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: 10-4662 File ID: 26-11375 TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: July 20, 2026
SUBJECT:
Public Works Standard Drawings – Update
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution to update all City of San Mateo Department of Public Works Standard Drawings.
BACKGROUND:
The Public Works Department is in the process of a multi-phase update to the Public Works design and construction standards. This first phase includes a complete overhaul of the Public Works Standard Drawings (Standards) to replace the existing standard drawings. Later phases will incorporate a comprehensive review and rewrite of the Subdivision Code (Title 26), adoption of standard construction specifications, and adoption of a design criteria handbook for public and private projects.
The Standards outline the design and construction standards for public infrastructure improvements such as sewer, stormwater, streets, sidewalks, streetlights, and traffic signage, and striping. The City currently has 72 Standard Detail drawings, the majority of which have not been updated for more than 20 years. This update will bring the Standards up to industry best practices, technical advancements, and regulatory requirements. With the technical expertise and drafting services provided by Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc. and BKF Engineers (collectively “Consultants”), staff have updated the Standards that will provide clearer details for design and construction of the public infrastructure.
Staff, with the Consultants, initiated a review of the existing Standards to assess and identify necessary updates.
Throughout the project, coordination took place between the different divisions within Public Works including Traffic, Transportation Planning, Clean Water Program, Capital Improvement, and Operations & Maintenance. During the process of revising drawings and drafting new ones, each division submitted comments and redlines to ensure that the new Standards would best fit the needs of projects relevant to the City. This review also included a comparative analysis of standard drawings from municipalities including South San Francisco, Redwood City, Roseville, and Belmont. This process provided insight into regional practices in Public Works design and helped staff identify areas where the Standards could be improved or streamlined.
The new 95 standard drawings, as shown in Attachment 1 Exhibit A, have been subjected to substantial review by City engineering staff. Details regarding the updated standard drawings sections are summarized below:
Substantial Standard Drawing revisions are:
1. Street Geometries – Standardized layout of streets and roadways for vehicular, pedestrian, and bicyclist use and safety.
2. Roadway Improvements – Standardized dimensions and constructability of hardscape improvements such as sidewalks, curbs, gutters, driveways, and curb ramps.
CITY OF SAN MATEO
3. Storm Drain – Standardized materials and construction, replaced curb drain and depression details, and added trash capture devices.
4. Sanitary Sewer – Standardized materials and construction and clarified lateral installations.
5. Utilities – Standardized manhole types and construction, updated pipe crossings, added shallow manholes, and added abandonment details.
6. Restoration – Updated street restoration for intersections.
7. Parking – Standardized street parking dimensions and markers.
8. Traffic – Standardized crosswalks, updated bike improvements details, and added signage details.
9. Electrical – Standardized conduit construction and materials and added typical streetlight spacing.
10. Landscape – No substantial changes.
The Standards have been prepared to assist all persons engaged in the design or construction of Public Works improvements and are generally applicable to all construction within the City. These drawings shall be followed in any construction which, upon completion, will be accepted and maintained by the City. However, note that there may be specific cases where constructed public improvements are maintained by property owners or developers as agreed upon through Maintenance Agreements with the City.
Staff have assessed the fiscal impacts of the proposed updates to the City’s Standard Drawings applicable to residents, developers, and utilities. Resident impact primarily stems from sewer or water lateral replacements, which have not been substantially changed from the current requirements. Developers and utility providers are expected to experience minimal impact, as they typically are required to implement significant public improvement restoration as part of their permit conditions. The City can expect a minimal increase in project costs for utility projects encompassing sewer, stormwater, and streetlight improvements since the changes to the standard details were driven by the construction details and practices from City projects.
Once approved, Public Works will reissue one revised set of Standards. These Standards will be available online and accessible for those who plan to do work within the City’s limits. To minimize the impact of projects, future amendments to the Standards are proposed to be approved at the staff level and will be performed through addendum and insertion of revised pages.
BUDGET IMPACT:
Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc. and BKF Engineers were contracted for amounts of $77,000 and $89,870, respectively, to provide technical expertise and drafting services for the Standard Drawings Project. Future City projects will incorporate the appropriate Standard Drawings and budget their construction costs accordingly.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This adoption 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).) STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This plan supports the Infrastructure initiative
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Proposed Resolution
STAFF CONTACT
Jason Hallare, Engineering Manager
[email protected]
(650) 522-7316