Belmont Planning Commission Meeting - July 21, 2026
Belmont Planning Commission Meeting - July 21, 2026
The Belmont Planning Commission met on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 7:01 PM, with a quorum present (Commissioners Adam Kavich, Takahashi, Chair Coolidge, Twig, and Jadala; Commissioners Kramer and Majeski absent). The meeting was broadcast on Comcast Cable 27, streamed online, and available via Zoom. The agenda included a community forum, approval of prior meeting minutes, and a public hearing on a single-family design review at 1141 Villa Avenue. Staff announced upcoming schedule changes and the impending retirement of Planning Director De Mello.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of June 16, 2026 Meeting Minutes: Moved and seconded; passed 5-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Community Forum (Item 3): Viola Shedda, a rising 12th-grade Belmont resident, spoke via Zoom. She encouraged the city to explore incentives for developers to include LiveWork units in new housing projects within the Belmont Caltrain Transit Corridor. She noted that Belmont must accommodate 1,785 new housing units by 2031, with much growth in District 1, and that state laws (density bonus, SB 35) have reduced the city's ability to require ground-floor commercial space. She proposed incentives such as expedited permit review or reduced impact fees to preserve mixed-use neighborhoods while meeting housing goals. Commissioners praised her thoughtful analysis and expressed interest in further conversation.
- No other public comments were received for the community forum or the public hearing.
Discussion Items
- Single-Family Design Review – 1141 Villa Avenue (Item 7A): Staff presented a proposal to add 1,159 square feet to create a second story on an existing 1,273-square-foot single-family home. The lot is 5,571 square feet with a slope of 15.71%, allowing a floor area ratio (FAR) of 0.506 and maximum gross floor area of 2,819 square feet. The proposed total of 2,432 square feet complies with all zoning requirements, including setbacks (front 15 ft, side 7 ft 6 in, rear 15 ft) and height (under 28 ft). The design features board-and-batten siding, black trim, a metal roof on the lower level and composite shingles on the upper level, and a rear balcony. The front elevation is stepped back, and window placement aims to respect neighbor privacy. No trees will be removed. The applicant, Ewing Santiago, confirmed that mailed outreach received no written comments but that neighbors verbally expressed support and asked about the start date.
- Commission Questions & Deliberation: Commissioners asked about the dual roof materials (architect Thailon Ka explained it adds visual interest, with the smaller lower roof using metal to differentiate). Concerns were raised about the flat southeast elevation; staff acknowledged it does not fully meet residential design guidelines for articulation but noted the use of varied window sizes and trim. Commissioners complimented the massing, articulation, tree preservation, and clarity of the plans. One commissioner suggested cool roof shingles. All commissioners stated they could make the required findings.
- Staff Updates (Item 8): Director De Mello announced that the August 4 meeting is canceled due to National Night Out, and the August 18 meeting will also be canceled due to lack of business. The next meeting will be September 1. The grand opening for the 125-unit all-affordable Rome project at 800 Belmont Avenue is expected in early September (week of the 8th or 12th), and commissioners will be invited. De Mello also noted that the commission's feedback on neighborhood outreach processes is being reviewed for potential improvements. He shared that this is his second‑to‑last meeting, as he will retire shortly after September 1, 2026.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Approval: The June 16, 2026 meeting minutes were approved unanimously (5-0).
- Design Review Approval: The single-family design review at 1141 Villa Avenue (Application 2025-0021) was approved unanimously (5-0). The decision is appealable within 10 calendar days.
- Schedule Changes: Both August 2026 Planning Commission meetings are canceled (August 4 and August 18). The next meeting is September 1, 2026.
- Upcoming Event: Commissioners are invited to the grand opening of the Rome affordable housing project in early September.
- Staff Transition: Planning Director De Mello will retire after the September 1 meeting, marking the end of his 26.5-year tenure with the city.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good evening, everyone. Uh welcome to the City of Belmont's Planning Commission meeting for Tuesday, July 21st. Uh it is 701. Uh, and we have a quorum and we're ready to roll. But before turning to the agenda uh items, uh, we'll give some um instructions on how to attend and participate um uh in tonight's meeting. Uh for meeting attendance. Uh the meeting is being broadcast live to all Belmont residents on Comcast Cable 27. It's also streamed live via the city's website at Belmont.gov, and it's available uh via Zoom. And the instructions for uh accessing the Zoom link for tonight's meeting are included in the agenda for public comment. Um there are three ways to submit public comment. One, um, one can uh comment in chambers uh by submitting a speaker slip to our clerk, and um you'll then have uh three minutes to submit your comment at the lectern. Um also one can uh submit public comment uh via the the zoom app using the raised hand feature and again uh instructions for for uh doing that are included in the agenda. And lastly, um uh one can uh submit written public comments uh for items on the agenda, and so long as those uh written comments are received by uh 4 p.m. today, uh they will be uh considered uh by the commission. So with those uh instructions, I think we can uh turn to a roll call, please. Okay, um Commissioner Adam Kavich. Here. Takahashi? Here. Chair Coolidge? Here. Twig, yeah, Jadala here. And absent tonight is Commissioner Kramer and Majeski. Great, thank you very much. We are accounted for. Uh item two is the Pledge of Allegiance. If we could um stand if you're able, and I'll lead us in a pledge. The flag is here. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and the Republic. For what just stands one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. Great. Thank you very much. Uh turning to item three, that's our community forum. Uh, this is the portion of the agenda uh reserved for persons wishing to address the commission on um matters within our purview that uh are not included on tonight's agenda. Um I think I'll see from staff if we have any um firstly any um anyone in chambers who'd like to submit comment for this item three. Um no speaker slips in-house. We do have one raised hand on Zoom. Great. Let's let's turn to that that um that member of the public, please. Okay, um, Viola, go ahead on Zoom, you'll have three minutes. Hello, um, my name is Viola Shedda. I live here in Belmont, and I'm going into 12th grade this year. I'm here to encourage Belmont to explore incentives for developers to include LiveWork units and new housing projects within the Belmont Caltrain Transit Corridor, because after doing research about the housing issues going on in our community, I think this is a great way to prioritize both the needs of citizens and developers. As you know, Belmont is required to accommodate 1,785 new housing units by 2031, as much of that growth will occur in district one. At the same time, state laws such as the density bonus law and Senate Bill 35 have significantly reduced the city's ability to acquire ground floor commercial space and new developments, as we've seen in the development at 500 to 580 Muslim May, and the resulting pushback from the community. I believe that increasing the supply of housing, especially affordable housing, is incredibly important. However, making sure neighborhoods where people can easily access services, jobs, and community spaces are just as important, um, especially in those new developments. So I think that one practical solution to preserving the mixed use nature of neighborhoods while accommodating the preferences of developers is encouraging live work units where developers do not want to build when developers do not want to build ground form commercial units because they're classified as residential under the California building code. They're generally easier to finance for developers, can be applicable for density bonuses, and can still support small businesses, entrepreneurs, and active streets. Rather than imposing mandates, Belmont could offer incentives such as expedited permit review or reduced impact fees, though I am aware that this is a less useful option as the city is in a funding deficit for projects that include ground level live work units.
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