Foster City’s First Mayor Wayne McFadden is one of the key founders of Foster City. Wayne visited with the Historical Society in June 2025.

Wayne discussed such subjects as the the trade the city did to acquire the land for Sea Cloud Cloud Park, Measure Q, the planning and layout of Foster City neighborhood shopping centers, did he want Foster City to have a High School, and even Greg’s Dump!

Wayne talked about the roll of City Council vs City Manager and City Attorney and how that balances and the ethics of those relationships in Foster City in the early 1970’s. McFadden talked about the density bonus that was given to Centex Homes in exchange for the Sea Cloud Park land that allowed more apartments to be built in exchange for the land. He still remembers the size of the park parcel, 72 acres! Measure Q was a measure that took two tries to succeed and helped pay for Boothbay and other parks. The layout for neighborhood shopping centers were sold off as single lots, rather than individual buildings, for financial reasons as large lots were the most profitable.

Wayne didn’t think Foster City should have a High School as San Mateo.

“I thought San Mateo was so big and had so much to offer that Foster City would have so little in comparison. I did not want Foster City to be the outskirt place where you come into.”

Wayne McFadden 2025 on a Foster City High School

Wayne McFadden still owns his law office building in San Mate where his name still adornes the building at 1200 Dore Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401.