Education:

• Landscape Architecture Certificate Program, University of California, Berkeley 
• B.S., City and Regional Planning, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo  
• M.P.A, Public Administration, Public Policy Analysis, San Francisco State University 

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Robert McDonald

Advisor

Bob McDonald has had many roles working as a planner and project manager in the public sector. Starting as a planning technician with the County of San Mateo, Bob went on to become an assistant planner with the County of Solano, an associate planner with the City of San Mateo and later as a Senior/Long Range Planner with the City and County of San Francisco’s Recreation and Parks Department. His local government experience includes: 

• Project, environmental, landscape and architectural review of current planning projects  
• Administrator for a parking and improvement district, 
• Long range planner and administrator for an open space program and advisory board, and  
• Project and land acquisitions manager for complex public/private land developments. 

With the City and County of San Francisco’s Recreation and Parks Department, Bob managed, coordinated and unified the development and entitlements for the DeYoung Museum, Music Concourse, Academy of Sciences and underground parking projects. He also worked on the environmental, landscape and architectural review for complex public works projects such as the Union Square and the Harding/Fleming Golf Course renovation at Lake Merced. He also played a primary role as the long-range planner and administrator for the Open Space Program and Advisory Board. 

Mr. McDonald’s strengths are working on complex development plans, assessing, and identifying architectural and environmental impacts, developing/administering mitigation and monitoring the first Downtown Residential Permit Program (RPP), leading the downtown development cap process, providing direction related to the Comprehensive Plan (General Plan). Mr. McDonald has served as a Design Review and Historic Preservation Commissioner and Planning Commissioner for the City of Sonoma.​​

Project Experience Highlights

• City of San Mateo Planner: prepared amendments to the Zoning Code related to Recycling, Parking and Sign Code. Updates*
• City of Sonoma Planning Commissioner: reviewed, commented and made recommendations to the City Council for Zoning Code Amendments related to Vacation Rental, Lodging, ADUs, Subdivision, Affordable Housing, Design Reviews and Parking Code updates*

* Work completed at a previous place of employment