Midpen’s basic policy is like its constitution, providing staff and board with the highest-level guidance on fulfilling Midpen’s mission. It covers the five following major policy areas at a high level:
- Land preservation
- Land management
- Interagency relationships
- Public involvement
- Administration
Midpen updated its basic policy in 2025.
Background and Goal
Midpen’s basic policy was originally adopted in 1974, a couple of years after Midpen was created by local voters. The basic policy was updated in 1999 and 2025.
Midpen’s geographic boundaries expanded to include the San Mateo County Coast in 2004, referred to as the Coastside Protection Area.
The Coastal Service Plan is a document outlining Midpen’s unique commitments to the Coastside Protection Area related to land acquisition, services and funding, agriculture, forestry, partnerships, representation, planning and development, and land use.
The 2025 update to Midpen's basic policy was made through a robust public process and incorporated the Coastside Protection Area into the basic policy in a way that is consistent with the Coastal Service Plan.
Learn more about Midpen's work on the Coastside here.
Public Process
A committee of three Midpen board members helped to guide the policy update process. Midpen staff and a consultant developed draft policy revisions after reviewing and comparing Midpen’s current basic policy, coastal service plan and other Coastside policies. Midpen’s board of directors initially reviewed the proposed revisions at a public meeting on June 25, 2024.
Beginning in the summer of 2024, Midpen staff began soliciting community input on the proposed basic policy updates. Additional revisions were made based on additional public comments in the early months of 2025 before the proposed basic policy updates was approved by Midpen’s board of directors at a public meeting in August 2025.
Related Documents
