, primarily from Mexico, beginning in the mid-nineteenth century. An estimated 10,000 Mexicans came to California during the Gold Rush.

While many returned home after the Gold Rush, others decided to stay in the United States, with an estimated 8,000 Mexicans settling in California during this period. Similar to other immigrant populations, Mexican immigrants worked in the state’s early railroad industry and its agricultural economy. As a result of limitations on Asian immigration during that period, there was a growing reliance on Mexican labor.450 In the following decades, the improved connection between Mexico and California, especially by rail made immigration more fluid. In 1910, the Mexican Revolution began, resulting in increased violence and instability, and persuading many to relocate to the United States as a means of improving their situation.451
In the early twentieth century, most Mexicans migrating to the United States originated from central and southern Mexico and traveled by rail to border towns and settled in Texas and California. Once in California, common settlement locations included the Imperial Valley and San Joaquin Valley, becoming significant ethnic groups in those communities. The primary urban area for Mexican settlement was Los Angeles. Other California cities attracted Mexican populations, including nearby San Francisco and San Jose, but in smaller numbers.452 During World War II, attitudes toward Mexican labor changed, as war efforts resulted in labor shortages. In an effort to relieve the labor shortages the United States and Mexico created a guest worker program officially called the Emergency Farm Labor Agreement, known as the Bracero Program, in 1942. The agreement allowed Mexican farm workers to enter and work in the United States legally for limited amounts of time. The program was 447 Albert A. Acena, “’Invisible Minority’ No More: Filipino Americans in San Mateo County,” La Peninsula Vol. XXXVII, No. 1, (Summer 2008),

17. 448 Cathy A. Small and David L. Dixon, “Tonga: Migration and the Homeland,” February 1, 2004, The Online Journal of the Migration Policy Institute, at https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/tonga-migration-and-homeland. 449 Cathy A. Small and David L. Dixon, “Tonga: Migration and the Homeland,” February 1, 2004, The Online Journal of the Migration Policy Institute, at https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/tonga-migration-and-homeland. 450 California Office of Historic Preservation, Latinos in the Twentieth Century California: National Register of Historic Places Context Statement, (California Office of Historic Preservation, 2015), 3. 451 California Office of Historic Preservation, Latinos in the Twentieth Century California, 4. 452 California Office of Historic Preservation, Latinos in the Twentieth Century California, 6. 602 of 976
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hugely successful and was extended for 22 years, resulting in lasting effects for the U.S. economy.453 It was not uncommon for workers to arrive on the program, stay after the end of their contract, find work in the country, and settle. In increasing numbers, those who found work moved to cities.454 During the post-war period, California’s economy was boosted by the military spending in research, technology, and defense during the Cold War. The influx of capital along with the availability of large acreages of land contributed to a major development boom in the state. It also stimulated the demand for labor in manufacturing, the service industry, and construction.455 In 1965, the U.S. immigration policy was overhauled, and strict quotas were set for the number of authorized immigrants from different regions of the world. This, in combination with the end of the Bracero Program and limited economic opportunities in Mexico, resulted in an increase in unsanctioned migrations as the second half of the twentieth century continued. The continued demand for labor caused a spike in legal and illegal immigration during the 1970s and 1980s.456 By the 1970s, the makeup of the Latino immigrant population became more diverse, with more populations from Central America. Before the 1970s, immigrant populations from Central American were small and mostly from the upper and middle classes from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Some Central American workers came to the United States through the Bracero Program by pretending to be Mexican because the program was limited to Mexican workers. Those who stayed in this region, settled in a San Francisco barrio neighborhood developed by the 1920s within San Francisco’s Mission District. In the mid-twentieth century American companies invested heavily in Central American countries, establishing manufacturing facilities and plants. When the global economy stagnated in the 1970s, Central American workers transferred their skills to manufacturing jobs in the United States.457 During this period, many Central American immigrants found work as domestic labor, too. During this period, South American immigration to the area did not materialize in the same magnitude as Mexican and Central American immigration. In San Mateo, by 1980, the city had the state’s 14th highest concentration of Mexican immigrant population.458 453 California Office of Historic Preservation, Latinos in the Twentieth Century California, 9. 454 California Office of Historic Preservation, Latinos in the Twentieth Century California, 10 455 California Office of Historic Preservation, Latinos in the Twentieth Century California, 10. 456 California Office of Historic Preservation, Latinos in the Twentieth Century California, 10. 457 California Office of Historic Preservation, Latinos in the Twentieth Century California, 11. 458 California Office of Historic Preservation, Latinos in the Twentieth Century California, 11. 603 of 976
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MODERN SAN MATEO (1980–2026)
The continued development of San Mateo during the modern period, or recent past, is largely defined by its proximity to the expansion and growth of Silicon Valley’s technology industry.

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
This period is marked by more limited residential development than in the decades following World War II due to several factors, including rising interest rates, economic shifts in the construction industry, land use and zoning policies, and the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978. Proposition 13 is an amendment to the California Constitution that established limitations on the tax rate and assessment increase for real property according to base year values.459 The assessed value of a property is limited to a 2 percent annual increase and reassessment on base year values when there is a change in ownership or new construction occurs.460 Historically, however, market values of real estate have increased more than 2 percent a year. When house values increase by more than 2 percent a year, homeowners gain from remaining in the same house because their taxes are lower than they would be on a different house of the same value. A widely accepted consequence of this law is reduced property tax revenue and a tendency for owner-occupiers to not sell their houses, thereby reducing the turnover of owner-occupied houses.461
The city’s residential building stock is characterized by older developments in mostly single-family neighborhoods. Approximately 73 percent of houses in the city were built before 1979.462 Residential development slowed in the two decades before 1980 and continued on a more dramatic downward trend between 1980 and 1999.463 People remaining in their owner-occupied houses, coupled with the slowing of residential development in the city, contributed to the rising cost of housing in the city in recent years. The cost of housing has been further affected by the health of the local economy.

Since 1980, the Silicon Valley’s technology sector has been a driving economic force in the local economy and stimulated population growth. The city’s population was approximately 80,000 by the late 1980s, a four-fold increase from 1940, and grew to over 95,000 by late 1990s.464 The influx of capital and scarcity of housing contributed to the rising cost of housing and the city’s poverty rate.

During the 10-year period between 1970 and 1980, the average value of a house in San Mateo increased 307.4 percent and has continued to rise.
465
More recent residential developments generally trend away from the single-family only neighborhoods common during San Mateo’s suburbanization and post-war expansion to more multifamily housing. Major developments since the 1980s included housing within the mixed-use 459 Office of the Assessor, County of Santa Clara, “Understanding Prop 13,” accessed October 10, 2025, https://www.sccassessor.org/faq/understanding-proposition-13. 460 Office of the Assessor, County of Santa Clara, “Understanding Prop 13,” accessed October 10, 2025, https://www.sccassessor.org/faq/understanding-proposition-13. 461 Nada Wasi and Michelle J. White, “The Lock-In Effect on California’s Proposition 13, The National Bureau of Economic Digest, April 2005, https://www.nber.org/papers/w11108.
462 City of San Mateo, Strive San Mateo: General Plan 2024, 30, 2024, accessed July 20, 2025, at https://strivesanmateo.org/wpcontent/uploads/2024/03/StriveSanMateo_GP2040_Adopted_3-18-2024_Web.pdf. 463 City of San Mateo, Housing Element of the General Plan 2023-2031, Appendix A: Needs Analysis, H-A-34-35, April 2024, accessed July 20, 2025, https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/87526/APPENDIX-A---Needs-Analysis?bidId=. 464 Housing Element of the General Plan 2023-2031, April 2024, 7, City of San Mateo. https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/94606/2023-2031-City-of-San-Mateo-Housing-Element; Chapter 4.2 Population/Housing/Employment in City of San Mateo General Plan Update EIR: Draft Environmental Impact Report, (City of San Mateo, July 27, 2009), at https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/5212/4_2-Population-Hsg-Emp?bidId=. 465 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 275.
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development for Mariner’s Island, which brought the city’s easternmost neighborhoods and a mix of multifamily housing types alongside Foster City and the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge/Highway 92 corridor. Developments included Edgewater Isle and Harbortown. Edgewater Isle was a condominium development built between 1984 and 1987 by the Anden Group/O’Brien & Hicks developers.

Comprised of two development associations, the North Association and the South Association, the units were marketed to emphasize their bayside location. Original floorplans for the North Association were named Capri, Malibu, Del Mar, and Newport. The South Association, also called the Cove, had nature-based named floor plans like the Peninsula, the Windward, and the Landing.466 Other Mariner’s Island developments, Harbortown and Mariner’s Isle, were developed in 1979–1981 by Mariner’s Isle Associates and are comprised of condominiums and townhouses. Harbortown was designed by architect Rodney Friedman and used a cluster pier design inspired by New England fishing villages.467
In 1981, the San Mateo Redevelopment Agency organized. The agency subsidized building out apartments in vacant spaces above ground-floor commercial uses, supported façade improvements, and provided loans for seismic retrofitting of unreinforced masonry buildings.468 In 1989, Rotary Club’s Rotary Hacienda, a low-income elderly housing complex, was constructed on Hacienda Boulevard between 27th and 28th avenues (extant). It was constructed with redevelopment funds, contributions from the Rotary Club of San Mateo, and with the help of federal tax credits.469 Infill residential development of former commercial properties, such as Bay Meadows racetrack, includes a combination of multifamily, townhouse, and adjacent corporate offices since the early 2000s. The first phase of Bay Meadows redevelopment was funded by redevelopment funds. However, the Redevelopment Agency, along with some 400 other similar agencies across the state were dissolved through statewide legislation in 2012, restraining the availability of redevelopment funds.470 Despite the loss of redevelopment funds, additional residential construction has occurred through redevelopment of formerly commercial or industrial properties through different financing options.

Recent residential developments focused on transit-oriented opportunities such as San Mateo’s three existing Caltrain stations. Recently constructed examples include Station Park Green (2018), Montara (2020), and Kiku Crossing (2025).
471

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
In 1982, the Hillsdale Shopping Center expanded with a Nordstrom and a Mervyn’s store, as well as a second-story addition.
472 It became an enclosed shopping mall following a nationwide trend of converting outdoor shopping malls to indoor with airconditioned destinations. During this time, the 466 “Original Sales Brochure and Floor Plans,” Edgewater Isle, accessed October 1, 2025, at https://edgewaterisle.com/sales/brochure/. 467 Micheal Uppergrave, “Multifamily Housing That’s Custom-Fit to Site,” Housing Vol 50, No 6. (November 1980): 60, at https://www.usmodernist.org/HH/HH-1980-11.pdf.
468 State of California Department of Finance, “Redevelopment Agency Dissolution,” Official Website of the State of California, 2025, at https://dof.ca.gov/programs/redevelopment/.
469 “Federal Tax Credits Give Boost to Housing Project for Elderly,” The Peninsula Times Tribune, April 23, 1989, https://www.newspapers.com/image/845891571/?match=1&terms=rotary%20hacienda. 470 State of California Department of Finance, “Redevelopment Agency Dissolution,” Official Website of the State of California, 2025, at https://dof.ca.gov/programs/redevelopment/.
471 Housing Element of the General Plan 2023-2031, (City of San Mateo, April 2024), 44, https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/94606/2023-2031-City-of-San-Mateo-Housing-Element; City of San Mateo, Housing Element of the General Plan 2023-2031, Appendix E: Review of Prior Element, H-E-4, at https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/93177/APPENDIX-E---Review-of-Prior-Element?bidId=. 472 Al Morch, “Downtown San Mateo: Everything’s Waiting For You,” San Francisco Examiner, May 19, 1995, https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Downtown-San-Mateo-Everything-s-waiting-for-you-3154855.php. 605 of 976
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downtown was “creeping along,” as stated by former Mayor Claire Mack. The downtown struggled with attracting visitors and competing with new shopping center developments that catered to the city’s suburban neighborhoods. As a result, the downtown’s commercial core stagnated in growth and redevelopment.
473
Franklin Resources, Inc., a financial consultancy, experienced greater success in the 1980s. After relocating to San Mateo in 1973, the company expanded to 1,700 employees, making it the largest employer in the city.474 The company grew through mergers in the 1990s and 2000s and relocated to the 1 Franklin Parkway office complex located on a portion of the former Bay Meadows Racetrack.

The Bay Meadows Racetrack entered its final decades of operation in the 1980s, ultimately closing in the early 2000s. By the end of the 1980s, Bay Meadows had more than 600 employees and was second to only San Francisco International Airport in contributing to the county’s tax base.475 However, attendance at races declined due to the popularity of remote betting. Between 2006 and 2007, the facility’s owner failed to secure an extension to replace the dirt track with the required synthetic track materials, which ultimately spelled closure of the facility in 2008.476 The former site of Bay Meadows continues to undergo redevelopment with office, residential, and recreational uses.

Along the city’s eastern perimeter, Mariners Island Shopping Center, later renamed Fashion Island, opened in 1982 adjacent to the Interstate 280 and State Route 92 interchange off San MateoHayward Bridge. A project of Southern California-based developer Ernest Hahn, the shopping center was developed to compete with Hillsdale Shopping Center. Fashion Island originally featured a Bullock’s store, Montgomery Ward, J.C. Penney, and Liberty House as anchor tenants, with over 100 additional stores. However, the shopping center faced steep competition from the expanding Hillsdale Shopping Center and the demise of several anchor tenants, including Liberty House and Bullock’s, by the mid-1980s. In 1995, Sandhill Properties of San Mateo acquired the property and redeveloped Fashion Island as Bridgepoint Shopping Center.477 Commercial office development grew during this period, mostly outside of the residential neighborhoods and along the city’s transportation corridors including State Route 92, Highway 101, El Camino Real, and in the Bay Meadows racetrack development. A notable commercial development from this period is the Century Centre project at 1400 Fashion Island Boulevard (extant) constructed by developer Joaquin De Monet between 1985 and 1986, an early commercial office development on Fashion Island.
478

CIVIC AND INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The city’s public services were expanded during this time. The San Mateo Fire Department updated all their existing facilities in 1989 to accommodate women firefighters.479 On October 17, 1989, the Loma Prieta Earthquake hit San Mateo, causing millions of dollars in property damage, but no loss of 473Morch, “Downtown San Mateo: Everything’s Waiting For You.” 474 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 267.
475 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 266.
476 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 266.
477 "June closing set for Oakland Liberty House store," Oakland Tribune, April 20, 1984, https://www.newspapers.com/image/758430566/?clipping_id=180274461; “Federated to sell Bullock's store,” San Francisco Examiner, September 23, 1986, https://www.newspapers.com/image/461365444/?clipping_id=180274644; Eve Mitchell, “Fashion Island plan gets approval,” San Francisco Examiner, September 17, 1996; Marshall Wilson, “Building on Fashion Island Failure / San Mateo's Bridgepointe attracts host of major stores,” San Francisco Chronicle, December 1, 1997, https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Building-on-FashionIsland-Failure-San-Mateo-s-2792974.php. 478 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 267.
479 Jeff Brile ed., San Mateo Fire Department 1887-1990, (San Mateo Fire Department, 1990), 33. 606 of 976
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life.480 In 2017, the San Mateo Police Department replaced their building at 2000 South Delaware Ave with a new state-of-the art facility, housing the city’s emergency services and dispatch facilities at 200 Franklin Parkway.
481
In 2006, after a comprehensive public outreach effort, the city replaced its main library at the corner of Dartmouth Road and 3rd Avenue with a new, energy-efficient facility with ample space for collections and improved access to technology.482 The San Mateo Arboretum Society, who has occupied the old Kohl pumphouse in Central Park since 1977, has undertaken several improvements to the facility.483 In 1985, architect Leonard Michaels of Leonard Michaels Associates was recognized with an award by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) San Mateo chapter for the then 20-yearold Central Park Recreation Building.484 Park improvements in the city continued in the following years. In 2000, the former East 3rd Avenue landfill was redeveloped for Seal Point Park, as part of a regional trend to close and redevelop the Bay Area’s shoreline landfills with parks. 485 Today, San
Mateo has 35 parks and 81 percent of San Mateo residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, which is higher than the national average.486
In 2005, the San Mateo County Expo Center completed a $3 million renovation and was renamed the San Mateo County Event Center of the San Franciso Peninsula. The 1930s facility was updated with teleconferencing capabilities, event space, and new exhibit space.487 At Coyote Point, the Coyote Point Museum was constructed by Spencer Associates with exhibit specialist Gordon Ashby. 488
Though the museum nearly closed in 2006 due to financial difficulties, fundraising efforts were successful and it was rebranded CuriOdyssey in 2011.489

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
In the recent past the city’s transportation infrastructure has grown. The railroad continues providing access to the surrounding areas and continues to be an important link for commuters and residents alike. On July 1, 1980, Caltrans assumed responsibility for the management of the Peninsula Commute Service, formerly controlled by Southern Pacific Railroad. Caltrans continued management of the service until 1992 when the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board assumed operation of Caltrain and contracted with Amtrak to operate the commuter service.490 Today the city has three Caltrain stations—Downtown, Hayward Park, and Hillsdale. In 1999, Hayward Park Station opened at 401 Concar Drive, south of the original location, which was known as Leslie Station prior to 1936.491 In 480 Jeff Brile ed., San Mateo Fire Department 1887-1990, (San Mateo Fire Department, 1990), 33. 481 Dana Yates, “Police Station Groundbreaking Set,” The Daily Journal, July 12, 2017, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/policestation-groundbreaking-set/article_03bab3c5-4902-56fc-965c-192b414026a0.html. 482 David Zugnoni, “Library Celebrates First Anniversary,” The Daily Tribune, September 8, 2007, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/library-celebrates-first-anniversary/article_c090c34e-5921-5dd1-b5ce-84f2a568d86c.html. 483 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 275.
484 “Around the State: San Mateo,” Architecture California, July/August 1985, 10. https://www.usmodernist.org/aiaca/aiaca-1985-07-08.pdf. 485 “Park to Replace Landfill,” The Daily Journal, November 15, 2000, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/park-to-replacelandfill/article_a63d82e9-4e7a-5616-a606-3a3b577c63ae.html; United States Environmental Protection Agency, “25 Years of RCRA:

Building on Our Past to Protect Our Future,” (2002), at https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/10000MAO.PDF?Dockey=10000MAO.PDF. 486 “San Mateo, CA,” Trust for Public Land, accessed October 1, 2025, at https://www.tpl.org/city/san-mateo-california. 487 “San Mateo Renovates, Renames Expo Center,” Trade Show Executive, December 15, 2005, at https://tradeshowexecutive.com/sanmateo-renovates-renames-expo-center/. 488 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 277.
489 “History,” CuriOdyssey, accessed October 15, 2025, at https://curiodyssey.org/about/history/. 490 Caltrain, “Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, Annual Comprehensive Financial Report: Fiscal Years Ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, at https://www.caltrain.com/media/8106/download?inline.
491 City of San Mateo, “Hayward Park Caltrain Station Parking Lot (401 Concar Dr.),” 2025, at https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/4545/Hayward-Park-Station. 607 of 976
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addition to Caltrain, the city’s public transit includes bus service provided by SamTrans. SamTrans operates express bus service at the U.S. 101/State Route 92 park-and-ride lot, which was developed in 1987.
492
Vehicular motorways have expanded in recent years. The State Route 92/U.S. 101 interchange linking the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge with 19th Avenue and College of San Mateo was completed in 1982– 1985.493 Today, U.S. 101 (Bayshore Freeway), State Route 92 (J. Arthur Younger Freeway), and State Route 280 all provide regional access to the community. Within the city, arterials like El Camino Real, San Mateo Drive, Hillsdale Boulevard, Norfolk Street, and Alameda de las Pulgas are the major thoroughfares for vehicular travel. In more recent years, the city has improved and expanded its bike networks to connect neighborhoods to schools, parks, and train stations.

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
Since 1980, San Mateo’s economy shifted from agriculture, manufacturing, and retail and financial services toward professional services, mostly related to the region’s technology economy. In the 1990s and 2000s, the rise of the technology and information economy has driven the region’s economy. Between 2010 and 2019, available jobs based in San Mateo grew by 33 percent, with nearly 53,000 people employed in the city as of 2024. Professional services and technology account for 20 percent of jobs in San Mateo.494 In addition to the major healthcare providers in San Mateo, several technology companies are based in or have headquarter facilities in the city. With the increase in professional and business economy, house values and local wages have markedly increased. Investment in construction in San Mateo more than doubled in the 1970s and the trend continued in the early 1980s.495

CULTURAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS
Since 1980, San Mateo has continued to diversify. The population grew from 77,561 residents in 1980, 85 percent of which was White, to 85,486 residents in 1990, by which time the city’s Asian/Pacific Islander population grew to represent 13 percent of the city’s population.496 Between 1980 and 1990, the city’s Hispanic/Latino population grew from 9 to 15 percent. 497
By 2020, San Mateo’s population grew to 105,661 residents in 40,263 households. The population was 38 percent White, 26 percent Asian, and 26 percent Hispanic/Latino.498 The city’s Hispanic/Latino population is mostly concentrated in the North Central neighborhood. While the rest of the city’s population grew 8 percent between 1990 and 2000, the North Central neighborhood experienced an 492 Chapter 4.4 Transportation and Circulation in City of San Mateo General Plan Update EIR: Draft Environmental Impact Report, July 27, 2009, at https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/5214/4_4-Transportation?bidId=. 493 Postel, San Mateo: A Centennial History, 267.
494 Housing Element of the General Plan 2023-2031, April 2024, 20, City of San Mateo, https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/94606/2023-2031-City-of-San-Mateo-Housing-Element. 495 Housing Element of the General Plan 2023-2031, April 2024, 20, City of San Mateo, https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/94606/2023-2031-City-of-San-Mateo-Housing-Element. 496 “San Mateo, Decennial Census Data,” Bay Area Census, accessed October 9, 2025, https://census.bayareametro.gov/historicaldata/1980/san_mateo. 497 “San Mateo, Decennial Census Data,” Bay Area Census, accessed October 9, 2025, https://census.bayareametro.gov/historicaldata/1990/san_mateo. 498 “Population: San Mateo,” Bay Area Census, accessed October 15, 2025, https://census.bayareametro.gov/population?location=san_mateo. 608 of 976
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18 percent growth.499 By 2010, the North Central neighborhood was comprised by a majority Hispanic/Latino population.500 The city’s expanding Asian and Hispanic/Latino populations resulted in an influx of Asian and Hispanic/Latino owned businesses, markets, and restaurants. 499 City of San Mateo, “North Central Community Based Transportation Plan,” (City of San Mateo, 2010), Appendix B, 17, at https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/7805/Appendices-Appendix-B-Chapter-1?bidId=. 500 City of San Mateo, “North Central Community Based Transportation Plan,” (City of San Mateo, 2010), Appendix B, 17, at https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/7805/Appendices-Appendix-B-Chapter-1?bidId=. 609 of 976
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ARCHITECTURAL STYLES
This section describes architectural styles that contribute to the character of San Mateo’s built environment. The identified styles are arranged in chronological order of their approximate periods of popularity during periods of the city’s development, while acknowledging some examples of each style may have been built outside of their periods of popularity. Additionally, buildings within the city may incorporate features of more than one style, reflecting the tastes of the owner, design professional, and approaches to building construction that evolved through the periods studied in this historic context statement.

Buildings appearing in this section are included as local examples of particular architectural styles that retain many of the style’s character-defining features. However, inclusion of a building in this section does not necessarily indicate that it meets the historic significance and integrity requirements for eligibility.

GOTHIC REVIVAL (CARPENTER’S GOTHIC)
The Gothic Revival began in eighteenth-century England as medieval houses were remodeled and new houses with Gothic features, such as pointed-arch windows, steep gable roofs, carved bargeboards, and embattlements (a feature derived from castles), were constructed. The style was used for houses in the United States primarily between the 1840s and 1860s, as house designers (not necessarily professional architects), including Andrew Jackson Davis and later Andrew Jackson Downing, influenced the development of the Carpenter Gothic sub-style. Davis built a Gothic Revival style house in Maryland in 1832 and authored Rural Residences in 1837. The book included plans for houses and helped introduce the style. He influenced Andrew Jackson Downing, who published and more intensively promoted several pattern books in the 1840s, which carpenters and builders used in constructing houses for clients. Although some examples of Gothic Revival/Carpenter Gothic houses were built in cities, these houses were in most cases built in rural areas at the time of construction, as the style was promoted as suited to rural areas where integration with natural landscapes played an important role in housing design. In the United States, Greek Revival and Italianate style were more commonly applied to houses constructed during the prime years of the Gothic Revival style’s use.501 Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
501 Virginia Savage McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses, Alfred A. Knopf, 2013, 266–280. 610 of 976
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Period of Significance: 1840s–1860s
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial, Civic and Institutional Representation: Gothic Revival-style buildings are rare in San Mateo. The popularity of the style largely predates the city’s development. Because of the style’s rarity, the qualifying thresholds for historic integrity are lower in comparison to other, more frequently observed architectural styles.

Locational Information: Gothic Revival-style buildings are rare, but may be seen in San Mateo’s older neighborhoods, including Central San Mateo.

Character-Defining Features:
• Typically one- to two-and-a-half stories in height
• Building footprints are square, rectangular, or L-shaped, sometime with projecting bays • Roofs are gable with steep pitches and often include a center cross gable, or in rare cases two or three cross gables
• Eaves overhang the building footprint, with gabled ends often trimmed with carved bargeboards/vergeboards (commonly referred to as “gingerbread”) • Exterior finishes include smooth stucco (sometimes scored to mimic stone), or wood siding in horizontal or vertical (board-and-batten) configurations • Windows are typically double-hung with wood sashes (2-over-2 glazing is most common); other glazing patterns such as intersecting muntins (diamond-shaped) are rarer • Pointed-arch gable windows are common
• Front porches with brackets at frame corners
• Bracketed eaves
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 136

FOLK NATIONAL
The Folk National style broadly captures variations of traditional, vernacular residential architecture built in the United States between the mid-nineteenth century and early twentieth century. The expansion of railroad networks in the United States during the mid-1800s, along with the introduction of balloon framing, increased the efficiency of supply chains and brought building materials to lumber yards in developing communities. As stylistic trends evolved during the late 1800s, local builders, artisans and carpenters, constructed vernacular residences that incorporated traditional gable-front, gable-front-and-wing, pyramidal, and other one- or two-story variants.502 Period of Significance: 1870s–1900s
Associated Property Types: Residential
Representation: Folk National-style buildings are rare in San Mateo. The popularity of the style largely predates the city’s development. Because of the style’s rarity, the qualifying thresholds for historic integrity are lower in comparison to other, more frequently observed architectural styles.

Locational Information: Folk National-style buildings are rare, but may be seen in San Mateo’s older neighborhoods, including Central San Mateo.

Character-Defining Features:
• Typically one- to two-stories in height
• Building footprints are rectangular or L-shaped (gable-front-and wing) • Roofs have moderate overhangs and are typically not ornamented with brackets or bargeboards/vergeboards
• Front porches are common and sometimes recessed into a corner • Exterior finished with wood siding
• Windows are typically wood, with double-hung sashes and often one-over-one glazing • Exteriors feature little to no ornamentation, but may feature some molded wood trim Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
502 McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses, 133–147. 612 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 137

FOLK VICTORIAN
During San Mateo’s first few decades, vernacular construction methods, which relied on the skills of local builders, artisans and carpenters, and regionally available materials, were adapted to build residences, commercial buildings, and other structures that were not necessarily representative of an architectural style. Folk Victorian is a late nineteenth century vernacular trend that featured houses of one- to two-story heights, simple floor plans ranging from square, rectangular, to L-shapes, and roofs with gable or hip (sometimes pyramidal) forms. Exteriors were often finished with horizontal wood siding, board-and-batten, or stucco. Although some detailing was common, such as a decorative bargeboard on a gabled end, or spindlework or scroll-cut brackets at porches, ornamentation was limited when compared to high-style examples of Italianate, Stick, or Queen Anne style architecture. Some very early surviving examples of residential architecture in San Mateo can convey aspects of Folk Victorian architecture. However, the representation of this building approach in the present-day is dependent on the degree of alteration vernacular buildings have been subject to over time.503
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1870s–1900s
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial, Civic and Institutional Representation: Folk Victorian-style buildings are present in many of San Mateo’s early neighborhoods, though have been commonly updated over time.

Locational Information: Folk Victorian-style buildings are most prevalent in San Mateo’s older neighborhoods, including Central San Mateo.

Character-Defining Features:
• Typically one- to two-stories in height
• Building footprints are square, rectangular, or L-shaped, sometime with a projecting bay • Recessed front porches are common
• Exterior finished with wood siding (horizontal or board-and-batten) or stucco • Windows are typically wood, with one-over-one or two-over-two glazing • Ornamentation is limited, but may include bargeboards or spindlework at porches • Roofs appear in gable, hip (sometimes pyramidal) forms 503 McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses, 396–405. 613 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 138

ITALIANATE STYLE
During San Mateo’s early settlement, more elaborate examples of country houses included the Italianate style, a popular Victorian-era style. American Italianate houses were inspired by Northern Italian farmhouses. The style was first adapted by English architects and became known in the United States through English pattern books. During the style’s popularity it was considered appropriate for a rural setting because of its asymmetry and picturesque characteristics. Some of its elements are drawn from Classical detailing and the Gothic Revival style. The style includes a range of expressions from single family houses to modest Flat-Front Italianate commercial buildings. Some early surviving examples of residential architecture in San Mateo can convey the Italianate Style, but the representation of this building approach in the present-day is dependent on the rarity of surviving examples and the degree of alteration surviving examples may have been subject to over time.

Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1860s–1880s
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial, Civic and Institutional Representation: Italianate-style buildings are fairly rare in San Mateo. Because of the style’s rarity, the qualifying thresholds for historic integrity are lower in comparison to other more frequently observed architectural styles.

Locational Information: Italianate-style buildings are rare, but may be seen in San Mateo’s older neighborhoods, generally east of the downtown core.

Character-Defining Features:
• Typically one- to two-stories in height
• Rectangular massing and form
• Horizontal exterior wood cladding
• Roof with gently sloping sides and deep eaves
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 139
• Tall and slim window openings, often rounded at the top • Columned entryways
• Decorative brackets below the roofline
• Bay windows
• Balustraded balconies and verandas
• Ornamental features like wood corner quoins imitating stone, wood water tables, and wood pediments
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 140

QUEEN ANNE
The Queen Anne style was introduced to the United States in 1876, during the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, after it originated and was named in England by a group of architects including Richard Norman Shaw. This style was used most frequently in Southern California between approximately 1885 and 1895. Although named for Queen Anne, buildings constructed in this style did not strongly mimic those built during Queen Anne’s reign in the 1700s. Rather, Queen Anne style buildings had more similarity to those built during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign but typically lacked stone and brick materials associated with Elizabethan architecture. The Queen Anne style buildings introduced to the United States by England during the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, featured half-timbering and patterned masonry that was tied into the growing Arts and Crafts Movement. As the style was popularized in the United States, varying forms and subtypes incorporated elements of Victorian period architecture, representing a culmination of styles such as Italianate, Stick, and Eastlake, while also adding Classical details such as columns Palladian windows, swags, and garlands. The style also combined rectangular or square plans with projecting bays featuring circular, rectangular, hexagonal, or octagonal footprints to create varied compositions.

Additionally, roof forms often combined intersecting or layered gables, dormers, and steeply pitched towers. Exteriors were finished with horizontal wood siding and molded trim, but also regularly featured shingles of varying profile as primary cladding materials or as accents at gabled ends or projecting bays. The style was introduced by architects but was popularized through pattern books and mail-order catalogs providing example plans, which could be delivered across expanding rail networks. The Queen Anne style remained popular into the 1890s but was succeeded by a return to Neoclassical and Craftsman styles by the turn of the twentieth century. 504
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc. , 2025
504 McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses, 344–370; Anne Greening and Elena Moore, Victorian Era Styles (1870-1910), San Francisco Planning Department, 2022, at https://citypln-mextnl.sfgov.org/SharedLinks.aspx?accesskey=a4419d21510fea07d658880f76f2fd18d7316a7921cf41c4baca421190542a30&VaultGUID=A4A 7DACD-B0DC-4322-BD29-F6F07103C6E0; City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning, Office of Historic Resources, SurveyLA Citywide Historic Context Statement: Architecture and Engineering—Late 19th and Early 20th Century Residential Architecture, 1885–1910 (Los Angeles: City of Los Angeles, July 2019), 16-21, https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/1481fba6-c496-495c-804ec56fd98b7f48/Late19thandEarly20thCenturyResidentialArchitecture_1885-1910.pdf 616 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 141
Period of Significance: 1876–1890s
Associated Property Types: Residential
Representation: Queen Anne-style buildings are present in many San Mateo neighborhoods, and were a popular style of small, bungalow residences in San Mateo’s early residential areas.

Locational Information: Queen Anne-style buildings are fairly common and may be seen in San Mateo’s older neighborhoods that surround the downtown core like Central San Mateo and Eastern Addition.

Character-Defining Features:
• One- to three-stories height
• Asymmetrical façade composition
• Rectangular or square plan with projecting wings or bays • Gable or hip roofs with intersecting or layered cross gables • Exteriors with varied textured (wood siding, shingles, molded trim, sometimes accented with brick or stone)
• Front porch, often in a wrap-around configuration
• Double-hung windows with wood sash, often with smaller square panes surrounding a larger central pane
• Rounded corner towers or angled project bays with angled or boxed profiles 617 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 142

AMERICAN COLONIAL REVIVAL
The American Colonial Revival style, commonly referred to as Colonial Revival, appeared throughout the United States from the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century and reinterpreted traditional architectural motifs of the American Colonial era that spanned parts of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Architecture in North American colonies often adopted the construction methods, materiality, and aesthetic preferences of the nations who colonized areas now within the United States. The American Colonial Revival style is primarily associated with domestic architecture in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions, but also appeared on the West Coast with less frequency, where Spanish colonial influence played a major role in the development of regional architecture. The American Colonial Revival style draws heavily on English and Dutch influences. The Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia of 1876 and the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago of 1893 popularized the American Colonial Revival style on a national scale. Both expos used colonial architecture in their displays as a way of idealizing the colonial era as a time when everything was simpler and purer. This desire for the past turned into an enthusiasm for all forms of colonial nostalgia, ranging from clothing to furniture.

By the turn of the twentieth century, this trend matured as a distinct style that was more faithful to eighteenth-century American colonial architecture. Between 1910 and 1930, the percentage of new houses built in this style in the United States was around 40 percent. Elements of this style were applied to Minimal Traditional houses constructed between the 1930s and 1950. Likewise, American Colonial Revival styling is applied to new construction in the twenty-first century.505 Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1880s–1930s
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial, Civic and Institutional Representation: American Colonial Revival-style buildings are fairly common in San Mateo as it was a popular style for many decades, including the years when San Mateo experienced residential expansion.
505 City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning, Office of Historic Resources, SurveyLA Citywide Historic Context Statement: Architecture and Engineering—American Colonial Revival, 1895–1960 (Los Angeles: City of Los Angeles, December 2, 2015), 3-22, https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/d26d7637-d6da-4466-aa74-992d63a284dc/American%20Colonial%20Revival%2012-2-15_0.pdf 618 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 143
Locational Information: American Colonial Revival-styles buildings are seen in many San Mateo neighborhoods including Eastern Addition, Hayward Park, Baywood, Northeast Hillsdale, and Beresford, among others.

Character-Defining Features:
• Rectangular plan
• Primarily feature brick cladding, usually with secondary stucco or concrete exterior surfaces, and terracotta or cast stone ornament at the base
• Flat roofs with parapets or hip roofs, typically with clay tiles and overhanging eaves • Tripartite vertical organization (base, shaft, capital) • Façade characterized by symmetry or regularity
• Belt courses and cornices
• Molded window surrounds and hoods
• Classically inspired ornament
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 144

CLASSICAL REVIVAL
The Classical Revival style draws inspiration from many Classical architectural sources, including ancient architecture of Greece, Rome, and Italian architecture constructed during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. During the late nineteenth century, the profession of architecture matured and relied increasingly on academic influences and training, which included study of historical approaches to design. Some architects studied at institutions such as the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, France, where they learned formal principles of design. The institution is also associated with the development of Beaux Arts Classicism, or the Beaux Arts style, which resulted in very formal and often monumental designs, for example, San Francisco’s City Hall. While Classical Revival style shares some aspects with the Beaux Arts style, Classical Revival style buildings incorporate classical architectural vocabulary with simpler approaches intended to adapt features such as columns, porticos, entablatures, and cornices to a variety of building scales: single-family residences, apartment buildings, banks, schools, etc.506
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1890s–1920s
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial, Civic and Institutional Representation: Classical-style buildings are not especially common in San Mateo, and few examples appear to survive. Because of the style’s rarity, the qualifying thresholds for historic integrity are lower in comparison to other, more frequently observed architectural styles.

Locational Information: Classical-style buildings are mostly concentrated in San Mateo’s older neighborhoods, including those that radiate from the downtown core.

Character-Defining Features:
• Symmetrically balanced primary elevation with rectangular massing • Primary elevation dominated by full-length porch with roof supported by classical columns • Entries typically have elaborate doors with decorative surrounds based on Greek Revival, Federal, or Georgian designs
• Rectangular multipane double hung windows, topped with broken pediment detailing • Ornamental and decorative elements include columns, cherubs, fluting, and boxed-eave cornices with dentils
506 Elena Moore et al., Progressive Era & Early Revival Styles (c. 1890-c. 1930), San Francisco Planning Department, January 18, 2023, 37–39. 620 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 145

MISSION REVIVAL
The Mission Revival style is an architectural style that was influenced by romanticism surrounding former Spanish missions, churches, and other adobe buildings constructed during the colonial period.

Many of these buildings were in poor condition by the late nineteenth century but served as symbols of California’s early settlement by Europeans. They inspired architects, corporations, and institutions who sought architecture that was could be considered authentically Californian. The application of Spanish colonialist architectural motifs also was a way of developing a regional style that varied from other parts of the country. Until this point, West Coast architects adopted East Coast styles, not embracing their own history and surroundings until the Mission Revival style. Furthermore, as interest in Victorian-era styles (such as Italianate and Queen Anne) was surpassed by the growing Arts and Crafts Movement that emphasized basic forms and an appreciation for natural materials, the architecture of the Spanish colonial period was rediscovered. The style developed and spread through California, the American Southwest, and eventually as far as the East Coast, as it was adopted by institutions and corporations who sought architecture that was identifiable with California. Spanish colonial buildings also received attention through the publication of literature and art in the late eighteenth and early twentieth centuries. For instance, several railroad companies selected Mission Revival style for many railroad depots, which brought the style into many California communities as transcontinental travel increased.

After 1915, the Mission Revival style was eclipsed by the more widespread Spanish Colonial Revival style. The Mission Revival style also influences architecture of the recent past and present day, with elements such as stucco, tiled roofs, arcaded facades, and shaped parapets appearing often as a regional vernacular (or design language).507
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1890s–1910s
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial
Representation: Mission Revival-style buildings are somewhat common in San Mateo. The popularity of the style did not endure as long as other styles but coincided with the early suburban development of San Mateo.
507 Karen J. Weitze, California’s Mission Revival, (Hennesy & Ingalls, Inc., 1984), 79; Los Angeles Department of City Planning, Citywide Historic Context Statement: Mediterranean and Indigenous Revival Architecture, 1893-1948, 6; McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses, 511.
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 146
Locational Information: Mission Revival-style buildings are most common in San Mateo’s earlier residential neighborhoods including Central San Mateo and Eastern Addition.

Character-Defining Features:
• Espadaña: a curved or scalloped gable end or parapet extension that functions as an extension of the gabled end wall above the roof line, with openings for bells • Corner towers
• Stucco exterior
• Clay/terracotta tile roofs
• Wide, overhanging eaves
• Rounded arches and arcades
• Verandas, patios, and courtyards
• General lack of ornamentation, often limited to applied tiles or cast plaster motifs • Star-shaped, or quatrefoil (four-leaf) window openings, or openings with such shape in parapets
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 147

CRAFTSMAN
A style driven by a search for the “simplicity” of pre-industrial times, the Craftsman style was greatly influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement. The style emphasized natural materials and craftsmanship associated with construction and design. The bungalow became a typically singlestory, mass-produced house grouped in middle class neighborhoods. The Craftsman style incorporated elements of Swiss, Japanese, and English architecture and the philosophies of the Arts and Crafts Movement to create site-specific buildings that were modest in form while still embracing craftsmanship and artistic tradition. By the start of World War I, the style declined in popularity due to a change in tastes. Nonetheless, bungalows relying less on wood materiality and more so on economical stucco exteriors were built in high numbers during the 1920s.508 In San Mateo, the Craftsman tradition is expressed in many bungalows, an often low-cost form of the style. The popular sub-type, the California Bungalow, was constructed between 1910 and 1925. Common bungalow typologies include a front or side gable roof with a projecting porch or a hipped roof cottage, which often features a central dormer. Also seen in San Mateo is the Classic Box variation, which has a boxy design with a square footprint and is usually two stories with a hipped roof, central dormers, and a projecting front porch.

Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1890s–1930s
Associated Property Types: Residential
Representation: Craftsman-styles buildings are relatively common in San Mateo. The style was popular during San Mateo’s early suburbanization.

Locational Information: Craftsman-style buildings are most common in San Mateo’s early suburban neighborhoods including Central, Hayward Park, and Beresford, among others. 508 McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses, 567–578; City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning, Office of Historic Resources, SurveyLA Citywide Historic Context Statement: Architecture and Engineering—Arts and Crafts Movement, 1895–1930 (Los Angeles: City of Los Angeles, June 2016), 18, https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/18037253-197d-483a-8b13- c85fcd553fe8/ArtsandCraftsMovement_1895-1930.pdf
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 148
Character-Defining Features:
• One- to two-story height
• Exteriors typically clad with shingles or wood siding; stucco exteriors were increasingly common from mid-1910s to 1920s
• Low pitched gabled roofs with wide and overhanging eaves, sometimes with flared, Japanese-influenced profiles
• Exposed structural or decorative wood roofing elements: roof beams, rafters, brackets, braces
• Broad front porches spanning the half or full width of the building • Square or tapered (pyramidal) columns, typically constructed of wood or stone • Stone (“river rock”) or brick accent materials
• Wood casement windows, almost always grouped in pairs or as larger tripartite (“picture”) windows
• Single- and double-hung wood windows, often with multipane sash over single-pane sash 624 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 149

TWENTIETH CENTURY COMMERCIAL
San Mateo’s commercial areas, most notably its downtown commercial core, features a mix of twentieth century commercial style buildings. Though not an architectural style in and of itself, this period of commercial architecture is easily discernable by its essential features. Those features generally include two portions - a cornice and a storefront. The cornice usually includes a projecting element at the top of the exterior wall, and the storefront is the exterior wall of a commercial space, usually with a large expanse of glass. Buildings from this period are usually one-part block, comprised of a single story or a two-part block, which usually includes one to three stories above the streetlevel, which is public while stories above are more private or residential.509 In San Mateo, one-part commercial blocks include many simpler forms for light industrial uses adjacent to the railroad. Some styles reflected in Twentieth Century Commercial buildings include Romanesque Revival, Classical Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, American Colonial Revival, Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and MidCentury Modern.

Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1900s-1960s
Associated Property Types: Commercial
Representation: Twentieth Century-commercial buildings are common in San Mateo.

Locational Information: Twentieth Century-commercial buildings are located in several neighborhoods in San Mateo but are especially concentrated in the City’s retail corridors like the downtown core, commercial development adjacent to Bayshore Freeway, and along many sections of El Camino Real and Alameda de las Pulgas.
509 Richard Longstreth, The Buildings of Main Street: A Guide to Commercial Architecture (Preservation Press, 1987), 24-67. 625 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 150
Character-Defining Features:
• Cornice/storefront composition
• One- to four-story building height
• Street-level retail/commercial space with private or differentiated use above • Display windows (often with transoms)
• Awnings/signage
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 151

SPANISH COLONIAL REVIVAL
The Spanish Colonial Revival is an architectural style prevalent in California, which was inspired by the growing interest in the vernacular architecture of Andalusia in Southern Spain in the 1900s. The Spanish Colonial Revival style incorporates details inspired by Moorish, Byzantine, Gothic, or Renaissance architecture, as well as roof tiles common to historical construction in the Mediterranean region. The style’s form fit California’s warm climate and was greatly adaptable to a variety of size and site conditions. The 1915 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego introduced the style to a wide audience, and along with attention paid to European architecture during World War I, encouraged its popularity. Houses in this style were constructed with side-gabled, cross-gabled (L-), or compound plans featured gabled and hip roof forms. Exteriors were typically smooth of moderately textured stucco with ornamentation reserved for columns (often separating windows), paneled wood doors with elaborate surrounds, gable vents set behind patterned screens or grilles or made of cylindrical pipe. More so than detail, the picturesque composition of the building itself was emphasized, with features such as porches, small balconies, towers or turret bays, and prominent focal windows appearing in strong examples of the style.510 Sub-types of the Spanish Colonial Revival style include Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Eclectic.

Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
510 City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning, Office of Historic Resources, SurveyLA Citywide Historic Context Statement: Architecture and Engineering—Mediterranean and Indigenous Revival Architecture, 1893–1948 (Los Angeles: City of Los Angeles, November 2018), 14- 25, https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/097f6db5-feee-43f5-a448- fd140763de90/MediterraneanandIndigenousRevivalArchitecture_1893-1948.pdf 627 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 152
Period of Significance: 1915–1930s
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial, Civic and Institutional Representation: Spanish Colonial Revival-style buildings are common in San Mateo.

Locational Information: Spanish Colonial Revival-style buildings are present in many of San Mateo’s neighborhoods, especially those that developed during San Mateo’s suburbanization that began after the City’s incorporation. The style is well-represented in the downtown core and in neighborhoods like Hayward Park, Baywood, San Mateo Park, and Aragon, among others.

Character-Defining Features:
• Stucco exteriors, usually smooth, but sometimes with moderate texture • Low-pitched gable and/or hip roofs with little to no eave overhang • Clay roof tiles
• Arched windows and openings
• Occasional tower used as a vertical accent
• Enclosed outdoor spaces
• Wrought iron railings for balconies and window grilles (rejas) • Picturesque massing, comping rectangular and cylindrical masses • Asymmetrical façades
• Mix of large focal windows and smaller rectangular windows • Attic vents consisting of small-diameter red clay pipes, or set behind patterned screens (cut into façade)
• Distinctly shaped and capped chimneys
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 153

TUDOR REVIVAL
The Tudor Revival style is an eclectic mixture of English building traditions of the Tudor, Elizabethan, and Jacobean eras, drawing inspiration from housing types ranging from cottages to large mansions.

Historians have also referred to the style as “Jacobethan” given its historical influences. In the United States, the style emerged as an adaption of Tudor, Elizabethan, and Jacobean features to Queen Anne style houses, eventually evolving to more faithfully revive English historical styling. It is often identified by steeply pitched gable roofs and distinct half-timbered surfaces, where stucco or brick fill wall areas between visible timber beams. Through explicit reference to English country architecture, the flexible and easily adaptable style with great versatility in floor planning was a popular choice for middle class houses in the late 1920s and 1930s, possibly accounting for around 25 percent of houses built during the 1920s. Like the Queen Anne style that preceded it in popularity in the United States, the Tudor Revival style also relied on asymmetry, intersecting and projecting roof forms in creating picturesque massing. Other common, prominent features included massive chimneys, leaded-glass or wood casement windows in single, paired, and other multiple sash configurations, stained glass, and arched openings at entrances.511
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1890s–1930s
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial
Representation: Tudor Revival-style buildings are somewhat common in San Mateo.

Locational Information: As is the case with other revival styles, Tudor Revival-style buildings are present in many of San Mateo’s neighborhoods, especially those that developed during San Mateo’s suburbanization that began after the City’s incorporation. The style is well-represented in residential neighborhoods like Hayward Park, Baywood, San Mateo Park, and Aragon. There are also some commercial examples of the style in San Mateo’s downtown core and along West 25th Avenue.

Character-Defining Features:
• One- to three-story height
• Varied plans, steeply-pitched cross-gabled roofs
• Half-timbering at the exterior, often on the face of projecting bays or gabled ends • Brick or stucco primary cladding with brick or stone accents 511 McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses, 448–474. 629 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 154
• Large, elaborate chimneys often crowned by decorative chimney pots • Entrances with arched openings
• Hand-hewn detailing on wood beams framing porches or entrances • One or more groupings of wood or metal casement windows usually in groups of three or more
• May have rectangular or diamond-shaped panes
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 155

FRENCH ECLECTIC
Similar to other revival styles, French Eclectic drew on inspiration from the architecture, history, and literature of preindustrial periods in Europe. Primarily used in single-family residential neighborhoods, it is often the least decorative of the residential revival styles, and often only involved the application of one or two design elements on an otherwise minimalist building. Inspired by rambling French farmhouses, it became popular in the United States after World War I. Variations of the style are called “French Norman” or “French Provencial,” and uses combinations of materials including stucco, half-timbering, stone, and wood-shingle to suggest development over time. More complex examples of the style feature a prominent tower entry at the primary elevation.

Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1920–1940
Associated Property Types: Residential
Representation: French Eclectic-style buildings are somewhat common in San Mateo.

Locational Information: Of the revival styles exemplified in San Mateo, French Eclectic-style buildings appear to be less popular. Examples of the style are seen with moderate concentration in San Mateo Park and Baywood, while examples may be present in other residential neighborhoods from the period.

Character-Defining Features:
• One- to two-story height
• Irregular massing and fenestration
• Horizontal massing
• Roofs with long pitches, may be steeply pitched, hipped, clipped • Stucco, brick, and stone exteriors
• Half-timbering
• Dormers
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 156

ASIAN ECLECTIC
Asian Eclectic architecture is a fusion style and ornamentation, frequently assembled in fantastical combinations to appear exotic. The style emerged in the early 1900s when Look Tin Eli, a Chinese American businessman is credited with creating a faux Chinese façade that would become distinctive in Chinatown neighborhoods.512 Buildings designed to be “Chinese-looking” began to include ornamental details, like pagodas. Designs were concentrated in Chinatowns, and then Japantowns as the style began to evolve. Other decorative elements included curved canopies, dragon motifs, oriental and geometric motifs, and brightly colored tile roofs.513 Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1900-1950
Associated Property Types: Commercial, Civic and Institutional, Cultural and Ethnic Representation: Asian Eclectic -style buildings are rare in San Mateo. The popularity of the style is largely limited to buildings associated with San Mateo’s Asian populations. Because of the style’s rarity, the qualifying thresholds for historic integrity are lower in comparison to other, more frequently observed architectural styles.

Locational Information: The few examples of the style in the City appear closely surrounding the downtown core.

Character-Defining Features:
• Sweeping roofs with flared gables
• Ornamented roof ridges
• Brightly colored roof ridge
• Elaborate surrounds on entryways and windows
• Geometrical or oriental motif details
512 “San Francisco Chinese American Historic Context Statement,” (City of San Francisco Planning Department, 2021), 78, at https://sfplanning.org/sites/default/files/documents/preserv/ChineseAmericanHCS/ChineseAmericanHCS-draft.pdf. 513 City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning, Office of Historic Resources, SurveyLA Citywide Historic Context Statement: Japanese Americans in Los Angeles, 1869–1970 (Los Angeles: City of Los Angeles, August 2018), 95, https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/bf97b9b9- cb81-4661-8d20-62c02b9c1415/SurveyLA_JapaneseAmericanContextandResources_Aug2018.pdf 632 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 157

ART DECO
Art Deco, which takes its name from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts) held in Paris in 1925, was a short-lived response to modernism that quickly spread to the United States. American architects designed elaborate buildings that broke from the rigid structure of the Beaux Arts classical tradition. Art Deco captured the spirit of modernity, while still incorporating expensive and sophisticated forms and materials in a way that exuded a sense of luxury and splendor. At the time, the recent discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, in part, prompted a cultural fascination in nonWestern design, leading Art Deco architects to draw inspiration from Ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian, or pre-Colombian cultures, including the Maya of Central America. Some buildings were designed with features such as shaped parapets, zig-zag shaped detailing, and ornate cornices or other elements that showcased Art Deco styling, while some buildings simply featured applied ornamentation that lent buildings with generally less distinctive forms a bit of Art Deco flair. Further development of the style was truncated by the Great Depression and its ostentatious and wealthy silhouettes quickly faded away from American architecture.514 Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1925–1930s
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial, Civic and Institutional Representation: Art Deco -style buildings are somewhat rare in San Mateo because the window of popularity of the style is rather narrow. Because of the style’s rarity, the qualifying thresholds for historic integrity are lower in comparison to other, more frequently observed architectural styles.

Locational Information: Examples of Art Deco-style buildings are present in the downtown core with disparate examples in some of San Mateo’s early suburban neighborhoods, including Eastern Addition, among others.

Character-Defining Features:
• One- to several-story height
• Characterized by linear, hard edge, or angular composition • Building facades commonly have a series of setbacks to emphasize their geometric form 514 McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses, 580–585. 633 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 158
• Smooth wall surface, with stylized geometric motifs including zigzags and chevrons • Decorative façade elements like towers and vertical projections above the roofline that give a vertical emphasis to the building
• Other common decorative details include fluting, sunrise patterns, and geometric florals 634 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 159

STREAMLINE MODERNE
After the Art Deco style entered the American architectural scene in the mid-1920s, the harsh realities of the Great Depression subdued the sense of optimism associated with the years immediately after World War I. Despite economic downturn, scientific and technological advancements continued during the interwar years between the early 1920s and early 1940s, forming what has been described as the American Machine Age. Design professionals sought methods of balancing design with economic constraints and influenced by the design of Modern machines (cars, planes, trains, steamships). The Streamline Moderne style took the principles emphasized by industrial designers such as Norman Bel Geddes (the “father of streamlining”) and replaced the geometric and exotic aspects of Art Deco with smooth exteriors, curved forms, and an emphasis on horizontal lines that lent architecture a sense of movement. More affordable materials, such as glass block, aluminum, and stainless steel, were incorporated into Streamline Moderne designs, and favored over more expensive materials that contributed to earlier Art Deco designs.

With the onset of World War II and related limitations on building construction, the Streamline Moderne style’s period of popularity came to a close. By the mid-1940s, newly emergent trends in Modern architecture took hold.515

Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
515 City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning, SurveyLA Citywide Historic Context Statement: Architecture and Engineering—L.A.

Modernism, 1919–1980 (Los Angeles: Office of Historic Resources, 2021), https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/4f67bd39-631a-4f26- 9a52-cd5809a66655/LA_Modernism_1919-1980.pdf.
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 160
Period of Significance: 1930s–1940s
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial, Civic and Institutional Representation: Streamline Moderne buildings are somewhat rare in San Mateo because the window of popularity of the style is rather narrow. Because of the style’s rarity, the qualifying thresholds for historic integrity are lower in comparison to other, more frequently observed architectural styles.

Locational Information: Examples of Streamline Moderne-style buildings are present in the downtown core with residential examples in early suburban neighborhoods, like Aragon and Southeast Hillsdale. Disparate examples may be present in other residential neighborhoods developed in the 1930s and 1940s.

Character-Defining Features:
• Horizontal massing and emphasis, including ribbon windows or speed stripes that lead the eye along the exterior
• Rounded corners and curved surfaces
• Flat or nearly flat roof, sometimes with a flat parapet that is trimmed with plaster or metal coping
• “Speed stripes” at wall surfaces or on canopies that appear at entrances or over services areas (for example at gas stations)
• Horizontal moldings and continuous sill courses
• Smooth stucco cladding
• Windows with metal sash, often casements, sometimes arranged in ribbons, but typically with horizontal orientation
• Windows are often punched into walls, with no exterior casing or surrounds • Unadorned wall surfaces and with minimal ornamentation 636 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 161

MINIMAL TRADITIONAL
Fueled by the economic constraints of the Great Depression and the subsequent housing shortage of the immediate post-war era, the Minimal Traditional architectural style was a deliberate design and construction trend intended to create simple, economic, single-family residences for the masses. In the Federal Housing Administration’s 1940 version of Planning Small Houses, the word “simple” appears frequently in descriptions of the exterior design of the Minimal Traditional house. Efficient floor plans and speedy construction enabled the mass production of these houses: first between 1940 and 1945 as houses for relocating wartime production-plant workers and then between 1946 and 1949 for returning servicemen promised affordable housing through the G.I. Bill. Instant suburban communities appeared across the country, sometimes only using subtle variations of building prototypes replicated over and over to house thousands. By about 1950, Ranch houses began to replace Minimal Traditional Style houses, as post-war prosperity facilitated the building and financing of larger homes.516
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1930s–1950s
Associated Property Types: Residential
Representation: Minimal Traditional-style buildings are very common in San Mateo and represent the most popular architectural style for residences built leading up to and following World War II.

Because of the popularity of the style, the qualifying thresholds for historic integrity are higher in comparison to other, rarer styles of architecture.

Locational Information: Examples of Minimal Traditional-style buildings are present in most of San Mateo’s World War II-era developments, including Hillsdale, Fiesta Gardens, San Mateo Village, Laurelwood, Sunnybrae, and Shoreview, among others.

Character-Defining Features:
• Low or moderately pitched roof, often gabled or hipped • Small, usually single-story massing
• Roof eaves with little to no overhang
• Double-hung windows
• Minimal decorative or architectural detail, often incorporating some traditional Colonial Revival or Classical elements (column, dentil, pedimented front door) • Principal subtypes include gable and wing roof, side gabled roof (also commonly called Cape Cod), hipped roof, and front gabled houses
516 McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses, 586–595. 637 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 162

RANCH STYLE
“Ranch House” is a broad term that refers to a property type and an architectural style most often applied to residential buildings. Examples of Ranch houses appeared in limited numbers prior to the 1920s, while the 1930s through 1970s were the predominant years of the type’s construction. Ranch houses and Ranch styling were influenced by nineteenth-century vernacular residences in the American West and Southwest. Haciendas built in Southern California and wood-frame houses built by early American pioneers in Northern California, Texas, and elsewhere in the United States informed the style’s development. Haciendas featured adobe walls, low-pitched shed or gable roofs, and decorative wood windows grilles (rejas) or lattices (celosias) and featured asymmetrical plans that opened to an interior courtyard, which drew on Spanish precedents. Early American farmhouses were also typically asymmetrical in plan, with front porches, board-and-batten siding, and wood shake (long shingle) roofs. By the early 1900s, architects in California were designing houses drawing on these influences. William Wurster, an influential Bay Area Modernist architect, designed an early Ranch house in Scotts Valley, Santa Clara County known as the Gregory Farmhouse, which was featured in Sunset magazine. These early examples in the style preceded the influential work of architect Cliff May, who is strongly linked with the Ranch house’s popularization.

The ranch houses designed between the 1920s to 1940s were often architect-designed, custom houses on relatively large sites. After World War II, Ranch houses gained popularity as publications such as Sunset magazine and its related Western Ranch Houses, as well as House Beautiful and House and Garden. As the style was further publicized, developers began to favor it for mass-produced suburban communities. Into the 1970s, the style was adapted to commercial and institutional functions such as motels, gas stations, supermarkets, churches, civic buildings, and schools. Circa 1975, the Ranch style’s popularity declined due to a scarcity of expansive buildable land resulting from the previous decade’s suburbanization of many areas and a growing desire for more formal and traditional styles.517
517 Los Angeles City Planning Department, The Ranch House, 1930–1975, Los Angeles Citywide Historic Context Statement (Los Angeles: City of Los Angeles, n.d.), accessed December 13, 2025, https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/1acefe03-5615-425f-9182- d58a79014901/The_Ranch_House%2C_1930-1975.pdf.McAlester, A Field Guide to Modern American Houses, 597–611. 638 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 163

Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1930s–1970s
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial
Representation: Ranch-style buildings are very common in San Mateo and represent a very popular architectural style for buildings built leading up to and following World War II. Because of the popularity of the style, the qualifying thresholds for historic integrity are higher in comparison to other, rarer styles of architecture.

Locational Information: Examples of Ranch-style buildings are present in most of San Mateo’s World War II-era developments, including Hillsdale, Baywood Knolls, Hillsdale, Laurelwood, Country Club Heights, and Sugarloaf, among others.

Character-Defining Features:
• Low or moderately pitched roof, often gabled or hipped • Usually single-story with broad massing
• Roof eaves with little to no overhang
• Double-hung or sliding windows
• Front entry very commonly sheltered by main roof of structure • Often includes integrated garage
• Minimal decorative or architectural detail, often incorporating some traditional Colonial Revival or Classical elements (column, dentil, pedimented front door) • Principal subtypes include hipped roof, cross-hipped roof, side-gabled roof, cross-gabled roof and split-levels.
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Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 164

MID-CENTURY MODERN
The term Mid-Century Modern is a broad classification used to describe a variety of post-World War II architectural and design styles that adapted the International Style, which was among the preWorld War II architectural styles important to the development of Modern architecture. The decades after World War II brought about the United States’ longest period of continuous growth and the rise of Mid-Century Modernism as the dominant mode of post-war architecture. The style embraced new technology and materials, the philosophy of indoor-outdoor living, and stylized clean simplicity.

Found in a wide assortment of building types, the lack of ornament and inclusion of historical detailing was extremely versatile, and designers could meet the needs of almost any client. MidCentury Modern architecture has been applied to residential building types, is often seen in California downtown districts that saw extensive post-World War II expansion or redevelopment, and was also adapted to institutional and industrial buildings, typically with more restrained forms. Beyond new construction during the post-World War II period, Mid-Century Modern architectural elements were also used in designing additions to earlier buildings, or for example, in modernizing features such as storefronts, entrances, and exterior cladding. These patterns were seen in many communities in California, as downtowns that emerged during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries adapted to broader planning and developmental patterns, such as embracing the automobile (and related parking needs) and incorporating signage that could be seen by passing car traffic. A very exuberant sub-style of Mid-Century Modern architecture is the Googie style, made famous by California roadside commercial buildings with attention-getting rooflines and signage. 518
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1940s–1960s
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial, Civic and Institutional 518 Mary Brown, San Francisco Modern Architecture and Landscape Design 1935-1970 Historic Context Statement, San Francisco Planning Department, 2011, 121–125, at
https://sfplanninggis.org/docs/Historical_Context_Statements/Modern%20Architecture%20Context%20adopted%20Jan%202011.pdf. 640 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 165
Representation: Mid-Century Modern-style buildings are well-represented in San Mateo and was a popular architectural style, particularly following World War II. Because of the popularity of the style, the qualifying thresholds for historic integrity are higher in comparison to other, rarer styles of architecture.

Locational Information: Examples of Mid-Century Modern-style buildings are present in many of San Mateo’s World War II-era developments, including Sunnybrae, San Mateo Village, Fiesta Garden, and Shoreview, among others. Many commercial examples of the styles are present along El Camino Real.

Character-Defining Features:
• Exposed wood, concrete, and or/or steel structural components, especially posts and beams • Simple geometric volumes
• Unornamented wall surfaces
• Flat, cantilevered roofs
• Wide overhanging eaves common but not required
• Use of bright or contrasting colors
• Spandrel glass in floor to ceiling windows
• Open floor plans
• Integration with the outdoors through overhanging trellises, pergolas, atriums, and planters • Horizontal massing
• Upper stories framed by projecting boxes
• Stucco siding
• Vertical corrugated siding
• Stacked Roman brick cladding
• Stone veneer cladding
• Projecting trellis
• “Googie” style variations typically have projecting roof forms (butterfly, zigzag) and roadside signage
641 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 166

CORPORATE MODERN
In the years following World War II, the era of structural steel design led to a new building type typically expressed for use in modern office towers, banks, and even apartment building construction. An application of the International Style at a larger scale, the style emphasizes the structural expression of the building, including the use of curtain wall construction, articulated frames, and concrete. As the style evolved, it also included cladding systems that used new materials like cut stone, laminates, and reflective solar glass.
519
Source: Rincon Consultants, Inc., 2025
Period of Significance: 1960–1980
Associated Property Types: Residential, Commercial, Civic and Institutional Representation: Corporate Modern-style buildings are well-represented in San Mateo and was a popular architectural style for corporate campuses and business parks. Because of the popularity of the style, the qualifying thresholds for historic integrity are higher in comparison to other, rarer styles of architecture.

Locational Information: Examples of Corporate Modern-style buildings are represented in many buildings along El Camino Real. Other examples are concentrated in corporate business parks like those in Borel Place, office parks adjacent to Highway 92, and along Bayshore Freeway.

Character-Defining Features:
• Large, tower massing
• Steel or concrete construction with structural system expressed • Flat roofs that may include projecting canopies
• Form is typically geometric and simple
• Large expanses of glass are typical
• Little exterior ornamentation
519 Carole Rifkind, A Field Guide to Contemporary American Architecture (Plume, 2001), 265-311. 642 of 976
Architectural Styles
San Mateo Historic Context Statement 167

San Mateo City CouncilMay 4, 2026

San Mateo City Council
May 4, 2026