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: 14 Section Name: CONSENT CALENDAR Account Number: 25-3112 File ID: 26-11200 TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: City Clerk's Office
MEETING DATE: May 18, 2026
SUBJECT:
Historic Policy Update — Ordinance Adoption
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt 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; and adopt an Ordinance to add Chapter 2.23 to the San Mateo Municipal Code to establish the Historic Resources Commission.
BACKGROUND:
On May 4, 2026, the City Council introduced an Ordinance to amend the San Mateo Municipal Code Chapter 27.66 “Historic Preservation” to update the City’s regulations to be consistent with the General Plan 2040 and to align with industry bet practices. Additionally, City Council introduced an Ordinance to add Chapter 2.23 to the San Mateo Municipal Code to establish the Historic Resources Commission, composed of five (5) Commissioners and two (2) additional Youth Commissioners appointed by Council.
During the meeting, the City Council provided feedback and proposed edits to both Ordinances related to the composition and responsibilities of the Historic Resources Commission, clarification of procedural language, and implementation of the updated historic preservation regulations. For example, the Historic Preservation Ordinance was revised to include a procedure whereby the Council could nominate properties listed on the 1989 Historic Building Survey and, following property owner notification and a public hearing, add the property to the San Mateo Historic Resources Inventory. While not codified, the Council by motion also directed that the 1989 Historic Building Survey be updated.
Staff has incorporated the requested revisions into the Ordinances, and versions with tracked changes are attached to this report for reference.If adopted, both Ordinances will become effective 30 days after adoption.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is no budget impact.
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 Historic Preservation Ordinance and Historic Resources Commission Ordinance 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.
CITY OF SAN MATEO
The Ordinance to establish the Historic Resources Commission is also exempt pursuant to Section 15378(b)(5), as this is an administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. Finally, the Historic Preservation Ordinance is exempt under Section 15308 (Class 8 – Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment) because the Ordinance regulates how properties can be modified, thereby protecting historic resources through maintaining the existing built environment.
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Proposed Ordinance – Historic Preservation
Att 2 – Proposed Ordinance – Historic Resources Commission Att 3 – Proposed Ordinance – Historic Preservation (Tracked changes) Att 4 – Proposed Ordinance – Historic Resources Commission (Tracked changes) Att 5 – Public Comment
STAFF CONTACT
Chantal Eaton, Deputy City Clerk
[email protected]
(650) 522-7044