1 Holeva Finau
From: Larisa Ocanada
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 10:00 AM
To: Planning Commission
Cc: Joanna Winter
Subject: Agenda Item #3: Planning Commission Meeting - 220 W. 20th Avenue Attachments: SAMCEDA Letter of Support - 220 W. 20th - 5.26.26.pdf Dear Chair Patel and Members of the Planning Commission,
Please see the leƩer of support from SAMCEDA’s President & CEO, Rosanne Foust, regarding SummerHill Apartment CommuniƟes’ (SHAC) proposal to redevelop 220 W. 20th Avenue in San Mateo.
The aƩached leƩer pertains to Agenda Item #3 for the City of San Mateo’s upcoming Planning Commission MeeƟng on Tuesday, May 26th at 7:00PM.
Thank you!
Larisa Ocañada
MarkeƟng, CommunicaƟons and OperaƟons Manager
San Mateo County Economic Development AssociaƟon (SAMCEDA)
2 www.samceda.org
1 Holeva Finau
From: Nolan Katz
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 12:26 PM
To: Planning Commission
Subject: Hello
I vote against the proposed apartment complex near 20th and Elkhorn Ct
NolanKatz, Past Potentate. Asiya Shriners
Sent from Asiya Shriners App.
Sent from my iPhone
1 Holeva Finau
From: Oleksii Chuiko
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 11:30 AM
To: Planning Commission
Subject: May 26 Agenda - Item 3 - Public Comment
Dear Chair and Members of the Planning Commission,
For the record, my name is Oleksii Chuiko, and I serve as the Director of Operations for Asiya Shriners, located at 1925 Elkhorn Court. I have served in this capacity since 2014. Additionally, I bring the perspective of a former fellow commissioner, having previously served as the Chairman
of the Planning Commission for the City of Oakley.
I am writing to you today to voice our strong opposition to the proposed 7-story development adjacent to Elkhorn Court. In its current iteration, this project represents a net loss for our organization, our tenants, and the entire surrounding neighborhood.
Having sat in your exact seats, I understand the immense pressure to approve housing. During my tenure as a commissioner, I was an adamant proponent of housing and voted to approve the vast majority of projects brought before us—even when they caused minor inconveniences.
However, I drew a strict line that I believe must be upheld here: I never voted to approve a project that sacrificed, or even had the potential to sacrifice, public safety, nor one that actively undermined established local businesses that generate vital revenue for the city.
We are not anti-housing. In fact, our organization has a proven track record of successful collaboration with residential developers. When Essex was developing the neighboring Park20 property (now known as The Lark), I worked directly with them. That process was a drastically different experience from what we are experiencing now. Essex engaged with us as a true neighbor, and we were able to find mutual agreements that resulted in a win- win for both parties
while prioritizing the community.
Unfortunately, the current proposal disregards basic public safety and infrastructure realities.
Elkhorn Court is a narrow, dead-end cul-de-sac that is already heavily gridlocked. Our building houses two vulnerable populations: a child care center ( Little Bloom) and an adult day care facility (Partners for Independence). During peak morning and evening hours, the traffic from drop-offs and pick-
ups overlaps directly with our fraternal events, as well as residents of the Lark returning from work.
Injecting hundreds of additional vehicles into this specific, cramped bottleneck is a recipe for disaster for drivers and pedestrians alike. Furthermore, the resulting construction and permanent traffic chaos will severely threaten the operations of our tenants. If these tax-paying local businesses are forced to shut down or relocate, the loss of revenue will directly impact the
2 Shriners' ability to operate our facility and support our global charity - Shriners Children’s Hospitals.
The critical need for housing in the Bay Area does not justify building a project of this massive scale anywhere there is open space, without adequate infrastructure to support it.
As a former peer in municipal planning, I strongly urge you to NOT approve this project in its current iteration. I ask that you direct the developer to seek a proper location for a project of this size, or at the very least, return with a major redesign that mitigates this safety crisis—such as moving the main parking garage entrance completely away from the Elkhorn Court cul-de-sac and onto 20th Avenue.
Thank you for your time, your leadership, and your dedicated service to our community.
Respectfully submitted,
Oleksii Chuiko
Director of Operations
ASIYA Shrine Center - Shriners International #15
www.asiyashriners.com
This communication constitutes an electronic communication within the meaning of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC 2510, and its disclosure is strictly limited to the recipient intended by the sender of this message. This communication may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient and receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient does not constitute a loss of the confidential or privileged nature of the communication. Any review or distribution by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient please contact the sender by return electronic mail and delete all copies of this communication.
1 Holeva Finau
From: Roberto Bradford
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 3:55 PM
To: Planning Commission
Subject: Public Comment - Item 3
Hello. My name is Roberto Bradford. I am a member of Asiya Shriners, which meets at 1925 Elkhorn Ct. in San Mateo. I am writing to express my opposition to the proposed apartment building on 20th & Elkhorn.
While I agree that more housing is needed in the Bay Area in general, the proposed building does not take traffic and safety into consideration. Elkhorn Ct. is not a major artery designed to handle a major increase in traffic such as the one that would be created by a 7 storey building. Our building's tenants include a daycare center for dependent adults and a daycare center for children. As it is now, the traffic during arrival and dismissal times is often very heavy for both events at our building and for the residents of the existing apartment complex at the end of the cul-de-sac. Adding 232 more units would create chaos for anyone trying to get in and out of Elkhorn. There is also the safety hazard that would be augmented with the influx of traffic. As mentioned before, our tenants include children and developmentally delayed adults. There is a very real possibility of someone, child or adult, running out into traffic, and that possibility would be exponentially higher if there were that many more vehicles on the road.
With those concerns, our nonprofit might face the possibility of losing our tenants to a safer, quieter location. That would be detrimental both to our organization, which would lose a substantial amount of income, and to the care centers, which would be forced to leave the place where they have been for years to find a new place to operate.
I do not oppose a new building entirely, but I believe that there should be more guaranteed safety measures in place before a project of this scope is approved. Thank you.
1 Holeva Finau
From: Sam Weseloh <
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 11:11 AM
To: Planning Commission
Subject: Item 3 5/26 Agenda
VOTE NO FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT
ASIYA SHRINERS AND ITS CHARITY WORK WILL BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED—- both SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM
NO NO NO NO NO!
—Concerned ciƟzen of San Mateo County.
Sent from my iPhone
1 Holeva Finau
From: Stephanie Davis
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 1:54 PM
To:
Cc: Joanna Winter; Simin Zakavand; Sung H. Kwon; Mazarin Vakharia; Holeva Finau Subject: 220 W. 20th Ave - Follow Up to Pre Agenda Questions Good Afternoon
In follow up to the pre-agenda meeting last Friday 5-22-26 and outstanding questions for the above application, regarding windows on the north (rear) side of the building and use of a eucalyptus tree species as street tree type to be planted, staƯ has outreached to the Building Department and City Arborist (respectfully) and would like to oƯer the following responses.
1. Residential window types on Rear/North Side of building and any code requirements as to whether these windows are required to be operable.
The windows are specified as operable on Sheet A3.4. The windows of these residential dwelling units are not required to be operable for emergency escape and rescue purposes because the building is exempt based on the selected type of construction. However, the windows are used for required natural ventilation which shall be not less than 4 percent of the floor area being ventilated in accordance with 2025 CBC Section 1205.1.
Thus, tt is possible to design the dwelling units for this project with no operable windows and not rely on natural ventilation. In such case, they shall be designed for more the complex and expensive HVAC mechanical ventilation per 2025 California Mechanical Code,which brings outside air through the ductwork (typical oƯices). In summary, it is possible for such windows to be inoperable and allowed by the code but unusual for dwelling units.
2. The use of a eucalyptus as a street tree species.
While some eucalyptus species have developed a problematic reputation due to characteristics such as large mature size, excessive bark shedding that can contribute to fire fuel loads, undesirable growth habits, and invasive tendencies (e.g., Blue gum, River red gum, etc.), the eucalyptus family is highly diverse, and many species possess traits that make them suitable for urban environments. In fact, the City’s Street Tree Master Plan includes several eucalyptus species approved for planting in the public right-of-way. Examples include Swamp Mallee (Eucalyptus spathulata), Lemon-scented gum (Eucalyptus citriodora), Spotted gum (Eucalyptus maculata), and Manna gum (Eucalyptus viminalis). According to the Street Tree Master Plan, these species have demonstrated more favorable behavior, exhibit smaller growth habits, are remarkably drought- and salt-tolerant, and possess unique traits that are well adapted to our changing climate. Please n ote that the
City’s Street Tree Master Plan underwent a full revamping process and adoption in 2022 by the Parks and Recreation Managing Arborist and City Council. This document includes a section on tree species selection that features eucalyptus trees (see page 11). For this application, Flame gold trees (Koelreuteria bipinnata) along 20th Ave and Beautiful leaf Eucalyptus ( Eucalyptus calophylla) on Elkhorn Ct were required in accordance with SMMC 27.71.120.
Please let me know of further questions, thank you.
2 Stephanie B. Davis, AICP
Contract Principal Planner | Community Development Dept. 330 W. 20th Ave., San Mateo, CA 94403
Cell: (650) 773-7249 | [email protected]
The l nked image cannot be displayed The f le may have been moved enamed o deleted Ve ify that the link poin s o the co ect file and location
1 Stephanie Davis
From: Holeva Finau
Sent: Wednesday, June 3, 2026 10:22 AM
To: Richard Rodriguez
Cc: RickCell Rodriguez; Sung H. Kwon; Joanna Winter; Stephanie Davis Subject: RE: Hello
Hi Richard,
Confirming receipt of your public comment regarding 220 W. 20th Avenue – New Mul#-Family Residen#al Development (PA-2025-063) on behalf of the Planning Commission bcc'd in this correspondence.
Thank you,
Holeva S Finau
Administra#ve Assistant | Community Development Dept.
330 W. 20th Ave., San Mateo, CA 94403
650-522-7236 | hfi[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Rodriguez < >
Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2026 5:52 AM
To: Planning Commission <[email protected]> Cc: RickCell Rodriguez < >; Ric kCell Rodriguez < >
Subject: Hello
Are Richard J Rodriguez opposed this apartment development. I am an I am a totally disabled person and Under the Americans With Disabili#es Act I will file a complaint with the federal government that you are discrimina#ng against handicap persons.
The SanMateo County greed is ignoring the safety over poli#cal issues. This apartment complex development is not a sound minded decision. I request that Army Corps of Engineers and local, state, and federal engineering, etc. be brought in and inves#gate.
Truly
Richard J Rodriguez
Sent from Asiya Shriners App.
Sent from my iPhone