Development News for San Carlos, California

City Council Adopts Technology Disruption Policy for Remote Meeting Access

The City Council adopted a Technology Disruption Policy pursuant to Senate Bill 707. This policy establishes procedures for responding to disruptions in phone or internet services that prevent remote attendees from participating in city council meetings. It requires the mayor or city clerk to announce the disruption and call for a recess of at least one hour, during which staff will attempt to restore service. If service is not restored within an hour, the council may adjourn the meeting or continue it after making findings that good-faith efforts were made to restore service and that continuing the meeting is in the public interest. The policy also specifies that minutes will include details about the disruption and restoration efforts. This policy is a requirement under SB 707, which mandates local legislative bodies to adopt such a policy by July of the current year to ensure transparency and public participation.

Affordable Housing Project Proposed for 626 Walnut Street

The City Council received a presentation from Midpen Housing regarding a proposed 95-unit, 100% affordable housing development at 626 Walnut Street. The project is a partnership with the County of San Mateo and will feature a seven-story podium-style building with a landscaped courtyard and a two-level parking garage. The project is being processed under SB 330 and AB 130, which streamline approvals for affordable housing. The Planning Commission will be the final approval body. Midpen is seeking density bonus waivers necessary to make the project feasible. The pre-application is under review, with a formal application expected in June and a Planning and Transportation Commission hearing in the fall. Midpen Housing, a 56-year-old nonprofit, has a history of developing affordable housing in the Bay Area, including two projects in San Carlos. The county is the landowner, regulator, lender, and development partner. Midpen was selected from 10 respondents due to their experience with infill sites. An Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) was executed in December 2025. Midpen has applied for San Mateo County's Affordable Housing Funds (AHF) and anticipates applying for up to $17 million for construction. The city's housing needs allocation requires 2,735 units by 2031, and this project represents 3.5% of that total. The city's review is non-discretionary, focusing on objective design standards and state requirements. Project goals include preferences for city/county public employees (25% of units), targeting 15% extremely low-income households, and 5% for homeless households. The county requires at least 75 units, serving up to 80% AMI, maximizing two-plus bedroom units, and providing high-quality design. Midpen aims to maximize resident parking, activate ground floor frontage, and align with objective design standards. Concerns from neighbors about height, setbacks, and construction are being addressed through community engagement. The project is designed to fit within San Carlos's architectural context and objective design standards. Waivers for ground floor activation (50% proposed vs. 65% required) and height (approximately 80 ft vs. zoning) will be requested. Setbacks for residential floors are proposed at a minimum of 10 ft, with ground floor and parking garage levels closer to the property line. The project includes a U-shaped massing around a central courtyard, maximizing southwest light. Childcare feasibility was studied but deemed not feasible due to space and funding limitations. The project timeline aims for entitlement by year-end 2026, competitive state financing in 2027, and construction starting in 2029 with move-in in 2031. Community engagement includes meetings with neighbors, HOAs, businesses, and future residents. The project was discussed in relation to SB 330 and AB 130, with council members noting it would be the tallest building in town and require waivers from zoning. The affordability list process involves a separate lottery managed by Midpen. Comparisons were made to previous development proposals on the site regarding setbacks. Playground equipment for two age groups is planned for the courtyard. Discussions also touched on potential legislative advocacy for supportive housing definitions and the inclusion of adult children with disabilities.

City Reports Strong Employee Retention and Low Vacancy Rates

The City Council received an update on the city's workforce vacancies, recruitment, and retention trends, as required by Assembly Bill 2561. The city has 104 budgeted full-time positions across four employee groups (two represented, two unrepresented). As of April 30, 2026, the overall vacancy rate was 2.9% (three vacancies), and currently, it is less than 1% (one vacancy). The average time to fill a regular vacant position is approximately 76 days, which is considered typical for public agencies. The city's employee retention rate is 94%, attributed to benefits and opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration, which foster growth and support project success. Examples of such collaboration included the Development Coordinating Committee (DCC), the Climate Action Plan (CAP), and the Hometown Days celebration. The report acknowledges that the state mandate for this report is partly due to other agencies struggling with vacancies, but San Carlos is performing well in both recruitment and retention.

Council Agrees to Study Potential Ban on Gas Leaf Blowers

The City Council is considering agendaizing an item to ban gas leaf blowers. Vice Mayor Rack and Councilmember Dugan expressed support for the idea, citing community concerns, a petition with over 600 signatures, and alignment with the city's Climate Action Plan (CAP). They propose setting a future ban date (e.g., January or July 2027) to allow for a transition period, complementing the existing electric leaf blower rebate program. Councilmember McDall and Mayor Venitesh expressed reservations, preferring to give the rebate program more time to work and noting budget constraints. Councilmember McDall also highlighted concerns about enforcement issues in other cities with similar bans. The council agreed to schedule a study session to examine the feasibility of implementing a ban, explore enforcement challenges, benefits, and compare experiences with other cities that have enacted bans. The study session is anticipated for late fall, allowing time for the rebate program to gather more data and for budget discussions.