Half Moon Bay Planning Commission Ratifies Measure D Allocations on May 10, 2022

The Half Moon Bay Planning Commission met remotely on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at 7:00 PM (meeting concluded at approximately 7:50 PM) to consider a single public hearing item: ratification of the 2022 Measure D allocations for residential units outside of downtown. Due to a 41-application demand—the highest in the history of Measure D—staff recommended approval of 23 allocations. After public comment and deliberation, the commission voted 3-0 (with one recusal) to adopt the resolution. Commissioner Benjamin recused himself from the entire item to avoid the appearance of a conflict, noting his close friendship with one of the applicants.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (April 26, 2022): The minutes were approved unanimously by a 4-0 vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Trish Holmes (applicant): Expressed strong support for the Measure D program as an affordable housing opportunity, sharing a personal story about her mother's housing struggles and pledging to help others if awarded an allocation.
• Warren Donald (applicant from Miramar): Raised concerns about the scoring system, stating that city staff used a different definition of "development" than the one in the Local Coastal Program (LCP), which he believed cost him a few points. He indicated he would appeal to the City Council if not approved.

Discussion Items

• Measure D Allocation Ratification (Item 1.A):
  • Staff Presentation (Jill Ekas, Community Development Director, and Scott Phillips, Associate Planner):
    • Explained Measure D's growth control mechanism, which provides 46 allocations downtown (23 base + 23 bonus) and 23 outside downtown. The city has issued all but two downtown allocations. 41 request applications were received for outside downtown, the highest demand ever.
    • The recommended list includes 3 single-family residences with ADUs, 12 ADUs, 1 duplex with an ADU conversion on Main Street, and 3 farm worker housing units, totaling 23 allocations.
    • Staff noted that single-family residences without ADUs scored lower than those with ADUs, and smaller lots with better walkability scored highest.
    • Staff discussed future improvements to the scoring system, noting that changes would require an amendment to the Subdivision Ordinance and certification by the Coastal Commission.
  • Commission Deliberations:
    • Commissioner Ruddick praised staff's efforts and sided with staff on the "open space" interpretation, arguing that the scoring rewards infill as voters intended.
    • Commissioner Gossett also thanked staff and requested the attorney's opinion on the open space definition.
    • Deputy City Attorney Winter weighed in, stating that the city has discretion to interpret its code reasonably, and staff confirmed that even if the contested points were awarded, the outcome would not change.

Key Outcomes

• Motion to Approve Resolution (Commissioner Ruddick, seconded by Commissioner Gossett): Approved 3-0 (Commissioner Benjamin recused). The resolution ratifies the January 2022 Measure D allocations for residential units outside downtown.
• Staff announced that a contract planner will process ADUs for successful applicants, and rejected applications may be deferred to the January 2023 window.

Administrative Updates

• Director's Report: Next meeting in two weeks will include the Capital Improvement Program and a presentation from the Coastside Recovery Initiative. City Council approved the work plan, with the housing element to be completed over the next six months. An ethics training for commissioners is scheduled for June 2, 2022, from 6-8 PM.
• Adjournment: Motion approved 3-0, meeting adjourned at approximately 7:50 PM.