OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Belmont Planning Commission Meeting - February 3, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, February 3, 2026
BodyBelmont, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, February 3, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 32:52
Transcript — Verbatim
0:33

Good.

0:34

Alright.

0:34

Good evening, everyone.

0:36

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

0:41

It is Tuesday, February 3rd, and it's 7 01.

0:44

We're about to get going.

0:46

We'll give some instructions on participation for tonight's meeting.

0:51

Firstly, meeting attendance.

1:02

It's streamed live via the city's website at Belmont.gov.

1:07

And it's available through the Zoom app and the instructions for accessing this particular meeting are included in the agenda.

1:16

Instructions for public comment.

1:18

One can comment in chambers by submitting a speaker slip to the clerk, and you have three minutes of comment from the lectern.

1:34

And again, the instructions for doing that are included in the agenda.

1:38

And then lastly, if we have a written comment received by 4 p.m.

1:43

today, that comment will be uh noted uh slash potentially summarized into the record tonight's meeting.

1:53

So with those preliminary instructions concluded, let's take a roll call vote, please.

2:01

All right.

2:01

Um Commissioner Adam Kevich here.

2:04

Kramer?

2:05

Here.

2:05

Chair Coolidge?

2:06

Here.

2:07

Majeski?

2:08

Present.

2:08

Twig?

2:10

Jadala?

2:10

Here.

2:11

Okay, all present.

2:13

Great.

2:13

Uh next item two is our Pledge of Allegiance.

2:16

So please stand.

2:17

The flag is here.

2:19

I'll allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

2:24

Institute the Republic for which it stands.

2:27

One nation under God.

2:29

Individual.

2:31

Liberty and justice for all.

2:37

Okay, thank you for for that.

2:40

Next is item three, which is our community forum.

2:43

This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the commission on any matter not on the agenda within our purview.

2:54

And again, there'll be three minutes for comment on this item.

2:58

See first that there's any uh speaker slips in chambers for uh item three, our community forum.

3:03

Um no speaker slips in house.

3:05

Great.

3:06

Anyone on Zoom?

3:06

No raise hands on Zoom.

3:08

Great.

3:08

And uh Director DeMello, do we have any uh written comments received for item three before 4 p.m.

3:13

today?

3:14

We have not.

3:15

Great portion.

3:16

Yep.

3:16

Great.

3:17

That concludes uh the community forum.

3:20

Um item four is commissioner announcements and agenda amendments.

3:24

I'll see firstly if we have any uh announcements from the dais.

3:30

No, I have nothing.

3:32

Um next, we'll see from staff if there are any um amendments to tonight's agenda.

3:37

Given the brevity of tonight's agenda, we have no amendments.

3:41

Fantastic.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use Planning█████████████████████████████████████████████71%
Procedural██████████████████29%
Summary of Proceedings

Belmont Planning Commission Meeting - February 3, 2026

The Belmont Planning Commission held a regular meeting on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, starting at 7:01 PM and adjourning at 7:33 PM. The meeting included approval of consent calendar items (meeting minutes), a public hearing for a single-family design review at 1530 Solana Drive, and updates from staff. All six commissioners were present.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 5A – Minutes of January 6, 2026: Approved with two amendments: (1) striking the words "modest rate of" from a description of public comments on the Charles Armstrong School project, and (2) adding the phrase "while also not being located near a property line that abuts a residential lot" to the discussion of a comparison with Ralston Middle School's gym. Motion passed 6-0.
  • Item 5B – Minutes of January 20, 2026: Amended to specify that Commissioner Adam Kevich credited staff for outlining the TMA and job balance ratio, rather than attributing that to all commissioners. Motion passed 5-0 with one abstention.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public testified during the public hearing for Item 7A. No speaker slips in chambers, no Zoom raised hands, and no written comments were received.

Discussion Items

  • Item 7A – 1530 Solana Drive Single-Family Design Review: Planner Ruiz presented the proposal for a two-story addition totaling 1,513 square feet (105 sq ft ground floor, 1,408 sq ft upper floor) to an existing 1,916 sq ft ranch-style home. The lot is 15,253 sq ft with a 35.4% slope. The proposed gross floor area of 3,429 sq ft is under the maximum 4,288 sq ft, and the floor area ratio of 0.225 is below the 0.344 limit. Setbacks are met (front 89 ft, sides 13 ft, rear >20 ft). Architect Michael Ryan explained the design focused on capturing downhill views and noted extensive iteration on the second-floor layout. Commissioners praised the articulation, site sensitivity, and mature landscaping. Commissioner Kramer suggested extending the entry roof for a dry path.

Key Outcomes

  • Approval of 1530 Solana Drive Design Review: The commission unanimously approved the design review (motion passed 6-0). The decision is appealable within 10 calendar days.
  • Staff Updates: Director DeMello noted that the approved minutes from January 6 and January 20 will support upcoming City Council hearings: the Charles Armstrong School project is on the council's February 10 agenda, and the 1301 Shoreway project is tentatively scheduled for February 24. The commission appreciation dinner is scheduled for February 23 at Marvin Gardens.

Meeting Transcript

Good. Alright. Good evening, everyone. Welcome to tonight's Planning Commission meeting for the City of Belmont. It is Tuesday, February 3rd, and it's 7 01. We're about to get going. We'll give some instructions on participation for tonight's meeting. Firstly, meeting attendance. It's streamed live via the city's website at Belmont.gov. And it's available through the Zoom app and the instructions for accessing this particular meeting are included in the agenda. Instructions for public comment. One can comment in chambers by submitting a speaker slip to the clerk, and you have three minutes of comment from the lectern. And again, the instructions for doing that are included in the agenda. And then lastly, if we have a written comment received by 4 p.m. today, that comment will be uh noted uh slash potentially summarized into the record tonight's meeting. So with those preliminary instructions concluded, let's take a roll call vote, please. All right. Um Commissioner Adam Kevich here. Kramer? Here. Chair Coolidge? Here. Majeski? Present. Twig? Jadala? Here. Okay, all present. Great. Uh next item two is our Pledge of Allegiance. So please stand. The flag is here. I'll allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Institute the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God. Individual. Liberty and justice for all. Okay, thank you for for that. Next is item three, which is our community forum. This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the commission on any matter not on the agenda within our purview. And again, there'll be three minutes for comment on this item. See first that there's any uh speaker slips in chambers for uh item three, our community forum. Um no speaker slips in house. Great. Anyone on Zoom? No raise hands on Zoom. Great. And uh Director DeMello, do we have any uh written comments received for item three before 4 p.m. today? We have not.

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