Planning Commission recommends renumbering and reorganization of San Mateo County planning, building and subdivision codes

San Mateo County Planning Commission on Aug. 28 recommended that the Board of Supervisors adopt an ordinance to renumber and reorganize the county’s planning, building and subdivision regulations (file PLN202401189), restore code sections omitted in past updates and amend Part 3 of the county’s Local Coastal Program implementation plan.

The project planner, presenting the item on behalf of the Planning and Building Department, said the reorganization is "long overdue" and is intended to consolidate code sections and restore provisions that have been left out of recent updates, including rules on topsoil, surface mining and quarries, inspection fees, oil and gas wells, historic preservation and timber harvesting. Staff told commissioners the change is primarily a renumbering and reformatting exercise and does not alter substantive policy.

Staff said the changes are not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because they are organizational in nature. The planner also explained that the proposal will update the references in Part 3 of the Local Coastal Program implementation plan so the reorganized code appears correctly in local coastal documents.

Commissioners discussed whether the reorganization offered an appropriate opportunity to remove gender-specific references and to correct outdated cross-references and titles. A commissioner urged those non-substantive edits be included; staff agreed, saying such corrections fall within the intended scope and that the Coastal Commission is expected to process the package as a de minimis amendment to the local coastal program.

Commissioner Ramirez moved that the Planning Commission recommend the Board of Supervisors adopt the ordinance renumbering the county’s planning, building and subdivision regulations, amend Part 3 of the Local Coastal Program implementation plan and direct staff to submit the ordinance for Coastal Commission certification; Commissioner Hansen seconded. Commissioners Hansen, the commissioner listed in the record as "Commissioner Sanano Juan," Ramirez and Chair Ketcham voted aye and the motion carried. Commissioner Gupta was recorded as absent earlier in the meeting. The commission did not register any no votes on the motion.

The commission’s recommendation is advisory; the Board of Supervisors will consider the ordinance and any final staff revisions. Staff said updates to the county website and links to the muni code will follow the reorganization so the planning and building regulations are accessible on the county attorney’s county code site.

The commission closed Item 2 and proceeded to the director’s report. The board packet and the staff report list the ordinance text and attachments under file PLN202401189.