Speak up to stop development on a hazardous site! Please email the San Mateo County Planning Commission by Tuesday, July 27, opposing the “Zmay” subdivision.

What’s Happening

On July 28, the San Mateo County Planning Commission will be considering whether to approve a subdivision on steep, landslide-prone slopes that would also expose future residents to extraordinary hazards from catastrophic wildfire.

The Zmay property in the San Mateo Highlands area is extremely challenging to develop because of its steep, landslide-prone slopes. This 60-acre parcel is also designated as “Very High Fire Severity Zone” – the highest fire risk zone for county lands. The Resource Management zoning of this property does not allow development on land that is susceptible to landslides, fire, and other features harmful to the health, safety or welfare of future residents, other property owners or the community at large.

There are alternative sites for the three parcels along the bottom of the Zmay property that are less hazardous than the developer’s proposed location at the top.

Why This is Important

Climate change will continue to bring more severe droughts, increased intensity of storm events, flooding, and uncontrollable, devastating wildfires. Last year’s CZU Lightning Complex Wildfire burned 86,000 acres and destroyed 911 homes in San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties. We can’t always prevent new or replacement homes on existing undeveloped legal parcels that are located in harm’s way, but we can prevent creation of new parcels located in the most hazardous area of a property such as this one.

The safer sites along the bottom of the property do not have the more lucrative sweeping views, but safety of residents and property should be the most important consideration.

What You Can Do

By 5:00 pm on Tuesday, July 27, send an email to the County Planning Commission asking them to deny development on the most hazardous areas of the Zmay property.

Thanks for joining me in speaking up! Your voice does make a difference!