Neighbors press council to block Bayside bus depot; city says school district must meet lease and zoning rules

Residents from Shoreview and Parkside neighborhoods urged San Mateo City Council on March 3 to oppose a school-bus depot proposal at Bayside Academy and to use city regulations to prevent buses and oversized vehicles from parking in residential areas.

Public commenters said a proposed depot would bring dozens of buses and large vehicles through narrow residential streets, interfere with emergency access, and pose risks related to diesel emissions and lithium-battery electric-bus fires. Christina Herlitz and other speakers asked that the city not grant any exemption to existing ordinances that bar vehicles over five tons from Kehoe Avenue and that restrict oversized-vehicle parking in residential neighborhoods.

Several speakers, including neighborhood association representatives and parents, said the site is adjacent to a creek and lagoon that provide habitat for shorebirds and that the proximity to three schools raises public-safety and environmental concerns. Speakers raised battery-fire incidents elsewhere and urged the district and city to find alternative, nonresidential sites.

City Manager reported that a March 2025 2-by-2 meeting between two city council members and two San Mateo–Foster City School District board members (identified in staff remarks as Maggie Tran and Jean Kim) included three takeaways: (1) the district must consult the city about the existing lease for the portion of Joinville Park where the depot was proposed, which runs for 15 years; (2) the district must comply with local zoning codes for a bus depot; and (3) the district indicated it is looking for alternative sites across the city and was asked to coordinate with city staff if it finds an alternative.

Council members and staff said the city can be a collaborative partner but will expect the district to follow lease terms and zoning rules; staff encouraged the district to meet with city staff before pursuing alternate sites. Several residents asked the council to restore signs restricting vehicles over five tons on Kehoe Avenue and to remove Bayside from the district's public list of potential depot sites until the city and district reach a transparent agreement.

No formal action was taken by the council at the March 3 meeting; the city manager said staff will continue to coordinate with the district and report back as discussions progress.