Belmont Planning Commission Meeting - October 20, 2026

The Belmont Planning Commission met on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, beginning at approximately 7:04 p.m. after a power surge caused a brief outage. The meeting included consent items, a public hearing on a four-unit multifamily project on Old County Road, an EIR scoping session for the 2 Davis Drive project, and a Stormwater Master Plan update. All six present members constituted a quorum; Commissioner Jadala was absent, and Commissioner Takahashi recused himself from the 2 Davis Drive scoping item because of his employment connections to parties associated with the site.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of minutes for September 1, 2026: Approved 6-0.
• 604, 608, and 610 Harbor Boulevard Permit Extension: Approved 6-0. The resolution extended Design Review, Grading Plan, Tree Permit, Outdoor Noise Exception, Affordable Housing Plan, Density Bonus Incentive, and Senate Bill 2097 Parking Reduction entitlements for Project No. 2020-0023.
• The City Clerk advised that future consent items could be handled as one motion, but the Commission indicated it preferred individual roll-call votes while newer members become familiar with the process.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No in-person or Zoom speakers appeared for general public comment or consent calendar items. Two written emails submitted before 4 p.m. were placed in the record, one relating to a non-agenda matter and one relating to an agenda item.
• For the Old County Road public hearing, no oral public comments were offered in chambers or via Zoom. A written letter of support from the California Housing Defense Fund was received before 4 p.m. The applicant previously held an outreach meeting on September 5, 2026, which no one attended, but two neighboring property/business owners emailed concerns about limited street parking, nearby private parking lots, cut-through traffic, and pedestrian safety on Carin Street.
• For the 2 Davis Drive EIR scoping session, no verbal or written public comments were submitted during the meeting.

Discussion Items

• Old County Road Multifamily Project (APN 045-241-260): Staff recommended approval of Design Review and a Conditional Use Permit for a three-story, 3,534-square-foot building with four dwelling units on an irregular, triangular parcel with only 22 feet of street frontage. The project includes two one-bedroom ground-floor units and two three-bedroom upper units, a roof deck, and no onsite parking due to AB 2097; the site is approximately 0.3 miles from the Belmont Caltrain station. A Conditional Use Permit was required to allow residential use instead of commercial on the ground floor. Staff found the project categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15332. Commissioners raised questions about fire hydrant and hose-pull distances, including the project's stated hose-pull distance of 147 feet 10 inches versus the 150-foot maximum; blank rear wall articulation; and the absence of a unique fire condition for Unit A. Several commissioners strongly criticized the staff report language describing ground-floor residential as continuing an "established pattern," arguing it undercuts the Belmont Village Specific Plan. There was also extensive discussion about whether the Housing Accountability Act constrains denial when the project requires a CUP; staff described a holistic approach and said the city analyzes housing projects to avoid creating constraints to housing, while some commissioners questioned whether legal counsel should have been present to clarify the analysis. Ultimately, several commissioners said they could make the required CUP findings due to the site's small size, irregular shape, and limited frontage, though they expressed ongoing policy concerns about ground-floor commercial losses. Staff agreed to carry those concerns into future policy work.
• 2 Davis Drive EIR Scoping Session: LSA Associates presented the proposed project at 2 Davis Drive, a 3.26-acre site currently containing a 21,500-square-foot commercial building constructed in 1962. The project would demolish the existing building and construct seven three-story townhome-style condominium buildings with 45 units, of which 33 would have three bedrooms and 12 would have four bedrooms, a density of approximately 15.6 dwelling units per acre, 90 garage parking spaces, and six guest spaces. The project also includes dedicating an approximately 0.35-acre public safety parcel to the city for a future fire station of up to about 9,400 square feet and a 2,600-square-foot storage and staging facility. The EIR will evaluate air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, greenhouse gas emissions, land use and planning, noise, and transportation, with other topics addressed in an initial study. The NOP scoping period closes November 6, 2026, at 5 p.m.; the draft EIR is anticipated in winter or spring 2027, with certification anticipated in late 2027. Commission scoping comments included calls for further study of geology and soils given the nearby Ralston Field sinkhole, tribal cultural resources, a range of alternatives including current zoning and mixed-use or higher-density options, wildfire and evacuation considerations, and the site's proximity to Water Dog Lake. No action was taken; comments will be compiled into the EIR record.
• Stormwater Master Plan Update: Senior Civil Engineer Pashana Paladnik presented the updated Stormwater Master Plan. The city has mapped its stormwater system, with an estimated replacement value of roughly $173 million. Modeling identified flooding risks under a two-year storm, a 100-year storm, and the city's 10-year design storm. Capital improvement needs include approximately $34 million for capacity projects and over $11 million for condition-related repairs. The city has no dedicated stormwater fund; an NPDES-related fee generates about $400,000 per year, primarily for operations and maintenance. The plan will be brought to the City Council for adoption in November. Commissioners asked about model conservatism under climate change, regional coordination with San Carlos and Caltrans, the Twin Pines detention basin, funding and grants, and opportunities for creek daylighting and native species restoration. The item was informational and required no action.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the September 1, 2026 meeting minutes unanimously, 6-0.
• Approved the Harbor Boulevard permit extension resolution unanimously, 6-0.
• Approved the Old County Road Design Review and Conditional Use Permit resolution on a roll-call vote; the motion carried. The project is appealable within 10 calendar days, and standard conditions of approval will apply, with minor cleanup items to be addressed at building permit submittal.
• Concluded the 2 Davis Drive EIR scoping session with no formal action; written scoping comments will be accepted until November 6, 2026, at 5 p.m.
• Received the Stormwater Master Plan update with no formal action; the plan is scheduled to go to the City Council in November.
• Staff announced that Kelly Biggs is the new deputy community development director, that a 21 Elements planning commissioner training on housing laws will occur on October 29, 2026, and noted upcoming city centennial events and ongoing staff transitions.