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FosterCity_livingLOCAL_CityGuide_web

7Foster City living!LOCAL™ City Guide During the late 1950’s, T. Jack Foster, in association with Bay Area developer Richard Grant, purchased an option to acquire Brewer Island for the development of a complete community. In 1960, the California Legislature created the Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID), the state’s first such public agency. The District was granted most of the governing powers associated with an incorporated municipality, except the powers to zone and approve development and certain police powers. A board of three directors representing the two landowners governed the District. Because San Mateo County retained the authority to approve development permits, T. Jack Foster prepared a master plan for the development of Brewer Island (Foster City) and submitted it to the County in 1961. The plan envisioned a self-contained community with a variety of housing types, waterfront lots and parks, an internal lagoon for drainage and public recreation, marinas, offices, stores, industry, and public services. The ultimate “buildout” was to include 11,000 housing units and a population of approximately 35,000. The Town Center, to be focused on an interior lake, was to include a combination of community and regional commercial services, offices, government agencies, entertainment establishments, and parks. One of the more difficult aspects of the plan for the City was how to handle drainage in an area that was basically flat and at sea level.The engineering firm of Wilsey and Ham developed a plan to raise the surface level of the island four to five feet and to dig a central drainage basin area that also would serve as a runoff storage area. This drainage basin is now the Foster City Lagoon. The County Board of Supervisors approved the FosterCityplanin1961,andgroundbreakingfor the first reclamation and development projects took place in August. Due to the extensive fill, compaction, and construction of facilities that had to precede any building, three years passed before the first homes were completed. The Estero Municipal Improvement District was authorized to issue $82,130,000 in bonds in order to finance the improvements necessary for development of Brewer Island (of which $78,437,000 was issued). The bonds provided enough funding to build the lagoon, water system, sewer system, roads, bridges, and other necessary improvements. Bytheendof1964,200familieshadmovedinto Foster City. By 1966 the community had grown to 5,000 residents. The first public buildings constructed included the Corporation Yard in the early 1960’s and the Public Safety Building (the former Fire Station) in 1965. As the City developed, residents came to realize that their lack of representation on the EMID Board made it difficult to affect Board decisions on development and taxation issues. In early 1967 residents reached a compromise with T. Jack Foster and Sons to introduce legislation increasing the Board’s size from three to five. Foster City residents would elect the two new directors. The legislation also contained a provision for eventual transition of the Board to full citizen representation by 1970, a year prior to the statutory deadline. At that time,the EMID Board began incorporation proceedings. FosterCitywasincorporatedinApril1971,with the newly elected City Council assuming the powers of the EMID Board. Nearly seven years after the first families moved to Foster City, residents gained full control over municipal governance. In 1972 the City opened a new City Hall. In 1974, the Recreation Center opened in Central Park (now Leo J. Ryan Park) on the shores of the Lagoon. In 1976 the fourth and last of the bridges crossing the Foster City lagoon system was completed and it was named the Bicentennial Bridge. The Foster City Community Development Agency was formed in 1981 to assist the growth of the City. A new Police Station located at 1030 East Hillsdale Boulevard was dedicated in March 1985. The Recreation Center was remodeled and expanded in 1997. A new Library/Community Center building was also completed in 1997. The new Government Center with Fire Station, City Hall, and an addition to the Police Station was completed December 2002. The new Council Chambers was completed November 2003. The Teen Center (Vibe) moved from a temporary building to a permanent home by the Recreation Center in 2009.The Community Development Agency was dissolved by the State in 2012. Foster City was incorporated in April 1971, with the newly elected City Council assuming the powers of the EMID Board. Nearly seven years after the first families moved to Foster City, residents gained full control over municipal governance.

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