Editing Hillsborough, California (section)

==Geography and environment==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|6.2|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land. The area's considerably winding, hilly [[topography]], and impossibility of a grid layout make Hillsborough notoriously challenging to navigate. Many lots include fairly steep slopes, particularly the western side of the town, with the landscape generally flattening to the east as it descends from the 280 freeway to El Camino Real and the towns of Burlingame and San Mateo.

Three prominent streams drain the mostly wooded slopes of Hillsborough: [[San Mateo Creek (San Francisco Bay Area)|San Mateo Creek]], Cherry Canyon Creek, and Sanchez Creek. In all 3 cases the upper watersheds are closed-canopy [[California oak woodland]]s, with dominant trees of [[Coast Live Oak]], [[Pacific Madrone]] and [[California Bay]].

The upper drainage area of San Mateo Creek in Hillsborough contains significant [[serpentinite]] [[outcrop]]s, which are known habitats for several [[rare plant]] species including the [[San Mateo woolly sunflower]].<ref>''Environmental Impact Report for the Hillsborough Highlands Estates'', Earth Metrics Report 7803, California State Clearinghouse, November 1989</ref> Other common plants include [[toyon]], [[gooseberry]], [[Lupinus|lupine]], [[monkeyflower]] and [[Rhamnus californica|coffeeberry]]. Commonly observed mammals include [[California mule deer]], [[raccoon]]s, [[opossum]], coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, and [[skunk]]s. [[Mountain lions]] are known to live and roam in the [[green belt]]s that surround the city.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thomson |first=Jess |date=August 14, 2023 |title=Mountain Lions Run Riot in One of America's Wealthiest Towns |url=https://www.newsweek.com/mountain-lions-hillsborough-california-billionaires-1819506 |access-date=August 17, 2023 |work=Newsweek |language=en}}</ref>

Hillsborough is bordered by [[Burlingame, California|Burlingame]] to the north, [[San Mateo, California|San Mateo]] to the east, [[Highlands-Baywood Park, California|Highlands-Baywood Park]] to the south, and [[Interstate 280 (California)|Interstate 280]] to the west.

Hillsborough's landscape is dominated by large homes; the town zoning and subdivision ordinances require a {{convert|2500|sqft|m2|adj=on}} minimum house size and minimum lot size of {{convert|0.5|acre|m2}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hillsborough.net/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=3019|title=Hillsborough City Council Minutes, February 13, 2006 – page 3|access-date=August 9, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006022118/http://hillsborough.net/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=3019|archive-date=October 6, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> As a result, there are no apartments, condominiums or [[townhouse]]s in the city limits.

The town has no commercial zoning and thus no businesses within the town limits; the only non-residential properties are the town's four public and three private schools, town and county government facilities, a golf course, a country club, and small parks.