Planning and Building

Welcome to Plan Princeton!

Plan Princeton is a study by the County of San Mateo to update the development plan for Princeton. The project focuses on the area west of and including Highway 1, between Pillar Point Harbor and Moss Beach. The purpose of this project is to make a comprehensive update to the policies, plans, and standards regulating the Princeton study area to:

• Enhance coastal access, recreation, research, and education opportunities.
• Support and expand coastal-dependent and coastal-related uses.
• Provide facilities needed by the commercial fishing industry and recreational boaters.
• Create local jobs and services.
• Abate neighborhood blight and zoning violations.
• Address parking, circulation, and infrastructure needs.
• Identify effective strategies for protecting the community from sea level rise.
• Protect and restore water quality and sensitive habitats.
• Maintain compliance with the State Coastal Act and State airport compatibility requirements.

The project was initiated in 2013 and had developed a draft plan in March 2015. However, with the realization of the risks to Princeton due to climate change-induced sea level rise, the planning process was halted to research the impacts and the state guidance on the sea level rise projections. This was further delayed by the pandemic. In June 2024, the State’s Ocean Protection Council released its latest assessment of the estimated sea level rise through 2100. The data provides the County an opportunity to revisit the draft development plan and determine any updates that may be needed to address the impact that rising waters may have in Princeton.

Sea Level Rise Community Workshop – November 1, 2024

The County held a half-day community engagement workshop on Friday, November 1, 2024, to provide new information on the impacts of sea level rise and seek community input through an interactive workshop game to update the draft plan. A summary of the workshop, a copy of the workshop materials, and a recording of the presentations are available below.

• Workshop Summary
• Workshop Agenda
• Plan Princeton and Sea Level Rise Projections Presentation – Slide Deck | Recording
• Game of Floods  
  • Slide Deck  
  • Facilitator Guide
  • Participant Workbook
  • Gameboard
  • Role Cards
  • Asset Cards
  • Asset Tracking Worksheet
  • Budget Cards
  • Sea Level Rise Scenario Cards
  • Adaptation Strategy Cards
  • Adaptation Strategy List and Costs Table
  • Adaptation Strategy Selection Worksheet
• Preferred Plan and Policy Framework Document, March 2015

Project Schedule

• Summary of Sea Level Rise Community Workshop Feedback - December 2024
• Draft Sea Level Rise Policy Updates  - January 2025
• Draft Plan - Spring 2025
• Airport Land Use Commission, Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors – TBD
• California Coastal Commission - TBD