Residents press city and school district to drop proposed Bayside bus depot in residential area

Residents and neighborhood associations urged the San Mateo City Council on March 3 to oppose a San Mateo–Foster City School District proposal to locate a school bus depot at Bayside Academy, saying the site is residential and would create safety, traffic, environmental and emergency-access risks.

Speakers at the council’s public-comment period described daily bus movements, potential evacuation chokepoints and wildlife impacts near the Bayside site. Christina Herlitz told the council there are existing local ordinances restricting vehicles over five tons on Kehoe Avenue and limiting oversized parking in residential neighborhoods and asked the council to deny any district exemptions. “We will not give up this project until it's been moved to another location,” she said.

The concerns were echoed by neighborhood groups and parents. Michael Lim, representing the Shoreview Parkside Neighborhood Association, said residents want the project tabled and requested “roadblocks” until the district drops the site. Laura Wood raised safety issues tied to battery fires on electric buses and the site’s proximity to a creek, a lagoon and a shorebird rookery. “This site also has a heron rookery and many shorebirds that are part of the Pacific Flyway migration,” she said, and urged a nonresidential location and specialized depot facilities.

Other speakers described traffic and pedestrian-safety incidents near the proposed site. Zaida Bowers described a May 29, 2024, collision on South Norfolk that left her with lasting injuries and said she worries about repeated driver behavior on neighborhood streets. Vikash, another resident, asked the city to demand that the district remove the Bayside site from its public listings and restore signs prohibiting vehicles exceeding five tons on Kehoe Avenue. Jennifer Pashlovich said the community will not be satisfied until Bayside is “entirely eliminated” from the district’s list of viable sites and asked the city to uphold ordinances and lease conditions for Joinville Park property.

City Manager Alex Kajikian reported the outcome of a recent 2-by-2 meeting between council members and district representatives. Kajikian said city and council members made clear that, if the district seeks to locate a bus depot at Bayside, the district must first consult the city about an existing lease covering the site and must comply with local zoning codes before proceeding. He said the district indicated it is considering alternative sites and that the city offered to help the district identify appropriately zoned locations.

No formal council motion or vote on the Bayside site occurred at the meeting. City staff said they will remain collaborative partners and will expect the district to follow lease terms and local regulations if it advances any site.

Why this matters: The proposed depot would concentrate a large fleet adjacent to schools and residences. Residents raised immediate practical concerns — emergency egress, daily congestion, potential chemical or battery fire remediation and wildlife disturbance — and asked the city to use its lease and zoning authority to block the site. The council and city manager told residents the city expects the district to engage the city on leases and zoning and that alternative sites are being explored.

What’s next: The school district is reviewing lease options and alternative sites, and the city asked the district to meet with city staff about zoning and lease compliance. Residents asked the city to seek formal confirmation from the district that Bayside is no longer under active consideration and to restore local signage that prohibits heavy vehicles on Kehoe Avenue.