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The entire community rallied together to support saving the woodland at Flood Park and voiced their concerns in public meetings, surveys, and scores of emails. Fortunately County Parks department listened and on May 23rd issued a revised plan that moved a destructive sports field out of the woodland and over to the fields sports side of the park. So refreshing that Parks made this change to the Reimagine Flood Park plan. For some, it brings into question why the County Supervisors ignored all of the public’s emails and board meeting statements and would have allowed the destruction of the park’s famous Heritage Grove section of the woodland.
Many people count the woodland among their favorite places, for reasons deeper than fun or exercise. A walk in this grove can bring a sense of renewed peace, joy, and connection to the natural world.
The older Reimagine plan was to remove 72 trees from the woodland. The revised May plan still removes 64 trees, many of these are significant size trees. There is still room to preserve many of these trees by simply adjusting the placement of a field or court one way or another. By sizing the small sports field and changing its placement slightly, more trees could be preserved. Please refer to adjustment suggestions that community members have drafted.
County Parks Department has listened – revised May plan moves destructive sports field
The discussion on the Balance webpage provides suggestions that can save many of the trees that would otherwise be cutdown by the Parks department. These trees are important not only from the habitat they provide for local wildlife and insects, they are important from the shade and ambience they provide to the park.
After 6 years of various planning, presentations, and reports, San Mateo County Parks Department’s Reimagine Flood Park project was approved in November 2020.
This website focuses on the County’s Reimagine project plans with the goal of helping County, through community engagement to refine plan features and to ensure the project reflects the interests of the community. We, citizens of San Mateo county, can use this website and other resources to understand the Plan and provide input and feedback to County Parks and County management as to priorities and modifications to the Reimagine Project. This website resource will help insure that the community’s objectives for the park are met and that harm to the park’s natural environment and heritage woodland is avoided.
Case in point: The destruction of the heart of the park’s heritage woodland. A large population in County feel that the woodland should be preserved. County’s own research identified the preservation of the park’s trees was of the highest priority — yet the plan, as drafted and approved, is to destroy a large percentage of trees from the very heart of the heritage woodland.
Many county residents have other major concerns regarding the projects plan of severely reducing popular amenities (picnic capacity, volleyball, softball). Yet there is wide support for the project to move forward with restoring the sport fields, adding a soccer-lacrosse field, and building accessible playgrounds. We can do both! Preserve the woodland AND build out the eastern sports fields. County Parks will be having public meetings to gain input for plan modification in the near future (see Press Release).
Flood Park is the oldest San Mateo county park east of Skyline Blvd. Its woodland area contains scores of old oaks, bay, and redwood trees, some dating back to the 1800s.
The park is home to family traditions, where family gatherings to celebrate family, birthdays, graduations, marriages, births, and other treasured events are traditions that have gone on for generations.
Concerned citizens are joining together to advocate for this historic park and to preserve the nature and environment the park woodland provides for all that visit, that walk the woodland, that use the beautiful shaded picnic areas.
Flood Park’s sports fields have been unmaintained and now unusable for well over a decade and are projected to be that for a few more years. We are working to restore these sport fields back to the beautiful sports fields they once were and introduce a multipurpose soccer/lacrosse field.
Just as important is to preserve the woodland and shaded picnic areas, home of countless organizations and family traditions. Some have used these locations year after year, for generations.
We support the basis for the Reimagine Flood Park project, yet we want to correct the misassumptions made in the project plans. We are striving to protect the heritage woodland where a great number of the beautiful trees in the heart of the this area are planned to be destroyed
Playgrounds and sport fields on the edge of the woodland and picnic and BBQs throughout the beautiful shaded woodland.
This website advocates for maintaining Flood Park, restoring the sports fields, and preserving the woodland environment. On this website, you can explore the Reimagine Flood Park project, increase your understanding of the project, enter the discussion by asking questions, giving feedback on the park, and helping County Parks and our community achieve the restoration of a unique and beautiful park, full of nature, traditions, and fun for all.
The woodland at the park is the only preserved nature in this area of county. It is a beautiful retreat for nature lovers, families, school age children, and the general public. Many of the trees date back to when California was a Spanish territory, and later when it was part of Rancho de las Pulgas.
County, in prior planning documents states “The generally open natural appearance of the park, particularly its native trees, is one of its great resources to the surrounding zones of development*.”
An area full of beautiful old oaks, bay, redwood, and other trees, providing shade and nature to picnic areas and walking paths.
Playground for young kids and a new playground proposed for young toddlers, all to have accessibility features.
Beautiful picnic settings for groups (small and large). Many of the tables are shaded by the mature trees in the park.
369± parking spots with entrance at 215 Bay Rd.
Currently both the small and large baseball fields are not maintained but when they are, a wonderful area for games.
Currently there are tennis, volleyball, softball, horseshoes at the park. A large multi-purpose field is planned for the baseball field area, but at a loss of ...
Currently, no public transit services the park or nearby areas. Please car pool when you can.
The Sports and Play sessions of the Feb 2nd Public meeting are presented here with video, audio, and transcription of session. Comments can be viewed and written.
The Ending sessions of the Feb 2nd Public meeting are presented here with video, audio, and transcription of session. Comments can be viewed and written.
The Picnic and History sessions of the Feb 2nd Public meeting are presented here with video, audio, and transcription of session. Comments can be viewed and written.
