Half Moon Bay City Council Regular Meeting - September 1, 2026

The Half Moon Bay City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at the Ted Adcock Community Center. Mayor Debbie Ruddock presided; Vice Mayor Deborah Penrose was traveling and absent. Councilmembers Brownstone, Jonsson, and Nagengast were present. The transcript renders one councilmember as Johnson, while the agenda lists Councilmember Patric Jonsson. The meeting was held as a hybrid meeting with in-person and Zoom participation.

Proclamations and Presentations

• Council proclaimed September as Suicide Prevention Month. A speaker from the San Mateo County Suicide Prevention Committee provided countywide statistics: 65 people died by suicide in San Mateo County in 2025, and 988 received 9,212 calls, 1,073 chats, and 1,735 text messages. The speaker described the 2026 theme, the weight we carry, and urged residents to know the warning signs and share 988 as a resource.
• Council recognized Samuel Ramos Palomino for his role in safely containing a bull on Highway 35 on August 18, 2026, and for his 35 years at Seahorse Ranch. Joaquin Jimenez presented Samuel with a lasso, described him as a skilled vaquero, and noted he responded in sandals. Another community member added that Samuel carried out the rescue in pajamas and house shoes. Jimmy Benjamin praised both proclamations as representing the best of the community.

Commission and Committee Updates

• Parks and Recreation Commission: Two new youth commissioners attended their first meeting; Movies in the Park will show Back to the Future on September 26 and The Princess Bride on October 3, chosen with about 400 community survey responses.
• Planning Commission: At its August 25 meeting, the commission approved a 4,004 square foot house with an attached accessory dwelling unit at 2781 Pullman Avenue and made a General Plan consistency determination for property acquisition west of the railroad. Staff also reported that Local Coastal Program implementation plan roadshows are beginning and a joint Planning Commission/City Council study session is scheduled for September 22.

City Manager Updates

• Staff launched Measure I and Measure Q information webpages ahead of the November election. Measure I relates to the downtown Measure D map, and Measure Q is the referendum related to 555 Kelly. The webpages include background, ballot question summaries, links to documents, and public comments received.
• The city launched an online City Council public comment form that forwards submissions to council members and staff. Comments received by 2 p.m. are included in the agenda packet; later comments are added as late correspondence. Council asked staff to cross-link the form from the agendas page and to keep the measure webpages factual and neutral.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Measure I/Q webpages: Evelyn D'Souza said the Yes on 555 Kelly argument contained misleading statements and asked the council to arrange ethics and factual reporting training. Nancy Fontana requested updated per-unit cost information for 555 Kelly and a simple total of maximum adult residents. Sandy Vella said the Measure Q yes argument was inaccurate and that 555 Kelly would impose taxpayer costs through county taxes, forgone market-rate rent, and increased city services.
• Online public comment form: Kurt Bianchi thanked staff for implementing the form he had suggested. Nancy Fontana asked about deadlines to avoid last-minute submissions. Jimmy Benjamin asked that agenda reports be published far enough in advance to give the public adequate time to comment.
• Public forum: Jimmy Benjamin raised concerns about Highway One widening and vegetation removal near Casa del Mar, saying it could affect hydrology and sensitive habitats. Joaquin Jimenez reported overwhelmingly positive feedback on Vaquero Days and said downtown vendors he contacted had no complaints. Jay Kling asked about the license plate reader camera pilot; staff said a study session is scheduled for September 15.
• Measure D transfers: Sophia Whiting supported the transfers and said that before approval, no single-family residence had been approved in Half Moon Bay so far in 2026; her family's project at 22 Kelly includes an affordable ADU. Amy Miller, a property owner at 59 Guerrero, described plans to build an ADU for her aging parents and asked the council to approve the reallocation.
• Community Banner Program: Amber Stowe supported the program and described her involvement as a stakeholder through architectural advisory and planning commission meetings.

Consent Calendar

• Items 9A through 9G were approved unanimously: waiver of reading; minutes of the August 18 special and regular meetings; conflict of interest code update; amended 2026 council calendar; mayor's updated council assignments; and a professional services agreement with Robert D. Niehaus, Inc. for a sewer rate study in an amount not to exceed $57,180.
• Item 9H was pulled by Councilmember Nagengast and considered separately.

Discussion Items

• 9H Housing Element Rezoning: Councilmember Nagengast explained his no vote, citing unanswered questions about Coastal Commission appeal rights, site selection, whether HCD required specific properties, and the process for removing sites after certification. The council amended Section 6 to replace acknowledgement with certification and adopted the ordinance 4-1, with Councilmember Nagengast voting no.
• 2026 Measure D Transfers: Staff reported that the 2026 Measure D growth limit produced 70 total allocations; all 23 outside-downtown allocations were distributed in March, leaving 20 deferred applicants. Downtown received only 4 allocation requests, leaving 20 base allocations available for transfer. Of the 20 deferred applicants, 19 requested transfers: 9 single-family residences with ADUs, 9 ADU-only projects, and 1 single-family-only special case at 32 Jenna Lane with an existing ADU. The council approved transferring 19 downtown base allocations to outside-downtown projects.
• Health Benefits for Elected Officials: Staff presented three options: the state statutory minimum of $162 per month, about $10,000 per year; a structure using the $1,055 monthly stipend as the elected official contribution; and the employee-equivalent benefit with the city contributing up to the Kaiser rate, about $182,000 per year. Council directed staff to return on September 15 with a framework using the employee-equivalent option plus dental and vision coverage, subject to CalPERS eligibility rules and the requirement that elected officials cannot receive better benefits than employees.
• Sanitary Sewer System Summary and Professional Services Agreement: Staff reported that about 80% of sewer mains have been inspected by CCTV, identified three hydraulic pinch points from the 2025 master plan, and summarized a winter 2025-26 inflow and infiltration study using LiDAR-based monitoring. The study found Arleta Park contributed about half of measured inflow and infiltration. The council approved a professional services agreement with V.W. Housen & Associates for wastewater collection system engineering support in an amount not to exceed $99,217. Council members also discussed storm preparedness, illicit connections, storm drain improvements, and public education.
• Community Banner Program: Staff proposed a program covering 42 ornamental street light locations on Main Street, with a $450 application fee per banner cycle, 26 install/removal cycles per year, and a net annual city subsidy of about $3,900. The council discussed banner density and the potential to phase initial installations. Council approved the program, the fee schedule amendment, a partnership with the Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee, and up to $100,000 for initial implementation including hardware and banners.
• Carter Park Donor Program: Staff presented an updated Donor and Sponsorship Policy replacing the June 7, 2022 policy. It creates fixed-price plaque locations with recognition terms of 5 to 10 years, in-kind contribution options, a $100,000 naming threshold, and an online giving platform with donor-designated categories for maintenance, enhancements, or programming. Council approved the updated policy.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent calendar items 9A-9G unanimously.
• Adopted the Sixth Cycle Housing Element rezoning ordinance 4-1 after amending Section 6 to reference certification by the Coastal Commission.
• Approved the transfer of 19 of the remaining downtown base Measure D allocations for use outside downtown, unanimous.
• Directed staff to prepare a health benefits framework for elected officials using employee-equivalent medical coverage plus dental and vision, with a September 15 return date.
• Approved the V.W. Housen & Associates sewer engineering services agreement not to exceed $99,217, unanimous.
• Approved the Community Banner Program, $450 application fee, Beautification Committee agreement, and up to $100,000 implementation authorization, unanimous.
• Approved the Carter Park Donor and Sponsorship Policy, unanimous.
• The city attorney reported no reportable action from closed session. No future agenda items or council reports were added, and the meeting was adjourned.