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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Belmont Planning Commission Meeting – April 1, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, April 1, 2025

BodyBelmont, California

SessionCity Council

DateTuesday, April 1, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:20:16

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2:00

Okay.

2:01

Good evening, everyone.

2:03

Hi.

2:04

Thank you for attending.

2:05

Uh tonight's Planning Commission meeting for the City of Belmont.

2:09

Uh today is Tuesday, April 1st.

2:11

And I will start with an explanation as to how folks can participate and attend tonight's meeting.

2:20

So our meeting will be broadcast live to Belmont residents on Comcast Cable 27.

2:27

It is also being streamed live via the uh city's website at Belmont.gov.

2:33

And uh as usual, it is also available via Zoom.

2:37

Uh the meeting ID and links are included in the agenda.

2:42

Uh uh members of the public are able to comment either in chambers by submitting a speaker slip to our clerk and stepping up uh to the lectern.

2:53

Um also folks can participate uh via Zoom using the raised hand feature, and explanations and instructions are again included in the agenda.

3:04

Uh and finally, uh one can send an email to CDev at Belmont.gov.

3:10

And so long as the email is received before the end of the item uh to which it relates, it will be read or summarized uh by staff.

3:21

So with that, I think we will turn to a roll call.

3:25

And before we do that, I do want to uh recognize our newest uh commissioner, Commissioner uh Judala.

3:33

Judala, yes.

3:34

So welcome and thank you for for being here and congrats on your appointment.

3:38

Thank you.

3:39

Great.

3:40

Okay, roll call.

3:41

Um, Commissioner Jodala.

3:43

Here.

3:44

Kramer?

3:45

Here.

3:45

Chair Coolich?

3:46

Here.

3:47

And Majeski?

3:49

Present.

3:50

And absent tonight, we have Commissioner Twig and Adam Kavich.

3:54

Great.

3:54

We have a quorum.

3:55

That's just fairly.

3:57

Um item number two in the agenda is a pledge of allegiance.

4:00

So uh please rise and lead us in the pledge.

4:04

Flag is here.

4:05

I pledge allegiance to the flag.

4:10

And to the republic for which it stands.

4:13

One nation.

4:14

Oh god.

4:16

Liberty.

4:22

All right, moving on to item three of the agenda is our community forum, and this portion of the agenda is the opportunity to speak on matters that are within the ambit of the commission, uh, that do not appear on uh tonight's agenda.

4:39

Uh so um looking to see if there's anyone in chambers who would like to submit a public comment for item three, the community forum.

4:49

Um currently no speaker slips.

4:52

Anyone on Zoom?

4:53

Um no raised hands on Zoom.

5:02

Great.

5:03

So no public comment for item three, so we'll move on to item four, which is commissioner announcements and agenda amendments.

5:10

I think I'll turn first the staff to see if there's any agenda amendments for us to consider.

5:14

Uh staff has no agenda amendments for tonight's meeting.

5:18

And ask my colleagues if there's any um commissioner announcements starting here.

5:22

No.

5:23

Uh I would like to say something if it's alright with the chair.

5:26

Okay.

5:27

Um our prior colleague, uh, Mr.

5:30

Peter Meyer resigned this week.

5:33

Um essentially uh in frustration that the city council overwrote our recommendations.

5:40

And uh he felt like it was being ineffective.

5:43

Um paraphrasing he put it in writing.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Land Use Planning███████████████████████████████████35%

Procedural█████████████13%

Housing█████████████13%

Affordable Housing███████████11%

Public Engagement███████7%

Economic Development██████6%

Cannabis Regulation███3%

Design Guidelines███3%

Community Engagement███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Belmont Planning Commission Meeting – April 1, 2025

The Planning Commission of Belmont met on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 7:00 PM. The meeting included a public hearing on a single-family design review and variance for 709 Alameda de las Pulgas, a staff update on development projects, and commissioner announcements regarding a recent resignation. One public comment was received on the project update. The meeting adjourned at 8:19 PM.

Commissioner Announcements & Agenda Amendments

Commissioner Kramer announced the resignation of former Commissioner Peter Meyer, who left in frustration over the City Council overriding the Planning Commission’s recommendations, particularly on cannabis. Kramer expressed shared frustration that the council was not listening to the commission. The Chair noted the issue was not on the agenda and discouraged further discussion.

Consent Calendar

Approval of the March 4, 2025 meeting minutes was carried over to the next meeting due to lack of attendance from commissioners who were present at that meeting.

Public Hearing: 709 Alameda de las Pulgas – Single-Family Design Review & Variance

Proposal: A 393-square-foot upper-floor addition to create a new bedroom, bringing the total home size from 2,651 to 3,044 square feet (maximum allowed is 3,598 square feet). The site has zero off-street parking (no garage or driveway); a variance is required to maintain existing parking on a pad partially within the public right-of-way.
Staff Recommendation: Approve the variance and design review subject to conditions, including maintaining a clear 4-foot sidewalk. Staff found special circumstances due to a severe 10-foot drop in grade within the first five feet of the property, making compliant parking infeasible without extreme grading or relocation.
Public Comment: One speaker (Keith Howard) attempted to comment via Zoom but could not be heard due to audio issues. His emailed comment (received March 26) expressed concern about sidewalk obstruction. The email was included in the record.
Deliberation: Commissioners discussed the uniqueness of the site, the existing parking pad, and the precedent. Some expressed concern about setting a precedent but noted the site’s extraordinary constraints. Public Works had approved the parking pad conditionally. The commission voted on the staff recommendation.
Vote: Motion to approve the variance and design review per staff recommendation passed 4–0 (Commissioners Jodala, Kramer, Coolich, Majeski in favor; Commissioners Twig and Kavich absent).

Other Business: Community Development Department Project Update

Staff presented a snapshot of housing and commercial projects. Notable completed projects: Artisan Crossings (250 units, 15% affordable), The Hayden (former Belmont Iceland site), and Firehouse Square phase 2 (15 townhomes). Approved projects under construction or paused: Harbor Line (103 units, on pause), Rome (125 all-affordable, under construction), Link (37 affordable, breaking ground spring 2025), and 580 Masonic (140 units, to come before the commission in May/June 2025).
Commercial projects: Two moving forward (1301 Shoreway and Beam Reach), three on pause. The Harbor Industrial Area Specific Plan (65 acres) is in progress, targeting 200 new housing units and preserving a mobile home park. 2024 permit statistics: 6,000+ inspections, 1,500+ permits applied, 1,300+ issued, 1,100+ finalized. Housing units completed: 17 ADUs, 21 single-family, 493 multifamily.
Commissioners praised staff for progress and asked about occupancy rates and timeline extensions.

Public Comments

A resident (cyclist advocate) thanked the commission and urged a focus on transit and cycling infrastructure, stating that current plans like the ADLP corridor project make cycling worse. He offered books on modern transit design to commissioners and emphasized the need for mode shift away from cars.

Key Outcomes

Approved (4–0): Variance and single-family design review for 709 Alameda de las Pulgas.
Carried over: March 4, 2025 meeting minutes to next meeting.
No action: Community Development Department project update was received as information.
Adjournment: 8:19 PM.

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