City Council Regular Meeting - May 7, 2025
City Council Regular Meeting - May 7, 2025
The Half Moon Bay City Council held a hybrid regular meeting on May 7, 2025. The meeting included presentations, adoption of a hazard mitigation plan, a lengthy discussion on the rent stabilization and rental registry programs, updates on the sanitary sewer master plan and capital improvement program, and a closed session settlement. The council voted 3-2 to continue the rent stabilization program for one year while gathering data and exploring alternatives. Several items were continued to future meetings.
Proclamations and Presentations
- May Mental Health Proclamation – Postponed to the May 20 meeting.
- CORA (Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse) Presentation – CORA has opened a satellite office at Coastside Hope, providing domestic violence services including a navigator, legal services, housing assistance, and mental health programs. Business hours are Wednesdays 1-5 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays 9-5 p.m. Services are free and confidential.
- Midcoast Community Council Update – Scott Bullinger reported on upcoming Ox Mountain methane capture presentation (May 14), approval and submittal of the stormwater report, and support for AB 2449 (remote participation). He also noted the passing of Lisa Ketchum, the MCC's historian and website maintainer, who was instrumental in developing the coastal prairie at Pillar Point.
- Fire Pit Project Presentation – Chloe presented results of the pilot project at Poplar Beach. Key findings: high community usage across all ages, no beach fire incidents reported, less trash and illegal bonfires. Three designs were tested; the square pit was too large, cylindrical and octagonal pits performed best. Recommendations include a permanent program with 6–10 pits, a reservation system, using grates (not lids), and an operating season of April 1–October 31. Estimated cost: $1,500–$2,000 per pit, annual maintenance $7,000–$10,000.
Closed Session Report
- Council met in closed session to discuss Vitovich v. City of Half Moon Bay. The council approved a settlement agreement on a 4-0 vote (Mayor Brownstone recused). The agreement does not approve the project but requires the city council to reconsider it within 30 days; staff targets June 3 for reconsideration. The settlement is a public document.
Consent Calendar
- 1.A Waive reading of resolutions and ordinances.
- 1.B Approve minutes of April 15, 2025 Regular and Special Meetings.
- 1.C Accept Treasurer's Report for quarter ending March 31, 2025.
- The consent calendar was approved unanimously by roll call.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Public Forum (non-agendized items):
- Crystal Inn (Coast Chamber) spoke in support of Small Business Week, encouraging local shopping.
- Joaquin Jimenez described ongoing harassment by a community member (Mike Califano) following his son's funeral, including name-calling, stalking, and interference with his job. He also asked Councilmember Nagengast to stop texting him.
- Nancy Fontana expressed appreciation for staff and council, but cautioned against
Meeting Transcript
Welcome everybody. Regular meeting of the City of Half Woman Bay City Council. Before we do our roll call. Before we do our roll call, one of our council members is attending remotely. And Catherine will talk about the protocols for that for a few minutes. And in accordance with the Brown Act, uh, the teleconference location has been noted on the agenda for tonight's meeting. And I also want to note for the record that we have a quorum of council members present here in person. Make sure everything's working okay. Um, Councilmember Penrose, can you hear me okay? Yes. Do you have a copy of the agenda for tonight's meeting? I do. Great. And have you posted the agenda at the location where you are? I have. And is your location reasonably accessible to the public such that any member of the public could participate at the teleconference location if he or she wished to do so? Yes, it is. Great. And is there any member of the public there with you now? No. Okay, great. Well, then I would like to advise the council that they can proceed with the meeting this evening and that all votes must be taken by roll call because we have one member teleconferencing. Thank you. Councilmember Johnson. Councilmember Naggin guest. Councilmember Penrose. Here. Vice Mayor Reddick. Here. And Mayor Brownstone. Here. We have a quorum. Thank you. If you could all please join me to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Okay. So proclamations and presentations are first scheduled. Ms. Fire, we need to do the approval of the agenda before we get started. Yeah, let's approve the agenda. Thank you. Move approval. Second. All those in favor. We have to do a rule call. All those opposed. Great. Okay. Now we're on to proclamations and presentations. Originally we were going to have a proclamation about the May Mental Health Proclamation. But unfortunately, um we will have to move that to the 20th because somebody, the person who we're going to present that's who couldn't make it tonight.
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