Half Moon Bay City Council Meeting – November 18, 2025

The Half Moon Bay City Council met on November 18, 2025, at 3:00 PM. The meeting began with roll call, establishing a quorum (all five members present: Mayor Brownstone, Vice Mayor Reddick, Councilmembers Johnson, Nagengast, and Penrose). The agenda was approved unanimously. The meeting included a proclamation honoring Lenny Roberts, a presentation on the Coastside CERT Fall 2025 Basic Training, public forum, and approval of the consent calendar. The meeting was then adjourned for a five-minute break before continuing into a joint session with the Planning Commission.

Proclamations & Presentations

• Lenny Roberts Proclamation: Mayor Brownstone read a proclamation recognizing Lenny Roberts for over seven decades of environmental advocacy, including her role in protecting open space, farmland, and coastal access; her work with Green Foothills; and the dedication of the Lenny Roberts Trail at Miramontes Ridge Open Space Preserve. Lenny Roberts spoke, highlighting the historical development pressures on the coast and the role of Green Foothills in preserving farmland and open space. Councilmembers each expressed gratitude and admiration for her contributions.
• Coastside CERT Fall 2025 Basic Training: Interim Public Works Director Todd Seely reported on the CERT training held from October 29 to November 15, 2025. He noted 37 graduates, including Councilmember Johnson and Community Development Director Leslie Lako, and that 99 CERTs were trained this year (30 in the Spanish-speaking cohort). Coastside CERT now has 542 trained CERTs and 179 ham radio operators across 32 neighborhoods. Training covered local hazards (earthquake, tsunami, wildfire, etc.), disaster medical operations, fire safety, and a final simulation. Councilmember Johnson shared his personal experience and encouraged residents to participate.

Consent Calendar

• Items approved unanimously (5-0):
  • 8A: Waiving reading of resolutions and ordinances.
  • 8B: Approving minutes of the November 4, 2025 special meeting.
  • 8C: Approving the mitigation monitoring reporting program for the 6th cycle housing element.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Councilmember Penrose: Apologized for comments made at a previous meeting about a Main Street storefront (law office of Robin Dunlap), stating his remarks were based solely on his opinion and he never intended harm. He welcomed Ms. Dunlap’s input on the downtown vitality ordinance.
• Joe Farrell (Miramar resident): Expressed concern about the Pullman Ditch flooding, stating that the city had allowed Caltrans to redirect Highway 1 stormwater into the ditch without easements and approved homes built below grade in conflict with local coastal program policy. He argued the city created the problem and must fix it, demanding the bypass be completed and immediate steps taken to reduce flow. He also noted polluted water (elevated nitrogen and phosphorus) entering the neighborhood and ocean, and that Rocket Farms lacks a valid non-domestic discharge permit.
• Sid Young (online): Opposed a potential study by the Board of Supervisors to consolidate fire groups under Local 2400, expressing support for the current Cal Fire contract. He noted that Cal Fire saved money and funded new fire stations without bonds, and urged the council to reject any move away from Cal Fire.

Key Outcomes

• The consent calendar was approved unanimously (5-0).
• No other decisions or votes were taken during this portion of the meeting. The meeting adjourned to a five-minute break before continuing with the Planning Commission session.

Note: The meeting summary covers only the portion of the November 18, 2025 meeting before the break. The agenda and minutes were not available; the summary is based solely on the raw transcript.