Half Moon Bay City Council Meeting: Climate Plan, BLM Mural, Housing - December 7, 2023
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Half Moon Bay City Council Meeting: Climate Plan, BLM Mural, Housing - December 7, 2023
The Half Moon Bay City Council held a regular meeting on December 7, 2023, featuring presentations from NOAA and Peninsula Clean Energy, passionate public comments on affordable housing and property rights, and unanimous adoption of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. The council held a robust discussion on the Black Lives Matter mural at City Hall, ultimately voting to keep it while exploring a broader community heritage mural. Other actions included adopting the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and approving an amendment to the City Manager's contract.
Presentations and Proclamations
- NOAA Winter Weather Outlook: Brian Garcia from the National Weather Service provided the seasonal outlook, noting California had exited drought conditions, a strong El Nino was underway, and the highest precipitation probabilities in the Bay Area were forecast for January and February 2024.
- Peninsula Clean Energy Programs: Mark Hirschman and Alejandra Posada presented the agency's offerings, including 100% carbon-free electricity, a 5% generation discount for residents, and rebates and 0% loans for transitioning to heat pump appliances. A new program offering no-cost whole-home electrification for income-qualified households was announced.
City Manager Updates
- Rent Control & Tenant Protections Timeline: Assistant City Manager John Dowdy provided the schedule for actions authorized in November 2023: a rental registration ordinance is expected back on January 16, 2024; enhanced tenant protections and a rent control program are targeted for March 2024; and a code enforcement relocation assistance program for May 2024.
- 880 Stone Pine Housing Project (Stone Pine Cove): Dowdy detailed the joint city-county application for an Emergency Coastal Development Permit. The project proposes 47 units (46 affordable manufactured homes for farm workers, including those displaced from the January 23 shooting, plus one manager unit) on city-owned land. Funding includes a $5 million Joe Cerna grant and $1 million from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. The goal for occupancy is fall 2024. Parking will be off-street with two tandem spaces per unit.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Myrtle Street Right-of-Way Encroachment: Residents Ruby Singh and Marty Van Dun reported that a neighbor moved a fence approximately 20 feet into the public right-of-way, narrowing a drainage corridor and using city land for private RV rentals. City Attorney Catherine Engberg confirmed an active code enforcement case and stated no litigation has been formally served on the city.
- Affordable Housing Plea: Rocio Avila delivered an emotional appeal, sharing stories of farm worker families living in single rooms and urging the council to continue fighting for dignified, equitable housing.
- Minimum Wage Discussion: Sheila Edwards May advocated for a two-tier minimum wage system to protect high school and entry-level employees from potential negative impacts of rapid minimum wage increases.
- Support for Council Actions: Joanne Rukoski (Coastside Faith in Action) thanked the council for its work on low-income housing, tenant protections, and raising the minimum wage.
- Disruptive Comments: The Mayor cut off public comment after several Zoom participants made racist and vulgar statements.
- Support for BLM Mural: A majority of in-person speakers and all five emails read by the City Clerk urged the council to keep the Black Lives Matter mural, citing its importance to racial justice and community unity. One speaker, Paulette Eisen, expressed concerns about the mural's association with a political organization and suggested a replacement representing broader unity.
Consent Calendar
- The council unanimously approved the Consent Calendar, including: waiver of reading of resolutions (1A), Mayor's amended list of council assignments (1B), 2024 Measure D Residential Dwelling Unit Allocation (63 units) (1C), Ocean Colony sewer station backup pump purchase (1D), final acceptance of Seymour Outfall emergency repairs (1E), CalRecycle grant applications (1F), and Amendment No. 3 for Smith Field Park design support (1G).
Discussion Items
3.A Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (Phase One) Adoption
- Staff presented the CAAP, based on a 2019 greenhouse gas inventory identifying 61% of emissions from transportation and 25% from buildings. The plan outlines strategies for electrification, waste diversion, and carbon sequestration with a strong focus on community outreach and education. Councilmembers praised the multi-pronged approach. The plan was adopted unanimously (5-0).
3.B Black Lives Matter City Hall Mural Discussion
- Councilmember Ruddock, who requested the item, reported hearing concerns from community members that the mural's lettering and logo associated the message with a specific political organization, suggesting a broader diversity mural instead.
- Councilmember Rarback opposed removal, calling the mural a "wonderful" representation of the city's commitment to diversity and equity.
- Vice Mayor Jimenez gave an emotional statement connecting the mural to the fight against oppression and community heritage, strongly supporting its preservation.
- Councilmember Brownstone highlighted the story of a black family traveling across the country who felt welcomed by the mural, arguing the human impact of the sentiment outweighs concerns about branding.
- Mayor Penrose stated that removing the mural would signal that the city does not believe Black Lives Matter, supporting keeping it and complementing it with a broader heritage mural.
- Outcome: The council voted unanimously (5-0) to keep the Black Lives Matter mural. Staff was directed to explore the development of a broader community heritage mural on a prominent location like Kelly Avenue.
3.C Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for FY 2022-23
- Ken presented the audited financials. Revenues were $205K below projections, but expenditures were $1.4M under budget, yielding a $1.2M improvement. An ongoing structural deficit of $3.9 million is projected. Staff is conducting a thorough expenditure review and will work with the Finance Subcommittee on revenue enhancements, potentially including tax measures for a future ballot. The report was unanimously received (5-0).
3.D Amendment to Employment Contract for City Manager
- Staff presented an amendment for City Manager Matthew Chidester: a 3% retroactive cost-of-living salary adjustment (to $272,950, retroactive to July 1, 2023) and 117 hours of administrative leave for extraordinary work responding to the winter storms and the January 23 mass shooting. The amendment was unanimously approved (5-0).
Key Outcomes
- Climate Action Plan: Adopted unanimously (5-0).
- BLM Mural: Motion to keep the mural on City Hall passed unanimously (5-0). Staff directed to explore a broader heritage mural.
- Annual Comprehensive Financial Report: Received and accepted unanimously (5-0).
- City Manager Contract: Approved unanimously (5-0).
- Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
Sorry, welcome about welcome to the December the fifth, two thousand and twenty-three meeting of the City Council of Half Moon Bay. May I have roll call, please. Councilmember Brownstone. Here. Councilmember Redick. Here. Councilmember Arbeck. Here. Vice Mayor Jimenez. Here. Mayor Penrose. Here. You have a quorum. Thank you. Can we all rise for the Pledge of Allegiance? Before we start the rest of tonight's meeting, I have a few words I'd like to say about our dear friend Don Horsley, who passed on November the 24th. We got the news that he had passed. He was our county sheriff. He was our county supervisor. Don was a steadfast supporter of Half Moon Bay and Coastside Issues, a tireless, dedicated public servant, his entire career, and a shining example of what it means to serve your community. His 14 years as San Mateo County Sheriff was marked by implementation of innovative and progressive policies, which modernized that department and made it into a showcase of how local law enforcement can change with the times and grow to better serve the public. Don served three terms on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, and his focus was very clearly on social issues and helping those most in need throughout the county's communities, including the coastside. It's well known that Don's compassion and empathy were paramount in guiding his actions. And throughout his time on the board, he was a good friend of Half Moon Bay and of the coastside. As county supervisor representing District Three, Don put a lot of attention on coastside challenges, including here in Half Moon Bay, offering his involvement, advice, leadership, and more often than not, his ability to gain county funds for a variety of projects. Among the projects that Don gave us time and energy to here in Half Moon Bay and the coastside were the San Mateo County Farm Worker Advisory Commission, our CARES program, crisis assistance response and evaluation services, the construction of our beautiful Half Moon Bay Library, many elements of our emergency services activities, the Coastside Medical Clinic, the Pescadero Town Plaza, Tunitas Creek Beach, the Advisory Board for the Coastide Victims Fund, a great deal of support for efforts to address homelessness and mental health issues, including the purchase of the Coast House here in Half Moon Bay, and many, many more, too numerous to mention. Don Horsley will be greatly missed, but he will always be remembered. I'd like us to just bow our heads for one minute and think of how wonderful and grateful we are that we have working with us and for us. Thank you. We're moving on to approval of tonight's agenda. Could I have a motion, please? So moved. Second. All in favor say aye. Aye. And now we move on to proclamations and presentations. We have two tonight. The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration presentation is first. Awesome. Thanks. Good evening. My name is Brian Garcia. I am a meteorologist with the National Weather Service serving in the San Francisco Bay area and Monterey Bay regions. And uh first of all, I'd like to thank Carla Way for his invitation to come up here and give a presentation to you all and your communities. So tonight, hopefully you can see the images on your screens in front of you. So I'm going to go through these uh in pretty short order. So uh if you're ready, we will this thing actually click. Bomb bump um on there we go. Perfect. So this is the can you make sure to speak in the microphone, please for interpretation.
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