General Plan November 1986 Overview Background & Issues (Chapters 1-16) Environmental Services Agency Planning and Building Division ■ San Mateo County ■ California General Plan As approved by the Board of Supervisors November 18, 1986 Department of Environmental Management Planning and Building Division ■ San Mateo County ■ California Publisher’s Note: This comprehensive edition of the General Plan is divided into two parts: Part 1 & Part 2. Each part is contained in a separate binder. Part 1 consists of: Overview Background and Issues (Chapters 1-10) Part 2 consists of: Background and Issues (Chapters 11-16) Policies Maps Table of Contents General Plan (Part 1) Page PREFACE GENERAL PLAN GOALS........................................................XXV Overview GENERAL PLAN FUNCTION AND ORGANIZATION......................................1 I. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR GENERAL PLAN CONTENTS..........................1 II. PURPOSE OF UPDATING THE GENERAL PLAN..................................4 III. ORGANIZATION AND CONTENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN..........................9 IV. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.................................................12 V. REVISING AND AMENDING THE GENERAL PLAN...............................13 PHYSICAL SETTING...........................................................14 I. TOPOGRAPHY...........................................................14 II. CLIMATE..............................................................14 III. PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT...............................................15 POLITICAL SETTING..........................................................17 I. POLITICAL HISTORY OF UNINCORPORATED AREAS............................17 II. PLANNING FOR UNINCORPORATED AREAS....................................18 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SETTING................................................23 I. REGIONAL GROWTH AND CHANGE: THE COUNTY'S ROLE.......................23 II. COUNTY POPULATION GROWTH AND COMPOSITION.............................27 III. COUNTY EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT...........................37 APPENDIX...................................................................1A Background & Issues CHAPTER 1: VEGETATIVE, WATER, FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES BACKGROUND................................................................1.1 I. INTRODUCTION........................................................1.1 II. EXISTING VEGETATIVE, WATER, FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES.............1.2 III. EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING VEGETATIVE, WATER, FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES.................................1.22 i Page ISSUES...................................................................1.41 I. IMPORTANCE OF THE RESOURCES........................................1.41 II. OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS OF PROTECTING VEGETATIVE, WATER, FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES........................................1.41 III. EVALUATION OF EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING VEGETATIVE, WATER, FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES.....................1.45 IV. ALTERNATIVES.......................................................1.49 APPENDICES...............................................................1.1A CHAPTER 2: SOIL RESOURCES BACKGROUND................................................................2.1 I. INTRODUCTION........................................................2.1 II. EXISTING SOIL RESOURCES.............................................2.4 III. EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING SOIL RESOURCES..........................................................2.12 ISSUES...................................................................2.31 I. IMPORTANCE OF SOIL RESOURCES.......................................2.31 II. OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING SOIL RESOURCE PROTECTION.........................................................2.31 III. EVALUATION OF EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING SOIL RESOURCES...........................................2.36 IV. ALTERNATIVES TO PROTECT SOIL RESOURCES.............................2.39 APPENDICES...............................................................2.1A CHAPTER 3: MINERAL RESOURCES BACKGROUND................................................................3.1 I. INTRODUCTION........................................................3.1 II. EXISTING MINERAL RESOURCES..........................................3.3 III. EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING MINERAL RESOURCES..........................................................3.16 ISSUES...................................................................3.22 I. IMPORTANCE OF MINERAL RESOURCES....................................3.22 II. OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS ON UTILIZATION.......................3.22 III. EVALUATION OF EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING MINERAL RESOURCES........................................3.26 IV. ALTERNATIVES.......................................................3.28 APPENDICES...............................................................3.1A ii Page CHAPTER 4: VISUAL QUALITY BACKGROUND................................................................4.1 I. INTRODUCTION........................................................4.1 II. EXISTING VISUAL QUALITY.............................................4.2 III. EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES, AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING VISUAL QUALITY.....................................................4.17 ISSUES...................................................................4.33 I. IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING VISUAL QUALITY............................4.33 II. OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING VISUAL QUALITY.............4.34 III. EVALUATION OF EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING VISUAL QUALITY...........................................4.40 IV. ALTERNATIVES.......................................................4.48 APPENDICES...............................................................4.1A CHAPTER 5: HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES BACKGROUND................................................................5.1 I. INTRODUCTION........................................................5.1 II. EXISTING HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES....................5.3 III. EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES........................................5.5 ISSUES...................................................................5.11 I. IMPORTANCE OF HISTORICAL PRESERVATION..............................5.11 II. OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES...........................................5.12 III. EVALUATION OF EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES..................5.15 IV. ALTERNATIVE PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES................................5.18 APPENDICES...............................................................5.1A CHAPTER 6: PARK AND RECREATION RESOURCES BACKGROUND I. INTRODUCTION........................................................6.1 II. EXISTING PARK AND RECREATION RESOURCES..............................6.3 III. EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING PARK AND RECREATION RESOURCES...............................................6.14 iii Page ISSUES...................................................................6.25 I. IMPORTANCE OF RECREATION...........................................6.25 II. OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING PARK AND RECREATION FACILITIES.........................................................6.25 III. EVALUATION OF EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING PARK AND RECREATION FACILITIES...........................6.29 IV. ALTERNATIVES.......................................................6.32 APPENDICES...............................................................6.1A CHAPTER 7: GENERAL LAND USE BACKGROUND................................................................7.1 I. INTRODUCTION........................................................7.1 II. EXISTING LAND USE...................................................7.3 III. EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING GENERAL LAND USE....................................................7.9 ISSUES...................................................................7.14 I. ADEQUACY OF AVAILABLE LAND TO MEET DEMAND FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT......7.14 II. OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS TO CONSIDER FOR GENERAL LAND USE PLANNING.......................................................7.14 III. EVALUATION OF EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING GENERAL PLAN USE.........................................7.20 IV. ALTERNATIVES.......................................................7.22 CHAPTER 8: URBAN LAND USE BACKGROUND................................................................8.1 I. INTRODUCTION........................................................8.1 II. INVENTORY OF EXISTING URBAN LAND USE................................8.2 III. EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING URBAN LAND USE...........................................................8.21 ISSUES...................................................................8.28 I. ADEQUACY OF AVAILABLE LAND TO MEET DEMAND FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT IN URBAN AREAS.....................................................8.28 II. OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS TO CONSIDER FOR URBAN LAND USE PLANNING.......................................................8.28 III. EVALUATION OF EXISTING PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING URBAN LAND USE...........................................8.37