Half Moon Bay City Council Meeting: Housing Element Rezonings and Labor Agreements - August 18, 2026
Half Moon Bay City Council Regular Meeting - August 18, 2026
The Half Moon Bay City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at the Ted Adcock Community Center. The meeting began at 7:00 PM and included presentations, public comments, consent calendar approval, and action on several major items, including the introduction of an ordinance to implement the 6th Cycle Housing Element rezonings, approval of labor agreements, and amendments to council rules. The meeting also featured a presentation from the Mobile Crisis Response Team and updates from the City Manager.
Presentations
- Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT): Staff presented an overview of the 24/7 crisis call center and mobile response service, which serves all ages countywide with no barriers. The team, identifiable by purple uniforms, is available 365 days a year.
- Midcoast Community Council Update: New Chair Scott Bollinger reported on the amendment of San Mateo County Local Coastal Program Policy 1.23D, which involves a 40-unit hard cap on new building permits. The Midcoast Community Council expressed qualified support for Option E, which banks unrealized permits since 2013, to maintain the cap.
Consent Calendar
The council approved the consent calendar unanimously (4-0). Items included:
- Waiving reading of ordinances and resolutions.
- Approving minutes of the July 21, 2026 special and regular meetings.
- Treasurer's report for the quarter ending June 30, 2026.
- First amendment to the Rental Assistance Program Agreement with Coastside Hope.
- Accepting warrants for July 2026.
- Authorizing application for up to $10.3 million in California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank financing for sewer improvements.
- Transferring $75,000 from the Wavecrest Road Water Line Project to the Main Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Housing Element Rezonings (Item 10A): Numerous community members, primarily parishioners of Our Lady of the Pillar Catholic Church, urged the council to remove the church property at 300 Church Street from the list of sites for high-density housing. Speakers argued the land is needed for a planned parochial school and that the city has other suitable sites. Several expressed distrust due to past council actions and requested a binding commitment to remove the property within six months.
- Council Rules and Decorum: A speaker requested that the proposed amendments include provisions for addressing misconduct by council members, citing past incidents.
- Other: A representative from the Unhoused on the Coast Outreach program reported a 24% reduction in unhoused individuals in Half Moon Bay since May, down to 31. A speaker also questioned the traffic impacts of the Highway 1 North project.
Discussion Items
- 10A: Introduction of Ordinance for 6th Cycle Housing Element Rezonings: Staff presented a comprehensive rezoning plan to meet state requirements for 480 units of housing, adding 272 units of capacity (143 very low-income, 100 low-income, 29 moderate-income). The ordinance includes zoning map amendments, new chapters for workforce housing overlay and by-right affordable housing development. Extensive public comment centered on the inclusion of the church property. The council debated the feasibility of removing the site, with staff and city attorney clarifying that immediate removal is not possible without amending the housing element, which is not on the agenda. Councilmember Nagengast expressed concerns about the process and lack of prior awareness. The council voted 4-1 to introduce the ordinance, with Nagengast opposed.
- 11A: Youth Appointments to Parks and Recreation Commission: Two youth members were appointed: Talia Meyer and Simon Robert Del Nagro.
- 11B: Amendments to City Council Rules of Procedure and Decorum: The council approved amendments to update public participation language consistent with SB 707, clarify consent calendar procedures, and set a 2:00 PM deadline for public correspondence on meeting day. A direction was given to update agenda headings to be consistent with the new rules. The council also discussed creating a public comment form and improving communication about remote meeting disruptions.
- 11C: Highway 1 North Design Agreement Amendment No. 8: The council authorized an additional $120,000 for Mark Thomas and Company to complete final design, permitting, and bid support. The project, now fully funded with a $13 million T.A. grant, is targeting spring 2027 construction. A public comment raised concerns about the scale of the project.
- 11D & 11E: Labor MoUs: The council approved four-year agreements (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2030) with both the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 39 and the Represented Management Team, along with compensation plans for non-represented employees. Terms include step salary increases (5% in year 1, 3.5% in year 2, 3.25% in years 3-4), a $2,500 one-time payment, and changes to health contributions.
- 11F: Sewer Authority Mid-Year Budget Adjustment: The council approved a mid-year adjustment to the Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside's FY 2026-27 budget to incorporate the Montara Force Main Replacement Project (Option 2, June 2028 completion). This increased the city's share by approximately $5.5 million, funded through future borrowing and a pending rate study.
Key Outcomes
- Housing Element Rezonings (Item 10A): Approved 4-1 (Nagengast opposed). The ordinance introduces by title only the rezoning of multiple sites, including the church property, to meet state requirements. The council directed staff to begin a process to identify alternative sites for future removal of the church site after certification.
- Labor Agreements (Items 11D & 11E): Approved unanimously (4-0). Authorizes the City Manager to execute four-year MoUs with Local 39 and management, with total fiscal impact of approximately $500,000 for Local 39 and $900,000 for management and unrepresented groups.
- Youth Appointments (Item 11A): Approved unanimously. Talia Meyer and Simon Robert Del Nagro appointed to the Parks and Recreation Commission.
- Council Rules (Item 11B): Approved unanimously. Amendments adopted including updated public participation and correspondence deadlines.
- Highway 1 North Design Amendment (Item 11C): Approved unanimously.
- Sewer Budget Adjustment (Item 11F): Approved unanimously. The city will explore IBank financing to cover the increased assessment.
- Future Agenda Items: Councilmember Nagengast requested future discussion on removing the church property from the housing element after certification and on creating a local preference ordinance for affordable housing. Both were seconded.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to the regular meeting of the Half Moon Bay City Council for Tuesday, August 18th, 2026. As a reminder, if you are joining this meeting via Zoom, you can still make public comment. During any public comment portions, attendees may use the raise your hand feature and will be called upon and unmuted when it is your turn to speak. If joining by phone, you star nine to raise your hand. Oopsie daisies. We also have Spanish interpretation services available in person and via Zoom. On point will now provide information on how to receive those services if you are in need of them. Do we have uh Victor Nicholas here? Hello. Good afternoon. Thank you, Madam Mayor, for an honorable city council uh for and the staff for giving me the opportunity to address the public. Uh members of public, las instructions para participat in la reunion de hoy se pueden encontrar in el orden del día que ya está publicado. Los miembros del public se les proportionar interpretation in vivo de todo esta reunionen espanol, ando de interpretation in vivo por Zoom, ya sea con una computadora or una portátil, a click in the icono del globo terráqueo, es decir, in el mundo y selection el idioma espanol. See usted sta usando un telefono intelligente or una tableta, busca el menu de three puntos in la part de la barra, selection interpretation, luego selection el idioma spaniol, ando aga click in donde dice done o listo. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Thank you so much, Nicholas. Um, could I have a roll call, please? Councilmember Brownstone? Here. Councilmember Johnson. Here. Councilmember Nagangast? Mayor Reddick. Here. We have a quorum. Thank you. I'll rise for Pledge of Allegiance. Wow, that was a hearty pledge of allegiance. Good group. Thanks for that. Okay, so the next item of business is to approve the agenda. Would anyone like to make a motion and a second? So moved. Second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed. Motion carries. So the next order of business is going to be um item 3A, which is the mobile crisis response team presentation. Good evening. Hi, good evening. Thank you for having me present. I'm going to provide a very brief overview and I have a packed agenda. So this evening I can talk about the Crisis Call Center. We're a 24-7 call center. We're staffed by triage clinicians. We receive calls from the community from individuals who are seeking service for themselves, family members, uh, school counselors, community members, teachers, everybody. What happens, I just like to make you aware is you talk to our triage clinician, we gather information, and we then deploy mobile crisis response team. I'm on I'm in uniform, so we're the people, the purple people, meaning we come out in uniform, we're very identifiable. A counselor and a peer recovery coach come on scene.
openpublica.com