Belmont Planning Commission Meeting - August 21, 2024

The Belmont Planning Commission met on August 21, 2024, in the Emergency Operations Center at City Hall. The meeting addressed several agenda items, including a revised Housing Element, a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Belmont Stanford Campus, a proposed memory care facility at 1041 Hill Street, and a single-family design review at 2704 Wemberly Drive. All votes were final, with recommendations to the City Council where applicable.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the July 16, 2024, meeting with a correction (changing "Chair Coolidge" to "Vice Chair Majeski" in item 7A). Motion passed 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 3 (Community Forum): No public comments.
• Item 7A (Housing Element): No public comments.
• Item 7B (Stanford Campus DEIR): Three public speakers addressed the draft EIR.
  • John Rogers (South Road) questioned the relationship between parking spaces and projected population, noting traffic concerns on Ralston Avenue.
  • Margaret Judila (Ralston Avenue) sought clarification on building heights (75 feet vs. stories) and requested that the campus be open on weekends.
  • Joseph (last name not given) raised concerns that doubling parking spaces contradicts Transportation Demand Management goals.
• Item 7C (1041 Hill Street): One in-person speaker (Susan) asked about increased traffic from visitors. After the public hearing closed, a late Zoom comment from Etienne McGrands (925 South Road) expressed concerns about noise from memory care residents affecting nearby homes.
• Item 7D (2704 Wemberly Drive): No public comments.

Discussion Items

• Housing Element Update (Item 7A): Staff presented the revised 2023-2031 Housing Element, which had been certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Key changes included more conservative density assumptions, additional policies to affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH), and a restructured document. Commissioners discussed Belmont's diversity statistics, the feasibility of meeting very low-income housing targets, and the impact of ADU policies. The commission voted unanimously to recommend the City Council adopt the revised Housing Element.
• Stanford Campus DEIR (Item 7B): Staff and consultants from Placeworks presented an overview of the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed redevelopment of the NDNU campus. The DEIR analyzed 18 environmental topics, with significant impacts identified in areas such as air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, transportation, and wildfire. Mitigation measures were proposed to reduce all impacts to less-than-significant levels. The project would be implemented over 30 years with no specific building plans yet. Commissioners asked questions about climate change modeling, the relationship between building area and population, and the adequacy of the geotechnical analysis for the 1041 Hill Street project. No vote was taken; the public comment period remains open until September 16, 2024.
• 1041 Hill Street - Memory Care Facility (Item 7C): Staff presented a request to demolish an existing skilled nursing facility and construct a three-story, 36-unit memory care building. The project required a Planned Development Zone Amendment, Conceptual Development Plan, Detailed Development Plan, Conditional Use Permit, Design Review, Grading Permit, Tree Removal Permit, and Encroachment Permit. The applicant argued that the parking reduction (from 41 to 34 spaces) was justified because memory care residents do not drive. Commissioners discussed geotechnical concerns (a late comment about seismic hazard mapping), parking adequacy, and operational issues on the existing site. The commission approved the project 6-0-1 (Commissioner Majeski abstained) with conditions, recommending City Council approval.
• 2704 Wemberly Drive - Single-Family Design Review (Item 7D): Staff presented a proposal to demolish an existing 3,160-square-foot home and build a new 3,776-square-foot two-story residence on an 11,839-square-foot lot. The project complied with the large-lot floor area ratio calculation. The design was well-articulated with stone veneer and varied massing. The commission approved the design review unanimously (6-0, with Commissioner Meyer recused).

Key Outcomes

• Item 7A (Housing Element): The commission voted 7-0 to recommend that the City Council adopt the revised 2023-2031 Housing Element, repealing the previously adopted version. The item will go to the City Council on September 10, 2024.
• Item 7B (Stanford Campus DEIR): No decision was made. The public comment period for the draft EIR runs through September 16, 2024. Written comments may be submitted to stanfordndnu@belmont.gov.
• Item 7C (1041 Hill Street): The commission approved the project in a 6-0-1 vote (Commissioner Majeski abstained), recommending City Council approval. The item is tentatively scheduled for the September 10, 2024, City Council meeting.
• Item 7D (2704 Wemberly Drive): The commission approved the single-family design review in a 6-0 vote (Commissioner Meyer recused). The decision is not appealable within 10 calendar days.
• Future Meetings: The September 3, 2024, Planning Commission meeting is likely to be cancelled. The September 17, 2024, meeting will be a joint session with the Parks and Recreation Commission to review the city's wayfinding program and may include a scoping meeting for the Harbor Industrial Area Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report.