San Mateo County Planing Commission AGENDA and Zoom Link for Wednesday, December 10th, 2025 9:00 a.m.
Public Scoping Session to solicit comment on the scope of an Environmental Impact Report being prepared for the County’s Housing Element Rezoning Program, Program 11.2 of the County’s adopted Housing Element, which proposes rezoning and associated General Plan land use designation amendments, as well as adoption of objective design and development standards, to allow high-density multifamily residential uses in the entirety of unincorporated Colma and on three parcels in Broadmoor, five parcels in the Harbor Industrial Area (unincorporated Belmont), and six parcels in El Granada, in order to meet the County’s obligations under its Regional Housing Needs Allocation, as required by State law.
Please direct questions to project Planner, Will Gibson at, Planning Commission: wgibson@smcgov.org
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SMCo County Proposal: An informational briefing on the County’s Housing Element Rezoning Program, which will rezone 35 parcels constituting roughly 24 acres in the unincorporated Colma, Broadmoor, Harbor Industrial, and Midcoast areas to allow 100% residential development by-right on all identified sites, at densities ranging from 70 to 120 units per acre, with a minimum density of at least 30 units per acre, in order to meet the County’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation, as required by State law.
The County has insufficient developable sites to meet its RHNA without rezoning. To comply with State law, the County’s Housing Element incorporates Program HE 11.2, which commits the County to rezone 35 parcels constituting roughly 24 acres in the unincorporated Colma, Broadmoor, Harbor Industrial, and Midcoast areas to allow 100% residential development by-right on all identified sites, at maximum
densities ranging from 70 to 120 units per acre, with a minimum density of at least 30 units per acre.
For the parcels located in the County’s Urban Midcoast, changes to zoning and General Plan land use designations constitute a Local Coastal Program amendment that must be reviewed and approved by the California Coastal Commission. The Coastal Commission will be engaged early in the process, but the amendments cannot be formally submitted to the Commission until after Board of Supervisors’ adoption. The Coastal Commission’s timeline is unpredictable.
REZONING PROGRAM TIMELINE
- Project Kickoff August 2025
- Information Gathering, Data Collection, Analysis Sept. – Dec. 2025
- Outreach, Public Meetings Sept. 2025 – Feb. 2026
- Draft Amendments Oct. 2025 – Feb. 2026
- Environmental Review Sept. 2025 – July 2026
- Final Amendments May/June 2026
- Planning Commission Hearings March 2026 – July 2026
- Board of Supervisors Hearings March 2026 – July 2026
- Coastal Commission Submittal and Certification July 2026 – Dec. 2026
More on the Rezoning of El Granada due to the State’s Cycle 6 Housing Element on Coastside Buzz
San Mateo County Plannning Commission
- VACANCY for Lisa Ketcham 2nd Term
Jan 01, 2023 to Dec 31, 2026
Representing Third District - Adam Nugent 1st Term
Aug 26, 2025 to Dec 31, 2027
Representing Second District - Andrei Garcia 1st Term
Jun 10, 2025 to Dec 31, 2028
Representing Fourth District - Carlos Serrano-Quan 2nd Term
Jan 01, 2025 to Dec 31, 2028
Representing Fifth District - Kumkum Gupta 3rd Term
Jan 01, 2025 to Dec 31, 2028
Representing First District
- Steven Monowitz
Community Development Director - CONTACT
Angela Montes, Commission Secretary
455 County Center, 2nd Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: (650) 363-4161
E-Mail: planning_commission@smcgov.org
