The County of San Mateo and seven cities have sent a letter to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors urging them to help hold Stanford University accountable for the anticipated impacts to housing, traffic, the environment and residents if it is allowed to expand its campus by more than 20 percent. The Santa Clara Board of Supervisors is currently considering Stanford University’s 2018 General Use Permit (GUP) which would allow construction of an additional 2.275 million square feet of academic and other facilities on the main campus. LEARN MORE

The 1860s-era Lathrop House in the center of Redwood City’s downtown area was moved from its Hamilton Street location across from County Center to its new home next to the San Mateo County History Museum on May 12, 2019. The two-story, 10-room house, which is being moved to make room for the construction of a new County office building, has been relocated twice before in its history. The Board of Supervisors allocated $1.5 million in general funds for the relocation which was carried out by Truebeck Construction in partnership with the County's Project Development Unit. LEARN MORE

SMC Labs, created by the County's Information Services Department, is celebrating its 1-year anniversary. SMC Labs is a smart region initiative that uses technology and modern innovation methodologies to tackle complex local issues such as air quality, parking and mobility, affordable housing, and more. Launched in May 2018 at the IoT World 2018 conference, SMC Labs has since established two innovation zones for testing solutions and technologies for potential adoption, one on the San Mateo County Center campus in Redwood City and another at East Palo Alto City Hall, partnering with start-ups and well-known Silicon Valley companies. LEARN MORE

Discarded rechargeable and single-use batteries, in all shapes and sizes from AAA, AA and C to button cell, 9-volt and lithium-ion batteries, are hazardous waste and must be recycled right to protect the environment and community. Waste haulers, cities, and the County are asking residents to recycle batteries right to protect people from fire hazards and toxic pollution. Steps to prepare batteries properly for recycling include collecting them in a zip-top bag and taping the terminals of lithium-ion and 9-volt batteries. LEARN MORE