This effort proposes to establish a user fee for stormwater management, charged to property owners for the purpose of rehabilitating and strengthening the City's stormwater system to adequately protect property owners from flooding and pollution. This fee is designed to be fair and reasonable, based on the actual cost of providing the service, and must comply with the provisions of Proposition 218.

The Community Flood & Storm Protection Initiative will provide dedicated funding that provides reliable and ongoing annual funding to update flood prevention infrastructure and improve resilience for many years to come. This funding cannot be taken away by the State, County, or even the City Council, and is completely dedicated to flood prevention and water quality projects. 

Recent events, including numerous heavy storms and flooding, have highlighted our City's aging infrastructure deficiencies. Unlike other infrastructure in the City, the stormwater system does not currently have a dedicated funding source. Our analysis estimates that the City needs $9 million per year for improving and operating our stormwater system. At $8/month for the average single family home, this fee would provide approximately $4 million a year in dedicated funding for stormwater needs.

Our existing stormwater infrastructure has been unable to accommodate extreme storm events, which may increase in the future. According to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, atmospheric rivers will only get more intense, and precipitation is becoming more concentrated at the center of these storms. The most water-logged winter storms could become around 30% wetter by the mid-century.

The City is proposing the Community Flood & Storm Protection Initiative because dedicated funding is needed to harden stormwater infrastructure ahead of future challenges:

• Aging stormwater infrastructure may often malfunction, leading to emergency situations that can be costly and damaging to the community
• Increasing risk of more severe storms and dangerous flooding
• Rising sea and groundwater levels will challenge the adequacy of flood protection  
• Population concentration and changes in patterns of living, construction, and urbanization contribute to the pollution of water runoff and receiving waters

Faced with these challenges, the City recognizes that it is necessary to secure dedicated funding for a stormwater management system that can withstand future challenges to the community; not only safer for today but, also, stronger for tomorrow. 

The City's stormwater infrastructure plays a crucial role in protecting property owners from the risk of flooding and maintaining a healthy environment. Our community’s stormwater infrastructure is extensive, but it is aged and needs upgrades to become a safe and reliable resource for the community in the years ahead. 

Our stormwater system is comprised of:

• 130 miles of storm drains
• 20 miles of open creeks and drainage channels
• One flood control lagoon (Marina Lagoon)
• Ten pump stations
• Three-mile Bayfront levee

The City has been working diligently to better understand our needs and to determine the best funding mechanism for several years.  The Community Flood & Storm Protection Initiative is being proposed now because the need to rehabilitate and strengthen the City's flood protection infrastructure will only become more urgent with time. More intense storms put increasing pressure on the City's stormwater infrastructure and highlight the need for immediate action. 

Through careful planning, however, the City can build resilience in the face of these challenges. The City can take steps to ensure that its flood protection infrastructure is capable of protecting residents and businesses from the impacts of more intense storms and rising sea and groundwater levels. With dedicated funding for flood protection infrastructure, the City can build resilience and ensure the safety and well-being of all who call San Mateo home.

Many neighboring communities have implemented stormwater funding mechanisms and many have not; or have tried and been unsuccessful. By learning from the experiences of neighboring cities, we can gain insight into the effectiveness of different strategies and approaches. This can help inform decision-making processes as we work towards creating more resilient and sustainable communities. 

When stormwater is managed effectively, it is channeled away from developed areas and safely into waterways or storage facilities, reducing the risk of flooding.

Stormwater pumping stations are used to move water from low-lying areas to higher elevation points, where it can be safely discharged into rivers, creeks, or other water bodies.   

The Marina Lagoon (lagoon) is a shallow, engineered body of water that is fed by several creeks and channels that drain approximately two-thirds of the City. When stormwater is managed effectively, it is channeled away from developed areas and safely into waterways or storage facilities, reducing the risk of flooding. The lagoon was created to operate as a flood control structure, but also offers recreational and ecological resources to the community. A dam at the north end keeps San Francisco Bay Water from entering the lagoon. Tide gates at the south end allow for controlled water exchange through O’Neill Slough. During the winter season, the tide gates are closed and the water levels are lowered to provide for flood control capacity. When the water level in the lagoon reaches specific elevations, stormwater is automatically pumped out of the system and into San Francisco Bay by five large pumps located by the dam on the north end. Stormwater pumping stations are used to move water from low-lying areas to higher elevation points, where it can be safely discharged into rivers, creeks, or other water bodies.   

Levees and floodwalls are earthen or concrete structures that act as barriers to prevent water from overflowing into surrounding areas. The City has a 3-mile levee system that protects properties from tidal and wave action from San Francisco Bay. These levees also provide critical protection against sea level rise. 

Trash capture devices installed in the storm drain pipes collect trash from stormwater runoff before it enters the local waterways and San Francisco Bay, protecting aquatic life and local habitats. Green infrastructure, such as bioswales, filter contaminants found in runoff. Keeping our waterways clean is also important for the health and safety of San Mateo residents. 

Furthermore, the city has implemented various best management practices to prevent pollution from entering the stormwater system. Regulatory inspectors train businesses to properly handle and dispose of waste. Construction projects are required to implement pollution prevention practices. City operations also include street sweeping and litter removal to prevent it from entering the storm drain system and, ultimately, local waterways and the San Francisco Bay.