The General Plan Update comprises newly proposed goals, policies, and implementation actions which will be used to shape future preservation, enhancement, and development-related decisions. The General Plan Update will allow the community to establish its long-term vision for the future over the next ten to twenty years.
PMC provided project management of the EIR as well as prepared portions of the document in partnership with City staff. PMC environmental staff also provided key testimony for public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council on environmental issues.
The General Plan Update will allow the community to establish its long-term vision for the future over the next ten to twenty years. Implementation of the policies would be used by the City to guide decision-making toward attainment of the goals in the Plan. The General Plan includes elements required by state law: Land Use, Circulation, Noise, Open Space, Conservation, and Safety, and may include other topics such as sustainability and community design.
The major proposals of the General Plan are:
- Increase housing opportunities while maintaining the character of existing single-family neighborhoods (i.e., housing and employment);
- Maintain the commitment to strengthening the downtown as a major commercial, residential, and cultural center;
- Concentrate major new development near transportation and transit corridors;
- Beautify and improve El Camino Real (SR 82);
- Improve design quality and maintain established height limits;
- Develop a strategy to limit traffic congestion;
- Increase open space and recreational opportunities; and
- Establish and maintain San Mateo as a sustainable city.