Through its management of 24 parks, recreation areas, and historic sites, the San Mateo County Parks Department protects and stewards the County’s natural, cultural, and recreational resources for the public’s enjoyment. To ensure a high-quality experience for the nearly three million county park visitors served each year, the Department focuses on three strategic priorities: visitor services, facilities and infrastructure, and natural resource management.
The Department has structured its Five-Year CIP to address deferred maintenance and expand services to the public. Specifically, efforts will be made to upgrade water and sewer utilities that have exceeded their useful life; modernize visitor serving amenities including camping, picnic, and reservation areas; improve trails and playgrounds; repair infrastructure damaged during the 2023 Winter Storms; and create new recreation opportunities throughout the system. Each of the Capital Improvement Program’s projects will enable the Department to provide enhanced services to the public, improve overall access to county parks and the outdoors, and create operational efficiencies within the parks system.
Featured Projects
Realize Flood Park
The Realize Flood Park Project is a comprehensive overhaul of the facilities and amenities in Flood County Park. The project includes the rehabilitation of the existing baseball field and addition of two multi-use sport fields, two tennis/pickleball courts, two sand volleyball courts, a basketball court, a pump track, a playground, picnic and reservation areas, and pedestrian walking paths throughout the park. Flood Park will be the first park in the county parks system to offer sport fields, pickleball courts, and a basketball court. As part of the project, the Department will also rehabilitate aging restrooms, replace restrooms that have exceeded their useful life, and add restrooms where necessary. All subsurface utilities will be upgraded as well.
Due to its location, Flood Park is a popular recreation destination for residents of North Fair Oaks, Menlo Park, and East Palo Alto. Moreover, because of the number and types of facilities to be built as part of the project, the park will be able to support organized leagues serving area youth, drop-in play for families and friends, and kids and families looking for a safe and fun place to play outside.
Phase 1 of the project includes the pump track, small multi-use sport field, tennis/pickleball courts, basketball court, sand volleyball courts, picnic and reservation areas, and walking paths.
Phase 1 estimated completion: August 2024
| Project Description | FY 2023–24 Adopted | FY 2024–25 Projected | FY 2025–28 Projected | Five Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Realize Flood Park |
$2,952,835 |
$8,000,000 | - | $10,952,835 |
Coyote Point Water and Sewer Systems
The water and sewer systems at the Coyote Point Recreation Area have exceeded their useful life and are in a state of disrepair. Consequently, the systems often break, necessitating the closure of restrooms and water fountains. When this happens, visitors must travel further distances to access restroom facilities or water fountains that are operational, showers at the promenade and marina are often closed, and concessionaires in the park must reduce services or close. Furthermore, the Department must dedicate significant staff resources to locating the breaks and hiring a contractor to conduct emergency repairs. This constant demand on staff and financial resources is the result of deferred maintenance. The Department, in coordination with the Department of Public Works, is redesigning the water and sewer systems at Coyote Point to provide more reliable services within the park and to improve the operational efficiency of the systems.
Upon completion of the project, the over 525,000 visitors to Coyote Point annually will have access to more reliable facilities including restrooms, water fountains, and showers; the Department will be able to conserve more water by reducing the number of breaks that occur in the system; and fewer staff and financial resources will be required to maintain the water and sewer systems allowing for more resources to be dedicated to direct visitor services.
The water system design plans will be completed in Quarter 3 of 2023, and the sewer system design plans will be completed in Quarter 3 of 2024. Constructing the new water and sewer systems will temporarily limit the public’s ability to use Coyote Point; therefore, to minimize impacts on park users, the projects will be constructed simultaneously.
Estimated completion: FY 2025-26
| Project Description | FY 2023–24 Adopted |
FY 2024–25 |
FY 2025–28 Projected |
Five Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coyote Point Water System | $400,000 | - | $3,000,000 | $3,400,000 |
| Coyote Point Sewer System | $350,000 | - | $3,000,000 | $3,350,000 |
| Total | $750,000 | - | $6,000,000 | $6,750,000 |
San Bruno Mountain Day Use Improvement Project
The day use area of San Bruno Mountain State and County Park is antiquated and in need of comprehensive upgrades. In the picnic sites, the tables are worn, uneven, and starting to splinter, and the barbeques are rusted making them undesirable to use. The restroom serving park patrons is also obsolete and dilapidated. To make the park more welcoming and inviting, the Department will upgrade the day use area with new picnic sites, a new restroom, and an interpretive feature.
The Department strives to provide a remarkable experience for all those who visit county parks. To achieve this, it must provide amenities that facilitate a memorable experience. Existing picnic sites at San Bruno Mountain were built to support the “nuclear family”. Understanding that people use parks to gather with extended family and friends, the existing sites will be replaced with larger sites that can accommodate medium-sized groups. These sites will have new tables, barbeques, and open space available for games and activities. As part of this project, the existing restroom will be replaced with a modern, gender-neutral, energy and water efficient facility. Lastly, an open-air interpretive feature will be installed adjacent to the day use area. This feature will allow for videos and panels that highlight San Bruno Mountain’s sensitive natural resources and the efforts undertaken to preserve it as a biodiversity hotspot to be displayed and enjoyed by the public.
The Department will commence park planning activities in Quarter 3 of 2023 with a goal of commencing construction in Quarter 2 of 2024. Given the nature of the project, construction should take between three and four months to complete.
Estimated completion: Q3 2024
| Project Description | FY 2023–24 Adopted | FY 2024–25 Projected | FY 2025–28 Projected | Five Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Bruno Mountain Day Use Improvement Project | $500,000 | - | - | $500,000 |
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Download an Excel file of all projects and Adopted and proposed budget information