Resilience Planning

The Sustainability Department works on hazard mitigation and adaptation planning, which lays the groundwork for effectively addressing climate-induced hazards and enhancing public safety and emergency preparedness.

Planning Initiatives

Planning for future climate impacts.

family riding bicycles downtown San Mateo

General Plan Updates

The General Plan is a required document that outlines the long-term policies and goals of a city or county. The County is working with the Town of Atherton, and the cities of Belmont, Brisbane, Burlingame, East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay, Pacifica, and San Bruno to update chapters in their General Plans to identify potential natural and human-caused hazards that could affect residents, business, and services in the community. The updates will also identify policies and implementation measures to help communities with climate preparedness, promote community health, and reduce pollution. This collaborative effort is led by the County’s Planning and Building Department is anticipated to be completed in 2025-26. For jurisdictions participating in hazard updates, upcoming events, and to learn how to get involved visit the project website: https://prepsmc.com. For jurisdictions participating in climate preparedness updates, upcoming events, and to learn how to get involved visit the project website: https://envirojusticeplanning.com.

Local Hazard Mitigation Plan

In 2021 San Mateo County updated its Multijurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJLHMP), a cross-jurisdictional effort to reduce risk from natural and human-caused disasters, including climate change, flooding, drought, wildfire, landslides, severe weather, terrorism, cyber threats, pandemic, and other hazards. The MJLHMP helps the County remain eligible for various types of pre- and post-disaster community assistance, such as grants, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State government.

Sea Level Rise Planning

The Sustainability Department led planning processes to support San Mateo County communities to prepare for sea level rise. Some of these included the 2021 South Coast Sea Level Rise Risk and Solutions study (PDF) and the 2018 San Mateo County Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment (PDF), which identified 50 County facilities at risk of sea level rise by the end of the century.

In 2019, the Board of Supervisors approved the San Mateo County Sea Level Rise Policy for County Assets (PDF) which requires that sea level rise be considered for all County-owned and operated assets, design and construction projects, leases, and property acquisitions and dispositions.

The San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District (“OneShoreline”) began operating in 2020 to coordinate countywide efforts to combat the harms of sea level rise caused by climate change.

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