The Half Moon Bay City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at the Adcock Community Center. The agenda included a Future Leaders Civics Academy graduation, an annual report from the San Mateo County Libraries, an appeal of a planning commission decision to deny a coastal development permit for a new residence at 2800 Champs Elysee Blvd, a resolution to enter a power purchase agreement for solar panels, acceptance of a 5-year sewer infrastructure plan, and discussion of a potential community park at the Beachwood/Glencree property. The meeting featured extensive public comment and a 2-2 deadlocked vote on the residential appeal, resulting in the planning commission's denial being upheld.
Background: Appeal of the Planning Commission's 3-0 denial of a two-story residence. The site is in the Stuloski-Gonzalez Specific Plan. Debate centered on flooding from Pullman watercourse and LUP compliance (policies 7-51, 7-57). Councilmember Brownstone recused himself.
Staff Presentation: Senior Planner Scott Phillips reviewed history (eight hearings). City Engineer Moz Buserginia presented draft hydraulic modeling showing flooding concerns. Applicant incorporated a 25-year detention basin exceeding requirements. Peer review recommended additional hydrologic modeling as condition.
Appellant (Mark Massara): Argued project is fully consistent with policies. Property not in 100-year flood zone. Detention basin designed for up to 1,000-year storm. Off-site flooding issues predate project.
Public Comments: Neighbors opposed, citing flooding, erosion, liquefaction zone, lack of wet season soil tests, and desire to fix the ditch first.
Council Deliberation: Councilmember Penrose and Vice Mayor Rarback believed planning commission had sufficient evidence to deny. Councilmember Ruddick felt sufficient evidence existed for approval with amended conditions. Mayor Jimenez leaned toward denial.
Votes:
Outcome: Appeal denied by default; Planning Commission decision stands.
Presentation: Helen Walter and Moz Buserginia presented three options. Option 1: PPA with Peninsula Clean Energy – no upfront cost, $250,000 savings over 20 years, no maintenance burden. Option 2: WillDan solar-only – $355,000 capital, $47,000 savings. Option 3: Independent contractor – risks losing NEM 2.0 grandfathering.
Public Comment: Jimmy Benjamin asked about maintenance and savings calculation; Peter Levitt from PCE confirmed PCE handles maintenance and savings are net present value.
Council Discussion: Support for Option 1. Councilmember Brownstone disclosed his role on PCE board but voted. Staff assured other electrification projects are ongoing.
Vote: Unanimous (5-0) to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager to execute PPA.
Presentation: Moz Buserginia presented the Capital Improvement Program with three priority categories. Total estimated cost: $18 million (target $13.5 million). Largest project: Montara Force Main at $10.2 million, subject to litigation. Acceptance does not allocate funding; future rate increases likely.
Council Discussion: Councilmember Brownstone noted the funding gap and JPA challenges.
Vote: Unanimous (5-0) to accept the plan.
Presentation: City Manager John and Moz Buserginia reported constraints: wetlands, LUP policies, floodplain. City is pursuing a stormwater management project with potential boardwalk nature trails. Staff recommended focusing on stormwater vision before recreation.
Public Comment: Jimmy Benjamin provided historical context on unpermitted grading and storm drain issues, emphasizing need for floodplain sponge restoration.
Council Discussion: Agreed site not suitable for active park. Directed staff to proceed with stormwater plan and consider passive recreation for grant potential. No formal vote.
Welcome, bienvenidos to the Halfum Bay City Council meeting Tuesday, October fifteenth, two thousand twenty-four. Can we stand for the pledge? One nation with liberty and justice. May I have a roll call, please? Councilmember Brownstone. Here. Councilmember Penrose. Here. Councilmember Reddick? Here. Vice Mayor Rarback. Here. Mayor Jimenez. Here. We have a quorum. Thank you. May I have a motion to approve the agenda? So moved. Second. All in favor of aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? We move on to our programations presentations. Are you guys ready? So I'm here to talk about the wonderful future leaders, Civics Academy that just finished up last week. Um, this program for those who don't know, it's a four-session youth civics and leadership academy, and we aim to help educate the youth in Half Moon Bay about the inner workings of local government. Um, we help them build personal and professional skills like public speaking, leadership skills, communication, adaptability, um, and it all culminates in a mock city council meeting. And so over those four sessions, they are working on a prod uh project that addresses a need for youth in the Half Moon Bay community, and then they present that project to a mock city council meeting. So they were all sitting very similarly to you all last week at the last session, and it's a great time, they're so smart, and I'm very excited for the future. And so I just want to let you all know that you are going to be and do so many things in this life, and we are very thankful that you let us be a part of this journey. So we're gonna go ahead and read your names. I'm gonna just do first names only, and then we're gonna ask you to stand up over here, and then we are going to ask the council to move over there, and we're gonna take some group photos. Sound good, and then you'll be free to go. Okay. So Kieran? Is Kieran here? No, Kieran. Aidan. I saw Aiden. Nice. Cheers. Yeah. Malia. Sophia with a PH. Julia. Caleb Eisen. No Amelia. Sorry.