San Mateo launches public comment period on long-awaited update to citywide flood preparedness plan
San Mateo, California – San Mateo residents now have a chance to weigh in on a document that could shape how the city prepares for flooding in the years ahead.
The City has opened public review for its Draft Storm Drain Master Plan, inviting community members to examine the proposal and share comments before the review window closes on May 30, 2026.
City officials say public input will be especially valuable in testing how closely the draft lines up with conditions people have seen on the ground.
Residents who have firsthand knowledge of flooding in neighborhoods, streets, or other problem areas are being asked to speak up, with the goal of helping the City measure how accurately the plan forecasts future flooding events.
The effort marks a major update to a document that has not been revised in more than two decades. On June 17, 2024, San Mateo awarded a contract to Schaaf & Wheeler Consultants to update the Storm Drain Master Plan, replacing the version that had been in place since 2004. The release of the draft signals an important milestone in that process, moving the project from technical review into a broader public phase where local experience can help sharpen the final result.
The Draft Storm Drain Master Plan can be reviewed online through the City’s materials at the Draft Storm Drain Master Plan. In addition to reading the document, residents can submit comments directly to Public Works by email at [email protected], using the subject line “SDMP Comments.” Feedback may also be shared through the City’s Storm Drain Master Plan Public Comment Map, which offers another way for the public to point out flooding concerns and other relevant details.
To support that outreach, the City has scheduled a series of public meetings in April. An in-person session is planned for April 15, 2026, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Social Room A from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A Zoom meeting will follow on April 16, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., using passcode 140910. A third meeting is set for April 22, 2026, at City Hall in Conference Room C, also from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
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With the review period running from March 31 through May 30, the City is making clear that this stage is not just about reading a plan, but about putting it to the test against the lived experience of the community.
