In the Coastal unincorporated area (Miramar, Princeton, El Granada, Moss Beach, Montara), new buildings have to pass through a design review to ensure that it is “compatible with the physical setting of the site and the visual character of the communities”. There are design standards that new houses have to comply with when it comes to for example building mass, shape and scale. There is a requirement for “Demonstration of Scale”. The standard way to demonstrate scale was story poles, but in May 2020 the San Mateo County Planning Department discovered that they legally could not hold builders to that standard, so they had to say that an alternative way was to post a drawing at the site of the project. Story poles disappeared and builders put up a drawing. A revised ‘Demonstration of Scale Policy’ fromJuly 11, 2024 states: “An applicant may chose their preferred method…The County and the community prefer the use of story poles as they would demonstrate scale and height in a 3-dimensional manner in the subject location, where neighbors can experience proposed mass from their respective properties.”

I understand that story poles are a hassle and expensive for builders, but they are superior when you try to appreciate the height and mass of a project. I want the County to go through the trouble required to make the story poles become the standard again.

PLEASE: HELPFUL IF YOU GIVE A COMMENT AND NAME YOUR TOWN