April 8, 2024
San Mateo County Office of Sustainability
Attn: Carolyn Bloede, Director, Via email to: cbloede@smcgov.org
Subject: Request to be added to stakeholders group and Comments on San Mateo County's Safety / Resiliency Element Planning
Dear Ms Bloede,
The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter's Sustainable Land Use Committee (SLU) has been following the progress of General Plan Safety Element / Resiliency Planning efforts on the peninsula. We understand that the County is approaching this planning through the County's Office of Sustainability and for several cities. We'd like for SLU to be included in any future stakeholder's outreach regarding the County's progress on this Element. We are very concerned that many of the approaches to resiliency that municipalities are considering do not acknowledge the potential impact on the environment.
We believe there are vital environmentally sensitive solutions to consider in the Safety / Resiliency Element, and would like to engage further with the County in detail on each of the following topics.
HEALTH
We are specifically interested in expanding the Safety Element to include community health.
- Institute city ordinances that address safe Biosafety Levels (BSL) for all new biotech lab developments, especially in proximity to residential communities, as well as conversions of existing commercial buildings to biotech labs.
For example, San Carlos now only allows BSL1&2 and has banned all BSL3 & 4 biotech labs in their city for public safety and staff also noted that as little as 1% of revenue may come from BSL3 labs. Redwood City is requiring a Conditional Use Permit for all new BSL1 & 2 labs and allows no BSL3&4 in its downtown specific plan area. The potential for a leak of virulent airborne viruses and pathogens present in BSL3 labs, such as Covid19 or tuberculosis, is a public health issue that most cities have not yet recognized and the county emergency responders are not yet equipped to deal with. Therefore, limiting labs to appropriate safe BSL levels should be included in the Safety Element of the GP, with special attention to equity.
- For clean air, reduce airborne toxics in accordance with robust Climate Action Plan goals to reduce asthma and other air-quality related diseases.
- Reduce or remove pollution and toxics in the ground and water, as well from groundwater rising with sea level rise, to reduce adverse community health impacts.
FLOODING
- Use riparian corridors along creeks to reduce creek flooding rather than channelizing creeks.
- Enhance or restore marshes and wetlands, integrating nature-based solutions, rather than building sea walls or levees, to reduce the impacts of sea level rise.
- Use bioswales to control stormwater rather than hard surface drainage and piping.
- Prohibit the construction of new buildings on land that is subject to sea level rise and liquefaction; commit to not spending capital on updating infrastructure in this zone.
FIRE
- Clear underbrush and trim lower tree branches and harden homes against fire to reduce wildfires rather than clear cutting fire breaks.
- Underground electrical utilities where possible.
- Limit new construction and new infrastructure within the wildlife urban interface (WUI).
HEAT and CLIMATE CHANGE
- Revise building and planning codes to require all new construction and infrastructure to include "cool" construction techniques to reduce the "heat island" effect from roofs and paved surfaces.
- Set goals to preserve and rebuild the urban forest with native shade trees to reduce the heat island effect, with a special focus on low-income neighborhoods.
- Introduce water elements such as fountains and ponds into the urban fabric to cool the surrounding environment and provide respite for birds, pollinators and wildlife.
We look forward to working with you on these issues. Please advise on what would work best for you. Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully Yours,
Gita Dev, FAIA, Chair
Sustainable Land Use Committee
cc: James Eggers, Chapter Director, Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter
Isabel Pares Ramos, Office of Sustainability ipares@smcgov.org