ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

City of San Mateo Considering New High-Density & Mixed-Use Zoning Standards

The City Council holds a public hearing Monday, September 8 on a new ordinance that fills in zoning rules for the highest-density areas of General Plan 2040 — mainly El Camino Real, downtown, and land near Caltrain stations. This does not raise the heights or densities already allowed under the General Plan, which voters effectively locked in when they approved Measure T in 2024. It just gives the City actual zoning standards to review projects against, instead of the informal staff memo it's been using since last year.

For San Mateo Park specifically: the interior of the neighborhood (single-family homes) isn't affected. The parcels facing El Camino Real along the Park's edge, and the area near Crystal Springs Road, are already designated for higher density under the General Plan — buildings there could reach 6 to 8 stories (75–100 feet), higher near Caltrain stations. That potential exists today; this ordinance doesn't create it, but it does make it easier for developers to move forward with projects that meet these standards

What's Actually Changing

San Mateo's General Plan 2040 (adopted 2024) already set height and density limits for every parcel in the city. But for the four highest-density categories, the Zoning Code — the detailed rulebook that actually governs building permits — never caught up. Since last year, staff have used an informal internal memo to bridge that gap. The September 8 ordinance replaces that memo with four permanent zoning districts (called R6, R7, MU3, and MU4) that spell out real standards: height, density, setbacks, and buffers next to single-family homes.

Roughly: the two residential districts allow 6 or 8 stories and up to 99–130 units/acre; the two mixed-use districts are similar but require projects near Caltrain stations to build at least a minimum density (not just under a maximum). All four require larger setbacks — 10 to 15 feet — where a project borders single-family (R-1/R-2) neighborhoods.

A separate, smaller change worth flagging: the ordinance removes a requirement that the City Council review any project over 55 feet tall. Going forward, such projects would be approved administratively if they meet the new standards.

Why the City is Doing This

State law requires cities to prove their zoning can actually accommodate their state-assigned housing targets, using clear, objective standards rather than case-by-case discretion. San Mateo's Housing Element plans for more than 7,000 new units by 2031. Leaving high-density areas without matching zoning rules creates legal risk and forces ad hoc project reviews. This ordinance is a bridge until the City's broader, multi-year Zoning Code rewrite is complete.

Where This Applies Near the Park

The GP2040 land use map shows the El Camino Real frontage along the Park (currently zoned R4) designated for the new 6-story R6 district. Around Crystal Springs Road, the designation shifts to mixed-use — 6 stories on the west side of El Camino Real, 8 stories on the east side toward downtown. Because the Park's north end falls within a half-mile of the Burlingame Caltrain station, and its southeast corner within a half-mile of the downtown San Mateo station, mixed-use projects in those areas would face a minimum density requirement, not just a cap. You can check any specific parcel on the City's interactive General Plan map (linked below).

Concerns Raised

Residents and others have raised: compatibility with adjacent single-family neighborhoods (privacy, shade, and the visual transition from a 6–8 story building to a house behind it); whether the 10–15 foot buffers are adequate; strain on traffic, parking, and schools; the loss of City Council review for buildings over 55 feet; and questions about how these "bridge" standards might change again once the full Zoning Code rewrite is finished.

How to Learn More and Participate

City Council hearing — Monday, September 8. Speak in person or submit written comments. Agenda posts on the City's Public Meeting Portal the Friday before.
City fact sheet and meeting info: cityofsanmateo.org → Planning → Policy and Zoning Code Update Efforts https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/4901/Policy-and-Zoning-Code-Update-Efforts
Check a specific parcel: the City's interactive General Plan 2040 Land Use Map
Background on the General Plan and zoning update: strivesanmateo.org
City contact: Zoning Code Update team, zoningupdate@cityofsanmateo.org, (650) 522-7212

SMPNA's Role

SMPNA has not taken a position for or against this ordinance. We're publishing this so residents can understand an important City decision and reach their own conclusions — and speak up before September 8 if they want to.