Burlingame's use of glyphosate and other pesticides in city parks will be the focus of a City Council study session Monday evening.

The session, scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, at Council Chambers in City Hall, 501 Primrose Road, will focus on what the city's agenda calls "Parks Division Pest and Weed Abatement Methods." Parks staff will present to the council, led by Mayor Michael Brownrigg.

No vote is scheduled. The session is a presentation and discussion only.

The agenda lists five attachments: a staff report, a map showing where glyphosate is applied, a 2026 letter from Parks staff to the council describing glyphosate use, a full list of pesticides used in Burlingame and presentation slides.

Parks & Recreation Director Margaret Glomstad and Parks Supervisor Carlie Burow oversee the division responsible for pest and weed management in city parks.

The local review follows several national developments around glyphosate. A survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, conducted in April 2026 among 1,639 U.S. adults, found two-thirds of Americans support banning glyphosate use on crops. The EPA is reevaluating glyphosate’s human health risks, including its potential to cause cancer.

All manufacturers of paraquat pesticides voluntarily canceled their California registrations, with the last cancellation occurring Aug. 6, according to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.

Burlingame has explored alternatives before. In August 2025, the city brought goats to the Bayfront for grazing, a practice it described as reducing fire risk and improving habitat health while avoiding herbicides.

Residents who want to weigh in can attend in person or join via Zoom (Meeting ID: 844 4293 2768, Passcode: 764854) or by phone at 1-669-900-6833. Written comments can be emailed to [email protected] by 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5. Speakers at the session are limited to two minutes each.

The regular City Council meeting follows at 7 p.m. the same evening. A League of Women Voters' Candidate Forum is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 6 p.m.