Loma Mar CA Real Estate & Homes For Sale

Where Loma Mar is and who governs it

Loma Mar is a small unincorporated community in the redwood-forested Pescadero Creek valley of San Mateo County, on Pescadero Creek Road between Pescadero and La Honda. The County uses the Loma Mar mailing address, ZIP code 94021, for nearby Memorial Park at 9500 Pescadero Creek Road. There is no city government. San Mateo County Planning and Building handles zoning, planning permits and building permits, and the Board of Supervisors makes land-use decisions.

Loma Mar does not have its own row in San Mateo LAFCo’s table of districts serving unincorporated areas, and no community water or sewer district is listed for it. That alone tells you most utility questions here are answered parcel by parcel. Some parcels may fall within the County’s Coastal Zone, where the Local Coastal Program requires a Coastal Development Permit or an exemption for development. Ask County Planning whether the parcel is inside it. For more on County jurisdiction, see unincorporated San Mateo County.

Water, sewer and utilities in Loma Mar

• Septic: Confirm actual wastewater service; for an onsite system obtain permits and capacity records. San Mateo County Environmental Health runs the onsite wastewater and land use review programs, which cover septic permits, wells and Environmental Health review of planning and building applications. In a creek valley, setbacks from the creek and high groundwater can limit where a septic system or replacement field can go.
• Water: Supply may come from a private well, a spring, creek water under a right, or a small shared or mutual system. Ask for the water source documents, any shared-system bylaws, recent water-quality tests and a dry-season flow test.
• Roads: Many cabins and homes are reached by private or shared roads. The recorded easement and the road maintenance agreement matter as much as the house inspection.

Homes, lots and land use in Loma Mar

Loma Mar housing is mostly cabins and houses on wooded lots, plus some larger rural parcels. The setting is dominated by public parkland. The County’s Memorial Park covers 673 acres along Pescadero Creek Road and is part of what the County maps as the Pescadero Creek park complex. Parcels near parkland and the creek can face more limits on new structures, clearing and septic placement than the lot size would suggest.

Before you treat a guest cabin, studio or converted outbuilding as living space, ask the County for its permits and final inspections. If you plan to add bedrooms, get Environmental Health’s view on septic capacity first. Our buying land guide lays out the order of checks for rural parcels.

Hazards and insurance to check

• Wildfire: Evaluate wildfire exposure, access and insurance early. Look up the address in the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone viewer. State Responsibility Area maps took effect April 1, 2024. Get homeowners insurance quotes at the start of escrow.
• Flood: Creekside parcels along Pescadero Creek should be checked on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center. Ask the seller about any past high water or road closures. See our flood insurance guide.
• Earthquake and landslide: Look up the parcel in EQ Zapp. Where no state seismic hazard zone has been mapped, a geotechnical review is the way to answer slope questions on steep lots.

Getting around from Loma Mar

Pescadero Creek Road runs west to Pescadero and State Route 1 and east toward La Honda and State Route 84. Mountain roads can close for storms or roadwork, so drive the route in winter before you commit. Check current fixed-route and on-demand options for the actual trip. SamTrans’ on-demand SamCoast service covers the rural south coast, and the agency names Loma Mar as one boundary of its service area, according to the SamTrans Coastside services page. Confirm whether a specific address is inside it.

Local rules buyers and owners should know

• Transfer tax: San Mateo County’s documentary transfer tax is 55 cents per $500 or fraction of taxable value, subject to the statutory threshold, deductions and exemptions. Loma Mar is unincorporated, so no city transfer tax applies.
• Coastal permits: If the parcel is inside the Coastal Zone, most development needs a Coastal Development Permit or an exemption.
• Shared-road costs: Private-road assessments are recorded separately from County taxes. Ask whether any are pending.
• Property tax: Review the actual bill. See San Mateo County property tax.

Luxury homes and estates in Loma Mar

In Loma Mar, high-end property usually means a larger wooded or creekside parcel in the Pescadero Creek valley, sometimes with a main house, guest cabins and outbuildings, next to County parkland such as the 673-acre Memorial Park. County zoning governs these parcels, and the Local Coastal Program applies where a parcel is inside the Coastal Zone. Creek setbacks, septic area and access tend to cap what can be added.

Due diligence for a high-value purchase: Confirm that every structure used as living space has County permits and septic capacity. Get the water source documents, flow test and any shared-system agreements. Get the recorded road easements and maintenance terms. Check flood maps along Pescadero Creek. Wildfire hardening and insurance availability are central for forested parcels; see our FAIR Plan guide and our guide to insuring a high-value home.

Ask Diamond Real Estate Group which permitted private-marketing options fit your property, goals and the applicable MLS rules. Availability of any particular listing is not guaranteed. Related: San Mateo County luxury homes.

Loma Mar real estate: questions people ask

Is Loma Mar a town with its own services?

No. Loma Mar is an unincorporated community in San Mateo County, and LAFCo lists no water or sewer district for it. County Planning and Building handles permits, and Environmental Health oversees septic systems and wells. Water and access arrangements vary by parcel, so confirm them for each property.

Do Loma Mar homes have septic systems?

Generally, yes. San Mateo County Environmental Health permits onsite wastewater systems and reviews building applications that affect them. Ask for the septic permit history and a recent inspection and pumping report. Check creek setbacks and capacity if you plan to add bedrooms or a guest unit.

What park is next to Loma Mar?

San Mateo County’s Memorial Park, 673 acres at 9500 Pescadero Creek Road in Loma Mar, is part of the County’s Pescadero Creek park complex. For nearby private land, identify the actual adopted restrictions and recorded easements, so check parcel boundaries and any recorded easements.

How do I check wildfire risk for a Loma Mar property?

Look up the address in the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone viewer and read the Natural Hazard Disclosure report. Then get homeowners insurance quotes early in escrow, and ask the seller for records of defensible-space and roof work.

Sources for this section

1. San Mateo County Parks, Memorial Park: https://www.smcgov.org/parks/memorial-park
2. San Mateo County Planning and Building, Planning Permits: https://www.smcgov.org/planning/planning-permits
3. San Mateo LAFCo, Special Districts Serving Unincorporated Areas: https://www.smcgov.org/lafco/special-districts-serving-unincorporated-areas
4. San Mateo County Planning, Local Coastal Program: https://www.smcgov.org/planning/local-coastal-program
5. San Mateo County Health, Land Use Review and Onsite Wastewater (Septic) Programs: https://smchealth.org/services/smch-services/water-protection-land-use-onsite-systems/land-use-review-and-onsite-wastewater-septic-programs/
6. Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones: https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/community-wildfire-preparedness-and-mitigation/fire-hazard-severity-zones
7. FEMA Flood Map Service Center: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home
8. California Geological Survey, EQ Zapp: https://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/geohazards/eq-zapp
9. SamTrans, Coastside Services: https://www.samtrans.com/service-info/coastside-services
10. San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, Documentary Transfer Tax: https://smcacre.gov/county-clerk-recorder/documentary-transfer-tax