The mission of the Baywood Owners Improvement Association (BOIA) is to enrich our Baywood neighborhood through civic representation, local initiatives, community involvement and a partnership with the City of San Mateo.

The Board welcomes your participation and input.

 

 

The Board of BOIA along with a number of concerned Baywood residents have launched several recent initiatives aimed at beautifying and improving the safety of our community. A description and status of these initiatives follows.

Baywood Traffic Islands
A major effort was led by Board member Nancy Weller to beautify the traffic islands at Kentucky/Nevada, Virginia/Georgetown, Fairfax/Irving, Franklin/Fairfax, and Parrott/Third Avenue (a gateway island). With the assistance of San Mateo Parks and Recreation and Baywood residents, irrigation systems were upgraded, new trees and shrubs were added, and repairs were made to electric lighting systems. The improvements were completed in mid-2006. In 2011, the Board successfully lobbied the City to make the island at Kentucky and Nevada Avenue a no parking zone to enhance the safety of Baywood students and residents.

Aragon High School Landscaping
The Board in collaboration with the San Mateo Union High School District developed a landscaping plan to add trees and other shrubbery along the Alameda de las Pulgas frontage with the goal of creating an attractive greenbelt to help camouflage fencing and other man-made features on the high school property. Redwood trees and other plants were planted along the frontage creating an attractive barrier.

Woodland Drive
The Board worked closely with the San Mateo-Foster City School District to restore a vacant lot located south of Baywood School and west of the Alameda. Many trees, shrubs, and groundcover were planted to improve the visual impact of this land, and new irrigation systems were installed to help the planting thrive. The School District has pledged to maintain the property.

In addition to the improvements made on this lot, the Board initiated discussions with Public Works and the City to annex Woodland Drive from the Town of Hillsborough in order that street lighting can be added and re-landscaping can be added along the Drive to complement the renovation made to the High School and improve safety in the area. The annexation has been completed and new landscaping has been added. The Board is continuing to work with the City of San Mateo to have appropriate lighting installed. Stay tuned for an update on this important initiative.

Lower Baywood Street Lighting
An initiative was launched by concerned Board members Peter Cooperstein and Cindy Rose to upgrade and improve the street lighting in lower Baywood. The Board has been working closely with San Mateo Public Works to highlight areas in lower Baywood where insufficient lighting contributes to public safety hazards for both automobiles and pedestrians, and to insure adequate funds are included in current and future budgets to complete this multi-year initiative.
The Boards efforts are continuing and we are hopeful upgrades to street lighting will begin in 2008.

Speeding on the 3rd Avenue Corridor
Excessive speeding continues to be a major concern for Baywood residents, particularly for residents living along or close to 3rd Avenue. On Wednesday morning, October 3rd 2007 a demonstration was held along 3rd Avenue where many Baywood residents, members of the San Mateo Police Department, and several media outlets gathered to support efforts to reduce automobile speeds through the area. Resident Anna Kuhre organized the successful demonstration which has resulted in San Mateo Public Works considering altering the traffic flow past the Public Library. Other plans are being considered to further help reduce the speed of cars transitioning on to Third Avenue from Crystal Springs Road.