I. Introduction A. WHAT IS A GENERAL PLAN? A general plan is the planning guideline for the future of a city. It contains goals and policies which regulate urban development, the protection of the natural environment, and public safety. It reflects the community's long-term vision, and provides the perspective to judge day-to-day decisions by these future goals. The general plan is used by the City Council and the Planning Commission in considering land use and planning-related decisions, and guides future funding decisions. City staff refer to the general plan on a daily basis administering and regulating land use and development activity. The plan also enables citizens and those seeking to develop property to understand San Mateo's values and objectives. All California cities and counties are required by the State of California to have a general plan. State law requires the general plan to address seven specific topics (elements): Land Use, Housing, Circulation, Open Space, Conservation, Noise and Safety. B. HOW THE SAN MATEO GENERAL PLAN WAS DEVELOPED The San Mateo General Plan was developed by a 17 member Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), appointed by the City Council in December, 1988. CAC members were selected from throughout the community. They were charged with taking a comprehensive view of San Mateo's future development, and not to represent specific interest groups. The general plan process began in September, 1988, with a series of community workshops with residential and business groups to identify the issues to be addressed in the plan. The resulting list of community issues was provided to the CAC, along with substantial background data and analysis. In over 30 meetings, the CAC directed the study of several alternative development scenarios for San Mateo through the year 2005. From this, they developed goals and policies and a land use plan which are contained in this document. The General Plan was presented to the community through informational brochures and a series of community workshops held in January and February, 1990. The Plan then went forward, Adopted by the City Council on October 18, 2010 I-1 Resolution No. 134-2010
along with an environmental impact report (EIR), to public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council. The City Council adopted the General Plan for San Mateo on July 16, 1990. In November 1991, the voters adopted an initiative which amended the General Plan. The initiative made several changes to the General Plan, primarily directed at reducing maximum heights and densities for residential and most non-residential uses, while increasing the City s commitment to providing affordable housing. A comprehensive update of the General Plan, consistent with the provisions of Measure H, was approved by the City Council in 1996. In November 2004, the voters adopted an extension of Measure H. This extension included the following types of items: updates, clarifications and changes. In addition, there were significant provisions of Measure H which were maintained. Those portions of the General Plan which were amended by the initiatives are designated in italics. As part of the ongoing effort to maintain a current General Plan, a five-year update of the Plan was initiated in 1995 and completed in 1997. The update focused on several issues: revision of goals and policies established in 1990 that have been implemented or were outdated; incorporation of current demographics, economics, housing, and traffic conditions; and the update of land use and population projections extended to the year 2010, five years beyond the original projections of the 1990 Plan. The next General Plan update effort began in 2007. While this is the first update since 1997, a number of other efforts since 1997 have occurred that have set goals and policies for shaping the City s future. These efforts include Measure P, the San Mateo Rail Corridor Plan, the Housing and Land Use Study, and the Sustainable Initiatives Plan. The voter approval of Measure P extended Measure H and added some clarifications, changes and updates to the General Plan. The San Mateo Rail Corridor Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Plan involved substantial land use changes to the General Plan by establishing TOD land use zones in the vicinity of the Hayward Park and Hillsdale train stations to encourage high density mixed use development in proximity to the rail corridor. The Housing and Land Use study outlined the additional need for increasing the percentage of required Below Market Rate Units and provided guidance for updating the Housing Element. The Sustainable Initiatives Plan set goals and policies for addressing Climate Change and Sustainability for the City of San Mateo. This General Plan update followed the format of the previous revisions to the Plan focusing on: the incorporation of new demographic information, economic projections, housing, and traffic Adopted by the City Council on October 18, 2010 I-2 Resolution No. 134-2010
conditions; incorporation of new goals and policies pertaining to climate change and sustainability; and revisions to existing goals and policies contained in the various elements of the General Plan. The revised General Plan was adopted by the City Council in 2010. C. MAJOR PROPOSALS OF THE GENERAL PLAN The course of development in San Mateo has largely been established through past decisions. The City is almost entirely developed with little vacant land remaining. However, there are strong economic forces which will bring about major changes through redevelopment of portions of the City. The General Plan seeks to establish a balance between the need for new growth and development and the preservation of the City's high quality of life. There are eight major proposals in this General Plan: 1. INCREASE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES WHILE MAINTAINING THE CHARACTER OF EXISTING SINGLE-FAMILY AND LOW DENSITY NEIGHBORHOODS. An increase in San Mateo's housing stock will be necessary if job growth is to occur. Due to the lack of vacant land and the need for more affordable types of housing, most new residential construction will be multi-family developments. A number of specific plans have been completed to encourage multi use developments with an emphasis on livability and linking housing to transportation. The El Camino Real Master Plan, San Mateo Rail Corridor Transit- Oriented Development Plan, Bay Meadows Specific Plans, and Hillsdale Station Area Plan have been adopted and all promote mixed-uses. The Bay Meadows Specific Plans, adopted in 1997 and 2005, allow for live-work units, standard lot single-family dwelling units, small lot singlefamily dwellings, townhouse units, multi-family residential units and secondary units. The San Mateo Rail Corridor Transit-Oriented Development Plan established TOD zones in the vicinity of the Hayward Park and Hillsdale Caltrain Stations. The Plan provides for mixed use development at the highest residential densities and building heights near the train stations to encourage lively, transit oriented, and pedestrian friendly places. The Hillsdale Station Area Plan provides additional specificity and design regulations for development around the Hillsdale Caltrain Station. Despite the need for housing, the Plan places a very high value on existing residential neighborhoods, particularly single-family and duplex areas which can be overwhelmed by the scale and traffic of new multi-family developments. The 1990 Plan rezoned existing intact Adopted by the City Council on October 18, 2010 I-3 Resolution No. 134-2010
single-family neighborhoods, particularly in the North Central area, which were designated for multi-family redevelopment to lower density residential use. These rezonings were intended to decrease absentee ownership and land speculation, and foster an increased stability in the neighborhood. Despite these rezonings, substantial areas are available for new multi-family development. The Plan also increases housing opportunities by providing incentives for residential development in certain mixed-use designated commercial areas, and allowing residential development in other non-residential areas with the approval of a special use permit. 2. MAINTAIN THE COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHENING THE DOWNTOWN AS A MAJOR COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL AND CULTURAL CENTER. The General Plan supports new commercial and residential growth in the Downtown,as well as maintaining retail shopping on the ground floors along Third and Fourth avenues and B Street. Development of substantial amounts of housing to support Downtown retail and office growth is fostered in the Gateway area, between Downtown and US 101. The Plan proposes that a major cultural arts complex and a civic center be considered for a Downtown location. Maintenance of the historic character of buildings on Third Avenue and B Street is a major component of the Plan, both to provide a glimpse of the City's past and as a viable marketing strategy for retail businesses in the area. 3. CONCENTRATE MAJOR NEW DEVELOPMENT NEAR TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT CORRIDORS. As the pre-eminent city in San Mateo County, San Mateo will continue to attract relatively intense office and residential development. Concentrating these higher intensity projects in areas having good access to freeways and the rail stations will reduce congestion on City streets and create higher value developments surrounded by supporting amenities. The creation of high density "nodes" will also establish a more recognizable urban form. These nodes are located in areas which will minimize the impacts of dense development on surrounding neighborhoods. The areas identified in this Plan for major new development include the Downtown, Mariners Island, the areas north and east of the SR 92 and US 101 interchange, the Rail Corridor Transit- Oriented Development planning area, locations around the Hillsdale Caltrain Station identified in the Hillsdale Station Area Plan, the Borel Office Park, Bay Meadows Specific Plan area, and the Interland Office Park. Adopted by the City Council on October 18, 2010 I-4 Resolution No. 134-2010
4. BEAUTIFY AND IMPROVE EL CAMINO REAL. The southern portions of El Camino Real in San Mateo are characterized by visual chaos. Excessive signage, poor building design and a lack of landscaping create a commercial strip in great need of improvement. Some improvements have been made to this area including: locating utilities underground from SR 92 to 37 th Avenue, removal of chain link fencing in the medians, and the addition of new decorative street lighting. The Plan limits high-rise development on much of El Camino Real and provides incentives for residential development or projects which mix residential and commercial uses to break up the commercial strip character of the corridor. The area surrounding 42 nd Avenue is proposed for future study for more major redevelopment as a commercial anchor to the southern entry to the City. In 2001, the City Council adopted the El Camino Real Master Plan. The Plan provides a vision for enhancements to El Camino Real from SR92 to the Belmont border, which will further its role as a major traffic arterial, and provide infrastructure and guidelines to create a vibrant mixed-use community. The Master Plan includes a streetscape plan for public improvements such as landscaping the median, creating theme intersections with landscaping and street furniture, and recommendations for parking enhancements. Design guidelines address the character of private development along the corridor. Topics such as building facades, setbacks, building form, location of parking, and signage are discussed in the guidelines. The Master Plan identifies a range of land uses for El Camino Real from infill development to larger scale transit oriented development (TOD) around the Hillsdale and Hayward Park train stations. In the Hillsdale Station Area Plan, additional detail is provided for an intermodal transit center located on El Camino Real with improved pedestrian and bicycle connections, including streetscape improvements on El Camino Real and 25 th Avenue in the Plan Area, to the neighborhoods to the east and west of the station as well as 25 th Avenue. 5. IMPROVE DESIGN QUALITY AND MAINTAIN ESTABLISHED HEIGHT LIMITS. New development which occurs should enhance, rather than detract from, the character of the City. While good design is subject to individual judgement, the Plan contains design guidelines which set forth the City's objectives and desires for the appearance of new projects. The Plan establishes height limits which take into account the existing pattern of development and surrounding land uses, and preserve the predominant character of the City. 6. DEVELOP A STRATEGY TO LIMIT TRAFFIC CONGESTION. Traffic congestion throughout the Bay Area has increased dramatically since Proposition 13 as new development has occurred in suburbs without adequate public funds for major roadway or transit improvements. The Plan attempts to reduce potential traffic by locating major new Adopted by the City Council on October 18, 2010 I-5 Resolution No. 134-2010
development near rail stations and freeway access, encouraging pedestrian and bicycle transportation, and by providing sufficient new housing opportunities for expected job growth. The General Plan identifies and encourages alternative methods of travel other than vehicles for City residents and workers to reach work, school, City services, recreation areas, and shopping centers. Numerous street and intersection improvements are planned to alleviate existing and anticipated congestion, and a traffic impact fee has been established for new development to help pay the proportionate costs of accommodating traffic increases. Improvements and relocations of train stations are also anticipated. 7. INCREASE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. The City has two major open space assets: Sugarloaf Mountain and the Bay Shoreline. The Plan proposes that both be improved and made accessible to the public. Both parks have Master Plans adopted by the City to guide their development. Sugarloaf Mountain is proposed as a passive park, with emphasis on protecting the site's natural beauty and value as an animal habitat. Shoreline Park, which extends along the bayfront from Coyote Point to Mariners Island Boulevard, includes a combination of recreation fields, picnic and vista areas, trails and habitat enhancement. 8. ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN SAN MATEO AS A SUSTAINABLE CITY. The goals and policies of the General Plan reflect the desire to establish the City as an environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable city. A sustainable city efficiently manages and conserves its natural resources while encouraging a strong economy and a healthy community for present and future generations. The Plan's goals and policies incorporate several principles for sustainable communities including: providing a desirable mix of land uses; encouraging a range of household types, sizes, incomes, and ages; creating a livable environment by maintaining defensible streets, buildings, and open spaces; providing community-based economic development; developing services, amenities, and activities that support local residents and attract visitors; providing all residents with access to public transit systems and roadways; encouraging alternative transportation modes; balancing historic preservation with new development; and recycling materials and reducing waste. Adopted by the City Council on October 18, 2010 I-6 Resolution No. 134-2010
D. HOW THE PLAN IS ORGANIZED The San Mateo General Plan contains the seven mandated elements, although the Open Space and Conservation elements have been combined and are augmented by a section on Parks and Recreation. In addition, an Urban Design element has been added, reflecting the importance of design in future private development and civic projects. Each element contains a summary of background information and then lists Goals and Policies with supporting text to clarify the intent of the policies. Goals are expressed as general statements of the community's values or aspirations. The Policies are more precise, actionoriented statements, indicating how the goals will be achieved. Maps contained in the Plan are graphic expressions of policy. Some policies will have accompanying Implementation Measures, which are more specific means of achieving the policy direction and indicate responsible staff departments and desired timeframes. The final chapters of the Plan include a Glossary to aid in understanding technical terminology used in the document, and Appendices containing more detailed technical information. Background information containing technical data and analysis is available for review in the Community Development Department. Adopted by the City Council on October 18, 2010 I-7 Resolution No. 134-2010
E. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN The General Plan is the official policy framework for guiding decisions both on private projects and on City capital expenditures. The City will also use the Plan as the basis for reviewing and recommending actions on projects in the unincorporated area within the City's sphere of influence. Beyond the Plan itself, there are other means of implementing its overall direction. The City has adopted six specific plans to provide more specific policies and development regulations for certain areas of the community. The adopted specific plans include: Downtown, Mariners Island, Sugarloaf, Shoreline, Bay Meadows (Phase I and II) and Detroit Drive. The areas covered by these specific plans are indicated in Appendix A. The zoning ordinance constitutes the most specific form of land use regulation. Changes to the zoning ordinance may be necessary as implementation of the General Plan policies. The General Plan provides long-range and comprehensive guidance to the City, but the process of growth and change is dynamic and often unpredictable. For these reasons continued monitoring of the impacts of the Plan and the assumptions upon which it is based is necessary. At a minimum, every five years the General Plan will be comprehensively re-examined and refined. Adopted by the City Council on October 18, 2010 I-8 Resolution No. 134-2010