Lisa's District 1 Digest - October 2025

Lisa Nash
1 day ago
7 min read

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

With school back in session and summer in the rearview mirror, there is much to share with you that is going on in San Mateo. I hope you will learn something in this edition of my D1 Digest that will be useful to you:

City Council’s decision to ban gas leaf blowers
Progress on making San Mateo a Train “Quiet Zone”
Major Wastewater Treatment Plant milestone to safeguard public health and provide stormwater protection
The latest on the Central Park Playground Renovation
Great upcoming community events

I ran in 2022 to be your City Council representative to fight for “safe, vibrant neighborhoods and Downtown.” I hope I am living up to your faith in me. I welcome your feedback and ideas for how I can serve you, and our community, better.

As always, please contact me directly at lisa@lisaforsanmateo.com with any questions or ways I can help. Or stop me as I walk around our District and let’s grab a coffee.

Many thanks and hope to see you soon,

P.S. If you find these newsletters useful, please share them with your neighbors and friends and encourage them to sign up for their own copies here.

What's Happening at City Council

City Council Votes To Ban Gas Leaf Blowers

On Monday, October 6th, your San Mateo City Council voted unanimously to support a ban on gas leaf blowers throughout our city. This was one of my top 3 objectives at our City Council 2025/2026 Blue Sky Strategy Session in February. I thank my fellow Council Members for their support.

City staff presented a comprehensive review of how other Peninsula cities dealt with the issue; what we learned from the incentive program we have run for landscape businesses and homeowners to buy electric leaf blowers; and what a potential ordinance could look like. Thanks to the many residents in District 1 and across San Mateo for sharing their enthusiastic support for a gas leaf blower ban. Reasons ranged from excessive noise, to the public health risks to our community and landscape gardeners, to damage to the environment overall. Read more…

San Mateo Train Quiet Zone

Your City Council took a major step toward establishing a Train Quiet Zone in San Mateo by deciding to close the railroad crossings at Villa Terrace and East Bellevue Avenue. This, plus several other safety improvements, will likely enable San Mateo to meet the high standards of the Federal Railroad Administration to minimize the blowing of train horns at and around the multiple grade train crossings in San Mateo.

Establishing a Train Quiet Zone has been a strategic priority in San Mateo for over ten years. City staff has conducted many community sessions and surveys to understand and accommodate, where possible, residents’ related traffic concerns. In that time, there also has been increasing support for closing the two at grade crossings to improve public safety and keep youth protected from passing trains.

City staff will be working with the Federal Railroad Administration and State agencies to obtain the funding and hope to begin construction by the end of 2026. This will represent a major quality of life and safety improvement for our community.

Upcoming City Council Items

Study Session (5:30PM)

Economic Development Work Plan FY 2025-2027 10.20.25
City Council Priorities Progress Report 11.3.25
Community Workforce Agreement 11.17.25

Regular Sessions (7pm)

Citywide Facilities Condition Assessment 10.20.26
358 East Sailer Drive (Hillsdale Shopping Center) - Planned Development for Multiple Residential, Office, and Commercial Buildings - Study Session 11.3.25 https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/4856/Hillsdale-Mall-Redevelopment---Mixed-Use
Reach Codes 11.3.25
Tenant Protections and Relocations 11.17.25
ADU Ordinance Amendments 11.17.25

There also will be two special Ceremonial Items on October 20th at 7pm:

The San Mateo Daily Journal will be celebrated on its 25th Anniversary. The “DJ” is the heart of our community news. I recommend that everyone interested in “local” anything begin their day by reading this great paper (That smart piece of advice was given to me by Anna Kuhre when I first moved to San Mateo. It only has become more relevant over the years. Thanks, Anna!)
San Mateo United Home Maintenance Awards: San Mateo United is the umbrella organization for all of San Mateo homeowners and neighborhood associations. Each year, SMU’s member organizations select a home in their neighborhood that reflects beauty and neighborhood pride. Winners of the individual neighborhood awards will be honored at this session. Come out and celebrate these great community members!

You always can read about upcoming or past City Council meetings at https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/3971/Agendas-Minutes-Public-Meeting-Portal. Agendas are published 72 hours before a meeting. Please doublecheck any last minute agenda changes. The public is encouraged to attend in person or via Zoom. Email public comments to citycouncil@cityofsanmateo.org.

Community Events

Wastewater Treatment Plant Ribbon Cutting

On September 24th, San Mateo celebrated completion of our $597 Million state-of-the-art Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade. This is the largest Infrastructure project in City history and is the biggest part of the City’s $1 billion Clean Water Program. The upgraded facility replaces 75-year-old infrastructure, eliminates sewer overflows, and introduces advanced treatment technologies that protect public health and safeguard San Francisco Bay for generations to come.

This amazing facility’s features include:

• One of the largest BioActiflo systems in the world, enabling treatment of up to 78 million gallons per day during heavy storms.

• A 5.3-million-gallon Underground Flow Equalization System (UFES) at the San Mateo Event Center— one of the largest wastewater storage facilities of its kind in California — preventing neighborhood flooding and protecting the Bay.

• Five-stage Biological Nutrient Removal and Membrane Bioreactor systems, making this one of the most advanced treatment facilities in California.

• A LEED Silver–certified administration building, one of the most sustainable treatment plants in the nation, plus new public pathways, landscaping, and educational signage.

This Plant was made possible in part by $277 million in low-interest funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Our current Congressman, Kevin Mullin, and State Assemblymember Diane Papan (a San Mateo D1 resident) were critical in securing this funding which saved the San Mateo taxpayer millions of dollars in tax payments.

The plant is co-owned by the City of San Mateo and Foster City/EMID and also serves half of Hillsborough, the Crystal Springs County Sanitation District, and parts of Belmont, and unincorporated San Mateo County —more than 170,000 residents.

I encourage you to contact the Wastewater Treatment Plant (650.522.7380) and go on a public tour of the facilities at 2050 Detroit Drive. It is truly an impressive investment that will protect our community for decades to come.

“Boos” and Brews on B Street — Saturday, Oct. 25, 3pm-5pm

Join your friends and neighbors for a FREE, FANG-tastic event including kid-friendly activities, crafts, photo booth, music, and not to mention, trick-or-treating! Everyone is encouraged to dress up in your Halloween costumes!

Thanks to San Mateo Parks and Recreation and the Downtown San Mateo Association for joining forces to make this year’s celebration an even bigger and better time for all.

NEW this year, Devil’s Canyon Brewing Co. will be selling beer & wine onsite with a percentage of the proceeds will be going to the San Mateo Police Activities League.

Central Park Playground Update

The City’s contractor, Suarez and Munoz Construction, Inc. has completed installation of the new sewer line for the restroom ahead of schedule!

The project overall also is on schedule. The playground and surrounding area will be completely reimagined! The concept behind the new playground is Adventure Village; a magical, forest-inspired space for imaginative play. Designed to fit seamlessly into the park’s majestic tree canopy, the area will feature custom designed play structures, a shaded picnic area, as well as a new restroom building to serve the playground and surrounding amenities. The project also includes demolition of the existing restroom and the installation of a new prefabricated restroom building, a covered picnic shelter, upgraded utility connections, and significant site improvements like new walkways, lighting, signage, fencing, seating areas and other amenities.

While there is inconvenience while construction continues, the outcome will be worth the wait for San Mateo’s children and their families. Stop by and watch the construction at work!

Farmers Market and Head West Marketplace

I hope by now you’ve made our Sunday morning Downtown Farmers Market a regular habit! I’m always discovering a new vendor (have you met Kitchen Table Travel, the mobile Italian cheese shop) and returning to my favorites…the fig season is so short, but the pears are stupendous now. Please stop by this and every Sunday…Draeger’s parking lot. Lots of beautiful produce, baked goods and prepared food to take home.

Head West Marketplace This Sunday

Head West Marketplace returns to San Mateo on Sunday, October 19th, 11am-4pm, on the B Street Pedestrian Mall. Head West curates some of the best local artisans and entrepreneurs. Always worth a look. Third Sunday of every month. It’s never too early to start your holiday shopping!

Community Coffees

Join Us at the October Community Coffee

So happy to have my Baywood neighbors drop by for my September Community Coffee. While we were excited to discuss all the new developments in Downtown San Mateo, we couldn’t hold the attention of our youngest attendees very long. So off to Head West Marketplace they went. And in walked Mayor Rob Newsom!

Please join me for my October Community Coffee on Sunday, October 26, 11am-12:30pm, at 3 Bees Coffee at 224 3rd Avenue. Please stop by for coffee, snacks and a chance to share with me what’s on your mind about San Mateo. As always, the last Sunday of the month. Thanks!

Lisa Diaz Nash

District 1 City Council Member

Lisa’s District 1 Digest is a regular eNewsletter giving neighbors of District 1 the latest news about what’s going on in San Mateo and District 1. As your District 1 City Council Member, I want to do my best to give you “news you can use” and make sure I understand what’s on your mind about San Mateo.

San Mateo is made up of five districts, each with a representative on City Council. You can see the boundaries of District 1, our district, in this map.

Please feel free to contact me on any San Mateo issue at lisa@lisaforsanmateo.com.You also regularly will find me walking all over District 1 and Downtown San Mateo, so please stop me and say hello!